"Step right up, adventurers! Have a look at this. At first glance, it’s just a quiver, right? Wrong! This is no ordinary quiver. Thanks to its enchanted Item Box effect, this beauty can hold up to three hundred arrows! With this by your side, you'll never have to worry about running out of ammunition during a hunt again! What’s that? You say three hundred isn't enough? Listen, if you can’t take down your prey with three hundred shots, you shouldn't be using a bow in the first place!"
A merchant was working the crowd with a practiced pitch.
"How much for it?" someone asked.
"I’ll give it to you for a steal... a mere two hundred thousand Suut!"
The moment the price left the merchant's lips, the adventurers in the crowd turned and walked away.
"Two hundred thousand Suut seems a bit steep... what do you think, Serge?" I asked.
"It’s not necessarily an unfair price," he replied. "To create a Magic Tool, a craftsman must be proficient in both Enchantment Magic and the specific spell they wish to imbue. Simply put, a craftsman cannot put a spell into an object if they cannot cast it themselves. Space Magic is among the most difficult of the elemental disciplines, so craftsmen capable of enchanting it are rare. Naturally, their work commands a premium. However, that quiver—much like the farming tools you purchased, Ryoma-sama—is intended to last for years. It’s an investment. While the upfront cost is high, it pays for itself in the long run if handled with care."
That made sense.
"Hey there, lad! Interested in magic? I’ve got just the thing for you."
"What are these?" I asked, stopping at a stall.
The man’s table was piled with sets consisting of a metal rod and a book tied together with twine.
"These are educational Magic Tools," Serge explained. "The user is meant to study the book while the tool releases magic to help them visualize the spell. However... these aren't official Magic Guild publications, are they?"
"I swear they aren't illegal!" the man barked.
"I am well aware that private production and sales are legal," Serge countered calmly. "But without the Guild’s seal of verification, their reliability is questionable. I cannot be certain if the tool functions correctly or if the instructions are even accurate. It would be a different matter if I could inspect the contents or test the rod's performance."
"No way! You pay first, then you can read it."
"Then we have nothing more to discuss. Ryoma-sama, let us go."
"Tch!" the merchant spat behind us.
"There are all sorts of shops here, for better or worse..." I noted.
"Quite. That’s why it’s so exhilarating when you finally stumble upon a quality item or a truly skilled artisan. Oh? Ryoma-sama, look over there."
Following Serge's gaze, I saw Dinome-san. He was under a large tent, barking orders at his daughter and a young man who appeared to be an apprentice.
"I should go over and say hello, and perhaps follow up on our talk from yesterday," Serge said.
"He looks pretty busy, doesn't he?"
"Not as busy as you might think. Look."
"Ah..."
When I looked closer, I saw a small child clinging to his leg. As soon as Dinome-san finished giving his instructions, he sat down on a wooden crate and immediately began fussing over the boy, his face melting into a doting smile.
"That’s his grandson, Federe-kun, right? He’s leaving the customers to his family... do you think he’ll be mad if we interrupt his 'grandpa time'?"
"He isn't that petty, and since we're here on business, it should be fine. As long as he isn't in the middle of a delicate task, he’s usually willing to listen. By the way, Ryoma-sama, I recall you mentioning you can use soundproofing barrier magic. Could I ask for your assistance with that?"
"Of course."
It involved my business too, so I had no reason to refuse.
We approached the tent, and the apprentice noticed us and gave a respectful bow.
"Boss! Master Serge is here!"
"Hm? Oh, it’s the Master! And Ryoma’s with you! Good to see you. Here, this is Federe, the one I mentioned yesterday. Well? What do you think?"
"Hello, I'm Ryoma."
"Ryomaaa?" the boy repeated.
"He's a very cute child," I said.
"Isn't he?! But look at his eyes—he’s got a sharp look to him, doesn't he?"
"Lord Dinome," Serge interrupted smoothly, "I can see quite clearly how much you adore your grandson. However, I have a matter I’d like to discuss with you."
"Eh? Oh, right. Should’ve said so sooner. Come this way."
We were led to a small seating area in the corner of the tent. It was likely a break space. It was a bit cramped, but it would serve for a private talk.
"Um... what's going on here?" I asked.
For some reason, Federe-kun was death-gripping my sleeve.
"Ryomaaa, let’s play!"
"Ho! Looks like Federe’s taken a liking to you," Dinome laughed.
"Let’s play!"
"Uh... Serge-san?"
"Well... I can handle the discussion on my own, so please, feel free to entertain him."
"Are you sure, Dinome-san?"
"Yeah, he’d just get bored and fussy if he had to sit through our talk anyway."
I decided to leave the negotiations to Serge. As agreed, I quickly cast a soundproofing barrier around them.
"You can use barrier magic too?" Dinome-san asked, sounding impressed.
"Yes. No sound will leak out now. I'll stay out here with Federe-kun, so please, take your time."
Leaving a surprised Dinome-san behind, I stepped outside the barrier with the boy. We were still inside the tent, but effectively in a separate world.
"Now then, what should we do?"
"Shiritori! Starting with the 'gu' from 'Magic Tool'!"
The rules seemed identical to the game back on Earth. And so, my shift as the "hospitality Shiritori partner" began.
"I lost! Okay, let’s go again, starting with 'gu'!"
"You got it!"
I wondered exactly how long this was going to go on. I was trying to win roughly once every three rounds to keep it interesting, but that was my fifteenth victory. I hadn't been counting exactly, but we must have played over forty rounds. By my internal clock, nearly two hours had passed. We were starting to repeat words we'd already used, but the boy seemed to be enjoying himself, so I didn't mind.
"Thanks for the help. I'm sorry my son is making you work so hard. Here, have a drink."
