AIWON Mall Isekai Store, Grand Opening Today! - Chapter 51
Episode 6-2
It’s the 11th day since I became the manager of the Aion Mall’s otherworldly store.
After finishing the morning peak, the number of customers significantly dwindled in the afternoon.
Still, unlike before, there are sporadic customers coming in, probably due to yesterday’s ‘Dragon Sale.’
“It’s unavoidable that customers don’t come during idle times when we only sell food.”
I muttered to myself after finishing the preparations for the late afternoon peak. Fluctuations in customers are the fate of restaurants. Even if our main products are side dishes and takeout, it’s essentially unavoidable.
“Well, we’re not just any restaurant! We’re the Aion Mall! But our product lineup is leaning heavily toward side dishes, so there’s no helping it!”
Since I became the manager, I started selling side dishes and made it possible to dine in the eating area. I also started selling our flagship product, dragon meat dishes. Sales have increased, but we are still far from our monthly sales target of one billion yen.
“What should be the next move… Maybe I should go to the town after all. I also want to learn about the medical situation in this world.”
In the morning, the child of a traveling merchant who came from town seemed to have caught a cold and had a slight fever. When Anna applied the ‘healing’ magic, it seemed to have improved.
Depending on the medical situation in this world, or rather, in the nearest town, it might be worth considering a medical mall or a drugstore as the next step. Even if it doesn’t go that far, I want to know for the sake of when I get sick. It’s more important than trivial matters like why Anna, who is undead and lich, can use ‘healing’ magic.
“Ah, Chloe. I want to go to town for a bit.”
“Hmm? What are you going for, Naoya? Can it wait until after we have some hamburgers?”
“You’re really into meat, aren’t you, carnivorous elf? Well, I want to know about the medical situation in the nearest town. Like where to go and how to get treated if I get sick or injured, how much it costs to see a doctor, the price of medicine, and stuff like that.”
“I see, a doctor! Are you planning to play [I’m the doctor, Chloe, take off your clothes] with me, Naoya? Trying to force me into some adult doctor roleplay, huh? What a schemer!”
“Adult doctor roleplay, huh? Men think the same in every world, it seems. Thoughl, Chloe, isn’t a man though.”
“Naoya-san, if that’s the case, shall I go instead?”
“Oh, that’s a great idea, Naoya! Anna is more suitable for this than me!”
“…. Huh, Anna-san? Wait, can Anna-san go into town? She’s lich and undead, right?”
“Hehe, it’s not a problem, Naoya-san. After all, the customers at the Aion Mall’s otherworldly store probably won’t mind, will they?”
“True. Oh, wait, it’s not that they don’t mind, it’s that they don’t even notice. Skeletons and ghosts hide their appearance.”
“….. No problem.”
“Yes, there was one more person who didn’t notice! That’s right, no one has figured out that Barbera is a dragon, so it’s fine!”
“I’m glad you understand. Well then, Naoya-san, here’s your usual cloak.”
“Oh, thank you. It kind of smells musty, my usual cloak… wait? It doesn’t smell anymore?”
“Hehe, I washed it properly and hung it out to dry the other day.”
“I see, everything’s in order then. Alright, let’s go. Taking an undead to town. Don’t think, feel, Naoya. Wait, I feel like feeling might not be a good idea. Don’t think, don’t feel, Naoya. Is that okay?” (he talk to himself)
“Well, Naoya-san, let’s go!”
While pondering the absurdity of the otherworld, I started walking at Anna-san’s urging. It seems that Chloe and Barbera, along with a rabbit mascot costume, will take care of the few remaining customers. Is that okay?
“If we walk, it’ll take about an hour. The question is, how do we attract customers other than the ‘Dragon Sale’?”
“Naoya-san, if you’re in a hurry, should I call the squad leader? They would have to run through the forest instead of the road, and we can’t mobilize the squad if they’re spotted.”
“Please stop, Anna-san. If reports of a sighting spread, our already scarce customers will decrease.”
I walked out onto the road in front of the Aion Mall’s otherworldly store and headed towards the town. The reason our store is located in a place distant from the town is because there’s a Transfer Gate that connects to the world I came from, and it’s still more than five and a half months away from being connected again. In other words, I’ll be spending at least another five and a half months in this otherworld.
