By the Grace of the Gods: Volume 2

by Roy

  At my words, everyone other than me sighed.

  “That’s already more than enough...”

  “Master Ryoma’s level of magic fatigue could easily knock out a royal sorcerer. The amount of work you could do alone would definitely count as working too hard.”

  Come to think of it, I had an irregularly high amount of magic energy.

  “Your face says you’ve only just realized it.”

  “I suddenly feel rather concerned. Will you really be okay alone...?”

  “I’ll be fine. It’s nothing compared to my old workplace.”

  “What did you do at your old workplace?”

  “Huh...?”

  I had spoken without thinking, but I couldn’t tell them I was a software engineer or programmer... I guess I could talk about my part-time gigs.

  “I did all kinds of things... Everything from cargo transportation to making dolls.”

  “I see... Did you ever find your work grueling?”

  “There were times that I did, but if I didn’t work I wouldn’t have been able to survive... And it wasn’t like everything was grueling. The cargo transportation I mentioned was for materials at a construction site, and it was intriguing to see the construction come together. I felt a sense of accomplishment when it was completed, too. Dollmaking involved adding designated colors to designated locations, which was repetitive, but it made me happy to see the completed product.”

  “I see. I hope I’ll find work that’s worth doing in the future too.”

  Huh, was Eliaria going to work? Even though she was the daughter of a Duke?

  As I was wondering that, Eliaria expressed interest in the dollmaking. So she did have a girlish side...

  “I could make one for you sometime, if you’d like?”

  Without thinking too deeply, I ran my mouth on the spur of the moment. The dolls I made were all targeted for boys.

  “Really?! If you have the time, then please!”

  ...Oh no! This was bad news on so many levels! I made many things for a hobby and for profit, but the people here wouldn’t understand the material. And making something unsuitable for Eliaria’s age was out of the question...

  “Is something the matter?”

  “No, it’s just... The modeling... I was in charge of applying colors, so now that I think about it, I don’t have a base...”

  “Oh? But Ryoma, you’re good at earth magic.”

  ...That was true. The convenience of earth magic was now my downfall...

  Well, no helping that, I guess. I was the one who made the offer, so I’ll just make something appropriately harmless.

  “I understand. I shall make it when I have the time.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Sebas, where can I buy art supplies like paints and things?”

  “If you’re in need, I can prepare some by tomorrow.”

  “Thank you. I need some for my store signs too, so please prepare extra. I’ll pay you for it later.”

  “Understood.”

  After that, we chatted idly for a while before I returned to my room. When I was leaving, they emphasized how I shouldn’t be pushing myself too hard... I should be careful.

  Oh yeah, what was I going to do about the store name?

  ...

  ...

  ...

  ...

  ...Something simple would be enough. Being easy to remember was important too.

  Bamboo Forest Laundry Service — Filthy Cleans at a Reasonable Price! We Can Even Handle Goblin Filth!

  Yeah, the literal translation of my name would be pretty easy to recall. This would do nicely for an ad.

  ■　■　■

  Store Construction, Day 8.

  I received the art supplies from Sebas and thanked him before heading to the guild, where I was hailed down by the receptionist Maylene.

  “Oh, if it isn’t Ryoma! You stopped showing up at the guild after the job at the mines, so I was worried.”

  “Sorry, I’ve been rather busy.”

  “That’s right, you’re building a store. I heard about it from the guildmaster. Quite impressive for your age.”

  “Thank you very much. Actually, I had something to ask about.”

  “Go on.”

  “I heard somewhere that I could post an ad to the guild bulletin board; is that true?”

  “Ads? Hmm, the guild doesn’t have that kind of service. What you heard about was probably that.”

  Maylene pointed to a small bulletin board in the corner of the guild.

  “It’s a bulletin board for people seeking parties. People who want party members can write about themselves and what they’re seeking. There’s no bulletin board for shop advertisements, though.”

  “I see... Thank you.”

  I guess this meant I’d have to work on promoting myself through word of mouth? Passing out flyers and sticking up posters seemed like a rather expensive option because of the cost of paper, though...

  The only exception was toilet paper, which was pretty much free to use. Apparently there had been a man in the past (most likely an otherworlder) who created magic tools that produced toothbrushes and toilet paper, then spread it throughout the world. But I couldn’t use toilet paper to write my ads on.

  It was definitely too frail, and would just be thrown away. I should set aside the store for now and get to work.

  “Miss Maylene, are there any jobs for cleaning rubbish or the likes today?”

  “If it’s about that, could you visit the guildmaster’s office? He wanted to talk to you the next time you dropped by, so it’s probably about a job.”

  “I understand. I’ll be off now.”

  When I went to the guildmaster’s office, he welcomed me with a bright smile.

  “Ryoma! You’re finally here!”

  “Hello. Has it been around a week? I was completely occupied with my store setup.”

  “Sorry to spring this upon you, but I’d like you to accept another toilet cleaning job.”

  What? I thought the six slum kids were taking care of those...

