NOVEL NEXT Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Second Day of the Street Stall Reopening
Chapter 40: Second Day of the Street Stall Reopening
The next morning, when I woke up, three of them were already up and preparing breakfast.
“Shiro, go fetch some well water.”
“Okay.”
“Wow, Kuro, you’re amazing with that knife.”
“Gyah-gyah!”
“Hahaha, you don’t have to slice it mid-air.”
“Gyah-gyah!”
“And why are you so good at peeling the skin so cleanly? I have no idea, hahaha.”
They’re giggling and laughing together from the morning.
Well, Gisella seems to be having a blast, which is great.
I’ll just tally up the finances while I can.
I’ll keep track of Gisella’s share of the money too.
Financially, I had some decent leeway to begin with, but my savings have suddenly increased about fivefold.
I wonder if being a blacksmith is lucrative…
However, Gisella will probably need a substantial amount of funds for things like procurement.
I can’t afford to waste money.
Although there’s currently enough supply of chocolate and coffee, relying solely on them won’t expand the business significantly.
With more comrades joining us, I need to come up with more business ideas.
Thanks to coffee and chocolate, we’ve gained quite a reputation, and we’re fortunate to have a good customer base.
We can’t afford to do any business that would tarnish our reputation, but it’s a difficult balance.
After finishing breakfast and preparing to head to the stall, Gisella starts complaining.
“Aww, I’ll be alone again for a while. Hurry back, okay?”
“We’re going to see each other every day whether you like it or not.”
“Gyah-gyah!”
“Hehehe. Yeah, that’s true.”
Gisella is grinning happily.
How much was she craving companionship, really?
The bond within the oni community might be stronger than I imagined.
Well, it’s probably just a reaction to forcing herself too much.
Seems like she’s not satisfied yet, as she’s now carrying Kuro on her shoulders for some reason.
“Gyah-ah! Gyah-ah!”
“What are you going to do today, Gisella?”
Shiro asks while giving Kuro, who is being carried on Gisella’s shoulders, a high-five.
“I’ll probably be smithing at home all day.”
“I see. Good luck!”
“Gyah-ah!”
“Wow, Kuro, don’t do a handstand there! Hahaha.”
Perhaps enjoying heights, Kuro is doing some acrobatics on Gisella’s back.
Gisella’s face is covered by Kuro’s hair.
What are they up to…? They’re way too energetic for the morning.
When we arrive at the Mishal Market, Oscar, the carpenter workshop’s boss, is already waiting.
How much does he love coffee?
Is business slow for him…?
In contrary,I should be able to quickly recover the 50,000 reis for the box fee.
“Bonus! I’ve been waiting!”
“Good morning. I’ll start brewing now, so wait a bit.”
“Make some for me too. Good morning.”
“Morning, Melanie.”
“Oh, me too.”
Other stall owners and such come one after another, buying to wake themselves up in the morning.
Gradually creating caffeine addicts.
Surprisingly, there are some who come to buy twice or more in a day, including the boss.
I’m looking forward to the future.
“Bonus. It’s been a while.”
“Oh, Azir! How have you been?”
Azir, who I previously hired as mercenaries, casually drops by.
He looks tired for some reason.
“Can I get some coffee? I need to clear my head… Huh? Who are those two over there?”
“Gyah-ugh?”
“Hmm? Don’t you know Kuro? And this oni here is Shiro, a new companion.”
“Huh? Are you kidding me? Well, whatever. Nice to meet you, Shiro. I’m Azir. Pleased to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you. Here’s your coffee.”
“Ah, thanks.”
Azir closes his eyes and sips his coffee as if giving up on something.
When we met before, he had a refreshing expression, but today, his brow is furrowed continuously.
“Did something troublesome happen?”
“Eh, well, sort of. You know Marie, the mercenary? It seems she’s been directly requested by the Lord for a job, and I’ve been nominated as her support.”
“Sounds like a good thing, doesn’t it?”
“Of course, it’s not a bad thing. The reward is quite good, and if I complete the Lord’s task, my credibility as a mercenary will skyrocket.”
“It sounds even better now.”
“…It’s just so bothersome, really, just so bothersome. I have to gather people, arrange supplies, and gather information, all of which ultimately falls on me… Marie won’t do it anyway. So yeah, I’m currently recruiting participants for that request, but it’s not going well at all.”
