Since there are still a couple more days until my debut party, I decided to take a walk through royal capital's streets.
Of course, there was no way they would let me go alone.
In the carriage are Sara and Reine. The carriage driver is the butler Sebastian.
「Reine, Cain, where are we going?」
Sara asks.
Just in time. I want to try and see if I can talk to a god.
「I'd like to go to the church. I arrived safely at the royal capital, and I haven't been there since I was baptized」
「Indeed, Cain, you'd better thank the gods for giving you so many blessings」
「As for me, I want to go clothes shopping after the church!」
「Let's do that. Sebas, will you take us to church first?」
「As you command, Sara-sama」
The carriage advances. The view of the royal capital's city seen from the window is beautiful. It is said that the population of the royal capital is about 200,000. And about a million if you take into account the entire population of the Esfort kingdom. However, because the census of people is not firmly established in this world, there is no way to know the exact number for sure.
It took us almost 20 minutes to get to the church. As expected, the church in the royal capital is bigger than the church in Gracia territory.
I stopped the carriage and entered the church.
I made an offering to the sisters at the entrance and then I was guided to the place where you pray.
The front of the chapel is decorated with the seven statues of the gods.
The one in the center is Zenom, the God of Creation. Honestly, it doesn't look like him, though, it's not like I can say that I've met him.
I get down on my knees, and I start praying.
Then, a light covers the area.
As my eyes get used to it, I realize it's the same pure white world I've been in before at my baptism.
There's a table in front, and as usual, the seven gods were sitting around.
「It's been a while since I've been here. Since I came to the royal capital, I wanted to thank you for my baptism. I was worried about whether I should come here, but I'm glad I did」
Cain bows his head and greets them.
「Fofofofo. You've finally arrived, Cain. I've been expecting you. Well, I've taken a good look at what you were doing」
「You were watching me?」
Cain asked suspiciously.
「Umu. Like this」
A screen is projected on the table. There you can see my figure checking my status while I lay down on in bed, my fight in the adventurer's guild, and my fight with the orcs on the way to the royal capital. And the final touch, a flower in each hand while inside a carriage.
「Enough! Please, don't look at this!」
「Basically, the gods can only watch-ja. Your behavior is so interesting that we can't help but want to watch you-ja」
「Please, give me a break in my private life! Seriously」
「Well, don't say that. Grim and Panam wanted to talk to you today-ja」
Grim, the God of Skill, began to speak as if he had been waiting for a while.
「Yes, yes. Listen to me, Cain. There's not much entertainment in this world. Couldn't you create some way of entertainment from your past life?」
There is not much entertainment in this world. There's no concept of entertainment, so everyone goes to bed early,
「All I can do is use my knowledge, after all, I've never built anything myself」
「I know that. Why don't you partner up with some merchant association and make it? You just need to offer the first one to Panam and it will be registered. That way it can't be duplicated」
I see, it's something similar to the patents in my world. The first product is given as an offering to Panam, the god of commerce, as to have it registered. There seems to be a punishment if you try to duplicate it afterward. I was going to ask him what kind of punishment, but when I saw Panam's smile, I decided not to.
「I understand. If it's something simple to make like the game reversi, then I think I can do it. I'll try to talk with some companies」
「Umu. I'm looking forward to it」
Grim and Panam nodded with a smile.
「That reminds me, there's something I want to ask. It's about my status, compared to the general public, what's it like?」
Cain asks honestly.
「Umu. You're already inhuman. Although you still lack experience, you could say that among the human race you are the strongest? At this rate, you'll soon be a demigod?」
「Demi-god...?」
「Right now you're just like the divine beasts and divine dragons, though you're already quite close」
Zenom laughs.
I was already digging my grave without even knowing it!
「But you should know that there is a limit to what you can do on your own. Don't overdo it. It's about time for you to return-jana. We hope to see you again soon」
Then I was surrounded by light again.
When I realized, I was back in the chapel.
I bowed to the statues of the seven gods.
Then I thanked the sisters and left the church.
「Cain, are you done thanking the gods?」
Sara asks.
「Yup. I already thanked the gods. I thanked them for all their blessings」
「Now, let's go look at some clothes! I'm looking forward to seeing the shops in royal capital」
After a short ride in the carriage, we headed for the commercial district.
「We have arrived, sir」
Sebas, the coachman, called out to me.
We got out of the carriage and entered the shop. It was a store for the upper-class commoners. I like the fact that it doesn't have a noble-like appearance. Sara and Reine took me through several floors to a store for women only.
