CH 43

The pre-made side dishes that started selling with the aim of capturing the market for Earth cuisine were well-received.

In front of the entrance to the Aion Mall otherworldly sstore, a crowd had gathered at the special booth.

“Oh, so this is cutlet. At this price, I might as well buy it and take it home.”

“Once in a while, it’s nice to treat ourselves. With the amount I sell to Chloe-chan, our household budget has become much more comfortable.”

“Oh, thank you, old lady! I guarantee that it’s tastier than the high-end restaurants in town! Said who? The Holy Knight! Me!”

Chloe enthusiastically promoted the products to the local farm ladies.

Responding to Chloe’s promotion, the ladies started buying the cutlets one by one.

The price was equivalent to two meals at a local restaurant and not cheap at all.

Well, compared to the high-end cuisine in this world, it was considered inexpensive.

Anyway, Chloe, who had experienced the high-end cuisine of this world, seemed to have touched the hearts of the farm ladies with her words.

“As expected of a former store manager, you managed to run the business even under such difficult circumstances. Do you have a good relationship with the producers?”

Although she often indulged in delusions and acted foolishly, Chloe was excellent.

Even though she had never seen a Japanese Aion Mall, she had managed as the manager of Aion Mall in this world.

“This ‘beef stew’ is amazing! The deep flavor, the meat soaked in the broth, and the vegetables. And—”

“Man, are you serious? Only a weirdo magician would eat warm muddy water.”

“Because it looks bad and you have no guts to try it, but you’re still an adventurer? You don’t even understand the appeal of this nutritious and delicious ‘beef stew’?”

“Say what? My brilliance skill isn’t worthy as the adventurer you say? Hey, miss, I’ll have a serving of that muddy water too!”

“Hehe, this is not muddy water, it’s ‘beef stew.’ Thank you for your purchase.”

At the eat-in space prepared next to the special booth, adventurers were making a commotion.

The unfamiliar ‘beef stew,’ which hadn’t sold well before, started selling thanks to a particular magician.

“Anna also called it ‘muddy water’! So, they really are magicians!”

Anna was the one serving the adventurers.

With a cheerful smile, she subtly promoted the products to the adventurers.

Although dishes like cutlets, hamburgers, and beef stew were heavy for morning meals, the adventurers didn’t seem to mind.

They would eat two or three servings without a problem and even buy takeaway portions for dinner.

It was a good thing that they had sturdy and unbreakable containers prepared.

“Oh, if you bring your own tableware, you’ll get a discount. Or if you bring back the ceramic dishes, you’ll get a partial refund. I see, I see.”

“I see, then if I give up on the partial refund, does that mean the price includes the ceramic dishes as well?”

“Fantastic! And since they’re ceramic, it means they’re designed to be heated over a fire outdoors!”

“Oh, I see! In that case, I’ll take 10, no, 12, including the ones for the escorts!”

“Heheh, I’ll take 10 each, a total of 30!”

“…Won’t they spoil?”

“Don’t worry, miss. I have an ‘item pouch’! They’ll last for the journey.”

“…it’s going, run out”

Barbera is surrounded by traveling merchants.

There are no doubts about a 10-year-old girl working, and she is actually adored by the older visitors.

However, Barbera worries that it might run out of stock due to the large purchases made by the men.

“No, Barbera, you should promote it more! Look, the customers are starting to think about reducing their purchases!”

I quietly approach Barbera.

Whispering in her ear, I say, “The skeletons are making additional supplies right now.” Upon hearing this, Barbera regains her spirits.

“It won’t run out. It’ll be fine.”

“Oh, I see. In that case, I’ll take 10 of each variety!”

After seeing the traveling merchants purchase as per the initial order, I return to the storefront of the Aion Mall otherworldly store.

I replenish the ingredients, handle customer service when they enter the store, manage the cash register, and check the cooking progress of the apron-clad skeletons.

With three people assigned to the special booth, I’m the only one who can move around.

