by Funa
Honestly, I’m pretty much ripping her off.
Naturally, her profit margins on daily necessities aimed at commoner girls were much slimmer. Because of the exchange rates between worlds, Mitsuha had to at least quadruple the original value when pricing her goods. For example, if something cost her a thousand yen in Japan, she had to make the price in this world four silver to break even—this world’s equivalent of four thousand yen. Making up for that by inflating the prices on items for nobles was perfectly fair, thank you very much. The blue bloods probably enjoyed having their own luxury items, anyway. Everybody won.
Huh? You’re wondering why I sold shampoo to commoners for just eight silver? Oh, come now, this is a “Big Profits, Slow Returns” business! Going for ten, even twenty times the original price is standard, so doubling or tripling it ain’t a big deal. What? Now you’re worried I’m gonna run soap makers out of business? Well, I’m not selling soap—just shampoo and body wash. People will still buy the stuff to do laundry or wash their hands and faces.
Also, the happiness of girls around the world is obviously more important than the fate of some industry. Think about it!
The next day, Mitsuha headed back to Japan and got to work. First, she headed to a dressmaker—the same one Mitsuha had commissioned for a dress to stun the Bozes family. The modiste was a mildly degenerate woman who was crazy about cosplay. She was a bit too old for the hobby herself, so she instead lived vicariously through her female clients by playing dress-up with them. All for her job, of course. She was actually quite skilled at her craft, so much so that she’d opened her own establishment. While it was hard to tell whether her focus was business or pleasure, the money was flowing in.
After Mitsuha entered the shop, she made sure to butter up the owner, detailing how the dress had been very useful and played a huge role in her securing a sponsorship. The older woman was overjoyed to hear it. Mitsuha then started a new order for Adelaide. Upon hearing that she’d get to work her magic on a foreign noble lady’s debutante dress, the seamstress gave Mitsuha a huge, sudden squeeze.
“Wh-Wh-What an honor! What bliss!” she cried.
Mitsuha even promised to bring back some photos of the event, which earned her a discount. The dressmaker asked for Adelaide’s measurements and, if possible, to meet her, saying something about how it would help her conceive the girl’s perfect dress.
That’s all there is to it, right? She won’t do anything weird to her, will she? Mitsuha wondered. You can never tell with this lady.
She also wanted to see examples of dresses from Adelaide’s country; standards were important, after all. Mitsuha decided to deal with that part later. After some back-and-forth, the two agreed that she’d make three dresses. They also discussed ideas for a grand performance. One of her suggestions in particular piqued Mitsuha’s interest.
I guess now I’m paying for a fake sword, too.
Once her business with the modiste was done, Mitsuha made her way to an electronics store. She couldn’t find what she was looking for on the shelves, but she soon discovered she could have them ordered instead.
Let’s see... I’ll need LED bulbs, cables, and everything else... I’ll get the batteries some other day... Movie cameras, wireless speakers, spotlights...
Think I’m taking this too far? No way! I can’t mess up, so I’m just being as thorough as humanly possible! It’s the same as going overkill on the food and drinks... I’m just takin’ a page from the nobles. This is blowing a hole in my wallet, but once this thing is over, I’ll make it all back and then some!
For now, though, I’m not gonna use my deep pockets. Instead, I’ll have the captain exchange my yen into dollars and store the money in a foreign bank account. I’ll go back to the holes when I make back what I’m losing in this investment.
◇ ◇ ◇
“I’m borrowing the lady, if you don’t mind,” Mitsuha said as she led Adelaide into a carriage.
Attended by two bodyguards, their destination was her base, Mitsuha’s General Store. It was close to the noble district, so they arrived in no time. The coachman stopped right in front and waited while they went inside. Mitsuha had the bodyguards take a seat on the first floor. The men tried to argue, but they couldn’t say a word when Mitsuha mentioned that she’d be undressing Adelaide to measure her. She assured them they wouldn’t be leaving the building, either, so it was really a trivial matter.
