After finishing his curry, the Demon King was escorted back home by Progenitor-san. I made sure to thank him for his hard work.
A lot had happened, but the shop was flourishing. Seeing Marcos, Paula, and the rest of the staff in action reminded me of how much effort they were putting in.
In the Play Area, the bowling was running without a hitch. However, since it was free to play, I needed to foster an atmosphere where people felt encouraged to take turns. It wasn't an issue when the lanes were empty, but if things got crowded, I would have to consider adding more.
We were currently implementing improvements for the Ring Toss and the Shooting Gallery. The Shooting Gallery, in particular, involved safety risks, so I had to ensure it was managed strictly. With those thoughts in mind, I wrapped up for the day. I would be back again tomorrow.
Big Roof Shashato. Apparently, that was the name of this place. I hadn't even realized. However, by bringing other stalls into the fold, it had been upgraded from a mere shop to a full-scale facility. For instance, a meat skewer stall set up inside would now be known as the Meat Skewer Shop in Big Roof Shashato. This meant I had to come up with a specific name for our curry shop.
"Marcos, Paula, do you two want to think of one?"
I had intended to leave it to them, but they both turned me down, insisting that I be the one to choose. It couldn't be helped. I wondered if "Curry Shop" was too blunt. No, that was a genre, not a proper name. It might be fine for now, but it would cause confusion if other places started serving curry later. I needed something distinct.
How about "Marcos & Paula"? No, that was a bit ambiguous; it was hard to tell if it referred to the shop or the two of them. Besides, their current assignment here was technically a temporary business trip. If they were ever replaced, the name would become awkward.
In that case... how about "Maruura"? I took a few syllables from both of their names and mashed them together. Curry Shop Maruura. Yes, that wasn't bad. Since I was using parts of their names, I asked for their permission, intending to adopt it if they had no objections.
They both burst into tears. I worried for a moment that they hated it, but that wasn't the case. They were crying out of pure emotion. I was just glad they were happy. Once I notified the other employees, the name seemed to be well-received across the board.
Next, we needed signs. Using some leftover materials, I constructed two large signs and placed them both inside and outside the facility. I had considered putting one on the roof, but the fear of a freak accident involving a falling sign made me stick to ground level. Even so, they turned out quite well.
"Huh? You want a sign for Big Roof Shashato as well?"
I understood the sentiment. However, a sign for the entire facility had to be even larger than the shop signs. Again, fearing the risk of it falling, I installed it on the ground. While I was at it, I numbered the various locations and sections. The "Southeast Dining Area" and "Northeast Play Area" were officially adopted. I named the southwest section the "Stall Area."
Stalls were gathering there at a steady pace, and I was starting to see more than just food vendors. Eventually, I planned to turn the northwest section into a Stall Area as well. It seemed the presence of a roof was a massive draw, as most of the nearby street vendors had migrated here. This, in turn, attracted a crowd of customers looking for them, making the place quite lively.
The only problem was the layout. It was difficult for people to find the specific shop they were looking for. To solve this, I decided to create a map for the Stall Area. Since many people couldn't read, I used illustrations. I finished one, but it was a grueling amount of work. To do this for several copies and replace them every six months... I needed a professional. I wondered if there was anyone here who could draw.
"Painters are almost exclusively retained by the nobility, so..."
Apparently, there were no professionals available. From what I gathered, painting was considered a luxury hobby, and art supplies were prohibitively expensive. Therefore, art was the domain of painters under aristocratic patronage or the nobles themselves.
"Some might be able to manage simple sketches, but a drawing this precise is a different story..."
Was my drawing really that precise? I had just drawn some slightly stylized meat skewers and seafood. Still, this was a problem. I couldn't do it all myself, but I didn't want to rely on text alone.
"Um, excuse me... could you let me try drawing it?"
One of the employees stepped forward. She seemed incredibly eager to try her hand at it. Since the final product would be seen by the public, I decided to test her skill first and handed her a pen and paper.
It turned out I had a genius on my hands. She was far better than me.
"I've loved drawing since I was a little girl," she explained. "I used to draw all over the ground."
