AIWON Mall Isekai Store, Grand Opening Today! - Chapter 73
[Chapter 8: Since it’s an Aion Mall, we’re looking for tenants after all!]
Episode 8-Prologue
It was the 16th day since I became the manager of the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store.
After the morning to midday peak, the store had become empty. The adventurers who had camped out after yesterday’s feast had already left.
“Naoya, what’s this about? Why gather everyone? Don’t tell me you get excited by being watched! That’s so filthy, Naoya!”
“Alright, Chloe, just sit down and be quiet. I don’t have such a hobby, nor do I get any joy from being treated like a pervert.”
Chloe, the former store manager and a holy knight, is as peculiar as ever. She’d be a stunning elf if she just stayed quiet, but her thoughts are disappointingly inappropriate.
Chloe handles the fresh food section and the deli corner aimed at take-out meals. Since Aion Mall Otherworldly Store hasn’t opened the tenant spaces yet, Chloe can be considered a key player.
“Despite always jumping to perverted ideas, she’s quite competent,” I thought.
“Naoya-san, what’s this about? Is it about the ‘Dragon Sale’ on the 10th, 20th, and 30th?” asked Anna-san.
“Yes, the ‘Dragon Sale’ is coming up, but that’s not what we’re here for today, Anna-san,” I replied.
Chloe sat on the bench in the outdoor eat-in space we set up in front of the main entrance, with Anna-san sitting beside her.
Anna-san, who can use healing magic and make medicines native to this world, is in charge of the drugstore corner. Always cheerful, kind, and reliable, Anna-san is actually an undead. Specifically, a high-ranking undead known as a lich, or ‘King of the Dead’.
“Well, she’s more of a help since she cures the incurable ‘Red Death’ disease. And yes, we’ll need to prepare for the ‘Dragon Sale’ soon,” I mused.
“…Cut the tail?” asked Barbera.
“Let’s do that later, Barbera. It’s still daytime, and it would be problematic if someone saw us,” I replied.
Barbera, who sat next to Anna-san, tilted her head and asked something quite unsettling. Despite looking like a ten-year-old girl, Barbera is a dragon. The highlight products of the ‘Dragon Sale’, the dragon steaks, dragon tail soup, and other dragon meat dishes, all come from Barbera’s tail when she reverts to her dragon form. Dragons are mythical creatures, and their tails grow back as their magical power recovers.
Currently, Barbera doesn’t have a dedicated section in the store—.
“Wait, having an employee whose job is to provide meat feels somewhat grotesque. Anyway, she helps with stocking, and she can handle selling the exotic goods her parents bring in,” I thought.
My thoughts were interrupted by a large rabbit costume blocking my view. Its black eyes stared at me intently. Well, the eyes were just part of the costume; inside was a ghost that seemed to be staring at me. Since ghosts don’t have eyes, it was just a feeling.
The Aion Mall Otherworldly Store employs skeletons and ghosts under Anna-san’s command. Skeletons in aprons handle the cleaning, while armored skeletons, led by the skeleton captain, patrol the area for security. Thanks to these tireless undead, the store remains clean, and it rarely gets attacked by monsters.
“Oh, we are the last ones, I see. Apologies for the delay, manager,” said the traveling merchant.
“No worries, there’s no set time for this meeting,” I replied.
The merchant, who spoke to me, sells goods from this world in the daily necessities section. His daughter, who was saved from the ‘Red Death’ by Anna-san, lives with him and his wife in the Aion Lounge. This section operates like a tenant, with the merchant handling procurement and sales.
Behind the merchant stood his wife and daughter, both looking healthier now.
Including me, there were four of us, or seven if we count the tenant. This is the current staff of the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store, the Aion family. Whether Lich and Dragon count as “people” is debatable, but there’s no point in dwelling on it.
Since becoming the manager, today marks the 16th day of operating the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store.
After the morning rush, the store is finally empty. The adventurers who camped out after yesterday’s feast have already left.
“We’d have more if we included the costume ghost and skeletons, but we can’t show them to customers, so let’s not count them,” I began.
“Alright, Naoya, everyone’s here! Let’s get started!” Chloe urged.
“Yeah, I gathered everyone to discuss something important today,” I replied.
“Naoya has something to discuss with me? Is it about tasting a new dish? Must be a meat dish, right?” Chloe guessed, eagerly.
“No, calm down, Chloe. It’s not about food. I have an idea, but I want to hear everyone’s opinions since you’ve been living in this world longer than I have,” I clarified.
Chloe, despite being an elf, is noticeably disappointed, as is Barbera. Anna-san’s smile remains unchanged, and the costumed ghost is patting the merchant’s daughter on the head.
Ignoring my overly free-spirited employees, I continued.
“I’m thinking of running a carriage service from the nearest town to Aion Mall Otherworldly Store. This would make it easier for customers to visit and attract more tenants.”
“A carriage? For customers? Ah, you mean a shared carriage service! I think it’s a good idea, Naoya!” Chloe exclaimed.
“Wow, Chloe reacted positively. That’s surprising. I guess you traveled from the Elven village to the nearby town,” I remarked.
“So, Naoya, how much will the fare be? If I provide escort services, we can keep costs down. If we use Anna’s undead as drivers and escorts, we could save even more—”
“It’ll be free,” I interrupted.
“…What did you just say, Naoya?” Chloe asked, taken aback.
“We’ll run a carriage service from the nearest town to Aion Mall Otherworldly Store, and the fare will be free for our customers.”
“Haaaaaa!?” Chloe gasped in shock.
“Manager-san, does that mean the fare will be free for those who use our store? As a perk for customers?”
“I’m considering that, but the basic idea is to make it completely free. Even if people don’t buy anything, it’s worth it if they know about us,” I explained.
“Free fare… Naoya-san, you come up with interesting ideas. Concepts not present in this world are quite intriguing,” Anna commented.
“Hmm, I see. If people don’t know about the store, they won’t think of buying anything. It’s similar to announcing a peddler’s arrival,” the merchant remarked.
“…Humans,hard time, moving around,” Barbera added.
Both Anna-san and the merchant seemed surprised but not opposed. Their quick understanding was a bit scary. In Japan, Aion Malls often have free or very cheap shuttle buses, but that concept doesn’t exist in this world—well, aside from this Aion Mall Otherworldly Store. At least, I hope it doesn’t.
“Wait, wait, Naoya! Are you serious!? Shared carriages require money to ride! If they’re free, people might think there’s a hidden catch and end up being enslaved if they can’t pay!” Chloe protested.
“That’s oddly specific, Chloe. So, did you…”
“Ugh, you cunning human! Taking advantage of my ignorance! Saying things like, ‘If you don’t want to be a slave, you’ll have to pay with your body.’ If a monster hadn’t appeared and I hadn’t sold its materials, I would have been in danger!” Chloe fumed.
“Alright, alright, glad you’re safe, Chloe,” I reassured her.
“Thank you, Naoya! Wait, if the shared carriage had been free, I wouldn’t have been in danger? So free carriages are good?” Chloe pondered.
“No, normal shared carriages won’t be free. This is just to promote the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store,” I explained.
It seemed my voice didn’t reach Chloe as she continued to think. Nevertheless, the employees’ reactions weren’t bad—not bad at all.
On the 16th day since becoming the manager of Aion Mall Otherworldly Store, it looks like I can finally start implementing strategies to boost our sales.