「Eh. This place is for women only...」
It's painful to wait for them here while they buy.
As expected, it was uncomfortable, so I left the store for a moment.
There were several miscellaneous goods stores next to me, so I headed there.
As I was about to enter the store, I saw a familiar face. No, it would be more accurate to say that I saw familiar ears.
It's a face I haven't seen in a while.
「Oh! Palma~!」
She is Palma, a cat-eared girl who came to my debut party.
「Eh? Ah! Cain-sama? Why are you here?」
Palma looks flustered and making an *awawa* sound.
Then a voice comes from the back of the store.
「Oi. Palma. Did someone came to see you?」
A person from the store came out. His looks resembles Palma's father, Sabinos-san, but a bit older.
「Oh. Are you an acquaintance of Palma? What a lovely young master」
「Uncle, Cain-sama is an aristocrat!」
「Eehh!!! Please forgive me about this」
He bows his head politely.
「I'm sorry, Cain-sama」
Palma apologizes with her cat ears down.
Hm~. Cute.
「Don't worry about it. I'm alone. So it's normal that he didn't realize. I'm Cain von Silford. I'm only Gracia's feudal lord's third son, so don't worry」
「...Margrave-sama's... I'm terribly sorry about this」
He was almost on his knees when he apologizes.
「I really don't care about it. Rather, could I take a look around the store?」
「Yes! Please take a look Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Palma's uncle, Tamanis. My brother Sabinos is always taking care of me」
「That reminds me, why is Palma in the royal capital? It's okay for you to not be in the merchant association in Gracia?」
I was curious about Palma's reason for being here.
「I'm currently training at my uncle's shop in the royal capital. I came with my father when he came to replenish his stock」
「So it was like that? Then I guess I'll be seeing you around」
「Cain-sama, weren't you supposed to go back to your territory once your debut party was over?」
「That was my plan, but His Majesty conferred me a peerage and a mansion, so I plan to live there」
「So it was like that!!! Congratulations」
Palma's eyes were glowing.
「Thank you. Please take care of me from now on」
I say that and then I look around the store. There are mainly miscellaneous goods, including wooden products.
If so, I might be able to do what I told the gods immediately.
My impression of Palma's father is good, so if it's this company, I think I can trust them.
「Palma, I have something to consult with you and your uncle. Is that okay?」
「Actually, I'd like to make an entertainment product. So I was wondering if you could produce and market it for me」
Tamanis' face changes to a serious business face.
「Cain-sama, please let's go to the back. Let's have a meeting there」
Cain writes the contents on parchment. He draws a picture of eight squares by eight squares and writes, "Prepare sixty-four circles of white and black painted on both sides, about three centimeters long". Then I wrote other details.
「It's called Reversi. First, I want you to make a prototype. Once you register it as a commercial product, I want you to be in charge of marketing and selling it. What do you think about it?」
「Please, let me do it. If you entrust me with the production and marketing with just the idea, you'll have to pay me 20% of the sales, is that okay with you? This is a common percentage when contracting with the God of Commerce. Thirty percent of it is for materials, ten percent for sales tax, twenty percent for shipping and handling, and twenty percent for our company's expenses 」
「That's plenty. Let me check the contract once the prototype is done. When the prototype is done I will explain to you the rules. I'll leave some money for the prototype as well」
Cain takes a gold coin out of his sachet.
「This is too much!!」
Tamanis-san returns it in a hurry.
「Think of this as an upfront investment. Once the prototype is done and confirmed, mass production will begin. You can use the money to fund that. But of course, I'll expect my investment back once it starts to pay off!」
Cain says with a smile.
「I understand! Please let me do it. I will do my best as the Sarakan company, and also as the brother of Sabinos」
「When it's ready, call the Silford residence and I'll come to you」
Having said that, I left the store behind.
When I got to the carriage, Reine came out of the store with an angry look on her face. There were a lot of shopping bags.
「Seriously! Cain-kun, you disappeared before we knew it! Even though I was going to have you look at my clothes」
「I want to see your clothes at home, Reine-anee-sama. After all, it's hard to tell if you don't try them. Please show me when we get home」
Cain replies with a smile.
「Seriously! Look forward to it when we get home, okay?」
With her mood fixed, Reine got into the carriage.
As expected, my sister is simple.
Well, after returning home, I was forced to attend a dress-up show for two hours.