The following day.
After finishing the morning preparations for the shop's opening, I headed out to buy supplies for a welcome meal for my two newest recruits. By the time I returned, things were already moving.
"There are people here already?"
I had stepped out right at 8:00 AM, and the shopping had taken about an hour. That meant it was only around 9:00 AM. I made a mental note to track the customer traffic patterns more closely, especially during peak hours.
With those thoughts in mind, I entered through the employee entrance at the back of the building. The workload seemed well-distributed: Carla and Fei handled the front counter, while Caulm and Li Ling managed the transport and return of the laundry. Since the shop was running smoothly for the moment, I left the business to them and started on the cooking.
I didn't know when the next sudden rush might hit, so I wanted them to be able to eat while they had the chance.
I kneaded the dough, shaped it into rounds, and rolled it thin. Once the bases were ready, I began spreading meat sauce over them.
I was actually using the leftovers from the celebration two days ago. I had constructed a refrigerator by applying barrier magic, which kept the food much better than leaving it out in the open. I’d checked it with Appraisal just to be safe, and there were no issues at all. If someone like Serge found out about the refrigerator, he would probably make a scene again.
Actually, Pioro would be the one to get worked up over it, considering he dealt in foodstuffs.
I topped the bases with cheese, sliced onions, and a sprinkle of herbs before sliding them into the preheated oven. While they baked, I prepared a salad and some drinks.
Just as I finished the sides, the pizzas came out, filling the room with a savory aroma. I took a slice for myself to test the quality.
It was excellent. The timing was perfect, too—just before the lunch rush.
"Everyone, lunch is ready! I'll cover the floor, so please take turns coming back to eat."
"Thank you very much!" they called out in unison.
Li Ling and Carla were the first to swap out with me. Once they finished their meal, Fei and Caulm took their turn. In the end, everyone managed to get fed and take a proper break.
However, once the clock moved past noon, the shop returned to the same chaotic state as the day before. The entire staff had to scramble together just to survive the afternoon.
"Good work, everyone."
"Good work, Boss!"
Things had improved slightly since yesterday, but we had only moved from "verging on collapse" to "barely managing." If even one person were to call in sick, the burden on the rest would be overwhelming. Under those conditions, they wouldn't even have time to breathe, let alone cook lunch.
"We had quite the crowd again today," I noted. "What did the final sales look like?"
"I’ve finished the calculations," Carla said, showing me her notes. "The total comes to 11,877 Suut."
A fifty-percent increase over yesterday was a fantastic showing for just the second day.
"The sales are excellent."
"Beyond excellent," Fei added. "It’s a massive success, ne."
"At this rate, the number of customers will only increase, yo," Li Ling said.
"Li Ling, Fei—do you two agree? I really should bring on more help, shouldn't I? I originally planned to hire three or four people, and as things stand, if one of you becomes unable to work, the pressure on everyone else will be too much."
"I agree," Caulm said. "That would be for the best."
"It’s a bit soon after the last round, but I’d appreciate it if you could find more help at the guild."
"Understood," I said. "I’d also like to hire a dedicated cook. Can I find one of those at the Commerce Guild as well?"
Caulm looked surprised at the suggestion. "You can. But why a cook specifically?"
"Everyone is busy with work and won't have time to prepare meals, right? I figured hiring a professional to handle the food would take that weight off your shoulders."
"That is true, certainly, but such tasks are usually handled by the servants or the staff themselves."
"But if we hire a professional, it creates more breathing room for everyone. Besides, if you're going to eat, you might as well eat something delicious—it keeps morale high. Think of it as part of your welfare."
"I can't argue with that logic, but... what is 'welfare'?"
"Ah... how should I put it... it’s a system of benefits and considerations to ensure employees can work comfortably and happily at the shop."
The concept of employee welfare evidently wasn't a standard thing here, or perhaps it just wasn't common in this industry.
"Master Ryoma certainly puts a great deal of thought into how he treats his staff," Carla noted.
"Even with room and board included, the wages are very high, yo," Fei said. "Treatment this good is rare, yo."
"Good pay, a warm room, and today's food was wonderful," Li Ling added. "Neither my father nor I could ever dream of leaving for another shop, ne."
"I'm glad to hear it. Well then, can I leave the closing to you? I'll head to the guild to hire the new people and then go straight back to the inn."
"Good work, sir!"
I left the shop with the four of them seeing me off.
At the guild, I was once again ushered into the reception room to meet with the Guild Master.
"Good work today," she said. "Back to hire more already?"
"The shop is doing better than expected, and I have the funds to spare."
"I see. And how many are you looking for this time?"
"I’m looking for three more shop hands and one cook."
"A cook?"
"The shop is so busy that the staff doesn't have time to manage the kitchen. I want them to have good food to look forward to, and I figured a professional could ensure they're getting proper nutrition to stay healthy."
"Hiring a professional chef just for the staff? You certainly have a unique way of doing things..."
"Is it really that unusual?"
"Usually, one of the assistants just handles it. Once a shop grows, they might hire a general laborer for chores, but specifically requesting a cook is rare. Still, it's not a bad idea. Give me a moment, I'll see who's available."
"If possible, I'd like someone who wasn't here yesterday."
After a short wait, I was introduced to four women whom the Guild Master had personally recommended.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Jane!"
"I'm Maria..."
"My name is Fina."
"I am Shelma, the cook."
