Chapter 67
The store has opened.The day after I came back to Earlshyde Kingdom, I went to the building where my store was supposed to open.
It’s a five-story building, and it’s gigantic.
The construction of the exterior and interior is finished, so now we’re stocking the goods.
The most common item we have for sale is the toilet, with the second being refrigerators.
There is also a display toilet installed in the store for the sole purpose of having people try out how it feels.
Additionally, although it is not finished yet, I’m developing a vacuum cleaner by applying wind magic into the appliance.
The sucking in works fine. The real problem came after; the vacuum couldn’t properly separate the garbage, and is going through development via trial and error with my father-in-law.
Once that’s done, since there has never been a magic tool for cleaning until now, I can monopolize the market and gain the support of the housewives of this world; it’s the most antic.i.p.ated product among the other prototypes in the workshop.
I’d like to develop a was.h.i.+ng machine, but the process of was.h.i.+ng, rinsing, and drying just seems too complex, and I still haven’t thought it through yet.
Am I becoming a… home electronics manufacturer?
Inside the shop, there are special counters set up for people with permits to purchase communication equipment, in addition to checkout counters for normal denizens.
By the way, the Vibrating Sword is not on display.
Mr. Royce and Mr. Glenn, Sicily’s older brother and Alice’s father, begged me to stop selling the Vibrating Sword until I made proper arrangements with every other store in the area before opening for business.
Because the sharpness of the Vibrating Sword greatly exceeds that of any other sword, if someone were to spread the idea that you can make a vibrating sword through enchanting and ma.s.s production, sales would become possible, and the possibility of overstocking the market would become exponentially more likely.
If anything, I’m worried about blacksmithing becoming obsolete… That seems to be a feasible possibility.
I can understand that reasoning, and I don’t particularly care because I don’t want to use a method that renders smithing obsolete.
Instead, the Exchange Sword, which has become the part of the military’s standard l equipment, has permission to be sold.
Veteran hunters may not need it, but the blades of the exchange swords will be in high demand for newer hunters.
It seems veteran hunters won’t buy the Exchange Swords, for they insist on buying swords forged by named smiths, and shys away from ma.s.s produced swords and enchantments.
As for the jet boots… They seem to be sold with a limit imposed on them.
The Beach volleyball we played at Rittenheim will be held in Earlshyde Kingdom’s capital.
A family member and an escort who had been around at the time began playing it with his friends after returning to the kingdom.
However, the “Magical Volleyball” that we were playing is hardly done, as it requires the use of chantless magic. Well, even if you can’t use magic, the so-called normal “volleyball” can still be played as a sport for leisure.
When volleyball becomes popular, the jumping power of the jet boots will be in high demand.
Volleyball with jet boots to make a three-dimensional combination… Should I call it “Airball”? I really want to see it in practice.
It may not be possible for now, but when peace returns to the world, will we have a team foreach city and country? A league with home and away games, with a world cup every few years? I think it would be a great form of entertainment.
In
cidentally, while it’s not a magic tool, the new b.a.l.l.s for sports are also ondisplay.
We changed the demonized rabbit skin, which was used before, to the leather of a demonized frog.
While I was pondering my company’s future, I noticed a person approaching me.
It was Alice’s father, Mr. Glenn, who took office as the representative director of “Walford Company”.
“Hey, s.h.i.+n! How about it, isn’t it wonderful?”(Glenn)
“h.e.l.lo, Glenn. I was pretty surprised. It’s nicer than I expected.”(s.h.i.+n)
“Huff, it’s because it’s a business founded by the renowned “Magic King s.h.i.+n Walford”! We couldn’t do a shoddy job!”(Glenn)
“Anyway… Walford Company… We couldn’t name it something else?”(s.h.i.+n)
“By ‘something else,’ do you mean ‘s.h.i.+n Company’?”(Glenn)
“Anything but that!”(s.h.i.+n)
“Well, that’s because it’s common for businesses to bear the founder’s family name. Isn’t the Hague Company like that? Originally, it was the small “The Hague Store” which was developed by the current representative director, Tom’s father.”(Glenn)
“Is that so?”(s.h.i.+n)
Ah, I see, when deciding the name of a company in this world, they just use their family name. It’s apparently common sense, and it seems that the company may not even be recognized as a business in the first place if it’s a given a strange name.
