AIWON Mall Isekai Store, Grand Opening Today! - Chapter 92
Episode 9-1
I fidget and open my eyes. When I look at the clock, it’s still in the 5 AM range.
“Am I getting used to waking up before the alarm? How scary. Yawn~.”
I sit up and stretch, naturally letting out a yawn. Since coming to this other world, my mornings have been early. Even though I live in the tenant space with a zero-minute commute, I wake up earlier than I did in Japan. After all, the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store opens at 8 AM.
“Today marks 22 consecutive workdays. With more staff now, maybe we can start taking turns for shifts and breaks.”
Despite the long streak, I don’t feel particularly tired. Though the number of customers has been increasing, it’s still nothing compared to the Aion Mall Kasugano branch where I used to work. This allows for more frequent breaks.
“Maybe the reason I’m not tired is because of that ‘gets stronger if you eat it’ dragon meat… Nah, that can’t be it, right?”
I mumble to myself while getting ready for the day. I change clothes, but since there’s no washbasin or kitchen in the tenant space, I head out into the hallway.
“Good morning!”
I greet the skeleton in an apron who is polishing the floor in the hallway in front of the tenant spaces on the second floor. By now, I’m no longer surprised by the skeleton’s presence or by its polite nod in return. I’m always grateful for its help.
“…Hmm? Something seems off.”
It should be the usual skeleton, but something feels different. I, Naoya Taniguchi, 24 years old, observe it closely. The skeleton, noticing my stare, tilts its head quizzically.
“The bone color hasn’t changed… The apron is the same. Skull, spine, and ribs all seem fine…”
I walk around it, scrutinizing every detail. The skeleton fidgets shyly, perhaps embarrassed by my intense gaze. Cute, but…
“Glowing threads? Wires? Running through its joints? Inside the bones? What is this?”
Thanks to its movements, I realize what’s causing the odd feeling. The skeleton’s ability to move might be due to these glowing threads.
“Hmm… But these weren’t there yesterday, so maybe I’m wrong…”
Or perhaps I’m still groggy. Feeling a bit unsettled, I head to the restroom. I decided to finish my morning routine—washing my face, brushing my teeth, shaving—and then take another look.
“If I still can’t figure it out, I’ll ask Anna-san. If it’s some kind of illness… well, Anna-san can cure even incurable diseases, so it should be fine, right?”
My slightly trembling voice echoes towards the entrance of the men’s restroom in Aion Mall Otherworldly Store.
“She’s not here either, huh?”
It’s my 22nd day as the store manager at Aion Mall Otherworldly Store. After finishing my preparations, I head to the back of the store, out of sight from the main road. Even after freshening up, I could still see the glowing threads in the skeleton’s joints, so I decided to ask Anna-san. But she wasn’t there.
“Isn’t the construction progressing way too fast? Otherworldly construction is amazing!”
Currently, the skeleton crew under Anna-san’s direction is working on the construction behind the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store. It’s the construction of the employee apartments where I, the peddler family, and the mother-daughter duo of Colette and Francine-san plan to stay. To avoid undead being seen by customers, the construction is only done at night. Still…
“They’ve already completed the framework and are now just installing the furniture. I’m worried that it might collapse or the roof might fall because of how fast it is. Is otherworldly construction really okay?”
The structure of the apartment was almost complete. There was no beam-raising ceremony or rice cake-throwing event. The apartment is a single-story building. Although there are five-story wooden buildings in the nearest town, I felt it was too risky and opted for a single-story. While construction in a new area requires a permit, we were told it’s not a problem within the grounds of the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store. With plenty of unused parking space, there’s ample land even for a single-story building.
Incidentally, the layout is 1LDK. Or rather, since the kitchen is separate from the living room, it’s more accurate to call it a 2DK. Anna-san arranged for a magic stone stove for the kitchen, and we’re using the Aion Mall’s infrastructure for water and sewage systems. For me, who had been living in the tenant space, the inclusion of a bath in the single-story apartment is wonderful. Hot water too. Otherworldly technology is amazing. Magic is incredible. Well, that’s the plan, anyway, since it’s not complete yet.
“Anna-san is probably in the basement. For now, let’s head to the front. It’s not like I’m scared of the undead in the basement or anything.”
I walk along the brick-paved path beside the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store. There are several entrances to the store, but none are open at the moment.
“Sigh. If we had more tenants, we could open up more areas around here…”
Even though we posted a notice in the nearest town about tenant recruitment, there were no applications. In a world overrun by monsters, venturing into an open area is dangerous. It’s only natural. Once the construction of the employee apartments is complete, I might build a surrounding wall. With such thoughts, I arrive at the main entrance.
Anna-san is not here.
“Maybe she’s in the basement. I guess I’ll just get ready for the opening.”
“Good morning, Naoya! It’s a beautiful day!”
“Good morning, Chloe. You’re early again… huh…?”
It was Chloe. At least, it should be Chloe.
“Chloe, right?”
“What’s wrong, Naoya? As you can see, I’m Chloe. Wait! Are you thinking, ‘I need to confirm if it’s really Chloe,’ and planning to strip me and examine every part of me?”
“Oh, this is definitely Chloe. No doubt about it. Besides, even if I did strip you, I wouldn’t have anything to compare to confirm it’s you.”
“N-n-n-nha! Naked!? Naked, you say!? For me, a maiden, to be seen naked by Naoya…Kuh- Kill me!”
“Okay, okay. So, Chloe, what’s with the outfit? What happened to your usual plate armor?”
“This? Well, it seems my heroic deeds as a holy knight have been recognized. I’ve been newly equipped with this armor and cloak starting today! Though I declined the new sword!”
“I see… so now you’re in black armor with a white cloak… ‘Recognized for your deeds,’ but it looks like they reduced the metal parts to save costs.”
Well, Chloe seems satisfied, so it’s not my concern. Being part of the national knight order, her standard equipment must change when the regulations do. The fact that her armor now shows cleavage isn’t something for me to worry about. More importantly…
“What happened to your hair? Light blue… Did you dye it?”
“What are you talking about, Naoya?”
“Your eyes, too… from blue to… gold? So this world has colored contact lenses, huh?”
“What are you saying? I’ve always had this color.”
“…Huh?”
I tilt my head. The conversation isn’t making sense. Though Chloe and I sometimes have communication issues, this is different.
I can see the glowing threads in the skeleton, Chloe’s hair and eye colors have changed, and my words aren’t getting through. What’s going on? Just as I start to ponder this…
A chill runs down my spine. I turn around. There stands Anna-san, enveloped in a faint black mist? Aura? She’s looking at me with a serious expression. She speaks gravely.
“It seems the time has come.”
“…Huh?”
“Since you consumed the meat of the Ancient Dragon, it has been a week. It appears that the magic power has finally settled in your body.”
“…What?”
What?
On the 22nd day of me being the store manager at Aion Mall Otherworldly Store, it seems my body has undergone some sort of change.