  “About that... the six kids you mentioned and some others have stepped up, but we’re still short on hands. We’ve made some of Sacchi’s lot — the ones with lighter punishments — take on the job too, but it’s still not enough. And their work just isn’t as good as yours. While I would love to give the jobs to those without money... as a guild, it isn’t good to keep our clients waiting for too long. The five months before you arrived were pretty tough. We’re all sick of that stench from back then! Even the smell was gone for a period of time! Make it that clean again! ...And those are just some of the complaints we get from short-tempered people. Please, just as much as we’re short on is fine.”

  Yikes... Did I make it too clean? Did raising the bar on quality of life make it harder to return to normal? ...While I’m sure that was part of it, those five months must have been really tough...

  “Well, I can understand their reasoning. That stench really was terrible... I shall take on the job.”

  “That would be great.”

  I immediately accepted the request and headed for the toilet pits.

  Making the most use out of my scavenger slimes finished the job in no time at all.

  All that was left was to report the job completion and accept the reward. Then it was back to store work.

  I asked my scavenger slimes to use their nutrient reduction skill to take the nutrients from their food and spit it out as fertilizer. I mixed the scentless mud into the dirt around the store and planted the grass and flower seeds, watering them after.

  “It’s gotten dark...”

  Because the cleaning job had taken some time, the sun was starting to set.

  I was told not to work too hard just yesterday... Guess I should leave it here for today.

  ■　■　■

  Store Construction, Day 9.

  In the morning, I watered the grass and flower seeds I planted with water magic, then used the woo
d magic Grow to accelerate their growth. Three hours after casting the magic, there was a fresh green lawn around the store perimeter and flowers blooming everywhere.

  This magic was useful, but if there wasn’t enough nutrients and water in the soil then more magic energy would be expended instead, and it also had the demerit of sapping out all the nutrients in the soil if used for excessively rapid growth. If it hadn’t been for the scavenger slimes’ fertilizer, even I wouldn’t have had enough magic energy to allow such a wide area of lawn to grow in such a short time.

  It was all well that I succeeded... Once I clipped the lawn to an appropriate length with wind magic and let the scavenger slimes eat the grass clippings, the exterior preparations would be complete. Next, I would finally move on to preparing the shop’s face — the sign.

  I took one of the planks of wood I had cut and painted it white, then wrote Bamboo Forest Laundry Service on it. After drawing some bamboo thickets and slimes on both sides, I set it aside to dry. All that was left was to apply a waterproof coat to it and it would be complete.

  While it dried, I went about making the sign of the laundry fees and everything else, then made my final checks on the store.

  Next was... checking the flow of management and contact with customers?

  In which case, I should open the store and call Jeff and the others to test it out... No, I should just make it an opening party!

  There was no time like the present. I made sure I had the minimum preparations needed to open the business, then dropped by Serge’s place on my way home.

  “Welcome, Master Ryoma.”

  “Good evening, Mr. Serge. To get straight down to business, as of today I’ve completed the store.”

  “Really?! That was rather fast...”

  “Some acquaintances at the Adventurer’s Guild told me they were eagerly awaiting the opening of my store, so I’ve been putting some effort into getting it done. Now that I’ve managed to get everything in shape, I’d like to call them over for an opening party, but I want to confirm that everything is in order for the business to open.”

  “So a final confirmation before opening for real?”

  “Yes. I’ll open to the public the day after that, so I was thinking of preparing an opening party with a light meal. I was hoping to invite Mr. Serge too, so if you’re interested in coming, could you let me know your available days?”

  “Thank you for the invitation. Let me see... I have some things to do tomorrow, but I don’t have any plans in the two weeks after that. Anytime convenient for you works for me.”

  “Thank you very much. I’ll check with my acquaintances and let you know my decision.”

  “Master Ryoma, could I bring two people along with me to that party?”

  “Sure. Is it Mr. Pioro and the guildmaster?”

  “No, they’re from my trading company. I previously promised to introduce you to some shop assistants. It would benefit them too to become more familiar with the work earlier.”

  “Thank you for the consideration.”

  Come to think of it, he had mentioned that before. After making the lodgings for the employees, I forgot about them. I wouldn’t be able to work as an adventurer if I was on my own, so it was a fairly important point. Thank goodness.

  I expressed my appreciation once more and left the store.

  Next, I went to the Adventurer’s Guild and asked the guildmaster and Maylene the same thing. The two of them had a day off in three days’ time. They would also tell Jeff and everyone from the epidemic prevention team for me. I should drop by the guild again tomorrow.

  After that, I went to the Merchant’s Guild and asked the receptionist to pass on a message to the guildmaster, when they let me through to see her instead.

  “Welcome, it’s been a little over a week since then. Has everything been progressing smoothly?”

  “Fortunately, I’ve been able to put the store together.”

  “Already? Well, it depends on the building, but you could also make a good carpenter, eh?”

  “I can only construct a simple building, though.”

  “That’s more than enough. Only nobles and oddballs want extravagant homes.”

  I guess that made sense.

  “Did you come to report your store completion today?”

