AIWON Mall Isekai Store, Grand Opening Today! - Chapter 99
Episode 10-1
“How was it today, Naoya? Did we surpass 200 customers again?”
“It would be great if we did, but…”
On the 24th day since I became the manager of Aion Mall Otherworldly Store, Chloe enthusiastically approached me while I was wrapping up the closing tasks.
During the second Dragon Sale, we set a new record with 387 customers. Even today, and every day since the 21st, our customer numbers have increased compared to before the sale. However, we’ve only surpassed 200 customers in a day once. At this rate, achieving the monthly sales goal of one billion yen seems impossible. Not only this month but also next month.
“Since we can now receive shipments from Japan, we need to think about our next move.”
“Our next move, you say!? Does that mean you’ll grow more hands and attack me from all directions, touching me everywhere at once? Khh- Kill me now!”
“Can you grow more hands? Chloe, your imagination is getting out of hand.”
“Hehe, with some effort, you can grow more, Naoya-san. It might be a bit painful, but we have anesthesia. Shall we proceed with the… procedure?”
“Wow, you can grow more hands? This other world is amazing. By the way, Anna-san, did you just say ‘procedure’? I’m pretty sure body modifications by a high-ranking undead like a lich are seriously dangerous.”
“Want to try?”
“Barbera, we’re not planning to cook and sell hands next. Calm down and put your hands away.”
Chloe was soon joined by Anna-san and Barbera, apparently finished with their closing tasks. Anna-san’s chuckling indicated she was joking, but undead jokes aren’t funny.
“Manager-san, I’ll do my best! I’ll do anything!”
“Oh my, Colette. But Naoya-san, we owe you our lives. We’ll do anything for you, anything at all.”
“Why did you say ‘anything’ twice, Francine-san? Those intense eyes of yours are just from your work enthusiasm, right? There’s a bit of a fanatic vibe.”
Colette, waving her tail energetically, and Francine-san, clasping her hands and looking up at me, are both excellent employees who’ve quickly adapted to working at Aion Mall Otherworldly Store. However, like the other employees, they have their quirks. Where’s my voice of reason?
“A plan for the next move at a store that sells foreign, no, otherworldly goods? That’s intriguing.”
The peddler, who had just finished putting away the free shuttle carriage, approached, with his wife and daughter in tow. Thankfully, here’s a reasonable employee. Although he’s not directly employed by us, being a tenant employee, it might be worth hiring a driver for the store.
“I’ve decided on our next step. It seems challenging, though.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“Please tell us, Naoya-san. With everyone, we might be able to overcome any high obstacle.”
“…Fly?”
When I looked up from the paper with today’s sales figures printed on it, I saw eight employees gazing at me, eyes full of anticipation. Behind them, skeletons in aprons stood in formation, and costumed ghosts lined up, their fabricated eyes reflecting the light. Everyone had gathered after closing time. Thanks for your hard work.
I declared to the eight eager employees and the undead.
“Our next step is to expand our fresh food section! We’ll stock up on our main products and turn this into a proper ‘supermarket’!”
The skeletons and costumed ghosts can’t talk, so that’s fine, but there’s no reaction from the eight people.
I look at Chloe.
“Fresh foods… We already have battle chickens, charging boars, horned cows, and the prime dragon meat, right? So, by stocking up on meat, does that mean, Naoya, you’ll say ‘Fulfill your carnal desires here’? Are you trying to sexually feed me meat? Kill me now!”
“I never said anything about sexual desires. Step away from the meat, you carnivorous elf.”
I sigh and look at Barbera, who’s blushing and wriggling around.
“Fresh…?”
Barbera tilts her head slightly, still looking dazed. She looks like a 10-year-old girl, but inside, she’s a dragon. I won’t be fooled anymore. She’s cute, but she’s a young dragon, a mythical creature. We owe a lot to her for the Dragon Sale.
I look at Anna-san.
“Fresh and lively… Understood. To highlight the freshness, my presence as the ‘King of the Dead’ is indispensable, right? I will exhaust my powers to meet your expectations.”
“Please stop with the ominous statements. That’s not what I meant at all. And aren’t you already dead, so how can you exhaust yourself?”
I stop Anna-san, who clenches her fist enthusiastically. The idea of a lich going all out to highlight freshness is terrifying! It better be a joke.
I look at Colette.
“Fresh foods… My mother told me about them! She said they include vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish!”
“Wow, that’s almost entirely correct, Colette! You’re so diligent and straightforward. Keep it up.”
I pat Colette’s head, and she narrows her eyes and wags her tail gently.
I look at Francine-san.
“So, we’ll be selling seafood. The port town is quite far. The transportation method will be the issue, won’t it?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Francine-san, can I check your background later? I’m curious about your quick understanding and your connection to the merchant guild leader.”
My face tenses. I expected her to guess ‘seafood’ when I mentioned expanding fresh foods, but I didn’t expect her to pinpoint the transportation issue so accurately. It’s scary how competent she is.
“I see, seafood. It’s difficult to obtain in this inland area. However, if possible, customers might buy it along with meat and vegetables.”
“And they’ll likely buy seasonings too, dear.”
“As expected from a merchant couple. It’s truly a shame to keep you just as vendors and drivers.”
The peddler and his wife nod at my idea, following Francine-san’s lead. They understand quickly. They managed to support themselves by selling goods from a single wagon, so they must be very competent to avoid failure and poverty. How about quitting the contract and becoming direct employees? They already accept the undead, so it should be fine, right?
“But transportation is the problem. From Aion Mall Otherworldly Store to the port town, it’s two weeks by carriage. Does putting ice in the ‘Item Pouch’ make things less likely to spoil? Even then, fresh food would be impossible.”
On the 24th day since I became the manager of Aion Mall Otherworldly Store, running a supermarket in a world with underdeveloped logistics seems challenging. The logistics of my original world, where goods can be transported frozen or refrigerated and even imported directly from overseas, are amazing. I wish for a logistics revolution in this other world too.
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Daily Business Report
May 24, 2019
Aion Mall Otherworld Branch
Manager: Naoya Taniguchi
Daily Sales: ¥516,000
Daily Customers: 181
Monthly Cumulative Sales: ¥10,357,000
Monthly Cumulative Customers : 3,202
Report :
The monthly sales have finally exceeded 10 million yen.
To enhance the supermarket section, I will next explore supply routes for seafood.
Due to unstable data transmission and delivery dates, I have placed a provisional order.
If corrections cannot be made in time, please proceed with the current order.
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