AIWON Mall Isekai Store, Grand Opening Today! - Chapter 87
Episode 8-14
“Thank you very much! We sell both meat and vegetables here, so you can get all the ingredients for beef stew right here!”
“Hmm, but I’m not very good at cooking.”
“Well, if you follow this ‘recipe card,’ it seems you can make it easily!”
“Oh, does it teach you how to make it? What an unusual shop.”
In the eat-in space, Colette, a young girl selling galettes, was serving customers with her ears perking up. She handed a business card-sized piece of paper with the recipe written on it to a lady who liked the beef stew. The surrounding ladies leaned in to peek at the piece of paper. This kind of promotional tactic is common in modern supermarkets, but it seems rare in this world.
“Isn’t this impossible? I’m not a professional chef, I can’t spend this much time on it.”
“Even restaurants wouldn’t do this unless it’s for the nobility, I’m sure.”
The ladies noisily discussed the recipe card. Judging by the fact that they can read, they must be well-to-do. They don’t seem to be nobles, though.
After listening to the conversation for a while, the ladies stood up and headed to Francine-san’s tent. It seems one lady, who has a cook at home, decided to try making it. Colette’s customer service skills are amazing. I’m glad I hired her. Beastkin with dog-like traits, whose emotions can be read from their ears and tails, might be suited for customer service—at least for selling products they genuinely like.
The second Dragon Sale at Aion Mall Otherworldly Store is attracting more customers than expected. The free shuttle carriage going back and forth between the town and the store is always full of customers. I think the presence of the free shuttle carriage is a big factor in the increased number of customers compared to the first sale. The Peddler-san family handling the shuttle and managing the waiting lines is a great help.
“It looks like both customer turnout and sales will surpass the previous ‘Dragon Sale.’ Now, I just need to…”
I search for the guild master of the merchant guild. Customer turnout and sales are important, but I can’t afford to be complacent. A single problem could severely damage the store’s reputation, which is not uncommon. It’s not that I think the guild master would cause trouble, but he’s a key person in the town.
The merchant guild master, who looks like a toad, was standing in line for the dragon meat sale, fluttering his luxurious clothes. After getting a dragon steak, he’s now standing in line again for the second time today. Despite his power, he doesn’t cut the line or ask me to set aside dragon meat or other products for him.
“He’s someone who follows the rules. When he demanded Colette to pay, it was also according to business rules.”
Chloe dislikes him greatly, and Colette seems a bit uncomfortable around him, but I don’t think the merchant guild master is a bad person. At least, he’s not a corrupt merchant or the type who doesn’t care about the legality of his business as long as he profits.
When he was enjoying his dragon steak earlier, he set up his own table and chair beside his luxurious carriage and fed his guards and attendants once he finished eating. He adhered to the “one item per person” rule for dragon cuisine, making his guards and butlers line up.
“He’s not showing any signs of irritation. In fact, the people around him seem more uncomfortable.”
As the line progressed and he got closer to Francine-san, who was selling dragon meat and daily necessities, Colette seemed anxious, glancing at the guild master while serving customers in the eat-in space. She must be worried about her mother.
Francine-san, undeterred, handled the customers calmly. Despite recovering from an illness and sitting while serving, there have been no complaints so far. In Japan’s Aion Mall, this would be unthinkable, but in this town, it’s normal. Even in the original world, in some countries, it’s common to see seated service. In fact, some places even allow eating while serving, as I learned in a cross-cultural communication workshop. The world is vast. I don’t know if this other world is vast, though.
While I was lost in thought, the line advanced, and it was the guild master’s turn.
“I’ll take some dragon meat. Also, I’ll purchase three of each item you’re selling.”
“Thank you for your purchase. We also have daily necessities available in town. Would you be interested?”
“Yes, yes, that’s fine. I’m just curious about what products you’re selling and at what prices.”
“Understood. We’ll prepare your order, so please wait a moment.”
Francine-san remained unfazed by the guild master’s extravagant clothes, accessories, and corpulent figure. By the way, openly declaring it’s for “market research” seems questionable. While I can’t refuse a purchase, still…
“The dragon steak was delicious. Both the dish and the genuine dragon meat are sold at unbelievably low prices. From what I can see, the daily necessities seem normal, though.”
“Thank you for the compliment. It’s all thanks to Naoya-san, who saved us.”
“Ah, that girl who was running an unlicensed business. How times change.”
The merchant guild master looked at Colette with an oily, suspicious smile. Colette flinched, her ears drooping. But a moment later, she straightened her ears and tail. She seemed ready to protect her mother if necessary. However—
“The galette I had after the steak was perfect as a palate cleanser with its mildly sweet jam.”
