Allen the Reincarnated Merchant: A Plan to Get Rich in Another World

Although it’s already September in Japan, the heat and humidity still linger, especially in the bustling heart of the city. It’s a stark contrast to the secluded mountains of Akane Village in Gifu, where I had been before.

Usually, when I step out of the Moongate, I’m greeted by the sweltering Japanese summer and the deafening chorus of cicadas. But today, I find myself in a vacant, somewhat sterile room with the temperature comfortably set.

This house in Japan, though large and filled with many unused rooms, is no longer a maze to me. I’ve memorized the layout, so there’s no risk of getting lost.

As I walk down the empty hallway, I strip off my Asphial World clothes and toss them into the laundry basket. Then, I head straight for the wardrobe.

Opening the sliding door of the wardrobe, which had been prepared at some point, reveals a wall lined with men’s clothing.

I’m not particularly fond of branded clothes, yet someone had filled my closet with them while I was away. Although I don’t know who did it, I must admit their taste isn’t bad.

However, lacking any sense of fashion myself, I randomly select an outfit from the neatly arranged options and change into it.

(…Wow, when did a tower bigger than Tokyo Tower get built?)

I exit the house and use my smartphone to call a taxi, planning to head to where Akira-san works.

These days, it seems that using a smartphone for taxi rides and payments has become the norm. Even at the convenience store I stopped by, I could make purchases simply by waving my smartphone at the register.

As I marvel at how convenient the world has become, I gaze out at the scenery passing by the taxi window.

I snap a quick photo of the scene along the Sumida River with my smartphone and save it.

“Is this your first time in Tokyo?” the taxi driver asks.

“Well, not exactly my first time, but it’s been a while since I’ve been here.”

“Is that so? Recently, we’ve been seeing tourists like yourself again after that virus outbreak… It’s only been since last month that we’ve started seeing foreign visitors return.”

“Oh, is that right?”

I’m not entirely sure what he means by “that virus,” but I can tell from the way he talks that he thinks I’m a foreigner. So, I play along with the conversation.

As I gaze at the Sky Tree, a tower gleaming in the sunlight, I direct the taxi toward the business district, my destination.

When I get out of the taxi, I’m greeted by a towering skyscraper that seems to reach up into the sky. The large characters “Saiou” are prominently displayed at the main entrance.

The building’s glass windows reflect the sunlight in dazzling patterns, and the asphalt, absorbing the heat, makes the sidewalk feel like a sauna.

Ignoring the bustling office workers around me, I enter the building.

“Phew, it’s cool in here.”

“Allen-sama, you didn’t have to come all the way here. I could have met you elsewhere…”

Even after only stepping outside for a short while, I was already sweating, but as soon as I stepped into the Saiouji Group building, the cool air wrapped around my overheated body.

As I basked in the comfort of the rapidly cooling sensation, I noticed Akira-san, dressed in the same black suit as when we first met, waiting for me at the front desk.

“It’s fine. I also wanted to take a look around Tokyo a bit.”

“Is that so?”

The purpose of today’s visit is to participate in the regular meeting concerning the Asphial World and to consult with Akira-san about something.

The regular meetings have been held a few times already, so I’m used to them. All I need to do is gather the researchers and employees who are in the know, and explain the Asphial World to them.

It’s almost like giving a lecture: I show the photos and videos I’ve taken with my smartphone using a projector, explaining, “This is ○○, that is △△,” and answering any questions they might have.

There’s also a part where I learn about the discoveries they’ve made regarding the mysterious substances from the Asphial World, like the shōkōseki (a type of stone), which I had brought back earlier. It’s not particularly difficult.

But right now…

“A gift for a noble…?”

“Yes, the recipient is a child, about middle school age, but since their status is higher, I’m unsure of what kind of gift would be appropriate…”

After the regular meeting, which concluded without any major issues, I waited until the people in the conference room had left, and then stopped Akira-san, who was gathering the materials, to consult with her.

The topic is about the heir of the Castiano Marquis family, whom I met during yesterday’s street festival.

“I see, so even though the recipient didn’t explicitly say so, you received something akin to an invitation, meaning you need to make a formal visit…”

“Yes… This is my first time dealing with something like this, so I’m at a loss.”

It must be difficult for Akira-san as well, being asked about gifts for nobles all of a sudden.

However, even though the recipient is a child of middle school age, their status is higher than mine, so I thought it best to consult with Akira-san, who seems to be well-versed in these matters.

…Honestly, I don’t have any other acquaintances who could be of much help in this kind of situation.

“Generally speaking, when giving a gift to someone of higher status, a gift set or items like pens or glasses are common. However, since the recipient is a middle schooler…”

“It falls outside the realm of typical Japanese etiquette, doesn’t it?”

If the recipient were a superior or a senior at work, I could easily look up ideas on the internet. But this time, the recipient is a noble child.

No amount of scouring the internet would yield any relevant examples, and to make matters worse, the recipient is from a fantasy world.

“In the world of Asphial, values differ greatly from those in Japan. If you were to accidentally choose something considered taboo over there, it could lead to serious trouble.”

“…It’s quite challenging.”

Though it’s unlikely that I would be executed on the spot for a mistake, I definitely want to avoid angering a noble and causing trouble for those around me.

However, it doesn’t seem right to just bring something generic. I’ve only met him once, but the noble boy, Rey, was clearly intrigued by the high-quality chocolate he was given, which suggests a curiosity for the unknown.

Honestly, I have little experience in these matters. My knowledge of etiquette and human relations is limited to common sense, and even then, it’s far from perfect.

“I think it would be best to give something related to what caught his interest. How about a fruit tart? It looks impressive and tastes great.”

“Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Since I’ll be visiting, I won’t need to worry too much about preservation, and it could be a good choice.”

After discussing it with Akira-san in the conference room, we eventually settled on the idea of giving something that had piqued his interest.

So, a chocolate-based sweet it is… I was just considering this when Akira-san came up with another idea.

She suggested a fruit tart, a type of fresh pastry I hadn’t considered because I was worried about how long it would keep. While there are similar pastries in the Asphial World, such as cakes, the lack of refrigeration often limits their options to cookies or pastries that can be stored without refrigeration.

Even during the street festival, we mostly gathered items that didn’t require refrigeration, so the fruit tart Akira-san recommended, with its vibrant appearance and delicious taste, seemed like an excellent choice.

With dry ice, it should keep for a while even without refrigeration, so I decided to go with Akira-san’s suggestion.

“If you’d like, I can recommend a shop and arrange it for you.”

“Yes, please do.”

Since Akira-san is recommending it, there’s no doubt it’ll be a good choice.