Chapter 218 - A Man of Village One, Marcos
Chapter 218 – A Man of Village One, Marcos
My name is Marcos.
A man.
Sometimes, others mistook my name for Marcus or Marcas but I really don’t mind.
I’m someone with power.
My legs are fast too.
I’m also good at detailed work.
Though I’m not the best in any of those aspects, for someone who’s living in the backstreet, you can say I’m an all-rounder.
However, ever since we live in Village One, I realize how unskillful I am.
No, I might be more useless than unskillful.
Once again, I want to cry for my powerlessness.
However, village chief….ah, village chief is not the village chief of Village One but the village chief of Big Tree Village.
There is no village chief in Village One but there is someone called caretaker that plays the role of village chief.
Let’s go back to the topic….even if I’m useless, village chief encourages me to never give up until I find the job that is suited for me.
He is a good person.
He has power and money too.
He also has a lot of wives.
The old me would have been angry with envy but the present me admires him.
He is that kind of person.
I don’t even mind even if he is living the best life.
It is because village chief works harder than anyone else.
He’s amazing.
Because of him, Big Tree Village developed tremendously.
I don’t want Village One to lose so I will work hard.
Maa, that’s not gonna be easy because the population differs….
Maybe someday.
As I was spending my everyday life, we were gathered by village chief to talk.
He wants to open up a store in Shashaato City, he wants someone to go as the person in charge?
The person in charge will eventually be changed so it is not a permanent placement.
That’s what he said.
I lower my head to village chief since I’m not even used to living in Village One yet.
However, I’m not sure if that is the right thing to do since who am I to decline village chief’s request?
I have a wife too.
I need to consult Paula first.
When I look sideways, Paula is already raising her hand.
Why didn’t she consult me?
Looking at her eyes, she’s clearly angry at me who didn’t immediately raise his hand.
We were lucky.
Paula and I won the draw lots in deciding the couple who should go to Shashaato City.
God, thank you.
After that, Paula and I get ready to go to Shashaato City.
Because we won’t leave for a long time, our house will still be our house.
The nyunyudaphne-sans will be taking care of it.
I thought that we will go to Shashaato City as soon as we are ready to leave but I was wrong.
We have to study in Big Tree Village first.
Indeed, both Paula and I don’t have knowledge in managing a shop.
As expected of village chief.
The shop is a….restaurant?
My and Paula’s cooking skills are ordinary.
Are we going to hire a chef?
We’ll sell only one item?
Ah, I understand.
A shop that only serves curry.
Paula and I can make it and we won’t get bored since we can make changes with the toppings.
I feel like going now.
However, what are we going to study?
I and Paula arrived at Shashaato City with a lot of luggage.
Because we were transferred using teleportation magic, we felt like we just left the vicinity of Big Tree Village.
If you ask me what luxury I want, it is to travel around and taste a lot of different food.
No, I’m not tasting anything else.
Beezel-sama, thank you very much for using your teleportation magic.
Michael-sama, my apologies for bothering you and thank you very much for receiving us.
So, where can we put our luggage….
Before I manage to ask that, Michael-sama’s subordinates are already carrying them to a specially prepared warehouse. Amazing.
It seems like it will be guarded in turns too.
Thank you very….much?
Immediately after, a visitor arrived in the place. He is scheduled to meet us.
I heard that he is the governor of Shashaato City.
This city is under the direct control of the demon king’s kingdom.
The governor is the most important person in this city.
However, I was not scolded when I didn’t lower my waist that much.
I somehow feel good.
Though it looks like he’s disturbed with the clothes Paula and I are wearing……is he someone who likes fashion?
This is something Zabuton-sama personally made so I can’t give it to you.
Speaking of which, village chief has handed us some fabric so let’s give it to him as a greeting.
But there are still a lot of eyes around so let’s have Michael-sama give it to him later.
I never thought that I’ll meet the governor so I wanted to get along with him.
Now, as for our schedule, sightseeing at Shashaato City today and tomorrow.
We have to look around in various meanings.
It’s not a relaxation tour.
We have to know the customer first.
That was what village chief ordered.
At the same time, we will conduct surveys on prices.
Village chief said that it will be a problem if we priced the product wrong. We have to consider wages, the price of materials, etc.
The price also shouldn’t be too high or too cheap.
Though it might be difficult, for the time being, we were recommended to put the price a little cheaper than the average price of lunch in the city.
