Allen the Reincarnated Merchant: A Plan to Get Rich in Another World

The Royal Capital’s Street Market Festival, held the previous day, ended with a resounding “sold out” success.

The large stock of trading cards I had prepared for the event sold out in less than an hour after the noon break, and I managed to sell off all other varieties of trading cards besides *Crossworld* as well.

In the end, the merchant who had spoken to me during the lunch break didn’t come back to purchase any cards, but I was still glad that the existence of trading cards had become known to people outside of the Enfibe Magic Academy.

“This place is incredible… as expected of the Otaku Holy Land.”

Having finished the Royal Capital’s Street Market Festival with satisfying results, I headed straight to Akihabara the next day without a moment to rest.

Akihabara, with its many buildings painted in bright colors like red and pink, stood out as the “Otaku Holy Land.”

Signs with women in flashy maid outfits, billboards featuring famous gaming company logos, cosplayers handing out flyers on the streets, and foreigners watching with fascination—all gave Akihabara a unique atmosphere, distinct from the rest of Tokyo.

I knew the name and features of Akihabara, but this was my first time visiting, even counting my previous life.

Though the capital of Asphial was one of the most prosperous places in its world, it seemed small in comparison to the sprawling metropolis of Tokyo. Despite the wide sidewalks, the number of pedestrians made the streets feel a bit cramped.

“Doesn’t this place feel completely different from the world over there?”

“It’s no comparison… Even in the busiest part of the capital, there aren’t nearly as many people as in Saiwa Town. Sure, there are a lot of pedestrians over there since they don’t have cars, but still…”

As I walked through the crowded main street, I stopped by a shop with crane games at the entrance to take a breather, and Akira, who had accompanied me once again, spoke up.

“Still, I didn’t expect you’d want to come to Akihabara, Akira.”

“Since Allen-sama is walking around outside, we need someone to provide security, right? It’s one thing if we’re in a place like Akane Village, but this is Tokyo. You never know what might happen. Besides, it’s not just me; there are other people here too.”

Among the casually dressed pedestrians, Akira stood out in her perfectly fitted black suit.

With her slightly reddish long hair loosely tied and her calm, Akira gave off an otherworldly aura, especially combined with her formal attire.

Given that we were in Akihabara, just wearing a black suit made her seem like a character from an anime cosplay, attracting attention from those around her.

What I’m trying to say is, with her natural good looks and distinctive features, Akira was turning heads.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, like over there.”

Akira pointed, but I couldn’t tell who she meant. There were mostly just regular passersby in Akihabara, and I didn’t see anyone else dressed in a black suit like her.

“Not everyone’s wearing suits. Most of them are blending in with the crowd. In my case, this is basically my everyday attire.”

That said, I could see a few of those black luxury cars I’d noticed back in Akane Village here and there. I assumed the people in suits, like Akira, were waiting inside those cars.

“…Honestly, I don’t think it’s necessary to go this far.”

“To be blunt, it’s more for surveillance than anything. Although the Saioji Group hasn’t publicly announced their otherworld business yet, there are already people in the industry who are aware of its existence. Given that, it’s too risky to let someone as central to the project as you wander around alone.”

Though the word “surveillance” didn’t sound great, the fact that Akira was speaking so frankly probably meant she trusted me to some extent.

“But are they really investing hundreds of billions into something that only one person can do?”

Several of the Saioji Group’s research institutes had been converted for use in the otherworld business, and massive amounts of additional funding were being poured in.

It seemed there wasn’t much rivalry between the main and branch families of the Saioji Group regarding this, and instead, there was a spirit of competition that fueled mutual progress.

That made me wonder. Even if I could transport a world-changing material, I was the only person who could do it. There might be other reincarnators with the skill to traverse worlds, but at most, there’d be only a handful… if that. In all likelihood, there were none.

From an infrastructure perspective, having an entire enterprise dependent on one person felt like an imbalanced business model.

Akira must have anticipated my doubts, as she quickly continued.

“…Let’s say, for example, that developing a groundbreaking new drug in modern society costs around 50 billion yen. Even then, there’s no guarantee it will be successful, and it takes an average of over a decade. Now imagine if, in just one month, you could create a drug that regenerates human tissue. Isn’t that extraordinary?”

Listening to Akira’s explanation, I found myself agreeing.

What if you could cultivate roses for a month and create a potion that regenerates the human body and cures incurable diseases? In fact, I’d recently learned that the red potion I’d provided as part of a joint research effort had completely restored a test mouse’s health, even repairing cancer cells.

“It’s not just potions. The other materials you’ve provided from the other world are worth billions. To put it simply, you’re a goose that lays golden eggs for the Saioji Group.”

“You’re always so straightforward, Akira.”

“Better than keeping things hidden, right?”

A goose that lays golden eggs… It seemed I was a source of tremendous profit for the Saioji Group.

That explained why they were so accommodating, even when I made outlandish requests.

(Like this recent batch of *Crossworld* packs, which would have been nearly impossible to get under normal circumstances…)

From my perspective, this grand-scale project was hard to grasp, but even by regular standards, I was in an environment where rare and coveted items could be arranged for me in no time.

For instance, when I’d asked for 4,000 roses not long ago, despite it being a ridiculous request, they had managed to gather them from all over. It was an unreasonable request for an individual, yet neither Akira nor anyone else involved had complained once.

(…Still, I can’t get too comfortable. That would be dangerous.)

While it was easy money—just transporting a stone or a potion for millions—I had a vague fear that relying on this too much would lead to something irreversible.

“Besides, you’re the only person who can maintain a connection with the lady. That alone means the Saioji Group will never let you go.”

“…Should I be happy about that?”

I appreciated the businesslike nature of our relationship, free from unnecessary emotions, but I also felt a bit conflicted about being valued only for my utility.

“Well, aside from all that, I do personally like you, Allen-sama.”

“Even if it’s just flattery, I’m happy to hear it. Thank you.”

The ambiguous distance between us felt oddly comfortable, and I couldn’t help but smile.