I had been shown to what seemed to be a reception room, where we’d started talking shop. On the other side was a man who called himself the vice manager of the company. He was probably about my age, but his facial features were very handsome, and he was quite tall, to boot—good-looking enough to make me think he’d probably never had issues finding women. His green eyes and green slicked-back hair were striking. He went by the name Marc. Apparently, as a commoner, he didn’t have a surname.
“What do you think, Mr. Marc?”
Given that we had sat down for business, I decided to be formal, addressing Marc with mister and asking him his thoughts with a smile.
I certainly wondered why I even needed to sell products in another world. Somehow, though, given it was a request from my adorable birdie, I found that I was able to give it my all.
That didn’t mean it wasn’t difficult, of course. The reception room was even more lavish than I’d expected, and it had elicited in me unanticipated awe. Even the wooden frame of the chair I was sitting on had gold trim, and its cushion was soft enough that I sank into it. This had all conspired to put a slow, slimy sweat on my brow.
“I do believe I’d like to purchase everything you have.”
“Thank you very much.”
Peeps had clued me in to the prices for the items I’d brought, saying three hundred gold coins would be appropriate for everything. That broke down to fifty gold coins for the chocolate bars, fifty for the sugar, one hundred for the paper, and one hundred for the ballpoint pens.
In local currency, one gold coin was equivalent to one hundred silver coins; one silver coin to one hundred copper coins; and one copper coin to ten cents. For meals, lunch cost about ten copper coins, with a one-night, two-meal inn stay generally priced at about one silver coin. One copper coin seemed to be about the same as one hundred yen. Converting it like that gave three hundred million yen.
However, the price of crafted goods was terribly high compared to Japan, such as a new outfit costing ten silver coins or a kitchen knife—even a used one—costing around a dozen. So the real value probably had one or two fewer zeroes on the end, bringing the three hundred million yen to thirty million.
Also, this currency was only circulated in the nation that was home to the Hermann Trading Company, where I was presently doing business—in other words, the Kingdom of Herz. Adjacent kingdoms, explained Peeps, distributed their own forms of currency, with each weighed against the others according to relative strength.
“I can prepare four hundred gold coins right away.”
“Four hundred?” Peeps had mentioned the number three hundred beforehand; this was one hundred more. It was far too much money to be a miscalculation.
“In exchange, I would like to secure your business in the future…”
“Ah. In that case, very well.”
This was the shop my adorable little pet had recommended, so there couldn’t be any harm in making friends. I didn’t think this one trade would get my name around the lower echelons of the nobility; better to sell my things wholesale right here and build up business results.
“Thank you very much.”
Peeps hadn’t said anything at all this entire time. He just sat on my shoulder, still and patient. What a good-mannered sparrow he was. When starting my business, I’d simply explained he was a familiar and hadn’t gotten any pushback. Apparently, familiars were commonplace in this world—just like he’d told me.
There was, however, a concern with Peeps’s choice of perch. I remembered hearing from the pet shop clerk that birds would sometimes go to the bathroom very suddenly and being advised to be careful taking him out of his cage. I felt bad because I wanted to trust Peeps, but I couldn’t do so completely. No matter how logical his mind was, wouldn’t it be difficult for him to resist his biological imperatives? It seemed like a real possibility he might accidentally do his business right on my shoulder. The animal feces I saw littering the cages in the store spoke to some unfortunate accidents.
“Would you mind if I asked you a question, by the way?” the vice manager asked me right after our transaction was completed, his expression again turning serious.
“Not at all. What is it?”
“I understand the chocolate and the sugar. Their quality is positively mind-boggling, but even I could procure them given enough time. What I cannot understand are these pens and paper.”
“I see, sir.”
“Forgive my rudeness, but you appear to be from somewhere beyond our borders…”
“I’m terribly sorry, sir, but please allow me to keep my sources a secret. It may not be much in the way of compensation, but I won’t sell the paper or pens to any other store. I’d very much like to maintain our good relationship.”
“Do you mean that?”
“Yes, sir, I do.”
A little lip service never hurt. Plus, I’d always wanted, just once, to try some of that self-important business talk, no contract in sight. Days spent bowing on behalf of my company’s pathetic products flashed through my head. So this was how other company’s sales reps felt. What a devious pleasure. I relished it all the way to the bottom of my heart.
“Understood. I would very much like that as well.”
“Thank you so much for your understanding.”
With all that behind me, four hundred gold coins found their way into my pocket. I knew it was a significant amount, but it still hadn’t sank in. All I’d done was pass ten thousand or so yen’s worth of goods from right to left. It felt as though I hadn’t done any real work. I wondered if this was what it had been like for those who’d made a fortune from cryptocurrency during its genesis.
“Again, forgive my rudeness for asking, but are you lodging in the area?”
“No, I’m staying at an acquaintance’s house.”
“Oh, I see. I apologize again.”
“I believe I’ll be able to bring some more goods in the near future, so long as I have your permission.”
“Of course—you’re my guest, and you’re more than welcome.”
After parrying all sorts of questions with suitable answers, my first objective was complete. I was politely seen off, then I left the building behind me.
Just like Peeps had predicted, my backpack had emptied in under an hour. The same went for the printer paper and ballpoint pens I’d been carrying in my hands.
I was finally able to take a breather. It felt like a burden had been lifted from my shoulders—which it literally had.
I had exchanged all those wares for one hundred gold coins and three larger gold coins. Large gold coins were, as their name implied, bigger versions of the gold pieces, apparently worth one hundred of them each. They were used mostly for major business deals, though, and didn’t generally circulate in the markets.
Carrying around this fortune had me on pins and needles. Still, according to Peeps, there were no signs of anyone following me. That gave me some measure of comfort as I continued down the street. And physically, a job well done felt good, too.
Which all turned my attention to today’s lunch.
“Peeps, what should we do for lunch?”
“I would prefer a shop with tasty meat.”
“I wholeheartedly agree.”
The only issue was that this world didn’t have any restaurant review websites. Walking down the main road, I spotted plenty of eateries, but as someone who had been unlucky many times with places in the city, I was hesitant to charge in somewhere without knowing its reputation. Internet review sites were a must-have for the modern man.
“What say you to that shop there?”
“…It does smell good.”
The fragrant scents of cooked meat were wafting from its doors. It was so wonderful to have a partner who took the lead and suggested a place to eat at. Peeps was very cool and macho—so much so that I bet he was all the rage with the ladies before becoming a Java sparrow. In contrast, I was the type to fret and worry about things.
“Okay, let’s go there.”
“Yes.”
Time to sample some otherworld dishes. How exciting! Since I’d sold the chocolate bars and sugar at such a high price, my expectations were somewhat low. Still, I figured we could find one or two tasty offerings. Otherwise, there would be less point in me trying so hard in this world. Prompted by the sparrow’s glassy eyes, we headed into the store.
Or at least, we tried to.
Just as we were about to try the door, the entrance burst open, and someone came flying out.
“You sure as hell ain’t my apprentice anymore! Get out of here, now!”
The young man, who was either in his late teens or around twenty, groaned. He was tall and possessed some muscle. He seemed to be a cook, given the apron that was part of his outfit, but to me, he had more of a carpenter vibe. The sight of him being flung to the ground in front of the shop set my nerves on end.