Chapter 42: This Too Is Fate
On the way, Airis had begged him, so Jin carried her on his shoulders and arrived at the Lientz branch of the Galdin Trading Company.
The Galdin Trading Company, headquartered in the royal capital, was one of the Nasaria Kingdom’s most prominent trading houses. Even though this was just a branch, it was an impressive establishment. Inside, a wide variety of goods were on display—from foodstuffs to weapons and armor—with an overall sense of high quality.
Jin set Airis down from his shoulders and stepped inside, overwhelmed by the selection.
"Wow…"
Airis, delighted as if she herself were being praised, wriggled happily, but Jin’s attention immediately went to the weapons and armor. Made of mysterious metals he had never seen before, like black iron and mithril, these items stirred his fantasy-loving heart.
Black iron was heavy but extremely sturdy, while mithril was light yet stronger than steel. The quality was obvious, and the prices were equally high—a few items could be bought for mere small gold coins (roughly 100,000 yen). Jin’s total wealth exceeded 780 gold coins (about 780 million yen), but he never spent money he hadn’t earned himself, so most of these items were currently out of reach. Still, seeing them for the first time gave him a tangible goal for things he might someday obtain. He couldn’t help but be absorbed.
"Onii-chan!"
Airis, growing impatient, called out to him. Considering he had spent so long examining the weapons and armor, four years old or not, she had been fairly patient.
"Sorry, Airis. But your parents’ store is amazing! Onii-chan is really impressed."
Though slightly embarrassed by being called Onii-chan, Jin matched her words to her tone.
"Hehe~"
Pleased by the praise, Airis wriggled happily. Jin finally tore his eyes away from the weapons and armor and turned his attention to Airis.
She led him to the food section. This wasn’t just fresh vegetables or fruits—they were mostly dried fruits or jams, each with a little extra preparation.
"This is really tasty!"
Airis pointed confidently at a jar of apple jam and glanced toward her father, Orto. Her mother, Iris, was already in the back preparing tea.
"Well, it’s a special treat since Jin-san is here."
"Yay! Hehe—Onii-chan, let’s eat it later!"
With Orto's permission, Airis hugged the jar of jam with delight, and Orto chuckled at her enthusiasm before speaking to Jin.
"Airis really loves this jam. She tends to eat too much, so we only give it as a treat."
"Hehe, I see. Apples are delicious, after all."
Jin replied, smiling at Airis. He glanced at the shelf where the jam was displayed. Some brands were unfamiliar, but familiar fruits like apples and strawberries existed in this world too. The varieties weren’t the same as modern Japan’s cultivated breeds, of course, but similar enough to imagine their taste.
Due to dietary restrictions from diabetes, Jin hadn’t been able to indulge in sweets before. Now, healthy as he was, he could enjoy them freely. Perhaps, once he had his own home, he could even try making some himself.
As expected for a store in the royal capital, there was a wide variety of foods, likely sourced through trade with many nations. As Jin browsed, he finally found what he had been searching for.
"Oohh!"
Jin couldn’t help but shout out in excitement. Holding it in his hands to check, there was no mistake—it was miso. And since there was miso, he searched nearby and also found soy sauce.
"Did you find something you like?"
"Yes! I heard it was available in the royal capital, but I’m so glad I could find it here in this city."
Jin answered Orto with a beaming smile.
"That much joy makes a merchant’s work worthwhile," Orto said happily.
Seeing that, Airis turned to Jin and asked,
"Onii-chan, is that tasty?"
"If it’s the same as what I know, it’s delicious. You can make soup with it or dip vegetables in it too."
"…I don’t like vegetables."
Her eyes had sparkled at the word "delicious," but they clouded when she heard "vegetables."
"Haha, it’s such a waste that Airis can’t appreciate the deliciousness of vegetables. Onii-chan loves them so much."
"Ehh, vegetables aren’t tasty. That’s a lie!"
Airis still sounded skeptical as she responded to Jin, who teased her.
"Onii-chan doesn’t lie."
"Uuhh…"
As the two of them enjoyed their lighthearted banter, Airis’s mother, Iris, returned and spoke up.
"Well, you two look like you’re having fun. Tea is ready, so please come this way."
Smiling, she led Jin into what appeared to be a sitting room. Jin returned the miso and soy sauce to the shelf, while Airis still clutched the jar of apple jam. Orto followed, having paid for the jam. Even though it was his own store, he was meticulous about such matters, which left a good impression on Jin.