To everyone’s surprise, the guild master had given a compliment. Colette looked bewildered, and Francine-san calmly thanked him. Really, Francine-san’s customer service skills are impressive. Normally, wouldn’t she be nervous or put off by his appearance, especially after hearing about the situation from her daughter? I wanted to commend myself for keeping this thought in my head.
“After he died, you fell ill. I thought you might agree to work with us when your daughter told me the situation.”
“I’ve found a new path. Thanks to Naoya-san, the Holy Knight, the herbalist, Barbera-chan, and… my beloved daughter, who he left behind.”
“…I see.”
“Here are your items. Thank you for your purchase.”
“I have nothing more to say. Best of luck in your business, Francine.”
Dropping his overly polite language and insincere smile, the guild master took his items and directed a sincere look at Francine-san. He then walked away from the special tent and approached me.
“So this is Aion Mall in another world, and this is the capability of the new manager, Naoya-san. I never thought you would actually acquire genuine ‘dragon meat.'”
“Uh, yes. We have arranged for regular supplies of dragon meat.”
“Hmm, regular supplies… Oh, by the way, I heard you are recruiting tenants here. Have you had any luck?”
The guild master peered at me with a sly smile. He should know whether anyone has responded to the ‘Tenant Recruitment’ notice posted at the merchant guild.
“No, not yet. We are actively scouting for tenants.”
“Heh, scouting, scouting. Inviting businesses to a place without walls to fend off monsters, are you?”
“You scoundrel! As long as I, the Holy Knight, am here, I won’t let you lay a finger on Aion Mall!”
“Calm down, Chloe. The guild master is a customer, following the rules, purchasing things without doing anything weird. You’re the one looking like the villain here.”
“Ha, the clumsy knight is as troublesome as ever. Aren’t you failing in disciplining her, Naoya-san?”
“You might be right. She does have her strengths, though… I’ll re-educate her after the sale.”
“W-what!? Re-educate? Discipline? Surely, Naoya plans to strip me and toy with me under the pretext of ‘teaching me the Aion way!’ Kuh- Kill me now!”
“Calm down, Chloe. That’s not what I meant by discipline. You’re just sounding like a pervert now.”
I tried to calm Chloe down as she let her imagination run wild in front of everyone. Physically, the guild master looked like a villain and Chloe like a righteous elf knight, but her words were making her seem more deranged.
I managed to calm Chloe down and sent her back to customer service. She walked away, growling like an animal. The guild master sighed deeply and turned to me.
“Many merchants will avoid doing business in a dangerous place. And special sales are a double-edged sword. Be careful not to incur losses.”
“Thank you for your concern, guild master.”
“I hope you truly understand. Best of luck in your business, Naoya-san.”
With that, the guild master left. His appearance may be off-putting, but it seemed like he was giving me a genuine warning. I bowed my head as he walked away. Our interaction had apparently drawn attention, as the area around the tent selling dragon meat, ingredients, and related products became unusually quiet.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, dear customer. What would you like to purchase?”
It was Francine-san who broke the silence.
“Whaaat!? Mom, you knew that person!?”
Colette’s startled voice rang out, her tail sticking straight up as the murmuring around us resumed. I raised my head, watching the guild master leave, then moved away from the eat-in area and entered the closed-off store, except for the bathrooms.
I looked up to the sky and lamented.
“Aaaaaah! If only beastman Colette and human Francine-san would join as tenants! I thought I had secured some level-headed individuals!!”
From the perspective of the people of this world, there’s me, an otherworlder, Chloe, an elf Holy Knight known as the ‘Clunky Elf’ or ‘Clumsy Knight,’ Anna-san, an undead lich, and Barbera, a dragon. Francine-san is frail but supposedly recovering, so I thought recruiting her and dog-beastman Colette would bring some sanity to Aion Mall Otherworldly Store.
“How am I supposed to feel about this if Francine-san and the guild master have known each other for ages?! Can we safely have them join? Not that it’s decided yet! And I won’t reject them over past connections! Aaaaaah!”
I fell to my knees and hands, lamenting. A skeleton wearing an apron, left inside the store, looked at me worriedly. It had no eyes.
Barbera, who had just returned to fetch some stock, approached me quietly.
“…You okay? Want beef stew?”
“Yes, please.”
It’s delicious, so it should cheer me up.
Twenty days since I became the store manager.
The second sale at Aion Mall in another world, the first heavily advertised “Dragon Sale,” saw a continuous stream of people until closing time.
Not only did we sell out of dragon meat, dragon steaks, and dragon tail soup, but all the other prepared foods and ingredients also sold out. On top of that, people bought a lot of daily necessities on impulse.
I’m looking forward to the sales tally. Keep looking forward, I tell myself.