“Welcome~. Would you like to try this?”
“Right now, we are running a promotion. The first 30 customers will get a 10% discount.”
Today, I participated in the new business of Fuji-yan.
Or so I say, but I am simply watching.
I thought about calling for customers, but the ones giving out the pamphlets are cute cat ear and fox eared female employees.
Yeah, no need for a man.
The one in command is Nina-san.
She is giving instructions promptly.
“How are the sales?” (Makoto)
“It is popular-desu zo. How about you, Takki-dono? Is the making of the ‘material’ going well?” (Fujiwara)
“Plenty of room.” (Makoto)
“How reliable!” (Fujiwara)
Glad to see that it is going well.
“What are you doing, Makoto?”
“Part-time job at Fujiwara-kun’s store?”
Lucy and Sa-san passed by.
“Fufufu, our new project as partners-desu zo!” (Fujiwara)
“I began a new business with Fuji-yan.” (Makoto)
In exchange for helping me, an Evil God believer.
“What’s this~?”
Sa-san peeks at the box of merchandise.
“Wah, cold! Is this ice?” (Lucy)
Lucy touched the inside and jerked away.
“Takki-dono made ice that won’t melt for 1 year with his Spirit Magic. We put that inside a preserving box, and we are selling it as a refrigerator-desu zo!” (Fujiwara)
“Heeh~, so there’s no refrigerators in this world?”, is what the modern girl, Sa-san, says.
“What’s a refrigerator?”, Lucy asks.
“A refrigerator is a container that cools food and drinks. In the world I was in, it was an item that everyone had.” (Makoto)
“Ooh, sounds convenient. But you can make ice that doesn’t melt?” (Lucy)
“By combining Water Magic and Spirit Magic, I made magic that ‘won’t melt for a while if you don’t bring it out of Makkaren’.” (Makoto)
In reality, it is magic that throws everything to the spirits though.
Asking the Spirits of Makkaren, I have them maintain their frozen state.
Of course, they will easily melt if taken out to a different place.
“Wow, then it will definitely sell! Are you winning big?” (Aya)
“Well, we are beginning sales, so it is going decently-desu zo.” (Fujiwara)
Fuji-yan chuckles at the question of Sa-san.
“With my proficiency, 1 year is the longest I can maintain it though. If I did my best, I could lengthen it to 2-3 years.” (Makoto)
“I heard from Takki-dono that the ice that was made from his training was pointlessly gathering. So we thought that it could be used.” (Fujiwara)
It was a pain to melt them every single time.
“Aah, now that I think about it, Mary-san was wondering why the waterway at the back of the guild has been freezing lately. So that was your doing, Makoto.” (Lucy)
“I have been thawing it properly lately after getting caught by Mary-san.” (Makoto)
When I made unmelting ice every now and then and left it like that, it would get found out and I would get yelled at.
“Takatsuki-kun, you really do love training. The same as leveling up.” (Aya)
Sa-san laughs.
“What are you two doing?”, Fuji-yan asks.
“I was having Lucy-san guide me through the city, and also shopping, maybe?” (Aya)
“If that’s the case, you could have invited me too.” (Makoto)
We are a party of three, right? I am a bit sad.
“Makoto, you want to choose the underwear of Aya together?” (Lucy)
Lucy asks me with cold eyes.
“I’m fine. Let’s go together.”, Sa-san says all smiles.
“Aah…nah, it’s okay.” (Makoto)
Yeah, you girls go by yourselves.
“The merchandise will be sold out in a bit, so how about we all eat together?” (Nina)
Maybe Nina-san had finished giving her instructions to the employees, she came here.
“I’m in~.” (Lucy)
“Let’s go, let’s go~.” (Aya)
It seems like it has ended up with everyone having dinner together.
◇◇
“To the success of this new business!”
“““““Cheers!”””””
We were in celebratory spirits at the Cat Ears Garden due to the high sales of the new product.
“Man, the Spirit Magic of Takki-dono is convenient~.” (Fujiwara)
“As expected of Makoto-sama!” (Nina)
Fuji-yan and Nina-san praise me.
These two always immediately begin flattering me. Not that I dislike it though.
“Right now it can only be used in Makkaren and Laberintos though.” (Makoto)
I answer while eating garlic meat and olive oil pasta.
This is tasty. Wonder if I can make it too.
“The food here is delicious!” (Aya)
Sa-san was munching a big fried fish as she said this.
“By the way, the owner is Fuji-yan.” (Makoto)
“““Eh?”””
Lucy, Sa-san, and Nina-san made surprised expressions.
Wait, why Nina-san?
“Goshujin-sama, you bought another establishment on your own, didn’t you?” (Nina)
Nina-san stares at Fuji-yan straight.
“I-Isn’t it fine?! I have been aiming for this place for a while now-desu zo!” (Fujiwara)
“Goshujin-sama, you lack self-restraint for things you like.” (Nina)
Fuji-yan is being scolded by Nina-san.
“Now that I think about it, Fujiwara-kun is the type that would buy the whole series of a game he likes, and all the volumes of a manga, right?” (Aya)
“He would pour all his part-time job money in buying things he liked.” (Makoto)
I remember the past together with Sa-san.
How nostalgic.
