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

“My name is Piana Ishan. Thanks to Lady Nana’s introduction, I’ve been allowed to participate this time.”

The woman who introduced herself as Piana was noticeably shorter than Raine or Sena, with a childlike appearance that could easily be mistaken for an elementary school student.

The long black staff she held with both hands looked oversized in comparison to her small frame. Even the student robes, a mark of a magic user, hung down to the ground, barely avoiding the floor.

“How old are you, Piana?”

“… I’m 23 years old, despite how I look. I’ve completed the lower mage course at the Laiosar Magic Academy.”

“Then you’re Camille’s junior…?”

Nike crouched down to be at eye level with Piana as she asked this question. Everyone reacted to the mention of “Liosar,” turning to look at Camille, who appeared visibly shaken.

“No, no! I only graduated from the three-year course at Laiosar, so I’m nothing compared to someone with a mage’s title!”

Piana vigorously shook her head in response to Nike’s question, explaining in a respectful manner.

(So… it’s something like a graduate school?)

In Japan, graduating from university earns you a bachelor’s degree. Most people go straight into the workforce from there, but a select few pursue further advanced or specialized studies. This is what is known as graduate school, where one can obtain a master’s or doctorate.

From my perspective, those who’ve achieved such degrees are like people living in the clouds. It seems the world of Asphial has a similar system, with something akin to universities and graduate schools.

“Hey, Aina, do you know what a ‘mage’ is?”

“Not in detail. Most people called mages work for the royal palace or the military…”

To me, a mage and a magic user seem like the same thing. But in the world of Asphial, there appears to be a clear distinction between the two. Judging from how Camille, a common magic user, seemed so respectful, it seems mages are ranked above regular magic users.

This only deepened the mystery. If Aina is right, Piana should have been able to aim higher than becoming an adventurer once she completed the lower mage course.

Why did she choose to join the Akatsuki Brigade? I couldn’t help but wonder.

—

(What is with this adventurer team…?)

I, Piana Ishan, was born as the second daughter of the Ishan knight family, who have long governed a small territory near the royal capital.

The Ishan family was a baronial family a few generations ago, part of the lower nobility. Even though we are now a knight family, we are still among the upper ranks of knight families in terms of magical power, and we possess several secret magic techniques passed down through generations.

However, there’s a bitter history—our family was demoted to a knightly rank after the head of the family mismanaged the territory a few generations ago, resulting in significant losses.

Unlike other families who were demoted due to declining magical power, the Ishans could restore their baronial rank by atoning for the mistakes of that former head. My parents, particularly my father and mother, were passionate about achieving this.

I enrolled in Laiosar Magic Academy, one of the magic schools in the royal capital, and managed to graduate with honors, competing against other promising commoners and children of knight families.

Even at that time, I believed I could hold my own against the graduates of Enfibe Magic Academy, the most prestigious school in the kingdom—at least compared to the second-tier students. I thought I was a more capable magic user than them.

Of course, comparing myself to the top-tier students of Enfibe would be laughable. They’re on a different level as beings, so I wasn’t too bitter about that. But I did take pride in being better than those who graduated purely on the coattails of family connections or laziness.

After completing the general course at Laiosar, I moved on to the higher-level mage course. Laiosar only offers up to the lower mage course, but this is the highest degree a member of a knight family can obtain, so I advanced to secure my future.

My older brother is already set to inherit the family title, my second brother has joined the local guards, and my older sister married into another family. My younger siblings also have their paths laid out for them, with some already engaged.

After spending almost ten years at Laiosar and obtaining my mage degree, I found myself in a somewhat complicated position.

At 23 years old, I’m considered “past marriageable age” as a noblewoman, but with a mage degree, it’s still seen as a plus.

Normally, I would be expected to marry into another knight family like my sisters, but now, with my degree, there’s a chance I could become a second wife to a baron or viscount.

(Though my appearance is too much of a problem for that…)

I touched my flat chest with both hands.

It wasn’t just my chest—my entire physique and face had a childlike appearance. Even I couldn’t deny that I had a body resembling that of a young girl.

It didn’t help that my sisters, both older and younger, had glamorous, womanly figures, making my childish looks stand out even more.

Of the five sisters, despite being the second eldest, I was often mistaken for being the youngest.

For a noblewoman, this childish appearance was a fatal flaw when it came to marriage prospects. Worse, it could give the impression that the man I married had inappropriate tendencies, which would be a disaster in noble society, where reputation is everything.

Fortunately, I was blessed with magical talent. Having earned the title of lower mage, I was now in a position to choose a respectable career.

After finishing up at the research lab, I had to decide whether to join the military or serve in the royal palace. Ideally, I wanted to work at the highly prestigious Kainriese Royal Magic Research Institute in the north district. But as a lower mage from a knight family, that was out of reach, so the natural choice was the royal palace.

The military still had traces of male chauvinism, and I didn’t have the physical strength or physique for the physical exams. The royal palace seemed like a safer option, and it was close to my family’s estate. So I had planned to report my decision to the academy… until that day.

—

“Oh?”

“… Professor, who is this?”

When I opened the door to the research room at Laiosar, a place I had frequented for years, there was an unfamiliar woman inside.

Her long, beautiful purple hair, as dark as amethyst, was striking, and she looked at me curiously as I entered.

The professor, the head of the lab, was in the middle of a conversation with her, and high-grade tea and snacks were laid out on the table, signaling that she was an important guest.

“Ah, Piana. This is Nana, an adventurer. She’s here to deliver the assault wyvern membranes we ordered from the guild.”

“Assault wyvern membranes…?”

A large wooden crate sat on the floor in the corner, likely containing the materials we had requested.

But still…

“It’s impressive that you managed to acquire them. We had almost given up on the assault wyvern membranes here in the lab.”

“Indeed, it’s a rare material, but Nana and her party managed to slay several assault wyverns, and they were kind enough to offer some to us.”

The assault wyvern, also known as the “charging dragon,” is one of the most dangerous monsters around the royal capital. It’s classified as a B- rank by the guild, meaning that most adventurers below Gold rank avoid taking on the creature.

Its strong, flexible membrane is highly resistant to corrosion and is often used in magical research equipment. However, it’s not just expensive—it’s also difficult to obtain. Only a handful of adventurer teams are capable of regularly hunting assault wyverns, and they’re usually tied to noble families or factions.

“It’s rare to find a party that can consistently hunt assault wyverns. Are you part of a famous adventurer team?”

“No, Nana and her party just arrived in the capital last month, and they’re not affiliated with any faction yet. That’s why they were able to take our request.”

“Our group is called the Akatsuki Brigade. We look forward to your continued support.”

With a polite bow, Nana introduced herself after the professor’s explanation.

While I returned the greeting, the professor prepared tea for me as well.

“Piana, since you’re still undecided about your future, why not listen to what Nana has to say? She’s an excellent magic user and also a healer.”

“Is that so…?”

“I feel honored to be described that way, though I mostly learned everything through self-study.”

Despite her modesty, the fact that she could defeat assault wyverns and use healing magic meant her abilities far surpassed mine.

Even at a glance, Nana exuded an immense amount of magic power, and it was completely controlled, without any trace of instability.

“I’ve noticed that you’ve been uncertain about your future path, Piana. This is a good opportunity to hear from someone with real-world experience.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to be a bother…”

“I don’t mind at all. It’s a pleasure to offer advice to such a charming student.”

I hesitated to impose, but Nana’s warm acceptance and the professor’s insistence made it impossible to refuse.