Chapter 24 (1/2)
Picture by
The new semester is starting so this could be my last post, like last time anyone can feel free to pick this novel up. Bye.
Sales of gla.s.ses are growing steadily. There was that matter before too, I am grateful to the Prime Minister. Other goods are being sold little by little. Even though it's so expensive.
Oh, I also sold the wagon. Sven-san and the others bought it after a lot of consideration. Their unexpected sudden income would eventually run out. “If so then let’s invest in the future before that happens”, they seem to had decided. Just in case I also explained renting and leasing, but after mostly understanding the arrangement they still decided ”that's no good”. Un, manly right.
The reselling price was almost the same. That's already a huge service. I gave them a strict order to not disclose the actual purchase price. Threatening, ”If others also asked to sell them at that price, the store will collapse.” Everybody nodded with serious faces. They probably thought that it was a big deficit. Please act as a billboard and create the demand!(需要を掘り起こしてくれたまえ！)
They were satisfied with the product. Until now we had to collect small and light medicinal herbs due to carrying capacity, and that took time. If we could carry a lot then we can center around hunting and stop collecting medicinal plants and wild vegetables. Faster movement speed on the way back, less stress on our bodies. Un, your shoulder among other things would be worn-out if you carry that weight on tree branches and you won't be working for a while.
They already went to the forest centering around hunting several times, and it seems that it has produced considerable results. That's because the hunting time has nearly doubled. It’s probably fine to say that they now specialize in hunting.
But Ilse-chan seems to can't help but be curious about the crossbow, every time we meet she seems conflicted looking like she wants to say something. Umm, crossbows have been around for a long time, on Earth that is. I wonder what to do…
What about the general sale of wagons… Maybe for order only. What about the price? If it’s for mercenaries and hunters then it can't be very expensive. Un, that’s the main problem.(要・熟考)
Ah, I finally used the saving hole. When I deposit the first gold coins, I had great expectations. Putting my ear on the pipe at the same time I deposited……
But it didn't make a sound. That's right, it won't make that ”chari~n” sound until a certain amount of gold coins is already inside. Darnit.(ちくせう)
Recently, Sabine-chan's mood has been worsening. The reason is the many interruptions to her DVDs from the number of customers increasing. ”Lower the number of customers”, no, that’s a little……
”Or allow entry to the 3rd floor?” No, I'm too scared you'll say something like ”I'm going to live here” if you go there.
Also, please stop bringing Prince Ruben, please.
Oh, before this, Beatrice-chan came and encountered Sabine-chan. I was really surprised. They know each other. They had a chance to interact even before their debutants.
Ah, was the low-rank princess and the earl's eldest daughter appointed to be playmates? It's something like a school friend, is that so. You're a bit older so you get to care for the princess right.
Sabine-chan, please stop talking about DVDs to Beatrice-chan. Don't show it!!
Chiri Rin
A 17~18 year-old girl heads straight my way. Eh, what?
「Excuse me, is the consultation office here」
Oh, it was worth hanging the completed wooden sign! A consultation request after a long time!
Oh, a signboard with the store name was also made, of course.
The content of the consultation was roughly like this.
The girl’s home runs a dining hall; with both parents, the girl, and 2 hired chefs for a total of 5 people running the place. The father is the chief, a 28-year-old man employee is the second, a 19-year-old man is an apprentice/laborer, the girl and her mother work as the waitresses/clerks, and the girl is studying cooking. The store was running without any problems.
However, things started going bad when the second son of a big restaurant in the city laid his eyes on the girl. The bright and lively girl has the ability to attract people, the second son unilaterally hits on the girl. The second son keeps being persistent no matter how much the girl refuses being already attracted to a young apprentice chef.
Meanwhile, the second son’s father: a restaurant shopkeeper, plans to have his second son who won't inherit the restaurant to take over the dining hall by marrying the girl and having the second son succeed it. He couldn't cause any direct disturb or hara.s.sment them because that would hurt the reputation of the dining hall he planned to have his son succeed, to temporarily deteriorate its management and create a debt, he first offered the senior chef favorable conditions to lure him away.
And then a subsequent incident where her father 『was suddenly attacked by a mysterious a.s.sailant who aimed only at his right arm and cleanly fractured the bone』 happened. It'll heal completely after some time, but he cannot cook for a while. And so, unable to continue running, the dining hall has been closed for several days.
Regarding restaurant shopkeeper's plan, it seems that one of their employees who owns her father told them secretly.
The content of the request was extremely simple.
『Help us!』
「Please wait a moment」
Saying that Mitsuharu puts a 『Taking a special request so the shop will be closed for a while』 notice outside the door, lock it and close the curtain.
General Store Mitsuha consultation request department, it's big job after a long time!
But, such a heavy story, why did you feel like consulting me who looks 11~12 years old?
Oh, you're friends with a Liner family servant, is that so.
「Then first, let's confirm the situation. First of all, the goal is restarting the store and continuing business. And stopping the financial situation’s deterioration. Furthermore, eliminating the interference from the restaurant and preventing further tampering. And getting a goal in(marriage) with the apprentice if possible. Is this alright」
「Y, yes……」
The girl was surprised at the much younger Mitsuha's calm words and got a little red on the last item.
「First of all, it will be hard to hire a new chef at this time, won't it? Even if an inexperienced person is hired they won't be an immediate a.s.set, and there shouldn't be any skilled veteran chefs looking for a job. If done badly, a cook paid off by the restaurant could pull the rug from under you」
「Eh……」
The girl who never thought of such a thing was surprised at Mitsuha’s intelligence and how bad the situation really was.
「So, to solve this problem we need to, reopen the dining hall with the personnel at hand and resume business without recruiting any strangers, make enough profits to recover the losses during the closed period, take measures to ensure stable profit afterwards, lure the restaurant owner who plans to speed up the dining hall’s self-destruction(料理店店主の思惑を潰して焦らせて自滅を誘うこと) and imprint enough damage and fear to make him give up meddling further. Something like that」