"Hiro-sama, who is it?" Hanabi walks to my side. Then, Mirai stands on my other side.

The female warrior outside should be able to  see them from the window.

I turn again towards the visitor.

"My name is Hiro and I’m working as a merchant, this is my servant Mirai and Hanabi."

As I introduce both of them, the female warrior seems impressed.

 "Is My Lady working as some sort of fighter? Judging by the way you walk, it looks a bit like a knight." I try to do ice breaking.

"Oh, now that you mention it, I haven’t introduced myself. I apologize. My name is Lyla. Well, it’s nice to be acknowledged as a knight….. But in actuality I’m not that big of a deal. I don’t own a horse and all I really do is walk from my own house to my lord's manor, I’m a worthless knight."

Hearing her words, it feels like she is slightly ridiculing herself but at the same time, unable to completely throw away her pride. Certainly a knight can find employment for a lord or noble and in return for their services they enter into this type contractual relationship.

Nevertheless, you needed to be have noble connection to become a knight. Although I can tell that she has received some combat training, my eyes aren’t good enough to see the extent of her strength.

Even so, while I cannot accurately judge her abilities, being able to become a knight is difficult and it means that she must have a decent family backing.  Or it could also be that one of her ancestors performed a very meritorious deed.

A knight without her own horse…… There seems more to her circumstances than meets the eye.

"You’re lady Lyla? It’s nice to meet you. Are you perhaps patrolling this area of the town for today?"

"No, today is coincidently my day off. Because I didn’t have much to do, I decided to go for a walk around the neighborhood. I’m sorry for the intrusion, I have taken your time."

Does that mean that this woman is living close by? As a knight? …….It seems that some things just happen so coincidentally.

"My store is different from a bakery……. It’s related everybody... We assemble poultry and farming produce from nearby villages.... And mouth cleaning tools. It’s a household goods store."

After hearing me saying that, the expression on her face changes. But it isn’t something that looked dangerous, she is just filled with pure interest.

"Mouth cleaning tools?"

"Yes, well it’s a trade secret so I can’t divulge too much information, but I do have connections with special people who produce that.."

I give cue to Hanabi, and the efficient girl rushes to  get our goods.

We have sold a quite number of them already to the peasants and merchants.

"… Oh, in that case, aside from villagers' produce… I would love to see the mouth cleaning tools. If the price is right….."

That’s a pretty good reaction. She doesn’t seem like a bad person; shall I give her a discount? It may also help to promote my goods to the noble community.

"Well, even if it’s not perfect, they are after all unique not found anywhere else. I can’t guarantee an extremely cheap price. But well, you are my first customer after I display them in the store. Miss Lyla, shall we go take a look at the goods?"

Because she is a knight, she will probably have to attend some event’s in the castle of Lothering and Abram, so it will be helpful to me if she gets to show off my goods over there.

I also want to prove that I can expand my business with my own hands. In terms of fighting battles, I am without a doubt, useless. In this case, I at least want to fulfil my role even if it’s about being successful in my upfront business.

I am not willing to live with just my darker role as a transmigrated person who is hiding some abilities. 

Clementine will probably complain, but if I succeed on my legitimate front, this should be considered a good thing.

"Hiro-sama, here is the goods."

Hanabi returns with a basket of goods and a pail of water.

Mirai opens the door and Lyla enters. 

There are only three chairs, so only the customer and me sit. Between us is a table.

The efficient Hanabi puts 3 types of toothbrush on the table.

Then, she puts 3 types of toothpaste beside them.

"Ms Lyla. This is called toothbrush. I understand people here clean their teeth using different tools but these are better. This is toothpaste. It is medicine that ..... you press and pour into the toothbrush."

Mirai take a toothbrush and Hanabi holding a toothpaste, pour it into the toothbrush. The girls have tried the demonstration countless of times.

Subsequently, Mirai walks and positions her face just in front of Lyla. Hanabi brings the pail to her. 

Mirai slowly brush every part of her teeths. From time to time, she rinses her mouth with water from pail before pouring a little if the toothpaste. 

Mirai even brushes her tongue. 

At the end, she even blows her nice breath to Lyla, that makes the knight blushes.

"W...wow... Such a useful tool."

"I brief you the prices. We divide them into three types, depending on how good they are. The highest quality is 300 copper coins or 3 silver coins. The middle quality cost 50 copper coins. And the lowest quality is 3 copper coins."

Hanabi adds in business friendly manner, 

"For your knowledge, we are selling the cheapest one to whole villagers around this town and city."

Lyla listens to our explanation without blinking her eyes. 

"I need to buy for myself and another person in my house. But I think I can afford the middle ones."

She says, then put her fingers in her pouch. There is sound of metal clanking.

She puts 2 silver coins on the table.

"I buy 4 sets of those."

Hanabi quickly packs the items in a paper bag. 

I then show her a lighter which I show way to ignite.

"Wooo.. this is even surprising. With this, we can easily ignite firewood. Why don't you sell this?" She says excitedly while holding it and igniting fire.

"Because I people need the cleaning tools more. Other than higher classed people, the rest of them had bad breath. Their bad smell were killing me!" I joke.

Although it’s more like a joke at this point, it is true that I faced that faced that "bad breath" issue in my early days in this world.

"Ahahahaha…… Haa, That’s mean! Even if that is true, you really shouldn’t say such a thing, Hiro!"

Apparently, she has  addressed me using my name directly. Although it’s good that she has started addressing me with more familiarity, it would seem that Lyla has a merry laughter, she is leaning herself up against the wall and holding on to her stomach so that she wouldn’t fall over……..She probably laugh so hard she became thirsty. Although she seems to be like a serious person, there is this unexpected side to her as well.

"By the way, as appreciation for your purchase, I give that lighter to you as complimentary gift "

"W...what..are you sure?"

I nod. Hanabi and I smile and Mirai with her usual lifeless face.

This was how my relationship began with the knight Lyla, just a day before my store is to officially open.