Jin and Airis sat on one side of the long bench, with Orto and Airis’s mother sitting opposite. On the table were drinks that looked like tea and some sweets.
"Onii-chan, I’ll make it for you."
Airis said, placing some apple jam on a cookie and offering it to Jin.
"Thank you, Airis… Mmm, it’s delicious."
"Ehehe."
Jin patted her head in thanks, and Airis smiled happily. Seeing this, her parents squinted their eyes in delight and spoke warmly.
"I never thought Airis would become so attached to you. She’s only been here a short time and had no friends, so we were worried she might be lonely."
"That’s true. Even during the time she got lost, Jin-san has taken such good care of her."
Even though they invited him, the parents fully understood that not many people would go along with a child’s whims as Jin had. They thanked him sincerely for his kindness.
"No, I think it’s just fate. I’m glad I’ve gotten along with Airis too."
Jin replied, then added with a mischievous smile,
"And thanks to my visit, I got to enjoy your delicious tea and even found the seasonings I was looking for—I should be the one thanking you!"
While Jin spoke cheerfully, Airis tugged slightly on his sleeve with a bit of dissatisfaction.
"Oh, that’s right, I forgot! I also got to eat the delicious sweets Airis made. Thank you, Airis."
Jin patted her head, and Airis’s frown turned into a smile again. Seeing her cuteness made everyone smile, and the four of them continued chatting.
They talked about things like sweet vegetable salads for Airis and various other topics, and eventually the conversation turned to Jin’s living situation.
"So, Jin-san, you’re planning to rent a house in the near future, correct?" Orto asked.
"Yes. The inn has been kind to me, but it’s always a bit expensive. I also enjoy cooking, so I’d like to try making my own meals soon."
Jin’s expression was bright as he spoke. Finding miso and soy sauce had fueled his desire to cook, and renting a house was also one of his goals, so it was natural for him to feel this way.
"Well, it will be after I’ve earned a bit more, but it would be nice if I could find a place with a bath."
Even with magic making tasks like fetching water easier, private baths in houses weren’t common. If they existed, the houses were usually quite large. Jin, with his fondness for baths as a Japanese person, considered it an almost essential feature, even thinking about renovating if necessary.
"I might be able to recommend something," Orto said, listening thoughtfully with his chin in his hand.
"I think it was a house with four or five rooms. When we were looking for a place to live in this city, we considered it. We wanted a few more rooms, so we chose our current house, but that house also had a bath, if I recall correctly."
"A bath is great, but with that many rooms, wouldn’t it be expensive?"
Orto’s information was helpful, but Jin thought it might be a bit too large. Still, having a bath naturally meant a certain size, so he figured it would come down to the rent.
"I think the rent was about three small gold coins."
Three small gold coins—just about the same as a month’s inn fee. The budget was tight, but the freedom to take a bath whenever he wanted, cook his own meals, and eventually have a space for crafting or alchemy made it not a bad deal at all.
Jin unconsciously folded his arms, deep in thought, and beside him, Airis mimicked him, crossing her arms as well. The sight made Orto smile, then he addressed Jin.
"Fufufu. Believe it or not, I have a fair amount of credibility here. If you like, I could try negotiating a bit. I can’t promise results, but I think I could be of help as a guarantor."
For lower-ranked adventurers, renting a house could be difficult due to a lack of credibility. Jin would become D-rank after completing one more request, but even then, having a socially respected person like Orto as a guarantor made a huge difference.
"I truly appreciate your offer, but is it really necessary for you to go that far? Besides, I haven’t even seen the house yet, so I can’t promise I’ll rent it."
Jin felt humbled and grateful at Orto’s generous proposal.
"Yes. I happen to know the landlord, and I can vouch for you with confidence, Jin-san. Either way, you’re not planning to move immediately, right?"
"Yes. I intend to save a little more first, so it wouldn’t be for at least a week or two."
"In that case, I think it would be good for you to look at a few other options in the meantime. Consider what I recommend as just one option."
Hearing that, Jin couldn’t have wished for better. He bowed his head in gratitude for the kindness.
"Thank you so much. I’ll definitely consider it."
"No, it’s nothing. I’d be glad if it’s even a small favor in return."
Orto said with a warm smile, and Iris nodded in agreement.
Jin returned their smiles, then casually glanced at Airis sitting beside him. She had apparently been mimicking him, still with folded arms and nodding.
"Pff, hahaha!"
Not only Jin but also Orto and Airis’s mother couldn’t help but laugh at her behavior. Jin continued laughing for a while, patting Airis on the head.
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