She placated them further with some drinks, then brought Adelaide up to the second floor. Before entering the room, Mitsuha blindfolded her. The girl was caught off guard at first, but relaxed when Mitsuha told her the next step would require just a little bit of magic.
As she opened the door, Mitsuha jumped to Earth with Adelaide in tow.
“Hellooo!” she called out.
She had, of course, entered the shop of the aforementioned dressmaking zealot.
“Wow, wow, WOW!” came a voice from behind the counter.
Annnd there’s the zany manager! Mitsuha thought, taking off Adelaide’s blindfold.
“NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL A BABE!”
Jeez, slow your roll, lady...
Adelaide was under the impression this was just another room in Mitsuha’s General Store, so her startled expression was due to this... creature.
“Just measure her, please,” Mitsuha said flatly. “You wouldn’t want to make a wrong move with a noble foreigner’s daughter. They’d have your head. Like, literally...”
The seamstress gulped, then took out her measuring tape. As she worked, she and Adelaide chatted with one another with Mitsuha as the interpreter. Adelaide spent the entire time bewildered, while the lady was in high spirits. Both parties ended up satisfied in the end.
Before they parted ways, Mitsuha gave the dressmaker a memory card. It contained photos of dresses from all across the capital—Adelaide’s, Amalia’s, the ones on display in noble boutiques, as well as those worn by Adelaide’s friends who’d already had their debuts. They’d gladly shown them off when Mitsuha praised their clothes, so she’d gone ahead and snapped a few photos. Some of the girls even insisted on putting them on, and those photos made the lady completely lose it.
The two girls left the same way they’d entered. Once they returned to the first floor, Adelaide asked for a tour of the store. She loved it so much that Mitsuha felt pretty much forced to give her a little accessory to take home.
Whatever, thought Mitsuha. I’ll just tack that onto the Ryners’ tab.
She also treated Adelaide to a shortcake from the fridge. The noble girl found it delicious, obviously, but the fridge itself had her curious. Mitsuha merely said it was a magic box and told her not to tell anyone about it. All the while, the bodyguards stared.
I really don’t blame them. I was hoping to earn a few more coins by tempting them with this shortcake, but I’m not totally sure that worked.
◇ ◇ ◇
By now, Mitsuha had been staying at Viscount Ryner’s mansion for some time. However, she spent most of her time in the kitchen. She’d given out recipes, but seeing as she was the only one who could read them, she’d had to involve herself further. Mitsuha would read the recipes aloud, and the kitchen staff would take notes.
Y’know, I may not look it, but I’m actually a pretty good cook, she’d reflected. I know how to make most dishes in your average cookbook, I’ve got the basics down, and I know how to make adjustments. Makes sense that I’m the boss of this operation.
Marcel had picked several Earth dishes he found tasty, impactful, and easy to prepare in large quantities. He and his crew were now training to make them.
Currently, they were practicing with just a couple of servings per recipe. If they wanted a hundred times more, however, it wouldn’t be as simple as just using a hundred times more ingredients. The culinary world demanded more tact. It was important to factor in things like the spread of the flames, the balance of the mix, and the relationships between ingredients. In many cases, just following a recipe
wasn’t enough. You had to develop a feel for it.
Man, if that ain’t a pain, Mitsuha thought. Her tune changed when she realized that Marcel and everyone else in the kitchen had started calling her “Master”.
“Master”...? O-Oh man, is it bad that I really like the sound of that?!
◇ ◇ ◇
Here it is! The big day!
What? You think this is sudden? Believe me, I thought it was really far away twenty days ago, but time just flew by and now here we are. Besides all the ordering I had to do, there was the cooking lessons, party hall management, rehearsals... Things got so hectic it was all a blur.
Ah! Damn, I haven’t opened the store in days! Oh, well. The Ryners and their people were my only customers anyway.
