Kazuma knew this world had printing presses. He'd realized that the first time he'd seen paper money. He had also spotted a few books and occasionally there would be wanted posters not only in the guild hall but plastered on every shop window and guard post. The posters would have an image of the person and a list of their crimes along with the offered reward all in block letters. This world, or at least this kingdom, used words made up of letters from an alphabet as opposed to kanji like in Japan. There were no newspapers though and no libraries or bookstores. Books were mostly for scholars and researchers and were expensive. People in this world didn't really have the concept of reading as a leisure activity. What people in this world mostly did for fun was sing or go to plays or drink or play games. Games were very popular in this world. Kazuma couldn't remember one time walking into the guild and not spotting at least one card game going on. This was morning, noon, or night.

Yes, games in this world were quite popular, and card games were common.

He was sitting in the guild hall one day idly watching the members of another party playing this world's version of poker. They were using copper and silver coins as chips. Kazuma had learned the rules and really liked the game. Unfortunately, no one in the guild hall would play him anymore. And the handful of gambling dens in Axel had threatened to break his arms if he ever visited them. He couldn't really blame them as his luck made any game of chance he participated in completely unfair. Well… he didn't blame them too much.

Even before coming to this world he'd always kicked ass in games. He'd never once lost at rock, paper, scissors. He'd been a total bad ass in all the different RPG and online quest games he'd played. Even as a little kid he'd always ruled at the games played in the cafeteria between classes. It was remembering some of those sessions that gave him a thought.

"Hey, Darkness, what kinds of games do kids in this world play?"

"Games?" She sounded startled. "Well, girls play mostly with dolls. Boys play with balls or with toy swords." Darkness smiled fondly. "I was an exception. I never played with dolls, I pretended to be a knight and made the boys 'duel' me with wooden swords."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow. "By duel I'm guessing you stood there and let all of them beat on you as much as they liked."

Her cheeks reddened. "W… Wh…. What?! I would n… never do any such thing!"

Kazuma rolled his eyes. "Sure. Anyway, do boys ever play card games?"

"Cards?" Darkness looked and sounded confused. "Card games are for adults; children usually don't start to play them until they are at least in their teens."

"That so?" Kazuma began rubbing his hands together.

"Hey, you're not thinking of getting little kids to gamble with you, are you?" Megumin accused. "Even for a panty thief like you that would be pretty low."

"Kazuma," Darkness said frowning. "You're not are you? Children shouldn't gamble."

"No! Geez, what kind of guy do you think I am?"

"The kind who steals a girl's panties and keeps them," Megumin said.

"You deserved it." Kazuma finished off his ale and stood. "Darkness, do you know where I can find a print shop?"

"Print shop?" She sounded more confused than ever.

XXX

It turned out that except for the banks there was only one printing press in Axel. Not surprisingly the banks only used theirs to print currency and didn't allow outside orders. The one printing press that was available belonged to a blacksmith names Samuel and was located in a small side room attached to his smithy. Working as a smith was his main occupation and source of income. He kept the printing press as a minor side business. He would occasionally get orders for wanted posters, invitations, and a handful of texts. When Samuel showed the press to him there was a light layer of dust on it.

"I don't get more than five or six orders a year," the muscular blacksmith told him. "It doesn't bring in much, but then I do all the work myself and the customers have to pay for the paper and ink, so at least it doesn't cost me anything."

Kazuma stared at the machine. It was hand operated of course and didn't look very impressive. But it was functional, and the owner knew how to operate it.

"Could you make cards with this?"

"Cards? As in playing cards?"

"That's right."

Samuel rubbed at his chin. "Don't see why not, so long as you provide the paper and ink. Would you need me to cut them too?"

Kazuma nodded. "How much would it cost me?"

"I charge 5,000 eris for each 100 sheets I print, and 5,000 is the minimum no matter how small the job is. It's not worth the trouble of setting up the blocks otherwise. There's no extra charge for cutting the sheets down though, and like I said before you have to pay for all the materials."

Kazuma grinned and held his hand out. "Sounds reasonable, I should have some work for you within the next few days."

Samuel shook his hand. "That's fine, just come by any time."

