“Starting your own store, huh? That’s a path every merchant dreams of. But from today’s turnout, I’d say it’s a goal you could reach pretty soon, Tetsuya.”

“I’m not sure yet, but as a first day, it went pretty well. Renting the stall instead of setting up a booth on the street definitely paid off.”

Today, a lot of customers came by, and I had to restock a few times. If it were a street stall, we’d have closed shop once we sold out.

“Tomorrow, with word spreading about today’s opening, you might see even more customers. Plus, as promised, I let a few adventurers I know, know about your shop.”

“Oh, that helps a lot! I already had some people say they came because of you, Lilia!”

Among today’s visitors were a few adventurers Lilia had referred to the store.

"With such quality goods at these prices, maybe I didn’t need to say anything” ,she mused.

“No, no! For a new shop, attracting customers is essential. And having the endorsement of a seasoned B-rank adventurer like you? That’s gold!”

For new stores, word-of-mouth referrals are invaluable. The customers who came today might refer even more people, growing our customer base day by day.

“Glad I could be of some help.”

“Yeah, thanks a lot… Though if we keep getting more customers, I might need extra help.”

Even handling today’s visitors was pretty demanding on my own. Some products need detailed explanations, and if tomorrow brings even more customers, a second set of hands would be great.

“In that case, why not try hiring someone from the Adventurers’ Guild? If you go in the morning, you can get someone for half a day for around five silver coins.”

I didn’t expect they had temp worker services here too. I guess hiring help is like making a request at the guild.

“They can tell you more at the guild. Since you’re registered with the Merchants’ Guild, the process shouldn’t be too complicated.”

“Thanks, Lilia. I’ll check out the Adventurers’ Guild tomorrow morning!”

“Yes, give it a try. But seriously, is it okay to sell these compasses at this price? You could easily charge more.”

“They probably would sell at a higher price, but these compasses can help adventurers stay safe. I want them to be affordable so as many people as possible can get one.”

“Having gotten lost in that forest myself, I know how terrifying it can be. I was lucky that Roy and the others found me, but there must be adventurers who weren’t so fortunate, who might starve while facing that same fear.”

“This town is full of rookie adventurers, so there’s bound to be accidents in the forest. I’d like to do my part to make it a little safer for everyone.”

“...”

Getting lost in the woods is truly terrifying. You walk for ages, but the scenery never changes; there’s no sign of a trail or river. As exhaustion drains you, food and water slowly run out.

And then there’s the risk of monsters. Even if they’re edible, fighting one in a weakened state could end badly. Some even attack at night, so rest is hardly an option. If there’s a tool to help prevent that fate, it should be as widely available as possible.

That's my genuine feeling. But on the business side, selling these compasses at a lower price also brings in customers, potentially increasing sales of other items.

And if adventurers manage to survive thanks to the compass, they might return to shop here again. It’s a winning strategy for both my customers and me!

“Oh, Lilia? You alright?”

For some reason, Lilia had gone quiet. Did I say something weird?

“Tha…”

“Huh?”

“That’s admirable, Tetsuya! Thinking of adventurers like that—what an amazing outlook!”

“W-Wait, Lilia?!”

“You’re even willing to sacrifice your profits to help rookie adventurers avoid accidents! Tetsuya, you’re a truly remarkable person! I’m ashamed I assumed merchants always put their own interests first.”

“Lilia, calm down! I’m not exactly a saint…”

“Say no more. Tetsuya, I respect you deeply! If you ever need anything, count on me—I’ll do all I can to support you!”

“Um, actually, there’s another reason for selling the compass cheap…”

“Well, it’s still early. I could go spread the word to more adventurers about your store. Leave the promotion to me, Tetsuya, and just focus on running the shop! See you later!”

“Wait, Lilia—she’s gone already?!”

Before I could stop her, she dashed off. With my lack of stamina, catching up was out of the question, leaving me alone in the street.

It’s true that I want to prevent rookie adventurers from getting lost, but there’s more to it…

Though, honestly, I do worry about Lilia. She seems so sweet and sincere—hope she doesn’t get taken advantage of by some unscrupulous guy down the road…