"Everything's half price! That means all of it! Pots, pans, plates, and even the knives! We're moving tomorrow, so stock up while you can!"
Yomogi calls out, waving her hand toward the kitchenware section.
"A-Are you serious?!"
"Even the big cauldron?!"
"All of it! Last day discount!"
Just like that, a swarm of housewives rushes in and eagerly browses the shelves.
"Alright, listen up! We're packing up shop and moving to a new place tomorrow, so today's your last chance to grab these games at half price!"
Chantal chimes in next from the woodworks section, slapping a chessboard to grab the attention.
"Half?!"
"Are you serious?!"
"Yes! Chess, go, mahjong, all of it! So come and get these bad boys here, fellas!"
Moments later, the eager men don't need to be told twice as they surge toward the shelves.
"All hygiene products — the soap bars, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, and sanitizer — are currently available at a fifty percent discount. We are relocating this store to a permanent location starting tomorrow."
At the toiletries section, Pinna stands there with her usual flat tone.
"Wait, are you really moving?"
"Affirmative."
And that's enough for the customers to swarm over, shouting over each other to grab their favorite items.
Meanwhile, at the ceramic display, Kimberly offers a group of noblewomen who admire the fine pieces there.
"If you're... considering... to place... an order... may I suggest... waiting... until tomorrow..."
"Why is that?"
"Because... the new location... will offer... a wider selection... ready-made pieces... and... newly added... home furnishings... as well..."
They gasp and are clearly interested.
"You mean... beds? And chairs?"
"Yes... you will see... more... and choose... better..."
"In that case, we'll wait! Let's go tomorrow!"
Then, they leave the store as Kimberly has successfully persuaded them to choose a better option.
At the counter, Motegi remains busy handling payments as he also informs everyone about the move.
"Thank you! Here's your change. And just so you all know, we're moving tomorrow to our new location. It's the one with the big terrace garden above."
"For real?!"
"Yes, we'll open in the same hour. Bigger space and new products."
And just like that, the store is alive for its one last day.
After spending their first night in the newly built mansion, Motegi and the girls have one last task to finish at the old home: open the store one final time and inform the locals about their move. That morning, he had teleported everyone back here. And once the day's business is closed, they plan to leave this place. The shelves, beds, and everything on the second floor have already been emptied.
MORNING EARLIER, REMANTIA MERCHANT GUILD
Not only just the customers who were delighted by the news of his incoming move, but Tiffania also congratulated him when he told her.
"Congratulations on the new place, Mr. Soap!"
"Thanks, Tiffania. I'd like to register a new sales license for it."
"Of course. Can you tell me where your store is located?"
"Yes."
As he told her, she wrote it off on a paper and did a mental calculation for a moment.
"Yes, judging by your location, the cost for a month is 2 gold and 5 large silver coins, and it's 2 large gold and 5 gold coins for a year. Which one would you like?"
"I'll take the first option, please."
"Understood. Now, let's proceed to the payment."
Then, he handed over the coins, and in return, she gave him the new sales license.
"Well, this is your new sales license, Mr. Soap. And since you've got your own place now, you're eligible for a promotion to Class One. Shall I update your card?"
"Yes, please."
"Okay, can I have your card?"
"Here."
"Thank you, wait a second."
And moments later, Tiffania returned, and he took his card.
"Here's your card, Mr. Soap."
"Thank you."
The green stamp remained, but the number '0' had changed into '1'.
"So, that means I have to pay taxes now, right?"
"Yes! You'll need to submit your total income reports in a month. After that, we'll determine your tax and calculate your dues. Sound fair?"
"Fair enough."
After no questions were left for him to ask, she smiled at him as he left the guild.
"Good luck with the new store, Mr. Soap!"
"Thanks, Tiffania!"
PRESENT TIME, MOTEGI'S RENTED PROPERTY
**********
We close the store as the final customer waves goodbye. I lock the door for the last time, and we step back onto the street, standing quietly in front of the shop. And for a moment, none of us say anything until I speak up first.
"Well… that's it, girls."
Yomogi's gaze is soft, yet distant.
"I remember... being here since the very first day. It's hard to believe we're really closing it now, Motegi-chan."
Chantal follows with a laugh.
"Hahaha... I must've shouted my lungs out in this place! But I'll have to do the same at the new store, right, Motegi-kun?"
Kimberly smiles as she speaks.