The first three were young girls who had traveled from a poor village as a group to find work. My first impression was that Jane was energetic, Maria was laid-back, and Fina was the level-headed one. Shelma was older—though not quite double their age—and possessed a kind, motherly aura.
Since they were the Guild Master's picks, I trusted them more than my own judgment, but I confirmed their willingness to work just in case. They all nodded eagerly. They had either heard rumors of the shop's success or seen the crowds themselves, and the Guild Master had vouched for the safety of the workplace.
Given that everyone in the shop—myself included—had been vetted by the Guild Master, it likely eased their anxieties.
The three girls seemed like honest, hardworking country lasses. While they didn't possess any specialized skills, they appeared reliable. Shelma’s previous job had been at a regular inn, and she admitted she couldn't make high-end cuisine, but that wasn't an issue. Her personality seemed pleasant, so I decided to hire all four.
The entire process had taken barely ten minutes from the moment I arrived at the guild. Connections really are everything.
Since all four wanted to live on-site, we returned to the shop in a carriage that seemed to have been prepared in anticipation of my success. Before I left, the Guild Master caught my eye.
"Ryoma, if this growth continues, you need to start thinking about opening a Second Store or a Third Store in other cities. You could do it soon. Come talk to me when the time comes."
I was a bit stunned to hear the same advice Caulm had given me, but the Guild Master just gave me an encouraging pat on the back with her staff. "Pull yourself together!" she barked.
When I delivered the new hires to the shop, Caulm and the others were still there.
"Boss? We thought you’d gone home for the day."
I explained that I had brought the new live-in recruits, introduced them, and then left the rest of the orientation in their capable hands.
Four days later.
It had been four days since the new additions joined the team.
The trio of girls were hard workers, and Shelma’s cooking was fantastic. I had stayed at the shop on their first day just to make sure things went smoothly, but there weren't any issues. By the day before yesterday, I finally had enough free time to wash the exterior walls and tend to the lawn. Yesterday, I even managed to do a patrol of the abandoned mine.
We had only been open for a week, but sales showed no sign of slowing down. We were making enough in a single day for me to live on for three months if I was frugal. The scale of it was becoming a little daunting, but I knew it was only possible because of the staff's tireless hard work.
The shop was stable enough now that I could probably step away and return to my adventurer work... or so I thought, until Serge summoned me to his office.
"Thank you for coming, Master Ryoma. Please, come in."
"Excuse me."
"I apologize for calling on you so suddenly."
"Not at all. I can finally leave the shop to my employees now. The two managers you sent over have been working incredibly hard."
"Is that so? I'm relieved to hear they’ve been of use to you."
"I'm always in your debt, Serge-san."
"On the contrary, we are the ones profiting. You're buying massive quantities of bags and daily supplies every single day."
"You've really saved me. Honestly, things are going so well it's almost scary."
"Your shop is the talk of the town lately. Even the guilds are paying close attention."
Serge paused for a moment, a small smile playing on his lips. "And to think, you have yet another profitable venture to discuss. It truly is remarkable."
I tilted my head, confused, until Serge clarified.
"Master Ryoma, I am referring to the Waterproof Cloth."
"Ah, right..."
I had completely forgotten about that.
"I assume you're aware that the Grel Frog mass-outbreak season is approaching?"
"Yes, I've heard."
"Grel Frogs are monsters that live in marshes. Their skin is used for armor, and their internal organs make excellent medicine, so they sell for quite a high price. Because of that, a huge number of adventurers head into the bogs during the outbreak. It would be a perfect opportunity to advertise the Chest Waders made from your cloth. I’d like to begin manufacturing and sales as soon as possible... and so, I called you here to ask about your production capacity."
Let's see... I had 907 Sticky Slimes now. It really depended on the volume of fabric.
"Since I'll be processing existing fabric, you'll need to provide the base material. How long is a standard bolt of cloth?"
"If we provide it, one bolt is roughly seventy meters."
Accepting an order I couldn't fulfill would only cause trouble for both of us. Factoring in a safety margin, I figured ten slimes could handle one bolt per day. Even being conservative and saying twenty slimes per bolt, that was forty-five bolts.
"In that case, once I've set up for production, I should be able to manage forty-five to ninety bolts a day. It takes time for the coating to dry, so the number might fluctuate a bit."
Serge’s face lit up instantly. "Ten bolts a day would have been plenty to start with! Anything more than that is even better."
"Understood. Shall I start production today?"
"If you would be so kind."
"In that case, I'll need to purchase the base fabric..."
"We will provide the fabric free of charge," Serge interrupted. "Since you'll be returning it as Waterproof Cloth, I will simply pay you a Processing Fee upon delivery. What would your rate be?"
"I'll leave that to you. Just pay me whatever the fair market price for the labor is."
Serge gave a small chuckle. "Any other merchant would have exploited their leverage to demand a much higher price. It’s a great help to us. Moving on, where will you be doing the work? If it becomes common knowledge that you are the producer, you might attract unwanted attention. Do you have a secure location? If not, I can arrange one."
"I'll be working inside the abandoned mine."
"Nobody goes near that place, certainly... but are you sure you'll be alright there?"
"I have the title of manager for the site, so no one will think it's strange if I'm there. Besides, I can use Earth Magic to expand the tunnels into a proper workshop."
With the deal struck, I took possession of the fabric and headed straight from the shop toward the abandoned mine.