The Loner Who Conquers the Other World

She is giving me a Flat Gaze, but it’s still alright. It’s alright because she still doesn’t have enough strength to move.

She probably will be angry at me later, but for now, it’s alright.

Looks like I’m really regenerating in the process. Be it stamina or vigor, they are recovering. Perpetual motion?

Obviously, I was scolded.

Today she is going shopping with the girls. She seemed to be very apologetic and torn about this, so I told her that later I will drop by the general store to join them, and in response she nodded energetically, looking happy. She was probably looking forward to this so much that she couldn’t fall asleep. She still looks very sleepy and tired. And is also staring at me with a flat gaze…

I leave alone and head to the weapon store of that old man. I need funds. Avarice-san will certainly show her true nature at the general store.

「Old man? Long time no see? Are you still an old man today? Wanna buy weapons? I also have clubs? If you don’t have money I’m fine with a consignment sale? I can also lend you money? But I will tear off your beard if you don’t pay it back. You don’t have other hair to pluck after all.」

「Don’t touch my beard! I’ve been properly paying you back, haven’t I! And yes, I’m still an old man, if I wasn’t, that wouldn’t be me anymore. Yeah, sell me weapons, I will also go for a consignment sale. Anyhow, I don’t have enough stock. Although the store got larger, the supply doesn’t catch up.」

Well, since he is bald, I can’t threaten the hair? There is nothing to pluck but the beard? But now that I look around, even this weapon store specializing in clubs doesn’t have enough space reserved to display merchandise. There is too much pointlessness in the spacing. He just bought the neighboring store and the one behind, haphazardly connecting them, thus, the area is not utilized effectively. This calls for remodeling. And if I were to add a second floor and a basement he should do fine for a while.

「Should I expand the store? It doesn’t have to be as big as the general store, so I can remodel it just a bit, adding a second floor and a basement. Storage can be down the basement, and if you are okay with moving the forge to the basement as well you will immediately get a lot more room? Or rather, I’m gonna do it anyway, even if you say no. Kind of?」

「You are doing it anyway?! Even though I am the store owner? Well, getting more space is great, but I won’t be able to immediately pay for the construction? I already went into debt just to buying new land.」

「You are selling your wares, and have a steady supply, isn’t it a waste to leave the store in such a messy, cramped state? All you have to do is make money, pay back the debt and buy more weapons. I make a huge profit and become a rich man. It’s already decided that I will build it anyway? Or rather, that’s what I’m currently doing?」

I got the knack for it during the expansion of the general store, and with it being my second time doing this, it won’t take as long. Since I already understood the needed steps I didn’t waste my energy, and as such, had more than enough mana to spare. The basement and outer walls were complete, now I only had to add the second floor. Since it’s a weapon store, the more wall space to display weapons it has, the better. Since the whole structure will be held by the walls the interior is simple. Let’s do it in one go.

「Is it fine to place the stairs to the second floor here? Want another set in the back? They might also look cool if placed right in the middle? Where do you want them? Hurry up and decide? I’m bored already? You have a second floor and a basement, but without the stairs, it’s no different than having only one floor? You’ll have to climb the wall to the second floor? Is that what you want? Is that your hobby or something? Is it that fun?」

No good, the old man is unresponsive. He just froze with his mouth wide open. No one would be happy about an old man with an open mouth, there is no demand for that.

「Heeey? If you don’t reply I will just leave without making stairs? You will have to climb the walls, okay? Helloo?」

No reply. He broke it seems. Or maybe climbing walls is a hobby of his?

As an experiment, I showed him a Goblin King’s club, after which he seems to have restarted. He restarted, but he is now shaking, holding the club, so it seems that didn’t fix him.

「!! Se-Sell it to me! I will make it the heirloom! I will polish it every day, so please sell it to me! I will pay as much as you want, are you fine with payment in installments? How much is the down payment?」

No, it’s merchandise, so let’s sell it, okay? Since I still had a lot of clubs I pulled out all of them, presenting them to the shopkeeper, after which he sunk deep into thought, becoming unresponsive again, so I just went ahead and created the stairs and began working on the interior design on my own.