“Five and a half months in an otherworld… Scary! It’s a good thing I thought of checking the medical situation before getting sick!”
“Hehe, Naoya-san, you’re quite the worrier. Don’t worry, we have Chloe, the Holy Knight, and me.”
“No, entrusting Chloe, who’s a bit of a klutz, makes me a little nervous… Wait, entrusting Anna-san also makes me nervous. You’re undead and lich. It’s like, ‘As long as I’m conscious and can move, it’s fine, right?’ Haha.”
“…………Fufu.”
“Please don’t just laugh it off, Anna-san! I don’t want to become undead! Even if I can work after death, I don’t want that!”
As I commented on Anna-san’s undead joke, we walked along the road toward the town. Fields stretched out on both sides of the road, and there were some gentle ups and downs, so I still couldn’t see the town.
By the way, that was an undead joke just now, right?
“By the way… Naoya-san, please be careful. This morning, one of the adventurers who came to our store mentioned that goblins have been appearing in this area.”
“Goblins, you say?”
“Yes. We’ve dispatched a skeleton squad to search, but during the daytime, their movements are restricted because they can be seen.”
“Goblins… green-skinned, not very strong, low intelligence, forming groups, enemies of humans, about the size of children or slightly taller, carrying wooden sticks or crude weapons. Is that the kind you mean?”
“Yes, that’s right, precisely the goblins that just appeared over there… huh?”
Both Anna-san and I pointed our fingers ahead. A monster emerged from the wheat-like crops, leaping onto the dirt road.
With green skin and a height of about 140 cm, wearing tattered cloth around its waist and carrying a wooden stick, it was an ugly monster. A goblin. The very goblin we had just been talking about.
“The flag’s been triggered too quickly! It definitely heard our conversation! Oh, Anna-san, please step back.”
“Huh? Naoya-san?”
I stopped Anna-san with my arm and stepped forward. The goblin seemed to be shouting something, but there were no signs of its companions.
The goblin ran towards us, slowly. It already had its wooden stick raised, and it was clear what kind of attack it was planning.
As the goblin approached and swung down its wooden stick, I easily dodged to the side and extended my leg. The goblin’s swing missed, and it continued to move forward without stopping.
I caught the back of the stumbling goblin’s neck with my hand and pushed it down from behind with my weight. The goblin fell forward with a splat, making a crunching sound.
He’s not moving… Did he pass out?”
“Um, Naoya-san? What was that just now?”
“Oh, that? It’s a restraining technique I learned in cross-cultural communication training. Well, it’s good that the training came in handy! Way to go, Aion!”
“A, a restraining technique? It looked more like you were going in for the kill… It seems like the other side can be dangerous.”
Anna seemed a bit hesitant, perhaps because of the goblin’s smell.
Leaving the fallen goblin as it was, I got up.
“Also, Naoya-san, I’m a lich, you know? I can handle goblins without needing protection, but thank you anyway.”
Anna-san bowed her head slightly.
Anna-san’s cheeks weren’t turning red… Well, she’s undead. They remained pale.
“Then, please leave the cleanup to me. The squad can’t move, but they’re following us in secret.”
Once again, the wheat-like crops rustled.
What appeared was not a monster, but a skeleton squad leader wearing an extravagant suit of armor and helmet.
Well, it’s still considered as monster. Because it’s a skeleton.
“Ah, I really didn’t have anything to do with this, did I?”
“No, thanks for protecting me. It made me feel like a normal girl for a moment, and, well, it made me happy.”
Saying that, Anna blushed a little.
I was a bit taken aback. Did liches have a ‘charming’ ability?
“Well then, if we can leave the cleanup to them, shall we continue on our way? If we’re delayed, we won’t make it in time for the early evening peak!”
“Yes, that’s right. Captain, please take care of the rest.”
With a clank of armor, the skeleton squad leader saluted and, leaving him behind, Anna-san and I continued walking towards the town.
For now.
Finally, the cross-cultural communication training came in handy! Thank you, Aion Corporation!
But the goblin hasn’t moved a muscle… This doesn’t look like a restraining technique!
Good thing I didn’t use it on a human! Aion is scary!