Archive of Our Own

Subaru’s day began with the usual morning routine he had developed over the past two months in this new world. He woke up in his simple room, slipped into clean, comfortable clothes, and rushed out to open his small shop, skipping breakfast as always. His morning plan was nothing fancy, just routine he had developed overtime: sweeping the floors and shelves, dusting away anything that might have gathered overnight, and getting everything ready for the day’s customers.

During his time working in the shopping district, Subaru learned the importance of starting his day early. After all, this was one of the many essential habits for anyone trying to make a living here. Those who didn’t take it seriously often found themselves with empty pockets by day’s end.

‘Eh, work really changes people.’ Still fresh out of bed, Subaru adjusted the last bits of his kimono to look presentable and glanced around, struggling to believe he was truly awake. Stepping into the tiny bathroom, he faced the mirror—a cheap sheet of polished metal that served the role well enough and took a moment to inspect himself.

Staring back at him was a cheerful young man with an optimistic expression and a bright smile. His sharp, intimidating eyes somehow radiated warmth and hope. Faint bags under his eyes revealed the late nights he had spent working on various projects.

‘Never thought I’d be a morning birdie.’ He leaned in, gently touching the dark rings beneath his eyes. Whatever he saw in that reflection was something only he could understand. Seemingly satisfied with the discovery, Subaru nodded in quiet approval. Then, with a grin full of confidence, he smiled at the mirror. ‘Let’s start another great day for Natsuki Subaru!’

In high spirits, Subaru left his house and made his way toward the small shop he rented to sell his goods. The streets, usually loud and bustling, now greeted him with only the occasional passerby and the quiet rustling of diligent shopkeepers at work. Since he was unusually late today, many of them were already finishing their preparations and opening their shops.

The sight brought a smile to his face. Following the familiar route, he greeted the shopkeepers he had grown used to seeing each morning. Waving and exchanging a few friendly words, Subaru felt the street gradually come to life with each passing minute, filling him with energy and motivation to begin another productive day.

“Good mornin’, young Natsuki. Openin’ yer shop so early?” A slightly hoarse, yet warm and caring voice suddenly caught Subaru’s attention. He instantly recognized the speaker, it was Miss Gawa, the familiar elderly shopkeeper who specialized in fabrics and worked alongside her husband.

“Not earlier than you, Miss Gawa. With your youthful energy, I’ve still got a long way to go to catch up.” Subaru replied with a bright smile, stopping in his tracks. Though his thoughts had been preoccupied with the time, he decided it was worth pausing for a moment to chat with his good acquaintance. 

‘Well, it’s not like a little chatter will take much time.’ Shrugging his shoulders, Subaru justified the decision to himself and turned back to the lady, her gray hair tucked beneath a faded old apron that had seen years of use.

Smiling in return, caught up in the young man’s cheerful energy, Miss Gawa gestured for him to come closer. She was alone behind the counter, which sparked a bit of curiosity in Subaru.

“What’s the matter? Do you need some help?” he asked without hesitation, stepping toward the shop. Even if he was running late, there was no way Subaru could turn down a request for help, especially when it came from someone who helped him that much. 

“No-no, I just noticed that yer unusually late today, is anythin’ troublin’ ya?” she said with a slightly worried voice, well aware of Subaru’s predicaments. Then it took a sharper turn as she continued, “If any of those hyenas are causin’ ya problems, this lady can ask ‘er husband to chase ‘em away.”

Subaru frowned slightly at her words. No matter how much time he spent in this world, he could never quite get used to the harsh treatment the orphans received. Even if he understood the reasons behind it, it just didn’t sit well with him.

“Miss Gawa, we’re both adults, and it’s not nice of us to go around scaring little children like that,” he said, speaking to the old lady in the same tone one might use when gently correcting a child. Then, with a sly grin, he added, “Besides, they seem to really like me.”

“Look at yerself, speakin’ like ya ain’t a child,” she shot back, easily brushing off his words. Though she disagreed with Subaru’s carefree attitude, a hint of amusement slipped into her voice.

“This lady understands how troubling their life is, but that doesn’t mean we should suffer too for ‘eir sake,” she added, shaking her head as she tried to reason with him.  “as Great Hoshin said, ‘Money doesn’t grow on trees’ after all, so think carefully, young lad.”

“Thanks for your concern… I’ll remember those words,” Subaru replied with a polite smile, served only to reassure the old lady. Then, more playfully, he added, “but until then, I think I’ll prefer to keep ‘em around. Staying alone behind the counter is extremely boring, y’know?” 

‘Jeez, the Kansai accent is growing on me, huh?’ Well aware of his slowly shifting mannerisms, Subaru felt a sharp pang of homesickness hit him—quick and uninvited, like a stone skipping across the surface of his thoughts.

The old woman could only smile at his words. For his own good, this kid had far too big of a heart. ‘Dat’s a relief… seein’ fools like dat still exist.’ 

 After all, how else could she call this young lad, the main reason his sales weren’t as good as they could be was because of that bunch of little critters constantly roaming around his shop. She could sympathize with those poor children, anyone with a heart could, but the harsh truth remained: helping them often meant putting more weight on the shoulders of those already struggling to survive.

Taking care of yourself alone is already a heavy burden for someone without connections or a decent background. Bringing a child into that kind of life is a decision that can turn your whole world upside down, let alone having more than one.

Although Gawa couldn’t claim to be any better than he in that regard, she still felt a twinge of sympathy for the foolish boy. She had children and grandchildren of her own, after all. With a small sigh, she reached beneath the counter, pulled out a box containing her breakfast, and set it gently on the counter, surprising the young lad standing right in front of her.

“Here, take this. I gathered some scraps from breakfast, couldn’t bring myself to throw ‘em. Figured you’d have some use for ‘em.” she said in an offhand tone, trying to play it off like it meant nothing.

But Subaru saw right through her. Grinning from ear to ear, he forgot all about showing proper respect for his elders and leaned in with a teasing glint in his eye. “Miss Gawa, is that a change of heart I see? Has my presence finally rubbed off on you?”

“Don’t talk nonsense, boy. Just take the food and get to yer shop before those critters clean out yer shelves.”  Not interested in entertaining any more of his foolishness, Gawa raised her voice, trying to erase such silly ideas right out of Subaru’s head.

As much as Subaru was tempted to accept this offer and appease his grumbling stomach, he had some shame. He fell silent for a moment, strengthening his resolve and taking time to appreciate the gesture, Subaru put on his best dramatic act to turn her down.

“Sorry, but if my mom ever found out I was robbin’ old ladies of their breakfast, I wouldn’t live to see the light tomorrow. So I’ll have to pass both for your and mine sake.” He brushed a hand through his hair, trying to play it cool. But unfortunately for him, both he and Gawa were cut from the same cloth, stubborn as mules.

“Then whaddaya think yer mom will say when she meets the old gal who let her son starve to death.“ Not amused by any of his jokes, Miss Gawa changed her approach, frowning deeply as she scolded him for his lack of consideration. “C’me here and stop bein’ a stubborn brat otherwise, ya won’ grow up.” 

Subaru knew a losing battle when he saw one. After a month of working in this district, he'd come across his fair share of stubborn folks, and Miss Gawa was undoubtedly top-tier. Accepting defeat with grace, he shifted tactics and tried to find a compromise.

“Okay! But in return, tomorrow I’m treating you to a meal. That’s final!” he declared, smugness lacing his voice, the gleam of sweet victory lighting up his face. Basking in his triumph, Subaru remained completely unaware of the looming presence behind him until a massive, fur-covered arm, thick as a tree trunk, landed on his shoulder. Gawa’s husband had arrived. A towering demihuman with the quiet strength and size of a bear, he had shown up just in time to witness Subaru’s embarrassing display.

“Oy, I know for sure dat my wife’s a beauty, but dontcha think you can steal ‘er behind my back.” The deep, rumbling voice came from directly behind him, and Subaru's whole body stiffened like a startled cat. His shoulders jumped, a shiver running down his spine as his brain scrambled to catch up. Flinching hard, he spun around only to breathe out a shaky sigh of relief when he saw the familiar, bear-like figure towering over him.

“Damn, you nearly gave me a heart attack. I thought my soul would leave the body for a moment!” Subaru sighed in relief and shook hands with a mighty man before him, easing all remaining worries and letting tension leave his body.

“Ha-ha-ha, sorry kiddo, but yer reaction never fails to bring this old man joy.” Mister Benson chuckled heartily, slapping Subaru’s back with enough force to nearly send him flying into a stack of crates. With a hint of annoyance, Subaru straightened his clothes, grumbling at the rough treatment.

“You old man shouldn’t worry about having your wife stolen, she’s far too old for my tastes.” Subaru joked, turning his head with exaggerated flair. Under Gawa’s scorching glare, both he and Benson couldn’t help but laugh. 

With a sigh, the old lady muttered to herself, resigned to dealing with their childish antics. Still, her eyes softened, and she returned to working on something behind the counter, letting the two men continue their banter.

“Geez, I was right about to say that rumors were proven wrong, but now it looks like I’ll be worryin’ for my granddaughter,” he said with an overly dramatic tone, teasing Subaru and causing him to cover his face from frustration. Groaning in annoyance, Subaru cast him a look as sharp as the edge of a knife.

“Come on, how much longer will I have to fight those accusations? For the last time, I’m a distinguished gentleman who likes cute girls of his age!” his voice was desperate as he raised his arms and shouted without care for such a dramatic public display. His best attempts to convince them only amused a married couple.

“If ya wanna get rid of those rumors, then perhaps clearin’ yer shop from critters might be a good start.” While humorous, her voice contained hints of seriousness, reminding Subaru of their previous conversation. With betrayal in his eyes, Subaru looked at the old shopkeeper falling to his knees and shedding invisible tears. 

“Where’s all the sympathy you showed before? You were supposed to be on my side, not his!” With fake fury, Subaru protested loudly. As if it were a routine occurrence, all shopkeepers on the street merely cast amused glances in his direction, already accustomed to Subaru’s dramatic antics.

Kneeling on the ground, Subaru caught a glimpse of a hanging magic crystal. Noticing the time, he sprang to his feet, completely forgetting the layer of dust now clinging to his kimono. His heart skipped a beat as the realization hit him, he was seriously late.

“Oh, crap! I’m sorry for leavin’ so abruptly, but I can’t delay opening shop any longer! Bye!” Subaru blurted out in a single breath, panic rising in his voice. Clutching the box old Gawa had given him, he bolted toward his store, only to spot two children already sitting on the threshold, waiting.

Finally noticing his disheveled appearance, Subaru slowed down, meticulously dusting off his clothes before approaching the entrance, currently blocked by two small troublemakers. Hearing his footsteps, the children lifted their heads. Their faces, smudged with dust and dried mud, lit up with wide smiles the moment they saw him.

“SUBARU!!!” Their joyful voices echoed down the street as the two small boys leapt to their feet. With delighted expressions, they greeted him with warmth and respect, or at least, that’s how Subaru wanted to say. In reality, they tackled him without hesitation, clinging to his clothes and smearing him with even more dirt.

Subaru desperately wanted to scold them for ruining what little cleanliness remained in his clothes, but his past experience had proven it was a hopeless endeavor. With a resigned sigh, he gave up on fighting their childish antics and instead let himself be swept into their usual playful banter.

“Who else did ya expect to meet, you brats!” Subaru barked with feigned irritation, pretending to be annoyed by their presence before launching into a playful scolding. “Just so you know, I work here, and you’re causin’ me huge problems!”

Unfortunately, the only response he got was uncontrollable laughter, which prompted a forced frown to spread across his face, though it barely masked the amusement tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Whatever… When did you manage to lose the third troublemaker? He’s usually with you two in the morning.” Despite his best effort to sound unbothered, a hint of worry crept into Subaru’s voice. He raised an eyebrow, eyes scanning the street for a familiar figure, all while brushing dust from his sleeve, an empty gesture meant to mask the concern tugging at his expression.

Speaking of those children, among the many street kids who loved to visit his shop, those three were not only the most frequent visitors but also, without question, the most chaotic. Alas, one of them was missing now, and despite trying to keep his cool, Subaru couldn’t help the growing worry tugging at the back of his mind.

The one missing today was an older boy named Taisho, around fourteen years old, the only demihuman among the usual trio. As far as Subaru could guess, either Taisho or one of his parents was a wolfman, which explained the boy’s distinct features: a pair of pointed ears and a tail covered in dark gray fur.

He was, without a doubt, the most troublesome child Subaru had encountered so far. Hardened by a rough life on the streets and skilled in the art of survival, Taisho carried a deep-rooted distrust of others. It had taken several weeks and plenty of persistence from the other boys before he was finally convinced to even set foot in Subaru’s shop.

Even during those first visits, Taisho couldn’t help but try to snatch a few items from the edible assortment on the shelves. But the reaction he received was very different from what the boy expected. Subaru settled for a firm scolding, followed by a lecture on shoplifting and then, to the boy’s surprise, handed him some food anyway. 

To say that Taisho frequently got into trouble would be a massive understatement, it was a miracle how the boy managed to get away with half the things he did for so long. Knowing this, and seeing other children act similarly, Subaru always did what he could to help. Whether it was offering food and water or letting them stay inside on rainy nights, despite the landowner’s constant complaints, he always stood firm in his intentions.

After all, how could he not? Subaru had experienced the harsh life on the streets firsthand, which was why he never truly held any grudges against the children. He understood all too well how life’s struggles could shape them. Deep down, he dreamt of showing them that life could be different, that there was more to it than just surviving. And frankly speaking, Subaru thought he was doing a pretty damn good job.

Nowadays, worrying about those brats stealing something wasn’t much of a problem. If anything, they were the best security system Subaru could’ve asked for. Always on the lookout for other troublemakers, they’d quickly spot anyone trying to cause harm and chase them off without hesitation. 

In return, Subaru gave what little food and water he had, sometimes even treating them to sweets from his shop. He hoped that, if not making their survival easier, at least he could make their lives a little less unbearable. Reminiscing about all the moments he had shared with them, Subaru gently shook off the kids and finally opened the door.

“What’s with the sudden silence, huh?” Before stepping into the shop, Subaru glanced back at the suspiciously quiet kids. Their uncharacteristic stillness put him on edge, so he tried to ease the tension through good old-fashioned teasing.

