AIWON Mall Isekai Store, Grand Opening Today! - Chapter 111
Change Boss to Aniki, The one who calling Naoya as Manager in here are Barbera Papa and that Lizar- Iguanaman.
Episode 10-13
“Ah, I’m really sorry! Hey, you guys, make sure you remember the faces of the ane-san and ojou!” (Big sis, and princess)
“Yes, sir!”
“But aniki*, the last time ane-san came to town was before I was even born, right?” (Big Bro)
“And ojou is still a young dragon. It’s the first time I’ve seen her human form…”
“Shut up and get it!”
“Well, you don’t need to push yourself too hard. Just be careful next time, okay, Barbera? It’s okay, right, Barbera Mama?”
It’s the 25th day since I became the manager of the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store.
At the fishing port of the harbor town we were visiting, we were sitting in a circle discussing things.
“…It’s fine.”
Barbera agreed with few words, likely because she was too focused on eating sea serpent meat to care.
“Yes, since you accepted this responsibility, it’s your problem. Neither humans nor lizards have anything to say about it.”
“Thank you, ojou! Ane-san!”
With Barbera Mama’s approval, the talking iguana, the young guys from the fishing port, the people in the dismantling area, and the gathered fishermen all bowed their heads deeply. Finally, smiles started to break out.
“Mm, well done, human. But if anything happens, feel free to come to me! For each time, I’ll take payment in the form of a barrel of sake or a roll of cloth!”
“I don’t remember giving you any permission.”
“S-sorry!”
Barbera Papa, who had regained his composure, quickly deflated. Despite being the legendary Flame King Dragon, it seems he can’t stand up to his wife.
“Please, let it go, Barbera Mama. Lots of people come to the port, so some amount of force is necessary to prevent trouble.”
“Oh? Even though you were almost attacked, Naoya, are you defending these humans?”
“Nothing’s happened yet, after all. If the catch is limited, it makes sense to block outsiders you can’t trust.”
“I see. Then, I’ll let it go this time.”
“Oh… what a kind dragon… Ah, thank you for intervening, human.”
“Ah, you get it, don’t you, Manager? Gah, to be defended by the very person you tangled with…”
“Also, I think Barbera would prefer meat or fish as a souvenir.”
“…Meat. Papa’s.”
“Oh, so Barbera likes Papa’s meat, huh? Alright, Papa’s going to do his best! What would you like? The tail? The arm? The heart? I can’t offer the Heart**, but depending on the part, I can give you some internal organs.” (I know, it sounds weird but, it is what it is) (**Literal the heart)
“You’re going too far, putting your body on the line. You fantasy species are something else. Barbera, you’ve been eating raw fish until now, right? Next time, I’ll make you some delicious fish dishes.”
Barbera, who had been munching on raw sea serpent meat, paused. She looked up at me, her interest obvious from the lively fire at the tip of her tail.
“…Really? Delicious? Can I eat it now?”
“Ah, you can buy fish at the market, but the seasonings are back at the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store. So, after we return, okay?”
I patted Barbera’s head, asking her to wait a little longer. She narrowed her eyes as if it tickled, but her tail drooped, and the flame weakened.
“Manager, didn’t ojou eat fish dishes in the cafeteria?”
“She had grilled clams, a pseudo-bouillabaisse, some fish soup, and just one type of sashimi. I’m sure if we try different recipes, we’ll find something she likes.”
At the mention of “one type of sashimi,” the men gathered around started murmuring.
“Did an outsider really eat that?” I heard someone say.
Hey.
Who said that was a beloved delicacy?
The local tough guys are looking a bit wary.
“So, so it’s not common to eat fish raw! Gah, I can’t believe I, an elf and holy knight, was tricked! You’ll have to take responsibility, Naoya!”
“Watch how you say that! It sounds weird, so let’s talk about it later, Chloe.”
“Don’t worry, Chloe. I purified it before eating, and I didn’t sense anything trying to tear through my stomach.”
“You’re amazing, Anna. I feel relieved now. I was honestly a bit anxious.”
“Wait, hold on a minute. I hate to interrupt, but… Manager, are there fish dishes we’ve never eaten before?”
“There’s a lot you can do. You can grill or simmer the fish, dry it, steam it, or fry it… You could grind it up to make tsumire* or shinjou*, or even kamaboko* would be good. If you’re not keen on eating it raw, then sashimi might be a bit much, but ruibe, carpaccio, or pickling it in vinegar or oil is pretty safe, even from a hygiene perspective.” (* Generally speaking, Fishballs and Fishcakes)
I started listing off all the dishes I could think of that could be made with the seasonings we had available. The men of the port widened their eyes in amazement. Barbera’s tail flame flared up, and Barbera Papa’s tail tip turned blue. Anna-san and Barbera Mama smiled, and Chloe gulped audibly.
“Alright! Manager, there’s no need to buy seafood at the market!”
“Aniki, you don’t mean…!”
“That’s not fair, Aniki, keeping it all to yourself!”
“Please, Manager! Can’t you make it here, right now?”
“Shut up, you lot! Who do you think’s the boss around here?”
“This is tyranny! Down with Aniki‘s dictatorship!”
The crowd buzzed with excitement at the iguana’s declaration. Chloe, Anna-san, and I were left in stunned silence, not really understanding what was happening. The dragon parent and child tilted their heads in confusion in perfect sync. As expected of a parent and child duo—it was oddly comforting.
“Manager! Take me to the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store!”
“Huh? Well, I mean, if Barbera’s okay with it… But why? And what do you mean we don’t need to buy anything at the market?”
“It’s simple! My backpack, which handles all the seafood distribution at the port and wholesaler, is filled with fresh seafood! This here is an item pouch!”
The iguana stood up on its hind legs and puffed out its chest. The small backpack on its back was apparently an item pouch, filled with seafood, which meant we didn’t need to buy anything at the market. So, the iguana was either offering or planning to sell the seafood to us. Makes sense, I guess.
“Wait a second! An iguana has a valuable item pouch! An iguana is the boss of the port and the face of the fishermen! An iguana! What is even going on in this world?!”
My shout was swallowed up by the clear blue sea and sky. Chloe, Anna-san, the dragon duo, and the people of the port just stared blankly, not offering any comments. They didn’t seem to find anything odd about the iguana. What even is a human?
It’s now the 25th day since I became the manager of the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store. The commotion at the port has settled down, and it looks like I’ve managed to find an important person in this harbor town who’s friendly towards the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store.
As a result of my first inspection, things have gone well, but I still can’t quite wrap my head around it. This other world is wild… I don’t understand this culture at all…