It’s embarra.s.sing though…
By the way, I seem to be “Chairman of the Board and Chief Development Officer”.
Mr. Glenn is the representative and Mr. Royce seems to be executive director.
Additionally, it seems Mr.Royce and Mr.Glenn scouted trustworthy people for the positions of accounting manager, sales manager, PR manager, general affairs manager, and legal affairs manager. It seems that everyone readily accepted. I’m very grateful.
Well, even if you say director, there are no subordinates other than the general affairs department and the sales manager, since the company has not yet been established. The sales department also manages store clerks, so the store clerks are the sales department manager’s subordinates.
By the way, we are asking the Bean smithy to produce the goods, but managing that seems to be left up to the general affairs department. Apparently, a person was hired to handle production orders, purchase orders and delivery orders.
The Bean smithy expanded their workshop because of the sheer quant.i.ty of incoming orders.
The new workshop will be used for enchanting.
They will be utilize the “Circuit” enchantment used by the wireless communication devices to be able to enchant more characters than ever before. As a result, anyone from the workshop will be able to enchant without skipping on characters like I do with kanji.
By the way, this “Circuit” seems to have gotten a patent.
It will certainly be imitated in the future, so Mr. Royce obtained a patent for it. I didn’t know there was a patent system… It seems that the Exchange Sword has already gotten a patent.
To be honest, when I think that I would have to enchant all the goods… It makes me s.h.i.+ver. Good thing I developed the “Circuit”.
By developing this “Circuit”, we have laid the grounds for ma.s.s production, and it will play a major role in expanding the store.
To that end, the company purchased a five story building, and the store is on the first and second floor. It seems that the Ultimate Magician’s headquarters will be on the third and fourth floors.
The fifth floor? That would be…
“It will be the future stronghold of the Ultimate Magicians. It will contain everyone’s fighting spirit!”(August)
That’s the reason.
In the future, I will have an office in this base with a staff member from each country receiving requests and a.s.signing work to each of the Ultimate Magicians.
It looks like the management itself will be decided during the next ministerial conference.
“Since most of the goods were already carried in, I was thinking of opening the store tomorrow or the day after.”(s.h.i.+n)
“Well, how about opening it at noon, and making the day after tomorrow a promotion period?”(Glenn)
“Alright, I understand! It’s decided!”(s.h.i.+n)
After I said that, Mr. Glenn went away into the store.
The clerks are training inside, so he probably went to tell them about the promotion tomorrow.
Since it’s scheduled, I guess I’ll have to go to Yuri’s inn and tell Naval about the opening date.
“h.e.l.lo.”(s.h.i.+n)
“Welcome… Oh! Walford, what’s up?”(Lind)
When I entered Yuri ‘s parents’ inn, Yuri’ s father — Mr. Lind — was standing behind the counter.
“Is the Els delegation here?”(s.h.i.+n)
“Oh, they told my family that they would like to go buy souvenirs from Earlshyde, so they went out just now. It seems they had gotten permission to buy a communication machine yesterday, so I guess they were bored.”(Lind)
“Well, if that’s the case, can I leave a message?”(s.h.i.+n)
“Sure, do you mind if I hear it?”(Lind)
“Yes. It concerns Mr. Lind too.”(s.h.i.+n)
“If you say it has something to do with me… Then… could it be!?”(Lind)
“Yes. I will open the Walford Company at noon the day after tomorrow.”(s.h.i.+n)
“Okay! Finally! I can install your products in our inn!”(Lind)
Mr. Lind looks delighted.
