Gashapon, gashapon.
“It looks like the front door is locked,” Kent said, trying to open the door on the street side, which had a “Busy” sign on it. However, it was locked, and the door wouldn’t open.
“Just in case something like this happened, I have this,” Catherine said.
“Wait, isn’t that the shop’s master key?”
Catherine pulled the string around her neck, and a key with a special shape emerged from her clothes. This key was for opening the door of Marie’s Bakery, but unlike a regular key, it was shared between the main store and the No. 2 store, making it possible to open either with its unique structure.
“Managing the shop-attached fairy is part of my duty as a Saintess, so I asked Mom to make this for me. That way, when you need to see Mike, you can come see him without needing Older Sister Rachel’s permission,” Catherine explained.
“I see,” Kent replied.
Catherine explained her legitimate reason for possessing the master key. Kent, listening, somehow understood.
“So, you insert something hard and long into this hole…”
“Gulp.”
Catherine’s strangely sensuous remark made Kent gulp involuntarily.
“What’s wrong? Master Kent?”
“N-Nothing at all.”
Hearing the sound of him gulping, Catherine turned her gaze toward Kent. Their eyes met suddenly, and Kent tried to play it off, not wanting to be found out.
“Okay, it’s open.”
Catherine unlocked the door and placed her hand on it.
“Store Manager, the front door has opened.”
“Huh? I thought it was locked. Could it be a burglar?”
The door facing the street suddenly unlocked, causing chaos among the people inside the shop. First to notice was an employee named Cibol, who reported to the store manager, Rachel.
“If we can’t get Older Brother’s help, we have to defend this shop with our own hands. Mike, prepare for battle. Everyone, grab anything that could be a weapon and get ready for an assault.”
Upon receiving the report, Rachel gave instructions to everyone in the shop.
“They’re too strong, nya. Fighting them is impossible, nya.”
“Sniff sniff, Rachel, it doesn’t look like we need to fight.”
“Huh?”
Under Rachel’s orders, the employees armed themselves with brooms, kitchen knives, and other nearby objects, preparing for an attack. However, Mike and Caro, the shop-attached fairies, seemed to know who the intruders were and showed no intention of fighting.
“Excuse me for intruding.”
“Hey, hey, that’s quite a hostile welcome.”
As Catherine and Kent entered through the door, they were surrounded by employees holding makeshift weapons. Kent wore a perplexed expression.
“St-Store Manager. She’s the Owner’s daughter! What are you making us do?”
“Lola, you were ready to fight too until you realized who it was!”
Laura, realizing who the visitors were, hastily hid the greatsword she was holding behind the counter. Once she was in a safe position, she provoked Rachel.
“Everyone, put down your weapons. You really surprised me by suddenly unlocking the door and coming in. So, what brings you here today?”
Rachel instructed the employees to disarm and then asked Kent and Catherine why they had come.
“We just happened to be passing by and saw some movement, so I wondered what you were doing and came to see.”
“Is that so? In that case, I wish you’d come in through the back.”
“I was the one who suggested coming in through the front. I’m sorry.”
As Kent explained their reason for visiting, Rachel mentioned that she’d preferred they not open the front door and would have rather they used the back entrance if they had business. Catherine, who had initially suggested using the front, then bowed her head to Rachel and apologized.
“Oh dear, our Store Manager made the Owner’s daughter bow her head.”
“I think Master Kent would be a better store manager.”
“You did a good job as store manager, even if it was for a short time.”
“Hey, don’t just dismiss me!”
The employees voiced their displeasure at Rachel, who had been made to bow by the owner’s daughter.
“I don’t mind at all, so it’s all right (smile).”
“The Owner’s daughter is like a Saintess.”
“What a magnanimous person!”
Catherine knew the employees were joking, but she joined in, offering a smile she had been taught as a Saintess. The employees were captivated by her compassionate demeanor.
“Hey, everyone, come back!”
Only Rachel’s shout echoed in the shop, trying to call back the employees who had drifted off to another world.
“So, about what we were doing. We were actually rearranging the shop layout,” Rachel began to explain what she had been doing in the shop once everyone had calmed down.
“We can no longer procure the merchandise we sell here. If things continue like this, it’s only a matter of time before the shop goes out of business. So, before our stock runs out, I decided to take the initiative.”
Among the employees at the No. 2 store, only Rachel, Lola, and Mike knew the details of how the merchandise was procured. The others had only been told that the suppliers were no longer available after the recent battle.
“So, I thought about it. How can we continue to make a profit at the No. 2 store from now on?”
Rachel was devising measures to maintain Marie’s Bakery No. 2 in the future.
“Rachel, what are you thinking about?” Kent asked, curious about Rachel’s plans.
“I’m thinking of making this place an agency for the Akane Workshop.”
“That’s wonderful. I’ve been asked about it several times before, and I didn’t know how to answer. If there’s an official agency, it will be easier to talk about.”
When Rachel announced her plan to create an Akane Workshop agency at the shop, Catherine happily agreed. She often wore dresses made by the Akane Workshop at parties attended by aristocrats and was frequently asked about them. As a Saintess, she couldn’t possibly say that the dresses she wore in official capacities were made by a friend as a hobby. She was always troubled by the questions.
“In that case, it’s more of a dress shop than a bakery.”
“What are you talking about? We barely sell any bread here to begin with; it’s just pocket change.”
“Now that you mention it, I suppose so.”
Kent thought that if they started dealing in custom-made clothing, it wouldn’t be a bakery anymore. However, he realized that the shop hadn’t been selling much bread in the first place.
“Even if we change our business, our target customers remain the same: wealthy individuals and aristocratic women. We’re rearranging the shop with Caro’s advice.”
“I see. That’s why Caro is involved too.”
“That’s right. Rachel suddenly announces these things, which really puts me in a bind.”
Caro, who had been called in by Rachel’s sudden idea, went along with her usual ease.
“Um, I apologize for my sister’s actions.”
“It’s all right. In exchange, next time…”
“Ah, include me in that kind of talk!”
As Kent apologized, Caro leaned in to whisper a potential invitation. Rachel, not missing this, stepped between them.
“That’s nice. I want to join that circle soon too.”
Watching the exchange between Kent, Caro, and Catherine, Catherine could only look on enviously for now.