“Haah…the girl in finances will get angry at you again, you know?” (Nina)
“Nina-dono, at that time, please come together with me…” (Fujiwara)
“Can’t be helped.” (Nina)
When I look at them like this, they are a good duo.
“Fujiyan-san and Nina-san get along well.” (Lucy)
“She is apparently the first comrade of Fuji-yan since coming to this world after all.” (Makoto)
“I see. By the way, I am your first comrade, right, Makoto?” (Lucy)
Why do you ask that so suddenly, Lucy?
“Hey hey, Takatsuki-kun. Let’s talk about our time in middle school.” (Aya)
Sa-san, please stop the strange rivalry.
At the moment when we were having a fun time drinking and talking…
“Makoto-kun! So you were here!”
Mary-san came as if in a hurry.
“Mary-san, what’s the matter?” (Makoto)
“I have received a message from the Adventurer Guild of Highland!” (Mary)
Eh? I have a bad feeling about this.
“Here, a message from Princess Noel”, she gives me a paper that has a short message in it.
“…”
This is definitely the work of Sakurai-kun!
“Uhm, ‘we would like to invite you in order to celebrate your contribution in saving Laberintos’…?” (Makoto)
“Wait, that wasn’t in the report!” (Mary)
Mary-san puffs up in anger.
Now that I think about it, we only reported that we defeated the Harpy Queen?
“I forgot.” (Makoto)
“Geez. You are always like this, Makoto-kun.” (Mary)
Mary-san ruffles my hair.
“The invitation is for 1 month from now. Understood?” (Mary)
“Yes, understood.” (Makoto)
The Goddess told me to get along with the Oracles = the Princesses.
I am already riding this boat.
“There’s also another invitation.” (Mary)
“Eh?” (Makoto)
Mary-san takes out one other paper.
“Princess Sofia has sent an order to come to the capital of the Water Country. This one is in 7 days.” (Mary)
“…”
This one’s an order?
Moreover, the settled date is so close.
The Princess with those cold eyes surfaces in my mind.
H-Hmm.
I am not feeling it…
“It is written as an order, but it is actually to tell you words of appreciation, so come to the capital. The contents are no different from the ones of Princess Noel.” (Mary)
Mary-san adds.
“Do I have to go?” (Makoto)
“Well, if you are going to be staying in the Water Country in the future, it would be best to go.” (Mary)
“Right.” (Makoto)
Can’t be helped.
“There’s a variety of things that the guild has to communicate to you, so make sure to show up tomorrow, okay?”, saying this, Mary-san sat on a seat at our table.
What is she doing?
“Today’s job is over! Now, let’s drink. One ale here.” (Mary)
“You are joining as if natural”, Lucy says amazed.
“Cause you know, Makoto has finally returned, and yet, he is going to be leaving somewhere faraway again!” (Mary)
I see, I will be leaving Makkaren for a while again.
Even though I just returned…
That feeling might have shown in my face.
“Oh, Makoto-kun. Are you sad that you won’t be able to see me? Are you?”, she hugged me.
“I am.” (Makoto)
When I look at Mary-san, I feel like I have returned to Makkaren.
She is the first person that registered me as an adventurer.
“?!”
Mary-san separated from me in an instant.
She had a red face and her mouth was flapping.
I didn’t say anything weird.
“Makoto-kun, want to stay at my apartment today?”, she shuffled closer to me and whispered in my ear.
“I won’t.” (Makoto)
I drank till I collapsed last time.
“Takatsuki-kun has become a playboy…” “I want to say that too…”
Sa-san and Lucy, what are you girls saying?
We meet everyday already.
In the end, we were pulled by the drinking Mary-san, and ended up drinking until the closing time of the restaurant.
◇◇
The next day at the Adventurer Guild.
“Takatsuki Makoto-san. In consideration for your contribution to the subjugation of the Taboo Dragon in Laberintos, you will be promoted to Silver Rank.” (Mary)
Even though she drank so much yesterday night, she didn’t show a single sign of having a hangover, and had a serious and business-like face. That’s Mary-san for you.
My head is still throbbing.
“Wait, me, Silver Rank? I just became an Iron not that long ago.” (Makoto)
“Kuh! Even the record for the shortest amount of time to becoming Silver!” (Jean)
I heard the mortified voice of Jean from behind.
“Makoto, nicely done!” (Lucy)
Lucy gives me a thumbs up with a wide smile on her face.
Sa-san doesn’t seem to get it, but still smiles.
I also don’t really get it myself.
“I think I don’t really have the ability to match that rank. I don’t mind staying as Iron for a while.” (Makoto)
I remember the time when Nina-san fought against the Chimera one on one.
I don’t think I have the same strength as that.
“You obviously can’t revoke it. You were invited to the capital of Highland and Rozes by royalty. We as the Adventurer Guild of Makkaren can’t send you off as an Iron Rank.” (Mary)
‘Don’t say selfish things’, Mary-san says as she chides me.
…It was a forced event.
I became a Silver Rank, and as celebration, Lucas-san and the Skewer Stall Boss made me drink a whole lot.
Mary-san was teasing me as always, and Jean announced: ‘I will catch up to you in an instant, got it?!’.
And so, we once again departed from Makkaren.
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