“Since Yuri was unusually excited talking about it, I was wondering what kind of thing it really is.”(Lind)
“Is that so? I installed a toilet in the shops so you can try it out before buying it.”(s.h.i.+n)
“Okay, then, I guess.”(Lind)
“Well then, please relay the message.”(s.h.i.+n)
“Okay. I’ll come to the store the day after tomorrow.”(Lind)
Well, I gave the message to Naval and Yuri’s family, so I suppose I should return home.
Two days later, the opening day of the Walford Company has finally arrived.
By the way, because I have school, I can’t go to the opening.
Because of Grandma, I’m leaving the money making to others and the students are going to the students’ headquarters so all of the operations in the business are tossed to Mr. Glenn and Mr. Royce.
“Well, what about the people of the company?”(s.h.i.+n)
“My father said that he will go shopping as soon as it opens.”(Yuri)
“Huehuehue, because my father is a representative of the company, I get a members discount and a pre-order!”(Alice)
“Huh? Really?”(s.h.i.+n)
“The life with a toilet at home… I can’t hold my excitement in anymore!”(Yuri)
Come to think of it, we let the employees pre-order the items.
Mr. Glenn said that it was quite popular amongst the employees.
While we were talking like that, we reach the area where the company is located…
“… Hey, isn’t there a lot of people around here?”(Thor)
“No… It’s the business area, so a huge crowd isn’t that unusual, but…”(s.h.i.+n)
“…Not to this extent.”(Alice)
When I came the day before yesterday, I thought that there wasn’t much traffic here… but… No…
I headed towards the company while holding in such thoughts.
“Is this a line?”(August)
“It looks like it. Perhaps?”(Alice)
“Ah! So it is after all!”(s.h.i.+n)
The end of the queue ended in the “Walford Company.”
“Ah! s.h.i.+n! Look! Look at that great success!”(Royce)
“It’s slightly unexpected… Doesn’t Mr. Royce have a shortage of staff?”(s.h.i.+n)
“Hahaha, the inside of the store is amazing. The clerks can’t even leave the store.”(Royce)
“Is that so… Ah, have the Els people already been here?”(s.h.i.+n)
“Oh, they…”(Royce)
“Ah! Mr. Magic King! Hey, what is this!?”(Naval)
Speaking of the devil, Naval called out to us.
Although it opened at noon, you’re still here?
“h.e.l.lo, Naval. I thought you’d already go back by now.”(s.h.i.+n)
“I can’t go back after seeing this! This toilet is such an amazing product!”(Naval)
“Yes.”(s.h.i.+n)
“Did you develop this toilet?”(Naval)
“Yeah, I made it for my house, but it got quite the reputation. As a result, I figured I’d try selling it…”(s.h.i.+n)
“This is amazing! Toilet revolution!”(Naval)
Is this something to be that excited about? I’m getting unreasonably tense.
“Then I’d like to consult something with you… Can my company wholesale the toilet?”(Naval)
“Oh! Naval! Trying to steal a march again!”(Els merchant)
“Please, include me in it!”(Els merchant)
“First come first serve!”(Els merchant)
A fight between the Els delegation broke out again. Indeed, they’ll jump on things that will likely sell.
“Sure, it’s what I developed, but… I’m not involved in selling, wholesale and management of the goods themselves. So if you want to negotiate, talk to the representative director, Mr. Glenn, or the executive director, Mr. Royce…”(s.h.i.+n)
“May I trouble you a little, Mr.Royce!? I don’t care about the price. Could you please wholesale it to me!”(Els merchant)
“Please hear my request!”(Els merchant)
“Mine too!”(Els merchant)
“Wait a moment, please! I cannot decide on such large deals in this place! I will listen to the representative’s proposals after the end of business hours so please calm down!”(Royce)
“At what time is the end of the business hours?”(Els merchant)
“It’s at six o’clock in the afternoon.”(Royce)
“There are still three hours to go!”(Els merchant)
“Yes, please wait until then.”(Royce)
It seems that the negotiations between Naval and Mr. Royce is going to be held very soon.
