Night.
As the workday drew to a close, Serge-san arrived at the shop.
"I heard you wished to discuss the music boxes today?" I asked.
"Yes. First, for a report on our current status... we have officially partnered with the Dinome Magic Tool Workshop, and we finally have a timeline for the start of sales. They are currently building up a stockpile of inventory in preparation."
It had only been a few months, yet we were already at the stage where we could begin selling them? I listened to the rest of his report while he showed me product samples.
"So there are music boxes for the nobility and others for the general public."
"Correct. As you can see, the luxury models incorporate the magic tools within ornate decorative cases. We are outsourcing these cases to specialist craftsmen, allowing us to tailor the motifs and materials to the specific requests of each client."
So they were treating them as bespoke high-end items. Since the boxes themselves were handled by outside contractors, it would also reduce the workload on Dinome-san.
In contrast, the version for the general public was housed in a simple wooden box with no decoration other than a brand mark burned into the surface. These looked like they would be sold at a very reasonable price.
"Since the noble versions are made-to-order, will you be launching the general-use ones first?"
"Precisely. While the company has already made preparations to market to the aristocracy, we intend to use the upcoming Founding Festival as the debut venue for the affordable music boxes."
"Does that mean you'll have a stall?"
"Indeed. We obtained the musical pieces used in the devices from a bard who has been making a name for himself lately, on the condition that the song titles and his name be credited on the boxes. That bard leads a troupe of traveling entertainers called the Semroid Troupe, and they are scheduled to perform here in Gimul. We have arranged to sell the music boxes on-site during their shows."
They certainly wasted no time in finding a clever way to market the product.
"I’d love to hear them play. Where will the performance be held?"
"Regarding that, I actually have a favor to ask of you."
As it turned out, Serge-san wanted to know if they could use the shop as a dressing room and the section of our lot currently used for security training—which was essentially a large empty field—as the performance venue on the day of the festival.
...I felt I should get the opinions of the others before making a decision on this.
I excused myself from Serge-san and called for Caulm-san and my head bodyguard, Fei-san, to explain the situation. After a brief discussion between the four of us, we agreed that using the empty lot was perfectly fine. For the dressing room, however, we suggested using the vacant rooms in the dormitory rather than the shop itself. We reached an agreement on the condition that the performers would not enter any other areas.
"Thank you for your cooperation. I’ll be able to give the troupe a positive report now. They are scheduled to arrive in Gimul in about two weeks, so I will visit you again for formal introductions once they are here."
With that, the arrangements with Serge-san were settled. I saw him off at the front door and stepped back inside the shop.
"Huh? Did I just hear a strange sound?"
"It came from the kitchen, ne. I will go check, yo," Fei-san said, moving toward the back with practiced speed.
"Did you... hear something?" I asked the others.
"It was a very faint noise."
While we were talking, Fei-san returned.
"Manager, there is a barrel in the kitchen with a terrible smell. It seems Sherma-san opened it without knowing, ne."
"A barrel with a foul odor? ...Ah."
The Shappaya I had received. Since it was a food item, I had left it in the kitchen and completely forgotten about it.
"I'm sorry, I'm the one who put it there. It's a preserved food I was given as a gift..."
"It belongs to the manager? Then we must hurry, or she will throw it out, yo."
Throw it out?! I’d feel terrible for Moldo-san if that happened!
"Excuse me!"
I rushed to the kitchen, where Sherma-san was currently grimacing as she prepared to heave the barrel of Shappaya into the trash.
"Stop!!!"
"Eek?! Manager, what in the world is the matter?"
"Sherma-san, I'm sorry! That’s a preserved food I was given. It smells awful, but it's not garbage."
"O-Oh dear. Is that so? My apologies, then."
"No, I’m the one who should apologize for not warning you. I’ll take care of the smell right now."
I closed the lid of the barrel and used a deodorant slime to scrub the foul odor from the kitchen air. Being quite practiced at this by now, I finished the task in seconds.
"All done."
"Thank you. But... is that really something you can eat?" Sherma-san asked, her expression full of doubt.
