On the day of the Founding Anniversary Festival, I wove through the crowded streets toward my stall's designated spot. Magic Boxes were a godsend; they spared me from having to set up the day before or in the dead of night. Installation was a breeze—I just pulled everything out, and I was done.
It was just before 9:00 AM. Everything was ready, but since we had agreed in our prior meeting to open at exactly 9:00, I decided to wait.
As expected of a location tucked away from the main thoroughfare, the foot traffic was thin and the number of stalls was limited. There was a comfortable amount of space between the shops, making it an ideal environment for a beginner like me.
The variety among the surrounding stalls was quite impressive. Personally, I found myself eyeing a takoyaki stall nearby.
"Kaito-kun, we still have some time, don't we?"
"Eh? Yeah, about twenty minutes."
"Then I'm off to do some enemy reconnaissance! Shaltier-sama always said that information is power!"
With that, Tre-san set off with her wallet in hand. Who was she kidding? She was clearly just going on a snack run. Still, I had to admire her proactive nature.
We really did have the time, so it wasn't a bad choice, but I was impressed by her ability to act immediately without hesitating over a mere twenty-minute window. She was surprisingly punctual, so I was sure she'd be back by the time we opened.
Watching her go, I saw her stop at the very takoyaki stall I’d noticed earlier.
"Ooh, that's quite an appetizing aroma... but I wonder if you can make a connoisseur like me truly sing?"
"Hahaha, you talk big, don't you? I'll give you a surprise that'll make your jaw drop."
"Mm-hmm, I'm looking forward to them fresh... Ah, by the way, don't you think I'm a bit of a beauty?"
"Hmm? Ah, well, I suppose you are quite lovely."
"Right? And I've always thought that cool, skilled craftsmen are the most generous of all... possessed of a 'large vessel,' as they say. I think that’s wonderful... Sooo, normally it’s six pieces for 5R, right? But for today...?"
"Gah, hahaha! I see your game! You've got me. Fine, for a lady as lovely as you, I'll throw in two extra!"
"Yippee!"
Is she a communication power demon? In an instant, she had charmed the man into a delightful conversation and slyly secured a bonus. Tre-san happily accepted the takoyaki and moved to the next stall—one serving something that looked like cabbage-yaki.
"Whoa, that looks delicious."
"Well now, miss... aren't you going to try your luck with me like you did over there?" the elderly stall owner asked. He had watched her exchange with the other vendor.
Tre-san gave him a bright, knowing smile as she watched the food cook, swaying slightly from side to side.
"Well, you have the air of a veteran craftsman, unlike the fellow before. In the otherworld, I think they call it 'iki'... and I'd never dream of haggling with someone so cool. I’m just quietly hoping for a bit of your artisan's spirit."
"Heh, you sure have a way with words... Here, I've added a little extra for you."
"Yay! Thank you!"
I noticed the owners of the other surrounding stalls watching Tre-san with interest. They looked like they were practically hoping she’d come to their shops next.
I could understand the feeling. Tre-san looked so genuinely, incredibly happy with her food that her delight was infectious. Seeing her like that just made you want to give her something extra. Her social skills really were on another level.
Having become the idol of the neighborhood in a matter of minutes, Tre-san returned with both hands full of food.
"I'm back! Let's all eat this together. I don't think customers will be coming constantly, so we can snack during the quiet moments."
"That sounds good. We can take short breaks in rotation. We've set aside a fair amount of space behind the stall, so I'll put some chairs out there."
As Tre-san said, it was unlikely that we'd be swamped every second of the day. We could enjoy ourselves casually while taking breaks in the back.
As for the division of labor, Cento-san and Sien-san were in charge of cooking the baby castella, while Tre-san and I handled the sales. Of course, I planned for us to swap roles occasionally as the day went on.
Just as I finished that thought, the clock struck nine. I opened the shop for business. I stood in front of the stall holding our sign while clad in a kigurumi—though I doubted the costume had much marketing appeal—and finally, the festival had begun.
"Kaito-kun! Everyone! I’ve arrived!"
"...Too fast."
The moment we opened, the baby castella demon descended upon us. She must have been lurking nearby, just waiting for the exact second we started.
Serious-senpai: "Tre's communication skills are terrifyingly high. And the first customer is the baby castella demon... Part of me is looking forward to her reaction when she eats those treats, but the rest of me is just plain scared."