I spoke with Paula to adjust her shifts and officially commissioned her to create the maps. At the same time, we started a service making signs for the individual stalls inside. Since she couldn't do it alone, I hired a few other employees who expressed an interest in art to assist her. The maps were part of the basic facility management, funded by the stall fees, but the individual signs would be a separate service. We would draw a large picture of the shop's specialty along with its name. It wasn't mandatory—only for those who wanted one.
Including the cost of materials, a sign cost ten Large Copper Coins. Since I didn't expect a flood of orders at first, I asked a mutton-grilling stall to be our first customer. They were the very first to volunteer to set up shop here, and Marlon credited them with starting the trend. This was my way of showing gratitude.
Once the sign was up, the flow of customers changed noticeably. The sign became a landmark. Furthermore, we had a rule prohibiting vendors from soliciting customers anywhere except directly in front of their stalls, so the visual impact of the signs was significant. Since they weren't exactly cheap, I didn't think everyone would rush to buy one. Some might even try to make their own, which was perfectly fine. If that happened, maybe I'd introduce banners to spice things up... though with all the cooking fires around, flammable banners might be a bad idea. Still, we needed some level of aesthetic control.
We also needed patrols to prevent trouble. For now, the Minotaurs and Lizardmen who had accompanied me were doing a great job, but I couldn't keep them away from their actual duties forever. I consulted Michael-san about organizing a dedicated security team. If we had them double as information staff, they wouldn't be sitting idle when things were peaceful.
During our discussion, Michael-san recommended Goldie to lead the team. He was the man who had been handling crowd control for Maruura. He had a frightening face, but his skills were top-notch. He already had several subordinates, so I offered to hire the whole group. Goldie apologized, explaining that he had other commitments and couldn't take a full-time position himself, but he was more than happy to have his men join the team. Thus, the security team was formed, with a young man recommended by Goldie serving as captain.
"I'll give it my all," he promised.
I told him I was counting on him. Their salaries would be paid from the facility's stall fees. Goldie himself continued to manage the crowds at Curry Shop Maruura as he had before. I wondered if he had even more subordinates to replace the ones who joined our team. He was certainly a reliable man.
As for the overall operation of Big Roof Shashato, I had been leaving it to Marlon. However, he was the Next Chairman of the Goroun Company; I couldn't keep him on loan indefinitely. Since talented managers don't just appear out of thin air, I decided to officially entrust the facility's management to the Goroun Company.
"Are you sure about this?" Michael-san asked.
"It's better to have someone who knows the ropes," I replied.
"That is true... Very well. The Goroun Company will accept the contract."
A portion of the stall fees would be paid to the company as a management fee, while the rest would go toward operational costs. I also decided that Curry Shop Maruura would pay its own stall fee. It felt a bit strange to pay for my own place, but it was necessary to maintain a sense of fairness. Besides, since I was outsourcing the management, I chose to view it as a management commission rather than rent. For the time being, I decided to pay the equivalent of ten stalls' worth to cover our shop and the Play Area. I'd have to wait and see if that was enough once we reviewed the finances.
I also had a stage built between the Stall Area and the Dining Area. It was a semi-circular platform about a meter high with a radius of seven or eight meters. I thought it would be nice to have a place for music or plays.
Actually, that was a lie. I just wanted to give the High Elves something to do since they had finished their other tasks and looked bored.
Galf gave a martial arts demonstration on the completed stage to test it out. Afterward, he and Milford had a mock battle. The stage ended up getting scratched, which I regretted, but the audience loved it, so I suppose it was fine. After consulting with Michael-san, we decided to rent the stage out to the public. I hoped it would bring in a bit of extra revenue.
Over in the Play Area, long lines had formed for the Ring Toss and the Shooting Gallery. They were so popular that we were likely going to have to expand. Bowling was also going strong. The regulars were even starting to teach newcomers the proper etiquette, which was a huge help. When I announced that we'd be holding a bowling tournament soon, the excitement was palpable. I'd have to make sure the prizes were generous.
In a corner of Curry Shop Maruura, we officially began selling karaage and alcohol. Originally, it was just a way to distract people from the free curry distribution, but it had somehow developed a loyal following. Apparently, people had complained when we stopped selling it during normal hours. It was a good feeling to be in demand.