Certainly, Marie seems like she’d be bad at that stuff~
Seeing Azir drown in the anguish of middle management, I strangely feel a sense of familiarity.
“If there’s anything I can help with…”
“It’s reassuring to hear you say that… but… Could you introduce me to mercenaries who would get along well with Marie? She’s so picky about her partners. I really wish she’d stop… Anyway, I’m currently rejecting troublesome mercenaries one after another… Damn it, why do I have to do this…”
He seems really frustrated.
While his eyes chase after Shiro’s chest and buttocks, he continues to vent endlessly.
This guy is really hopeless…
“Is the nature of the request a secret?”
“No, it’s nothing really… Just a routine hunt for Black Wolves. Seems like there’s been a surge of them down south, so they want us to thin out their numbers.”
“Are there really that many to thin out?”
“Nah, if it’s just thinning out, I could handle it alone. But up north, there’s this fishing village called Vaintz, and protecting that is also part of the job.”
“I see. I don’t know the size of the village, but even if it’s small, it sounds like it would require quite a few people.”
“At least five, ideally ten.”
That doesn’t sound too hard to gather up quickly.
Is it really that difficult to find someone who meets Marie’s standards?
She seems like quite a hassle.
But I suppose she must have the skills to warrant it.
“Hey! Bonus! What’s the deal?!”
“Oh, Edda. Long time no see.”
As I was listening to Azir’s complaints, Edda from the Menas Caravan came over, unusually angry.
“Hiding sweets like that, what’s the deal?!”
“Oh, you mean the chocolate? Wasn’t it delicious?”
“The best. I almost collapsed.”
I thought she was a meat lover like Jeda, but it seems she also likes sweets.
Azir seems to be gazing at Edda’s profile as if drawn to her.
It’s rare to see him looking at something other than Shiro’s chest and buttocks seriously.
“Hey, Bonus. One cup of coffee for this young lady.”
“Hmm? Who are you?”
“This is the unfortunate pretty boy, Azir. And this is the unfortunate beauty, Edda. Birds of a feather should stick together.”
“Whoa!”
“Hey!”
“Gyah-gyah!”
Kuro brings the coffee at a good timing.
Anticipating Edda’s dislike for bitterness, I’ve added plenty of milk.
“Long time no see, Kuro! What’s this? It smells so good. And there’s chocolate on it!”
“Gyah-gyah!”
“Um, Azir, right? Thanks.”
“Oh no, it’s just that I met a beautiful lady who woke me up this morning. It’s only natural.”
Edda smiles sweetly.
Azir, who was just complaining moments ago, suddenly starts to show off.
Is this the type of person he likes…?
“It’s delicious! What’s the deal, Bonus? If you had something this good, you should’ve brought it out earlier!”
“Well, the timing was off for various reasons. Cut me some slack.”
Saying so, he gulps down the coffee.
It’s a way of drinking that makes you want to complain, but well, it’s a cafe au lait…
“Don’t you sell those chocolate boxes? I really want one!”
“They’re not for sale yet. Well, since we’re indebted to Menas, I’ll make an exception and give you one.”
“Yay!”
“Gyah-ah!”
For some reason, they’re high-fiving.
“Well then, I’m off. I actually sneaked out while preparing this morning. I need to get back soon before I get scolded.”
“Yeah yeah, make sure to share it with everyone. Regards to Menas.”
“See you later, Edda!”
“Okay, bye!”
Azir watches Edda’s departing figure with narrowed eyes.
After quickly gulping down the cold coffee, he fires off a series of questions.
“Ah… she’s cute, that girl… Does Edda come here often? And Menas? Is she single? Does she have a man?”
“Hey, calm down. I don’t really know much about Edda’s personal life. Menas is the boss of the caravan that I’m indebted to, and she’s Edda’s mother.”
“I see… she was really cute, though. So soft and fluffy.”
Oh boy, he’s really gone, hasn’t he?
Surprisingly, Edda seems to be quite popular.
Well, being Menas’ daughter, she’s naturally beautiful, and her demeanor is surprisingly elegant.
I can only see her as a lively, meat-loving little girl.
“For now… shouldn’t you focus on gathering mercenaries to participate in the request?”
“Ahh! I almost forgot about that! Well, I’m off… she was cute, though…”
With that, Azir shows his back, filled with melancholy, and disappears into the crowd.
He’s a more interesting guy than I thought.