Renovating The Bread Workshop

Since the renovation of the store was mostly settled, I left the rest to Emily and moved over to the bakery next door.

The evening peak hour had passed, so the shelves where the products were placed were nearly empty. Once the remaining items were sold out, today’s business would be over.

“Marie-san. I’ve finished the renovation next door.”

“Eh? You’re finished already?”

Marie was in the storefront since she wasn’t baking any more bread today. Catherine and Caro had started tidying up.

“All that’s left is to renovate this building and have the craftsmen do the work to connect the two buildings, and then it’ll be complete.”

“Big brother, is the shop done?”

Catherine asked me, looking curious.

“It’s done. I think it’ll be fine now.”

“I want to see! I want to see!”

Catherine couldn’t help but be curious about the renovated shop.

The last customer left, and we began preparing to close the shop.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. The calculations are done, so let’s go see how it looks next door.”

It was pitch black outside, and Marie, holding a lamp, did the final inspection and locked the shop.

Then the four of us went around to the back of the store, and I unlocked the back door.

“Welcome back, Master.”

“I’m home. I’ve brought everyone from the shop.”

“I see. Pleased to meet you. My name is Emily. I look forward to working with all of you.”

Emily gave a polite bow.

“Kent-san, were we not enough for you that you had to bring in a new woman?”

“Really! So Kent-san does prefer women with large breasts after all.”

Marie and Caro said, puffing out their cheeks. Both of them were quite cute.

“Huh? Was Emily always this big?”

Unlike the other two, Catherine had a different reaction.

“My, Catherine-chan. You’ve grown, haven’t you?”

“Emily’s gotten even bigger. I’m sure you were about this big when we met before.”

With that, Catherine used both hands to show a size of about 20cm.

“Catherine, do you know Emily?”

I asked Catherine.

“When I was little, I used to sneak in here secretly. Emily was here then and we played together. But as I got bigger, I couldn’t see her anymore and couldn’t talk to her, and then before I knew it, I’d forgotten about her. I didn’t tell anyone because we promised to keep it a secret.”

“On very rare occasions, even if we erase our presence, small children can perceive us. Catherine-chan is one of those people.”

Emily added an explanation to what Catherine said.

“Does that mean Emily-san isn’t human?”

Marie asked Emily.

“That is correct. I belong to a race called shop fairies.”

“I’ve heard rumors. Apparently, shops with fairies become very prosperous. Everyone in business envies their existence, but so shop fairies really did exist.”

Marie said.

“To be precise, we don’t prosper just by existing, you know? The key is how you use us and link it to the business.”

Emily corrected her.

Caro couldn’t even join the conversation since they were talking about a completely unknown realm.

“Standing around talking here is a bit much, so let’s go inside.”

I called out to everyone.

Electric lighting had been installed inside, making it bright. The shop was quiet, but the operating sounds of equipment like the refrigerator could be heard.

“There are things I’ve seen at Kent-san’s house, but there are also many things I’m seeing for the first time.”

“The calculator on this counter is really big!”

“The interior here might be more luxurious than the restaurants nobles use.”

Each of them gave their impressions while looking around the shop.

“How is it?”

I asked Marie for her thoughts.

“I can only say it’s amazing. I feel like we could do business as a high-end shop just as it is.”

Inside, the space for selling bread and the space for eating were separated. The register was placed in the center so it could handle payments for both. The bread would be lined up on shelves, and customers would put their favorite bread on a tray and finally pay at the end—the self-service style. In addition to bread, I prepared plenty of shelves to sell tools like bread knives and things to spread or sandwich in bread, like jam. Furthermore, I prepared refrigerated shelves so we could also sell items that require cold storage. Until now, we had calculated with a calculator, but since the items for sale would increase significantly, I decided to place a store register to make calculations easier later.

The dining space could be used to eat purchased items, but I also decided to provide food and drinks there. For payments, customers would take an order slip issued when they ordered to the register to settle the bill. Cooking and such would be done in the kitchen in the back. This is where we planned to connect with the bread workshop next door.

“I’ve made a dining space for now, but I think we’ll focus on the sales side until we get used to it.”

“That might be for the best. I never thought my family home would be reborn like this.”

Marie looked around the shop with an impressed look.

The next day, Kent and Caro worked in the morning as usual, then headed to school, and headed to their part-time job after returning from school.

“Kent-san, Caro-chan, welcome back. The craftsmen are here, so I’ll leave them to you, Kent-san.”

Guided by Marie, I met with the craftsmen. They were regulars who often came to buy bread.

