159 . To the earth (terra)…
I have decided that I will stay away from Vanel Kingdom and the new Continent for a while, so let’s settle some business on Earth and Sabine’s Kingdom… uhh, what is its official name again?
I frequently check the mailbox in my home in japan, I also do the [I’m living fine] appeal to the neighbor, there’s no problem .
And I made an announcement to each country via Captain-san using the previous abduction case as an excuse, stating that [I will refrain from visiting the Earth for a while because I had consumed a lot of vitality in retaliation measures] . So, there’s no problem in that regard too . I also stated that [Since I don’t want to waste my vitality anymore, the next time I take retaliation, I will destroy everything in one shot without holding back] so that I can rest assured for the time being .
…Captain-san was laughing over and over while saying something like [Have you ever held back?]!
And I came to my shop the gallery café [Gold Coin] .
Today is a weekday, during the busy hours in the evening, I gently look inside through the window…
Ooh, there are more costumers that I thought! What’s going on?
No, I guess it’s better to have a lot of customers and make profit rather than to be in a slump .
…But to be honest, I didn’t really expect the store to thrive or make money .
After all, I hired a minor girl who used to prepare meals for the whole orphanage, and a girl who is specialized in self-defense and [Even if it’s crowded, I can move without colliding with people by controlling my body’s center of gravity, so I think I can be a waitress . …Maybe], a complicated set of two girls, I guess I put the wrong kind of expectation on them .
In addition, both of them looks overly diligent and they’re not so amiable . They’re not the kind that could be popular with costumers . How in the world the store is popular like this…
However, they don’t seem to be bad in cooking . The menu seems to meet the demand, the price is reasonable, the taste is decent, and the place is comfortable . I guess it’s natural that customers are coming .
In this case, perhaps, I can get a reasonable profit even after paying the necessary expenses and the labor costs?
Oooh, excluding the gallery part, originally, I wasn’t expecting the shop to make profit! I guess they are working hard to get their 10% commissions… .
Alright, let’s go into the store .
I have reminded both of them many times that when I come to the store as a customer, they should treat me as an ordinary costumers without any special treatment . I didn’t want to get in the way when they’re busy, and it’s not amusing for the customers to see other customer receiving special treatment .
Besides, it’s not good for the safety if they know that I’m the owner .
Even if the hired manager and clerk are young girls, if there’s a proper adult on their back is one thing, but if it’s known that the owner is a little lass, they’ll be belittled and turned into a good target by the city thugs and gangsters .
Well, to counter that, I set up the shop near the police station and went to say hello to the chief and staff members, I gave them souvenirs too…
In this country, I don’t have to worry about such a thing yet . The police and military are still treated as respectable people who are working in dangerous field for the country and the citizens . So no one will complain if someone donate or give the something personally .
But, actually, I didn’t really need to do that .
…Right, of course there’s an order from the top of the country .
The elites in the country, who are doing the tax exemption measures, background checks when I was doing the employees recruitment, and so on, have the obligation to keep my store safe . Naturally, there will be special instructions for the surrounding police stations, and if things went poorly, there’s high possibility that they will send a lookout .
However, there is no way to prevent sudden entanglement and violence, or the use of guns and knives at the cashiers . Therefore, in such a case, I told the girls to give the money without resisting .
But, once they know that they could take money from little girls without any risk, the robbers would come every day just like how they come to an ATM . …no, rather than [ATM] it would be [Automatic Cash Dispenser] .
Anyway, there are plenty of security cameras placed around here to warn the criminals that it’ll not end just like that once they had their hands on us . And even if they don’t do it on the spot, we can investigate the footage and make sure to get them later .
Not only the culprit themselves, but also their fellows and organization to which they belong, the money routes, I’ll crush everything . Then I’ll drive the words [Don’t lay your hand there] into the top of the organization until they’re in the verge of tears .
Yep, with that, I’m sure the store and the girls would be safe .
The doorbell rang, and the waitress Silua glanced this way, but she expressionlessly ignored me . U~n, they don’t seem to say [Welcome] to the costumers .
Well, there’s no merit in giving such a formal word, and she automatically recognizes that a new costumers has arrived because the doorbell rang . If so, then there’s no need to greet every new costumers and have the eyes of the other costumers gathered on them . That’s the way of thinking of the people around here .
I tried to train the Japanese-style costumer service that had a reputation around the world, but I was overwhelmed by Rudina and Silua in that regard . Well, when in Rome, do as the Romans do, that’s why, I left everything to the two .
I don’t have the courage or the audacity to occupy the table by myself, so I sat at the very end of the vacant counter seat .
And, when I open the menu…
“A Venn-diagram?” (Mitsuha)
Yes, on the first page that opens, there is a figure that looks like several overlapping circles . I learned it at school, it’s the thing that visualizes relations between a collection of different sets .
There are three overlapped circles of different colors .
The red circle is [Low price group] . The blue circle is [Healthy group] . And the yellow circle is the [Large portion group] . The name of each dish is written in each group, and the details of each dish are written on the following pages . …yeah, they thought it well .
Toast, pasta, curry . Un-un, it’s the standard menu .
Porridge, dumpling soup, mashed potatoes… U-un, it’s orphanage’s specialty .
Fried rice, pizza… certainly, she said she’s not good with anything except for dishes that are cheap and can be produced in large quantity at once… but why frozen food!?
Well, frozen foods are quite delicious now, and frozen fried rice can be decent if it’s finished in a frying pan instead of a microwave…
“…then, porridge, croquette, and black tea” (Mitsuha)
I said my order to Silua who came here with a glass of water .
In the other world there’s not much rice dishes, and if I cook rice for myself at my home in Japan, one serving is too few to be delicious, if I cook for two serving there’ll be too much leftovers, if I buy the cooked one at the supermarket, they only sell the 3-packs or more, that’s why I don’t really eat rice . It’s no good to put the leftovers in refrigerator after all .
“Owner, coming! One porridge, one croquette, and one black tea!” (Silua)
“Yeees!!” (Rudina)
Rudina’s reply came from the back .
The simple dishes are done on the other side of the counter, but dishes that use large pots such as soups, curries, stews etc . are performed in the kitchen at the back, which cannot be seen from the costumers’ seats . …or so it seems, but the real reason is to make the customers unable to see the lazy parts .
Well, there’s no one who expect authentic food in a small shop where there’re only little girls that manages it, besides, you must not hurt the dreams and romance of men who long for [Girl’s handmade] . That’s why, the microwave is set so that it doesn’t make beeping sounds .
… So what are these four little holes on the counter in front of me?
Beautiful holes aligned in a straight line at 5 to 6 mm intervals . And they’re somehow have dark red color . Ummm…
“Thank you for waiting” (Silua)
After a while, Silua brought the food .
Well, because it’s porridge and croquette, it doesn’t take too long .
But I think it’s better if she serves with a bit more energetic . With such a blank expression is a bit…
Well, whatever, the fact that costumers are still coming means that it’s not a big deal .
First of all, let’s eat the croquette using the fork … ah .
I suddenly have the urge to stick the tip of the fork to the holes .
… . it’s perfect fit…
But why they’re dark red? And the hole is also deep…
I stopped thinking because I had some scary thoughts .
And I was completely unaware .
To inform my visit to Rudina in the kitchen at the back, Silua did not say [Order coming] when she took my order earlier, but she used some kind of sign like [Owner, coming!]… tte, as if that’s a sign!!
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