AIWON Mall Isekai Store, Grand Opening Today! - Chapter 58
Episode 6-9
“Ugh… morning, huh. Should I say, ‘I woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling’?”
It’s the 13th morning since I arrived in the other world. A night has passed since the tumultuous 12th day, dealing with a sick person who jumped in after I returned from the city and closed the store.
I slowly get up and observe the surroundings.
“Gah, ‘If you want to eat this meat dish, feed me,’ is it? How despicable! B-but if the person is Naoya, then if I can eat that meat dish, then I…”
“Trading meat dishes is too much of a bargain, Elf. Also, your sleep talking is incredible. What kind of dream was that?”
The child with the Red Death disease recovered, but it’s pitiful to leave them outdoors. Thinking so, I invited the traveling merchant family into the Aion Mall Otherworld store.
I hesitated about where to let them sleep…
In the end, I took them to the Aion Lounge. It’s close to the entrance, has sofas, and is more calming than sofas placed in the atrium or vacant tenant spaces.
Chloe, who can use healing magic, also came along, saying, “Leave it to me if anything happens!”
Aion Lounge.
A cafe-like space for shareholders and Aion credit card Gold members. It varies by store, but the Aion Lounge in the Aion Mall Otherworld store has two-seater and three-seater sofas.
For surveillance, Chloe and Barbera slept on the sofa, worried about the child. The traveling merchant couple and the child who recovered from the Red Death disease also slept soundly.
It’s still early morning, and although I woke up, I peered at the face of the traveling merchant’s child.
The child’s complexion is good, sleeping soundly.
I put my hand on her forehead.
“Alright, no fever. Looks like she’s fine.”
I inadvertently said it out loud, but there’s no sign of the child waking up. Chloe, who was talking in her sleep vividly, and Barbera, who sleeps face down with her face buried in the sofa, neither.
I quietly left the Aion Lounge.
Then headed outside.
“In the end, the temporary booth is left open. Oh, I wonder what’s happening with the parking lot. Zombies came out from underground. Or rather, what’s happening under the parking lot?”
Still rubbing my sleepy eyes, I step outside from the front entrance of the Aion Mall Otherworld store.
“…Is this a dream? No, maybe a nightmare?”
I rub my eyes again.
The scenery in front of me remains unchanged.
I pinch my cheek.
I feel pain; it doesn’t seem like a dream.
Outside the Aion Mall Otherworld store, in the dim light of dawn that hasn’t fully broken yet.
Undead creatures were lined up. Skeletons with aprons, a skeleton unit in armor, a flashy armored skeleton captain, a ghost in a rabbit costume, and the zombie I saw for the first time yesterday—
Anna-san, the Lich, was among them.
“This is already a night parade of a hundred demons, isn’t it? Even though they’re not moving. And most of them are our employees. Looking at them all gathered like this, Aion seems pretty dangerous.”
It’s usually scattered, so I don’t feel it, but seeing them all together is a bit unnerving. For now, I approached Anna-san.
“I appreciate your help yesterday, Anna-san. The child seems fine with no fever.”
“Thank you as well, Naoya-san.”
“I don’t really deserve thanks.”
“Thanks to the establishment of the Aion Mall Otherworld store in this land, the medicine was completed.”
“Well, I don’t really understand, but that medicine was amazing! When I saw Anna-san starting to make it, I thought, ‘Is she planning to turn her into an undead because she’s dying of an incurable disease!'”
“I wouldn’t do such a thing.”
The atmosphere feels somewhat heavy. My attempt at a witty undead joke was promptly dismissed by the serious-faced Anna-san. It’s tough.
“Naoya-san, and everyone in Aion, truly thank you.”
Anna kneels. At the same time, the lined-up undead creatures all kneel.
“Um, I’m really just the manager by chance at this timing.”
“Even so. Preventing deaths from the Red Death disease was our long-cherished wish. For 800 years, we dreamed only of this day…”
“Oh, so you’re still ‘The Mourning Saint’ or ‘The False Saint,’ Anna. In other words, your age is not 21, right?”
“Naoya-san, thank you.”
Interrupting my words, Anna expresses her gratitude again. “Thank you” in past tense.
“Wait a minute. Did the undead’s wish come true? …Could it be, Anna, are you going to pass on?! Everyone too!”
“Is something wrong?”
“That won’t work, huh? There’s no concept of ‘Buddha’ in this other world! Are there no gods or Buddhas? Do your job, translation ring!”
In this other world, there’s no Buddhism, so “passing on” apparently doesn’t make sense. The all-powerful translation ring seems to have its limitations.
Sighing alone, I raise my head.
Early morning in front of the Aion Mall Otherworld store.
The sun finally seems to have risen, shining on the lined-up undead creatures.
All the undead creatures look satisfied. It’s hard to tell with skeletons without flesh on their faces.
Sparkles of light twinkle.
“Anna-san, the skeletons, and the ghosts, thank you. I want to work together again if I get reborn someday. Huh? Can I get reborn? Without Buddhism, the concept of reincarnation, well, wait, you all are already dead, aren’t you?”
Trying to say farewell to the undead creatures who fulfilled their wishes, I become confused. Looking at me tilting my head, Anna-san finally smiles.
“Hehe, Naoya-san, neither I nor everyone else will disappear.”
“Huh?”
“The Red Death disease is contagious. We need to distribute the medicine to those who came into contact with that child.”
“Oh, I see… Wait, I was in danger! If Anna-san wasn’t here, I would have been done for the moment it spread, right!?”
Well, I don’t have magical power, so I might be different from the people in this world, and I don’t know if it would have spread. Anyway, I’m glad Anna was here. It’s good that there’s medicine!
“And also… Working at Aion Mall and making customers happy is enjoyable. Please continue to support us in the future.”
At Anna-san’s words, the skeletons, ghosts, and zombies all nod.
“Haha, everyone has truly become Aion people! But zombies are still a bit… well, you know.”
“So, um, I have a favor to ask, Naoya-san.”
“Oh, there you are, Naoya! Anna too!”
“…Good morning.”
Behind me, a voice came from the front entrance of Aion Mall. Chloe rushes over, and Barbera approaches with small steps.
“Ah! No, um, we were helped yesterday, it’s just this… Everyone, thank you so much for yesterday. I will never forget the kindness you showed in saving my daughter.”
The plump merchant also expresses his gratitude.
His wife also came over with their child.
For now, it’s good that the merchant accepted the undead!
If rumors spread like “that place is cursed,” it would damage the recently improving number of visitors!
Well, the nearest town seems to be a past devastated “cursed town.” Impressive, these people from another world!