CH 27

It’s over 5000 japs words, holy sheet

Episode 4-9

“Galette huh. You can make it sweet as a snack, or you can put an egg or bacon on it and make it a meal. ……”

Nothing seems to ring a bell.

The problem is that the products brought in from Japan can not be replenished if used up.

As expected, the drawback of the Aion Mall Otherworld Store is that it can’t stock items from Japan immediately.

“Considering what was sold in town, I’m thinking fruit jam to go with it. But then, the galette sold by the mother and daughter would be better.”

If you use it as a flavoring, I doubt they would run out, and if you use cinnamon and orange peel, which are still on the shelves, it would be more suitable for soft crepes, not galettes. The recipe is meaningless.

Moreover, the sales of the new galette would not add up to the monthly sales.

The sales might increase, but the unit price is low and the number of visitors to the Aion Mall’s Otherworldly Store is too small to begin with.

Assuming that each of the customers who came to the store sold one of the garrets, the number of garrets sold would be 40, each costing 500 yen. Even if we estimate these impossible numbers, sales would still be only 20,000 yen.

This is too small a number to reach the goal of 100 million yen in monthly sales. It would be meaningless to think about selling the galette by itself.

I mumbled to myself as I moved my feet.

After that, Chloe and I went to the galette seller’s house.

We were taken to an adjoining building, a room in an extended apartment building. The apartment had a shared staircase and a door on each floor, and each floor was occupied by a family.

The girl said, “My house is not clean enough to host guests,” but the inside of the house was spotless.

The building itself was old, and it took some courage to climb up to the top floor, where we were shown the [inconvenient but inexpensive] staircase.

There was a creaking sound on the stairs, and the apartment shook when a strong wind blew.

“Ah, I knew I was early. But the girl’s mother cried and thanked me.”

I had no idea how to make use of the galette recipe I had bought.

I regretted it a little, but I could see the face of the girl’s mother, who was crying and happy as she got out of bed.

She took my hand and said, “Thank you so much for all the trouble you’ve put her through because of my infirmity”.

“Naoya, you need to ease up on the thinking. We’re already out of town.”

I look up in surprise when Chloe speaks to me.

After leaving the house of the mother and daughter, we immediately headed out of town.

I seemed to be lost in thought on the streets of this otherworldly, monster-infested place.

“Ah, yes, you’re right. Sorry Chloe.”

“Well, Naoya can’t fight, so just leave it to me when the monsters come out!”

“Ah-, I remember when we were going there, we were attacked by a one-horned rabbit cub.”

We stepped on the dirt road.

I feel like my body is heavier than before, probably because I received various shocks.

In addition, the sun is setting and we are behind schedule, so we are going to hurry up a little bit.

“Monsters for meat, I’m all for it! Just like Naoya is good at business! I’m good at fighting!”

“Aren’t you the former manager? I know you were trying your best to do good business. It’s just Aion didn’t teach you well enough.”

“I know Naoya is great at it! I’m not sure what to say. I can’t believe that prick from the merchant guild backed down!”

“Chloe, the guild leader wasn’t such a prick, you know?　Something like that was quite a common thing in this kind of business. Besides…”

“What is it, Naoya?”

“How is she going to make money to live off of starting tomorrow ……?”

“Hmm? She said she’s going to make jam tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow she’s going to start selling galettes again. Naoya said you would buy the recipe but not sell it exclusively!”

Chloe, walking in front of me, tilts her head.

Yes, I bought the recipe for the galette, but I didn’t make it an exclusive deal.

The mother and the girl were both happy, saying, “Now we can keep going.” ……

“The galette can still be sold the same. But from now on, I’m going to pay for the place. We’re going to make less money. If we were making more money, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

“Ah.”

“Work is hard, life is hard, and her mother is sickly. It’s going to be tough.”

I’m not an employee, so maybe I’m not the one to worry about it.

However, having lost both my parents early in life, I didn’t think it was something I should worry about.

In my case, I had my grandparents to rely on.

“…… Naoya is, like, amazing.”

“What’s wrong Chloe?”

“I never realized that. And like Naoya, I couldn’t help her and tried to appeal to my powers.”

Chloe stopped and her words were less forceful than usual.

Her back was somewhat lonesome.

“I guess I am just a disqualified elf and a clumsy knight, just as that prick says, or rather the guild leader told me.”

I cannot see the expression on the depressed Chloe’s face.

The evening sun is slanting and long shadows are stretching along the road.

“Since I can remember, I have not behaved like an elf. Unlike my father, mother, and the elves in my village, I wasn’t very good with a bow, and my sister soon overtook me.”

“Uhm, Chloe? Are you sure you are talking about your problem here? I mean, the sun will be setting soon, and maybe we can talk while we walk?”

“Naoya, I am a ‘holy knight’ among the knights who can use magic. Then what magic do you think I can do?”

“I was ignored huh. Let’s see, since “holy” is attached to it, is it a magic that prays to God? Like holy magic.”

“Ohhh, you are right! Since I was in the village of Vertu, it was sacred magic that I could use. It’s not the spirit magic that borrows the power of Ondine, the spirit that protects the village, or rather the sacred magic of the ‘human gods’.”

“Huh- say wha? Even though you are not a believer?　How is that possible? Is the concept of god is too random here?”

The other world is so absurd that it’s somewhat nonsensical.

I was terrified as I followed Chloe, who started walking slowly.