“Have ya suddenly developed shame? If that’s the case, you can put it to use by helping me clean the place.” His tone was light, laced with mischief and a barely suppressed chuckle. Subaru already knew what their answer would be, even before they opened their mouths.

The suspiciously silent duo finally returned to their former selves, continuing to bother the poor owner of the store. “Nah, we’ll pass! We’re gonna be ‘round here, call us when ya open the store!”

The suspiciously silent duo finally snapped back to their usual selves, resuming their mission to bother the poor shopkeeper. “Nah, we’ll pass!” the shorter one shouted, nearly tripping over his foot while running off. “We’ll just hang around, just call us when the shop’s open!” the second chimed in, yelling over his shoulder as he followed close behind.

Subaru sighed as he watched them run away and muttered under his breath. ‘What a troublesome bunch.’ 

Today, something felt off. Usually, at least one of them would stick around to keep him company while the others ran off to stir up mischief. But now, with Taisho missing and the other two acting very unusual, a quiet unease settled over him. Their smiles hadn't quite reached their eyes, and that troubled look hadn’t escaped his notice.

‘What’s going on…? Did something happen to him?’ The thought tugged at Subaru as he anxiously brushed the dust from his clothes, trying to make himself at least a little presentable. 

He was wearing his relatively new kimono, plain black fabric with only a hint of decoration: small orange stripes lining the edges of the sleeves. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was neat… or at least it had been before all morning chaos.

Normally, he would’ve worn his beloved tracksuit, but it had gotten pretty roughed up during his first few weeks here. Begrudgingly, Subaru had bought some simple clothes to wear day-to-day, just to preserve one of the last reminders he had of his homeland.

Now the tracksuit was carefully sewn, folded, and stored away, more like a costume for special occasions than something to wear. A relic of the world he came from. ‘Although I’ve yet to find one of those special occasions.’ Subaru chuckled to himself, the sound quiet and dry

If this streak of good fortune continued just a little longer, maybe, just maybe, he’d find a beautiful girl to marry and someday pass down his treasured tracksuit as a strange little heirloom to future generations.

"Yeah… if everything stays good," Subaru whispered the words under his breath, a wry smile tugging at his lips, not believing in the slightest in his own words. "Well, time to get back to work. I’ve already wasted enough time with all this chitchat!"

Enthusiastically dancing across the room with his broom, Subaru hummed a melody from his world, one he couldn’t quite name but couldn’t get out of his head. The tune was infectious, its rhythm bouncing from his lips and echoing through the shop as it played on an endless loop in his mind.

Some of his anxiety slipped into the melody now and then, causing Subaru to pause, shake his head, and clear his thoughts before continuing. But no matter how much he tried to bury the worry, it clung to him, a gnawing dread settling deep in his chest.

‘Damn brats, making me worry this much!’ Subaru fumed internally, scolding them as though they were standing right in front of him. Finally, an hour or two later than usual, Subaru opened the door to his little shop and waited for his first customer.

To be completely honest, his assortment wasn’t anything special. Most of what Subaru sold were simple items he had managed to recreate from Earth, mixed with other things that already existed here. 

Speaking of already existing items, Subaru couldn't help but think of one person he'd grown to curse from time to time, whenever he discovered that one of his "inventions" already existed. ‘Hoshin, you bastard! Couldn't you leave more things for future brothers in misery?!’

Still, even if most of the items were fairly simple, that didn’t mean Subaru lacked variety. On the contrary, his list of goods could be praised for a wide assortment that included clothes, accessories, food, hygiene products, and even toys for children.

Most importantly, he had successfully brought back mayonnaise! Yes, Subaru had pulled off a triumphant feat, restoring the food of the gods, the ultimate condiment, and arguably one of humanity’s greatest inventions!

As much as it pained his heart, mayonnaise, unfortunately, hadn’t been the first product he sold, thanks to a few complications along the way. Subaru momentarily frowned, his fingers curling tightly around the edge of the counter as bitter memories resurfaced… but hey, look at him now! Who would’ve thought that a useless shut-in like him would make it this far in life?

Well, it certainly wasn’t Subaru himself! Every morning, he couldn’t help but wonder how he’d managed to pull all of this off. It was a far cry from anything he’d ever imagined back home, especially after being isekaied, but after facing such a harsh reality, he could only see it as a miracle!

Perhaps a huge part of it was thanks to his modern knowledge from Earth. After all, if someone like Subaru, who hadn’t even finished school, was able to achieve this much, just imagine what someone actually competent could do!

Perhaps if fate had swayed a different way, Kararagi might have ended up with someone far more capable than an incompetent boy like him, someone who could achieve something equal to, or even greater than, Hoshin himself! ‘Nah, that’s an overstatement, that Hoshin dude was a real menace!’ Quickly reminded of all the legends, Subaru dismissed the idea with a shrug of his shoulders.

After Subaru finished all his preparations and opened the store, an hour passed, and still, nobody had come in. Yet, Subaru remained calm. After all, he had opened later than usual today, so many of his regular morning customers were already busy with their work. Besides them, he didn’t expect too many people to show up so early. His clientele wasn’t just made up of early risers, it also included children and adults who, on their breaks or after work, decided to visit the shopping district.

That’s why the time when his store was usually bustling was around midday or evening, when his client base peaked, making all the nearby shopkeepers envious. Which is exactly why Subaru hadn’t noticed that the entire street was unusually quiet today.

“Now that I think about it, kiddos still haven’t returned… I even kept Gawa’s breakfast for them.” Subaru mumbled quietly, visibly perplexed, confusion written on his face.

It was strange, no, this whole day was nothing but strange. Subaru had woken up late, gotten too caught up in chatter with Gawa and her husband, couldn’t find Taisho anywhere, and on top of all that, those brats hadn’t even returned to his store. 

The last point especially raised his concern, making Subaru wonder if the kids had gotten into trouble along with the missing wolfboy. Nervously fiddling with the sleeves of his kimono, Subaru hadn’t even noticed when his thoughts began to drift away.

In the quiet atmosphere, Subaru felt utterly alone. The absence of his usual companions, energetic children who often visited him, was especially noticeable, leaving him with a sense of unease. After all this time, he had even forgotten when he last felt so lonely.

Perhaps that was why he never liked staying in his apartment, always seeking new acquaintances or finding ways to spend time with old ones. Each morning, the first thing on his mind was his little store. That dim, quiet room never truly felt like home, even calling it that felt wrong, unnatural somehow.

It was far too cold, far too lifeless, and far too... empty .

Something further down the street suddenly caught Subaru’s eye. A commotion had broken out, it looked like a fairly large group of people, ranging from demihumans to regular folk like himself, had gathered. ‘Huh, did I miss the opening of a new store?’ he wondered, still a bit disoriented after being pulled out of his thoughts.

“Gee, it must be something fancy if this many people gathered,” Subaru muttered to himself, before coming to an abrupt stop, “if only...”

His monologue was abruptly cut off by the sound of familiar yelling. Subaru’s blood ran cold as a chorus of curses and shouts echoed from the crowd. “Let me go, you bastards!” a childish, boyish voice barked at them.

“Urgh. Just put the fuckin’ collar on him!” One of the men yelled, anger clearly evident in his voice, urging the others to hurry. Shouts and curses continued, mixed with grunts from both the men and the child.

Subaru didn’t realize when he started running, abandoning his store without a second thought, leaving it without any supervision and praying to the gods he would make it in time. His heart pounded in his chest, drowning out everything else, while his mind swirled with a mix of fury and worry.

“Come on, try it if you’re not afraid to lose your fingers!” the young boy continued screaming. Panic was masked by the anger in his voice as he did his best not to appear weak in front of them.

The scuffle continued, the sounds of struggle and resistance never ceasing as the adults tried to pin the young demihuman in place. One of them held the now-familiar slave collar, while two others gripped the boy’s arms, not allowing him to escape.

“Stop! Don’t touch my employee!” Subaru shouted, urgency and panic clear in his voice. For a moment, everything froze. All eyes turned to Subaru, who was breathing heavily, still winded from his sprint. Both the men and the boy stared at him, faces a mix of confusion and bewilderment. 

“You… what are you doing here?!” Taisho, the familiar boy whose disappearance had worried Subaru sick all day, stared at him, eyes wide as saucers. Surprised by Subaru’s sudden appearance, he froze for a moment before resuming his desperate struggle against the men’s grip.

In stark contrast to the agitated boy, the slavers remained calm. Noticing the intrusion of a new face into the conflict, they appraised Subaru with cool, calculating gazes, sizing up the situation. “Ya know that boy. Did I hear ya right?” the man asked in a hoarse, neutral tone, making it hard to tell whether he was annoyed or simply indifferent.

"Yes, he’s my employee. If you have any problems, you’d better address them to me!" Despite the tense situation, Subaru’s stance and voice were unexpectedly firm, surprising him more than anyone else.

“Then ya should know that the boy had caused our employer quite a bit of trouble, resultin’ in a significant loss of money." With the same calm voice, the man described the grave situation the young boy had found himself in.

As the men discussed Taisho's wrongdoings, the boy looked at Subaru with a mix of shock and confusion. When they began outlining all the problems Taisho had caused, the young boy, unable to meet Subaru’s gaze, clenched his fists and stared down at the floor.

As the weight of the situation sank in, Subaru’s voice broke through the tense silence. “Is that true, Taisho?” Refusing to meet his gaze, the boy responded in a somber tone.

“Yes…” Taisho muttered, his fists trembling. In that moment, more than fear or anger, he felt an overwhelming sense of shame. Subaru’s gaze held no resentment, disgust, or anger, only pity, mixed with compassion and sadness, which made the guilt within Taisho boil even stronger.

Shaking his head, Subaru let out a heavy sigh. ‘This boy will be the end of me.’  As he stood there, lost in thought, Subaru was struck by the bitter realization of his powerlessness.

What else could he do? Letting them turn the kid into a slave was not an option. There was no way Subaru could forgive himself if that happened. How could he ever face his parents again after that?

With only one solution in mind, Subaru made up his mind to do what any responsible adult would do for their younger sibling. “I’ll pay for all the damages. Just let him go,” he said, his voice firm, leaving no room for refusal.

“Ya sure dat ya have enough money? Ain’t lookin’ like yer exactly rich.” The man appraised Subaru’s dusty kimono, his suspicion clear. To be fair, Subaru had no way of knowing the extent of the damage Taisho had caused or the cost involved, but he had already made his decision, so there was no turning back. ’Can’t look lame in front of a crowd after showing off so much.’ Subaru joked to himself, trying to lighten the situation and calm his nerves.

“Can’t say for sure until I see the sum. But if I don’t have enough, gimme some time and I’ll gather the rest. In the worst case, I’ll take the boy’s place.” To say the people were surprised would be an understatement. The most shocked was Taisho himself, who lost all strength in his legs and collapsed to his knees as the men released their hold on him.

“Aight, follow us, brat is free to go.” The man’s composure briefly faltered, annoyance seeping into his voice as he gestured for Subaru to follow him. Cold sweat beaded on Subaru’s skin, but he was determined to see it through to the end.

Walking through the clearing in the crowd made just for him, Subaru knelt down to face the child he had just saved from slavery. Gently patting the boy’s dust-covered head, Subaru finally voiced the thoughts weighing on his mind.

“Taisho, head back to the shop and close it for now. I’ll be back soon, I promise,” he said gently, trying to reassure Taisho that everything would be alright. The boy gave a small nod in response, and Subaru offered a faint smile before turning to leave.

Eventually, the crowd dispersed along with the last murmurs, and the street sank into silence once more. Struggling to stand, the boy felt utterly drained, exhausted from the earlier chase, both physically and emotionally.

The recent scuffle seemed to have scared away all the visitors from the market district, leaving merchants sitting silently in their stalls, waiting for the crowds to return and bring life back to the streets.

With great effort and unsteady legs, Taisho finally reached Subaru’s store, leaving a silent street. To his relief, everything appeared untouched. Letting out a small sigh, the wolfboy stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

Still tense, he used a bit more effort than necessary, and the door slammed shut with a sharp bang that echoed through the empty shop. Wincing at the noise, he quickly pulled down the cover, hiding the large assortment of goods from view. Finally, he flipped the hanging sign to “Closed,” officially shutting the shop down for the day.

Leaning against the wall, the boy slid down to the floor, burying his face in his arms as he hugged his knees tightly. Anxiety and guilt pressed down on his chest, making it hard to breathe. Tears welled in the corners of his eyes, but he bit his lip, fighting to keep them from falling.

Meanwhile, after several exhausting hours of grueling negotiation, Subaru made his way back to the store. His fists trembled as he walked down the street, and his sharp, usually warm, mean-looking eyes now burned with a deep fury, reflecting the intense fire of hatred boiling within him.

“Just when my life was finally getting better, this damn bastard had to show up and ruin everything!” Subaru muttered through gritted teeth. He was never a hateful person, at least, he never considered himself to be. Or perhaps he just hadn’t encountered the right bastard until now, because all he could think about in that moment was how badly he wanted to punch that man.

With all the strength he could muster, Subaru slammed his fist into the nearby wall, letting out some of his frustration and anger. The sharp, burning pain and the warm trickle of blood from his knuckles brought him back to his senses, grounding him enough to think clearly again.

“You weren’t satisfied with taking my phone, now you’re trying to take everything else too, argh!” Subaru hissed through clenched teeth, breathing heavily with anger. Still seething, he cursed Ginjiro in his mind. A wealthy merchant who also managed a branch of a massive trading conglomerate.

He was the vile man who had scammed Subaru when he was desperate for money. At that time, he’d been “lucky” enough to catch the interest of that vile old geezer. Intrigued by his unique metia, Ginjiro had offered Subaru a hefty sum of money, or at least what seemed like it at that time.

Clinging to the devil disguised as an angel in the shape of that man, Subaru didn’t hesitate for a second before accepting the proposal. It wasn’t until the next day that he realized the cruel truth: the only thing he could do with those coins was buy some clothes and secure a single night’s shelter.

Worst of all, their deal was entirely legal, and Subaru could only blame himself for being so ignorant and foolish. He let out a heavy sigh and continued on his way to his destination. A few strands of his spiky hair fell over his face, but he was too exhausted to care, so he simply brushed them aside.