...Wow, what a sad thought. Well, I’ll get my name out there with this job. Yep.
During the past few weeks, Mitsuha had also obtained her driver’s license. For manual transmission cars, at that. She assumed she’d use a car in this world someday, and since there were no proper roads, manual would be a better choice than automatic. That was something to save for a later date, however. She’d already purchased her first car, a Japanese subcompact with an automatic transmission and lots of trunk space. She had merely bought it for trips to and from nearby stores, rather than any long journeys.
Additionally, no matter how much she’d tried adjusting the seat, she just couldn’t reach the pedals on larger cars. Driving was possible, but she could hardly see over the steering wheel. If she’d gone out on the road in such a posture, it would’ve caused an accident in minutes.
For the party hall preparations, she’d called upon Kunz to help out. He already had a decent grasp of what her requests were like and was a skilled workman in general. And of course he’d done an excellent job on the renovations. He’d even done them at a low rate, insisting that he wasn’t there for the money. The challenging project had excited him, and above all he felt the most fulfillment when his clients were satisfied with his work.
Out of respect for his mentality, Mitsuha had decided to give him an extra reward: interior design and construction books she’d gotten from a secondhand bookstore. They looked so old, they could’ve been written in cuneiform, and had been extremely cheap.
Kunz had loved them so much he’d called her a goddess.
Yes, praise me more! she’d thought.
And so, the party was ready. It was now time for the guests to trickle in.
Among the attendees was a count named Albert von Bader. Like the other guests, he’d been invited to the mansion to witness Adelaide’s debut celebration. He was one of the few who didn’t look down on the Ryners as unwelcome nouveau riche.
Viscount Ryner’s father had worked to bring their family into prosperity. The long-standing noble families merely suckled respect earned from the feats of their ancestors. In a sense, this made Viscount Ryner more worthy of his nobility than the complacent old nobles. Additionally, it was even more difficult for a commoner to become a noble these days than it had been in the past. In spite of this, his father had climbed straight to viscount, skipping the rank of baron altogether.
I can only imagine how brilliant he was, thought Albert von Bader.
Rumor had it that the current Viscount Ryner was an excellent person, too, and that he had a beautiful daughter.
Maybe it’s wise to build a relationship with them. Perhaps this line of thinking is inappropriate... But if something were to happen to their only son before he can marry, his daughter would likely start searching for a groom. I should consider pushing my third or fourth son into the role.
While considering the possibilities, Count Bader followed the servants and entered the Ryners’ main hall.
Oh? There doesn’t seem to be much food on the tables, he thought. I’m well aware they’ll be replaced as they begin to empty, but this amount seems small regardless. Was this intentional?
Though he found it curious, he decided not to think much of it. He merely took some wine when offered, relieved his dry throat, and went off to mingle with some of his noble acquaintances.
A short time later, the host began his introduction. Viscount Ryner stood on the small stage in front of the hall, thanked his guests for coming, and introduced his daughter, Adelaide... though she was noticeably absent. Having said his part, Viscount Ryner retired from the stage.
What is happening here? Count Bader wondered, certainly not alone.
Not a moment later, the place where the viscount had been flooded with smoke.
The guests closest to it were alarmed at first, believing it to be some sort of fire, but quickly noticed that the smoke was spreading in a strange way; it seemed to be pouring in from the sides of the stage. The servants were unfazed, on the other hand, meaning this was part of the show. Though some guests voiced their confusion, there was no real panic.
With the exception of those who sought spouses for their sons, most nobles considered these sorts of parties little more than dull gatherings to attend out of boredom, courtesy, or habit. Seeing something so new intrigued everyone, Albert von Bader included.
The smoke thinned as it flowed over the stage, creating a layer across the floor. Tendrils of it reached the nobles, who found it peculiar that breathing it in didn’t choke them, and it didn’t smell like smoke at all. On the other hand, it did make them feel a little chilly.
A voice rang out.
