“And now, we’ve reached the final item of the day—the top recommendation at our outdoor shop!”

“This is a compass, a device that always points in the same direction. With it, even if you get lost in the forest outside town, you’ll never lose your way. This is a must-have for adventurers working in those vast woods!”

“What? Really? It can prevent me from getting lost?”

“Yep. I went to the forest yesterday to test it out. See the red needle here? It always points toward the depths of the forest, so if you get lost, you can head in the opposite direction to return to town.”

“That’s amazing! I got lost in that forest once. I got lucky and was rescued, but with this, I’d never get lost again!”

“Yeah, I’m in that forest every day myself, so having one just in case sounds smart.”

“Incredible. They all point in the same direction—how does it work?”

The compasses on the table were all pointing the same way, and even when I shook one, the needle quickly returned to its original position.

“This tool uses something like ‘magical magnetism,’ a force that allows the needle to point in the same direction anywhere in the world. Unlike magic, it’ll keep working unless it’s broken, so it’s practically everlasting.”

I left out the details of how magnetism really works. In a world with magic, a “magic-like force” should suffice as an explanation. Not that I fully understand geomagnetism myself, anyway.

“Wow, so it works as long as it’s intact. That’s handy!”

“That forest looks the same no matter where you are. This would definitely be useful!”

“This handy compass is just two silver coins! One note of caution, though: while it worked well in the forest, there are some rare spots where it may not point correctly, so just be mindful of that.”

“At that price, it’s worth it for use in the forest. Give me one!”

“I’ll get three for my party.”

“One for me, too!”

“Thanks a lot! Folks, the outdoor shop is open for business! Take a look around!”

“Oh, you there with the cool armor, why not stop by? And you, the beautiful lady with that stunning figure, come take a look!”

“…Oh, is that Lilia?”

The beautiful lady was Lilia, the B-rank adventurer who helped me yesterday.

“Phew, the crowd’s finally gone. Time to close up shop. Thanks for waiting, Lilia.”

I had a steady stream of customers, and the sales likely added up to a nice amount.

Lilia had visited as soon as I opened, seemed relieved by the turnout, and left. Then, she returned just before closing and waited until everyone was gone.

“Oh, no worries. But I have to say, you were like a different person back there. I watched you work the crowd when you opened, and I was impressed by how smooth you were.”

“Haha, yeah, I was hyped up then. Times like that, if you get embarrassed, it only backfires. Besides, I didn’t recognize you right away either—you looked so different from yesterday!”

When I praised her with the same enthusiasm I had while selling, Lilia looked away, her cheeks a little red. The gap between her serious demeanor yesterday and her current look made her appear even more charming. Could it be she isn’t used to compliments?

“Since there weren’t any good requests this morning, I took the day off. Even I prefer not to wear heavy armor on my days off.”

Today, Lilia’s outfit was completely different. Yesterday, she wore long sleeves, pants, and metal chest, leg, and shoulder armor. But today, she had on a long-sleeved top and a skirt.

Yesterday, she looked more strong and capable than beautiful, but her short, golden hair and today’s outfit gave her a graceful and beautiful appearance.

“Lilia, you’re tall with a great figure, so both looks suit you really well.”

“...The shop’s closed; there’s no need to flatter me.”

“I wasn’t flattering you at all. In customer service, it’s best to compliment people genuinely on what you appreciate about them.”

For example, complimenting someone’s stylish outfit, lovely smile, or beautiful hands tends to make them happy. There’s no perfect rule, though; some people appreciate clear flattery, while others might be self-conscious about the very things you admire.

“I see... Oh, well, in any case, congratulations on your shop’s opening.”

Her face reddened a bit again. She looked so cute, though I worried she might get fooled by a bad crowd. Still, I doubt anyone could take advantage of her.

“Thank you! But I’m just renting a stall for now, so it’s more like a soft opening than a real store. My next goal is to earn enough to open a proper shop.”

And if I’m dreaming big, I’d want to leave the shop to my staff and spend my days strolling through town, tasting food, and camping out in the countryside—total slacker goals, I know!