A long time passed before Taisho heard a knock at the door. During that stretch, he had remained still, and his legs had stiffened from hours of inactivity. Using the wall and counter for support, he cautiously made his way to the door. As his hand hovered over the handle, he noticed a familiar tinge of iron in the air, making him hesitate before opening it.

Summoning the last of his courage, Taisho gripped the handle, slowly pulling the door open just enough to catch a glimpse of the visitor. His voice was hoarse from the earlier shouting, and with hesitation, he finally spoke. “Subaru... is that you?”

“Of course it’s me, or have ya expected somebody else?” Subaru responded without waiting for an answer, his voice slightly harsh, with traces of fury seeping through his words as he stepped into the room. His hand was bleeding, crimson trickling from his injured knuckles onto the floor. A bit embarrassed by his disheveled appearance, Subaru ran his uninjured hand through his messy hair and straightened his dusty clothes.

Taisho stared at him with an expression of complete shock, as if he had just seen an alien standing before him. When no response came, Subaru grumbled under his breath and sat down in the chair.

Subaru took a deep breath, trying to release the lingering anger in his chest. With a heavy sigh, he glanced at Taisho, who stood before him, head lowered and nervously clutching the hem of his shirt.

“First and foremost, would you mind lending me a hand? As you can see, one of mine isn’t in the best shape,” Subaru said with a light-hearted tone, his cheerfulness oddly at odds with the earlier tension.

Without hesitation, Taisho rushed to the counter and pulled out a set of clean bandages from underneath. Subaru didn’t question how the boy knew exactly where they were, at least not for now. 

While carefully treating his injured hand, Taisho kept his gaze lowered, not daring to meet Subaru’s eyes. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke, his voice quiet and uncertain. “Did those assholes do this to you?” Subaru looked away, a hint of embarrassment flickering across his face, but his voice was calm as he replied, trying to reassure the boy.

“Nah, don’t worry. I just tripped on the way back to the store, nothin’ special,” he said with a wide grin and confidence. 

“Or ya really think those losers could land a hit on me?” He kept the same stupid grin, boasting without a shred of shame, even though he knew damn well those guys could, and would, beat him up effortlessly if given the chance. Still, he clung to the fake bravado, hoping it’d lighten the mood.

“I bet even little Naru could take you in a fight.” With a snort, wolfboy fired back the teasing jab, bringing up another kiddo, who sometimes stopped by Subaru’s shop. Outraged by the comparison, Subaru straightened up, ready to defend the last shreds of his honor and what was left of his manly pride.

“Come on! At the very least, set yourself as an example! There’s no way I’d lose to her!” he shouted, outraged by the unfair comparison.

He fell silent, though, when he caught the corners of the boy’s mouth tug into a small smile, just for a moment, before Taisho’s expression soured once more. After finishing the bandages, he gently let go of Subaru’s arm.

Finally lifting his head, Taisho saw Subaru’s face plastered with his usual grin, carefree, as if untouched by the weight of the problems, still clinging to hope for a brighter future. But as he looked closer, Taisho realized something was off.

Subaru didn’t look tired from sleepless nights working on new products or from long, exhausting days at work. No, this was something entirely different. The corners of his mouth trembled, like he was forcing the smile to stay in place. His eye bags were more pronounced than usual, and behind that grin, a quiet, lingering sadness settled in his eyes.

"Subaru, why did you do that? After everything that happened, why didn't you just leave me?" With uncertainty in his voice, Taisho’s doubts slipped through, unmistakable in his tone.

Subaru sighed, and the wide grin that had been on his face faded, morphing into a small, barely noticeable smile, one that seemed to be the last trace of his hope for something better, the last reminder of his seemingly endless optimism.

“Well, what else could I do? It’s my responsibility, as someone older, to take care of brats like you.” Subaru said it with complete certainty, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Unable to comprehend such foolishness, Wolfboy exploded, his voice rising in frustration.

“Stop spittin’ this nonsense! I know damn well you’d be better off without any of us around! So why do you keep up this stupid charade?!” On the verge of tears, Taisho kept yelling, his voice raw, as if he were tearing his throat apart.

“Is it really that hard to believe what I’m saying?” Despite the turmoil raging inside, Subaru kept his voice calm and steady. ‘The last thing I need right now is to raise my voice at the child,’  he thought, doing his best to maintain his composure.

“Your words are idiotic, foolish, absurd, naive, no one with workin’ head on ‘eir shoulders would believe you! So why are you still doing this?!” Taisho breathed heavily, his chest rising and falling as he finished pouring out his thoughts.

Subaru wasn’t shocked or frightened by the outburst. Quite the opposite, it was something he’d expected, given the situation. After all, why should Taisho believe him when he himself wasn’t sure about the answers?

Lost in thought, Subaru's mind drifted back to his first weeks in the new world. He remembered the naive hope for a fresh start, the childish delusions of grand adventures ahead, everything you’d expect from an Isekai: a cute girl who summoned him, and special powers that were supposed to make his stay here a heaven.

Subaru smiled mockingly, remembering how quickly all his dreams had been shattered. The bubble of his foolish hopes had burst so suddenly that the aftermath still clung to him even now. In those days, he was consumed by bitterness toward the world and anger at the injustice of his situation. He longed for the comfort of home, for the warmth of his parents. But instead of building a new life, Subaru had wasted his days in the slums, lost with no purpose.

He was so pathetic that even the so-called hyenas, the orphaned children of the slums, didn't see him as a threat. Drawn by curiosity, they approached him without fear, ignoring his childish tantrums and staying by his side, offering him company he hadn’t known he needed.

After finally dragging himself out of the deep pit of self-pity, Subaru began to notice the suffering around him. What right did an ungrateful brat like him have to complain about his life when those children could only dream of being in his position?

Subaru had warm clothes, food, clean water, and the chance for a good education, not to mention loving parents who cared for him. Those kids had none of that, yet they carried themselves with a maturity he hadn’t even come close to. And back then, with a trusty phone in his hand and a whole future in front of him, Subaru had everything he needed to start over.

Who cared if he didn’t have any powers? His predecessor had managed to found an entire country, so what was stopping Subaru from at least becoming a merchant? By selling simple trinkets, performing magic tricks, and using bits of knowledge from his old world, he scraped together enough money to feed himself each day.

He invested most of his earnings into developing more products, which he sold to passersby along the side of the road. Only a small portion of what remained was exchanged for simple bread and water, just enough to live another day. 

In the end, thanks to his hard work, Subaru managed to rent a small store and move into a modest apartment. With a steadier income and a bit of stability in his life, he began to meet new people like Gawa and her husband, Benson, who offered him generous help, and local shopkeepers and landlords who made sure he always had a roof over his head.

Ever since he began working in the shopping district, Subaru has started noticing groups of kids sneaking around, stealing from the shops. But he wasn’t one to judge them, for all he knew, they were just doing their best to survive. Instead of reporting them to the guards like most would, Subaru chose to help them.

It started as something small, subtle, almost unnoticeable. But with each encounter, both Subaru and the kids grew more open about their intentions. Little by little, trust began to form. And in the end, things simply became the way they are now.

Previously, Subaru had convinced himself that this was the right thing to do. Don’t misunderstand him, he still clung to that belief. But after reflecting on everything he had been through, his intentions had become much clearer.

With images of his caring parents and a lingering sense of inadequacy still fresh in his mind, Subaru took a deep breath and continued, his voice steady and full of conviction. “As I mentioned before, I truly believe what I’m doing is the right thing, something every adult is expected to do, b-”

“Don’t give me that crap! Are you just gonna repeat the same shit over and over?!” Taisho yelled, frustration evident in his voice, his impatience cutting Subaru off before he could finish. Despite the rude interruption, Subaru kept his temper in control. He didn’t react, only clearing his throat before continuing, his voice steady.

“You didn’t let me finish, Taisho,” Subaru said calmly. “As I was saying, while that’s what I believe, it’s not the only reason.” Taisho’s anger faded, and he cast a guilty glance at Subaru, silently regretting his outburst.

“For a long time after I arrived here, I felt completely lost, like I had no purpose. I thought that simply owning a store would be enough, but I quickly realized I was wrong. I started helping all of you out of pity, seeing poor kids living without a roof over their heads, struggling just to survive. But as I got to know you, you all grew on me, almost like siblings,” he paused, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. Subaru struggled with his next words, his voice faltering slightly.

“Maybe it was a misguided sense of heroism, or a need to prove I wasn’t just a failure. Or maybe it was my way of repaying my parents for everything they’d done for me. Eventually, I began to see taking care of you, showing you that the world isn’t all bad, as my personal duty. It gave my life more meaning.” He looked at Taisho directly as he spoke these words, his gaze fixed on him, carefully watching for any sign of reaction.

“Quite arrogant of me, don’t you think?” he said, his voice softening, a hint of mockery creeping in as he fought to hold back a chuckle.

“That’s stupid…” Taisho muttered, staring at Subaru with a mix of confusion and disbelief. He tried to make sense of the words, but after a moment, he sighed, the tension melting away as he expressed his justified opinion. To be honest, he didn’t know what else he could expect from someone like Subaru.

“Is that really something you should be sayin’ after I laid my soul out in front of you?!” Subaru exclaimed, exasperated and theatrically furious. He flailed his hands in the air, only to accidentally hit the shelf. The sharp pain that followed made him wince and let out a loud and absolutely un-girly yelp, which drew a small, amused smile from Taisho.

“Be more careful, will ya?” Taisho said, his eyes briefly glancing with worry, while Subaru examined his already injured arm. Sighing in relief, he shook his head slightly. If he were to count, how many times had he already done this today?

‘Mom was right,’ he thought, suddenly reminded of her words. ‘Having kids really does make you age faster. It’s a wonder she looked so young.’ Subaru shook his head, a grim realization settling in. ‘At this rate, I feel more like an old man than a teenager.’

“Hey, since when did our roles change? Shouldn’t I be the responsible adult here, scolding you?” Subaru exclaimed, exasperated. The once-gloomy atmosphere lifted, but at the cost of Subaru’s already bruised pride. Yet, it was a price he was willing to pay.

“Then start acting like it!” Taisho shot back, clearly done with Subaru’s childish behavior. Their playful argument continued, filling the closed store with a newfound liveliness. Eventually, both of them let themselves relax, and for a while, they sat together in comfortable silence.

Nevertheless, many questions still remained unanswered, and this time, having learned from his past mistakes, Subaru was the one to ask. He glanced at Taisho, who sat quietly, eyes fixed on the window, following the passersby with a distant gaze.

“Taisho, I’m not really in the mood for another lecture about shoplifting and stealing, so I’ll keep it brief,” Subaru said, his tone firm but gentle, more like he was trying to make sure the boy really listened. “You know you can come by the store if you’re hungry or something. There’s no need to put yourself at risk like that. Feeding one more brat isn’t that big of a deal for me.”

Tearing his eyes away from the street, Taisho turned his attention back to Subaru. But his gaze quickly dropped to the floor again as he shrank under the weight of guilt. He mumbled something under his breath, so quietly that Subaru had to lean in, straining to catch the words.

“I know…” he whispered, barely louder than a breath.

“Then why did you-” Before he could finish the question, Subaru noticed the shift in Taisho’s expression. Unease flickered across the boy’s face, his shoulders tensing ever so slightly. Such a sudden change was enough to make Subaru pause, a familiar knot of worry tightening in his chest as his thoughts jumped to the worst possible outcome.

Taisho’s shoulders trembled as he kept his gaze fixed on the floor. His sharp fangs bit into his lip, threatening to pierce the skin, while his fists clenched tightly at the fabric of his pants. The tips of his ears flushed red as he forced an answer out, looking like he was dying of embarrassment on the inside.

“I did that because I wanted to help you!” Taisho shouted, the words coming out in a rush before Subaru could respond. His face flushed a deep red, whether from embarrassment or sheer lack of oxygen, it was hard to tell. Once he’d finally said everything he needed to, he squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head away, refusing to meet Subaru’s gaze.

“I heard from others that bastard stole something valuable from ya. That’s why I wanted to get back at ‘im, make ‘im regret it!” Taisho gasped for air, trying to recover from the embarrassment eating him alive.

Subaru remained silent for a solid minute, digesting everything. Frustration and guilt churned inside him as he silently blamed himself for the situation. ‘Dammit, it’s my fault, isn’t it? If only I’d kept my mouth shut!’

Anticipating an answer, Taisho hadn’t moved an inch. With each passing second, his restlessness grew, until suddenly, a sharp pain pierced his skull. His eyes shot wide open in shock as he saw Subaru, who had just flicked his forehead.

“Jeez, when I was told you’re the oldest among the bunch, I expected you to be smarter than this.” Subaru’s words caught Taisho off guard. The young boy stared at him, genuinely surprised, and before he could retort, Subaru cut him off again.

“Although, I guess you could say it’s my fault,” Subaru continued, his voice taking on a more serious tone. “Ok, so what exactly did ya hear about that deal?”

Taisho stood motionless, his expression blank as if Subaru’s words had struck him dumb. His mind scrambled, unable to make sense of what he had just heard. He blinked repeatedly, struggling to find the right words, but his throat felt dry, and nothing came out.

“Well... not much, to be honest,” Taisho mumbled after a few moments, his voice still thick with uncertainty. “Just that he scammed ya, and you lost yer metia?”

Subaru rubbed the bridge of his nose, his frown deepening as his thoughts circled back to the same conclusion. ‘Of course... of course, how else could it be?’ He sighed heavily, exhaling all the air as if it could somehow release all his frustration. 

“To be honest, that whole deal was my fault in the first place,” Subaru said, his voice calm, though a hint of displeasure laced his words. “I won’t say that bastard did nothing wrong, but the whole contract was completely legal. So, there’s nothing I could do about it.”

“So you’re sayin’ that we should have just let him remain unpunished!?” Taisho's voice rose in protest, his sense of justice fueling his outrage. Subaru’s calm acceptance of the unfair situation only served to intensify his anger. 

Subaru stared at him for a moment, bewildered. He couldn’t help but wonder when, exactly, this troublemaker standing before him had developed such a sharp sense of justice.

"Yes, that's exactly what I meant. Though it leaves a bitter aftertaste, there are times when it's better to just let go and move on. After all, it wasn’t the last time something like this occurred." He said calmly, a hint of amusement and nostalgia in his voice, clearly indicating how accustomed he was to such situations.

