AIWON Mall Isekai Store, Grand Opening Today! - Chapter 71
Episode 7-11
The day after we repelled the monsters attacking the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store and had a banquet.
As usual, I woke up while it was still dark.
I got ready and went downstairs.
I headed straight to the area in front of the main entrance, where the banquet had been held.
“I left early, so I’m sure the drunks didn’t clean up… huh?”
There were a few tents next to the fountain.
The adventurers who participated in the banquet must have set them up for camping.
Some adventurers were sprawled out of their tents, lying on the ground.
However, the benches and tables used for the banquet were clean.
Even the food stalls that were set up for selling dishes and cooking yesterday were spotless.
There were no half-eaten snacks or any dirty dishes.
“Wow, I’m really surprised at their high level of morale. I guess you shouldn’t underestimate another world.”
I was astonished by the unexpected sight.
Then, I heard the sound of the door opening behind me.
It wasn’t the automatic door, as I hadn’t turned on the switch yet, but the sound of the glass door being pushed open.
I turned around.
There was a skeleton wearing an apron, holding cleaning tools.
“Good morning!”
When I greeted it, the skeleton nodded its head and approached me.
I watched absentmindedly.
The apron-clad skeleton started sweeping under the outdoor tables and benches.
“Oh, I see. The skeletons cleaned up? These tidy skeletons really help out without needing to be told.”
“Naoya-san? What’s going on?”
“Oh, good morning, Anna-san. You’re early today too.”
“I heard you, Naoya! We did clean up properly too! The skeletons might have taken out the trash and cleaned, but we helped!”
“Oh, Chloe, you stayed over again. Okay, okay, my bad. Good job even though you were drunk.”
“Naoya praising me… just like that…? I-I’m not a cheap woman who gets happy over a little praise! Is this what they call ‘tsun-de-re’?!”
“Definitely not. Who taught Chloe that Japanese word? …Anna-san?”
Chloe seemed energetic despite drinking late with the adventurers and dragons yesterday.
Anna-san, who was smiling warmly without answering, was the same as always.
“Take that!”
“You don’t need to jump down.”
“Take this!”
“Oh, even Barbera-chan. Well, I guess I have no choice. Here I go… hey!”
Barbera, Papa Barbera, and then Mama Barbera, all jumped down from the roof of Aion Mall.
They landed lightly in their human forms, not as dragons.
“Oh, you’re already up, human-san! Thank you for the food yesterday! It was delicious!”
“…There was a lot, and it was all tasty.”
“Ah, thank you. And thanks to you too, Barbera.”
“Hmm, that reminds me, I must pay for the feast! That’s what humans do, right? Would my scales suffice?”
“No, it was a staff appreciation day, so no payment is necessary. Besides, most of the ingredients came from the monsters you defeated, Papa Barbera.”
“Hmm, dissatisfied with scales? How about my claws or fangs then? Those must be valuable to humans, right?”
“Wh-what! Ancient Dragon, ‘Crimson Elder Dragon’ claws and fangs!?”
“I really don’t intend to take them. They don’t seem easy to sell casually.”
“Ahhh! N-Naoya! How can you refuse such an offer!”
“Elder Dragon fangs… how strong would dragonfang soldiers crafted from them be…”
Chloe and Anna-san were acting strangely.
I had told them before the banquet that the food was free as it was a ‘feast.’ It seemed that Elder Dragon claws and fangs were incredibly valuable.
“Hmm, you are quite stubborn, Naoya! How about this then?”
“Here, dear.”
“…What’s this? I recognize the fruits, but the accessories and clothes? Did you by any chance defeat adventurers targeting dragons?”
“Haha, no, Naoya! We obtained these in human towns! We occasionally interact with other species.”
“Indeed, we bought these while pretending not to be dragons. We got them while saying we were ‘buying alcohol’ in human settlements.”
“Ah, I see. You even provided alcohol at the banquet. Dragons do love their alcohol.”
“Or do you prefer the equipment of the bandits who targeted our lair? If so, I’ll return to the lair and—”
“No, no, this is more than enough! Thank you very much!”
Before the conversation could turn bloodier, I stopped Papa Barbera.
It seemed there were humans who challenged dragons, the mightiest beings. I didn’t want to know the outcome of such encounters.
Mama Barbera took out fruits from a magic item bag and placed them on the ground, then laid some accessories and rolled-up cloth on the table.
“Naoya-san, what should we do with these? Southern fruits, accessories, and cloth are rare and could fetch a good price…”
“Yes, but the fruits won’t last long.”
And it seemed like too much in return for the banquet.
I pondered what to do.
“Barbera, Papa will visit again! I will miss my strong, wise, and cute Barbera, but—”
“Dear, Barbera has become independent. We should leave while it’s still dark.”
“…Papa. Mama.”
It seemed Barbera’s parents were planning to return home.
They hugged Barbera tightly, and her papa was a bit teary-eyed.
“How about this? When you visit, could you bring more fruits, accessories, cloth, food, and spices? I’ll pay for them, of course.”
“Oh, does this human intend to treat us dragons as servants?”
“Oh? Quite bold, human.”
“No, no! It’s a business deal, work! I thought it would give you a reason to visit more often!”
“Oh, I see! Visiting this place for work! Yes, if it’s work, I have no choice but to visit often! Haha, excellent idea, human!”
“Oh dear, you’re something else.”
“Phew, I’m glad. Getting glared at really scared me. I didn’t pee myself, though. I’m an adult, so I didn’t.”
It seemed Barbera’s dad liked my proposal.
Though it wouldn’t be feasible to sell these items daily, if we could stock them periodically, it would be enough to sell them as special events.
“Naoy-sana, you have nerves of steel. I must observe you sometime…”
“I was terrified… So these are the legendary ‘Fire King Dragon and Water Queen Dragon,’ Barbera’s parents…”
“Kuhahaha! Farewell, human, elf girl, Anna! Barbera, it’s a short goodbye. Papa is worried but believes in you and loves you!”
“Take care, Barbera-chan. Judging by how things are, it seems we’ll be back soon anyway.”
“…I’ll be waiting.”
After a brief farewell, Barbera’s parents transformed back into their dragon forms and took off into the still-dark sky.
They ascended quickly, likely to avoid being seen by anyone else.
On the 16th day since I became the manager of the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store, our unexpected guests left before business hours, and today seemed like it would be a normal day of operation. At least, I hoped so.