NOVEL WEB chapter 50
Chapter 50
The second day of preliminaries for the Grand Martial Festival.
I was leisurely preparing to open the stall, thinking it might be another slow day, but for some reason people were already waiting. So I hurried to get ready.
Good thing I didn’t throw away yesterday’s pop art.
Since we have to return the stall to the guild each time, I was debating whether to toss the flashy decorations and make new ones. This way, I can just put them back up quickly.
So, as I’m swiftly preparing, I call out to Mungaga-san.
“Mungaga-san~ We might be a bit busy today~”
“That’s great news! Much better than being idle! Get fired up, missy! I’ll bring in the customers!”
No, don’t take their souls.
Plus, since we’re dealing with poison, it’s not really funny.
“Anyway, we’ll open as soon as we’re ready, so please prepare some extra soup~”
“Kukuku, if that day has come…”
He’s saying it in a suspicious way, but that’s his true feelings, right?
It’s making me a bit sad.
■□■
And so, we opened the stall early today!
As if they were waiting for this, customers started lining up.
For a moment, it looked like there might be a scuffle over the order of the line, but when Mungaga-san poked his head out and said, “What’s the matter with you?” the commotion instantly died down.
Hmm. It’s good that we have more customers, but we might need someone to manage the line.
But since we can’t suddenly arrange for extra staff, I guess we’ll have to rely on the players’ good sense, at least for today?
“Excuse me~ Please line up in a single file and don’t obstruct passersby~”
I call out, but somehow they’re not forming a proper line. Maybe because some are lining up alone, some in pairs?
Ah, I got it.
“Ah~ The line is a bit crooked. Don’t you think the [Balance] of the line is off?”
…
Glance, glance.
“Hey, they’re saying the line is crooked.”
“Get in a single file over there.”
“Manners are important even in online games, you know.”
“Everyone~ Line up properly~ At the edge of the road~ Don’t stick out~”
The line was properly rearranged, but… that’s not it! That’s not what I meant!
While feeling frustrated about not fully understanding the activation conditions of [Balance], I explain to the customers who lined up properly and sell them the poison soup.
■□■
“Oi! You there, more soup!”
“Okay, Mungaga-san! Customers, thank you for waiting. We’re resuming sales~”
Ugh, it’s too busy!
I thought I’d managed to handle the people who lined up early in the morning, but an even larger crowd has lined up without me noticing!?
I feel like an employee at a suddenly viral super popular shop! There’s no time to rest!
As I’m gasping and serving customers…
▶[Balance] has activated.
Adjusting the balance of congestion.
Eh, now!?
It didn’t activate earlier!
But if it improves this congestion, I’ll take anything!
[Balance], please!
…?
Huh?
The number of people in line is decreasing…
— Or not?
Hm? Did something change?
Hmm?
“Hey, um…”
“Ah…”
“That shop assistant’s movements, they’re amazing…”
Huh?
I can tell exactly what menu items customers are about to order?
The customers’ movements seem to have suddenly slowed down…
It feels like I could handle the work of multiple people by myself now…?
▶Acquired [Thought Acceleration] Skill Lv1.
▶Acquired [Parallel Thinking] Skill Lv1.
▶Acquired [Observant Eye] Skill Lv1.
▶Acquired [Foresight] Skill Lv1.
▶[Balance] has activated.
Adjusting skill level balance.
▶[Thought Acceleration] Skill has become Lv9.
▶[Parallel Thinking] Skill has become Lv9.
▶[Observant Eye] Skill has become Lv9.
▶[Foresight] Skill has become Lv9.
“Hey, isn’t that shop assistant multiplying?”
“They’re moving so fast I can see afterimages…”
“No, aren’t they moving before we even order?”
That’s not it! That’s not what I meant, [Balance]!?
I wanted you to directly address the congestion situation, not fix me to resolve it!
But contrary to my intentions, the congestion is rapidly easing!
All’s well that ends well?
No, I’m not satisfied with this!?
“Ah—”
“Six Level 1 poison soups, right? That’ll be 600 reward stones. Thank you very much. Please enjoy with the detoxifying tea.”
“Le—”
“Five Level 2 poison soups, right? That’ll be 1000 reward stones. Thank you very much. Please enjoy with the detoxifying tea.”
“Wait, how—”
“1200 reward stones please.”
“Why did you know my order—”
“Thank you very much. Please enjoy with the detoxifying tea.”
In no time at all, the number of people in line decreases.