Though there are skeletons and ghosts, I can’t bring them out to the front. It would be dangerous to engage with adventurers and risk having them destroyed.

“Today was incredible, Naoya! We’ve never had so many customers before! The food sold like hotcakes!”

“With this number of customers and sales, I wouldn’t say ‘like hotcakes,’ but it’s still good.”

After a moderately busy day, it’s closing time.

Chloe comes over to me, smiling mischievously.

Behind her are Anna-san and Barbera.

It seems that all three of them are curious about today’s results.

“So, how did it go, Naoya? How many customers did we have today? Please tell me we had over 50! And what about the sales!?”

“Chloe, your face is too close. Calm down.”

“I saw everyone happily buying our food. I think I understand the feeling you mentioned, Naoya, about wanting to make them excited.”

“It’s embarrassing to hear that again. You’re giving off a vibe of someone who’s conscious of their actions.”

“………… any leftovers?”

“We were having a good flow of conversation, and now you ask that, Barbera? Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of food for everyone.”

Barbera seems to be more concerned about whether she’ll get to eat rather than the results of the day. She’s more of a carnivore than Chloe. Truly befitting of a dragon.

“Just tell us already, Naoya! Ah! You wouldn’t say something like ‘If you want to know, You need to tell it with your body’ and then attack me, would you? You fiend! Kuh- kill me!”

“Your thoughts are messed up, Elf. Actually, I want to know how to convey the number of customers and sales through your body.”

As always, I lightly tease Chloe and take the printed results from the cash register.

I can sense that even Anna-san, Chloe, and Barbera are paying attention.

“Today’s customer count is 81. As planned, it seems that both passersby and attracted by the crowd and the aroma stopped by,”

“E- ei- eigh, 81!? It’s 81!”

“You’re overreacting, Chloe. 81 customers at the Aion Mall is not that low. Well, I understand the feeling though.”

“I see, it’s the aroma. Then, to attract more customers, should we infuse the skeletons’ unit with the aroma… by simmering beef stew?”

“Anna-san? It’s scary when you start mumbling to yourself, you know? When you made beef stew, you were disgusted with handling the bones, right?”

Anna-san, muttering to herself, meets the gaze of the skeleton that was doing the cleaning work.

The skeleton starts rattling. It shakes its head, as if saying no, seeking help from me with its eye sockets. Probably. Even though it doesn’t have eyes.

“The sales! Today’s sales are 203,000 yen! The high average spending per customer is thanks to the bulk purchases by the traveling merchants!”

“Two hundred… two hundred thousand!? Amazing, Naoya! It’s the highest daily sales record! We never exceeded 100,000 yen before!”

Chloe, her eyes moist, takes hold of my hand.

“Well done, Naoya-san! You’ve set a new record in just eight days since becoming the store manager!”

Anna-san clasps her hands in front of her chest, looking pleased—whatever that was for—it didn’t matter.

“….of course, delish,”

Barbera, putting her hands on her hips, looks somewhat adorable, like a child acting all grown-up.

The apron-clad skeletons also applaud with a clattering sound upon hearing my announcement, and the ghost’s excitement rises as it flies energetically around the store.

“Both customer count and sales have set new records. That’s for sure… but…”

“What’s wrong, Naoya? It’s a new record! Shouldn’t we celebrate with a meat festival tonight?”

“Is it only meat? Eat some vegetables, Elf. It’s true that it’s a new record, but we have to surpass 10 million yen in monthly sales in five months. That means we need an average daily sales of 3.34 million yen… in other words, we still need more than 3.1 million yen in sales.”

“More than 15 times today’s… isn’t it… hopeless? Most passersby have already stopped by, you know!?”

Chloe’s lament echoes through the Aion Mall isekai shop after closing.

…Wait, wasn’t it my responsibility to make it dramatic like that?

The eighth day of business results at the Aion Mall otherworldly store since I became the store manager.

Customer count: 81.

Sales: 203,000 yen.

The sales of our popular ready-to-eat dishes targeting the mid-market segment set new records for both customer count and sales, but we’re still far from our goal.