Because of that, I want to dine out…
All the food we ate during our sightseeing were paid in advance by the guide dispatched by Michael-sama so we don’t know the price.
「Don’t worry. Everything was ordered by the president.」
Moreover, all of those restaurants are high end restaurants.
Maa, the food in Big Tree Village taste better but….there is something that I can’t dare to say.
It is how disappointed I am.
I’m already missing the soy sauce and miso of the village.
As for the harvest of our sightseeing, I’m sure that the curry will surely be popular in this city.
Michael-sama guided me to the place where we will open the shop.
We went to an intersection.
There is a big plot of land at one corner of the intersection. It is about 200 meters on one side.
Comparing it to village chief’s field…..it will be about 16 of them?
「So, where will we build our store?」
「There.」
He pointed at the plot of land.
The corner lot of an intersection.
「There? But that’s a really good location?」
「I’m the one who requested to build a store so I specifically prepared this place for it.」
「Is that so?」
There is enough pedestrian traffic.
As for the surroundings….there are a lot of shops.
However, this corner of the intersection is alone.
I see.
There is a plan on developing this vacant lot and we will play the role of building the first shop here.
I’ll have to work hard.
「I’ll take care of the building. It’s a restaurant so I’ll make sure it can handle fire correctly.」
「Yes. The water too.」
「I understand. There are few wells here because it is close to the sea. Let’s make a waterway for consumption.」
「Thank you in advance.」
I don’t understand buildings of a store so I’ll leave it all to Michael-sama.
He’s the one who spoke with village chief in the first place.
For the meantime, let’s prepare for the opening.
First is hiring employees.
Though I think me and Paula are already enough but village chief said that we need to hire local people as well.
I heard that it is for trouble prevention.
I don’t know anyone in Shashaato City so should I rely on Michael-sama again?
No, relying too much on Michael-sama is not a good thing.
I have to move on my own little by little.
Hnn, Paula?
Who are these children?
My wife gathered 10 girls.
……they are employee candidates.
You have my support.
Though I’m not sure why we have to do this, village chief told us that no one can work on the store unless they are presentable and have washed their bodies.
Let’s buy some water.
As for towels to wipe their bodies…. let’s buy them too.
Also, new clothes.
All right.
Paula and I are sleeping at the inn prepared by Michael-sama.
As expected, it is difficult to arrange accommodation for a dozen of people, employee candidates included, so we rented a suitable inn for all of us.
Village chief told me that we should treat employees nicely.
Given the circumstances, we can only rent an inn.
Did he foresee this happening?
As expected of village chief.
We brought cooking utensils and tableware but they are not enough.
I asked Paula to take care of the shortage while I’m doing a little chore.
Paula’s employee candidates came from the same place as us, the backstreet.
However, according to what Michael-sama had said, there is an organization that’s managing the children of this city. They are giving them jobs and food.
It seems like Paula doesn’t care about whatever’s happening in the neighborhood.
Let’s get back to the topic.
If you want me to summarize what was happening on the backstreets, I can say that it is a violent world….
That’s why I never thought that my talk with them ended smoothly.
……
This city is really different.
The demon king’s kingdom.
Until we came to Village One, I thought that this is a place where cruel monsters and demons live….
This is a good city.
You can look it similarly to a human city with slightly more different races.
But not as much as Big Tree Village.
By the way, there are many things that need to be done before the building is completed.
Borrowing the kitchen and the garden of the inn we are staying, I tried making curry.
Village chief gave us several tasks upon opening the store.
First and foremost, we have to stabilize the taste.
To do that, there is nothing we can do but repeatedly cook it.
Next is to make curry that includes the things we can buy at Shashaato City.
Like seafood curry using the seafood here.
This is also one of the reasons for our sightseeing.
That is probably the best we can come up with.
Let’s try it out first.
Village chief noted that overconfidence will be the most dangerous feeling we should have.
Finally, please the residents of Shashaato City.
Though we are here because of Michael-sama’s invitation, it doesn’t mean that we can be arrogant.
Don’t forget humility, village chief said.
I won’t forget it.
…..
By the way, why are those people looking at me?
The inn’s employees….the guests too.
No, they are looking at my hand.
The curry I just cooked.
It is not complete yet since I haven’t cooked rice…..
Is the bread of the inn delicious?
「If you want to taste it, bring your own brea…..」
I was not able to finish what I’m going to say.
Taste it all you want.
10 days later.
I was called by Michael-sama.
The exterior of the shop has been completed so he would like to consult me about the interior.