And as the soup stock rapidly depletes—
“We’re sold out of poison soup for today~!”
“Aww”
“Seriously?”
“We’re too late~”
And so, everything sold out and we ran out of stock.
Whew, I thought we were in trouble for a moment, but we managed somehow. What a relief.
Though I still feel a bit uneasy because of [Balance]! It’s such an incomprehensible skill!
By the way, I’m letting everyone know that tomorrow’s sales will start from noon.
Mungaga-san says he needs time in the morning to gather poison.
Apparently, the place where he gets the poison is a trade secret, so I can’t help out.
I wonder where he’s getting it from?
Anyway, we sold out today so we should make a good profit. Hehe.
We say goodbye to the suspicious old man next door and leisurely head to return the stall to the Commerce Guild—
■□■
“Hot damn! We’re rollin’ in it! Might be able to live a life of luxury forever!”
“You’re exaggerating, Mungaga-san~!”
Mungaga-san is as cheerful as a different person from yesterday.
We split today’s sales, and it’s quite a sum.
I can understand why he’s in such a good mood.
And I’m in a good mood too.
After all, my [Balance] balances the reward stones I’ve acquired with an equal amount of experience points.
In other words, when I sell soup for 1000 reward stones, I get 1000 experience points added.
This isn’t just about the stall’s sales.
Even the [Thousand-Changing Flower], which is now being sold at throwaway prices due to lack of demand, still gave me experience points equal to the money I made from it.
Maybe because of that, even though I haven’t been in a single battle since coming to Forzine, I’m actually leveling up at quite a high pace.
Just from the notifications I glimpsed earlier, “Yamamoto leveled up” was displayed about three times, so things seem to be getting pretty crazy.
I might even be at a higher level than people who are regularly farming area bosses.
I might even be at a level where I could go to Area 3!
Well, normally when you level up, the experience you get from the same monsters decreases, but in my case, I get the same amount of experience just from earning money, so the experience gained doesn’t decrease.
In other words, the more I profit, the stronger I get! What a profitable body!
No wonder I’m laughing out loud with Mungaga-san!
As we were laughing heartily, a customer entered the shop.
…
A customer!?
Oh, it was the younger brother from The Murmur of the Tides. I remembered him because his face is just as scary as Mungaga-san’s.
“What are you laughing like an idiot for, big bro?”
“Oh, you came, brother! How can I not laugh? We’re making a killing with our Grand Martial Festival stall! I can’t stop laughing!”
“Seriously… I came thinking I might lend you some money if you were dried up, but this is unexpected…”
“How about that! See that! This is your big brother’s true ability! Hahaha! Let’s crack open a bottle!”
“Then I guess you can pay back some of the money I’ve been lending you?”
“Eh, well, about that…”
Suddenly, Mungaga-san’s enthusiasm deflates.
So Mungaga-san was in debt to his younger brother.
Well, I guess he couldn’t keep the business going otherwise!
But the momentum should be with Mungaga-san now! Go for it, Mungaga-san! Use that momentum to weasel out of your brother’s debt! (Devilish)
■□■
…It didn’t work.
The money that should have fattened his wallet was forcibly plucked away, and Mungaga-san collapsed to the floor hugging his knees in shock.
Since it didn’t look like he’d recover anytime soon, I left him there and headed out into town.
Well, Mungaga-san’s pretty mentally tough, so he’ll probably bounce back soon.
By the way, the reason I’m going out instead of holing up in the inn is because I’m running low on seawater stock.
So I thought I’d take a look around the festival town on my way to the sea.
I mean, otherwise, I wouldn’t carelessly venture into a place where Aika-chan might be wandering around looking for me.
“As expected, it’s lively because of the festival.”
I was leisurely walking to the beach, looking at the stalls, but everywhere is crowded.
I wanted to stop by the usual grilled eel place too, but it’s so packed I had to give up.
In fact, the whole town is so crowded it’s hard to walk!
My armor frequently bumps into other people, and I’m constantly apologizing.
Well, they’re covered in scales or spikes too, so we’re both in the same boat.
As I was making my way through the crowd towards the beach, I noticed a familiar figure in front of me.
Yeah, at first I thought it was a child because they were so short, but that’s…
“Hey, Lili—”
“Wah! Shh! Shh!”
As I was about to call out, Lili-chan turned around and covered my mouth.
Is this some new kind of harassment?
“Yama-san, you can’t! It would be bad if you said that name right now!”
“Sorry, is that so?”
I mean, what would be so bad?