The scent was admittedly overwhelming. I was fine because I possessed Foul Odor Resistance and had eaten similar things in my previous life, but I knew it was a lot to handle for someone who wasn't used to it.
"The person who gave it to me said you're supposed to wash it with water first to rinse away the pungent liquid. Apparently, that lessens the smell significantly. Would you like to try some?"
"As a cook, I am curious... but I find myself hesitating. Just thinking about it brings the scent back to my nose," she admitted, her brow furrowing.
...Wait a second. I had already proven that the deodorant slime’s fluid could neutralize the smell of Shappaya. What if I tried soaking the fish directly in the Deodorization Fluid?
"Would you mind if I ran a little experiment? I'll set up a barrier so the smell doesn't escape."
Even though I was the owner, Sherma-san was the one who managed the kitchen. Since she was also in the middle of preparing dinner, I made sure to get her permission before starting my "cooking" experiment.
First, I pulled several pieces of Shappaya out of the barrel and placed them in a large bowl. I had expected the flesh to be soft and mushy, but it actually held its shape quite well. Once laid out, they looked much like small butterflied fish. I then had a deodorant slime produce Deodorization Fluid until the fish were completely submerged.
"Let's try soaking them for about ten minutes."
Ten minutes later, I retrieved the Shappaya and washed them under a gentle stream of running water, taking care not to break the flesh. The Deodorization Fluid wasn't toxic, but I used water magic to ensure every trace was gone.
Oh, the smell was gone! Compared to when I first opened the barrel, the rinsed fish was almost odorless. Now, how about the taste? I roasted a piece over the fire and took a bite.
"!!"
The more I chewed, the more the savory, aged flavor of the fish spread across my palate. I had been worried the process might strip away the flavor, but it was still delicious. However, I felt like just a hint of the liquid's funk lingered deep within the meat.
I wasn't sure if it was my Foul Odor Resistance or if my nose had simply gone numb, so I couldn't be entirely confident in my judgment.
"Sherma-san, most of the stench is gone now. What do you think of this?"
"Oh, you're right. Let me see... Mmm. It is much better, but there is still a slight aftertaste."
"I see..."
"But it's a massive improvement. At first, the smell was painful, but now it's just a bit pungent. The deliciousness really comes through. I think if you cooked this with herbs or a strong seasoning rather than serving it plain, it would be quite popular."
If that was all it needed, then Jija would be perfect... but I didn't have any on hand. Nor did I have herbs.
...Wait, I could use that Semisa.
I grabbed a bag of Semisa from the second floor and used alchemy to extract the oil. The oil had a unique, savory aroma on its own, but the scent was said to intensify when heated. I drizzled a thin layer into a frying pan and put it over the flame.
Gradually, a rich, nutty fragrance began to waft through the room. I tossed in the deodorized Shappaya and fried it until both sides were crisp and golden.
"Is it finished?"
"Yes. Give this a try."
"...Mnh! Oh my, the smell hardly bothers me at all now. This would be wonderful with a meal or even as a snack to go with alcohol."
Was the flavor—?
"Is something wrong?" I asked, noticing her looking past me.
"Ah, no, it's just..."
"That smell is so nostalgic!"
"We couldn't help but come and see!"
I turned around to find the three young women from the village standing in the doorway.
"Semisa is the flavor of our home," Jane-san said. "The scent just pulled us right in."
"It really makes you hungry!" Fina-san added.
"I see. That makes sense."
"Manager, is that our dinner for tonight?"
It was meant to be an experiment, but... "Sure, why not? Let’s add it as an extra dish."
And so, the experiment concluded with an unexpected addition to our evening meal.
After dinner.
Sherma-san’s cooking had been as wonderfully simple and delicious as always. The Shappaya fried in Semisa oil was a hit with all the employees. It seemed that soaking the fish in Deodorization Fluid had been remarkably effective.
Discovering a new use for the fluid was great, but it made me regret not buying more of the barrels when I had the chance. Food is a necessity, and you can never have enough delicious preserved goods.
"Here you go, Manager."
"Thank you, Jane-san."
