BXBX NOVEL Volume 5 4.4
Then again, when you were like Hiroshi with all the fields of expertise from crafting extremely high, at that point it was reasonable to scoff and say, “Yeah right, foundation my ass!”.
「So, well, going back to discussin’ the cafeteria, Makoto-san.」
「Yeah, it’s becoming the talk of the town gradually. I think the majority of people are just happy that horrid school food isn’t the only choice anymore. Half the people I became friends with said they’d go over to eat some.」
「And the rest pretty much make their own lunches?」
「Or they supply it themselves or just buy bread from the school store. Which reminds me, apparently the bread in the school store is selling super well because of its contents. Plenty of the girls there are saying thanks to that, they don’t have to rely on the school food anymore.」
Hiroshi and Haruna immediately looked at each other when they heard this information from Makoto. They hadn’t really intended on dealing damage to the school cafeteria with the school store bread…or more precisely, they had considered it as a supplemental option for securing food outside of the school cafeteria’s business hours, but ironically this was now becoming one of Azuma Workshop’s main attractions.
「It doesn’t appear to be creating much of a problem within the school, but what about the shops in the general area? Is there an equilibrium?」
「From what Professor Fluit says, the main target is different, they stopped because lunch business has a bad turnout rate…mainly those two, so it should be fine. Doesn’t sound like too many students showed up there in the first place anyway.」
「Wow. It’s amazing how new shops still haven’t sprouted up.」
「Weird, isn’t it?」
Haruna told Makoto about what Professor Fluit had conveyed to her. This was rather suspicious, and everyone certainly had their own ideas.
「So yeah, I’m thinking it would be good to be on our guard tomorrow, all in all.」
「Right. Do you have any plans established?」
「We do have some preparations we made, although this is partially reliant on governmental authority」
「How so?」
「We asked them to send a few soldiers from the castle over here for a bit, slightly close to opening time, and then there should also be a system that acts as a garbage disposal and immediately transfers any raw garbage lying around the shop thrown into it into trash containers to be processed into fertilizer, I think. Right, Hiroshi-kun?」
Haruna announced their plans with an odd lack of confidence. Hiroshi nodded.
「We also set up a barrier to differentiate between insects used for regular food and vermin. It’s a pretty fuzzy theory that we’re goin’ by, so it’s also pliable with grey zones, mate.」
They had pretty much anticipated some form of harassment, hence preparing to some extent.
「Well, before that, we also discussed forcibly teleporting away anyone who fights in or around the store or tries to cause trouble into a guardroom.」
「Yeah, after all, implementing that would mean most conflict is easily resolved.」
「Although the people in the guardroom are gonna become awfully busy.」
Makoto for the most part was in agreement with Hiroshi’s exceedingly dangerous suggestion. Then again, they were still only at the discussion part and shouldn’t just jump off the rails.
「Then for arson or physical attacks, we have the same person, or the same group that we determine to be in cahoots with each other’s attacks completely cancelled if they attack three or more times, ‘n then the fourth time on we reflect their attacks back at ‘em.」
「Yeah, I could definitely see someone sending a false accusation your way.」
「’N when that time comes I’ll resort to the governmental authority. Besides, we ain’t got no reason to burn or hit other people anyhoo.」
「So what’s the reason for changing tactics with the fourth attack?」
「Touch the Buddha’s face three times and he’ll get annoyed, as they say.」
Makoto really wanted to interject and ask if that was really the buddha’s face. Looking around, Tatsuya had the same exact thought on his mind.
「Well that about does it for security measures. All that’s left is maybe includin’ security cameras, a recordin’ system, prove it’s a system that can’t be remodelled, ‘n use it as evidence with the chivalric order or related parties so we git their authorization.」
「Ah～、that way when someone falsely accuses you it’ll be a cinch to ask the state for help.」
「Exactamundo. Lately we been testin’ the waters with a few of ‘em in Wulls. Thanks to Lay’s stamp of approval, we got a pledge of proof of authorization in no time at all.」
「Seriously, you did it in Wulls already……?」
「Especially for when there’s a lotta trouble or we can’t guard every lil thing, we been emphasizin’ that in our experiments.」
The last thing Hiroshi said might actually be the most harsh security measure listed, and everyone just had dazed looks on their faces. Absolutely, the ones doing the crimes were to blame, but still, it was seriously messed up to think that once you tried attacking the shop it was all over for you.
「Well that about does it for Haruna ‘n I. We already talked about Mio earlier, so what about you ‘n Makoto-san?」
「Nah, I don’t have much to talk about yet. I do feel like I’ve gotten better efficiency with my magic, but then again that’s really it. I did show Tatsuya the text, but it didn’t seem to have much in there besides what people accustomed to using magic would consider common sense.」
Tatsuya nodded in agreement at Makoto’s report to Hiroshi.
「That right. Go ahead ‘n show me the text after this just in case. There might be somethin’ written in there that could be of use.」
「Well sure, no problem, but you realize it’s still just novice rank, right? Pretty sure people with marking mastery in novice do this stuff all the time.」
「Well, prolly, but still, y’know.」
「Roger that. Also, for human relations, there aren’t any super remarkable developments. There do appear to be two or three cliques forming around Lime and the other two, but there’s nothing ostensibly wrong with that.」
Nodding at Hiroshi’s demands, Makoto moved the conversation along some more. When the word “clique” came up, Tatsuya momentarily raised an eyebrow.
「Cliques? What are they like exactly?」
「Well, it’s not as convoluted as it sounds. Simply put, there’s a clique that wants to love on Lime, a clique that wants to use Lime as an excuse to dispel us, and a clique in the middle, or more of a clique from our side. Currently that’s basically it for groups that are emerging, and nothing in particular has happened yet.」
「Ok, makes sense.」
Hearing Makoto’s explanation, Tatsuya got the gist of the situation. Nothing had happened yet, there wasn’t any particular incident, and the cliques didn’t appear to be banding together, but leaving this be also wasn’t too great. It was a delicate situation.
「We can’t just step in, but leavin’ it like this definitely sounds scary.」