Securing enough chicken for the karaage was a challenge, but the Goroun Company worked hard on that front. I wasn't sure how the conversation had escalated, but a large-scale poultry farm was now scheduled to be built on the outskirts of the city. I truly wondered how these things happened.
The sake was brought in from the Village of the Great Tree. Our production volume couldn't be increased overnight, so we were essentially redirecting the portion usually sold to external traders to the shop instead.
"I'll be looking forward to an increase in sake production next year," Michael-san said with a smile. He had been very understanding about the decrease in his trade volume. Given how much he was doing for us, I could only nod in agreement. I truly felt bad about it. As a personal token of my gratitude, I gave him some miso, soy sauce, mayonnaise, and the recently developed ketchup. I added some pepper and honey as well. I felt a bit guilty giving him items he was already familiar with, but I hoped he would enjoy them nonetheless.
Returning to the shop, the employees handled the karaage sales. We served them on plates with high rims to keep the pieces from rolling off. We provided sliced lemon, mayonnaise, ketchup, and salt on the side for flavor variation. Since we needed all our pepper for the curry, I couldn't offer it as a seasoning for the karaage yet.
Almost immediately, a very distinct regular customer appeared. He looked like a noble, but he had a very approachable air about him. He seemed to be an acquaintance of Galf's. It was a relief to know that not every noble was like the heir to the Albatross house.
"That was an exceptional case. I am truly sorry."
I recalled the Demon King apologizing to me in private.
I had considered having the regular staff sell the alcohol as well, but their age gave me pause. All of our employees were quite small; to me, they looked no older than middle schoolers. I felt a bit uneasy about having them serve liquor. When I put out a call for new hires, a group of local housewives applied. Quite a few showed up, but we only needed a few at a time, so I set up a rotating shift. I worried they might complain about their individual income decreasing, but the opposite was true. They were actually happy to have substitutes, as it made it easier to take time off for childcare or other family matters.
In the end, I stayed in the city for about ten days. I was incredibly grateful to Progenitor-san for providing the transportation via teleportation magic. Being able to see the shop and the city with my own eyes was invaluable. It helped me realize how much I still had to learn. I really had to keep working hard.
My immediate concern was the curry spices. At our current pace, we were consuming them faster than we could produce them. I couldn't just let that slide. I wondered if I could have spices grown in large quantities at the Sun Castle—Village Four—since the temperature there was so stable.
"Village Head, do you have a moment?"
Michael-san approached me, carrying a large sheet of paper.
"What is it?"
"I thought it was about time we discussed the shop across the street."
"...What?"
"Demolition begins tomorrow. Will the same building style we used here be acceptable?"
Wait, wait a minute.
"The shop across the street?"
"Yes."
"You mean... across the main road?"
"Precisely."
I asked for the details. Apparently, a facility the same size as Big Roof Shashato was being built directly to the south.
"Isn't that a separate establishment?"
"No, it's your shop, Village Head. I'm dreadfully sorry that we couldn't secure one massive, contiguous plot of land. I know being divided by the street is inconvenient..."
According to the plan, more sections were being built to the east and southeast as well. The land purchases were already finalized, and they were just waiting for the current tenants to move out. It was far too late to cancel.
Something was wrong. Where did I trip up?
"I simply prepared locations that matched the land and construction budget you provided," Michael-san explained.
The budget...
Ah. Right. I remembered what I had said when we discussed the payment.
"Michael-san, your company still owes me for a previous transaction, right?"
He had mentioned before that he was short on Gold Coins and asked for more time to pay.
"Yes. Quite embarrassingly..."
"You can use that entire amount. Just buy whatever land and buildings you can get with it. I'll leave the specifics to you."
I had to be paid in Gold Coins back at the village, but I knew that within Shashato City, the Goroun Company could conduct business using their credit without needing physical gold.
"The entire amount?" he had asked.
"Just take ten percent as a commission for yourself."
"Ten percent... Understood. You can leave everything to me."
I see. Either land was much cheaper than I thought, or construction was. I had completely miscalculated.
Well, the village festival was coming up soon. I decided I would think about the expansion seriously once that was over.