Published: September 9, 2025
※2014/8/20 Typo corrections made.
This is Satou. Nowadays, effort is often avoided, but I believe that without diligent groundwork, even the most brilliant inspirations cannot take shape. They say daily effort never betrays oneself.
◇
The morning after touring the Royal Capital, I transformed into Kuro and teleported to the factory where Polina awaited.
It was to meet that inventor.
“Polina, is the person here?”
“Yes, Lord Kuro.”
I let Polina, who came out to greet me, guide me to the reception room.
The person waiting beyond the door Polina opened was an unexpected visitor.
“Nice to meet you! My name is Aoi Haruka. Though I have a family name, I am not a noble, so please do not misunderstand.”
A boy who looked no older than ten spoke with an oddly polite introduction for his age.
Aoi was a Japanese person summoned by Princess Menea’s homeland. Perhaps it would be better to say he was from the Great Yamato Toyo-Akitsushima Empire, but such details aren’t important now.
“Nice to meet you, I am Echigoya. I am the president of the Echigoya Trading Company.”
Echigoya’s appearance, clothing, and even the name on the social roster remained as Kuro. Echigoya was an easy-to-understand alias Kuro used.
“Pardon my directness, but Mr. Echigoya, are you from Japan?”
“You are referring to a different Japan than yours, I suppose.”
“I knew it! There are other Japanese people who have come to this world besides me!”
I restrained the excited Aoi boy with a hand.
I feel like my personality differs from when I am Satou, but maybe this is my true self. Besides, Princess Menea was with me then, and I denied being Japanese.
“Calm down. First, let’s get down to business.”
“Yes! That lighter is my proud work—”
The Aoi boy enthusiastically told me about the hardships and improvements of the lighter.
Since it seemed like it would go on forever, I stopped him and delivered a harsh truth.
“That lighter cannot be sold as a commercial product.”
“Wh-why? The mechanism is simple, and the oil is just an ordinary type—”
I listed the problems Polina and I had found with the lighter to the distressed Aoi boy.
Though he kept pressing, once I showed and explained the ignition rod, he finally understood.
“So, what will you invent next?”
“Unfortunately, if the lighter doesn’t sell, there will be no next. …I have no funds.”
It seemed the money for this lighter was made by pawning the ring Princess Menea lent him to raise funds.
There were no banks in the Shiga Kingdom to ask for loans.
While there were trading companies and merchant guilds, failing to repay borrowed money meant becoming a slave.
“Then, here is my proposal—”
I offered to contract Aoi boy as an inventor and advisor for the Echigoya Trading Company, providing a laboratory and research funds within the Royal Capital mansion.
On top of that, I proposed a starting salary of one gold coin and loaned money to redeem Princess Menea’s ring from pawn.
Thus, Aoi boy joined the Echigoya Trading Company.
There were several reasons for taking him under my wing, but the main one was to prevent him from developing anything that would invite the “wrath of the gods.”
After telling him this in secret, I shared stories I heard from Mukuro and Armored.
Especially since inventions like radio towers and trains were easy to come up with, I warned him in advance. It would be no laughing matter if my funding caused the Royal Capital to be reduced to ashes.
Having finished business with Aoi boy, I took the opportunity to inquire about Yui Akasaki, the Japanese girl who was with him.
She apparently got engaged to a nobleman she met at a ball with Princess Menea.
He had fallen for Yui. Falling for a 13-year-old girl must make him a lolicon.
Yui had no feelings for him, but after his intense pursuit, she agreed to marry. Because of their different social statuses, they can’t marry immediately; instead, she is to become an adopted daughter of that noble’s relatives to gain status before formally becoming engaged.