Kazuma could have used his Negotiation skill to get a lower price, but deliberately decided not to. The price being charged was already pretty reasonable, and if things worked out the way he hoped he'd have a lot more work for this guy. It was a good idea to keep things on friendly terms and not try to squeeze every eris out of him that he could.

Darkness waited until they left the shop to speak up. "Kazuma, are you planning to go into business making playing cards?"

"Something like that."

She frowned. "I don't know much about business, but there are already a bunch of businesses that make them. And playing cards are common. I don't really see how you are going to make much of a profit from this."

"Oh, theses cards won't be for the regular games everyone here plays. They'll be for a kid's game they play where I'm from."

Darkness clasped her hands together. "You mean from Japan?! That savage and barbaric place where restaurants have young girls dress up as maids and serve men while they demean themselves and call everyone 'master?'"

On the long walks going to and from adventures he'd shared a few more stories about home with Darkness to help pass the time.

"That's right. It was very popular with the boys there and I think the ones here might like it too."

Her cheeks blushed. "K… Kazuma, you said these games are for children. They wouldn't have c… certain adult themes to them, would they? While I am sure in your country that is normal, here parents would be very offended with that sort of thing."

He sent her an annoyed look. "Geez! Seriously! What kind of guy do you think I am?"

She looked away as her cheeks got even more red. "The s… sort who w… would t… tie a woman to a bed and… and…"

"You deserved it," he grumbled and picked up his pace. "By the way, do you know any artists?"

"Artists?" She said in confusion.

"Yeah, I suck at drawing."

She looked more confused than ever.

XXX

Darkness didn't know anyone like that. Kazuma had to ask around but eventually found someone who drew some and was pretty good at it. Much as with Samuel, Hapsburg didn't make a living as an artist. Apparently only a handful of people could do that and all of them had royal patronage that allowed them to focus on just art. Hapsburg was a full-time carpenter who just drew because he liked it. He occasionally did requests for friends but didn't make any money from it. When Kazuma approached him about doing a whole series of drawings and inscriptions in exchange for payment he was very eager to accept. Kazuma agreed to pay him 1,000 eris for each card design, and he wanted a hundred of them. Hapsburg was thrilled with the chance to earn 100,000 eris just from drawing.

This actually took over a week because Kazuma needed to oversee the drawings to make sure they were what he wanted. In the meantime, he also found suppliers for the paper and ink he needed.

Throughout this entire process Darkness accompanied him. She was still confused about what he was up to but was getting more and more fascinated by this strange process.

"You want me to use six different colored inks?" Samuel asked when the drawings for the cards were finally complete.

"That's right. Is that a problem?"

"All the prints I've ever done were all just black ink. Why would anyone need more than that?"

Now that Kazuma thought about it, the playing cards and wanted posters he'd seen were all made with just black ink. The only printing he'd ever seen with color used was for money. The paper currency came in green, blue, or gold depending on which bank it was from. But then all the currency also had a magical seal on it too. So Kazuma supposed it was an exception and that color printing was rare in this world.

Kazuma shrugged. "Colors are beautiful and eye catching. You've got to make them something worth looking at."

Samuel frowned and nodded to his press. "It would be a lot more work for me."

"I'll pay an extra 1,000 eris per hundred sheets. I want you to run 1,000 sheets, so that'll come to 60,000 eris total. That sound fair?" He was using his Negotiation skill.

Samuel thought about it for a moment and soon nodded his head and got busy readying the press. You could get 200 cards from a single sheet. So, when he was done there would be a total of 200,000 playing cards, with 2,000 of each individual type. When all of them were done and cut down to size he and Darkness brought them to his home.

XXX

"HeroMon," Darkness read the word printed on the back of the card she was holding. She flipped it over. There was the image of a busty, blonde haired woman in plate armor holding a broadsword. She read the lettering beneath the image. "Crusader. Attack 5. Defense 95. Hit Points 80. Special Ability: 50% resistance to all magical and special attacks." She smirked at Kazuma. "You turned me into a playing card in a children's game. I am not sure if I should be flattered or insulted."

"Be flattered, I could have made your special ability 100% vulnerable to bondage based attacks."

"So cruel!" She gasped and hugged herself.