“Good evening! Thank you all very much for coming. Without further ado, I give you the Ryner family treasure, the charming flower fairy... Lady Adelaide! Feast your eyes on her lovable form!”
It was a girl’s voice, and seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once. She wasn’t shouting, but her words were strangely loud—enough so to resound throughout the hall.
“Watch as our lady makes her debut!”
Suddenly, scenery appeared on the white wall ahead.
What?! Count Bader’s jaw flopped open.
The other guests were equally astonished. It was a bizarre sight to behold—the wall was now some sort of illuminated painting, and showed a beautiful garden full of dancing fairies. Mixed with the milky smoke, the scene was nothing if not fantastical.
Then, a girl revealed herself from behind the curtains.
“WHOOOA!” The crowd’s collective cry of amazement reached all corners of the room.
The flower fairy, clad in a white dress, danced lightly across the stage, filling young and old alike with wonder. The girl’s beauty and charm were dazzling enough, but the dress she wore was in a class of its own. The silk was of the highest quality, and the design was novel, striking, and immaculately detailed. The audience had never seen anything like it. Some parts of it sparkled as she moved, and they could only assume it was bedazzled with gems.
The girl stopped in the middle of the stage and faced the crowd.
“Which one of you will take me?” she asked coquettishly.
It was quite the heartstopper of a line. The boys watched with flushed faces as Lady Adelaide walked off behind the curtain on the other side. Even the men, in spite of their many encounters with all kinds of beauty, were charmed ever so slightly.
All right! So far, so good! Mitsuha cheered. She was at the edge of the stage, microphone in hand.
There were speakers on both sides, lots of dry ice doused in hot water, and a projector connected to a laptop. It was the kind that could project from the side rather than the front. All this technology was powered by a battery Mitsuha had bought at the home improvement store. Because of some mic-related problems and Adelaide’s refusal to voice over the performance, Mitsuha had ended up as both the narrator and the emcee. As for the projected background, it was a random fairyland scene she’d found on the internet.
At the moment, the maids were changing Adelaide’s costume. They’d broken their backs training to make the process as swift as possible.
Now’s probably a good time, Mitsuha thought, and changed the projection to a picture of a noble ma
nsion. She then slipped back into her narration.
“The lord is away. A horde of bandits is using this opportunity to ransack the fiefdom. Most soldiers left with the lord, leaving only the lady and a small troop behind...”
Ohh, they changed the setting! Count Bader clapped, completely enthralled. The other guests seemed to share the sentiment. I do wonder how they changed the picture, though...
Adelaide walked back on the stage, this time clad in a different costume: an armored dress with a blue color scheme. She clumsily held a sheathed sword in hand. It was as ornate as the most prized decorative blades. She was followed by an old man who was perhaps her butler. They both stopped in the middle of the stage.
Mitsuha’s voice echoed throughout the room again. “Madam, the brigands have sprung an attack on a nearby village!”
“We’re going. Tell the remaining soldiers to prepare to march.”
“But madam, we mustn’t! They should be kept here for an emergency! Also, if something were to happen to you—!”
“Is this not an emergency?! It is my duty to protect our people in my husband’s absence!”
Mitsuha spoke those familiar lines with burning enthusiasm. Adelaide and the butler lip-synced along with her words.
“Very well... I won’t stand in your way. Let us hold them off at the river and buy time until our lord returns. I shall, of course, attend at your side.”
“Thank you. By the way, may I ask you something?”
“Yes, madam?”
“Buying time is fine, but you won’t mind if I cut them all down, will you?”
The line was third on Mitsuha’s list of things she’d always wanted to say. Finally having a reason to do so sent her over the moon. Oh, if only my brother were here to see this...!
The crowd broke out in cheers. Adelaide gripped her blade with both hands, thrust it into the floor, and faced the audience with a dignified expression.
“I ask of you... Are you my soulmate?”
The roar of the crowd reached an explosive crescendo. With that, the play was over, and the two left the stage.