Who knows how many times this has happened already. Taisho could only stare at him in bewilderment, torn between feeling disappointed or furious at hearing such a statement from Subaru.

“You know, my career as a merchant wasn’t always smooth. Completely ignorant and illiterate, I was the perfect target for them. In the end, some of ‘em even became my business partners.” Subaru said, shrugging his shoulders as if it were just a minor inconvenience.

Yes, Subaru’s journey to this point had been a bumpy one, filled with countless ups and downs. His business had been on the brink of collapse more than once. And that was exactly why Subaru wasn’t all that worried about the massive debt he found himself in.

"Then what yer plannin’ to do now?" Taisho asked with uncertainty, which only amused Subaru. He couldn't help but laugh. It wasn’t like he had many options, so he simply told him the blunt truth. His expression and tone were so carefree, it was enough to disturb Taisho.

“Ain’t that obvious? I’m going to pay them down to the last coin. Yeah, I’ll have to cut some corners here and there, maybe save a bit on food, but it’s not the first time. So, don’t worry too much!” Subaru started listing countless steps that could help solve their predicament, which brought some reassurance to Taisho.

What Subaru didn’t tell Taisho was about the lawsuit that bastard Ginjiro had filed against them. The old geezer had no intention of giving them a chance to repay the debt, instead, he was threatening to shut down Subaru’s store altogether.

Fortunately, Subaru had been cautious enough to save up some money for unexpected situations. But even with that, it would only cover a third of the total sum. ‘To think that I promised Miss Gawa I’d treat her to a meal tomorrow … ’ he sighed inwardly, his face twisting in from illusory feeling of future embarrassment.

Cursing his rotten luck, Subaru was already imagining how he’d explain everything to her tomorrow. He could practically feel the headache forming as he pictured the old lady giving him an earful, her scolding echoing in his mind as he recalled that time he nearly fell into debt from a bad investment.

“Hey, Subaru. Can I ask ya something?” Taisho’s quiet voice cut through the silence, filled with a mix of hesitation and curiosity.

“What’s gotten into ya, Taisho? Where was all this politeness before?” Subaru asked with a teasing smile, his curiosity piqued by the sudden shift in the boy’s behavior.

“Shut up, just appreciate the moment!” Taisho snapped, taking a deep breath as he gathered his courage before continuing. It seemed like the topic was important to him, so Subaru decided to hold back on teasing the boy any further.

“When ya said that I’m yer employee, did you actually mean it?” Taisho asked, his voice unusually shy, a stark contrast to his usual bold demeanor. With a wide grin on his face, Subaru couldn’t resist the temptation. Embracing the role of the older brother, he began to torment Taisho mercilessly, showing no end to his playful cruelty.

“Oh, what do I see? Is that shame awakening in you, all eager to repay me for saving ya? Don’t worry, I mean it one hundred percent! I won’t let you run away until you’ve paid back every last bit of your debt!” Subaru teased, his grin widening as he reveled in the boy’s twisting expression, which started to show deep regret.

“Then don’t regret yer words later, Big Bro! You ain’t getting rid of me anytime soon!” Taisho shot back, bouncing right back from Subaru’s teasing assault. Accepting the brat with a bright smile, Subaru continued their banter, all the while thinking inwardly about what exactly he should do with Taisho now.

Suddenly, like a lightning strike in an empty field, a memory of Gawa’s breakfast flashed in Subaru’s mind. Although it was already nearing evening, neither Subaru nor definitely, Taisho had eaten anything all day.

“Here, take this. Since you’re my employee, it’s my responsibility to keep you alive, so no refusals are accepted, got it?” Subaru said, taking the neatly wrapped box and handing it to the young boy. As Taisho opened it, revealing the food inside, Subaru couldn’t help but be amazed with, ‘Damn, she really didn’t hold back while making breakfast.’

After a few moments of hesitation, motivated by hunger, the young boy quickly dug into the meal, devouring everything down to the last crumb like a fierce beast starved for ages. ‘Mother, Father, please give me the strength to feed this boy in the future,’ Subaru thought, watching with a mix of fascination and pity for his wallet.

Since it was already evening, the only thing left to do was close the shop for the day and return to the apartments. The problem, however, was that Subaru now had an extra mouth to feed, one that needed not only food but also a place to sleep and some proper clothes.

“Well, I wouldn’t be any better than Ginjiro if I skimped on employees, that means…” Subaru murmured quietly, contemplating what he should do with the boy. As he sank deeper into his thoughts, speaking to himself, Subaru inadvertently drew Taisho's curiosity in the process.

“Okay, I guess that will do.” Subaru finally came up with a solution and turned to look at his only employee, causing Taisho to flinch in surprise.

“Watcha doin’, bro?” Taisho asked, his ears twitching with curiosity as Subaru returned from his little trip to the storage behind the nearby door. Holding some cloth and a sewing kit, Subaru settled on the floor, ready to get to work.

“Nothing special, just preparing some stuff for your stay here,” Subaru replied casually. Rather than clearing his confusion, his answer only raised more questions for Taisho, who, after finishing his very late breakfast, wiped his face with a shirt.

“Huh, what do you mean?” Taisho asked, his curiosity growing with each passing second. Enjoying the confusion he was causing, Subaru decided to show some mercy and explain properly his self-appointed responsibilities as Taisho’s new boss. Hearing which, ninety-nine percent of employers in Kararagi would’ve called him crazy.

“As you know, you’re currently one of my employees. Being a member of ‘Natsuki’s Otherworldly Store,’ you receive basic benefits such as nutrition, healthcare, and a place to sleep, until you have enough resources to provide for all of these needs on your own.” Subaru explained, counting each benefit on his fingers. 

‘Hmm, should I mention dental healthcare? Wait, does that even exist here?’ he wondered internally, briefly distracted by the thought and completely ignorant of Taisho’s strong reaction.

For a few moments, Taisho stared agape at Subaru, chopsticks slipping from his grasp and clattering to the floor. Gasping like a fish out of water, the wolfboy barely managed to speak. “What?! That is simply unreasonable!” Taisho yelled, disbelief and confusion evident in his voice. 

“Listen, I understand that the lack of salary sounds really bad, but it’s only temporary until we pay off the debt. After that, I promise I’ll pay you at least the minimum wage! I also promise to buy some necessities so you can sleep comfortably in the store.” Subaru said, trying to reassure Taisho, his tone becoming worried as he hurried to reassure the boy, 

Clenching his fluffy ears out of frustration, Taisho was ready to tear them off. “Are you that stupid, or are you just pretending to be?! Seriously, are you even hearin’ yourself right now? Are ya plannin’ to adopt me or somethin’?! No, not even all parents take care of their children so thoroughly!” Taisho snapped, his frustration clearly growing.

“Hey, I know you really like me, but I’m way too young to have a kid! Hell, I haven’t even kissed a girl yet! Those are just some common practices from where I came from!” Subaru said, his confusion growing as he was met with such a strong reaction from Taisho. He couldn’t understand the reason for the outburst, and it left him guessing for the reason.

“Where the hell did ya come from? Because, based on my knowledge, there’s no utopia on the map!” Taisho shot back at Subaru, his words laced with sarcasm as he struggled to process the nonsense Subaru said. 

“Haven’t I already said? It’s called JAPAN, I’m pretty sure I told ya, that I came from beyond the Waterfall,” Subaru replied, rolling his eyes. 

Snorting at Subaru’s words, Taisho calmed down to an acceptable degree, at least enough to continue the conversation without completely losing his temper once again, still a little bit hesitant to believe.

“Have ya expected anybody to believe ya?” Taisho asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically. Subaru hesitated for a moment, a little embarrassed as he recalled his early days. But over time, he had grown accustomed to the disbelief, so he didn’t hold it against Taisho.

"Fair enough, I suppose." With a heavy sigh, Subaru resigned himself to reality, lowering his head in defeat. Seeing him in such a pitiful state, Taisho made a decision he'd later regret. Fighting the rising embarrassment, he brushed his hair, turning it into a wild mess before awkwardly patting Subaru's back in an attempt to offer some support.

"Don't worry, I believe ya." The words hit Subaru like a bolt of lightning. His face instantly brightened as he sprang from the chair, striking his iconic pose. With a wide grin plastered across his face, he let out a triumphant laugh, as if mocking the entire world for ever doubting him.

"You'll see, Taisho! The trust you've placed in me won't go to waste! We'll get through all of this!" With those words, Subaru walked out of the store, a sense of determination radiating from him. He made his way back to his apartment, leaving Taisho behind to spend the night at the store, his thoughts lingering on Subaru’s bold declaration.

The moment Subaru stepped out of the building, his smile instantly faded, replaced by a deeply troubled expression. A heavy frown settled on his face as he muttered to himself, "I've been talking big, but how am I supposed to solve anything when the store will be closed any moment?" The weight of the situation began to sink in, and his earlier confidence felt far more fragile than he tried to show.

After returning to his apartment, Subaru did everything but sleep that night. He tossed and turned, pacing around, and racking his brain for a solution, anything to distract himself from the overwhelming pressure of the situation looming over him.  

When the first rays of light touched the empty streets of Kararagi, slowly illuminating the city, Subaru was already awake. Or rather, he hadn't slept at all. The noticeable dark circles under his eyes were proof of his restless night and stress. 

Despite hours spent brainstorming solutions to his predicament, Subaru still hadn’t come up with anything. Yet, he tried to reassure himself that there was still time left. ‘And after all,’ he thought while cheering for his achievement, ‘this night wasn’t entirely unproductive. I did manage to come up with a shop uniform!’

While trying to distract himself after no ideas came, Subaru made a few adjustments to his kimono, adding an ornament of orange threads on the back. It formed a delicate constellation resembling the Pleiades, with seven bright stars mirroring the ones embedded in the store's logo hanging above the counter.

He hadn’t forgotten about his new coworker. Taking a spare set of clothes similar to his own, Subaru shortened them slightly to fit. The boy’s dark grey kimono was tailored with room to grow and bore seven stars stitched across the back, mirroring Subaru’s own. Proud of his handiwork, Subaru started the day by preparing breakfast, something he usually skipped, both from lack of time and a reluctance to spend money. 

‘Now that Taisho’s under my care, I’ll have to add making food to my morning routine…’ Subaru sighed, already thinking about all the money he’d be wasting, then mentally slapped himself for being such a cheapskate. “Well, better get used to it earlier!” he muttered, shaking his head to chase away the unnecessary thoughts.

With a pair of wrapped sandwiches in hand, Subaru left the house. As he walked to the shop, the streets were empty and silent, without a single soul in sight. But this time, it wasn’t due to any commotion; the reason was simply the early hour. After all, who would be awake at such an ungodly time? When he reached the shop, he knocked several times, expecting Taisho to open the door.

‘Ah, right. He must still be sleeping.’ Subaru thought with embarrassment, reminding himself once again of the time of day. Even if you looked at crystal, you’d see the deep purple, almost black color representing the element of Yin, which the locals associated with the night.

With a spare set of keys, Subaru quietly opened the door and stepped inside, careful to make as little noise as possible. Immediately, he spotted Taisho sleeping on the floor, wrapped tightly in cloth like a cocoon. The boy looked peaceful, gently wandering through his dreams.

With a smile on his face, Subaru placed a fresh set of clothes alongside the neatly wrapped sandwiches. His injured hand was still swollen and aching, especially after a night spent sewing, so today he only dusted the shelves, planning to leave the rest of the work to his new employee.

After finishing, Subaru lifted the cover, letting bright beams of sunlight flood the room with blinding radiance. Immediately, he heard a hiss from the floor; it was Taisho, desperately trying to shield himself from the light as if his life depended on it.

“Good morning, Taisho! Rise and shine; it’s time to get to work.” Subaru spoke with unyielding enthusiasm, determined to wake the boy. Until the very last moment, Taisho fought desperately against the cruel force of nature, finally opening his eyes with pure, unfiltered hatred blazing in his gaze.

“Big bro, could ya use somethin’  that doesn’t turn me blind next time?!” Taisho groaned in displeasure, rubbing his eyes as he struggled to recover his vision. More like a worm wriggling on the ground than a beautiful butterfly, the wolfboy slowly emerged from his cocoon.

“What’s dat?” Taisho said in a mellow voice, shaking off the last remnants of drowsiness. He spotted the items Subaru had left for him. Unused to such gestures of kindness, his first instinct was to question the nearest person who was responsible for his confusion.

“Here’s your new uniform and some breakfast. Please eat quickly, we still have some work to finish before opening. Oh, and don’t forget to clean up before getting dressed. There are some wet towels in the storage you can use!”

Subaru, already busy rearranging items on the shelves, called out the last part to Taisho without bothering to turn around. The boy simply nodded in reply before closing the storage door. A minute later, dressed in his new clothes, the young boy returned. His kimono looked a little saggy on him, but overall, Subaru had guessed the measurements well.

“So, do ya like it? I had some extra time yesterday, so I added a few details, like the store logo,” he said, clearly proud of his work, while subtly trying to shrug off the restless night and keep it unnoticed.

“Now, no matter where you go, everyone’ll know you’re one of my workers. So you better not cause any trouble, got it?” Subaru said, finishing with a grin, making sure Taisho didn’t escape his freshly implemented morning teasing routine.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, bro. I guess this outfit’s better than my last one, so it should do.” Taisho said, trying to keep his expression impassive, though bits of excitement slipped through. Subaru hummed, recognizing the satisfaction and faint enthusiasm hidden in his tone.

“Then I’ll take that as a compliment. Now, once you’ve finished yer food, grab a broom and quickly clean the floor in the main room. After that, you’re free until the customers arrive.” Subaru shifted his demeanor, making his voice sound more professional while keeping a friendly tone. Taisho nodded and, without a word of complaint, began meticulously cleaning every corner.

Satisfied with his new worker’s performance, Subaru changed the sign to show the store was open. Sitting down, he awaited his morning regulars, pondering how he should apologize for opening late yesterday. 

‘I have to meet Miss Gawa today too…’ he thought, but quickly dismissed the worry. That doesn’t matter! A single day of embarrassment won’t defeat Natsuki Subaru!’ he told himself in a shaky attempt at reassurance. 