He’s been swamped since day one. I wonder if I just pushed a hefty responsibility onto him…
“I’m sorry, Mr. Royce, I’m making you go through something difficult….”(s.h.i.+n)
“What are you saying? I’ve never been so fulfilled in my life! I can’t help but have fun!”(Royce)
Is that true? As far as I can see, it looks pretty busy… And there are even talks with the Els delegation after the store closes done.
Will he be able to go home today?
“This is the first time I have seen elder brother with such a refreshed expression…”(Sicily)
…Has he been considerably oppressed until now? If Sicily is saying that, he probably is enjoying working considerably.
Mr. Royce has to meet with not only the Els delegation, but he has to handle the messengers from other neighboring countries with permits to purchase additional communication equipment at the counter.
Well, it’s only a matter of doing a few tests before starting general sale without a permit.
As the first dispatch of the communication equipments was for emergency contact between the countries, it seems that testing and selling to each state is easy, if the ident.i.ty of the purchaser is confirmed.
Selling to general public is still quite far away. I have to make an exchange office if I want to sell it to the ma.s.ses. However, I have not decided what kind of form it will have. Should I have an employee manage the exchange office or a magic tool?
Because significant infrastructure development is necessary, Uncle Dis said it would became a national project for each country.
The plan is to first test it within Earlshyde and then spread it around the world.
Sigh, my workload increased yet again…
While I was pondering the future prospects of the communication equipment, a sales clerk ran out from the store with a pale expression.
“Executive director! It’s serious! The toilets with the cleaning function have gone out of stock!”(Clerk)
“Wha-what!?”(Royce)
It can’t be sold out already!
“Customers! We are very sorry! We’ve just now run out of stock for the toilet with the was.h.i.+ng function! It is truly disappointing, but today’s delivery cannot be done!”(Royce)
“Really!? No way!”(Customer)
“I heard about its reputation at Carlton Inn and came to buy it!”(Customer)
“I came from Is.h.i.+gamatei. How can such an amazing thing be sold but can’t be bought!”(Customer) (TN: Is.h.i.+gamatei is Olivia’s family business.)
“Indeed, I am very sorry! The customers who line up here will be able to arrange reservations for the toilet. The customers that don’t mind the wait can stay!”(Royce)
In the end, even when out of stock, those who heard that they can get priority by making a reservation made a line to preorder.
“Haa… That was unexpected…”(s.h.i.+n)
“Really? I thought I could sell this much if the reputation of that toilet spread.”(Royce)
“So soon?”(s.h.i.+n)
“It was introduced by Carlton’s inn and Is.h.i.+gamatei, two very famous shops in Earlshyde kingdom, so of course the word would spread.”(Royce)
Opening at noon and now this in the evening… It will place a great burden on the Bean smithy again.
“This will bring my dad great joy.”(Mark)
“Really? It won’t be hard for him?”(s.h.i.+n)
“Because a huge order came in, the profits will naturally be huge as well. Walford, you really don’t think like a merchant.”(Mark)
“Oh, I know that! My dad is your representative, isn’t he? s.h.i.+n is really versatile!”(Alice)
I was wors.h.i.+pped by Mark and Alice. Aw, quit it.
Anyway, there is this much hype just for the toilet? What will happen when the vacuum cleaner or the was.h.i.+ng machine is complete?
I wonder if it’s possible to make a queue of wives?
Or… Will the husbands be the one buying? Because many houses have strong wives…
“What!? Isn’t this an amazing line!?”(Sieg)
“That’s true. What happened?”(Rupert)
“Oh, s.h.i.+n! Hey!”(Chris)
The three people that came to my store were Magic Division commander Mr. Orgland, Chris, and Sieg.