Kazuma took out a different card. This one had the image of a loli in a red and brown outfit, staff, and pointy hat. The hem of her robe was lifted up as if caught in a breeze and you could very clearly see black panties. The description beneath read: Crimson Demon Archmage. Magical Attack 100. Defense 0. Hit Points 5. Special Ability: Can only attack once. After attack becomes immobile and cannot be removed from the field.

"So, what happens next?" Darkness asked.

"Well, I'll separate the cards into decks of fifty each. That'll give me 4,000 starter decks."

"Do you really expect to be able to sell so many? I mean, I'll admit they're quite lovely. Much prettier than regular playing cards. But do you really think young boys will want to play with them?"

"Well, I admit marketing is going to be a little harder without an anime or commercials."

"What are anime and commercials?"

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, the next step is to find a place where I can sell them."

XXX

The next day when they visited Wiz's magic shop Kazuma was not surprised to see they were the only customers. Wiz was very happy to see them. She immediately began telling them both about the newest item she had just added to her inventory.

"It's a portable toilet!" Wiz said proudly waving at a ceramic bowl about ½ size of what you would find in a privy. "Now no matter where your travels take you, you can relieve yourself comfortably and with privacy!"

Kazuma stared at her. "And how exactly would this be any different than just going in some bushes or behind a tree?"

"You can sit down normally!"

"Wouldn't that just make it easier for people to see what you're doing?"

"Oh. Well, I suppose…"

"So, what happens to the waste? Is there a magical spell to make it vanish or disintegrate or something?"

Wiz blinked and had a blank expression on her face. "What?"

Kazuma looked disgusted. "Don't tell me it's just going to sit there at the bottom of the bowl. And your supposed to carry this along with you on an adventure? How much does it weigh?"

"About forty pounds."

Kazuma stared at her. "You seriously think people are going to lug forty-pound toilets on their backs instead of just squatting down in some bushes when they need to go?"

"…"

"You haven't sold any, have you?"

"…"

"Please tell me you can at least return these things."

"Return?" Wiz sounded mystified.

"Never mind."

"If you're not interested in a portable toilet can I show you something else? I really need to make a sale; my shop is struggling."

"Can't imagine why," Kazuma sighed. "Well, Wiz you're in luck. Because I've got a great business deal for you!" Kazuma produced a deck of his HeroMon cards. "How would you like to be a retailer for the very first product from Satou Industries LLC?"

Wiz's mouth slipped open. "What?"

Darkness was the one to explain. "Kazuma registered with the merchant's guild of Axel. He's allowed to conduct business and make binding contracts as the sole owner of the business. He insisted on giving it a weird name for some reason."

Darkness had a point. This world believed in capitalism and the free market and encouraged business. But there was no real concept of companies, legal liability, stock shares, or anything like that. Businesses could have partners and have a lot of wealth and fame, but there was always an owner or owners. The concept of a company as its own entity didn't exist in this world along with a lot of other practices that had been common back in Japan.

"You've become a merchant?" Wiz asked in surprise.

"No, I'm the CEO and owner of Satou Industries LLC. I am not a merchant, I'm a businessman."

To prove the point, he pulled out the merchant card he'd received from the merchants guild. It had his face along with basic information including the name of his business and address. It was sort of an equivalent to the adventurer's card he carried. It could not be falsified and was proof that he was a member in good standing who could conduct business within the city limits of Axel.

Wiz took the card and looked it over before handing it back. "I see, does this mean you've retired as an adventurer?"

Darkness let out a gasp and brought both hands to her mouth. "Kazuma! It doesn't does it?!"

Kazuma sighed and shook his head. "Relax. I like being an adventurer. You don't need to worry. At least not until I'm making more money through business than I can adventuring."

Darkness looked only somewhat relieved.

"Kazuma, I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I can afford to buy your cards. I already have too many things I can't sell, and I have a lot of merchants and craftsmen trying to convince me to buy their goods all the time! They always make them sound like wonderful products but then after I buy them, they just sit on the shelves for some reason."

Kazuma glanced at the portable commode. "You don't say."

Wiz nodded. "So, I'm sorry, but I don't think I can help you. I just can't afford to buy any more stock for my store."