I mean, I’m doing all of this right in front of him, and all he can see are the clubs? Why would a blacksmith be so obsessed with clubs? Looks like I’d better not show him the Emperor’s club. Otherwise, we’ll be back to square one.

Now, the remodeling is pretty much complete, and I plundered all the money he had, I guess I’m done here. Looks like the old man still cannot decide on which club should become an heirloom. Is it really something his descendants would be happy to have? A club as an inheritance?

Since it’s a weapon store, rather than trying to make it nice and neat, having a somewhat crude feel will work better. A fancy and stylish weapon store feels kind of wrong.

Moving the forge underground I expanded it, increasing the number of furnaces, but he isn’t paying attention at all? Since he won’t even take a look I can’t ask for his input? Well, after using it for a while he will get some comments, so adjustments can wait until then. I have to carry away the seized money. Avarice-san is waiting for me.

The general store was crowded with people. It was bustling to the point it made one wonder if all of the citizens were here. And she already hired two young female assistants? When I asked, it seems the shopkeeper lady was selling them medicine and food for their families at extremely low prices, and was even putting it on the tab. So when they heard that she was in trouble they rushed here, and began helping, after which, they were hired as assistants.

But I don’t think they can make it even with three of them? Take even the desk alone, it’s complete chaos? All three of them are dizzyingly busy, or rather, they seem to actually be dizzy, with their eyes spinning? They don’t even have time to restock merchandise on the shelves. Well, I was the one who made and arranged the shelves, and I was the one who made the warehouse, sorting the goods there, so naturally, I know what’s located where and where it should be placed. As one would expect, I felt pity for them, so I decided to help out a bit.

However, you can never tell what the future has for you. Who would’ve thought that all that Sword Rain training was a flag for helping out with the general store? Even though I was practicing to handle spears and swords with 『Holding』, I’m now restocking the shelves by 『Holding』the merchandise. One after another the wares are being carried from the warehouse with『Holding』. I bet『Holding』is surprised by this turn of events as well. I’m certainly surprised. The staff and the customers are startled by the goods flying through the air to the shelves as well. I guess Merchandise Restock Rain is unusual even for this world. Though it’s not raining or anything anymore…

「Thank you, you are a lifesaver. We are so busy that I couldn’t even tell what is what anymore, no time to deal with the shelves at all. Come to think of it, aren’t you the very reason why things are so hectic? Even so, thank you. Ah, I’m so tired and hungry.」

The number of customers finally went down and the store calmed down. It seems that they were so busy since the morning that neither the shopkeeper nor the assistant girls had any time to eat. Since I had more than enough for the girls, I shared some rice balls with mushrooms, fried potatoes, and sweet potatoes with them, which they accepted with great joy and immediately began eating. They are crying tears of happiness though, are all of them actually shroom addicts? Are these withdrawal symptoms? Which reminds me, they were getting medicine here, weren’t they? The number of mushroom addicts is growing?

Finally, selling new goods to the shopkeeper I leave to stroll around the town.

The president and the others couldn’t get into the store because of the crowd, so they must be killing time somewhere. Let’s bring them potato lunch.

But the place was crazy packed. This town is getting more peaceful and wealthy, but there are only a few things to buy. That’s why the cash flow is so bad here. And without the cash flow, there won’t be new wares, and without it, there is no new wealth.

And since there isn’t enough money or wares, people that make things and people that procure them aren’t utilized effectively. What this town needs is security and wealth, in other words, a weapon store, and a general store.

On surface value, I already turned into a rich man, a magnate. Investing in the weapon store and the general store I have full control of the supply. But then why do I never have money? I never heard of a magnate living on an allowance. For some reason, I’m a very broke tycoon.