The morning after I decided to hire Erica from Walnut Street, I was getting ready to open the store with Garnett when Noir came to work in a good mood.

　And, unusually, Sakura is also with her.

　The combination of the two of them seemed a bit unexpected, but come to think of it, I remember seeing them talking about something at the Spring Wakaba-Tei yesterday as well.

"Luke ...... Actually, I made something like this, ...... a prototype ...... but... ...

　Saying that, Noir showed a thin, rectangular bundle of paper, cut about the same size as the palm of his hand.

　What was drawn on the piece of paper was a magical pattern.
　It was like a miniature version of the Spell Scroll.

''You don't think this can activate magic?''
'Ah ...... ah ...... yesterday, Sakura told me about the Eastern spellcaster and I made it with ...... reference...' ...
'In my hometown, we use these spells instead of scrolls. They can also be put on the wall for long-term use, like amulets and talismans.

　I see, so that was the errand Sakura and Noir were discussing yesterday at the Spring Wakaba-Tei.

　Skills are bestowed by beings called gods, and of course different gods are believed in different lands, and there are differences in the skills that are bestowed - I've heard that.

　If that's the case, then magic-based skills and 【Magic Tool Creation】 should be no exception.

　It's no wonder if there is no concept of scrolling in another area and they carry magic around in different ways.

'This is the first time I've seen something like this: ...... What's the performance like?'

　I pick one up and observe it closely, asking for a more detailed explanation.

　I feel like this guy has great potential.
　Aside from the fact that I thought it would sell as a product, my instincts as an adventurer strongly indicate a reaction of 'this guy can be used'.

Analogous reduction ...... downscaling ...... size reasonable scale ......
'That's more than enough. If you need more firepower, just bundle a few pieces together.
The downside is that it's a little bit more work to make ...... than the scrolls for the same area. ...... The price needs to be raised a little bit as well. ......
That can't be helped. The pattern seems to be larger than normal.

　My cheeks loosened at the appearance of the new keystone magic item.

(Why hasn't a tool like this been made until now--there's no point in thinking about it for every single thing. It's just that no one has ever come up with it before.)

　Everyone knows that not all the tools in the world were made by someone else in the beginning, but not all of them are the result of technological innovation.

　Even if the technology, tools, and materials to make them have all been available for a long time, the tools will not be created until "someone else" comes up with the idea in the first place.

　And, moreover, in Westland, magic items such as scrolls and other magic items are made by wizards as pennies on the dollar with sub-skills.

　There was no need to work hard to improve or downsize them; it was enough to make old-fashioned magic items the old-fashioned way.

　The wizards didn't see the point in downsizing the scrolls, the buyers didn't see the possibility of downsizing them, and as a result, no one came up with a 'small, palm-sized scroll'.

...... I can't be of much use in a fight, it seems, so I thought I'd contribute in this way ......
I'm not an expert in the general arcane arts, but I'd be honored if I could help you with that level of knowledge.

　Normally, a magic item called "spell" would not have been born in Westland.

　The reason it was created is because a black wizard with a somewhat complicated situation and a gentile from the east, who rarely visits, met by chance in a single place called the White Wolf store.

''They're both great. I think this guy is definitely in demand. I would have relied on him if I had been in the service.
"Oh, really? ......!

　Noir had a smile on her face and she and Sakura laughed at each other.

　Just then, the sound of a door opening from the kitchen doorway was heard, and Erica from the walnut street walked in hesitantly.

''Uh ...... oh, sorry to bother you. ......
'Oh?　Lord Luke, if you are the new employee she's been talking about?
'Oh. Erica from Kuruto Road. I was introduced by Sylvia, I'm a [Potion Master] who can concoct potions and such.
Yo, say hi to .......

　I introduce the other three to a nervous Erica.

　I introduce Garnett as a 'boy' who is a regular employee and keep all of his true gender and knight status under wraps.

　The background that Noir has is something that will eventually come out even if I hide it, so I'll reveal that he's the only returning member of the heroic party that caused Green Hollow to be in a tizzy.

　Of course, I'll also tell you about my relationship with me and how I ended up working at the White Wolf Store.
　It was Noir himself who wanted me to tell Erica everything.

　Finally, I don't forget to introduce Sakura, although she's not a regular employee.

　She's a samurai who came here to train as a warrior and now works as an adventurer and helps out at the shop in her spare time - that should be enough to explain about Sakura.

''Ah!　I've heard a lot about Sakura-san from Sylvia!
─ Don't be afraid of me. I will behave as I would with Sylvia, and you should do the same. I'm an outsider to begin with. I'm a friend of a friend and a friend of a friend.
...... Um, nice to meet you, Sakura.
Well, it's nice to meet you, too.

　Sakura had said the same thing as I did yesterday, but in a change from yesterday, Erica had accepted the proposal with open arms.

　After all, there seems to be a difference in the degree of difficulty in dealing with a friendly attitude between an employer who is nearly twice as old and of the opposite s*x and a friend of a friend who is close in age.

　There's nothing you can do about this one.
　It's best to get them to behave in a way that is easy for Erika to do.

Good. I'm not going to be able to tell you what to do. I'll teach you the nitty-gritty stuff later, okay?
"Wow, okay, .......
Yes, sir.

　I gave the three of them immediate instructions and turned around to move on to the next task of opening the store, when I bumped into Garnett.

　Garnett scratched his golden hair and busily moved his gaze from side to side as he broached the subject in a way that seemed rather difficult to say.

'White Wolf's ...... um, you know. I have a little favor to ask of you: .......
Request?　What's up with the sudden change of heart?
"...... Could you pull up some good weapons and armor for me?　As much as possible, no, I want the most powerful one possible.

　I was inwardly relieved to hear that request.

　But the relief I felt was obvious to Garnett, who looked at me quizzically.

I'm not sure why you're reacting the way you are. Are you surprised that I want a weapon?　My day job, you haven't forgotten about it, have you?
'No way!　He said he was relieved because he hadn't forgotten.

　I lightly push Garnett's shoulder, so close that our bodies are almost touching, to regain the proper distance.

'I've become rather serious about what I'm going to do if they say I'm going home for a time to re-train or give up my mission to come back.
What!　No, I'm not going to tell you that!　I'm not going to be a loser!
'That's how depressed you were the last time I saw you.
'Gu ......!　Oh, that's just a temporary distraction: ......

　Garnett flinched as if he'd been hit where it hurt, but he quickly regained his authority and poked me in the chest.

'Anyway!　I'll never show that disgrace again. I won't use the feckless excuse that we lost because we chose the wrong weapon, but you know as well as I do that the performance of the armor is important.
'Yes, of course. I'll give you the most powerful armor I can make right now. It's made especially for you and only you, with no regard for cost.
'What?　Oh, no, I didn't say that much about the quicksilver: ......

　I couldn't help but blurt out a funny, confused reaction to the seriousness of our response.

　Garnett made a complicated expression, miffed or not, and lightly kicked me in the leg.