Alice, whom I’d reunited with after returning from the Treasure Tree Festival, was such a lost cause that I honestly feared she’d starve in the gutter if I left her to her own devices. So, I spent a good while giving her a stern lecture.
"Look, even if you’re going to gamble, you have to do it in moderation."
"Honestly, people who can't manage their own lives are just the scum of the earth. Gamblers are the lowest of the low—ow!?"
"I’m talking about you!"
I could feel a headache coming on.
I wished I could have just left her to her own self-inflicted fate, but unfortunately, my personality didn't allow for that. Reformation might have been a bridge too far, but at the very least, I had to correct her course before she went completely bankrupt. I decided then and there that I would drop by frequently from now on to check up on her.
With that in mind, I reached into my Magic Box and pulled out a Red Bear Sandwich I’d bought earlier, thinking I’d have it for dinner after getting home.
"Here. Don't just eat fruit; eat this, too."
"Eh? What’s this? The old carrot-and-stick routine, huh? Kaito-san, you're so dreamy! You've got my heart racing!"
"You're creeping me out."
"Another crack of the whip so soon!?"
Despite her ridiculous antics, Alice immediately began devouring the sandwich I’d given her.
Watching her eat, I put some thought into her future. Setting aside her gambling habits for a moment, the real issue was her income. To put it bluntly, Alice’s shop had no customers at all, just as she’d admitted. Seven days had passed since my last visit, yet the situation hadn't changed. At this rate, her life wasn't going to get any better.
That said, I didn't have any business management experience, and making a failing shop popular was no easy task. More importantly, the shopkeeper herself was far too suspicious—a problem I didn't see being solved anytime soon. Even if I bought a few things here and there, it wouldn't be a permanent solution.
"Kaito-san, why the long face?"
"No... oh, right. Do you actually have anything in this shop that you'd recommend? Like a standout product?"
"Of course I do! My absolute masterpiece!"
"...Masterpiece?"
I didn't know what it was yet, but I had a very bad feeling.
For Alice to confidently recommend a product... wait, why was she dragging several familiar-looking kigurumis out from the back of the shop!?
"Look at these! Aren't they magnificent?"
"...I'll ask just in case, but what exactly are those?"
"They’re kigurumis!"
"..."
This girl really was hopeless. She looked so incredibly proud of herself, but all I felt was the urge to punch her again.
"Oho, you doubt the brilliance of this product, don't you? Heheh, I'll have you know it’s a mistake to think of these as just mere costumes."
"...Yeah?"
"Believe it or not, multiple Magic Crystals are woven into these kigurumis! They automatically maintain a comfortable temperature and even clean away dirt! Furthermore, the elasticity and texture are top-notch! They even emit a faint recovery magic, providing a wonderful relaxing effect!"
"Why is the performance so pointlessly high!?"
Temperature control, relaxation, auto-cleaning, and the best possible texture... but they were still kigurumis. While their performance as Magic Tools was staggering, the shape ruined everything.
"Why... why make them kigurumis?"
"Well, because of the Magic Crystals, they need to be a certain thickness, you know? I couldn't really make them into regular clothes... so I made them kigurumis!"
"And are they selling?"
"I haven't sold a single one!"
"...Why didn't you make them into bedding or coats?"
"...Eh?"
When I asked the obvious question, Alice froze as if time had stopped.
"I mean, if they need to be thick anyway, wouldn't nobles buy them if you made them into bedding or heavy coats, even if they were expensive? Sleep is important, after all. And wouldn't adventurers buy them if you made them into sleeping bags?"
"...Kaito-san."
"Ah, no, it’s just a layman’s idea. If it's technically impossible, then never mind..."
"Are you... could you be... some kind of genius...?"
"..."
'No, you're just an idiot,' were the words I barely managed to swallow. Honestly, the fact that her first instinct had been to make animal costumes made her a bit of a lost cause.
"I see! If I do that, they'll sell like crazy! Kaito-san, you're amazing!"
"Even so, I don't see a future where customers suddenly start flocking to this shop... wouldn't it be better to wholesale them somewhere?"
"Well, yes, but... I've been banned from every merchant guild in the Royal Capital."
"If you'd like, I could introduce you to someone I know."
No matter how good the product was, it would never sell with such a hopeless shopkeeper. Alice seemed to have zero business sense, and there was no telling what would happen if I left it to her. For now, she needed a stable income. It wouldn't be funny if I came to the shop one day only to find she'd starved to death.
I felt a bit bad about it, but I decided I’d rely on Kuro’s influence.
"Eh? Kaito-san, you have connections with a trading company? Which one?"
"Um, the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company..."
"Pfft!? T-t-that’s the top company in the world! What? Are you a king or something?"
"No, we just happen to be acquaintances... Anyway, I’ll try asking them, so prepare some samples by then."
I’d try consulting Kuro. The products actually seemed excellent; they’d do well enough if one could just ignore the shopkeeper’s personality.
"Well, for today... I’ll buy a few sets of regular clothes."
"For real!? Thank you so much! Kaito-san, I think I’m falling for you!"
"Use that money to hold you over until the next time I come..."
"With this, I can go for one more big win—gyah!?"
"Listen, if I find out you've wasted it on gambling the next time I visit, there will be consequences..."
"Ye-ye-yes! Understood!"
Honestly, why did I have to meet someone like this? I really hated my own inability to leave a person like her alone. At any rate, I decided I would keep an eye on Alice to reform her—or rather, to make sure she didn't end up dead in a ditch.
Watching Alice bounce back and start smiling while recommending more products, I let out a heavy sigh and thought about what lay ahead.
Before I knew it, the afternoon was well underway. Realizing I had stayed longer than planned, I finally made my way out. As I walked, I suddenly noticed a sense of incongruity.
The road I was on wasn't a main thoroughfare, but usually, there would be at least a few passersby. Right now, there wasn't a single soul in sight. It might have been a coincidence, but there was a strange, heavy silence in the air.
"Hey, you over there."
"Eh? Whoa!?"
While I was wondering about the silence, a voice suddenly called out from behind. When I turned around, I found something far more bizarre than the quiet street.
Floating in the air was a soft, spherical cushion. Sprawled across it was a woman with long purple hair. Viewed from the front, she was arched backward in a bridge pose, staring right at me from upside down.
Her laziness was so extreme it was hard to believe she was actually trying to have a conversation. The woman, who gave off a cute rather than beautiful impression, scratched her light-purple hair listlessly as she spoke.
"You’re the kid from the otherworld, right? There's something I want to ask, if that's okay."
"...Um, who are you?"
With her reddish-purple eyes half-lidded and sleepy, the woman addressed me. I tilted my head, waiting for an answer.
"Me? Ah, I’m... what was it again? Oh, right. My name is Fate. Nice to meet you."
"Ah, yes. Nice to meet you too... My name is Kaito Miyama."
"Yeah, nice to meet you, Kai-chan."
"Kai-chan!?"
Grinning drolly in an utterly lethargic manner, Fate addressed me with a strange nickname.
Dear Mother, Father—I've had my hands full ever since I got back, and it doesn't look like that’s changing anytime soon. How should I put this? Just when I thought things were settling down... I had another new encounter.