*** (Time rewinds slightly)

  The sun had set, and the faint glow of magic lamps drifted through the house.

  The forest on the mountain behind us was pitch black, and stars shimmered in the sky.

  Having barely escaped with my life, I tried to figure out who—or what—had pushed me.

  If it was a monster, entering the forest would be dangerous for the time being.

  The night woods rustled as if something were lurking within.

  "It was probably just trying to eliminate an enemy that entered its territory."

  "Anyway, it’s probably best to stay out of the forest for a while."

  "True. It’s not like I have a full database on this world either."

  "I see... By the way, what’s the deal with those clothes?"

  I’d been wondering for a while—were her clothes made of clay, too?

  "These are earth fibers. They exist to maintain the default texture of my external shell—my avatar."

  What the heck are earth fibers? And stop using such difficult words.

  "So, the skin and the clothes are made of the same material?"

  "Well... I suppose so."

  "Doesn't that technically mean you're naked?"

  "...Seriously?"

  Lurdona gave a sweet, chilly smile.

  < Flip! Thump! >

  My body hit the ground. Slammed onto the grass on my back, the air was forced out of my lungs.

  It seemed to be Lurdona's magic.

  She looked down at me with cold, indifferent eyes.

  "For a high-dimensional logic entity like myself, the concept of physical exposure doesn't even exist. This visual data is simply the result of rendering the cache based on your thirsty imagination inside your own brain. Got it? You perverted shopkeeper."

  What is this girl talking about? She was born from a Haniwa, for crying out loud.

  "You didn't have to throw me like that..."

  Still sprawled on the ground, I took another good look at Lurdona.

  Her design wasn't bad—a mix of Eastern and Western doll aesthetics, almost like a server at a modern Japanese-style cafe.

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  ...Though, of course, Haniwa have much more beautiful curves.

  But if I said that out loud, I’d probably get hit again, so I stood up in silence.

  "Well, I can instinctively tell that moonlight is the key. Let's put the doll you made under tonight’s full moon and see what happens."

  Lurdona spoke, her smile still radiating intense pressure.

  "As you wish, Captain."

  "Good."

  I placed the doll on the windowsill where the moonlight hit. It was a tiny Haniwa.

  "I bet a moving doll like this would sell for a fortune."

  "I doubt the rarity is that high since things like golems exist. Well, it might depend on the shape. Maybe a cat-type would be good."

  "Cat ears! Oh, I can feel the creative juices flowing now!"

  Conveniently mishearing her, I began preparing to work the clay.

  "...Well, let’s go with that for now. Anyway... there's something I want you to create for me out of clay."

  She made her request, and as I was enjoying the craft under the full moon sky... that was when the guest arrived.

  ***

  As we watched her figure fade into the distance, Lurdona spoke up, sounding a bit apologetic.

  "Was that really okay?"

  "It’ll be fine. I just hope word doesn't spread that this is a shop that hands out discounts and credit at the drop of a hat."

  "There’s no social media here, so I'm sure it’s fine."

  Her reasoning was strangely realistic.

  "Still, even if it's only for a full moon night, was it okay to sell a universal panacea that cheaply?"

  "I don't see why not. If other customers ask later, we can just say we were having a grand opening sale."

  "Anyway, the balance is 750,000, so I'm writing it down."

  "She’ll definitely come back to pay. She's a good girl."

  Lurdona believed in her completely.

  (If that girl turns out to be a scammer, Lurdona is going to be absolutely livid...)

  "If the Moon-Evening Grass only works tonight, how much will it be tomorrow?"

  "If you process and preserve it, it seems to retain some potency. Maybe 200,000 per bag if it’s dried?"

  "I see. In that case, how about we lower the price as the night goes on? 500,000 at 8 PM, 450,000 at 9 PM, and so on..."

  "I suppose that's fine for the night of a full moon, but Kutani, do you intend to keep the shop open all night?"

  "Well, that's the plan. Like a Japanese convenience store—they stay open 24/7, after all."

  "And when, exactly, do you plan to sleep?"

  "...Could you take the night shift? You seem like a nocturnal type anyway."

  "Fine, but are the parts I requested finished?"

  "Almost done with all of them."

  "Once those are ready, I’ll take the job."

  By the time I finished crafting the entire requested amount, it was already late at night, and I finally made it to my bed.

  ***

  The next day, while it was still dim outside. Walking into the shop area half-asleep, I found a note from Lurdona.

  'The flow of customers has finally stopped, so I'm going to go thank everyone at the scrap heap. I’ve put the sales from the Moon-Evening Grass and various sundries in the back shelf.'

  I headed to the back and peered into the shelf drawer. It was there. Counting the bills and coins, it came to over a million.

  "Over a million in sales in just one night, huh?"

  I felt optimistic, thinking that paying back the debt would be a piece of cake.

  "...Wait a second. My debt is ten billion. Even if a full moon night comes a hundred times... I still won't make it."

  My shoulders slumped in disappointment.

  ...Still, it wasn't a bad start. Standing before that pile of money, I couldn't help but smirk like an old-time merchant.

  Just then, Lurdona returned.

  "I'm back."

  "Ah, welcome back. Did the thanking go well?"

  "Well enough. I think 'that' should do it."

  Her satisfied expression was bathed in the morning sun, radiating a soft, gentle light.

  "So, what are we selling today?"

  Lurdona asked, her arms crossed.

  "Nothing, really. I guess I’ll just put out some lumps of clay for now..."

  I stared at the shelves, which were now almost empty. Everything worth selling had been sold, leaving only cheap items like firewood and wild herbs.

  "Speaking of which, what happened to that little Haniwa you left in the moonlight?"

  "...I completely forgot about that!"

  The Haniwa on the windowsill. If it was moving, it would surely sell for a high price as a toy.

  I might have just given birth to a legendary artifact.

  (I just hope it hasn't turned into some kind of cursed item...)

  Harboring both anticipation and anxiety, we raced toward the windowsill.