To us, the proposal to open a proper hamburger shop felt like it had appeared out of thin air, yet somehow, Luranna-san had already scouted potential candidates for the manager position.
"Even with a product as promising as these hamburgers, it seemed that Tort-sama and your companions were determined to continue your lives as adventurers to the very end," she explained.
That was her reasoning. It was true that she had asked me before if I intended to become a merchant in earnest. I’d thought it was a joke at the time, but she had evidently been quite serious.
Even so, I still had no intention of hanging up my sword just yet. If I were to open a restaurant, it would be after I retired from the adventuring life. For now, I still wanted to travel with Halfa and Shiroru and see the world.
I didn’t mind outsourcing the business, though. I was interested in cooking, but I’d just started to worry that I would become so busy with the stall that I wouldn’t be able to quest anymore. It seemed Halfa felt the same; she had no desire to quit being an adventurer to open a shop full-time either.
My only concern was our original goal of gathering information on the wingfolk. Since I now knew I could rely on the Destiny God, that wasn't quite as critical as before, but since that was the whole reason I’d started the stall in the first place, I wanted to keep it on our radar.
When I asked if we could request help with the information gathering, she readily agreed.
"I see, so that was the case. If that is so, I believe the shop can assist you with that," she promised.
Luranna-san’s plan was this:
First, the shop sign would feature a wingfolk motif—a logo of sorts. Since hamburgers were a dish eaten in the wingfolk village, this was apparently a plan she had considered from the start. If we branded it that way, actual wingfolk might reach out to us, and it would be easier to bring them up in conversation inside the shop. She promised to pass along any intel gathered this way to us through the Merchant Guild. She even mentioned that while there was only one shop in Garond for now, they might open branches in other cities in the future.
It had turned into quite a large-scale venture, but it certainly seemed more efficient than us trying to gather information alone. With our concerns cleared away, we decided to accept her proposal.
Things moved incredibly fast after that. Or rather, it seemed the groundwork had already been completed. Under Luranna-san’s instructions, the candidate, Gaura-san, was summoned, and he formally accepted the position of store manager on the spot.
"No, to think I would be given such a chance! I am truly grateful!"
Gaura-san was a middle-aged man brimming with vitality. He was a professional cook who used to run a popular diner in the Royal Capital, but apparently, he’d been forced to close his doors after an employee made off with his funds. Luranna-san had scooped him up right after his misfortune.
"It will be fine. I will ensure the money management is handled strictly," Luranna-san said firmly.
"Haha... Yes, I will make sure to check everything thoroughly myself this time..."
The only worrying point was that his money had been stolen. Of course, the thief was the one at fault, but it did leave some lingering anxiety about whether the shop’s management would be secure.
However, since Luranna-san was giving him such a stern warning, there probably wouldn't be a problem. Technically, Gaura-san was the store manager, but it seemed Luranna-san intended to have a say in things as an advisor.
Still, between Master Zardan and Gaura-san, Luranna-san seemed to be surrounded by people who were terrible with money.
Then again, we weren't exactly in a position to judge. When we were traveling with Rei, our rewards were split down to the last copper. But ever since it became just me, Halfa, and Shiroru, we’d just been shoving almost everything into the Storage Ring as shared funds.
The profits from the hamburger shop were also to be managed as shared funds for "Glory's Steps." Halfa and Lowell had been a huge help with the stall, and since we were practically taking a break from adventuring anyway, it felt right. It would probably be better to distribute it properly to everyone, but since we couldn't agree on how to split it based on contribution levels, I had a feeling it would just stay as shared funds out of convenience...
In that sense, our personal fund management was incredibly lax. Since we had money to spare, we’d become sloppy. I knew it wasn't a good thing, though...
"I have also narrowed down the store candidates," Luranna-san said, showing us several possible locations. When she asked for my opinion, I noted that the sites for all the buildings seemed excellent.
"Ah, if possible, near the Artisan District might be good? Since we have so many Dwarf customers," Halfa suggested.
"Ah, certainly."
Her point was valid. The vast majority of Dwarves worked in the workshops. If we wanted to maximize sales of Teriyaki Burgers, being close to the Artisan District was a massive advantage.
Besides, the ones who felt the greatest disappointment when we sold out were always the Dwarves. It had reached the point where I occasionally heard jokes about how Teriyaki Burgers were "fuel for Dwarf artisans." If we built the shop far away and the "refueling" of the Artisan District was delayed, the operating rate of the workshops might actually drop. That was surely an exaggeration, but I had a slight, lingering fear that it might be true.
"I have heard the rumors, but is it really that extreme?" Luranna-san asked.
"The Dwarf artisans are... how should I put it... fanatical," I replied.
"Ho-ho. As far as business is concerned, passionate repeaters are something to be grateful for," Gaura-san noted.
He’d heard about their passion, but I didn't think he’d truly understand until he faced them in person. They were a bit terrifying when they crowded the stall with glinting eyes. They weren't rude, so there wasn't a real problem, but still.
Since Gaura-san had no objections, the location was finalized. Of course, the building needed renovations, so it wouldn't open immediately.
We still had things to do during the construction. While Gaura-san was the manager, we needed more employees for a full-scale operation. Cooking was easy enough with the mincer, but we had to establish a schedule for ingredient management. Luranna-san took charge of all that initial planning. It was a huge help.
Fundamentally, we were hands-off regarding the preparations. Since Luranna-san was also taking over the soy sauce making, there was no role for me. All I had to do was provide cooking instruction to Gaura-san and promote the new shop to our current stall customers.
And then, one week later.
A hamburger shop opened its doors in a prime location near the Artisan District.
No matter how you look at it, isn't that way too fast?!