Borderland Town lies on the frontier of the Kingdom of Fiore. Because monster invasions are frequent here, the local economy centered around mages is extremely well developed. Water resources are abundant, the climate is pleasant year-round, and to the north and east the town borders other nations, making trade and commerce equally prosperous.
The land is covered with wetlands, which attract a large number of tourists. From a strategic standpoint, this territory is practically priceless.
Borderland Town also places great emphasis on agriculture. Simply scattering seeds on this land yields a decent harvest, and with dedicated farming, the returns can be quite substantial.
The vast majority of people who come to Borderland Town are mages or traveling merchants.
Noel found himself tempted. He wanted to open a small shop here, so he had purchased a building in the area. However, because no locals understood potion-making, he had yet to find a suitable employee.
Stepping onto the land of Borderland Town once more, Noel took a deep breath of the fresh air. It had been a long time since he had last visited this place.
It really was nostalgic. Perhaps it could even be a good place to retire someday—though that was a matter for the future.
When he arrived at his shop, weeds had grown all around it. However, several people were already waiting in front of the door. Something about the scene felt… off.
"Hello, I'm the owner of this shop. Which one of you is Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki?" Noel asked, glancing at the three people standing before him and examining them carefully.
They were far too handsome.
Their demeanor was more like nightclub hosts than shop assistants. Standing in front of his potion shop, the contrast was jarring. And why did they have glowing special effects around them?
"We are Try Men's."
"'White Night' Hibiki."
"'Holy Night' Eve."
"'Sky Night' Ren."
Where were these spotlights even coming from? This damn special effect—Noel couldn't help but complain inwardly.
"So which one of you is here for the interview?" Noel asked again.
"Master Ichiya will be here shortly," Hibiki explained immediately.
Noel suddenly felt that this interview had already gone completely off the rails. And besides, he was hiring a potion shop clerk, not a host!
A figure suddenly appeared on the roof of the potion shop. The surroundings seemed to dim, as if all light had converged onto that single figure.
"That's enough!"
The voice rang out as the figure leapt down, landing smoothly on the ground—then striking a dramatic pose.
"Master Ichiya!"
"What a gentle voice!"
"The main character has arrived!"
The three exclaimed in awe. Noel couldn't help but feel a little curious himself—just what kind of person was this?
As the smoke cleared, the figure revealed himself.
A short man with brown hair and a distinctly sleazy appearance.
"You are…?" Noel asked, confused.
"I forgot to introduce myself. I am Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki." Ichiya bowed deeply at a perfect ninety degrees, politely introducing himself.
"You're Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki?" Noel asked again, just to be sure.
"That's me." Ichiya adjusted his hair and struck another pose.
Noel was utterly speechless. With that image standing at the front desk, his shop might not get any customers at all. On the other hand, the other three would be perfect—easily surpassing 99% of men in appearance. If he could keep even one of them, it would surely attract crowds to buy his potions.
"I heard you also understand potion-making," Noel said.
"Of course." Ichiya produced a small green bottle and removed the stopper. A fragrant aroma drifted out immediately.
Noel quickly covered his nose. In experiments, most airborne substances were harmful to the body, and he had long since developed this habit.
The other three, however, looked like they were thoroughly enjoying it.
"As expected of Master Ichiya."
"It smells amazing!"
They exclaimed repeatedly.
"This is the effect of Pain-Relief Essence," Ichiya explained.
Seeing that the others were fine, Noel lowered his hand.
The essence contained medicinal components, and the scent was very pleasant. If he could improve it further, it might become the shop's signature product. A new idea immediately formed in Noel's mind.
However, anyone capable of producing something like this was either an alchemist or a mage. Noel examined them more carefully.
He noticed the guild marks on all four of them. Ichiya's guild mark was orange, and the emblem resembled a winged horse.
"You're mages from Blue Pegasus?" Noel realized.
"So we've been found out."
"It's our damn irresistible charm."
"Well, we are pretty famous. I show up in magazines all the time!" the three hosts joked.
It seemed they were here for a mission. The so-called interview was probably just a convenient cover to find a place to stay. He had hoped to hire a long-term employee, but his plans had fallen through again.
"I'll cooperate with you," Noel said, somewhat disappointed.
Ichiya noticed the yellow guild mark on Noel. "You're from Fairy Tail?" he asked curiously.
Damn—he'd been recognized. His yellow guild mark really was too conspicuous.
"How has Erza been lately?" Ichiya said, touching the blue rose on his chest.
"You know Erza?" Noel asked, surprised.
"Of course. I exist solely for Miss Erza," Ichiya replied.
"So a friend of a friend is a friend," Noel said.
"Master Ichiya really knows so many people."
"So admirable."
The three applauded enthusiastically.
"This is men~." Ichiya struck yet another pose.
Noel seriously began questioning his life choices. Had coming to Borderland Town been a mistake?
Still, since they were friends from Blue Pegasus, it wouldn't be right to leave them standing outside.
"If there's anything to discuss, let's do it inside."
Noel opened the door. Contrary to expectations, the shop wasn't dusty at all—it was surprisingly clean. Noel hired someone to clean it regularly, which cost him a fair amount.
That said, for an alchemist, it was a trivial expense. A year's worth of cleaning fees equaled the net profit from selling a single potion.
The potion shop was mostly finished: the counter, display shelves, kitchen, rest area, and even living quarters were all in place.
"Welcome. What would you like?" Holy Night Eve casually mixed a drink and placed it beside Noel. "Care to try some wine I made?"
"I'm still underage. I can't drink alcohol," Noel replied dryly.