Dinome’s daughter brought me some refreshments. The cold fruit juice was a godsend for my parched throat.
"Ryomaaa, it’s 'gu'!"
"Hey, now. Let him take a breath," his mother scolded.
"I'm okay, really," I assured her. I’d had my drink, so I was ready for more.
"Are you sure? Aren't you bored to tears? My father would do this for days, but most people can't stand it..."
Inside the barrier, the two men were still sitting knee-to-knee, deep in conversation. They glanced our way occasionally. Was it a difficult negotiation? I decided it was best not to interfere.
"Ryomaaa, 'gu'!"
"Right, right. 'Grey Wolf'."
"‘Federe’!"
Apparently, names were fair game. We went through another three rounds in rapid succession.
"Again! From 'gu'!"
"You really love this game, don't you?" I said, preparing to start yet another round.
"Not really," Federe-kun replied casually.
"Wait, what? ...Do you hate it?"
"I don't hate it. But I don't love it. It's just okay."
"Huh? Then is there something else you'd rather be doing?"
"I want to go outside! But Mom says I can't go alone. And I don't have any toys, so I play Shiritori!"
My jaw nearly hit the floor. Federe-kun was only playing because he was bored out of his mind. He’d acted so excited that I’d assumed it was his favorite thing in the world. I should have asked him sooner. Well, if that was the case...
"Then how about we try a different game?"
"Yeah!" he shouted before I’d even explained.
"Excuse me," I said to his mother, "could I borrow that trash can for a moment?"
"That? Sure, go ahead."
"Thank you."
I pulled a piece of cloth from my Item Box, draped it over the cylindrical trash can, pulled it taut, and secured it with a cord.
"What's that for?"
"This is our arena. Federe-kun, do you know what this is? It's called a 'Beigoma'."
Anyone from Japan would know the name, though I wasn't sure if a kid in this world would. To be fair, even back on Earth, some kids these days didn't know them. But in my childhood, they were still a staple.
Real Beigoma are made of lead, but I’d whipped these up out of iron during my crafting session yesterday. I pulled two tops and two strings from my Item Box and set them on the cloth. Federe-kun leaned in, eyes wide with curiosity. He didn't know what they were, but I definitely had his attention.
"You do it like this... and hup!"
"Whoa!"
It had been a while, but the technique was carved into my muscle memory. The Beigoma spun in a perfect arc and landed right in the center of the cloth.
"It's spinning!"
"Do you want to try? I'll teach you."
"Yeah! Teach me!"
"First, we have to wrap the string. Watch closely..."
I showed him the simplest way to wrap it, but it was a bit much for a four-year-old’s dexterity. After he fumbled it a few times, I handed him a pre-wrapped top before he could lose interest.
"You throw it like this, then pull!"
"Like this? Ah..."
"You need to pull back a bit harder."
I positioned myself between him and the rest of the stall, just in case he launched it like a projectile. We practiced wrapping and throwing, and I gave a few more demonstrations. Eventually...
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Federe~! Grandpa’s done with work!"
The two men emerged from the barrier.
"Grandpa!"
"Serge-san, how did it go?" I asked.
"Everything is in order. Lord Dinome has agreed to our terms from last night."
"That’s great. Thank you, Serge-san. And thank you, Dinome-san."
"Don't worry about it," Dinome said with a wave of his hand. "We're going to make a killing off this. In exchange, I’ll deal with any headaches that come your way. It’s a fair trade. Though, just how much of a VIP you are will depend on how much gold that thing brings in. If you ever need to talk shop, my door is open as long as I’m not in the middle of a project. Come by the shop whenever."
"I look forward to working with you."
"Yeah, same here. Now, what've we got here?"
"Grandpa, make it spin!" Federe shouted.
"Oh? What's this then? ...Wait, what is this? Master, you know about this?"
"I believe it’s a variant of a Torunero," Serge noted.
"It's called a Beigoma," I explained. "What's a Torunero?"
"It’s a similar wooden toy, though much larger with a rod through the center. You spin it by rubbing your palms together, like this." He made a gesture like launching a bamboo propeller.
"For these, you wrap a string around them and throw them like this."
"Hoh."
"As I thought, a regional variant," Serge said. "There are often differences depending on the land. Is this from your home, Ryoma-sama?"
"Yes, it is."
"I see... so this is the form they take in the Great Forest."
"Spin it, Grandpa!"
"Alright, alright. Ryoma, the string goes like this, right?"
"Wait, what?"
Dinome-san was wrapping the string perfectly, even though he’d never seen a Beigoma until ten seconds ago.
"Yes... that’s exactly right."
"Like this, then!"
The Beigoma flew from his hand and landed with a perfect, stable spin on the stage.
"Did you already know how to do that?" I asked, stunned.
"Nah. I just watched you do it a second ago. How many years do you think I’ve been working with my hands, boy? Something this simple is easy once I've seen it done!"
"Grandpa, you're so cool!"
"You think so? Heheh, thanks, little guy!"
I was genuinely impressed by his skill, but his grandson’s praise turned him back into a doting puddle of mush instantly. I decided to leave the toys with them.
"You sure I can have 'em?"
"Yes, please teach Federe-kun. Once you both get the hang of it, you can play a game where you try to knock each other's tops off the stage. I’m sure Federe-kun wants to play with his grandpa."
"Yeah!!" the boy cheered.
"Is that so? Well then, I’ll gladly take 'em. In return... you got plans tonight?"
"Nothing specific, no."
"Good. We're having a big celebration after the fair wraps up today. You two should come along."
A party invitation. Since we’d be working together from now on, it seemed like a good idea to attend.
And just like that, I had secured a powerful new ally in the world of Magic Tools.