  “That, and I’d like to gather the people I know to take on some jobs and confirm that the business procedure is functioning correctly. After that, I wanted to hold an opening party with a light meal. I’ve been in your care too, Guildmaster, so if you’re available...”

  “You’re inviting me?”

  “I can’t prepare anything extravagant, and my other acquaintances will be there too. But if you’re willing to come, you’re most welcome to.”

  “Heehee! I can think of it as a casual feast then, yes? That makes me happy. With my position, I’m rarely ever invited to gatherings. Even when they call it a casual gathering, sometimes I arrive and everyone’s all stiff as boards. But if they’re your adventurer friends, it really will be a casual gathering, hmm?”

  “Yes, I also dislike formal social events. They’re just places to watch your words and actions.”

  “All right, when is it?”

  “I’m thinking in three days from now, but the final decision will be made after I hear the responses from everyone else... I’ll leave a message at the guild tomorrow. Also, could you tell me how to contact Mr. Pioro? I’d like to invite him too, if he has the time.”

  “His schedule should be completely open three days from now. He’s headquartered in another town, you see, but he’ll be here tomorrow for the meeting. I’ll make sure to let him know.”

  “Thank you very much.”

  I thanked her and left the Merchant’s Guild.

  Finally, I dropped by the Tamer’s Guild before heading back to the inn and invited Eliaria and everyone to the pre-opening of the store and the opening party. They were all delighted to hear that, and the four members of the ducal family, Sebas, Araune, Lilianne, and Jill and the other escorts all agreed to come.

  With that, the number of attendees totaled 11 from Eliaria’s group, 11 from the Adventurer’s Guild and 5 from the Merchant’s Guild... which made 28 people, including me. With no real achievements, I hadn’t been able to meet Branch Head Taylor today to receive his reply, but if he could come, that would make 29. The opening party would have to be held in the employee break room, that area should be wide enough.

  Tomorrow I would confirm the plans of the adventurers and contact everyone else.

  ■　■　■

  Day 10.

  After visiting the guild, I confirmed that all of the invited adventurers were attending. Furthermore, the message I left at the Tamer’s Guild yesterday was passed on properly, and I received a reply that Branch Head Taylor was attending too.

  As soon as I heard that, I went to Serge’s store and informed him that the trial run would happen in the morning two days from now, and the opening party would be at lunch.

  All that was left was to patrol the abandoned mines that I had neglected for the past week and clean out any monsters there before heading back to the inn and informing Eliaria and the others about the plans.

  Chapter 2 Episode 25: Store Setup 4

  Day 11.

  In the morning, I ran around purchasing a large amount of ingredients and used my time to prepare what dishes I could today.

  The menu for tomorrow was spaghetti with meat sauce, steak, and salad. And an apple pie for dessert.

  I had pondered over what to serve, but pasta and steak existed in this world too. It should be a safe option to go with. Though it wasn’t very party-like. The first party food that came to my mind was pizza, but I was yet to see it in this world so I decided against it.

  For drinks, there was water, booze, and two types of fruit juice.

  Since it was a celebration, I splurged a little on the alcohol and purchased the shop assistant’s recommendation for 30 peoples’ worth at a budget of
3 small gold, and the fruit juice was homemade.

  For the cooking, my alchemy came in unexpectedly handy. For example, after making the spaghetti noodles, I could use alchemy to separate the moisture from it and instantly create dehydrated noodles. That meant all I had to do tomorrow was boil it. For the fruit juice, I could separate the fruit pulp from the liquid to make 100% fruit juice.

  Was it really okay to use alchemy in this way?

  Finally... when I made meat sauce in my past life, I would always use premade sauces sold on the shelves, but that wasn’t available here. So I decided to make a vegetable and poultry soup today. Then, if I mince the meat I bought today and fry it with tomatoes tomorrow, I can add it to the soup to make a similar tasting sauce.

  The completed dishes were placed in a wooden box coated with the sticky slime’s hardening solution, then within a barrier that was originally meant for keeping the cold out, but reversed so that it would keep the cold in.

  For the record, when I appraised this contraption it showed up as a single item called a cooler box, along with information about the specific contents and how close to going bad they were. It was extremely impressive, but rather than calling it an effect of the cooler box, it was more like one of the clever functions of appraisal magic.

  Once I finished cooking, it was just before evening.

  It was a bit too late to go to the guild now, so maybe I should go home...?

  I wandered the town like that, until I spotted the church.

  Oh yeah, I haven’t prayed in a while. I should go and make a prayer.

  I turned my feet towards the church on a whim and was greeted by a girl in her teens.

  “Welcome to the church. What are you here for today?”

  “I had some free time, so I’d like to offer a prayer to the gods.”

  “In that case, please come this way.”

  I was led to a room with many chairs lined before an altar. Apparently I was free to pray all I wanted here. The girl told me to take my time before leaving the room.

  There wasn’t much else I could do... I thought, sitting in a nearby seat before clasping my hands together and closing my eyes.

  Several seconds later.

  I felt like something was slipping out of my body, but it wasn’t a bad sensation.