Chapter 46

"Mr. Shiro, I'll be in your care from today. Aina, go ahead and greet them."

"Yes! Um... I, along with my mother, will be in your care from today."

Aina bowed her head slightly. She must have practiced a lot. Her face was serious.

"Hehe, I'm also looking forward to it."

Today is the day Aina and her mother move in. The shop is temporarily closed, and we're moving their belongings with a cart.

"Alright, let me show you to your room."

I climbed the stairs and stood in front of the bedroom door. I put my hand on the doorknob and turned to look at the two behind me.

"This will be Aina and Stella's bedroom."

After saying that, I opened the door. Instantly, Aina's eyes sparkled.

"Wow!!! Mr. Shiro, is this the room for Mom and Aina?"

"Yes, it is. I prepared this bed for you and Stella. How about it? Isn't it amazing?"

In the bedroom, there was a double bed and a dresser that I had ordered. I had put the items delivered to my grandmother's house into spatial storage and brought them to this room.

The bedroom was designed in a Scandinavian style, making it look like a chic hotel. I had studied to make it a stylish room.

"Aina, this is the first time I've seen such a big bed."

"Then why don't you try lying down on it? This bed is really comfortable."

"Eh? Is it okay?"

"Of course. This bed is yours now."

"Thank you, Mr. Shiro. Then... just a little bit."

Saying that, Aina extended her index finger and poked the bed.

"Wow~... It's so soft."

Aina's face looked like she was melting. Seeing that, I felt warm too.

"Aina, why don't you experience it with your whole body? Just jump into the bed."

I made a gesture of jumping into the bed, and Aina nodded.

"Okay. I understand."

Aina clenched her fists and gathered strength in her legs—

"Okay."

She hesitantly fell onto the bed. Her small body sank into the bed with a soft thud.

I wanted her to really enjoy the bed's springiness, but—

"Amazing. The bed feels alive."

Still, Aina looked satisfied. She buried her face in the bed multiple times, wearing a happy smile.

Well, she's enjoying it, so that's good, right? I turned to Stella next.

"Stella, would you like to lie down too?"

I bought this double bed for a reason. I wanted the mother and daughter to enjoy its comfort. But for some reason, Stella's expression wasn't good.

"Um... Mr. Shiro."

"Yes, what is it?"

"The furniture in this room... did you prepare it specifically for us?"

"Yes, I did."

"Such expensive items..."

I understood why Stella's expression wasn't good. She was feeling uncomfortable with the furniture I had prepared.

"Don't worry about it. Besides, they're not that expensive."

In Japan, they might seem quite expensive, but they're still within the range of ordinary people. This bed is just a bit on the pricey side. According to the store clerk, many people buy it when they get married or move.

"But... the embroidery on these sheets... it's done by a master craftsman, right? And that—"

Stella pointed to the Scandinavian-style dresser and continued.

"Is this a 'mirror'?"

"Eh? Yes, it's a mirror."

"A mirror that's so large and reflects so clearly... Could it be that Mr. Shiro is a noble?"

"No way. I'm just a merchant. But you're right, in my hometown, mirrors aren't that rare, but in this country, mirrors are valuable, right?"

"Yes. I think only the royal family and the nobility associated with them have such large mirrors."

Oh, that's good to know. Maybe I should add mirrors to my product lineup.

"I see."

"If it breaks, it would be a big problem... and it might damage the other expensive furniture—"

"Don't worry about it. Everything in this room is a bonus for Aina—no, it's a special reward for Aina, who works harder than I could ever ask for."

"A reward for Aina?"

"Yes. For a merchant, a hardworking employee is the greatest treasure. And rewarding employees properly is what makes a good merchant. So, Stella, please don't make me a bad merchant, okay?"

"But... are you really sure? Are you really giving us this room?"

"I'm sure. In the first place, I was able to open this shop in this town because I met Aina. I've made a lot of money here. Compared to what Aina has done for me, the furniture in this room is nothing. So please use it without hesitation. Of course, I won't ask you to compensate if it breaks. I do hope you'll take good care of it, though."

I said this with a playful tone, and Stella suddenly grabbed my hand with all her strength.

"Of course! We will—always take good care of it!"

Stella's face was serious.

"Then I'm glad. Once again, I look forward to working with you from today."

Stella finally smiled happily.

"...Yes."