BXBX NOVEL Volume 3, 4.2
Volume 3, Chapter 4.2
Translator: Reflet
Editor: Weasalopes
「Okay okay, I get it, so just line up properly!」
Rebuking the reckless children, she quickly wrapped the taiyaki in leaves and handed it to them. Thankfully, Tatsuya had skillfully organized the area so that there wasn’t too much chaos, and thus the line for the taiyaki with the children in front was complete.
「Are you not doing that takoyaki thing today?」
「No, we didn’t quite get the ingredients in time.」
「Yeah? That’s a shame.」
Two hours after they began business, an attractive lady of about 30 who had showed up on the first day bought one of each, including the taiyaki. Curry bread, fish and chips, and the yakitori all had five versions with a lot of volume, but last time she had asked for okonomiyaki skewer and another helping of takoyaki and had blown through two taiyakis, so this might not be a problem for her.
Still, even thought it was a shame to have takoyaki gone, she also had a thing for yakitori and curry bread. She immediately started gnawing on the skin and plowing through the meatloaf and liver, clearly enjoying herself.
「Mm. The bird itself already has umami, but this sauce is superb!」
「It’s a trade secret after all.」
The woman stepped out of the way for the other customers, immediately eating her food as if advertising it. She was eating the food heartily, yet with a certain refinement, and it was clear that she was of a higher status, or fairly high up. But still…
「Oho, so there is a stew-like substance inside this bread.」
「I think it’s a bit similar to the stew of this country, right?」
「Hm…Mm, now this, this is a lump of spice, yet it has a complex and delicate flavor. Do you think such amazing food from Farlane would be possible to implement in the spices of our country?」
「It’s an issue of whether or not you calculate measurements correctly. It’s just that we’re making it ourselves, while Wulls has mastered their own curry powder.」
「Measurement, hm. That does sound like a problem.」
The Japanese group couldn’t help but question her as she continued chatting with the chef while standing and eating curry bread and fish and chips.
「Oh yeah, why didn’t you open up shop ever since that one day until now?」
「We’re adventurers, so we have that as our main job.」
「Main job? Are you sure it isn’t a side job?」
「The stands here are just a way for us to use up surplus ingredients.」
Haruna said this like it was natural, but Tatsuya and Makoto were screaming bloody murder in their minds. Sure, the monster ingredients were surplus, but the main reason they opened up shop was to use the meat that they had saved for that specific purpose.
「And you’ll be opening shop tomorrow as well?」
「I think for a bit? We’ll be figuring the menu with what we have on hand in storage and after we discuss it though.」
「I do not have much of a right to worry, but you’d best not have a menu that overpowers the other businesses in the process, all right?」
「Ah～, yes, we will do what we can in that regard.」
Haruna couldn’t do much other than shrink back in fear at the warning tone in the woman’s voice. The menu itself generally did not overlap with that of other stalls, but its rarity still had a tendency to steal all the customers.
「Ah, right. The curry bread seems to be nearing exhaustion, but what about the other storages?」
「The meatloaf should be depleted fairly soon.」
「The fish and chips are still holding up.」
「The white bean paste is almost out. After 30 more of those things it’s pretty much done.」
「……Maybe we should order another supply?」
Listening to everyone’s report, Haruna thought of how they should react. But then–
「If you’re sold out, then why not just leave it be?」
Finishing her fish and chips, the woman suggested her own idea. By this point, only two taiyaki remained in her hands.
「It isn’t as if you need to sell to everyone here today, no? Besides, if you call it quits here, then the shops around you won’t be very overwhelmed either.」
「That’s true.」
Agreeing with what she said, Haruna decided to not actually contact Hiroshi.
「Tatsuya-san, just give one curry bread to each person here and then we’re done!」
Reverse-calculating the remainder from the lines, the touting organizer Tatsuya transferred the information.
「Sorry, please only take one per person now; we’re getting low.」
He had a knockout apologetic look on his face, forcing the eager customers to resign themselves to one piece, and made sure that the curry bread somehow reached everyone lined up. After that, while helping with yakitori and fish and chips and dealing with every customer, all the dishes prepared had sold out within three hours since setting up shop.
「Sorry, we’ve used up all our stock!」
Hearing Haruna’s proclamation, the customers who were there from the rumors had disappointed expressions on their faces.
「Haru, we’ll clean up, so could you sing a song for an apology?」
Mio saw how many people were disappointed, thinking quickly.
「Mm～、alright.」
「You sing? Then yes. How about a heart-rending love song that matches how you’re feeling right now?」
Sparingly drinking a translucent liquor from a nearby shop, the women sipped it like she was watching some entertainment, suggesting this ludicrous idea for a song.
「……Was it that obvious?」
「Well, I certainly wasn’t sure during the operation of the stall. But anyone with decent eyes would notice something like that even if they weren’t paying much attention.」
「……You underestimate me.」
As the woman pointed in a certain direction, Haruna meekly surrendered. If she really was that easy to find out, there was no point glossing it over. She had lately been doing many ballads and comic songs, so whenever she listened to requests, anyone who heard her would say she was decent for her age.
Searching her brain, Haruna decided to go with a fairly old song that had been sung by an idol. It was a ballad about 80 years old, detailing how if she had one wish, it would be to forget about everything, but the fiercely burning fire in her heart could not be extinguished. It was a bit different from the current emotional state Haruna was in, but now that she had experienced love, it was easier for her to understand those feelings, and she kind of wanted to sing that one.
「Seems that you’ve decided on the song. Then wait a moment.」
As Haruna motioned to begin singing, the woman brushed her off, glancing at the plaza overflowing with customers and calling out to the shop owner from whom she had bought her liquor. About half of the customers had heard Haruna’s humming and the song she had sung at the tavern, and the other half had been brought here by rumors that had been circulating around.
「Is there anything at your shop that children can drink?」
「Umm, yes, we do have some fruit juice?」
「Then hand out that alongside the liquor from earlier to these people gathered here. This will be enough, yes?」
She tossed over three 100,000 seneca coins and said something only a rich person could say. The shopkeeper looked at her with eyes wide in surprise, but faithfully accepted the coins and returned one.
「There’ll still be change even with two of these.」
「You’re an honest one.」
「Too much of a coward to do that.」
He said as he poured liquor in cups. Once she had confirmed that was enough, she then turned to the audience and called out.
「I’ll treat you all. So you may all take one drink from here.」
She hadn’t even shouted all that loud, but everyone present in the plaza cheered when they heard her, taking the liquor and scattering off to the stand. Once that noise died down after 15 minutes, everyone, including all of the happily beaming shopkeepers were ready to listen.
「It’s starting to feel a little more major than I would have thought, but you came all the way here, so I would be more than pleased to sing a song for you.」
While a bit put-off at the unbelievable crowd, Haruna made a very safe greeting, took a deep breath, and began singing the first song with her body and soul. There wasn’t any musical accompaniment, and yet it only took the very first note to completely rule over the atmosphere.
By the time Haruna was released alongside a large amount of money, it had been two hours.