"This store… gave me… an incredible experience. Handling orders… greeting customers… it felt… oddly... fulfilling...."
And Pinna closes with her own explanation.
"As the final member to join this establishment, I possess limited firsthand knowledge of its developmental timeline. However… based on compiled experiences and current sentiment, I conclude that this store achieved high performance standards. I expect the same… or greater output… at our new location, Master."
"You're all right. We will do it better in the new place."
And I can't deny that this place gave me everything.
Yomogi, flushed and trembling, after the aphrodisiac slime and full moon incident. She became my first companion, and I include cookware because of her.
The journey to Misdaras for Yomogi's son's birthday led me to Chantal by chance, her dragging me into a knife-throwing duel without warning. Her joining the team, and our product line expanding with board games.
Then, that Heiligeichen trip to deliver Berland's order and meet Kimberly. The ceramics display began with her.
And finally, Pinna. An automaton drawn in by sanitizer and her determination to learn. Now she runs the toiletries corner like it was built for her.
But now, it's returned to how it started. Only bare shelves, a counter, and the lanterns upstairs.
Then, I turn to the girls.
"Shall we go now?"
"Yes!"
With that, we leave the building behind and walk through the street side by side. We also stop by the market because Yomogi wants to buy things for dinner and gets a few flower and spice seeds for the terrace garden.
As we arrive at our new home and open the door, Chantal immediately bursts inside and bolts upstairs.
"I'm gonna try the training room, Motegi-kun! Call me when the dinner's ready!"
Then, Kimberly dips her head politely at me.
"Motegi-sama… I will go... to the library... now..."
"Of course."
As she glides away, Pinna is the next one to speak.
"Master, I am resuming my assigned task. Requesting permission to return to the workshop."
"You don't have to. Go ahead."
With that, she walks off toward her room, leaving just me and Yomogi as we climb upstairs.
"Motegi-chan, I'd like to go up and plant the seeds I bought."
"I'll come with you."
At the second floor, Kimberly disappears inside her library and Pinna slips into her workshop. And then, Yomogi and I step out into the terrace garden.
When she approaches the soil bed, she is surprised by something.
"Ehh?! Motegi-chan, what are those sprouts?"
"Sprouts?"
Wait, don't tell me...
I step to the garden and crouch beside the soil, and there they are.
Tiny green shoots poking up.
I silently activate [Appraisal] and check what those are. And despite being delighted by what I see, I try to remain neutral.
"Ah, it's nothing, Yomogi."
"Okay."
As she kneels down to open her seed packets, I'm relieved because she just believes what I said.
My [Seedless] skill has worked. The crops I imagined yesterday — potato, tomato, corn, chili, strawberry, chocolate, dahlias, and sunflowers — they've actually started to sprout. But of course, I don't want to say it yet because I want this to be a surprise later.
Then, I look back at Yomogi, who is crouching behind me and carefully planting seeds one by one.
"What did you buy, Yomogi?"
"Umm... lilies, hydrangeas, roses, peonies… mint, basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, chives, parsley, tarragon, and bay laurel..."
"Nice. You bought a lot, huh?"
"Of course!"
As she continues planting, I look back again to my sprouts as an idea comes across my mind. Since I grow tomatoes and chilies here, I can finally make the one dish I've missed the most since coming to Acrusse.
Curry.
Yeah, I really have to make it someday. Just add some spices, and then I will have the final product.
Once Yomogi finishes, she stands and asks me.
"Motegi-chan, don't you have a watering can or something?"
"There's a Water magic stone set into the frame. Just twist it."
"Ah… you're right."
Then, she gives it a turn, and instantly, a gentle spray of water trickles out from tiny holes in the frame, mimicking a gardener's watering can and letting the soil drink up.
"This is so convenient, Motegi-chan."
"Told you, right?"
Then, I move to my side of the bed and do the same, twisting the stone until the water falls over the sprouts I planted yesterday.
After a moment, Yomogi stretches her arms and exhales with a satisfied sigh; her fingers are caked with dirt.
"Alright… everything's done."
"Go wash up over there, Yomogi."
"Yes!"
I gesture her toward the faucet nearby, and she nods and walks over. I join her, twisting the Water stone on the faucet for her, and in an instant, clear water flows from the spout as she places her hands beneath it. The soil is carried away as she rubs her palms, and the runoff disappears into the ground, absorbed by the Dark magic stone built into the drain.
"Thanks, Motegi-chan."
"Use the soap too."
