Sandwiches

I’d launched the new white bread loaf, but it felt like it wasn’t selling very well.

I’d made about five and put them out on the shelf, and customers seemed interested… but not a single one had sold yet.

“Kent-san… did we fail this time?”

Marie-san said it with a disappointed look. She’d decided it would sell and started offering it, but customers weren’t biting as much as she’d expected.

“It might not work if we only display the loaf by itself. In that case, let’s put up something like this.”

I quickly wrote up a recipe panel that used the white bread loaf (bought as a business expense) and posted it near the loaves. Customers read the panel with interest and seemed to go, “Oh, I see.”

Up to now, the bread here had basically been sold as finished products, but the loaf was more like an unfinished product. I used the panel to explain that it could “transform” into many kinds of bread depending on the customer’s preferences. As a service, we also agreed to slice it into whatever number of pieces a customer requested.

On top of that, so people could visualize it, I displayed sandwiches made with the loaf as examples.

After seeing that, customers got interested, and the five loaves on the shelf sold out immediately.

“This panel is incredibly effective. We should probably add these to the other breads too.”

Marie-san said.

“Really? Then I’ll stock up on materials—Marie-san, do you want to try writing them?”

“That sounds fun. Yes, please.”

“I wanna write some too!”

Marie-san looked fully motivated. And Catherine also seemed like she wanted to write them.

“I think it sounds fun too—may I try writing one?”

Caro also wanted to try.

“Alright, I’ll go get the materials.”

I said that, went home for a moment, quickly bought POP-sign materials and stationery through my ordering terminal (of course, on the shop’s expense account), and returned.

“I brought everything. Let’s write different things on these and put them on the wall or in front of the products.”

I’d written POP signs back when I worked at a home improvement store, so my hands moved confidently as I wrote product introductions. Caro was surprisingly good too—she even added cute little drawings. Marie-san wasn’t used to it, but she was doing her best to communicate what was good about each item. Catherine… seemed to struggle, like she couldn’t write neatly yet.

We started attaching the POP signs to the bread shelves and posting them on the walls. With all the different colors, the shop suddenly looked a lot nicer.

“It feels like we turned into a stylish shop… even though we’re a bakery.”

Marie-san stated her honest impression.

“If we had electricity, we could get even more serious about decorations…”

I muttered without thinking.

“Um… what’s ‘electricity’?”

Marie-san asked me.

“Uh… electricity is…”

I figured it would be faster to show her than to explain.

“After the shop closes today, do you want to come over? I think I can show you what electricity is.”

I invited Marie-san.

“Eh? You’re bringing an old woman into your house? Don’t get my hopes up, you know?”

Marie-san said that with a red face. I had a bad feeling she was misunderstanding in a weird direction.

“I wanna go to big brother’s house too!”

Catherine wanted to come as well.

“Kent-san… tonight sounds like it’ll be lively.”

Caro smiled and said that to me.

After the morning shift ended, Caro and I went to school.

“Alright, Caro-san, see you later.”

“Yes. Let’s both do our best.”

We split up in the hallway and headed to our classrooms. Before class started, I went over to Josette.

“Josette-san, do you have a moment?”

“Yes, of course. What is it?”

“You helped me a lot, so I wanted to thank you. I want you to accept this.”

I handed her a college-ruled notebook and writing tools.

“Um… what are these?”

“You’re always serious in class, Josette-san, so I thought these might help, even a little.”

I explained how to use the notebook and the writing tools.

“My… this will be very helpful. I’ll gratefully use it.”

Josette seemed genuinely happy.

Then lunch break came, and I went to my usual spot behind the school building. Caro was already there.

“Kent-saaan! Over here!”

She waved happily. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I waved back. Then we sat on our usual bench.

Today’s lunch was the leftover sandwiches from the sample display I’d made.

“This ‘sandwich’ thing seems like you could enjoy it in lots of ways just by changing what you put inside.”

“Yeah. We could even try putting something like a breaded cutlet in it.”

Today I’d brought two classics: a tuna sandwich and an egg sandwich.

I’d prepared a decent amount, so I figured there would probably be enough for whoever showed up later.

“I get to eat another new bread of yours again, Kent-san. I’m excited.”