Lost in his thoughts, Subaru was jolted back to reality by the sound of rapid footsteps approaching the shop. Tiny legs pounded the ground, kicking up clouds of dust as a small figure raced toward the entrance. “MIIIISTER!”

Turning toward the source of the noise, Subaru saw a small demihuman girl, part of a catfolk, with bright orange hair and a pair of cat ears perched atop her head. Dressed in a simple white robe and clutching a wooden staff, she reminded him of the wizards from stories back home, though she was undeniably several times cuter.

“Mister! Where were you yesterday?! The shop was closed in the morning, and when Mimi came by later, you were nowhere to be found! What happened?!” She rattled off one word after another in rapid succession. Exhausted from a sleepless night, Subaru struggled to keep up with her boundless enthusiasm.

Mimi was a lively girl who stopped by every day, usually in the morning or around noon, to buy sweets. Compared to other visitors, she was young but always had quite a bit of money, buying snacks not just for herself, but also for her siblings, Tivey and Hetaro.

Because of this, Subaru had always assumed she was either a noble or the daughter of a wealthy merchant from nearby. However, he was often worried whenever he saw her without any adult supervision. ‘What kind of parent would let their child wander around alone?’ he wondered, silently judging her parents in his mind.

“Eeh, don’t worry, Mimi! I just overslept yesterday, so I had to open the shop a tiny bit later, you must have missed it. Later, I got so sleepy I took a nap. Sorry ‘bout that!” With that silly excuse, Subaru reassured the girl, clasping his hands together in apology.

“Mister is a real sleepyhead! But Mimi likes sleeping too, so she forgives you!” Puffing out her chest with pride, Mimi graciously pardoned Subaru for his grave sins, giving him another chance at redemption.

“Then this humble merchant offers you a free item from his stock as a token of apology!” he said, repentance clear in his voice. At those words, Subaru could almost see bright stars shining in her eyes and even a bit of drool escaping her mouth as Mimi eagerly eyed the countless products in his shop.

‘Well, if my shop’s going to close any day soon, why not make the most of it? It’s not like a one-time offer would do much harm!’  Subaru’s mind buzzed with countless ideas already taking shape. Unfortunately, Taisho didn’t share his enthusiasm, glaring at him as Subaru deliberately ignored the look.

Before anyone could say another word, another figure approached the shop. “My~my! Dontcha think dat would be fair to extend the offer to ‘tis gal as well? I’ve been waitin’ yesterday as well, y’know?” A sweet, melodious voice with a charmingly strong accent chimed in, instantly captivating everyone’s attention.

Two weeks have passed since the gathering of the royal candidates, and calling it a disaster would be an understatement. It was a complete waste of time that yielded no results. The main reason for this was the combined incompetence of the Sage Council and the Knights Order. Their meeting was little more than a presentation of bad news, disguised in a veneer of politeness and luxury meant to placate all the contenders for the throne.

Upon her return to Kararagi, the merchant queen was greeted by towering stacks of documents and a full schedule of prearranged meetings, piled up despite her best efforts to manage everything from afar.

By delegating less critical tasks to Tivey and Julius, she managed to address the most urgent matters and free up her schedule. This allowed her the opportunity to personally inspect the current state of Kararagi's economy, rather than relying solely on secondhand reports.

And the one to assist Anastasia with this task was none other than her adorable vice-captain of the Iron Fang. After finishing her daily workload, the merchant carefully straightened the stack of documents and placed the feather quill back into the inkwell.

She took a moment to admire her organized desk, a quiet satisfaction blooming in her chest. It wasn’t that she hated working overtime; in fact, quite the opposite. Reading and completing documents, arranging meetings, and negotiating all gave her a sense of fulfillment, a constant reminder that her business was steadily growing.

These tasks served as constant reminders of the long journey she had already undertaken, and they only fueled her determination to go forward. Her relentless ambition and never-ending greed as a merchant pushed her to want more with every coin earned, every partnership forged, and every success claimed.

Just as expected, Mimi didn’t keep Anastasia waiting for long. She burst into the room with her usual boundless energy, proudly announcing her arrival. The sight drew a soft chuckle from Anastasia. “Mimi’s here! Did the lady call for Mimi?” she beamed.

With a gentle smile, Anastasia welcomed the little girl, who eagerly hurried to take her seat. “Yes, Mimi, I was thinkin’ ‘bout takin’ a little walk and I was hopin’ you’d keep me company,” she said in her usual sweet tone.

At those words, Mimi's face lit up instantly. Brimming with enthusiasm, she could hardly stay still, nearly bouncing with excitement. “Oh! Mimi knows where we could go! While the lady’s been staying in her room these days, Mimi found a super-interesting store!” she replied eagerly, her eyes sparkling with delight at the question.

Anastasia listened with great interest as her small companion chattered excitedly about both the shop and its peculiar owner.

“The owner’s a strange mister, very strange! He always says some weird gibberish that Mimi can’t understand! Oh, and he sells lots of sweets, they’re super cheap and super delicious! Mimi buys them every day, and the others love them too!” She spoke quickly, excitement clear in her voice as she recounted everything she knew.

An unexplainable glint sparked in Anastasia’s eyes as she tried to guess which store Mimi meant. ‘High-quality products, low prices, and an eccentric owner…’  

Among the many established merchants in the shopping district, none quite matched that description, considering such a unique assortment. Anastasia pondered, as countless stores and their owners flickered through her thoughts.

Low prices could be explained by the owner’s eccentricity or their lack of experience, having only recently entered the business. But that contradicted the high quality of the products Mimi mentioned. ‘Could it mean they’re backed by someone who prefers to stay anonymous?’ Anastasia wondered.

Shaking her head, Anastasia quickly dismissed the last idea. If someone else were behind the store’s goods, they wouldn’t allow such low prices. ‘That leaves only two possibilities: an eccentric, shrewd merchant or an inexperienced but promising foreigner.’

To draw more precise conclusions, Anastasia would need to investigate his background through the information network and ideally meet him in person to verify the intel and form her own judgment.

Fortunately, Anastasia had the resources to do both without delay. ‘Time is money, after all. If he’s even half as good as Mimi says, integrating him into the Hoshin Company could bring some benefits.’

“Then would ya tell me more ‘bout ‘tis shopkeeper of yers?” Without letting her thoughts show on her face, Anastasia moved on to the next step of her quickly forming plan. She had already decided to visit his store during their walk, using this time to gather information and prepare for today’s investigation and possible negotiation, should she find everything she needed.

Mimi furrowed her eyebrows, trying to piece her thoughts together into a clear picture. When everything clicked, a bright look of enlightenment spread across her face. “Aha! Mimi understands! Lady plans to invite mister to her company!” The little demihuman stood proudly before her, beaming at her own insight.

“Arent’cha a smart one! Yer absolutely right. C’me here and lemme pinch yer cheek.” She said teasingly, unable to resist Mimi’s cuteness, Anastasia playfully reached out, making the little girl scramble to shield her face.

With a face as red as an appa and cheeks puffed in a pout, Mimi sulked for a few seconds before quickly bouncing back to her cheerful self. “So, what does lady wanna know about mister? Mimi’ll do her best to help!”

“Anythin’ will do great: appearance, behavior, habits, whatever ya noticed earli’er,” Anastasia said more seriously, shifting the tone of the conversation. Mimi placed a hand on her chin and thought hard, sorting through everything she knew about the strange mister. Some details stood out more than others, so it took her a moment to gather her thoughts.

“Well, even though mister looks a bit mean, his appearance is pretty average. Mimi wouldn’t even spot him in a crowd if it weren’t for her sensitive nose! He’s got black hair and scary eyes, but don’t worry, mister’s actually super nice, just like lady!” She carefully echoed her lady’s intentions before slipping back into her usual playful tone.

‘For someone from Kararagi, those features are indeed quite unique. It makes it more plausible that he’s a foreigner, perhaps from Gusteko or Vollachia. But what would someone from either of those countries be doing here in Kararagi as a merchant, especially given the current situation?’ 

While his origins fascinated her, another thought caught Anastasia’s attention. With a teasing smile, she asked, “Are ya implyin’ dat ‘tis gal looks scary? Don’tcha think dat’s a bit too cruel, Mimi?”

Panicked and oblivious to Anastasia’s teasing, Mimi hurried to explain, falling right into the merchant’s little trap and answering the unspoken question. “Mimi didn’t mean it that way! It’s just that Mister is always so kind to me, just like you are, Lady!”

Nodding to Mimi, Anastasia felt a sense of satisfaction with the explanation. Though a few details remained shrouded in mystery, she was confident she had pieced together a fairly clear picture of the man. A foreigner from a distant kingdom, he had seemingly come to Kararagi to seek new opportunities. Despite his inexperience, he carried himself with a sharp wit and a perceptive mind. Knowing of Mimi's ties to the Hoshin Company, he had likely made a conscious effort to win their favor.

‘Well, if he went to such lengths to get on Mimi’s good side, it’s only fair to reward his efforts.’ With a sly smile playing on her lips, Anastasia turned to leave, already anticipating the benefits that might come from their meeting.

“Then lemme make it up to ya by buyin’ some snacks. Ya said that store’s got an interestin’ assortment, let’s go ‘n see what all the fuss is about.” With that, Mimi and Anastasia left the building, heading toward the shopping district after giving Julius a quick heads-up about their plans.

‘The streets are unusually quiet today. For it to be just past midday, there should be far more people out and about.’ Anastasia wasn’t particularly worried; she had complete faith in her bodyguard’s skills, but the rare stillness blanketing the usually lively district sent a faint chill down her spine. ‘I’ll need to check the reports when I return. Something must have happened to cause this strange atmosphere.’

“Huh? That’s strange… Mimi thought Mister would’ve already opened! Eh, what should Mimi do?! Mimi promised the lady to show her the store, but it’s still closed!”Mimi began to panic, flustered by the sudden turn of bad luck and the thought of letting her lady down.

Anastasia watched Mimi’s flustered reaction, her own expression calm, marked by a light smile. But behind her composed demeanor, a flicker of suspicion began to stir as she turned her gaze toward the shuttered storefront.

‘Is this just a coincidence, or is the shop’s closure somehow connected to what’s going on in the district?’ It was becoming clear that this situation would demand a more thorough investigation than she had initially expected.

“Mimi, don’tcha happen to know the owner’s name by any chance?” she called gently, pulling the little girl out of her panicked state. Intrigued by the mysterious figure and the questions swirling in her mind, Anastasia stepped closer to the shop, carefully examining its exterior and the surrounding area.

“Mimi thinks his name’s Subaru.” Anastasia’s brow furrowed with confusion. With every new detail, her earlier assumptions seemed less and less reliable, pulling her into a whirlpool of questions and doubt. Meanwhile, her bodyguard quietly assessed the situation, searching for the best course of action for their little outing.

‘This name sounds oddly similar to those common in Kararagi… Is it just an alias, or maybe he’s not a foreigner at all?’ Anastasia felt a strange mix of irritation and curiosity toward the mysterious shopkeeper, fueling her determination to return and dig through every bit of information she could find in the network.

‘And this sign… it bears the same characters found in Hoshin’s texts. Aside from some slightly amateurish handwriting, there’s nothing to suggest it’s a forgery. Every detail points to the creator having a deep understanding of an unknown language, beyond what I can currently decipher. The only symbol I recognize is ‘店,’ which linguists speculate means ‘shop.’’

Restraining her urge to abandon all rest and dive back into work, Anastasia cast one last glance at the closed store before turning her attention back to Mimi. Determined to keep her promise, she said, “Since the shop’s closed, how ‘bout we delay our visit until tomorrow and go to the restaurant today instead?”

Mimi’s worry quickly melted away, replaced by excitement as she forgot all about the earlier inconvenience. In a cheerful voice, she bounced back to her usual self, eagerly agreeing to Anastasia’s proposal. “Yay, let’s go!”

Grabbing her lady’s arm, Mimi eagerly began tugging Anastasia toward one of the establishments operated under the Hoshin Company’s wing. Struggling to keep up with the little girl’s boundless enthusiasm, Anastasia, slightly out of breath, muttered, “Why don’tcha slow down, Mimi? It ain’t like we’re runnin’ outta time,” she added, still trying to steady her breath.

Skipping over the details of her dinner with Mimi that evening, Anastasia wasted no time upon returning, immediately diving into the task of gathering every scrap of information she could about the shop and its enigmatic worker. The sudden surge of determination caught off guard her loyal members of camp, leaving them quietly pitying the unfortunate merchant who had, perhaps unknowingly, become their lady’s latest target.

Standing just in front of the store was a beautiful woman, slightly shorter than Subaru himself. Her delicate frame resembled a fragile flower, one that had managed to bloom against all odds in a harsh, unforgiving environment. Though petite, she radiated confidence and possessed an undeniable charm that made it hard not to listen when she spoke.

Her wavy hair, with a soft light-purple hue, cascaded over her shoulders and down to her hips like a field of blooming wildflowers. Her turquoise eyes sparkled like gemstones, revealing the sharp wit behind her gentle expression.

She wore a flowing white dress that seemed to be crafted from the finest fur, paired with a luxurious fur scarf that looked expensive even at a glance, and an adorable star-shaped hairpin that adorned her hair.

Her appearance, tastefully adorned with small accessories and delicate touches, elevated her already captivating presence into something almost enchanting. The blend of elegance and playful charm gave her an adorableness that was not only distinctive but utterly unforgettable.

For a moment, Subaru was caught off guard by the lady’s sudden appearance, forgetting to breathe as he got lost in his swirling thoughts. He stood frozen, unable to do anything but stare at the newcomer, while Taisho wore a tense, worried expression.

A little slow to gather his thoughts, Subaru finally managed to reply. “Well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. If such a lovely lady were to be disappointed waiting to visit my shop, who am I to deny her compensation?” he jested, his voice light and friendly, though a hint of embarrassment slipped through.

But before the conversation could continue, they were interrupted by Mimi, who seemed to have finally made her choice and didn’t hesitate to announce it. “Mister, Mimi decided she’ll take the cotton candy!” she said loudly, drawing an intrigued glance from Anastasia. Noticing this, Subaru hurried to explain.

