AIWON Mall Isekai Store, Grand Opening Today! - Chapter 113
Episode 10-15
“Morning already… I stayed up late last night.”
It’s been 26 days since I became the manager of the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store.
I sluggishly get out of bed after turning off the alarm on my smartphone. I’m still sleepy.
“Chloe, Anna-san, and Barbera were all active until late for two nights straight, so maybe we should take turns resting today.”
The day before yesterday, we left late at night on Barbera’s back to inspect the port town. We got back late last night too, so I’ve had little sleep for two nights in a row. I’m exhausted.
“But I don’t feel as tired as I thought I would… Could it be because I’ve gotten used to this magic? Am I getting tougher?”
I mutter to myself while getting ready in the tenant space.
The peddler family stays in the Aion Lounge, and Colette and Francine-san have made private rooms in a slightly separate part of the tenant space, so I don’t have to worry about anyone hearing me talk to myself.
“Oh, thanks for your hard work with the cleaning!”
I grab my razor and hair wax and head towards the bathroom. On the way, I pass by a skeleton in an apron who is cleaning. I greet them, and they lower their head—or rather, their skull?—in response. It feels like it’s been a while, even though I just didn’t see them yesterday.
“Feels like I’m back to normal… even if that normal is strange.”
Well, it’s nothing new.
After all, in the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store, skeletons and ghosts wander around, the employees include an elf, a lich, and a dragon, and giant iguanas visit as customers.
“No problem. As long as we can communicate and it’s peaceful, there’s no problem. There shouldn’t be any problem.”
…I feel like convincing myself has become a daily routine.
“Good morning, Naoya-san.”
“You’re up early, Anna-san. Are you feeling okay? Not tired?”
“Hehe, I’m undead, you know?”
“Oh, right. You don’t get tired, do you? I’m kind of jealous, but also kind of scared… If Aion knew I couldn’t get tired, they’d probably overwork me.”
“If you’re interested, Naoya-san, you could—”
“No, thank you. Getting tired is a good thing! But I don’t want to get possessed!”
Anna-san chuckles softly. Her complexion is pale as usual, but even though she was active until late for two nights in a row, she doesn’t seem tired.
“Wait, Anna-san doesn’t get tired because she’s undead. Chloe is a knight used to training, and Barbera is a dragon. Am I the only one who gets tired?”
I’m taken aback by the employment conditions at the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store.
Did Aion Corporation hire everyone assuming they’d be working hard? That sounds too harsh—no, it must be my imagination. I’m sure it’s just my imagination.
Trying not to think about it, I look up.
“Whoa, it’s already done?”
What catches my eye is the nearly completed employee apartment at the back of the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store, in a place invisible to customers.
The single-story apartment seems almost finished.
“The exterior is done. Now we just need to finish the flooring and interior walls.”
“I see, so the interior work is next. Still, that was fast…”
In a world where magic and tireless labor exist, it seems a single-story apartment can be built in no time. This other world is incredible.
If we could send skeletons to my original world, they’d probably make a billion yen in no time.
“But there’s no magic over there, so the skeletons wouldn’t be able to move. Actually, if there were skeletons, it would cause a huge commotion. My sense of common sense is getting seriously warped…”
“Naoya-san? Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing. Anna-san, there’s no rush with the apartment. Instead, could you please start preparing for the ‘Dragon Sale’ in four days?”
“Yes, of course. We’re offering new deli items, right?”
“Well, that depends on whether the trial runs go well and we solve the transportation issues. It might not be ready in time for the ‘Dragon Sale’ on the 30th.”
“Hehe, I’ll look forward to the taste test.”
After parting ways with Anna-san, who heads back into the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store with a smile, I walk along the side passage of the store.
Though it’s my first patrol of the store in a day, I don’t see any abnormalities.
I pass from the back, around the side, to the front, facing the road.
“Oh, welcome back, Chloe-chan.”
“I’m back, Oba-chan! Thanks for your help again today!”
“…I’ll carry it.”
“Welcome back, Barbera-chan. I appreciate it as always.”
In front of the main entrance of the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store, Chloe and Barbera are welcoming the elderly women who have brought in their farm produce.
Both of them are full of energy. Despite looking like a 10-year-old, Barbera is still a dragon, showing no signs of fatigue even after flying us around late at night for consecutive days.
Just as I’m about to go and help, I stop in my tracks.
At the side of the fountain—well, it’s just a water basin right now—next to the roundabout where carriages turn around, I see a figure.
“Good morning. You’re up and at it early.”
Noticing my presence, they turn around and greet me casually.
It’s an iguana. A large iguana is lounging by the water basin. It’s probably soaking up the early morning sunlight to warm up. That’s very iguana-like… But does body temperature even matter for an iguana that can use magic and talk?
“Good morning!”
I’m not surprised to be greeted casually by an iguana.
After all, we brought it here. We rode here together on a dragon’s back.
“By the way, could you suggest some vegetables that go well with fish dishes? The farm ladies are here, too.”
“Sure, leave it to me. Though I have no idea what kind of dish the manager is planning to make!”
The iguana makes a strange sound, Kekyo-kyo, while meeting my eyes. It slowly gets off the edge of the water basin and slithers over to where Chloe and the others are.
“Is that laughter? Do iguanas laugh? Then again, we were having a conversation… I’m already past being surprised.”
I shake my head.
With a sigh, I follow after them.
“There’s no time to dwell on it. Alright, today I’ll try making fish dishes! I don’t know what will be popular, so I’ll just try a bunch of different things! If something becomes a hit and we run out of seasonings or something, I can always order more from Japan!”
It’s been 26 days since I became the manager of the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store.
This other world still doesn’t make any sense today.
Don’t think, just feel, Naoya. Or better yet, don’t feel anything at all. As long as the sales go up, there’s no problem. No problem at all, right, Aion Corporation?