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

“Could it be… that person is…”

The sun had already begun to set, and I was expecting Ryuka and the others to arrive soon. Just then, the lively atmosphere in the 13th area of the West Avenue, which had been bustling all day, suddenly fell silent.

In place of the usual noise, people began whispering to each other in hushed tones, focusing their attention on a group that had entered the 13th area.

Even the merchants who had set up stalls around me seemed tense, their eyes fixed on this group. Some even stepped away from their stalls, seemingly ready to greet them.

(These aren’t just ordinary citizens…)

It was like watching the sea part before Moses as he led his people away from the enemy. The crowded avenue, which had been teeming with people, now had a clear path, as if the crowd itself had split in two.

Curious, I leaned out from my stall to get a better look. The group consisted of armed men surrounding a small child with pale blonde hair. The child walked leisurely, gazing around with interest.

“Isn’t that the heir of Marquis Castiano? Why is he here…?”

“He’s probably here incognito. The market in the North District should be ending around this time too.”

I overheard a conversation between the merchant at the stall next to mine and someone who seemed to be an acquaintance.

Marquis Castiano—I didn’t know the name, but if he’s a marquis, his rank must be high enough to qualify as a grand noble.

It seemed like there were too many guards for someone who was supposedly incognito, but considering a noble’s heir visiting a commoners’ market, it made sense.

“Hey, he’s starting to look at the other stalls!”

The atmosphere grew more restless as the heir of the Castiano family began inspecting the stalls in the 13th area, starting from the one at the front.

The scene was almost intimidating: the young heir standing in front of the stalls, examining the goods while surrounded by fully armed guards.

To an outsider, it might have looked like an act of intimidation, but the merchants were doing their best to explain the products they had brought.

***

“So, what kind of stall is this?”

The 13th area of the West Avenue is a crossroads where the avenue stretches straight toward the North and South Districts. In the center is a large fountain, with stalls arranged in a circle around it.

The Castiano heir and his entourage were making their way around the circle, inspecting each stall as they went.

“This stall features some of the rarest items in the world. We specialize in sweets and games.”

The Castiano heir was a beautiful boy with pale blonde hair and milky-white skin. His face was finely featured, with a delicate, androgynous look that could belong to either a boy or a girl.

His clothes were of a quality rarely seen, befitting a noble’s child. However, they weren’t the kind of garish outfits adorned with excessive jewels that one might associate with someone nouveau riche.

He looked to be around 12 or 13 years old, about the age of a middle school student in Japan, but there was a mature calmness in his demeanor.

“Oh, you have sweets here?”

“Yes, we offer a sweet called chocolate, known for its strong aroma and rich taste. Would you like to try some?”

As expected of a noble, his first interest was in the sweets.

“Master Rey, it’s not appropriate to eat from a commoner’s stall…”

“It’s fine, isn’t it? If Father says anything, I’ll explain it to him myself.”

When I offered a sample, the Castiano heir, Rey, seemed genuinely intrigued.

Meanwhile, the guards were visibly uncomfortable, some even glaring at me as if to say, “What have you done?”

“And what is this sweet called?”

“This is chocolate. It’s made by grinding cacao beans and mixing them with sugar and vanilla before being solidified.”

The sample I offered was not the cheap chocolate I had considered selling earlier, but rather the high-end chocolate I had bought in Ginza.

Since I have more financial freedom now, I thought I should bring the best I could find. I never imagined it would come in handy so soon.

“Hold the wrapper like this—yes, that’s how you eat it.”

As a precaution, I picked a piece of chocolate at random from the box and tasted it first, to show it was safe.

…Yes, it’s as delicious as ever. It’s a high-end brand that costs thousands of yen per box, and it has a sweetness you can’t usually experience.

This particular chocolate was alcohol-free, but its aroma was still quite strong. I hope that won’t be an issue.

“Alright, I’ll try it.”

Rey carefully unwrapped the chocolate and took a bite.