I asked for the construction of the connecting passage between the buildings, and the craftsmen showed their understanding. Apparently, tomorrow was the only day they could work, and if it wasn’t then, it would be a long time away. Because the location to be connected on the bakery side was on the storefront side where customers walk, we wouldn’t be able to operate during the construction. After consulting with Marie, we decided to conduct tomorrow’s business at the new shop next door.

Kent and Caro divided the work and hurried to prepare the new shop for opening. Emily cooperated as well, and somehow preparations were made so we could operate, but no one except Kent and Emily knew how to handle the equipment. I had intended to spend this coming Saturday and Sunday training them, but since the opening was moved up, we would operate with Emily—who could use the equipment—at the center.

“I’ll be putting a burden on you, Emily, but I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, leave it to me, Master.”

The next morning, the four of us woke up a little earlier than usual and began preparing for the opening.

Marie prepared the bread, and I explained the flow of the store’s sales method to Caro and Catherine. Emily was cleaning the store.

“Today, Emily will do the register entries, so watch from the side and get a feel for how to use it. Also, since there will be many unfamiliar customers, please guide them appropriately.”

““Yes!””

While we were doing that, the bread for sale was baked one after another. Since Emily cannot leave the shop, she couldn’t carry them. Caro and Catherine went outside once and then performed the task of carrying the bread in. I joined Marie to help with the bread baking and prepared for the opening.

A long line had already formed in front of the bakery. However, because the appearance of the shop was different from usual, the customers looked puzzled.

“Sorry for the wait, starting today we will be selling at the shop next door. Please wait over here.”

The customers looked anxiously at the vacant shop next door, which had somehow transformed into a stylish, expensive-looking store.

“Could it be that the price of the bread has gone up or something?”

One of the customers asked me anxiously as I came out to guide them.

“It’s fine. The shop is new, but the prices won’t change. However, please note that the sales method will change from before.”

The customers seemed relieved to hear that. Then, the opening time arrived, and customers came flooding in. The new shop was designed with the customer’s flow in mind. Upon entering, they would take a tray and tongs, put their favorite bread on them, and move in a one-way direction to reach the register. If they forgot to buy something, they would have to rejoin near the register and go around one more time. Therefore, products were not placed on both sides of the aisle, but lined up on one side only. It takes a little more effort for small purchases, but it becomes more efficient in terms of customer flow. In areas away from the bread flow, there were shelves for other items. Bread knives and such were placed here. The dining space, which was not yet in use, was currently roped off and inaccessible.

I was impressed by Emily’s work. Anyway, her register typing was fast. Her five fingers were assigned to each key and held a home position. From there, inputs were made rapidly. Catherine had used a calculator for settlements until now, but she had been pressing all the keys with her index finger. Catherine was also staring intently at Emily’s input. Catherine was so absorbed in watching that her hands had stopped, but while Caro was also watching closely, she didn’t stop her hands and performed the packaging work.

Thanks to Emily, the peak time passed earlier than usual. Just around that time, the craftsman brought several craftsmen who seemed to be his apprentices and began the work.

“Well then, I’m off to school.”

“Have a safe trip.”

“I’m off.”

Caro and I headed to school. Today is Friday, so if we go today, we’ll have two days off starting tomorrow.

Then the morning classes ended, and it was lunch break. The four of us—Kent, Caro, Josette, and Rachel—finished eating lunch behind the school building as usual and went into chat mode with drinks in hand.

“Big brother’s place is closed on Saturdays and Sundays, right? How are you going to spend your time?”

Rachel asked me.

“I guess training everyone for the new store. There are various things I have to teach them.”

“A new store? This is the first I’ve heard of it?”

Rachel said to me as if to say, “You didn’t tell me.”

“Actually, Marie-san’s shop is undergoing renovations. I think it’ll be finished around today.”

“My, Kent-san, you’re a fast worker. Is it finished already?”

Josette asked after hearing my words.

“No, only half is done, but the remaining half is scheduled to be done today.”

“So it’s something that can be worked on in a single day. I thought it would take much more time.”

Josette said impressively when I answered.

“Actually, we started a temporary opening at the new store today. The equipment in the shop is amazing. It looks like there are many things to learn.”

Caro said.

“Can something be called amazing just by renovating it over a few days?”

“It has equipment better than the shops nobles use, and more than anything, the shop is beautiful. Today, the regular customers were so worried they thought it had become a high-end shop.”

Caro answered Josette’s question.

“If you say that much, then I might be interested too. Big brother, can I go after school today?”

“I am also interested. Would it be alright if I went?”

Rachel and Josette asked me.

“I don’t mind. But since only half of it is being used, I think the official opening will be from Monday.”

After school, the four of us, including Rachel and Josette, decided to head to the part-time job.