This time, we will return to the protagonist’s point of view from the continuation of the previous chapter.
“Ah, ah, this way I can’t go to everyone’s place!”
Rachel was about to serve herself her favorite food from the buffet-style lunch that had been prepared and head to Caro and her companions’ table. However, she was surrounded in a way that prevented her from doing so, and ended up having a meal with people she barely knew.
“I was surprised that the manager of Store No. 2 was a first-year student. I always use it.”
“Where do you procure those unusual products from?”
“It’s enviable that you can set up a shop in such a prime location.”
The people gathered in this room were only those whose families were in the restaurant or food ingredient business, or who worked in restaurants. Female students, especially those whose families were in business, seemed interested in Marie’s Bakery, which was an unusual presence in this town, and asked Rachel many questions, wanting to know more.
“Thank you for using our services. I can’t tell you where we procure our ingredients, as it’s a company secret. I’m sorry. Store No. 2 is in a very good location, so that helps.”
Rachel couldn’t ignore the questions asked and politely answered each one.
“Ah, this is such a hassle. I want to go home, fart, and sleep.”
Rachel was thinking such unseemly thoughts, but she carefully spoke without showing it on her face.
“Rachel, you’re answering very reluctantly,” Caro said.
“Is that so? It looks like you’re responding politely to me,” Josette replied.
Caro, who had been watching the scene, understood Rachel’s feelings as if she could read her mind. When she conveyed Rachel’s current feelings to Josette and Patty, who were eating with them, Josette replied with surprise.
“As expected of you, Caro. You know Rachel so well because you’re always together.”
“Well, yes, I guess so,” Patty said.
Caro replied to Patty’s words, blushing.
“Um, excuse me…”
As the three were talking, several female students suddenly called out to them.
“What is it?”
“Yes! If you don’t mind, may we join you?”
“Principal Caro also said we should interact, so it’s fine,” Josette said.
“Ah, thank you.”
Josette, who was speaking on behalf of the group, answered. The female students then began to sit down, placing their trays filled with food on the table, surrounding Josette, Caro, and Patty.
“Um, excuse me, you all work at Marie’s Bakery, don’t you?” asked one of the female students who joined them.
“Yes,” Caro replied.
“That’s right,” Patty said.
“Yep,” Josette said.
“I believe none of you need to work, so why are you doing this?” asked one of the female students who sat with them.
“My family isn’t exactly wealthy, so I started working to earn daily wages. That’s how it is,” Patty answered first. Her motivation for starting to work was the desire to provide better food for her younger siblings, a very common reason for working.
“I am indebted to that shop, and I work there because I want to be of some help. I am very grateful to Marie, the shopkeeper, who kindly reached out to me when I was in trouble,” Caro said.
Caro was indebted to Marie, who kindly reached out to her when her father fell prey to a scheme and lost everything. At that time, she had no money and needed to earn daily wages, but she was still grateful for that.
“That’s right. For me, it’s an aspect of social studies, but the man I like works there. I asked my father for permission to work there because I wanted to spend as much time as possible with him,” Josette said.
“Kyaaa!”
The female students who heard Josette’s straightforward feelings let out screams of excitement.
“As expected, many of the Marie’s Bakery employees are very charming,” Prim thought, watching the female students gathered around Rachel and Josette and their companions.
“Prim, is something wrong?” someone asked.
“N-no, I was just thinking about something,” Prim replied.
“As expected of the chairperson of Bobby Prim Trading Company. You’re always thinking about business,” said a female student.
Prim, despite being a first-year student, led a large trading company. She was famous, and female students who wanted to connect with her, even a little, gathered around her, just like they did around Rachel and Josette and their companions.
“Prim, why did you volunteer to be in charge of this event?”
“Hmm, well, when I heard about it, I had an instinct that it would be profitable. The details are still being decided, but because there hasn’t been this kind of business method before, I truly believe it will become established in the town.”
Prim’s reason for volunteering for the event was her intuition that it would be profitable. She had been taught by her father since childhood that capable business people have excellent intuition. Bobby Prim Trading Company was not something she built herself from scratch, but was established based on rights transferred from Kent. She acted out of a desire to test how far her intuition would go as a businesswoman. Thus, the group gathered at Margaret’s whim spent their lunch break deepening their relationships.
“So, that’s how it was,” Kent said.
“I see. So, it’s the Queen’s idea to establish Valentine’s Day in this town,” Rachel replied.
Rachel explained the contents of the meeting held during lunch break to Kent.
“I plan to give my true love to you, Kent,” Josette declared.
“I will also give my true love to Kent,” Caro said.
After Rachel finished speaking, Josette and Caro quickly declared that they would give their true love to Kent.
“Older brother, in our previous world, you only had me who would give you chocolate, right? At least you’re guaranteed to get two, so that’s good, isn’t it?” Rachel teased Kent.
“Ugh, shut up,” Kent retorted.
Hearing this, Rachel teased Kent. As she said, in their previous world, only his sister gave him chocolate on Valentine’s Day. Because it was the truth, Kent retorted with more vigor.
“This kind of event seems interesting. I already have someone I plan to give my true love to, but I also want to give gifts to those who have helped me over the years as a token of my gratitude,” Patty said.
“Patty, that’s a good mindset. You can only sell one true love gift, but the more people who think like you, the more they’ll buy multiple gifts instead of just one, so from a business perspective, you are an invaluable presence,” Kent said.
“When you say that from a business perspective, I feel like I’m being taken advantage of,” Patty said, feeling a little dejected when Rachel said that.
“While the girls seem to be getting excited, the problem might be with the boys,” Kent thought, watching the four of them animatedly chatting. He was a little worried that the boys who didn’t receive any gifts might cause trouble, as had happened in his previous world.
“Well, Older Brother, you’re going home for now, right? We’ll head on ahead,” Rachel said.
“We’ve arrived in front of the house before I knew it. It feels like we got here right away while talking. Well then, everyone, I’ll see you later,” Kent said.
“Understood,” Josette replied.
“Kent, see you later,” Caro said.
“See you later,” Patty said.
As Kent and his companions walked home, chatting, they arrived in front of the shop before they knew it. Kent parted ways with them for a moment, entered his house, prepared himself, and then headed to his part-time job.
