"We're opening a general store!


　With these words from Sadda, our village's first store was finally opened.


　It's a strange feeling, because we've never had such a thing in our village. It's a strange feeling, but an exciting one at the same time.
　Gaius and I had come to the general store together.


　Everyone in the village, Phyto, and Mr. Biller were curious.
　Mr. Biller, who had never been in a store before, was also in the general store, but when he saw me and Doonair on my back, he rushed to kneel down and I almost panicked.
　Doanea was making a noise like she deserved to be praised, but I wished she would be a little more normal. I wonder if she'll understand if I tell her again and again: .......


　A lot of people in the village are gathering at the general store, so we take turns going inside.
　When it was Gaius and I's turn, we went inside.


　We had seen the store when it was being set up, but now that it was open, it felt like a different space.


　There were a lot of items for sale, and seeing them for sale made me want to buy things that I hadn't planned to buy.
　Even if it's not something that I need right now, I somehow want it a little.



Stores are mysterious.
I guess. I didn't know what a store was, but now that I'm here, I want something.
Yeah. Oh, there's a brush. I want to brush Gaius. I'll buy one.
You have one at home.
Yeah, but it's got a pretty picture on it.


　I have brushes for brushing gryphons, siefos, and werewolf Gaius at home, but seeing them all laid out made me want one.


This one, please.
"This brush is...

　The shopkeeper, a wolf beastman named Giannoni, explains to me what I'm getting in exchange.
　It's amazing how something collected in the forest can be turned into such a beautiful brush!　I was strangely filled with such emotion.


　Looking around the store, I could see everyone's eyes sparkling as they exchanged their items for the ones I had brought with me.


"Shops are fun, aren't they?
Yeah.
Gaius, is there anything you want to buy?
Hmm. ...... I'm thinking about these shoes.
"Wow, cool shoes!


　While we were having this conversation, Saddha came up to me and explained that if the shoes didn't fit, she would adjust them for me. It's true that there are times when shoes or clothes don't fit.
　In the end, Gaius bought a plate instead of shoes. He was more interested in a plate with a cool picture on it.


　I also looked around the store.
　 Doonaea shouted. I saw that it was a dragon suit. It was apparently made by the Winged Ones and brought here by Mr. Biller.
　Doanea seemed to want it, so I decided to buy it too.


　There were also many hair ornaments.
　These were apparently made by the young women of the village.


　The hair ornaments ranged from cute to cool decorations.
　I thought they looked nice and kept looking at them.



"Lelanda, what are you looking at?
"Hair ornaments. They're cute.
It's true.


　Gaius, who had left my side, came back to me as if he had finished exchanging what he wanted.
　In his hand, he was holding a number of items in a bag. Gaius seems to have exchanged a lot while I was out of sight for a while.


Lelunda, which one do you want?
"This one, I think. The bird one.

　I stared at it and said, "Gaius, why are you wearing that?


"Gaius, are you going to wear that?
"No, no!　I'm not wearing it. I'm not wearing it, I'm giving it to Lernda!
You're giving it to me?
Yeah. Put it on me.
Yes!　I will.


　I wondered if Gaius was going to wear the hair ornament himself.　I thought for a moment that Gaius was going to put on a hairpiece himself, but he bought it for me as a gift.

　A gift from Gaius.
　That thought made me love this hair ornament even more. It's become something I treasure.


　I thought it would be more special to have someone else exchange it for me than to exchange it myself.
　I feel like I want to give something to Gaius.


"Gaius, is there anything you want?　I want to give you something, too!
"Oh, no, thanks. I've already exchanged most of them myself.
Really?　Well, next time I find something Gaius wants, I'll trade it to him. And I'll give it to Gaius.




　When I told her that, she laughed and said "I'll take it then.



　Then I left the store and went back home.
　I told Mr. Lan that I had exchanged a lot of things, and he said, "You exchanged a lot. It's a good thing that the general store was a big success.



　--The Girl and the Beginning of the Shop 3
　The little girl and the beastman boy went to the store. And they enjoyed their first store in the village.