When Erina finally came back to her senses, the shock still lingered in her eyes.
The strange looks from those around her felt a little uncomfortable—
But there was something else on her mind now.
"…Um, Izumi-san."
She hesitated slightly before asking,
"How many points would Mystia-san's culinary knowledge cost?"
After all—
If someone could create food that delicious…
Just how valuable was her knowledge?
Izumi didn't even blink.
"You can't afford it. Don't bother thinking about it."
His tone was flat, almost merciless.
"Instead of worrying about that, you should think about how you're going to earn points."
"We don't accept money here."
"Gold, cash—anything like that is completely useless."
"What we want are rare and valuable things."
"And a normal world like yours doesn't really produce those."
Erina froze.
He was right.
Even if she knew the price—
She wouldn't be able to afford it anyway.
Looking at the card in her hand—
She realized something painful.
Her current wealth…
Was barely enough for a few meals.
"…I'm so poor…"
Tears almost welled up in her eyes.
She looked at Izumi.
Then at Mystia.
Then at everyone else present.
A deep sense of helplessness crept in.
What am I supposed to do?
How do I earn points here?
Compared to a world like this—
Her own world had no advantage whatsoever.
Their "value" was practically nonexistent.
For a moment—
She felt completely lost.
Seeing her troubled expression, Izumi smiled slightly.
"In that case… how about this?"
"We offer loan services."
Erina blinked.
"…Loan?"
"You can open a shop here in the city."
"Serve other visitors."
"You could even bring your family over to help."
"Once you earn enough points, you can pay me back."
As he spoke, a subtle smile appeared on his lips.
This wasn't just kindness.
If Erina came more often—
And brought more people with her—
Her world would gradually begin to merge with his.
Especially someone like her—
A central figure of her world.
If she brought along others with strong "fate"—
The fusion would accelerate even further.
That was what Alaya and Gaia had told him.
And that was precisely why—
He had bought things at such low prices.
Because only then—
Would people be motivated to come here and work.
Just imagining a city filled with workers from other worlds—
Izumi found it incredibly amusing.
Erina's eyes lit up.
"…Open a shop here?"
That idea…
Wasn't bad at all.
But soon, she frowned.
"I can't decide that on my own."
"I need to ask my grandfather first."
After all—
This wasn't something she could just decide impulsively.
She couldn't just disappear from her world without explanation.
Izumi nodded.
"That's fine."
With a snap of his fingers—
The card in her hand floated into his grasp.
"You already know what this is."
"But let me explain its full function."
He tapped the card lightly.
A projection appeared in front of Erina.
"This card is linked to the invitation you used earlier."
"It's now fused with you."
"If you want to come back here next time—this is your key."
"Each card allows you to bring up to ten people."
"If you exceed that, you'll need to spend points."
Erina listened intently.
"At the same time," Izumi continued,
"This card also contains a catalog of items available in this world."
"And in the future, if you have enough points…"
"You can ask Kayo—the girl who gave you the card earlier—"
"To unlock storage functionality."
Erina's eyes widened.
This wasn't just a card—
It was an entire system.
In truth, it was the result of Asagi Aiba and the others pouring immense effort into its creation.
A fusion of magical engineering and advanced technology—
Refined through countless failures.
And then—
Mass-produced through Izumi's authority.
Everything about it was top-tier.
After hearing the full explanation, Erina couldn't hide her amazement.
But then—
Another concern surfaced.
"…What if I lose it?"
Izumi immediately rolled his eyes.
"You're underestimating our scientists."
"You can't lose it."
"When you return to your world, it will automatically hide inside your body."
"Think of it like an implanted chip."
As he spoke—
He placed the card against her forehead.
It dissolved instantly.
Erina gasped.
"…Amazing!"
At that moment, she instinctively understood how to use it.
With a thought—
The card reappeared in her hand.
Even if she discarded it—
She could summon it back at will.
Because now—
It was a part of her.
Understanding this, Erina's perception of this world deepened.
This place…
Was incredible.
And Izumi—
As its ruler—
Just how powerful was he?
A god of creation?
Without realizing it—
A trace of admiration appeared in her heart.
Seeing her expression, Izumi simply smiled.
"Alright, that's everything."
"You can finish your meal."
"This one's on me."
"Fifty points may not get you much…"
"But you can still take some food back for your grandfather."
"It'll be good for his health."
He stood up casually.
"Go back and talk to him."
"Then come open a shop here."
"I'm sure…"
"He won't refuse."