Next Up: Making the Inn a Success

The hectic days gave way to a busy yet peaceful routine.

But this was how things were supposed to be. Having fights to the death as the norm would be a problem.

The bothersome report to the princess was done, and Luido had settled into a rhythm where periodic check-ins would suffice.

Showing my face to the workers around harvest time would be enough.

Maybe I'd bring some refreshments to show appreciation now and then, but that was about it.

I'd agonized over the iron ore but decided to hire adventurers to transport it to Alsarm.

I had buyers lined up and would have payment remitted through the Merchant Guild.

Since iron ore was tax-exempt for my trading company, I'd make more than enough profit even after hiring the adventurers.

Once the iron ore sold, I'd use the profits for another buying trip to the Empire.

I should be able to make several rounds before the tax exemption expired.

Similarly, I was leaving the sake shipments to Alsarm in Kaimol's hands.

Unlike iron ore, broken bottles meant losses, so I couldn't entrust that to just anyone.

Since every sale meant profit, Kaimol was raring to go, saying he wanted to make even one more round trip. His pay would go up if the shop's profits increased, but I hoped he wouldn't overdo it.

For now, I could focus on the opening of Cat's Paw Inn.

Kazusa had worked hard on the interior and exterior renovations. She'd even done some of the work herself to keep costs down, which I appreciated.

Her taste was good too. Nothing flashy, but thoughtful details in the design made it a comfortable place.

"No, I see this as part of the job. I'm really grateful you hired me."

"Hearing that is reassuring. If you do this right, it should be a long-lasting business. You could even buy out the operation if you wanted."

The hospitality industry was easy to get licensed for, and since it was mainly land-based, it didn't overlap much with the Merchant Guild's vested interests, making it accessible.

This business started by renovating a cheaply purchased inn, so I didn't mind letting it go.

Of course, I'd prefer to expand it if possible.

"No, no, that's impossible for me. But I'll do my best. If I work hard and we thrive, that's profit for you too, Yohane-san."

She was raring to go.

Having weathered the rough seas of the adventurer life, she had her feet firmly on the ground and wouldn't spin her wheels.

"Here's the list of suppliers. Any issues?"

"Let me see."

I checked the list Kazusa handed me.

Basically, my shop would supply the inn.

But while we could handle everyday goods, daily ingredients for meals weren't our specialty and would be hard to stock.

It was more cost-effective to source those elsewhere than to stock them just for the inn.

What caught my attention was that many suppliers were small operations that barely qualified as shops, but that must have been Kazusa's assessment after weighing cost against quality.

"You've already started the light meals, so you must have contracts in place. Let's go with this for now and see how it plays out."

"Thank you. I did my research, so I think it'll be fine, but you are the owner after all, Yohane-san."

"If you have that mindset, there's nothing to worry about."

When I told her that, Kazusa breathed a sigh of relief.

As I'd said, I was basically leaving everything to her.

Kazusa was the type to take initiative, so that would be easier for her to work with, and it meant fewer problems.

It let me focus on other work too.

Though right now, with the opening imminent, I'd brought Azu and the others to help.

Light meals had already started in the inn's dining hall.

Customer traffic wasn't bad. Not packed, but there was a steady stream.

"Here you go. One set as ordered."

"Hey, mister, stop trying to touch my butt, okay? Next time I'll break your fingers."

"We're running low on vegetables!"

Everyone was pitching in as kitchen staff or waitresses.

"This'll be good experience for them."

"You're just trying to save on labor costs, aren't you?"

"That too. Better than lying around doing nothing, right?"

"Fair point. Since I started working exclusively for you, I've stopped taking underground jobs anyway… But what's with this uniform?"

"It's cute."

Finn grabbed the frilly skirt and swished it while she spoke.

Orleans seemed to like it.

It was a black cat motif that Kazusa had enthusiastically prepared.

When Elza or Alexia wore it, it looked a bit risque, but on Azu and Kazusa and the others, it was adorable.

"This is our uniform. Creates a sense of unity, doesn't it?"

"Hehe, this is actually kind of fun."

"Except for the idiots trying to hit on us."

"The prep work won't get done in time!"

Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Azu alone looked overwhelmed, so I went to help.

"Thank you, Master. You're a lifesaver."

"Don't mention it. Let's catch up."

"Yes!"

The menu Kazusa had devised featured bold flavors geared toward laborers and adventurers, light on side dishes but generous on the main portion.

Thin margins on high volume, but minimal ingredient waste, and with prep done in advance, service was quick.

The soup and small bowls added perceived value.

We served light meals while using the opportunity to advertise the inn's opening date.

The reception seemed positive enough.

It looked like we'd avoid having every room empty except for Orleans's.

Then came opening day.

We were ready for anything, but trouble has a way of striking at times like these.

"The ingredients didn't arrive?!"

"Yeah. Calm down, Kazusa-chan. They're usually here by now, but they haven't come."

"But they've always delivered on time before… I'll go ask them about it."

"No. You're in charge here. If the manager disappears on opening day, it'll cause chaos."

This wasn't a large inn, and the plan was for Kazusa to run it mostly alone with some help from her younger brother.

But that was for when she'd gotten the hang of things. Right now, we were all here to help make the opening a success.

"That's true, but… what should I do?"

"We're not serving meals or light food at this hour yet, so focus on what you can do right now. Look, a guest is here to check in."

"R-right."

She was about Azu's age despite how capable she was.

She had drive and the observation skills to notice small details, but she still struggled with sudden trouble.

That's what I was here to back her up for.

Time to fulfill my role as an adult.