Poor Sales

Kent returned home once, then went to the first shop and started the second half of his part-time work.

“Elnette… wasn’t here. It looks like I’ll have to transport the flour myself today.”

“If you are troubled, shall I help you?”

“I can’t exactly have you help me with that, Caro-san, so please take care of the floor.”

“Yes, understood. Kent-san, please do your best.”

There were about two flour handovers today. When he muttered to himself, Caro seemed to have heard him and offered to help. However, he could not make Caro do such heavy labor, so he politely declined.

The wheat harvest had also ended, and it was almost time for shipments of flour made from this year’s wheat to begin. Kent had procured the flour for every bakery belonging to the Bakers’ Guild, and that had produced enormous profits, but once the new flour began circulating in the market, Kent’s work of procuring flour would come to an end. The generated profits were recorded as the shop’s profits. Marie had refused to accept them, saying that they were not earned through the shop’s business, but she accepted after it was decided that Kent would receive a portion of the profits. Even though it was only a portion, it was a considerable amount, so Kent’s funds became quite large. Then the flour sales and the surplus from the shop’s sales were allocated toward repaying Josette, who had financed the renovations.

“Then please sign for the receipt… Yes, certainly.”

After handing the flour over to the carrier arranged by the delivery destination shop, Kent returned to the shop.

“Kent-san, thank you for your hard work. Things are fine here, so could you go check on Rachel-chan?”

“Understood. Then I’ll be going.”

After Marie told him to go check on the second shop, Kent headed there.

When he entered the second shop, there were five tables in the dining space just like the first shop, and four of those tables were occupied. However, nobles basically did not share tables, so only one or two people were sitting at each table. Because of that, there were only a few customers. There were no customers at all in the adjacent sales area where many containers were lined up.

“How are things going?”

Kent spoke to Rachel, the manager.

“Hmm. Customers are coming, but sales aren’t growing.”

The composure Rachel had before opening had disappeared from her face, and an expression of impatience had appeared. Before long, all the customers left, and closing time arrived. Since the second shop was aimed at nobles, who did not stay out late, its closing time was set earlier than the first shop’s.

“Haa… It’s a deficit again today after all…”

Rachel said that after finishing the sales calculations.

“Let’s see? Today, the sales don’t even cover the labor costs.”

“If things keep going like this, we won’t be able to maintain the shop, right? What should we do…?”

Kent said that while looking at the paper with the calculated sales written on it.

“Um, is there anything else I should do?”

Laura, who had finished cleaning the shop, asked Rachel.

“You can go off for today. Good work.”

“Yes, then please excuse me for leaving first.”

After saying that, Laura returned to her own room on the second floor. After the second shop opened, Laura had moved out of her room at the first shop and was living in the place at the second shop that had originally been her own room. A bath and other things had newly been installed, and the living infrastructure had been arranged, so as long as she secured food herself, she could live normally.

“Funya? Is today’s business already over, nya?”

Mike, who had been curled up asleep in his usual spot, woke up and gave a big yawn.

“In the end, you just slept all day again today. The shop fairy at the first shop works hard, so why does this shop’s fairy only sleep?”

Rachel said that with dissatisfaction.

“I’m a cat, so I can’t help, nya.”

“That’s true, but somehow I can’t accept it.”

Mike gave a sound argument, but Rachel did not seem able to accept it.

“Ahh. Even though I was looking forward to it because we had a shop fairy, you ended up only being eye candy for my brother.”

“Eye candy? Even if I saw my little sister naked, I wouldn’t feel anything!”

“Is that really true? Then how about this?”

Rachel slightly lifted the skirt of the maid uniform that was the shop’s uniform.

Kent’s eyes were unintentionally drawn to that sight.

“You looked after all. Pervert.”

“Even if the inside is my little sister, the outside is different, so it can’t be helped.”

“It’s weird for me to say this myself, but my body doesn’t have parts that assert themselves like Josette-san’s, yet it’s balanced, so when you look at it overall, it really is attractive, right?”

Rachel was indeed originally the protagonist character, so her appearance was a balance-focused type. It was at the level of neither especially good nor bad, but because there were no bad points, when viewed as a whole, it became an exquisite balance and drew out her charm. Since they had already broken the flags, it could no longer be achieved now, but depending on how things were done, there should have been a path where she ended up with the prince and advanced down the road of royalty.

“Hey, it’s late to ask this now, but are you really fine with your current life?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Depending on how you did things, couldn’t you have joined the nobility?”

“That’s true. If I had proceeded according to the capture method, maybe that would have happened, but I gave up on the capture halfway through, so it seems impossible now. But even though things are hard because the shop isn’t going well right now, I’m enjoying it, and I’m satisfied with my life, you know?”

Rachel answered confidently. Hearing that, Kent felt relieved.

“And I’ve found someone I like too.”

“Huh? Could it be that you fell in love with your brother?”

“As a romantic partner? That’s not happening.”

“I see.”

Rachel answered immediately.

“As your brother, I feel a little lonely, but if it looks like you’re going to start dating, tell me. I’ll support you.”

“Y-yeah. If I remember.”

Rachel answered vaguely. At this point, Kent never imagined that the person Rachel liked was a woman, and moreover, someone Kent was dating.

“Well then, I have a report for Marie-san too, so I’m going back home. What about you, Brother?”

“If you’re leaving the shop, then my errand is finished too, so I’ll go home with you.”

“Then Mike, please take care of the place while we’re gone.”

“Yes, understood, nya.”

They left the shop to Mike, and Kent and Rachel began moving toward the first shop.

“Welcome back. Kent-san, Rachel-chan, thank you for your hard work.”

“I’m back.”

“Marie-san, thank you for your hard work.”

After returning to the first shop, the two of them were welcomed by Marie. The shop was still in business hours, and the employees were working busily inside.

“Then I’ll return to work.”

“Ah, I’ll help too.”

Kent and Rachel each entered suitable places where there were few hands and worked until closing time.

After closing time arrived and the cleanup was finished, Catherine, Al, and Patty returned home, while Emily was cleaning the kitchen. Marie calculated the sales, and Kent and Rachel watched from beside her.

“Thank you for waiting. The calculations are done. Kent-san, please check them.”

“Yes… Things seem to be going well again today.”

Kent said that after finishing the check. The nobles who came to the dining space had gone to the second shop instead, and as a result, commoner usage increased and the turnover rate rose, so sales had grown compared to last week.

“Marie-san, these are today’s sales for the second shop.”

Rachel handed Marie the paper with today’s second shop sales written on it.

“The ice cream sales are within expectations. The bread sold out too. But the rest is harsh.”

“Yes, after subtracting expenses, we were in the red again today.”

“I’m sure it will improve eventually, so do your best. Also, from next time, it’s fine to give the report all together at the end of the week.”

“Yes, understood. I’ll do my best to meet your expectations, Marie-san.”

Marie replied in a businesslike manner.

“Then, Kent-san, shall we go home? Rachel-chan, thank you for your hard work too. I think it will be hard starting tomorrow, but do your best.”

“Huh? Yes, I’ll do my best.”

At this moment, Rachel did not understand the meaning of what Marie said at the end. She would come to understand its true meaning the next day.