“Ah, right. This must be your first visit. To put it simply, cotton candy is essentially heated sugar that, thanks to spinning, turns into fine threads. These threads are then gathered into one fluffy piece, forming something like a cloud that melts in your mouth,” he explained, not bothering to hold back any details.

‘It’s not like I’m trying to build a monopoly,’ he mused, entirely unbothered by the idea that someone might try to copy his products. ‘Those recipes weren’t mine to begin with, anyway.’

While Subaru and Mimi remained completely unbothered, the ones unusually tense were Anastasia and, somewhat unexpectedly, Taisho. The latter was clearly unsettled by Subaru’s casual willingness to share information so freely. As for Anastasia, though her expression remained composed, she too was puzzled by his carelessness. 

‘Saying he’s a novice in business would be an insult to every merchant out there. This level of openness? It’s unthinkable for anyone who’s spent more than a day in Kararagi. Not even drunkards spill this much during negotiations,’  Anastasia thought, silently criticizing the shopkeeper while maintaining her usual calm facade.

‘Although, considering my earlier guesses, he might be doing this intentionally, showing some of his cards before jumping into business. It’s a risky move, especially since the other party could just walk away with valuable information… but it’s working, nonetheless.’ 

Growing more suspicious of Natsuki’s intentions, she grew increasingly focused, clinging to each of his words, even the lighthearted banter with his employee or the casual chatter with Mimi.

‘Even if I walk away without a deal today, I won’t leave empty-handed,’ she thought, already choosing the best way to handle the shopkeeper. As the thought settled in her mind, her smile sharpened ever so slightly, revealing a glimpse of the greed beneath her composed exterior.

“Taisho, would you mind spinning the wheel for me? I’ll handle the rest, but my hand’s still kinda sore,” Subaru said with a sheepish smile, gesturing to his bandaged hand in mild embarrassment.

Letting a hint of annoyance flicker across his face, Taisho finally tore his gaze away from Anastasia and turned his attention to assisting his employer. “Aight, so I just rotate this lever?” he asked, his earlier suspicion giving way to curiosity as he stepped closer to examine the simple mechanism.

“Yep! Simple as that. I’ll handle the heat, and you start rotating. I’ll tell you when to stop,” Subaru instructed Taisho while grabbing some carved sticks and sugar. Subaru used a low-quality firestone to fuel his improvised cotton candy machine. Aware of the curious glances from his customers, he struck up another conversation.

“So, what color would you like your cotton candy to be?” Subaru asked with a small, embarrassed laugh. “Right now, the choices are a bit limited, so I’ll ask you  to pick between pink, blue, and green.”

Such a seemingly simple offer brought far more excitement from Mimi than Subaru had expected. “Mister, can you make colored candies?! Did you close your store yesterday to work on some secret recipes?” the little girl shouted, startling Subaru for a moment as he fiddled with the color dyes.

For a moment, Subaru was completely thrown off by Mimi’s sudden conclusion, causing him to freeze mid-motion. A nervous chuckle escaped him as memories of yesterday briefly surfaced, only for him to quickly shove them aside.

“No, nothing like that, seriously. I wasn’t joking when I said I overslept,” he quickly dismissed her theory, earning a suspicious glance from Anastasia. However, Subaru was too focused on the dyes and failed to notice.

"Then, reckon I’ll be pickin’ the pink one, if ya don’t mind," said a lady who accompanied Mimi today, her voice friendly and laced with sweetness and a tint of curiosity, her words slyly tugging others onto her side.

Subaru nodded at her words while carefully mixing the dye into the sugar. Then, with a small gesture, he signaled Taisho to start spinning the wheel while he set the sugar to heat.

As they waited for the moment when the sugary threads would begin to float, Subaru, unable to keep his curiosity at bay, struck up a conversation with Anastasia, while Mimi continued to murmur excitedly about all the different colors.

“Sorry if I’m bein’ rude, but you’re Mimi’s legal guardian, right?” Subaru asked the lady, his voice tinged with hesitation near the end, as he watched her closely while she observed Taisho at work.

She tore her gaze from the boy and met Subaru’s eyes with a bright smile. Her voice was soft and calm, carrying an easy confidence as she replied, seemingly indifferent to the unspoken question behind his words. “I s’pose ya can say dat.”

The corners of her mouth curled, and her eyes squinted with amusement as she watched Subaru stagger for a moment after hearing her reply. She was not blind to the way the shopkeeper glanced at her, nor was she unaware of her own appearance; after all, it had been one of her main strengths throughout her life.

“But I reckon it’s better to say dat I’m her employer,” she said with a mischievous glint in her eye, watching as Subaru’s tense shoulders slowly relaxed while he kept working on that curious contraption of his.

“Right, right. Sorry, I jumped to that conclusion way too fast,” he said, a small chuckle of relief escaping him before he could hold it back. “Please take this as my apology!” Subaru added quickly, his mood visibly lightening as he handed Anastasia the freshly made cotton candy.

“Hey, big bro, dontcha think yer handin’ out way too many gifts today?” Taisho said, his voice dripping with clear displeasure as he openly criticized Subaru’s overgenerous streak for today. 

‘On second thought… oh shoot, he’s absolutely right! She hasn’t even asked for the first compensation, and I’m already handing out the second one!… Wait, was she planning to buy this cotton candy, or…?’

Shivering at the scary thought of bankruptcy creeping up sooner than expected, Subaru tried to steady himself. ‘Maybe if I don’t say anything, she’ll just assume both compensations have already been given.’

“Ah, you’re right, Taisho,” he said, regaining his calm. “But it’s not every day that a kiddo visiting my shop brings such a beautiful lady along.” With renewed confidence and a lighthearted tone, Subaru cracked the joke, trying to bring some humor into the situation and maybe convince himself that tomorrow he would still be under the roof.

Whether she truly understood his intentions or was simply playing along, Subaru had no idea, but her equally playful response finally caught Mimi’s attention as well. 

“Ain’t dat a bit shameless of ya, Natsuki-kun? Keep this up, and ya might just make this poor maiden’s heart flutter.” She jested lightly, but Subaru couldn’t help worrying that it might be his own heart fluttering before long.

‘And here I thought I’d moved past finding the love of my life after the whole isekai thing,’ Subaru mused, laughing at the remnants of his childish innocence and dreams. Well, not like I ever had a chance to begin with.’

“Stop immediately, mister! Mimi can’t let you steal her miss!” she proclaimed, standing firmly in front of the woman beside her and shielding her with outstretched arms. Yet, despite her serious tone, Mimi’s childish voice, furrowed brow, and plump cheeks made it impossible for Subaru to take her entirely seriously.

“Oh, then perhaps an extra-large cotton candy might just solve this predicament. Still waiting on an answer to my earlier question, y’know,” he said, twirling a wooden stick around his finger and gesturing toward the colorful dyes with a teasing smile.

As she faced a tough dilemma, a conflicted expression resurfaced on her face, torn between duty and the sweet temptation of cotton candy. One could almost see steam rising from her ears. “All right! But only until Mimi finishes her candy, not a second longer!” she declared with strictness in her voice. 

The woman standing beside her watched the entire exchange with amusement shining in her eyes before finally adding her own words to the conversation. “Ah, bein’ sold out by my very own bodyguard so easily…” she said theatrically, wiping away nonexistent tears, then added the last part with a mischievous grin. “Maybe I should complain to Ricardo?”

The little girl immediately fell into a state of panic, tears welling at the corners of her eyes as she looked up at her lady. Unable to handle the sight, Anastasia paused her teasing, placed a hand on top of Mimi’s head, and softened her tone. “Aight, I’ll let it slide, but just this once. Can’t have that cute face of yers ruined by tears.”

It didn’t take a second before Mimi, triumphant, bounced back to her cheerful self. “Aha!” she exclaimed, drawing a knowing smile from Anastasia, who had already expected this little tactic. “Miss fell right into my trap once again!”

Subaru looked at both of them with a depth of understanding few his age could claim. After all, it’s not every day you get transported to another world and suddenly find yourself single-handedly supporting local kids without a home. 

‘Ah, new world, new experiences after all.’ Subaru smiled, thinking about the irony of his situation. 

“So, what color did ya choose?” he asked Mimi, a hint of pensiveness still lingering in his voice.

Satisfied with basking in the triumph and defeat of her lady, Mimi looked back at Subaru and the boy beside him, who was just about to start glaring at them. “Hmmm, Mimi thought a lot and decided to pick the green one!” she declared, as if the words were profound revelations from a wise sage.

“All right! One more cotton candy coming right up! Taisho, spin the wheel!” Picking up his enthusiastic pace once again, Subaru expertly spun thin, pale green threads around the stick, weaving them together until a massive green cloud, easily twice and a half the size of his head.

“Woah!” Mimi gasped, staring at the cloud in Subaru’s hand with the kind of amazement only a child receiving a puppy for Christmas could match. Stars sparkled in her eyes as she looked between Anastasia and Subaru, before finally reaching out with trembling hands to take hold of her dessert, handling it as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.

While holding the cloud of pure sweetness, the cotton candy completely covered the upper half of Mimi’s small body, hiding her from view behind the enormous treat. With her mind set on a single goal, Mimi opened her mouth wide and took a huge bite out of the towering mountain of sugar.

‘Jeez, maybe I went a little overboard this time,’ Subaru thought, scratching his cheek with a worried look. ‘Her guardian’s not gonna make me pay if Mimi ends up with diabetes, right?’

Subaru shuddered at the thought of all the medical bills he might be stuck with and began seriously reconsidering the direction of his business. ‘Right... maybe it’s time to bring back those fruit chips.’

“Quite an interestin’ look ya got there. Do I have a reason to be worried ‘bout it?” Anastasia asked, noticing Subaru staring at Mimi, who was devouring the cotton candy, with hollow eyes filled with worry.

“Just reconsiderin’ some life choices, you have health insurance, right?” Subaru paused, realizing his mistake. “Yeah, probably not, considerin’ Taisho was so surprised. To put it short, it’s protection that helps cover the cost of medical care. You either pay private companies for it, or you get it through your employer.”

The lady paused for a few moments, a thoughtful look crossing her face before she replied, “Nah, never heard ‘bout dat. Mind tellin’ me more? Yer explanation doesn’t really paint a clear picture of how dat’s workin’.”

“And here I thought Hoshin already handled that…” Subaru muttered quietly under his breath before shifting his tone to that of a teacher explaining things to an ignorant student. “Basically, a person pays a company regularly to guarantee that if something happens to their health, the company will cover the costs. Sure, there’s a lot of buts and nuances, but that’s the fundamental principle of how it works.”

His earlier muttering went unheard by the purple-haired lady, but the second part of his explanation was more than enough to spark her greed at the thought of potential profits.

‘Despite some obvious flaws, like the possibility of faking illness, it still sounds like an extremely profitable idea. With the status of the Hoshin Company, it wouldn’t be too hard to implement a system like that. Just what are ya thinking, Natsuki-kun, revealing something this valuable so casually?’

“What an interestin’ business idea. Leaves me wonderin’, how’d ya come up with somethin’ like dat?” she said, her voice filled with immense curiosity, a glisten of greed for more information shining in her eyes.

Letting out a cough, Subaru scratched the back of his head, clearly feeling the awkwardness of the situation. After clearing his throat and collecting himself, he faced the lady in front of him directly. 

“You might’ve misunderstood me. I never said I came up with it; it’s just one of the common practices back in my hometown. Kinda like dental care and all the other types of insurance. Gotta give employees some care if I wanna be different from slavers,” he added with a more joking tone, trying to poke fun at the people he’d mentioned at the end.

“So yer sayin’ everybody in yer hometown’s got those workin’ benefits? Did I get ya right?” Anastasia asked, a hint of mockery hidden in her words as she suppressed the urge to sneer at such ridiculous claims.

“Pretty much, yeah. You can ask Taisho about it if ya want. I’m not really the one to talk about what’s normal and what’s not,” he said in a casual voice, shrugging his shoulders as he shamelessly threw Taisho under the bus.

“Bro, why’d ya…!” he blurted out, caught between surprise and annoyance. But the young boy didn’t get the chance to finish, as the lady’s intense stare pinned him in place, prompting Taisho to answer her quickly.

He cleared his throat before speaking, then started, “As ya might’ve noticed, big bro ain’t exactly the best when it comes to common sense. As hard as it is to believe, he’s tellin’ the truth, bro’s from some helluva weird place where everybody’s treated like damn nobles.”

For a moment, he paused hesitantly, clearly wary of the sly woman. But after receiving a reassuring nod from Subaru, he continued. “He takes it upon himself to replicate those. For example, while employin’ me, he listed the benefits for workers: food, water, housing, first-need items, and healthcare.”

This time, she couldn’t hold back a light chuckle, amused at how the shopkeeper had tricked the boy. ‘I guess there are still some foolish people in this world. It’s quite a pity to see such a young lad having his business ruined because of sentimentality. If showing sympathy means risking yourself, it’s better to focus on yourself. But I suppose it’s a lesson he needs to learn.’

‘Although I’d say he’s lucky enough to catch my interest, furthermore, managing to do it with such perfect timing . A few days later, and he might’ve already been wearing a collar,’ Anastasia mused before turning back to the conversation.

“Are ya sure yer ain’t bein’ adopted? Sounds pretty similar to me,” Anastasia teased the young demihuman, throwing an amused glance at Natsuki, who responded with a small blush. 

When she looked back at Taisho, much to her surprise, she was met with the biggest grin she’d ever seen, as if he’d been expecting the question. “Oh, I thought so too, but ya should’ve seen my surprise when Bro mentioned salary.”

Anastasia paused, a smile playing on her lips as she locked eyes with the shopkeeper. Subaru noticed her intense gaze and couldn’t help but shrink under it. Only a twitch of her eyebrow betrayed the growing headache beneath her calm exterior.

‘Scratch that. Natsuki’s far beyond salvation. I shouldn’t have blamed that young boy. As interesting as Natsuki’s ideas are, he’d go bankrupt no matter what! Just covering food and housing expenses is usually enough to compensate someone for their work. If you adopt someone, of course, you consider more of their needs,’ she scoffed at the next words, ‘but paying a salary?’

Seeing Mimi’s half-eaten cotton candy and the lady’s still untouched dessert, Subaru grew worried, especially under her lingering gaze. “Umm, excuse me, miss, is somethin’ wrong? You still haven’t touched your portion,” he said hesitantly, doubt creeping into his voice as he tried to ease the tense atmosphere.

