I was meeting Mr. Krua at a nearby shop.
　........Since today was my day off, does that mean you want me to make new furniture for you?
　While I was waiting with that in mind, Krua-san came over to me.

I'm sorry, Mr. Lelius, I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.
No, I'm not waiting for you to make me any more furniture, sir.
No, no, that's all right!　I still have some of my old stuff left!

　Krua-san shakes his head in a panic.

Is that so.........

　Mr. Krua said they sold quite well, but maybe he was just lying to avoid hurting me.

　I'm not a furniture specialist, but it was still a little sad to know that the things I made were not appreciated.

　However, even if a craftsman of that caliber worked hard, the products would remain unsold.
　There was no way someone like me could do so well.

''Everything made by Lelius-san is highly regarded,''

　Apparently, it was on his face.
　Krua-san said something to cheer me up.

''........is that so?
''I'm selling like crazy!　.........But as I told you before, the price will drop if too many are distributed, so we sell them while we wait and see how they go. And so, today, I thought I'd bring it to you first to pay Relius-san for his compensation.

　Mr. Krua showed me a sheet of paper.
　The number of pieces of furniture I had made was on the sheet of paper, and the number of pieces sold and the amount of money spent on them were written on it.
　The amount of money is different for each item.

'My mentor allows me to place the items in one of his stores. There are also some items that I sold directly to them.
It's not a freebie to have it in your shop, is it?
Well, yeah, I guess so.
''In that case, you can split the amount for that, okay?

　The paper she showed me didn't appear to contain any store fees.

''No, that's just something I did on my own.
'But it's because of Krua-san that I've been able to work as a craftsman. And I haven't been able to repay you for that.

　My reward was roughly the equivalent of three gold coins.
　It is said that an adult needs roughly five gold coins to live for a month without inconvenience.

　Or rather, the amount of money I was working at the inn was roughly three gold coins.

　Conversely, Krua's remuneration would be equivalent to one gold coin at best.
　If I were to pay the fees for renting the store from there, I couldn't help but wonder if I could live this month.

''No but........''
'For now, I'm asking that we pay each other until we are stable. If anything happens to Mr. Krua, I won't like it.

　There will be no more money in my pocket.
　If that happens, it will all be in vain.
　When I appealed with serious eyes, Krua-san squeezed her lips together.

''....I understand. When I can earn more money, I'll pay you back properly.''
I understand.

　If I said this, Krua-san would accept it with open arms.
　I took the gold coins and paper as my reward and looked at her.

Mr. Krua, do you need anything else besides your furniture?
"Huh?　What do you mean?
'No, I have a lot of things I can make.

　At my words, Krua-san's eyes widened.

Can you make more than just furniture?
'Yes. Well, I'm a 'blacksmith' for a start.
Well, that's right... but can a blacksmith do everything so well?
I'm best at making weapons. However, they can also create accessories and armor, and potions.
A pop-population potion?
Yes.
Is it possible to make this potion using only magic?
Yes, it is.

　Krua-san opened her mouth with an acorn and then moved her face closer to mine.

''Right now, potions are being exchanged at a very high price due to the fact that heel grass, the material for potions, is not very available... did you know that...?
'I didn't know that.'
''So if you can mass-produce a potion, you can sell it for quite a bit of money.
...I see.
In addition, all adventurers have potions, so you don't have to go through me, a merchant. So why do you need to go through me, a merchant?
Does that mean you don't mind if I ask the guild to buy it from you?
Yes.

　If all I'm doing is making money, that's probably better.
　However, just as Ms. Krua rented a store to sell her products, the upfront investment is important.

　The best upfront investment I could make in Krua-san is to raise her profile.

'Then I have a better idea. Can you help me with that?
...A good idea?
Yes. We'll have to move to a new location.

　After drinking the only drink we had ordered, we left the store.

'Can I go to Mr Krua's warehouse?
'Yes, that's fine.'

　She gave me permission to go to the warehouse.
　The warehouse was lined with chairs and tables. The warehouse was covered with cloth to keep them from getting dusty.
　I made a box in the corner of the warehouse.

　I used my magic to create a large number of potions there.

''This, this........!　In such an instant!

　Looking at the potions that were in the box, Krua-san's eyes widened in surprise.
　These are all potions created with magical power, but their effects are the same as the regular ones.

How is it?
...it's amazing!　And all these potions seem to be of excellent quality!

　Well, most of them are B-rated or better.
　I took out a divine weapon and simultaneously prepared one of the potions in my left hand.

　When I hit it with the hammer, the potion shattered and the herb, the material, was recovered.
　I take out the herb and hand it to Krua-san.

Did the potion that Relius-san made earlier become the material for this?
Yes. You can use a hammer to destroy it, and then you can recover the material that I created.
''........that's too bad. It means you can make a lot of things out of nothing, right?

　That's what it means.
　However, weapons and armor inevitably require magical stones.

　Since it is not possible to create them out of complete nothingness, they are hunted by demons.
　If you can spare the money, you can buy the magic stone.
　But I like to move my body, so I probably won't.

''Relius-san. That power is too much, you'd better keep it under wraps, wouldn't you?
...is that so?
That's right!　You'll get killed!

　Well that's a little disgusting.
　Fleur coughed, then coughed.

''Anyway, I understand that the materials can be recovered. Are you sure that Lelius-san wants to sell these as well?
''Yes, that's right. But just this once, I want Krua-san to tell the guild that we have a route to prepare the materials and potions.
Shall I start?
Yes. And if you do that, your status as a merchant will be enhanced, right?

　Krua's eyes widened at my words.

You're already thinking that far ahead, aren't you?
I just happened to think of it. Can you do it?
Well sure, sure. Thank you.

　Mr. Krua bows his head.
　With this, as Mr. Krua becomes more famous, the things I make will be sold.
　This is an upfront investment for that.


　00


　After leaving Mr. Krua, I return to the inn.
　

　For now, let's take my parents out to dinner or something.
　I talked to the part-timers and asked them to make a day when my parents would be away from the inn and I treated them to dinner.