AIWON Mall Isekai Store, Grand Opening Today! - Chapter 48
Episode 5-17
“Since I became the store manager, today marks the 10th day, huh?”
Early morning at the Aion Mall in another world.
As I stepped outside the building, I stretched my body.
“It’s been 11 days since I came to this other world. Living in the Aion Mall like this, it doesn’t feel all that different from my old world.”
I looked back at the familiar Aion Mall. The parking lot in front of me was bare soil surrounded by woods. Well, I suppose there might be Aion Malls like this depending on the location. After all, they’ve been actively expanding overseas lately. I never thought they would venture into other worlds, though.
“Ah, good morning. Welcome back from your early patrol,” I greeted the Skeleton Captain and the Skeleton Squad who had just returned.
A faint black mist floated over the Skeleton Captain’s shoulder, and it seemed that even the Ghost had joined them on their patrol outside today. The Skeleton Squad was carrying a single-horned rabbit between the two of them. They must have caught it during their early patrol. In a world where monsters existed, it was really reassuring to have them securing our safety.
“Actually, forget that! Am I getting too used to this other world? There are monsters around, and the ones I’m greeting with ‘good morning’ are skeletons and spirits! And on top of that, am I supposed to get tired here? Well, that’s not even the issue!”
“Naoya-san? Is something wrong this morning? Did something happen to my subordinates?”
“…Rabbit. Looks delicious.”
“As energetic as ever, Naoya! Ha! C-could it be that you couldn’t contain your energy and were hoping for me to comfort you, and then you’d use that as an excuse to push me down in the morning?! You, kuh- kill me!”
“Can you at least decide whether I’m energetic or half-asleep, this clunky Elf? For now, Chloe seems to be energetic from the morning.”
The three employees who approached me were Anna, the Lich and Undead; Barbara, the Dragon in human form, and Chloe, the Elf Holy Knight. The skeletons and ghosts were also working for me, so you could say they were employees too.
…Yeah, this really doesn’t feel like another world at all.
“Alright, let’s start preparing to open the store. We have a sign today, so we’ll probably have more customers than yesterday. Let’s be ready for that.”
“W-What do you mean, more than yesterday…? Does that mean we’ll have over 100 customers again today?! It’s like an ongoing festival, Naoya!”
“Fufu~, I’m looking forward to it, Chloe-san. By the way, Naoya-san…”
“What’s the matter, Anna-san? Wait, Barbara? What is it that you’re dragging along?”
“…Hmhh.”
“Um, are you giving that to me? This thing?”
Behind the three who were lined up, Barbara dragged something forward with a scrabbling sound. She tried to bring it to the front, but most of it remained at the back. It was because it was huge.
“A log? No, that’s not it… Could this possibly be meat?”
“…Eye-catching.”
“Ah, a special product! I see, because I said yesterday that I wanted something special, Barbara went out hunting and got this for me! So, what kind of meat is this? It’s as big as a log, but…”
Barbara was holding a piece of meat by a small hand, a part covered in skin. It seemed like I was looking at a cross-section, with densely packed red meat visible. The size and the fact that I could see the cross-section made it comparable to a chopped log.
“The white part in the center is a bone, right? So, is this some kind of tail? It must be from a massive creature. It’s almost as big as Barbara when she transforms into a drag-on… eh?”
It was a tail of the size and thickness of a thick log. The slightly red skin had patterns resembling peeled scales.
I glanced at Barbara. She held the skin with one hand and brought the meat closer to me. Her other hand was on her butt.
“Um, Barbara? Could this meat possibly be…”
“…Cook. Want, eat.”
I looked at Anna. She was smiling as usual.
“Naoya-san, it’s famous for being delicious and a rare piece of meat, you know?”
“Yes, if it’s what I’m imagining, then it must be a precious meat, Anna-san. Ah, I see, it’s delicious. This world’s meat must be a tasty type.”
I looked at Chloe. She was gazing at me with sparkling eyes.
“I’m sure it’s not just for grilling!? What kind of meat dish are you going to make, Naoya?! Leave the tasting to me! The Elf Holy Knight! Me!”
“Elf, don’t get so excited about meat dishes. Since it’s an ingredient I’ve never dealt with before, I need to think about how to cook it first. Is that alright with you?”
I looked at Barbera. She seemed to have a somewhat teary-eyed expression, but drool was dripping from her mouth.
“Looking forward to it.”
“Huh, really? Are you sure, Barbera? You’re giving off a sense of madness that goes beyond cannibalism. A bizarre little girl?”
I was repulsed, the three of them were excited. I just can’t understand the values of this other world, and the cross-cultural communication training is not helping at all.
After all, this tail, thick and huge like a log, is…
“This-is-a-dra-gon-tail, right? Or rather, it’s-the-tail-of-Bar-be-ra-in-dra-gon-form, right?”
“…Correct.”
“Just don’t straight answer ‘Correct’ there, Barbera! Can you just chop off a dragon’s tail like that? Will it heal?”
“Naoya-san, you don’t need to worry. Dragons are mythical beings. Their bodies exist and don’t exist, they are flesh and not flesh.”
“Flesh and not flesh. Is this philosophy? Anna-san, will it heal like that? Are you sure, Barbera?”
“Yes, if magic power is abundant, a dragon’s body will regenerate. Right, Barbera-chan?”
“…Grow back soon.”
“It’s like a lizard’s tail! Wait, come to think of it, dragons do look a bit lizard-like. So, it’s not strange, right? No, wait, wait, wait!”
“Then, Naoya-san, we’ll proceed with the preparations for the store opening.”
“That’s right, Anna. Naoya should focus on developing the meat dishes! Alright, let’s go, Barbera!”
“Do my best.”
Leaving me in confusion, the three employees headed towards the preparations for the store opening. They didn’t even need instructions, they acted on their own. Well, not really.
“Seriously? What do I do with this? Ah, well, if she’s okay with it, then it’s fine, I guess. Is it really okay?”
As if intending to help, Skeletons with aprons came out from Aion Mall hall. Yeah, I can’t handle this on my own, and I doubt I can cut this meat even with a meat cleaver.
“I should have shown this to Naoya! The sharpness of this spirit sword, ‘Épée du Pouvoir,’ and the skill of the Holy Knight who cut with a single blow! The prowess of my sword!”
“… A bit painful.”
“Are you alright, Barbera-chan? I’ll cast the ‘Heal’ spell for you.”
The three of them heading towards the preparations were chatting cheerfully. Anna’s hand faintly glowed as she touched Barbera’s butt.
“Huh? ‘Heal’? Wait, isn’t Anna a Lich? An undead using healing magic? It seems like she doesn’t even take damage herself.”
I absentmindedly watched them walk away.
My retorts couldn’t reach them.
The Skeletons with aprons carried the tail away with the help of four of them.
“Alright, don’t think, just feel, Naoya. Let’s just cook something and calm down. I’ll use the dragon’s meat, which is technically part of an employee’s body, for the dish! This other world is scary!”
My lament echoed in front of the Iowan Mall in another world on the 10th day since I became the store manager. Today, it seems like it’ll be another day full of otherworldly experiences.