NOVEL NEXT Chapter 218 - The Divine Cat, Mii-chan, is fully prepared to participate in the festival.
218 The Divine Cat, Mii-chan, is fully prepared to participate in the festival.
I worked with the guild staff, solving one issue at a time. The amount looks like it’s going to be significantly higher than what was estimated at the Commercial Guild. But since the income will increase proportionally, it’s not a problem.
First, we decided on the booth rental fees, with prime locations being priced accordingly. We placed the non-food shops in the outer perimeter booths. Along with that, we set the number of guards and decided to request security from the Hunter Guild.
“Can the individual shops set their own prices, except for drinks?”
“Yes, that’s fine. However, please make sure the Commercial Guild monitors against excessive pricing. Also, be cautious, as we might have some unsavory participants.”
“Do you mean involvement from the Dark Guild?”
“Not just the Dark Guild. Loan sharks and the mafia are likely to take interest as well.”
“How do we handle them?”
“By issuing permits and conducting patrols. We’ll have to deal with any suspicious individuals as we encounter them. Soldiers will be dispatched from the royal palace, so we’ll hand them over if necessary.”
Where there’s money to be made, people like that will inevitably swarm. It’s the same everywhere.
“By the way, is this daycare space really necessary?”
“If a large crowd gathers, it’s inevitable that some children will get lost. Providing a space where parents can leave their young children will allow them to enjoy themselves more freely, which will, in turn, lead to more spending. And the daycare won’t be free, of course.”
“Ah, I see.”
Mii-chan started to nod off, so I pulled out a cushion shaped like a koban coin for her.
“Mii…”
She curled up on the cushion and quickly started breathing softly in her sleep.
The meeting continued, and before I realized it, the midnight bell rang. I promised to return tomorrow and decided to call it a day. What we discussed today could also apply to Beruna, so tomorrow I’ll bring the minutes we just made to the Commercial Guild in Beruna.
After returning home and having a late dinner, I took a bath with Mii-chan.
“Please remember to put up the ‘occupied’ sign when you enter!”
“…”
Apparently, Letty was already in the bath. I should have checked the changing room myself.
I washed both Mii-chan and myself before getting into the bath.
“What should I do?” Letty murmured quietly.
“There’s no need to do anything specific. Just do what you like.”
“What do you mean by ‘what I like’?”
“Everything.”
“Everything… You really don’t give orders, do you?”
“I prefer not to, if I can avoid it. If I do give orders, it’s because there’s a good reason. But even then, I’ll always respect your opinion.”
Letty hugged Mii-chan to her chest and rubbed her cheek against her.
“I wish I had been born fluffy…”
I imagine being fluffy has its own set of difficulties, too.
“Since the death of the Grand Mistress, I’ve realized just how much of a puppet I’ve been. I can’t think for myself, and I don’t know what I should be doing. Sometimes, I wonder if I’m really even alive. What does it mean to be free?”
“There’s no need to rush. Take your time and think about it. You’ve got all the time in the world.”
Letty nodded slightly.
“In four days… no, three days, there’s a night festival in Wilhelm. I’d like you to accompany me.”
“Wilhelm? Even if we leave now, we won’t make it in time.”
“Don’t worry about that. What I’d like to ask you is to root out the Dark Guild and other pests hiding in the festival.”
“It’ll be difficult to do it alone.”
“All I need you to do is find them. Someone else will take care of the actual extermination.”
“Is that an order?”
“Well, it’s technically a business order from the Divine Cat Trading Company. But if you don’t want to, you can refuse.”
“I don’t mind. I’ll do it.”
From the next day onward, I was incredibly busy, juggling responsibilities between the Commercial Guilds in Wilhelm and Beruna, and making several trips to the royal palaces in Hildenburg and Lumiere to finalize various details. At night, I found myself making snacks like fried chicken, only to have them snatched up by Perro and the others as soon as I made them. It was a struggle. Mii-chan, say something!
“Mii~”
I also informed Alex and the others that the Divine Cat Trading Company would be opening a booth on the night of the festival, and I told them to take the next three days off. But they said they’d be fine and would keep the shop open, which made me worried they weren’t resting enough. I’ll check the accounting books soon to make sure.
The festival had been announced in advance, and the entire town was already buzzing with excitement. The carpenters working on the renovation of the Wilhelm branch of our store were planning to finish early today and head to the festival.
Though the festival hasn’t started yet, the festive atmosphere is undeniable. The central square is already bustling with preparations. Normally, this would be the time when the stalls would still be setting up, but the owners seem to be getting ready for the night’s events.
I’ll head to the Commercial Guild and check in before getting ready.
Profit is secondary today—I just want to enjoy myself. I hope the townspeople have a good time too.
“Mii~”