"Okay."
She grabs the bar resting on a dish above the faucet and begins lathering her hands, taking care between her fingers. Once she's satisfied, she rinses off and holds them out with a smile.
"All clean. I'll go make dinner now, okay?"
"Of course."
We head back inside together, and Yomogi slips into the kitchen.
THIRTY MINUTES LATER
Then, Yomogi's voice rings out from the kitchen.
"Motegi-chan! Dinner's ready!"
"Alright."
With that, I head off to gather the others.
First stop is Chantal's training room. And I find her in the middle of her practice dummies, blindfolded, and throwing knives toward wooden targets.
"Chantal, dinner time."
"Nyaa! Don't sneak up on me like that, Motegi-kun!"
She flinches slightly and lifts her blindfold, then she grins.
"Okay, okay. I'm coming."
Next, I head to Kimberly's library. She sits and reads peacefully at her desk, while the night breeze through the open window rustles inside.
"Dinner's ready, Kimberly."
"Yes... Motegi-sama…"
Last, I enter Pinna's workshop. She's gliding smoothly on her swivel chair as she manages multiple tasks.
"Pinna. Time to eat."
"Understood, Master."
Soon, we're all gathered at the dining table, and Yomogi places the dish down.
"It's tarragon chicken tonight, everyone!"
Chantal is delighted.
"Ooh, nice! Smells amazing!"
Kimberly nods.
"It looks... delicious..."
Pinna analyzes.
"Tarragon contains beneficial phytochemicals. The protein level appears suitable. Overall, the nutritional balance is within acceptable range."
And I say to everyone.
"Well, let's eat now, shall we?"
"Yes!"
With that, we eat our meal together.
And after dinner and washing the dish, we move downstairs to begin prepping the store opening.
I start by pulling a duplicated counter from my dimensional inventory and setting it just in front of the studio. The room is wide and open, so I stand for a moment to think.
This house and the store are equally huge, about eight times the size of a konbini. With the way the store is laid out, I figure we can fit about eight sections comfortably. Right now, though, we've only got four, so I'll keep the shelves light and spaced out.
With that, I take out the shelves from my dimensional inventory and line them up precisely.
"These will be the shelves for each section. Kitchenware here. Woodworks over there. Toiletries to that side. Ceramics near the wall."
The girls nod, and I continue to say.
"Alright, follow me into the studio."
"Yes!"
Once inside, I immediately get to work. I take out the necessary materials and silently activate [Hygienics], [Blacksmithing], [Carpentry], and [Pottery]. And just like that, soap bars, shampoo and sanitizer bottles, toothpaste and deodorant pouches, kitchen tools, utensils, tableware, board games, and small Chinese ceramics come into view. Then with [Copier], I multiply them all into many and store them in crates.
"Place them on the shelves, okay?"
"Yes!"
After a while, I step out and walk over to Chantal's section, seeing her kneeling and arranging games.
"Think you can handle furniture too, Chantal?"
"Obviously, Motegi-kun."
"Good."
Then, I take out timber, bamboo, and resin, and with [Carpentry], I shape tables, chairs, cupboards, and many more pieces of furniture effortlessly.
"Now that's how woodworks section should look."
"Sure does, Motegi-kun."
Next, I find Kimberly aligning rows of ceramics steadily.
"Ready for your own section?"
"Yes... Motegi-sama..."
"Okay."
After that, I summon more Terracotta's clay, glass sand, and blue colored minerals. With [Pottery], I create more Chinese ceramics that come in large jars, vases, and pitchers, all in elegant styles she'll love.
"There you go, Kimberly."
"Thank you… Motegi-sama..."
Yes, back at the old shop, Kimberly didn't have her own section. She greeted customers and stayed close to the ceramic display due to the lack of space, and it was still a "made-to-order" system back then, so being in front made it easier for her to pick up orders. But now, she has her own dedicated space, so she obviously won't need to do that anymore.
However, I still need someone to handle greeting, and then I've come up with an idea.
"Everyone, come here for a moment."
Then, the girls gather obediently.
"I've decided. From now on, at this new store… you girls will be the ones to open the shop and greet the customers each day."
There's a pause before they say in perfect sync:
"Okay, Motegi-chan!"
"Of course I'll do it, Motegi-kun!"
"That sounds... nice... Motegi-sama..."
"Task accepted, Master."
"Good."
With that, the girls return to their sections, and the preparations for the grand reopening continue.