The next morning.
「Jin, are you there?」
After breakfast, the village chief came to Martha’s house.
「Yes?」
「Oh, Jin, do you have a moment?」
「Yes, what do you need?」
The village chief wryly smiled.
「Haha, it’s nothing much. Roland, the pedlar staying here wanted to have a little talk with you」
「Oh, so that’s it. It’s fine with me」
「I see, then is alright if we go immediately?」
Thus Jin headed to the village chief’s house.
「Nice to meet you, I’m the pedlar Roland. Thank you for accepting my invitation」
「I’m his son Eric, it is an honour to meet you」
Roland and Eric who were waiting at the village chief’s house politely greeted Jin when he came. They were definitely merchants.
「Yes, nice to meet you. I’m called Jin Nidoh」
The three men then sat around the table. The village chief was also there. Right after that, a young girl came along carrying tea.
「Here you go」
「Oh, thank you Barbara」
Jin remembered in the corner of his mind that she was the village chief’s niece, but then immediately shifted his attention back to the others.
「So, what was it you wanted to talk about?」
Jin was the first to talk. Then Roland answered him.
「Well it’s nothing much… the things that weren’t here two months ago when I last visited have me curious」
「Ahhh, the hot spring you mean」
「Yes. There’s also the pump, that water drawing tool. Are you really the one who made those?」
「That’s right, is there something about it?」
With a face that held some suspicion, he asked Jin.
「Uhh no, umm, Jin-san was it? You’re quite a young lad. Where did such a young 《Magic Craftsman》 learn from?」
「《Magic Craftsman》?」
It was the first time he heard of that term. He knew of the t.i.tle 《Magi Craft Meister》 that he succeeded, but he had not heard of the t.i.tle 《Magic Craftsman》.
「Oh? Have you not heard of it? That is unexpected. 《Magic Craftsman》 is the general term for people who make tools using magic」
「I see…」
Indifferent to his reply, Roland changes the topic.
「Come to think of it, where did you come from?」
Jin used this opportunity to confirm his thoughts.
「Umm, well you see… I found a 《Warp Gate》 by chance, and as a result I was transferred here. Because of that, I do not know where I was sent and neither do I know where my home is exactly」
「《Warp Gate》? I feel like I may have heard of it before… Eric, do you know about it?」
「If I remember correctly, I think that was a name of an 《Artifact》 I learnt about. It allows you to transfer between two points」
That was the first time Eric opened his mouth since his greeting.
「This guy attended Cecilio Magic School until just last year so he knows a little bit about magic.」
The father, Roland seem to be proud of it.
「Well, putting aside the 《Artifact》, it malfunctioned and before I knew it, I lost consciousness near the village. Since then, I’ve been indebted to Martha-san who picked me up, and this village for taking care of me」
One part was a lie but it was not completely a lie. Eric then spoke,
「That is unfortunate. There are many things that we don’t know about 《Artifacts》 so such a situation is possible」
Roland then took over speaking,
「So is what you’re saying that you don’t know where your hometown is?」
「That’s right. You probably don’t know j.a.pan do you?」
「j.a.pan is it? It is certainly not a name of a place I have heard of before. Is that your…」
「Yes, it is my hometown」
Roland began to ponder. In the meantime, Eric wanted to listen to more.
「I’m guessing that the magic Jin-san uses to make tools is from Jin-san’s town, am I right?」
「That is right」
When Jin nods in a.s.sent, Eric excitedly,
「Magnificent! By all means, please teach me how to make that pump!」
To that, Roland reproved.
「Hey hey, don’t get too excited. Jin-san, I’d like to pay for the information, please also teach me how to make a 『Pump』」
Jin thought about what to do. There was no problem in teaching them, but he would like for the village to profit from this if possible.
「Let’s see… how much would you pay for the information? Oh, and I don’t know about the currency around here so please teach me about it.」
「I see. I guess that’d be the case. How about 100,000 torr for the information? That is the common currency in this kingdom. 1 copper coin is 1 torr, 1 silver coin is 100 torr, and 1 gold coin is 10000 torr. You can get 10 kilos of wheat for about 300 torr, that is 3 silver coins. 」
Jin began to calculate. Although it may fluctuate, based on the wheat, 1 torr is probably about 10 yen. That is to say, the pay for the information is a million yen.
「I have one more question before I answer. In this country is there something called a 『Patent』, have you heard of it before?」
「『Patent』? What is that?」
From that reply, there probably wasn’t.
「A patent is the first thing that comes to mind to protect the rights of a person. The patent is valid for a fixed period and the person who uses the patent must pay a 『royalty』, that is the kind of system it is」
Hearing that, Roland thinks for a little bit.
「I see, that is a good system. It is designed to protect the profit of the person who invents something new while allowing it to be widely available. Because of that, the opportunity to make the new thing will not rise」
As expected from a merchant, he understood quickly. But,
「However, unfortunately there is no such system」
「Is that so… that’s is regrettable 」
「Well then…」
Although Roland had a disappointed face on,
「Hmm, let’s sell that information with a certain condition. However, there will only be one condition.」
「Th- that is!?」
Roland was eager to gain the information for selling the pump.
「I’d like for the pump and other things like it be in your name. If possible, please make it hard to imitate」
「Indeed, differentiate from similar products」
Roland quickly understood.
「That’s right. Sooner or later counterfeits and imitations will appear on the market, it will be good if people understood the original is from Roland’s place」
「Hehehe, but the true original is by you Jin-san」
「If that was said, people will know that the original is from my country」
With that kind of understanding, a contract was made. In charge of it is Eric. Jin immediately made a pump for them to see, he then handed it over as a sample.
That afternoon, Jin made a demonstration using the little remaining bronze.
During that afternoon, while Jin was working,
「Wh-what kind of method is that?!」
Eric’s shout sounded.