Four days had passed since the outdoor shop opened. With Fia, the fox beastkin, joining as an employee, the shortage of manpower had been resolved, and the business was running smoothly.

Yesterday, there was a small issue. A customer wanted to purchase 100 compasses at once. However, the request was likely for resale purposes, so I declined. To prevent such incidents, the shop had a rule: a maximum of three identical items could be purchased by a single customer.

While I didn’t own a physical store, I wasn’t naive about resale tactics. Of course, exceptions would be considered for legitimate reasons, but this customer refused to clarify their intent, making their motives suspicious.

Although I braced for some sort of retaliation, they left quietly. It was a reminder that as the shop gained popularity, the variety of customers would increase. Even though the town had good security, it wasn’t comparable to modern Japan. Once again, I resolved to stay vigilant.

"Alright, time to level up to LV3!"

After achieving 50 gold coins in sales since reaching LV2, the shop was finally eligible for another level upgrade. However, my personal funds were tight; my room was now packed with camping gear to be sold in the coming days.

“Still, it’s worth leveling up sooner rather than later.”

The shop’s best-selling item, the compass, was nearing market saturation. Many rookie adventurers had already purchased one, so sales were expected to slow. While newcomers arrived in town daily, the days of selling dozens of compasses in a single day were likely over.

If I wanted to maintain momentum, I needed to expand the product lineup by leveling up the shop.

“Now then, what new gear will be available…?”

“The Outdoor Shop has leveled up to LV3. More items are now available for purchase.”

"Yes! Just as before, the product range has expanded! Some of these new camping tools look really handy... Wait, it’ll take 500 gold coins to reach LV4!? That’s going to take forever!”

The LV3 upgrade added a variety of new camping gear, more than double the items introduced at LV2. While it still lacked larger items like tents and sleeping bags, the new products were practical and likely to sell well.

The real challenge lay ahead. Collecting 500 gold coins for the next level upgrade would take considerable time at the current sales rate.

“It’ll be a slow climb, but I’ll manage. Rushing to earn large sums of money would just invite trouble. It’s better to take it easy and work steadily.”

I began planning which items to stock and their pricing strategy. Selling compasses had taught me the importance of verifying product demand. For anything complex, I could rely on Roya or Lilia for assistance.

That evening, with snacks and lukewarm alcohol by my side, I brainstormed late into the night.

The Next Morning

“Oh, there you are! Good morning, Nicole, Roya, Fal!”

“Morning, Tetsuya!”

“Tetsuya, it’s rare to see you at the Adventurers’ Guild this early. What’s up?”

“Good morning. Did something happen?”

“Not at all, the shop’s doing fine. I’m here because I have a request for the three of you.”

“Ah, another escort mission?”

“No, this time I don’t need to come along. It’s something minor, and I wasn’t sure if it warranted an official request, so I wanted to consult you first.”

After explaining my request, the three exchanged glances.

“I see. You’re right; this doesn’t quite call for a formal commission.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t charge you for something like this.”

“Agreed. Since we’re heading into the forest for another job, we’ll take care of it quickly.”

“Thanks! But I insist on treating you to dinner as thanks. How’s that sound?”

“Really? Awesome!”

“You don’t have to, but if you insist, I won’t say no.”

“Deal. It’s only fair to show appreciation for a favor.”

As they left, Nicole suggested, “Why not invite Fia along? She might enjoy the outing.”

The three of us fell silent.

“Hey! That was just one time, and I overreacted a little!”

“A little?”

Our synchronized reply made Nicole frown. Still, after some persuasion, I decided to ask Fia if she’d like to join. It’d be her choice, after all.