“But my father and mother were kind to me, even when I was like this. If you are a fan of the ‘Even though Chloe is unable to use bow and spirit magic, you shouldn’t go out of the village.’ is what they said to me warmly and gently, and raised me warmly.”

“I- is that so. This kindness seems like the kind of thing that would raise a NEET.”

“‘There are monsters outside the village. If Chloe goes outside, she will be [email protected] by scary humanoid monsters, or attacked by bad humans.” is what my mom told me when I wanted to go outside.”

“So that’s the reason for your weird statements! What the hell are you teaching her, Chloe’s parents? They might have been right to warn her, but come on!”

I cursed Chloe’s parents, who are not here. I couldn’t get through to them. Chloe can’t hear me either.

“Everyone in the village was kind to me. But I didn’t feel at home. Unlike everyone else, I could live without doing anything. But I wondered if that was okay.”

“Ah, I think I know what you mean. In my case, my grandma and grandpa were working hard, but I couldn’t do anything, so I started cooking and doing housework. So, you see, even Chloe can’t use a bow and spirit magic.”

“I ran away from home.”

“That’s a big gap on your part! That’s right Chloe-san, you were a runaway girl!”

“I thought I should be able to do something too. I left a note that said, “Chloe is not good with a bow,” and secretly took the spirit sword Epedupois, which my father gave me, and my father’s pouch without telling him.”

“I didn’t want to hear the pouch nonsense. If it’s between family members, it’s not theft. It shouldn’t be. I don’t think it would. I don’t think so. But you know…”

“If a monster or a bad human catches me and [email protected] me like Father said, I’ll kill myself or die before that.”

“I understood why you say, “‘Kuh, kill me!” . And it’s not like I have any intention to do that !!”

“I could have killed the monsters outside the village with this spirit sword. Even if I was injured, I had my holy magic. I reached the village, worked as an adventurer, was scouted, enrolled in the academy, and became a knight after graduation.”

I could see the Aion Mall Otherworld Store in the distance.

So I know Chloe didn’t send me a complete summary of her story.

“But …… no matter how hard I try, I’m still a ‘disqualified elf’ who can’t use a bow and spirit magic. Plus, I’ve been called a ‘Clumsy Knight.'”

Chloe paused again.

She didn’t seem to be bothered by it, but she did.

“And for the first time in my life, I have something I can be proud of. I became the manager of Aion Mall’s Otherworldly Store.”

Chloe gazes at the Aion Mall Otherworldly Store in the evening sun.

She looked like a child just before she started to cry.

“I’ve been working hard and trying my best as a manager,…… but the sales were…. just as you know Naoya.”

Chloe is depressed.

The first time I met her, I was a little nervous. I don’t know what they call it in the other world.

“Hey, Naoya. Am I really that clumsy? Nevermind, I know the answer to that question myself.”

“Chloe always seemed to be a sharp and beautiful woman, with a hint of a unique quirk, but always with a cheerful attitude.”

That Chloe laughs to herself.

“I couldn’t make the sale. I couldn’t have saved that girl. ……Naoya is amazing, isn’t he?”

“No, I’m not. I’m not sure how much I’m going to be able to do. In addition, the company is also a good place to start. And besides…”

I put my and on Chloe’s shoulder

Chloe’s armor clattered.

“It’s Aion’s fault for not teaching you properly! I mean, of course it’s impossible to just let someone do something out of the blue and have no guidance, right, that Aion!”

“B-but Naoya, I was taught for a short time! And I got a thick manual!”

“Oh, there was a briefing, at least. And the manual …… manual? I have a bad feeling about this, Chloe, but what language is the manual in?”

“I’m sorry, Naoya. I can hardly read manuals written in Japanese, and I’m being taught by Anna, who can read …… quite well. ……”

“Aion, what the hell is wrong with you?! Thanks for the deposit, I thought, and I want my feelings back! I’m not sure how you can use a POS with that There’s no way I can sell what you brought me if I can’t even read the packaging!”

“N-Naoya?”

“Ah, it’s not Chloe’s fault. The fact that she was able to do some business in this condition is not clumsy, or rather, too high spec.”

“You know, Naoya, you can’t just say something nice like that and put your hand on my shoulder a-and expect me to fall in love with you. You can say anything you want as long as it’s just talk!”

“Yeah, yeah. Well then, let’s show that Chloe isn’t a useless clumsy, with sales at the Aion Mall Isekai store in the future. Show me how far you can go and not this kind of depressed Chloe!”

I let go of the hand on her shoulder and pat her on the back. I heard a clatter in the armor, though. It’s not sexual harassment because of the armor. Definitely not sexual harassment.

“I’ll be counting on you tomorrow, Chloe! Now, as the manager, I need to figure out a strategy to increase sales!”

“Na, naoya ……”

“You see, it’s my job as the manager to evaluate my employees properly! I’ve only been a manager for four days though!”

Chloe didn’t respond.

When I looked at her, she was crying and smiling.

” ……. Aah, Glad to work with you, Manager.”

She said as if she was trying to squeeze out a smile and started to walk away.

She walked away as if she didn’t want me to see her face.

I walk a little behind Chloe, knowing how she feels.

Towards the Aion Mall Otherworld Store, lit up by the setting sun.

By the way.

I let it slide earlier, but what does she mean when she says Anna-san ‘can read Japanese pretty well now’?

My employees are so high-spec, holy shit!