Chapter 28: Spending Money Like Water
"What the clerk said, you can accept on the surface, but in a world like this, it's a bit over the top."
From Genma's perspective, if these ideas were genuine, then the shop's owner must be some astonishingly brilliant individual. If, on the other hand, these ideas were a façade, then someone was hiding something. After all, for a clothing store to reach such a level, it was easy to bleed itself dry.
These salesclerks required training, likely in significant numbers. Whenever kids showed up, they had to provide candy. The shop's décor not only housed merchandise but also had to showcase it in the most flattering light.
All of this meant a massive upfront investment; as for profits, sure, the clothes were among the most expensive on the market—but in a small town like this, Genma doubted the store could sustain itself indefinitely.
Hence, the shop's owner surely had powerful backing. But since Genma was about to leave this town, it was best to mind his own business.
"Genma, are we still buying clothes?"
Kurenai had been surveying their surroundings for a while and noticed Genma was still lost in thought. Growing impatient, she nudged him with a soft question.
"Oh—yeah, definitely. Not only will we buy clothes, we'll buy quite a few. Mm… first, we'll get some for your dad, then I'll help you pick a set or two…" Genma's tone trailed off into something suggestive, eliciting snickers from the clerk nearby, while Kurenai blushed deeply, her head lowered as though she didn't know what to do.
"So, clothes for a middle-aged man. Do you want a shinobi style or casual everyday wear?"
"Let's get a few sets of each. We're not short on money."
Before Kurenai could interject, Genma responded like a nouveau riche.
When he said "not short on money," he really meant it. Before he set out, his parents had fully anticipated such scenarios and had stuffed an entire trunk of cash into his hands.
"Genma, did you seriously bring that much money?"
Kurenai gave him a sidelong glance, uncertain what to think.
"Yeah, well, Dad and Mom insisted. After all, I'm not traveling alone anymore…"
"Fine, but… someday I'll pay you back," Kurenai murmured.
"…"
Genma's forehead flooded with a sea of question marks. Was she trying to distance herself from him all of a sudden?
He couldn't quite figure it out, but it felt as though ever since they joined the same team, they were no longer as inseparable as before—as if a mountain stood between them.
They say what comes too easily might not be cherished. Perhaps because everything had come so easily for them, things had turned awkward. He'd showered Kurenai with too many gifts, whereas once they'd had nothing and pursued their goals side by side, forging a deeper bond.
He'd started to grasp that love wasn't just about blindly giving; Kurenai might need some boundaries—a sense of personal space, or maybe she wanted his support in maintaining her independence.
While Genma's thoughts were running wild, the salesclerk fetched two sets of clothes and handed them to Kurenai.
"Little miss, please take a look at these. One set is suitable for outdoor wear—it's not only high-quality and comfortable, but it can also defend against certain attacks in battle."
"Defend against attacks? You mean… to what extent?" Kurenai asked in surprise, and Genma also perked up with interest.
"It's nothing too special," the clerk explained modestly. "Our boss says it can only guard against shuriken thrown from a distance. Still depends on who's throwing it. If it's a genin-level shinobi, it should generally be fine."
To demonstrate, she took out a shuriken and made a show of vigorously slicing at the garment, much to Kurenai's astonishment. Somehow, the clothes only bore a faint scratch, almost invisible without a close look, and were definitely not cut through.
"Actually, I'm not very strong," the clerk went on, "so this is the best I can show. But that's precisely why the boss allows us to demonstrate—it's clear proof we trust the merchandise we sell."
She spoke in an offhand manner, yet for Genma and Kurenai—both seeing this kind of thing for the first time—this was a startling "hardcore" approach. The clerk was that confident in the garment's quality.
"Previously, some customers were frightened by this display," the clerk laughed. "But it looks like you two, as shinobi, handle surprises much better than average folks."
"So you've never had ninja customers before?" Genma asked. He loved prying into such details, whereas Kurenai was too captivated by the clothes around her to bother.
"Well, not exactly 'never,' but we rarely see little shinobi like you two. Some adult ninjas do come here. Anyway, we typically only bring out items like this if there's a special situation. Even some daimyō compete to buy them. Usually, we don't display them to just anybody."
It did sound like a typical "hype up the product" sales pitch, but Genma knew the outfit's ability to deflect a genin's shuriken—maybe saving one's life in a pinch—was indeed quite rare. Though it wouldn't match actual armor, it was still valuable enough.
For someone like Genma, who was flush with money, the price wasn't a big concern. Still, one needed a base figure. If he truly couldn't afford it, that would be embarrassing.
"Cough, so… how much is this one?"
"One hundred thousand (100,000 ryō)."
The salesclerk's firm response suggested bargaining would be tough.
Kurenai looked anxious at that figure, casting an apprehensive look at Genma.
"Well… it's acceptable," Genma said after a moment's pause. "But the casualwear can't possibly be that expensive too, can it?"
He had brought two million ryō in total. It should be enough for him and Kurenai, but he also wanted to buy items for his parents and teacher.
As if reading his mind, the clerk explained softly, "No, no. Simple outfits range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of ryō. Of course, the prettier ones cost more."
Relieved that not everything here cost a fortune, Genma nodded. "All right, Kurenai—check if the measurements are right. If they fit, we'll take them."
Kurenai, glancing at him with a somewhat complicated expression, bowed her head and started examining the clothes carefully.
At times like this, the boy usually takes the lead in shopping, and since Kurenai was still shy, Genma took the initiative. He encouraged her to try on items, coaxing her to relax. Gradually, Kurenai's smile returned.
Though they were both still young, Kurenai's innate poise gave even child-sized clothes a sort of "fairy-tale princess" charm—like Cinderella in formal attire.
The clerk's astute praise helped Genma realize his plan. After some time, they ended up getting six sets for Kurenai—three she could wear right now and three for the future—leaving Kurenai speechless, flustered by Genma's repeated assurance that "money is no object" and talk of "buying clothes for my wife is only natural."
Eventually, they wrapped up their selections. The clerk led them to the checkout counter.
Only at checkout did Genma notice that, in his enthusiasm, he'd nearly emptied the two million ryō.
So this is what it means to burn money…
Even though he typically considered himself well-off, this was a wake-up call. Sure, his parents had him covered this time, but in the future, he'd have to manage his own finances.
The clerk, beaming happily at such a massive sale, prompted Genma to ask, "Miss, since we've spent so much, and we're probably your biggest sale ever, is there any discount or something?"
She froze, momentarily looking like she expected a haggling war. But she had to admit, it wasn't unreasonable for a big spender to ask for some perks.
"Discounts aren't really within our authority, but you are the first to spend this much at once—so a little precedent could be set. I'd have to consult with the boss, though."
Hearing this, Genma halted her before she left to check. "Actually, rather than a discount this time, I'd like a VIP membership—some sort of special status that would let us get a discount whenever we visit in the future."
"A VIP membership…" The clerk repeated under her breath, frowning slightly. "I'll let the boss know about your idea. Please wait a moment."
"Sure—sorry to trouble you."
"Not at all, dear customers." With a sweet smile, she excused herself and left.
Genma and Kurenai then sat in the store's lounge area, enjoying complimentary fruit and snacks. Everything was thoughtfully designed—an indication that the shop's owner might indeed be "obsessively detail-oriented."
This lounge was only for paying customers, but the refreshments were first-class. No matter where you are, money works wonders… Genma mused, various bold ideas crossing his mind.
Then again, remembering he'd soon be wandering all over as a shinobi, he decided it was best not to dwell too deeply on those business-like fantasies.
End of Chapter 28