"That was a delicious meal. You’re quite the cook, Tetsuya!"

"Well, I wouldn’t say I’m that good at cooking… Anyway, I’ll explain more tomorrow."

"Hmm?"

Now that I’d successfully rented the shop, the grand opening in this town was just a few days away. Before that, I decided to explain the abilities of my outdoor shop to both Lilia and Fia, who would be working with me.

Tomorrow, we plan to invite Fia along to buy the remaining essentials for starting the shop. Since the rented property already had basic fixtures like display shelves, we’d focus on smaller items like price tags and shopping baskets. Afterward, I’d finally tell them about my abilities.

"I’ll take care of the dishes tonight."

"I can at least help with that."

"Alright, let’s do it together."

Clink, clink.

"…"

For some reason, I felt incredibly self-conscious. During dinner, I hadn’t thought about it much, but working side by side reminded me that I was living under the same roof as a beautiful woman around my age.

Now that I think about it, has Lilia ever been in a relationship? With her beauty and kind personality, it’s hard to imagine she hasn’t. At least, since she’s here with me now, she probably isn’t dating anyone at the moment.

As for me? Of course, I’ve never been in a relationship. Not that there’s anything to boast about. It’s probably just bad timing… or so I tell myself.

"Tetsuya, you mentioned you’re from a faraway place, right?"

"Whoa!"

"What’s wrong? Did I say something I shouldn’t have?"

"No, no, sorry. I was just lost in thought. Yeah, my hometown is very far from here—so far that I don’t even know if I can ever return."

At this point, there’s no sign of a way back to my original world. No information about Japan or anything from that world has surfaced here.

"If you could return to your hometown, would you want to?"

"…Now that you mention it, not particularly. I do miss my family and friends, but honestly, life here feels more enjoyable."

Sure, it’s lonely not being able to see my parents and friends, but compared to working at a soul-crushing company, this life is so much better. Plus, I plan to take two days off each week now.

"This town is filled with kind people, and I’ve met so many wonderful individuals. I’m really grateful to you, Lilia."

"R-Really?"

"By the way, is your hometown near here, Lilia?"

"Yes, it’s a village not too far from Al-Flare. I lost my parents to illness when I was young. With nowhere to go, I was about to end up in a brothel when an adventurer in this town saved me."

"The people here supported me when I started as an adventurer. I could never thank them enough. That’s why, when I decided to retire, I wanted to help aspiring adventurers just like the townsfolk once helped me."

"I see… That’s why you always support novice adventurers."

"Exactly. That’s also why I’m so grateful to work at your shop, Tetsuya. It allows me to continue helping them even after retiring."

"I owe that adventurer my thanks too. Because of them, I now have you to work as my shop’s guard."

Indirectly, the adventurer who helped young Lilia also made it possible for her to work here with me. I felt like I’d gotten to know her a little better.

"T-Tetsuya, what is this?"

"Behold! A portable shower and a simple shower room made with a blue tarp!"

In the shop’s backyard stood a small private space, enclosed with a blue tarp. Using two tall poles secured to the edges of the building, I’d hung the tarp to create a makeshift shower area.

Suspended inside was a black vinyl tank filled with water, connected to a shower nozzle. This camping gear allowed anyone to take a shower anywhere, anytime.

The system was simple: fill the tank with warm water, hang it up high, and open the nozzle to let the water flow down as a shower. Earlier, I boiled extra water while making instant soup, mixed it with cold water, and filled the tank.

What’s more, the tank could heat water on its own. Made of black material, it absorbed sunlight, turning cold water into warm water if left out in the sun.

While I couldn’t afford a property with a bath, this portable shower made bathing in this world possible. Both the blue tarp and the portable shower became available when the outdoor shop leveled up to 3.

It was a clever solution that bridged modern convenience with the unique challenges of this world.