AIWON Mall Isekai Store, Grand Opening Today! - Chapter 163
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Maria : Mebius World Online
Ouren/Yuuzen : I Was a Small Fish
Episode 13-3
Today marks the 41st day since I became the manager of Aion Mall Otherworldly Branch Store.
I was currently at the Merchant Guild, accompanied by Chloe and Francine-san.
Across from us in the negotiation space sat the Guild Master and two…? Two Catkins?
Apparently, the bipedal cats belonged to a race called Catkin.
“Are Catkin a rare race?”
“There aren’t many around here Nya. But there are plenty back in the village!”
“Meow dear (my dear), your choice of words is all over the place.”
“Ah, no, I am not really worried too much about your speech. I imagine it’s a racial quirk, like swapping ‘na’ for ‘nya’…”
“Thank you, Nyaoya-san!”
“Thank you very much.”
The Catkin, who was about 130 cm tall, was speaking. But well, dragons and iguanas can talk too, so I wasn’t surprised anymore. Honestly, it’s kind of soothing. But seriously, Nyaoya…?
“We’re not exactly disliked, but strangers don’t Nya-turally get shops rented to them…”
“Huh, I see.”
“It’s less about race and more about trust, isn’t it? If you had to choose between newcomers and familiar faces for a tenant, well… the answer is obvious, isn’t it?”
“I can understand that. If the abilities are the same, of course.”
“Oh?”
“Trust and sentiment are important in business. But I think that alone isn’t always enough to succeed.”
“Kufufu, I see, I see. So that’s how you think. Ah, I feel like I’m going to get along with you, Naoya-san!”
“Um…”
“Oh dear, how rude of me to interrupt a fellow merchant. My apologies.”
“Why did you two decide to leave your village and start a business in this town?”
“We wanted the things everyone in the village makes to get more recognition. That’s why I invited this one, who had an interest in the outside world.”
“This town isn’t as hot as the port towns, Nya, and we heard there was a trading company once led by a Dogkin president. But it’s long gone nyow…”
“…A trading company run by Dogkin? And it no longer exists?”
I had a feeling I knew something about that.
Francine-san, who was oddly familiar with business and close to the Guild Master, had a late husband who was a Dogkin, if I recalled correctly…?
Francine-san simply smiled and didn’t seem interested in adding anything.
Not denying it pretty much confirms it, doesn’t it?
“We did discuss becoming peddlers who went back and forth between the village and town, Nya, but…”
“We were told it’d be difficult without knowledge of the routes, places to sell, or connections. If we’d come a bit earlier, we could have taken over from a retired traveling merchant… Nya…”
That sounded familiar too.
The retired peddler they mentioned now worked as the driver of the Aion Mall Otherworldly Branch Store’s shuttle carriage, as well as managing the daily goods section.
“And so, I thought this might be fate, which is why I introduced them to you, Naoya-san.”
“I see. Well, that’s a relief. Aion Mall is located outside of town, after all. When I heard they were ‘interested in a tenant spot,’ I was a bit worried about whether they’d be barred from entering the town.”
“Kufufu. There’s no way I’d introduce thieves or criminals, is there? I have no such connections anyway.”
The Merchant Guild Master grinned and denied it. Honestly, he looked like the type of shady merchant who would have underground connections.
But so far, everything he’s done has been above board. Judging by appearances isn’t fair. If I judged by appearances, the Catkin would be hired on the spot!
“I understand why you’re interested in a tenant spot. So, what exactly do you intend to sell? Earlier, you mentioned you wanted to sell the things made by everyone in your village…”
“That’s right, Nya! Everyone makes such good things, Nya!”
“We have samples loaded on our cart. I’ll bring them in now.”
The tabby-striped Catkin seemed excited, while his calico wife was far more composed.
I stopped them just as they were about to stand.
“If it’s all right with you, how about we continue this discussion at Aion Mall? I can show you the spaces we have available for tenants as well.”
“Nya-n! Th-That means… there’s a possibility, Nya?”
“Yes. Of course, depending on the type, volume, and quality of your goods, there’s a chance we’ll decline. And after seeing Aion Mall, you might decide it’s not for you either.”
“Thank you very much. Up until now, we’ve been turned away before anyone even looked at our goods… Nya…”
Both of them seem quite eager. Good, good.
Of course, I wanted them to see the Aion Mall Otherworldly Branch Store first before deciding, and I was planning to show them eventually… but if we talk details here, everything would leak straight to the Guild Master.
“This approach works for everyone, right?”
“Yes, yes, of course. I’ll be praying for the success of your business talks here as the head of the Merchant Guild.”
With the Guild Master’s approval secured, I glanced at Francine-san next to me. She gave me a slight nod.
I turned to look at Chloe.
…She was staring at the window for some reason. Sweat was dripping down her face.
“Chloe? Is something wrong? Now that I think about it, you’ve been awfully quiet.”
“N-N-Nothing’s wrong, Naoya! Oh, right, we’re heading back to Aion, aren’t we? Then let’s go!”
“Clearly, something’s going on. Even if you’re a klutzy knight and a dropout elf, you’re always serious about—”
“Waah! Waah!”
“Elf-san? That lady knight over there is an elf after all, isn’t she?”
“Excuse me, but could I ask for your Nya-me?”
“Ugh… I am Chloe!”
“Wait, Chloe, isn’t your name usually that long version when you introduce yourself?”
“Ugh, uuuh…”
Chloe’s gaze darted around nervously.
Sweat dripped from her forehead.
Francine-san looked slightly troubled, while the two Catkin and I simply stared at Chloe.
Giving in, Chloe slumped her shoulders and gave her full name—muttering it in a barely audible voice, unlike her usual confident delivery.
“My… my name is Chloe Dupois Christophe Claudine Vertu Ondine…”
“Oh my! You’re an elf from Vertu Village, Nya, aren’t you?”
“Dupois, Christophe-san, and Claudine-san’s daughter… Oh, I feel like I’ve heard something about that Nya…”
“So that’s it. You didn’t want to give your full name because it has meaning, and people who know would recognize where you’re from. …Wait, huh?”
I tilted my head.
The two Catkin put their hands on their chins and started thinking.
Oh no.
“I remembered! There was talk about a runaway daughter, and we were told to let them know if we found her while outside the village!”
The two Catkin’s eyes went wide.
Apparently, they knew of the elf village Chloe had come from.
Could it be that the reason Chloe had been so quiet since they arrived was because…?
“T-T-That… please don’t tell the village, okay…?”
“Hey, Chloe, didn’t I tell you to at least send a letter letting them know you’re safe? I said they’d be worried. Don’t tell me—”
I looked at the panicked Chloe.
She quickly turned her face away. So I walked around to peek at her.
Chloe closed her eyes and looked skyward… then, with some reluctance, she pulled an envelope out of her pocket.
“I-I wrote one, but I… I was scared. What if they said, ‘We’re bringing you back!’ or something like that…”
It was a letter addressed to her family.
“Ahhhhhh! You haven’t even sent it?! I get that you’re anxious, but if that’s the case, you could have talked to me about it!”
I grabbed my head in frustration.
Today marks the 41st day since I became the manager of Aion Mall Otherworldly Branch Store.
The hopeful tenants turned out to be bipedal Catkin who seemed to know Chloe’s home village.
And the runaway daughter still hasn’t contacted her family.
I really hope this doesn’t turn into trouble… not with the Catkin, but with Chloe.