She brought me a cup of Dante coffee. Everyone else was also lounging about with their favorite drinks, enjoying the post-dinner lull.
"Lalala~"
Jane-san seemed to be in particularly high spirits. The other two were the same. Were they really that moved by getting to eat something from their village?
When I asked, she confirmed that was part of it, but it was also because of our talk earlier that day.
"I just couldn't help it. Thinking that more people from the village might be hired here..."
"Of course, we don't mind being sent to different branches," Fina-san added. "This is such a safe workplace. We were the first to come out here to work, but now that our own lives have stabilized, we can't help but worry about the other kids back home."
"If our village stays the way it is, more and more children will have to leave to find work. Knowing there’s a safe place like this for them makes us feel so much better."
"I see..."
"Well, the best thing would be if our crops sold better in the first place!" Jane laughed.
"That's true. If that happened, we could all live together again. It’s such a waste to throw away such delicious food," Maria-san added.
Fei-san and Li Ling joined the conversation. "In our country, throwing away food is unthinkable, yo."
"What kind of things do you eat back in your homeland?" I asked.
"In our country, Mien is the staple," Li Ling explained. "It is wheat flour kneaded with water, like bread, but we do not bake it. We put it in soup. If you stretch it long, it is Li-mien. If you roll it thin, it is Pa-mien. There are many names and ways to eat it, yo."
Mien... noodles, then. Based on their description, it sounded a bit like suiton as well.
"That sounds fascinating," Sherma-san said. "I wonder what kind of seasonings you use in foreign cooking."
"Are you interested, Sherma-san? If you like, I will make some for you next time, yo," Li Ling offered.
"Oh, would you really?"
"I am starting to miss the taste myself, ne. All we need is flour and water. And then some soup. In our country, everyone is poor, so we don't use any fancy ingredients. It will be easy, ne."
The conversation was becoming quite lively.
"...Perhaps we should run a stall?" Caulm-san suggested suddenly.
"Eh?"
"Caulm-san?"
I wondered what had prompted that, but he was thinking back to the arrangement with Serge-san.
"There is no loss in simply renting out the lot, but I thought it would be better if we could turn the situation to our advantage as well. We could provide foreign light snacks to the crowds who gather for the troupe's performance. If we have a location where people are already stopping and a unique product to catch their eye, I believe many would be interested in buying. People are prone to spending more during festivals, and even if we don't make a huge profit, it would be a great way to build rapport with the local community."
Caulm-san... even his spontaneous ideas were backed by solid business logic.
Our finances were steady, so we had the capital to spare. Giving back to the community was a good use of the money we’d earned, and being part of the festivities sounded like fun.
"What does everyone think?" I asked.
If we were going to do this, Caulm-san and I couldn't handle it alone. We needed everyone's cooperation.
"...I'll help. I have no other plans," Dolce-san said, speaking up first. I had thought he was absorbed in his diary, but he had clearly been listening.
"I’ve never run a festival stall before, but it's always rewarding to have people eat my food," Sherma-san added enthusiastically. "Especially if they enjoy it."
"If we rotate shifts like we do for our normal hours, we'll still have time to go out and see the festival ourselves," another employee pointed out.
"I like the idea! If I just play all day, I'll run out of money anyway~"
"I agree, ne," Li Ling said.
"Same here, yo," Fei-san added.
"I'm in too! Oh, Vice Manager, can we use the wheat from our village for the ingredients?" Jane-san asked.
"As long as we can ensure it's stored properly and the quality is still good, I don't see why not," Caulm-san replied. "Is there a reason?"
"Well, if we serve it at the shop, people might get curious about where the wheat came from!"
"Oh, Jane, you're dreaming," Fina-san teased with a laugh. "But I agree. It sounds like fun."
With that, the decision was unanimous. While it was still a somewhat casual "maybe we should do this" vibe, the momentum was definitely there.
"Very well. Starting tomorrow, let us begin the preliminary work—developing recipes, researching ingredient costs, and coordinating with the Morgan Company."
Since everyone was on board, we officially decided to run a stall for the festival.