Money Flowing Like Water

Shiranui Genma could accept that explanation, but in this world, it was a bit too much.

If those ideas were genuine, then the owner behind them had to be an extraordinary person. But if they were fake, then something was definitely being concealed.

After all, for a Clothing Store to operate at that level, it would be very easy to drain itself dry.

The Waitresses needed training, and there had to be enough of them. Whenever they encountered children, they also had to spend money on candy. And the interior decor was not merely meant to display the merchandise—it also had to enhance the beauty of the goods.

The initial investment alone was enormous. As for how much they earned, while the clothes were among the most expensive on the market, given the spending power of such a small town, Shiranui Genma found it difficult to believe that this store could keep operating indefinitely.

Therefore, the owner of this store definitely had quite the background. But Genma was about to leave this town, so it was better not to meddle in other people's business.

"Genma, are we still buying clothes?"

Kurenai had looked around at their surroundings for quite a while. Seeing that Genma was still lost in thought, she was starting to get impatient and timidly interrupted him.

"Uh, yes, we're buying. Of course we're buying. Not only are we buying, we're buying several sets. Hmm—first, let's get some for your father. Then I'll accompany you to pick out some clothes~"

The last part of Genma's sentence turned ambiguous, drawing repeated snickers from the Waitress beside them. Kurenai lowered her head, her face flushed red, as though she did not know what to think.

"Clothes for a middle-aged man—would you like ninja-style outfits, or casual clothes for everyday wear?"

"Several sets of both. Money isn't an issue."

Before Kurenai could speak, Genma agreed like a nouveau riche.

And money truly was not an issue. Before he left, his parents had anticipated this situation and stuffed him with a whole box of cash.

"Genma, did you bring that much money?"

Not knowing the full situation, Kurenai glanced at the calm and composed Shiranui Genma beside her, feeling somewhat uneasy.

"Ah, well... my parents told me to bring that much. After all, I'm not traveling alone anymore~"

"Then... all right. I'll pay you back later~"

"???"

Countless black question marks appeared over Shiranui Genma's head. It felt as though Kurenai was trying to distance herself from him.

What was going on? Had they gotten too close, and she was starting to find him annoying?

He had always had the feeling that ever since they entered the same team, the two of them were no longer as close as before, as though a mountain stood between them.

They said people did not cherish things that came too easily. Perhaps because it had all come too easily, it had led to their current situation.

He had given Kurenai too much. Instead, their bond had become less profound than during those days when they had worked hard together and had nothing.

Although he seemed to have a vague clue, wasn't love simply about wholeheartedly treating the person you loved well?

Thinking of how Asuma treated Kurenai in the original story, he seemed to have made a habit of giving her flowers, while always acting rather shy.

Had Genma crossed the line? Had he started treating Kurenai as his lover too early?

Kurenai did not know that just one sentence from her had sent Genma into an endless spiral of thoughts.

As for whether his thoughts were right or not, he had little experience with romance. If he did not know what to do, then even knowing the reason would be of no help.

He had already begun to slowly understand Kurenai's past and pay attention to her thoughts. But whether he could make Kurenai regain those feelings, Genma was still deeply uncertain.

Thinking of the romances he had seen before, generally speaking, as long as someone was interesting, wealthy, cultured, and good-looking, that was more or less enough.

At this moment, it still seemed somewhat difficult for him to understand the peculiar views on love that had arisen in this special world.

However, Kurenai's actions made him realize that she needed certain boundaries. Perhaps she needed private space, or perhaps she hoped he would support her independence.

His thoughts continued to wander. Before he noticed, the Waitress had taken out two outfits and handed them to Kurenai.

"Young customer, you can take a look at these two outfits. One is suitable for going out. Not only is it good quality and comfortable to wear, it can also withstand some attacks in battle."

"Withstand attacks? It can do that? What level of attack can it withstand?"

Kurenai asked in surprise, and even Genma, whose thoughts had been drifting, became interested.

"It isn't actually a very impressive ability. According to the boss, it can only block Shuriken thrown from a distance. But... that also depends on the person using the Shuriken. If their strength is at the Genin level, it usually won't be a problem."

The Waitress gave a very honest introduction to the outfit's capabilities. She even took out a Shuriken and, under Kurenai's astonished gaze, vigorously slashed the clothing several times.

It was unclear how it worked, but only a faint scratch remained on the clothing, one that could only be seen up close. It had not actually been cut through.

"Actually, I'm a little weak, so I can only manage this much. But that's also why the boss allows us to demonstrate it to customers this way. The boss has extremely high standards for everything in the store, and we also have great faith in everything the boss sells."