….
………..
…………………..
There is one big shop on the former 200 meters square of vacant lot.
Big.
Really big.
It’s surprisingly big.
It is a one-story building but the roof is high.
Its height is similar to a two-story house.
But there’s no wall.
It’s open.
Is it the type where customer can enter anywhere?
Since there’s no interior, the pillars supporting the roof are eye catching.
The corners…..they are toilets.
They are the only ones with walls that’s why you cannot see everything at once.
The counter and the kitchen are at the center of the store…..
I’ve never seen a 30meter long counter before.
And it is also the type that surrounds all sides.
This is really the first time I see something like this.
It is also set to be 45 degrees against the square walls of the shop.
I see.
If you are inside a counter like that, you can see wider.
There is also a passage for employees to enter and exit.
There is also a mechanism where water flows from a pipe coming from the roof.
Amazing.
There is a big room in the kitchen, it seems to be the food storage.
There’s also a rest room, a changing room, and toilet for employees.
I see, I see.
As for the smoke that will be generated when fire is used in the kitchen…..it will go up and be sucked into a chimney all the way outside….it is also designed to be okay even if it rains.
Will it really work like that?
Part of them seems to be magical tools.
Ehto….let’s check.
Yup, confirmed.
「Michael-sama.」
「Sama is unnecessary. Just call me Michael.」
「Ehto….then, Michael-san.」
「What is it?」
「All of these, we…..is this shop really for Big Tree Village?」
「Hahaha」
He laughed at me.
As expected.
I’m glad I didn’t seem upset.
We’re probably going to rent a corner of this shop.
Yeah, that must be it.
「With the cooperation of the city’s chamber of commerce, the shop at the opposite side of the street will belong to Big Tree Village too. Though we are still negotiating with the other corners….in the future, all four corners of this intersection will belong to Big Tree Village.」
「………」
「And next to this shop….at the other side of the street. Ah, it’s still under construction. It is not a store but a residence for Marcos-sama’s group. Next to it will be the employees’ dormitory.」
….
……………
Areh?
Village chief, according to what you have inculcated me, I expected a small shop.
That includes what you’ve train us too.
Our hair will grow long while standing still at the stall….isn’t that what you said?
The customer simulation also has 10 customers at most.
Why do you have to suddenly send us to war?
N-no, this is not the time to play the fool.
Cope.
……
Remember village chief’s words.
Don’t overdo it.
Don’t act rashly.
……..
The shop is wide which means customers won’t be able to pack this place.
Don’t panic.
As expected of village chief.
I wonder if he had foreseen this.
Ah!
That might be the case or he is giving us the freedom to effectively use this wide space!
I see!
Again, as expected of village chief!
Mini bowling is popular among the children of Big Tree Village.
Even adults are crazy about it.
This place can accommodate a lot of lanes.
Making three lanes is still too little….right!
The product of this city.
I now understand.
Good.
First, let’s divide this store into four areas.
Each area will be classified depending on which counter is facing it.
Northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest.
Since the southeast is facing the intersection of main streets, it will be the dining and drinking area.
Let’s put the tables and chairs there.
Even if we divide it that area to four, it is still really big.
The northeast area will be like a playground area and the mini bowling will be set up there.
There will also be chairs and tables there but less than compared to dining and drinking area.
The mini bowling will be its main attraction.
Let’s start with these two areas first.
I still have no idea how many customers will come.
This looks like a deserted shop with only chairs and tables.
Michael-sama…..I must practice calling him Michael-san. I told him what the interior should look like.
There’s a basement?
Amazing.
…..eh?
There will be an underground passage directly connecting it to the planned house….
O-okay.
For the time being, I’ll ask Paula to increase the number of employees.
Though I don’t think we’ll be busy….but when I recalled what happened when I made the trial curry, I became anxious.
We should be careful.
Cooking utensils, tableware…..I want to increase what we have but I’m scared to buy in case they won’t be used.
Village chief gave us money and said that we can use it as we see fit but I don’t want to waste any of it.
「Speaking of which Michael-sa…..san. How much is the land and construction cost…」
「Village chief-san already took care of it. I’ll send you the deed later.」
「……」
My name is Marcos.
I am the acting store manager of a store that will be open up soon.
Why acting manager?
The manager is village chief.
I am but someone who substitutes for him.
I must do my best.
I will never stain village chief’s name!
TN: As you all know, no one knows Hiraku’s name. Even his wives call him “husband”. Lol