Kazuma smiled at her and activated Negotiation. "What if I told you, you don't have to pay me a single eris. There's no cost and no risk to you. In fact, I will guarantee you a profit." He pointed to a shelf right in front of the register. "Let me rent this space in your store and let me put up some posters on your store front for advertising. I'll pay you 10,000 eris per month plus I'll let you earn a 5% commission on every pack you sell. The more HeroMon cards you sell the more you'll make, but even if you don't sell a single one, you're guaranteed 10,000 eris income."

Wiz's jaw slipped open. "Wait, you'll pay me to sell your cards in my shop?"

He nodded. "That's right."

"But that's not how shops work. The merchants or craftsmen sell their goods to the shop owner and it's on the shop owner to sell them to the regular customers."

"And how has that business model been working for you?"

Wiz hung her head.

"Wiz, you literally have nothing to lose. Here," he reached into his purse and took out a silver coin. "You can have the first month's payment right now. All you have to do is say yes and clear out a shelf for me. What do you say?"

"Well, I don't see how this is a good deal for you, but if you're sure, all right."

He put the silver coin in her palm and then emptied out a shelf before stocking it with HeroMon starter decks.

XXX

Leaving Wiz's magic shop Darkness turned to Kazuma.

"You're only charging 500 eris per pack? Isn't that rather low?"

"Parents will only spend so much for games for their kids. The starter decks need to be cheap so as many kids as possible get them. Besides, I can always charge more for the booster packs later on."

"What are booster packs?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Well Kazuma, you have your cards for sale in a shop now, but what will do if no one buys them? You've spent quite a bit of eris and haven't gotten anything back for it."

He shrugged. "You have to spend money to make money. And none of the costs have been that big. Even if I end up selling nothing it won't be a huge loss. But I'm not really worried about it. I think the game will be as popular here as in Japan."

"But no one knows anything about it. Why would parents buy these cards for their children?"

"Because their kids will want them and beg for them. An annoying ten year old is the greatest salesman in the world!"

Darkness lifted an eyebrow. "And why would ten year olds want them?"

Kazuma smiled at her.

"K… Ka… Kazuma why are you looking at me that way?"

XXX

Kazuma slapped a card down. "My blue eyes white dragon breathes lightning for seventy-five points of damage!"

"You've slain my Aqua Cult Archpriestess." Darkness turned a card with the image of a blue haired girl passed out clutching a bottle of wine face down.

A small crowd of boys let out a chorus of 'Ooohs.' The two of them were playing a game in a park. A group of nearby boys tossing a ball around had been curious and come over to watch. They were fascinated by the beautiful cards that were like nothing they'd ever seen before. The idea of fighting imaginary battles with different heroes and monsters piqued their interest even more. As they had played Kazuma and Darkness had explained the rules and how the game worked.

When Darkness lost her archpriestess that was the last card out and she lost the game. Kazuma turned to the boys who were watching. "So, any of you want to try and play?"

More than a few stepped up shouting they did.

"Well, tell you what. Why don't you try playing each other? That would be a lot fairer than playing someone like me who is so much older. And here, I'll give each of you a free deck of cards. They're yours to keep."

The boys were in disbelief. A handful of mothers who were there tried to argue that it was much too generous, but Kazuma assured them it was fine. All he cared about was helping these boys play a really fun game. Oh, and if any of their friends wanted to get decks of their own, they could be found at Wiz's Magic Shop. Together Kazuma and Darkness oversaw the matches and explained the rules to any newcomers. It wasn't long before all the boys were locked into imaginary combat with one another.

XXX

Six Weeks Later

Kazuma, Darkness, and Megumin were sitting at a table in the guild hall as an argument broke out a nearby table.

"Hey! You can't use Megumin more than once!"

"Who says?!"

"The card says!"

"Well house rules say explosion lolis are wild!"

"Screw you!"

A fight began. Except for Luna and the staff no one even seemed to notice. HeroMon had gotten even more popular than Kazuma had expected. Not only did kids love the game but adults were quick to pick it up too. Samuel had already gone through six print runs and Wiz was constantly telling him she needed more decks because she'd run out. The first booster pack featuring golems was sold out. A few people complained about paying 1,000 for just five cards, but they bought them anyway. Kazuma was thinking of setting up a tournament with prize money and seeing about opening shops in other cities.

He was also talking with Samuel about closing down his smithy and focusing on his printing business. Kazuma had some ideas about inventing manga and light novels.