By the way, Mr. Orgland was pressured to buy it after Uncle Dis raved about it, and Sieg and Chris used the toilet at our place. I guess they came over after work today to buy it…
“I said it was sold out a little while ago.”(Royce)
“What!? No good!?”(Sieg)
“That… such… was I too late?”(Chris)
Sieg and Chris are despairing on their knees. Orgland seems disappointed but not depressed.
“You guys… Aren’t you exaggerating about the toilet? It’s not a limited quant.i.ty sale, so you can still buy when it next comes out.”(Rupert)
“It’s because the commander has never used that toilet that he can say such things!”(Sieg)
“Once you use it, you cannot break free… I was looking forward to having it installed in my home since yesterday…”(Chris)
“That much?”(Rupert)
Sieg speaks out pa.s.sionately, while Chris is deeply depressed. Mr.Orgland somewhat pulls back his statement.
Even so, I feel sorry for both of them.
“Sieg, Chris, hey.”(s.h.i.+n)
“What?”(Sieg)
“What is it?”(Chris)
“This.”(s.h.i.+n)
I take out a toilet with the cleaning function from the Different Dimension Storage so that no one else can see it.
“Ah! you, this!”(Sieg)
“This is my spare. I’ll give it to Sieg and Chris.”(s.h.i.+n)
Sieg makes a happy face the instant I say those words.
“It’s truly regrettable for me to be receiving charity from my little brother! I have to endure it as the big brother here… but…”(Sieg)
He’s fighting with his pride.
“Thank you. As expected of s.h.i.+n. You made your sister happy. But it’s no good having it handed to me. I will pay the proper price for it.”(Chris)
“You! Have you no shame or pride!?”(Sieg)
“How could I refuse a gift that my cute little brother prepared for his older sister? What’s wrong with receiving such goodwill gratefully? Are you stupid?”(Chris)
“What? Oi.”(Sieg)
“What is it? Haah?”(Chris)
They’ve started again. Let’s leave them alone.
“Mr. Orgland, please take one too.”(s.h.i.+n)
“Hey… Is it really ok? You have a crowd of people lining up over there.”(Rupert)
“Well, consider it a privilege of being acquainted with the developer.”(s.h.i.+n)
“Is that so? Then I won’t refuse your generosity.”(Rupert)
“Wait a minute! What are you up to commander!?”(Chris)
“Noisy, I’m being told Walford will sell it. It would be rude to hold back.”(Rupert)
“Wha-! s.h.i.+n! What about us!?”(Sieg)
Oh, they compromised after all.
“I already said I’d give you one from the start.”(s.h.i.+n)
“Oh… With this… That toilet at home…”(Chris)
“Indeed, there’s really no beating s.h.i.+n. Where did your ego go?”(Rupert)
“Well, that’s not it..?”(Sieg)
“He has unbelievable magical prowess not to mention financial strength. On top of that, there is his beautiful fiance.”(Chris)
“Me…?”(Sicily)
“She’s very cute, isn’t she? Can Sicily also call me older sister?”(Chris
“Oh, sister-in-law?”(Sicily)
“…What’s this? I should be used to being called that, but what is this ticklish feeling…”(Chris)
It’s because your sister-in-law saying it right?
Chris, who was stroking Sicily’s head, suddenly became embarra.s.sed and a strange atmosphere appeared.
Wait a minute! That’s my woman!
“To have such a pretty girl as your fiance… It’s quite a difference from getting the first girl you could lay your hands on.”(Chris)
“Mind your own business!”(s.h.i.+n)
“Don’t you have any dignity… Oh, wait, you’re past the age of having dignity.”(Sieg)
Chris chuckled, but that line…
“You… I find it funny that those exact words are applicable to you as well.”(Chris)
“…I will kill you?”(Sieg)
“Those were your words!”(Chris)
“What? Ah?”(Sieg)
Do whatever you want.
By the way, it seems that the number of toilets with the cleaning function reserved for the second day was twice as much as the number sold on the first day.