The Waitress spoke casually, but Genma and Kurenai, seeing such a scene for the first time, were both nearly unable to recover from the shock.

Selling clothes this aggressively, and with such confidence—taking things this far was simply terrifying.

"Some customers have even been frightened before. It seems the two of you ninja customers have much better acceptance than ordinary people."

"So this is your first time receiving ninja customers?"

Naturally, Genma was the one who asked such a pointed question. Kurenai, meanwhile, had already been completely drawn in by the clothes filling the room.

"Not my first time. But it is my first time receiving ninja customers as young as you two. Still, customer, these kinds of clothes are very expensive. Even Daimyo would rush to get them. They normally wouldn't be brought out unless there were special circumstances~"

The Waitress's words clearly carried the suspicion of inflating the clothes' value, but Genma knew very well that clothing capable of blocking Shuriken thrown by a Genin might even save someone's life at a critical moment.

Although it was still somewhat inferior to armor, it was already extremely rare.

For Genma, who was never short on money, there was no need to worry about whether something was expensive or not.

Still, even if he did not care about money, he needed to know the rough cost. It would be embarrassing if he actually could not afford to pay.

"Ahem, how much was this outfit again?"

"One hundred thousand!"

The Waitress answered firmly, making it seem as though bargaining would be extremely difficult.

Hearing the price of one hundred thousand, Kurenai also grew a little worried and looked at Shiranui Genma expectantly.

"Uh, that's still acceptable. But casual clothes won't be that expensive too, right?"

He had brought Two Million Ryo this time, enough to buy clothes for the two of them here. But he had also thought of his parents and his teacher.

Besides, he now had a jonin instructor as well. Giving him clothes like these for his birthday would also be necessary.

"Of course not. Ordinary clothes range from several tens of thousands of ryo to one hundred thousand ryo. Naturally, the prettier the clothes, the more expensive they will be."

The Waitress's expression became gentle again, and Genma finally relaxed.

"Alright then. Kurenai, hurry up and check whether the size fits. If it does, we'll buy it."

Kurenai gave Genma a complicated look before lowering her head to examine the clothes.

Next came the time for a man to show off his shopping talent. Kurenai was still too shy to let herself go. If the girl would not take the initiative, then the man had to take charge and set the pace.

Before long, as Genma picked out clothes for Kurenai and kept urging her to try them on, she gradually adapted, and her smile slowly blossomed.

Despite her young age, Kurenai was remarkably stunning. Though they were all children's clothes, when worn by Kurenai, they made her look like Cinderella dressed for a ball.

The Waitress was also tactful enough to keep praising her, allowing Genma's plans to succeed step by step.

After a frenzied shopping spree, he had somehow bought Kurenai six outfits—three to wear now and three for later—leaving Kurenai at a complete loss.

But Genma kept muttering things like how he was not short on money and how buying clothes for his future wife was only natural, making Kurenai too embarrassed to argue.

After they had finished buying the clothes, the Waitress led the two of them to pay.

Only at the register did he realize that he had been having so much fun that the Two Million Ryo he had brought was nearly gone...

This made Genma, who usually considered himself wealthy, suddenly understand the importance of money. His parents were helping him out this time, but next time he would have to handle it himself.

Still, after spending so much money and seeing the Waitress beaming with delight, Shiranui Genma could not help asking, "Big sister, we bought so many clothes, so our total spending should count as quite a lot, right? Is there any discount or something?"

The Waitress's expression immediately changed, thinking Genma was about to haggle.

But on second thought, what he said made sense. After all, it would be a long time before they saw such a big customer again. They might have to be a little generous with discounts.

"As for discounts, we aren't authorized to decide that. But you are the first person to spend so much, so we can make an exception. I'll need to ask the boss first."

Hearing that, Genma did not immediately ask her to consult the boss. Instead, he rested a hand against his chin and continued, "Actually, compared to a one-time discount, I'd rather have VIP status—something that gives me discounts whenever I come in the future."

"VIP status..." The Waitress murmured a few times, then frowned in realization. "I'll go speak with the boss. I'll convey your request as well."

"Mm, alright. Sorry to trouble you."

"You're too polite, little customer~" Leaving behind a sweet smile, the Waitress departed.

At that moment, Genma and Kurenai sat in the resting area, leisurely eating fruit and all kinds of snacks. It had to be said that the shop's arrangements were incredibly thoughtful, making Genma wonder whether the owner behind it was a perfectionist.

Although this area was only available to customers who had made purchases, the refreshments provided were all high-quality.

No matter where one was, money was a wonderful thing. As Genma ate snacks and fruit, many bold ideas suddenly came to mind.

But when he remembered the unpredictable life of a ninja that awaited him, he dismissed those thoughts again.