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After the lectures at the academy, I went straight to the antique shop where I worked part-time.
"Ah! Rai-san!! Welcome back!"
Julia, the shop's charming sign, greeted me brightly.
"Good work. Any new arrivals today?"
"No... The person who always comes to purchase items couldn't come today because of some business."
Julia said with her eyebrows drooping sadly.
Recently, the merchant who had been openly selling goods to this store has begun to drift away.
Well, I don't know exactly when Julia's father disappeared, but it was judged that the management of this store after her father disappeared was not credible.
It's like being a fool to sell good products knowing that they will be bought for cheap.
"Hmm. We need to find a specialist soon. Trust is the most important thing for a merchant. If you're abandoned by other merchants, the only ones who will come to this store are those who want to exploit it."
"I was hoping I could get help from someone I know..."
"Did they tell you to close the store?"
"............Yes."
That's right. Even if you graduate from the commercial course at the academy, only a handful of people can succeed as merchants.
There's no way there would be an adult who would still support Julia, who has just graduated from elementary school and can't even appraise antiques properly.
Should I take care of her until she can properly run the store as a merchant?
No, that's impossible. I'm allowed to do as I please now because I'm at the academy, but when I become an adult to some extent, I have to fulfill my responsibilities as royalty.
Then should I introduce her to someone I know?
Who should I introduce her to?
If I ask Hofre, he would send a suitable person today instead of tomorrow, but what about after I leave the academy? Would they still stay there because of my selfishness?
Well, I'm supporting her because I happened to find this place, but if I look for stores in the same situation, there are plenty.
Well, that's why I'm so worried because I can't abandon her.
In terms of the store's management situation, there's honestly not much余裕 to purchase new products.
However, if there are no new products, we will only consume the current products, so we will eventually reach a dead end.
Since it's an inconspicuous store in a back alley, there aren't many customers every day, but still, a few people visit every day.
If anything, thanks to Julia's outrageous price setting, or rather, because of it, the store was known as a place where magic stones could be bought at literally bargain prices, so there are regular customers from that time.
"Oh man, the price of magic stones has gone up since you came."
"Don't say that, please buy them. But they're still cheaper than other stores, right?"
"Well, yeah."
Sometimes we have such conversations, and the teachers of the magic department at the academy purchase magic stones.
This is the main source of income for our store.
Conversely, furniture and valuable雑貨類, which are thought to be the main products when Julia's father was there, hardly sell.
That's right. There are fewer people who come to such a minor store to buy that kind of furniture.
"Should we sell it off?"
If it's just putting pressure on the store, it's much better to sell it to other stores, even if it's cheaper than the purchase price, and use that money to purchase the current main product, magic stones.
I want to avoid going to sell it myself as much as possible because I don't have any connections.
"Julia."
"What is it? Rai-san."
Since it's a slow day again today, I call out to Julia, who was cleaning the store without anything to do, and she turns around with a puzzled look.
"The intermediary that Julia's father was asking is still bringing you the products, right?"
"Y-yes. The frequency has decreased compared to when my father was here, but he comes about once a week."
"Could you ask them if they could take these furniture around here, even if it's a little cheaper?"
When I said that, Julia tilted her head.
"Aren't you going to sell the products in your own store?"
"If there are connections or demand, I'll sell them here. But they're not selling in the current situation, and if I leave them as they are, they'll deteriorate further. Neither I nor Julia have any knowledge about that. Besides, the magic stones are running low, so I want to replenish them, but I don't have enough capital."
When I said that, Julia nodded and smiled, as if she understood.
"Okay! Then, I'll talk to the purchasing man next time he comes!"
And that's what we talked about several weeks ago.
But still, not a single piece of furniture has been sold.
It's not that they refused to take it.
The purchasing agent hasn't come even once since then.
"T-this has never happened before."
I also worry about Julia, who lowers her eyebrows anxiously.
Julia was the last one who met the agent, and I'm at the academy during the day, so I've never met the agent.
However, if we can't sell it through the agent, who is our lifeline, we have no choice but to sell it ourselves, me and Julia.
I want to leave it to Julia, but I can only see a future where she gets bought out completely.
In that case, I feel like it's better to leave the store to Julia and I'll go sell it.
"Well, if he's not coming, there's nothing we can do. For now, I'll find a store that's likely to sell it and I'll go sell it."
"I'm sorry, please."
I put my hand on Julia's head as she said that apologetically.
"Let's try our best to get through this, okay? It's an important store that your father left for you, right?"
"......Thank you, thank you very much."
With that, Julia lowered her head deeply.
A smaller body than me, thin shoulders.
Is this a desire to protect? Paternal instinct?
For some reason, I get the impression that Julia, who has only graduated from elementary school, is very naive, so I end up taking care of her.
"Um, Rai-san."
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
Julia raised her face as if she had made up her mind.
She opened and closed her mouth as if she wanted to say something, and then her eyes wandered restlessly.
Her cheeks were slightly red, and even I, who am insensitive to love, could tell that I had done something wrong.
"Oh, sorry. I was being too familiar."
I immediately removed my hand from Julia's head and distanced myself.
"I have a younger sister, so I'm sorry for treating Julia the same way. Somehow, when I look at Julia, I remember my sister."
At my words, the redness faded from Julia's cheeks.
"Well, Julia can think of me as a brother and rely on me more."
"...Thank you."
A somewhat complicated smile.
I think she probably has feelings for me.
Well, if you're in a situation where you don't know what to do with the store's management, and an older person who is a stranger to you is racking their brains and taking action for you almost every day, you'd be a little nervous.
The age isn't that far apart either.
However, even if Julia were to pour those feelings out on me, there's no way I, the 'Seventh Prince', could respond.
In the end, I'm going to leave this store, and no matter how much Julia begs, I can't stay by her side or take her with me.
I hope this thought is unnecessary...
When I glance at Julia, there are slight tears in her eyes.
"U-um. I'll go check the inventory in the back for a bit!"
"Okay. Understood."
But as far as I can see, I don't think my thoughts are wrong.
I can't say, "I stole your first love."
I never thought I'd be worrying about something like this...
Anyway, I should think about the store rather than Julia.
Next time, I'll invite Artur and Shirou to go on a market survey and shopping.
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