Caro said that while eating.

“Then today’s drink is… I went with lemon tea.”

I’d poured chilled, ready-made bottled lemon tea into a stainless mug. I poured it into a cup and handed it to Caro.

“When I heard ‘tea,’ I imagined something hot, but this is cold. It’s sweet and delicious.”

Caro drank the lemon tea with a blissful look.

“You… why are you flirting with your boyfriend?”

The one who said that was Rachel.

I searched my memory, but I didn’t think there was any event in the game where she picked a fight with one of the attendants.

Caro’s expression turned slightly sour as she spoke.

“It has nothing to do with you. Could you leave us alone?”

“It does have something to do with me. Because you’re acting weird, my plans are completely ruined.”

Rachel snapped angrily.

“We’re eating lunch right now. Could you do this later?”

Caro said in a cold tone. Come to think of it, the Caro I knew from the game did speak like this. But after living together, I’d learned she was actually a very good, kind person—nothing like the impression that voice gave.

“Because you won’t mess with me, things are going in a weird direction. What are you going to do about it?”

“That has nothing to do with me. Aren’t you having fun getting fussed over by the Prince and all that?”

“W-what?!”

Their argument continued.

“How dare you talk back when you’re just an attendant?”

“T-That’s a terrible way to put it.”

It was starting to feel like it could turn into a physical fight, so I stepped in.

“Hey, hey, both of you, calm down.”

“Could the background extra stay quiet?”

Rachel shot back.

“How dare you speak to Kent-san like that?”

Caro was genuinely furious.

And then she slapped Rachel across the face.

“Apologize to Kent-san. Apologize.”

“O-Okay! I was wrong. I’m sorry.”

After being slapped and overwhelmed by Caro’s intensity, Rachel quieted down.

“I interrupted your lunch.”

Looking uncomfortable, Rachel said that and left.

“Kent-san… I’m sorry. I lost my temper.”

“No—thank you, Caro. You got truly angry for me.”

I said that and hugged Caro.

“Kent-san…”

The two of us stared at each other, the atmosphere turning gentle.

“You two are as close as ever.”

We jumped at the voice and immediately pulled apart. It was Josette.

“I’m sorry. It seems like you got dragged into trouble because of me.”

Josette apologized to both of us.

“The one at fault was her. Josette-sama, it isn’t something you need to worry about.”

Then I decided to ask what I’d been wondering.

“Josette-san… you used to get in the way whenever Rachel-san tried to interact with the Prince and the others, right?”

“Huh? …Well, yes.”

Josette answered awkwardly, like it was embarrassing.

“I don’t mind that in itself, but… why did you stop doing it lately?”

“So you noticed… I may be a duke’s daughter, but I’m the thirteenth.”

Josette said.

“I have many older brothers and sisters. Of course, the heir is the eldest brother, and when you’re thirteenth… the family considers you an existence that doesn’t really matter. I thought the fastest way to assert my value was to be with someone of status.”

I knew she was a duke’s daughter from the game settings, but hearing she was the thirteenth was new. I didn’t remember anything like that being in the game.

“Since the Prince and other people with guaranteed standing happened to attend the same school, I tried to get close to them. But in the end, Rachel took all the best parts.”

Josette continued.

“That’s why I started interfering… but lately, I’ve begun to think that I don’t need to assert myself at all. That I should just do what I like. Once I started thinking that way, I stopped feeling the need to force my way in… I suppose that’s it.”

“Is that so?”

I echoed back without thinking.

“As for what comes next… I’ll tell you when the time is right. It doesn’t seem like that time is now.”

With that, Josette reached into the bag I’d brought, pulled out a tuna sandwich, and took a bite.

“Is this a new bread? It’s soft, and I like how it doesn’t overpower the flavor of what’s inside— it just supports it. Oh, this one is good too.”

She finished the tuna sandwich and immediately started on the egg sandwich.

“Josette-sama, here you go.”

Caro handed her the lemon tea.

“Oh—this is tea… I think. It’s cold and delicious. The mouthfeel is nice, and the sweetness is just right.”

By the time Josette finished eating, lunch break was nearly over. After cleaning up, the three of us returned to the school building.