Snapped back from her thoughts, Anastasia met the boy’s smug look before finally replying to the worried shopkeeper. “Ah, no, nothin’s wrong. Just got lost for a moment, thinkin’ where to start,” she said, all remnants of her previous thoughts and emotions thoroughly concealed behind a polite smile.

‘It’s truly a miracle I found Natsuki-kun just in time,’ she thought, tearing a small piece from the cotton candy and popping it into her mouth. ‘Hmm, this is quite good,’ she hummed with satisfaction before deciding to move forward with the plans that brought her here.

“Natsuki-kun, if ‘tis gal remembers right, ya promised her compensation, ain’t I right? Cotton candy day ya gifted was just a show o’ goodwill, so dat means ya still owe me, ain’t that so?” She said it with a tone that made it clear it was more a statement than a question.

The smile on Subaru’s face trembled for a moment before he answered in a shaky voice. “Right, as I promised before, I still owe ya for makin’ such a beautiful lady wait for me to open my shop.”

Anastasia nodded with satisfaction at his confirmation. It was foolish, but at least she respected him for not backing down from his words. “Then don’t mind this greedy gal when she uses ‘tis opportunity.”

For a moment, Subaru shivered at her voice. This time, instead of the beautiful, charming girl in front of him, he felt like he was facing a sly fox ready to bite off his hand as he fed her some treats.

“I heard ya got into some trouble recently. It’d be such a shame to see ya close so soon, especially after my first visit,” she said slowly, her voice dripping with a theatrical mix of sympathy and pity. Then, shifting to a brighter tone, she added, “Therefore, I’ve decided to choose yer little store as a suitin’ compensation. Whaddaya think?”

“I see…” Subaru bit his lip, trying to control his temper and hold back an outburst. ‘One thing at a time, Subaru, one thing at a time…’ Still tense and gripping the counter, Subaru quickly silenced Taisho before the boy could start shouting.

‘As the lady said, she needs my store to operate…’ Subaru mused grimly, tightening his grip around the worn edge of the counter until his knuckles turned white. ‘Since she already knows about my deal with Ginjiro, she must be proposing to help me with the debt… or maybe just dig me into a deeper one.’ He let out a slow, tired sigh, his gaze drifting toward Taisho and Mimi.

Mimi was still nibbling on her cotton candy, blissfully unaware of the heavy atmosphere, while Taisho stood tense at his side, shooting wary glances between him and Anastasia.

‘It doesn’t seem like Mimi’s mistreated, and even if I’m sold off as a slave, I made sure the shop would go to Taisho. I’m sure that boy’ll manage to survive somehow... Not like he needed me in the first place, anyway.’ Subaru mocked himself, forcing the bitter thought through to keep any useless emotions from clouding his mind.

“And here I thought I’d learned from past mistakes,” Subaru muttered in an exhausted voice, before immediately shifting into a more energetic tone, one filled with a strange mix of genuine cheer and obvious sarcasm. “Okay then, would this beautiful lady who’s tryin’ to rob me in broad daylight be kind enough to tell me her name?”

The lady nodded, visibly satisfied with his reply. At the same time, Mimi, having just finished her cotton candy, tightened her grip on her staff, her sharp gaze flickering between Subaru and Taisho.

“It ain’t polite to accuse a gal like me of such a crime. I’d call it takin’ the maximum benefit outta an opportunity,” she said, teasingly sidestepping his main question, clearly enjoying drawing out his anticipation.

Aware of the reaction her words stirred in the shopkeeper, Anastasia’s smile widened as Subaru sighed in clear frustration. “But if yer so interested in ‘tis gal,” she drawled, her voice full of teasing amusement, “I s’pose it might be worth enlightenin’ ya.”

‘Who would’ve thought the polite and curious girl from before would turn out like this?’ Fighting the urge to sigh again, Subaru decided to take a more direct approach. “Listen, right now I’m seriously considerin’ trusting you with this whole ordeal, so please, let’s cut to the chase and get straight to business.”

She was briefly stunned by his openness, pausing for a moment, though none of her thoughts showed on her face as she quietly reflected on his behavior. ‘Way too honest for his own good. With how naive he’s proven himself to be, there’s no doubt our whole meeting was sheer luck.’

Anastasia fought the urge to frown, realizing the situation before her was now painted in completely different colors. “Natsuki-kun, this won’t do. If ya really wanna strike a good deal, ya gotta know how to please and entertain the other party,” she said, her tone carrying a playful advice.

Subaru winced as he listened to her words, while Taisho at his side tensed, ready to step in for him. But Subaru stopped him with a subtle gesture, not wanting to cause another conflict. 

“Aight, then lemme start the introduction properly. Name’s Natsuki Subaru, owner of ‘Natsuki’s Otherworldly Store,’ completely ignorant and head over heels in debt! Nice to meet ya!” he declared cheerfully, brushing aside earlier grudges and bad mood. Striking his signature pose behind the counter, he extended a hand toward her with a bright, confident grin.

Somewhere nearby, Subaru could hear the young boy groaning in embarrassment, but that was quickly interrupted by a little enthusiastic voice.

“My name’s Mimi! I’m the lady’s bodyguard!” she shouted proudly, striking a pose of her own before eagerly jumping forward to shake his hand.

“Currently, the only worker of the store, I suppose. Name’s Taisho,” the other young demihuman said, not really bothering to hide his lack of enthusiasm at the whole spectacle. The last one was the lady with soft purple hair, who, after watching the scene with clear satisfaction, finally decided to join in.

"Anastasia Hoshin. It'll be a pleasure doin' business with ya," she answered in a calm voice. This time, however, there was a hint of approval in her tone, clearly appreciating the shift in atmosphere.

For a moment, Subaru furrowed his brows, deep in thought as he studied Anastasia. He caught Taisho’s surprised reaction from the corner of his eye, taking it as a cue to think a little harder before shaking off his worries. ‘Must be one of his descendants,’ Subaru mused, referring to Great Hoshin, before turning his attention back to his supposed customer.

‘There’s no way big bro doesn’t know about her…’ Taisho reassured himself, taking Subaru’s apparent ignorance as a sign of composure and calmness. After all, despite being pretty naive, Subaru had a way of pulling through when it truly mattered.

“Then, Lady Ana, would this precious customer of mine like to buy somethin’ else?” Subaru said in a friendly, teasing tone, having shaken off his earlier worries and returned to his usual self.

“Quite a charmer, aren’tcha? Tryin’ to close the distance ‘tween us so quick,” Anastasia said, her smile sweet but her eyes glintin’ with mischief. “For now, that’s all. I’ll be expectin’ ya after ya close yer little shop. I’ll have someone fetch ya and lead ya to the manor, we got plenty more business to chew over, after all.”

Taisho stood there, mortified, his face pale, and cold sweat dripping down his back. His eyes wide with fear, he stared at Subaru in sheer disbelief. ‘Is he really tryin' to seduce her...?’ he thought, carefully shifting his gaze to Anastasia. ‘And… it’s... workin’...?’

Taisho, lost in his thoughts, felt the world around him crumble, as if reality itself were shattering before his eyes. With no one around to clear his misunderstandings, he was overwhelmed by a desperate urge to pinch himself, just to prove he wasn’t dreaming. Meanwhile, Subaru, oblivious to the boy’s inner turmoil, remained unaware. While the sharp eyes of the merchant caught a grasp of his thoughts, only to narrow in amusement. 

As the morning visitors departed, the rest of the day unfolded in a relatively ordinary fashion. Subaru welcomed a few of his regulars, treating them to selections from his assortment based on their preferences. ‘Luckily, this time no one was shameless enough to demand the entire store,’ Subaru grumbled inwardly, recalling his encounter with Anastasia.

Although he cringed at the thought of breaking his promise to Lady Gawa today, Subaru reassured himself that once he at least closed the deal with Anastasia, he would scrape enough money to properly treat the old lady.

“Whew, it’s been an unusually busy day, don’t you think so too, Taisho?” he said, swiping the sweat from his forehead. With a weary sigh, he turned to the young boy, hoping to find a willing ear for his complaints.

Unfortunately, Taisho still showed no signs of snapping out of his dazed state. Ever since Anastasia had left with Mimi, he had been unusually quiet, drifting off constantly and carrying out Subaru’s tasks in total silence. ‘How weird,’ Subaru thought to himself.

“Excuse me, sir, are you Natsuki Subaru?” a young, boyish voice called out from the other side of the counter. When Subaru turned toward the source, he found a small demihuman with messy orange hair and droopy eyes gazing up at him. 

"Yep, and you must be Hetaro, right?" Subaru said after a brief moment of recalling the description of Mimi’s brothers she had shared with him. Seeing Hetaro’s eyes widen in surprise, Subaru smiled in satisfaction, pleased that he had guessed correctly.

"Did Lady Anastasia tell about my arrival?" Hetaro asked, curiosity laced with a hint of suspicion in his voice. He studied the shopkeeper carefully before shifting his gaze to Taisho. A sharp glint flickered in his eyes, but it quickly gave way to confusion when he noticed the young wolf boy staring blankly at the wall, completely unmoving.

“Nah, I just heard about ya from Mimi. She talks a lot about you guys whenever she drops by for another batch of sweets,” Subaru replied, trying to dispel the worry he spotted on Hetaro’s face.

The young boy visibly relaxed, but after a moment, he cast another worried glance at Taisho, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "Is he... alright?" Leaning closer to the counter, the boy prompted Subaru to do so as well, to catch his quiet words.

“I’m not sure; he’s been like this since morning,” Subaru replied, unsure why he had joined in on this silly charade but decided to humor Hetaro nonetheless. He leaned in closer and whispered, “But don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll return to his old self by tomorrow.” Subaru gave a reassuring thumbs-up, and the boy nodded in response, seeming somewhat comforted.

“Then, are you ready to depart for the mansion?” Hetaro asked, before hesitating and quickly adding, “Of course, if you're not ready yet, I can wait. Miss wouldn’t want you to damage your business just to get there sooner.”

“No need,” Subaru waved his hand to dismiss Hetaro’s concerns. “I think that was the last customer for today. Please wait while I close up, and then we can go. Though it might take some time to get everything in place,” he scratched his head, a bit embarrassed by the delay.

Surprisingly, it was Taisho who stepped in to save the situation, finally snapping out of his trance. “No need,” Taisho said, waving off Subaru’s concern. “I’ve seen ya do it more than once. I think I’ll manage, so don’t worry about the store.”

“Thanks, Taisho! Tomorrow, I’ll make a bigger breakfast!” Subaru thanked his reliable employee with a grin before stepping out of the store. He walked over to Hetaro, giving him a nod. “Now that everything’s settled, how about we go?”

With a nod of his own, Hetaro began heading toward the nearby district. Subaru hadn’t had many chances to visit that area, as it was where the majority of the large companies were located, and Subaru’s experience with them was not very pleasant to begin with. 

‘Now that I think about it, Anastasia must be some kind of big shot, maybe even something akin to royalty here, considering she’s possibly a relative of Hoshin,’ Subaru mused to himself, unable to hold back a chuckle. ‘Oh, sweet irony. The me from the past would be absolutely delighted to hear this.’

Noticing the inquisitive look from Hetaro, Subaru quickly came up with an excuse. "By the way, all the employees I’ve seen working for Lady Ana so far have been pretty young. Is she practicing child labor by any chance?"

“Wha-?” Hetaro almost tripped over his leg, startled by Subaru’s words. His confused expression pulled a wave of guilt from Subaru, who suddenly felt bad for teasing the boy with terms that probably didn’t even exist in Kararagi.

“Right, don’t let it get in yer mind,” Subaru quickly added, scratching the back of his head. “Just thinking some stuff out loud.”  Despite his best intentions, it wasn’t what Subaru had said that caused Hetaro to stagger, but rather the way he had so casually addressed Anastasia.

After what felt like an eternity of painful, awkward silence, they finally arrived at the manor. At least Subaru assumed it was a manor, a large building in traditional Japanese style, spanning several floors, with huge kanji characters emblazoned on the sign. Impressed by the sight, Subaru couldn’t help but hum softly, a pang of homesickness tugging at his chest as memories of his world resurfaced.

Seconds after their arrival, Subaru spotted an orange blur dashing through the doorway toward them. Before he could react, it barreled straight into Hetaro, toppling him to the ground.

“Hetaro, you’re back! And hello to you too, mister!” Mimi shouted cheerfully as she scooped her brother up from the ground and brushed the dust off his clothes with an exaggerated manner.

“Come on, let’s go! Miss is waiting in her office right now!” the little girl said enthusiastically, a hint of strictness in her voice as she grabbed Subaru by the sleeve and began tugging him through the corridors.

As Mimi continued chattering with excitement, Subaru’s attention drifted to the interior around him. He could barely suppress the urge to whistle as they passed yet another ornate painting in a gilded frame, followed by a grand banner bearing a phrase written in bold Kansai script.

‘Did they really think hanging this out in broad daylight was appropriate!?’ Subaru cringed internally, his face burning with secondhand embarrassment as he read the bold lettering. “Taste of the Witch ain’t that bad…” He pinched the bridge of his nose in pure agony. ‘Please tell me Great Hoshin didn’t write that…’

“Hey, mister, are you listening?” Mimi’s voice snapped Subaru out of his thoughts, pulling him back to reality. He quickly shook off the lingering embarrassment, trying to erase the memory from his mind. The image of the great Hoshin was now forever tainted in his imagination.

“Yep, I’m listening! Just wondering when we’re actually gonna arrive , ” Subaru replied, half-joking, half-concerned. “We’ve been walking through this mansion for like five minutes already, starting to worry the path to the office’s gonna take longer than the trip to the mansion.”

“Hmm, Mimi can relate to mister! I got lost a lot the first time I came here!” she chirped. As she spoke, the two of them took yet another turn in the mansion’s labyrinthine corridors before finally stopping in front of a door.

Without so much as a knock, Mimi burst through the door, nearly flinging it off its hinges. “Mimi has returned and brought mister with her!” she declared at full volume, planting herself in front of the desk with her hands on her hips and her chest puffed out in pride.

