Hey, did you hear that?　I've heard that the entire staff of the Fermat store has quit.

Yeah, I heard. Yeah, I heard that he quit because he couldn't handle the situation.
　In the plaza of the Imperial City, there were two adventurers talking.
　This story of Fermat was the talk of the town.

"I knew it was too hard to develop the magic sword?

So that's it. Then they can only make them in that little shop.

Yeah. And they all have good quality tools. Lately, I've been buying my supplies there instead of at Fermat.

You too?　It's just that that place sells out so quickly. ...... I wonder if we can make the store a little bigger!

I can't help it. Quality is what matters in those places.

That's true. Better to have it good than bad.

''Only, if ...... Fermor's main store isn't open, there will be a shortage of magic tools all over the imperial city, so we won't be able to buy anything extra in that store.

''Well, ...... or rather, you can't buy any magic tools from now on, can you?

This isn't good. Not so much for us, but how can a nobleman live without his magic tools?


　SIDE: Elsie.

'Excuse me!　We're sold out today!
　I was bowing to a customer who was waiting outside.
　For some reason, there were several times as many customers today as usual.

Oh, no.　It's only the morning!

'I'm sorry, ......, but I'm afraid there's no product.'
　No matter what they said, this is all I could say.

'Okay, ......, you'll just have to come first thing in the morning.
　Our regular customers know that we sell quality over quantity, so they are quick to leave.

Can't you increase the number of products?　I'd be in trouble without my magic tools.

I'm sorry. I have one of the craftsmen here.

'Oh, right: ...... I see. ......
　I managed to get a customer who wasn't a regular to apologize and leave.

Mr. Holland, I'm done explaining to our guests outside.

Yeah, thanks a lot. Why are there so many people here today?

I was just told by a customer that the Fermor Trading Company wasn't open today.

That's weird. What, are they remodeling the shop to make it closed?

'No, from what I've heard, ...... the employees all ran away last night.

'The employee got away!　What was he ...... letting him do?

I don't know about that.

"Taku ...... Colt ...... what are you doing. I'm going out for a bit.
　Just as he was about to give it some thought, Mr. Holland walked out of the store.

　SIDE: Colt Fermat.

"d*mn it ...... you got away.
　I'm mumbling to myself, looking out at the empty store.

　Yesterday, I told them the new inventions were due.
　But those guys didn't bring any.
　That snapped me out of it, so I went to the workshop for the first time in a while to get angry.

　So I went through the door as fast as I could.
　Slam!
You guys!　What's new at ......?
　I tried to yell at him: ......
　It was empty.

Where did they all go?
　I grabbed the dude in charge of customer service to find out where he was going.

I don't know. I mean, he hasn't been here in a while.
　And I was so angry that I yelled at the guy in front of me.

　I don't remember what I was yelling at.
　I don't remember what I yelled at him for. I went on a bender afterwards.

　Today, the shop was empty.
How did ...... and how did that happen? ...... I'm the guy who made Fermat this big?
　From that little shop, little by little, we've grown it a little bit bigger, and now we're the richest man in the empire. .......

'So ...... how did this happen now?'
　It was supposed to be going well a while ago: .......

'What's the reason?　Is this my brother's shop?　No, it's a small shop over there, so it shouldn't affect my shop too much.
　Yes, people say that the magic sword is great, but with the size of that store, we can't sell that much .
　That's why they're not a threat to our store.



Sure, sales are down, but that doesn't mean ...... that we're losing money. ...... How come the employees are gone?

It's not your fault.

Oh, brother!
　The voice was coming from the direction of my brother, whom I hadn't seen in decades.

Hey, long time no see. You've put on a lot of weight since I've seen you.

Oh, yeah.
　I looked at my belly.

　I was fat.
　I ate and drank all day, every day.

　My brother, on the other hand, still has the muscle (body) of a dwarf: .......

"You say you got run off by an employee?

Ummm, yeah, .......
　There was no way to deny it here in this empty shop.

Okay, ......, explain to me what's going on here.

Okay. ......
　Then I told him what happened until yesterday when my brother's sword became famous .

''You ...... are explaining yourself and don't you realize how stupid you are?''

What?
　Am I stupid?
　No, it's not!
　I'm the richest man in the Imperial City!

"You're a fool now. You know what?　Your men aren't golems, okay?

'Golem?　Oh, ......
　The golem ...... is a high-grade magic tool that does everything its master tells it to do.
　If you ask me, I've always thought of my ...... subordinates as pawns who would do everything they were ordered to do. .......

''You ...... really, really don't sound like the ...... old you wouldn't have done this.

No, it's not: ......
　I used to be ......

No, no way. First of all, you're not in the business these days.

'What?　Oh, I'm ...... involved ......

Nothing's happening. I'll leave it all up to my men. If you'd seen my magic sword first, you wouldn't have wasted six months. And you know you can't possibly invent a new magic tool in a month, right?

U......
　I can't say anything back.
　The brother was right about everything.
　I was just playing along, letting my men do everything.

　My brother's cold eyes stare into mine.
"You've changed, haven't you? You used to be such a serious person. ...... I left home so that you could take over this shop, you were a good businessman.
　Oh, really?
　I thought for sure you had a fight with my dad and left. .......
　I didn't know that was the case...... If you ask me, I wouldn't have been able to own this store if my brother had been here.......

　Well, ...... for me. .......

'My brother ...... sorry ......'

"Don't apologize to me. You need to be sorry. I'm gonna stop drinking from now on.

"Ki, sobriety ...... okay ......

And I'm worried about you now, so come on over.

Is this my brother's shop?

Yeah, go serve the customers. A month of this and you'll be back to your old self, won't you?

"Wow, okay. ......
　Customer service. ...... I wonder how many years I haven't dealt with customers. .......
　I'm not a merchant now .
　It's no wonder the store is going out of business. ......