C77
For a long time, I have been looking at the house that had darkened due to the rain.
Since this is a Mediterranean climate, there is no rainy season, but it has been raining for several days.
The atmosphere of the mansion felt heavy, maybe because Duke Seymour was away from the property due to the recent explosion.
Recently, the situation in the region had unexpectedly changed.
It was because, while tracking the location of the barbarian leader, a sudden wave of monsters occurred.
It was also the reason for Rosad's delayed return to the capital.
"I think I saw this part in a novel."
The cause of the sudden wave of monsters was a rift that occurred in the eastern barrier.
Due to the poisonous monsters, the monster colony had no choice but to move east as if fleeing.
Currently, Rosad is defending the territory from monster invasion, and the Duke was constantly shuttling between the capital and the province using the magic gate to manage the chaotic atmosphere.
It was a rift in the barrier.
The scenario of rifts and demons emerging from the goddess's barrier provides an active scenario and an opportunity to catapult Mia Binoche with divine powers to stardom, but it's just a risk factor for me.
"Why does that happen?"
I have no doubt that it's simply a measure to highlight the female protagonist.
—Ah.
I didn't even want to guess, so I let out a sigh.
"Why do I have to be in such an incomplete novel?"
As I looked at the flower garden soaked in dark green while pressing my temples, I stopped worrying about the unanswered problem and headed to Armand.
When I got off the carriage, I left the escort at the main door and took a key from my tunic.
It was a key shared only by the top members of the company.
After opening the small side door at the back of the shop and ringing the bell, Armand's manager appeared in a hurry.
There were two rooms in the basement, one with a teleporter connected to Blanchia, and the other was my laboratory and office.
"What's the situation in Naria recently? Is everything going well?" I asked darkly, pressing my tunic.
"They firmly believed in the fake recipes. They heard rumors that they need to buy many expensive medicinal herbs to make the isotonic drink."
I laughed at them in my heart.
No matter how much you prepare the herbs, you won't be able to make this drink even if you die.
If they cling to the issue of programmed failures and subject it to all kinds of trial and error, the money, time, and labor will collapse.
That's why you have to use people's hearts carefully.
"By the way, sales here have dropped a lot."
The rain continued to fall, as if piercing the sky, in the past few days, so the sales chart that was kicking the roof drew a downward curve.
"What do I have to do."
There will be times when bad weather continues in the future.
"Time..."
While thinking, I opened my mouth at a sudden idea that came to mind.
"Manager. Let's create a menu called <Tea of the Day>."
"Tea of the Day?"
I gave a detailed explanation to Armand's manager, who looked puzzled.
"I'm introducing and recommending to customers a special and fresh tea that suits the weather and atmosphere of the day. So they remember our shop when the weather changes."
"I see."
"I heard that the fixed menu sells very well to busy magicians and officials who don't want to worry about what to eat. Using a similar principle, <Tea of the Day> will have a similar effect for regular customers who are tired of the existing menu but bother to think about what to eat."
In addition, <Tea of the Day> has a clearance effect.
The popular tea leaves preferred by customers are always expensive, even if they are of poor quality.
Through <Tea of the Day>, less recognized tea leaves can be easily sold to customers.
However, it's essential to use fresh and high-quality tea leaves so that customers accept it well and take pride in embarking on the adventure.
The manager wrote down my words devotedly without leaving a word.
At some point, the store manager, who had been suspicious of my appearance covered with tunics, while doubting me who looked young at first glance, began to support me as a business god, perhaps due to the incredible sales.
"Oh, also, quickly prepare tea leaves with a strong aroma to permeate the entire store today."
On humid days, there are more water droplets in the air, so the aroma sticks better to the nose and diffuses slowly.
A rainy day means a better day to savor the fragrance of tea.
The pleasant aroma also has a calming effect.
I wanted the people entering the store in the rain to feel calm and relaxed.
New menus and events are important, but in the end, business comes from the sales of regular customers.
Because it was important to make a good impression and have them return in the future, a lot of attention was paid to the ambiance and cleanliness of the store, even if it cost a lot of labor.
"I will proceed according to the instructions."
"How is the menu for the autumn season coming along?"
"The development is almost complete."
He handed me a paper.
"What is this?"
"This is a promotional phrase for the posters and banners for the upcoming season's menu."
I skimmed the paper and clicked my tongue.
"Is the phrase too honest?"
People here have no skill in deceiving customers.
It's okay to add an appropriate exaggeration, but they were so naive and straightforward that I used to let out a sigh.
"Maybe the previous world knew too much spice."
"Give me a pen."
"Yes."
I dipped it in red ink, corrected the entire text, and stood up.
"Owner, is this true?"
"Well, what of it? There's no way to verify authenticity. If the customers feel good, isn't that enough?"
"... I see. There's no way to check."
The manager got up from his seat and tried to ignore my gaze, which was looking at him like a true thug.
I climbed the basement stairs, went through the back door of the store, and calmly walked out through the front door. Then, I headed to the largest toy store located in the Yones district by carriage.
It was to buy a gift for Enrique.
I can't believe it's his birthday.
As soon as I heard the news that Enrique's birthday was approaching, I was very surprised.
If I didn't bribe and threaten the maid working in Enrique's annex, I would have let it pass without even giving him a gift.
--------------------------------
Somehow, I had a bad feeling about the nanny named Karil, so I threatened a maid who had worked in Enrique's annex for a long time.
As I spilled the family's personal information, she confessed everything while trembling, thinking I would harm them.
"Recently, Enrique doesn't look well, is he injured?"
In response to my question, the maid shook her head with a pale face.
"Maybe it's because the young master is taking many private lessons."
"But even so, that doesn't mean the amount of study suddenly doubled or tripled."
"Oh! And at this time of year, he doesn't have much appetite and is not in good condition."
"Why?"
"The young master suffered a lot because he was born prematurely when he was a baby. Madame Karil said that the aftereffects could still be influencing him a lot now. Actually, after this period passes, he will improve rapidly."
"These nonsensical explanations don't even make sense..."
It was absurd to believe such stupidity.
"So you're saying that Enrique is in poor condition at this time every year?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Suddenly, he doesn't eat well.
He's a child who was always nervous in front of me, but it must mean he has insomnia if he suddenly falls asleep like that during class.
As far as I can see, it's a typical symptom of stress. It's also quite similar to the symptoms of depression.
Suddenly, a speculation crossed my mind, and I furrowed my brow.
No way, it can't be.
However, most children look forward to their birthdays, but the fact that Enrique is stressed at this moment and has had to think negatively about his birthday...
At that moment, a fragment of a small memory came to mind.
Birthday.
Instead of being happy to receive many expensive gifts from his family and relatives, Deborah hates it when she sees her unexpressive younger brother and thinks of Enrique as an old man inside.
Furthermore, it was the year when Enrique achieved his second circle of mana at an early age with his extraordinary talent.
Deborah, who had no magical sensitivity at all, looked at the child while feeling a strong sense of inferiority.
It was when.
Enrique suddenly disappeared in the middle of a meal.
Amid the commotion, Deborah slipped out of her seat. This was because she didn't really like her distant relatives.
"Blurgh!"
The child who emerged from the party was vomiting on the grass.
With a very pained face.
"Young master. How can you leave in the middle of the meal, and on your birthday if you make everyone worry? You will only disappoint the Duke who celebrated a grand feast."
Suddenly, I realized the identity of the ominous and disheartened feeling I had from the nanny during tutoring.