Following her lead, Subaru stepped into the room. What met his eyes was a space even more luxurious than the rest of the mansion, with lavish decor, polished furniture, and a decent number of paintings lining the walls. 

Even more unsettling, however, were the banners adorned with Hoshin’s phrases in Kansai script, each one more embarrassing than the last, making Subaru visibly flinch. ‘Most of them don’t even make sense to begin with!’  he groaned inwardly, his eye twitching as he resisted the urge to question whoever interpreted them. 

By the table sat Anastasia, her usual composed smile brightening as she gave a pleased nod to Mimi. Standing beside her was another demihuman, one whose towering build and posture could easily rival Mr. Benson’s. He was a formidable, wolf-like man with thick brown fur and a wide, toothy grin stretched across his muzzle.

"Good job, Mimi," Anastasia said, patting the little girl's head. Mimi then left the room, closing the door just as carelessly as she had entered. After that, the merchant's gaze shifted to Subaru, who still stood there, feeling out of place.

"How 'bout sittin' down before we get to business? Standin' there the whole time's gotta be uncomfortable, not to mention awkward for me as a host, dontcha think?" she said with a friendly tone, gesturing toward the sofa.

‘Okay, Subaru, don’t mess this up. Stay calm and polite, we can’t afford to be scammed again. This time, it’s not just about us, but also about Taisho.’ Subaru sighed, his shoulders still slightly stiff, but he took a seat.

But in an instant, all his efforts were undone by a thunderous and booming voice that echoed through the room. “Don’t worry so much, kiddo! Ain’t nobody gonna bite ya in here!" said the man with a grin that remained silent previously. 

Subaru jolted instantly, both startled and afraid, clutching his rapidly beating heart. His eyes sharpened into a glare aimed at the man, who responded with a boisterous laugh. Stepping in to take his side in this clearly unfair situation was a woman with striking purple hair. “Don’t go scarin’ our guests like dat, Ricardo. Poor soul looks like his heart’s about to leap outta his chest.”

After murmuring something under his breath, Subaru relaxed, easing into the friendly banter between the two. “Jeez, thanks for the concern, Mr. Wolfman, sir, but a little warning next time, yeah? Who knows if my heart can take it again? I’ve got mouths to feed, so go easy on me, will ya?”

"Ay-ay, gotcha, kiddo." Much to Subaru’s dismay, he just laughed before bothering to correct him. "Though, gotta say, I ain’t no wolfman, just a plain ol’ Kobold, y’see?" he said with a loud yet calm voice, completely unfazed by Subaru’s mix-up.

Subaru rubbed his chin, eyeing the man in front of him, then snapped his fingers and exclaimed, “Then it all makes sense! That’d explain why yer fur’s brown, though, gotta be honest, those gigantic muscles of yers had me completely thrown off.”

Subaru could’ve sworn he saw the grin on Ricardo’s face stretch even wider, but before either of them could say more, they were cut off by the merchant, clearly unimpressed with’ how little attention was being paid to her. “Natsuki-kun, if yer done flirtin’ wit’ my bodyguard, how ’bout we get back to discussin’ the deal, hmm?”

"Hey!" he exclaimed, sounding a bit hurt and offended by the accusation. "Lady Ana, I sincerely beg ya, don’t say scary stuff like that! I’m already dealing with one rumor, I don’t need a whole new batch on top of that!"

Seeing the impassive look on Anastasia’s face, Subaru was quickly reminded of why he’d come here in the first place. Clearing his throat, he took a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking.

“My apologies,” he said in a more composed tone, his expression turning serious, though a nervous smile still lingered. “Gettin’ back to our earlier talk, if I understood it right, you’re intending to help me pay off that debt, and in return, claim the ownership of the store, correct?”

Anastasia nodded, her calm demeanor revealing not even a hint of what she was thinking, making it impossible for Subaru to read her. Then she began to speak. “Correct. While nominally, you’ll still hold the title of shop owner, ‘Natsuki’s Otherworldly Store’ will be considered part of the Hoshin Company. Dat includes transfer of ownership over all its patents to us as well.”

Subaru froze for a moment, his whole body tensing as a grimace threatened to creep onto his face. Not daring to meet the merchant’s eyes, he rubbed at his own instead, glancing toward Ricardo, who was watching him with a curious look.

Noticing his odd reaction, Anastasia was quick to address it. Though her voice remained light and friendly, Subaru could catch a flicker of curiosity in her gaze. “Is there a problem with my terms, Natsuki-kun?”

Panicking, Subaru rushed to clear up the misunderstanding, afraid he might blow his chance. “No, no problems at all! Absolutely none with any of your demands. If anything, it all sounds almost too good.” He scratched the back of his head, eyes darting nervously, and continued in an anxious voice. “It’s just that… I didn’t even know patents existed.” 

Right in front of him, Subaru watched as Anastasia’s expression slowly shifted from calm and collected to sheer disbelief, her mouth dropping open and her eyes widening. A moment later, he saw it transform into one of fury as her composed facade completely crumbled.

“What kind of idiot doesn’t patent ‘eir exclusive products?!” Her voice was filled with indignation as she berated him, fury evident in every word. “It’s a miracle dat everyone around ya was sane enough to trust yer common sense and didn’t try doin’ it themselves!”

“Oh boy, ya really brought that on yerself,” the man snickered, clearly enjoying Subaru’s discomfort. “Now yer gonna have Ana-bo clear yer head.” Subaru tried to shrink under the stream of her criticism, but eventually gathered enough courage to say something.

Subaru shot him a stink eye before turning to face the now-enraged merchant. “Listen, I wasn’t even sure Kararagi had a patent system in the first place,” he said, his voice firming up. “And it’s not like I invented all those recipes myself, all of ‘em come from my homeland.”

“What’s bein’ the inventor got to do with it? Natsuki-kun, it’s just common sense to patent recipes for exclusive goods!” Anastasia’s frustration grew with every word, her tone sharper by the second. Meanwhile, her bodyguard’s grin only widened. At one point, he even tried to step in, but it was all in vain.

“Ana-bo, don’tcha think the lad’s had enough?” the man said with a chuckle in his voice. “Just look at ’im, lookin’ like he’s gonna vanish any second now.” He gestured toward Subaru, who looked like he’d rather be anywhere but in the room.

Anastasia took a deep breath, collecting herself as she started to calm down. “Aight, don’t go thinkin’ this gal’s forgettin’ any of it, we’ll come back to dat later,” the pink-haired merchant said firmly, wagging a finger at him in warning.

She didn’t need to ask; Subaru’s reaction was all the confirmation she needed. The shopkeeper had gotten her message, loud and clear. No longer bothering to hide her curiosity behind a polite smile after her recent outburst, Anastasia shifted her focus to the part that had truly piqued her interest.

“Ya mentioned quite a bit about yer homeland,” she said, receiving an affirmative nod from Subaru before continuing. “Speakin’ of that, yer appearance reminds me of folks from Gusteko or Vollachia, but everythin’ else ’bout ya screams Kararagi. So, which is it?”

Visibly hesitant, Subaru took a moment to decide whether he should reveal the truth or come up with another explanation. Both options carried their own risks, and the weight of that choice made him choose his next words carefully.

“Well…” Subaru sighed, finally settling on a decision and brushing aside his inner turmoil. “To be honest, neither of those is right. As unbelievable as it might sound… I’m from beyond the Great Waterfall. More precisely, from a country out there called Japan.”

Much to Subaru's dismay, a loud burst of laughter erupted from the demihuman in the room. “Yer quite the joker, boy,” he said, wiping away tears as he struggled to suppress another fit of laughter. “Quite a bold move, bringin' that up in the middle of a negotiation, don’tcha think, Ana-bo?”

In stark contrast to the demihuman’s reaction, Anastasia’s expression grew much more serious. Her brows furrowed, and her usual impassiveness returned, though a hint of annoyance slipped into her voice. “Dat’s quite the proclamation, Natsuki-kun. A lotta folks dare to say somethin’ like dat. Surely ya’ve got somethin’ to back up yer statement?” She added, a touch of mockery creeping into her voice toward the end.

Even though he’d come to expect such reactions, it was still unpleasant to face such open disbelief. “If that helps support my words,” Subaru said, “then I’d like to point out that Great Hoshin also seems to be from Japan, just from an earlier period in our history.”

The deeper frown on Anastasia’s face made it clear, his words hadn’t helped at all. In fact, they’d only made things worse. “Proclaimin’ to be from beyond the Great Waterfall is one thing, Natsuki-kun,” she said, her voice unnervingly calm. “But swearin’ to share the same background as Great Hoshin, founder of Kararagi, is another. Some might take that as a grave offense to his legend.”

Subaru felt cold sweat trickling down his back. Anastasia’s cold gaze, tinged with disappointment, and her bodyguard’s pity only made his anxiety worse. Desperate, Subaru blurted out the first thing that came to mind in an attempt to clear the situation.

“Scratch that! If you don’t believe me, let me prove it!” he exclaimed. “Just give me some of his texts and let me translate ’em. Surely some of your linguists have managed to decipher somethin’, right? Just compare my versions to theirs!”

For a moment, Subaru’s words seemed to catch Anastasia off guard. Her cold gaze, which had been boring into him like ice, shifted briefly to one of hesitation. Her bodyguard observed him with curiosity. “Very well,” Anastasia said, her tone steady once again. “It would be rather impolite to chase ya away so abruptly.”

Soon after, a servant arrived, carrying several blank sheets of paper and a quill with ink, before bowing and leaving without a word. Anastasia herself chose the text to be translated, taking a few pages from a book in her drawer and handing them over to Subaru.

Under her meticulous gaze, Subaru took a deep breath and glanced at the pages handed to him. They were all written in Kasai characters, though some were hard to recognize due to the unique writing style. ‘Good job, me from the past. Real good job!’ Subaru thought sarcastically, before his frustration grew. ‘But have you even considered that we’re barely literate!?’

Subaru took the quill, sighing every few minutes as frustration and anxiety grew within him. Despite the mounting pressure, he forced himself to begin the task. Fortunately, unlike the banners, the pages contained only diary entries or something akin to that, as far as Subaru could tell. Each entry had a date and brief summaries of events or deals, accompanied by names in the local language.

The letters he wrote in a language he had only barely begun to familiarize himself with were messy, further complicated by his lack of experience writing with a quill. Despite the struggles, after what felt like an hour or two, Subaru finally finished.

The pain in his back, worsened by his poor posture, threatened to put an end to his misery, but Subaru didn’t dare stretch. Instead, he carefully handed the papers back to Anastasia, filled with his translation of the given pages, all the while closely observing her reaction.

As she read, Anastasia’s eyes flicked back and forth between the papers filled with Subaru’s messy writing and the original pages from the book. With each passage, her expression shifted, eyes widening in disbelief, then narrowing in suspicion. She reread each character multiple times, carefully scrutinizing every detail. It took nearly half an hour and several rounds of rechecking before she finally set the pages aside and straightened in her chair.

“Natsuki-kun, I must say… this was quite the surprise.” Anastasia’s voice held an unusual tension, each word measured like she was tiptoeing through a minefield. “First off, I owe ya an apology for my earlier disbelief, but I hope ya understand, some things are just dat hard to swallow, y’know?”

“No need, Lady Ana!” Subaru said quickly, eager to ease her worries, a sigh of relief slipping out. “It’s only natural no one would believe me without proof. But now that all the questions are outta the way… how about we seal the deal?”

“Certainly. But it’d be a mighty waste of an opportunity if we left things just as they are,” Anastasia said with a knowing smile. “Tell me, would ya, by any chance, be willin’ to accept a new job offer?

“Accordin’ to our deal, yer shop’s prosperity is secured. But how’d ya feel ’bout workin’ with the Hoshin Company? Translating those strange texts of yours, sharin’ those wondrous ideas... sounds like a fine venture, don’t it?”

“Sure, I mean, why not?” Subaru shrugged, a half-grin tugging at his lips. “Honestly, after spillin’ all that, I figured it was kinda obvious I’d end up doin’ just that.” Relief softened Anastasia’s features at his response, and she let out a small sigh.

“Very good, Natsuki-kun. Now, what would yer terms be?” Anastasia asked with a small smile that briefly touched her lips. “‘Tis gal can promise fair pay, so long as it’s within my reach.” The smile faded just as quickly as it came, replaced by a more serious yet friendly expression.

All Subaru could do was stare in confusion, his brows furrowing as he spoke, each word tinged with uncertainty. “What do you mean? I thought we already settled that part. You help me debt, isn’t that enough?”

A frown crossed her face as she took a moment to process his words. “All that was about your store,” she clarified, her tone calm but firm. “Right now, I’m talkin’ about your work personally.”

“There’s no need,” Subaru quickly replied, shaking his head. “I think it’s more than enough as it is. But if there’s any way I can help ya, I’d be more than glad to do it.” He said this with a warm smile on his face.

“You don’t seem to understand, Natsuki-kun,” Anastasia said, her tone firm. “How do you think it would look for me as an employer, takin’ advantage of such valuable services for free? Abusin’ my status like that would make me no better than a slaver.”

“Ah, right, sorry about that,” Subaru said, pausing awkwardly as he searched for the right words. “Then, if you insist, I’d be more than happy to leave the decision to you, Lady Ana. You don’t seem like the type to scam me, considerin’ all this.”

“Puttin’ me in a position like this… What a troublesome person you are.” She sighed but then added, her voice softening slightly. “Though I must insist. There’s gotta be somethin’ I can offer ya for yer work. Don’t be shy, go ahead and share what’s on yer mind.”

‘I’m pretty sure that if I cleared my debt, even without Anastasia’s support, I could eventually find success, maybe not as quickly, but it’s possible. So, what does that leave me with?’ Subaru fell deep in thought, recalling all his experiences in this world.

‘Something that I would be unable to do alone…’

Finally, it seemed like he reached a moment of clarity, as if a dilemma that had plagued his mind for the past two months was suddenly resolved, and a heavy burden was lifted from his shoulders. A surge of enthusiasm shot through his body, and with a burst of energy, Subaru jumped to his feet, proclaiming.

“Lady Ana,” Subaru began, his voice filled with determination yet laced with uncertainty, “I don’t know the first thing about how to make this happen, or even where to begin. But I’ve got an idea, something that could make a real difference in Kararagi. Please, help me start an orphanage!”