第９１０堀：町の様子 (Part1)
**Chapter 910: The State of the Town**
**Side: Yuki**
"...Well, at least we managed to make it in time for the opening."
"...Yes. We did our best."
"...Why are we already this exhausted before the ceremony has even begun?"
"...I hate work."
"...I understand the sentiment, but saying it won't change anything, will it?"
Even as we exchanged these words, everyone remained slumped over their desks.
My staff department, despite being utterly drained, had managed to finish everything.
The preparations for the Intercontinental Exchange Conference were finally complete.
"All that's left is to wait for the conference to start. That said, the shopping mall is already buzzing, and the food stalls are open, so we still have patrols to handle."
"..."
"..."
"..."
The paperwork was done, but that didn't mean our work in the field was over.
If anything, the real challenge was just beginning.
Not to mention the conference and the wedding ceremony itself.
"Well, the patrol is just a way to check the pulse of the town. The police and the military are handling all the trouble-related matters, so it shouldn't be too strenuous. Think of it as enjoying the festival atmosphere together. A date, if you will."
"Yes! I'm going!"
"I will, of course, accompany you as well. It is my duty as a guard, after all."
"...Mm. Observing the festival is also a duty for those in governance."
It seemed everyone’s motivation had recovered.
Slumping over here wouldn't get the work done, after all.
I figured I might as well give them a reason to get moving.
Well, it wasn't exactly a lie, either...
*Buzz, chatter...*
"Whoa, even though we planned this ourselves..."
"There are so many people here."
"I didn't expect this many to show up."
"Honestly, isn't it too crowded? I feel like it's difficult even to walk."
"...Mm. The result of everyone rushing to the food stalls. Not that all of them are necessarily worth the wait."
I ignored Cleena’s harsh critique of the stalls. As she pointed out, the congestion was caused by the long lines forming in front of the food vendors. Customers wanting to buy snacks had created queues that spilled into the walkways, obstructing traffic.
"I suppose I should say it's only natural, given that shops from all over the world are gathered here... But I can't just stand here being impressed."
If left unchecked, this kind of congestion leads to chaos. It was important to contact the appropriate departments and have them handle it.
"Hello, Tori, can you hear me?"
"Yes, I can hear you. Is something the matter, Yuki-san?"
"I'm currently walking around the food stalls and open-air shops. There are queues in several places that are blocking the path and causing congestion. Could you send some personnel for crowd control..."
"Ah, I’ve already dispatched people to that area, so it’s fine. It’s almost noon, after all. The crowd is growing. But the peak time is starting earlier than expected. I’m going to go give some instructions to the monitoring room."
"I see, that’s good then. Keep up the good work."
"Yes. You should enjoy your patrol, Yuki-san, but don't overdo it. Everyone else, too."
"I know, Tori."
"Yes. Please leave Yuki to us."
The call ended. It seemed they were already aware of the situation and dealing with it.
Well, ideally, we should have addressed it before it reached this point, but since they already had a plan in motion, it wasn't my place to interfere.
"However, such a wonderful aroma is drifting through the air."
"...Mm, that’s the smell of sauce. Either flour-based dishes or yakisoba. It’s almost lunchtime, so it’s unbearable. That’s why everyone is gathering."
Following Cleena's finger, I saw the long lines for festival staples: yakisoba, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, hashimaki, and yakitori.
"Everyone really loves to wait in line..."
"Well, it’s delicious. People will line up just to eat it."
"Though, it is quite a struggle since it takes so long to get served."
"I suppose that just means they want to eat it even if it takes time. It’s a testament to Weed’s rising popularity."
"...Mm. Weed’s cuisine will conquer the world!"
"If that happens, we’ll need to build a dedicated area for B-grade gourmet food, not just a restaurant district. Cleena, would you like to manage it when the time comes?"
"...Mm, I will. When that happens, I’ll make Weed famous as a culinary superpower."
"Before that, we have the Intercontinental Exchange Conference and the wedding, you know."
"...Ugh, the future is so far away."
At Samantha’s words, Cleena’s energy plummeted instantly.
"Well, the paperwork is done. Now we just wait for the main event. Speaking of which, that stall over there..."
As we talked and pushed through the crowd, my eyes landed on a particular shop.
"Welcome! Come try the famous Gartz country-style cooking, popular even here in Weed!"
I recognized the girl calling out to the customers with such energy.
If I recall correctly...
"Oh, Shelly-chan."
"Welcome—wait, Ria-neesan! Oh, and Onii-san, and everyone else!"
Yes, it was Shelly, Milly’s younger sister.
Looking closer, I saw Milly’s mother, Mean-san, at the stall as well.
"Mom, everyone is here!"
"Everyone? If you're talking about Tori-san and the others, they were just here... oh, my, everyone."
Mean-san, who had looked up at Shelly’s call, recognized us and looked quite surprised.
"Hello, Mother-in-law Mean. It’s been a while. Long time no see, Shelly-chan."
"It hasn't been that long, has it? You come to visit quite often."
"That's right. Onii-san pops in every ten days or so, and Ria-neesan and the others come by often, too."
"Yeah!" "Yeah!" "Yeah!"
It seemed that, regardless of me, my wives—led by Ria—were frequent visitors. They seemed to be on good terms with Shelly, chatting and giggling together.
"So, Mean-san, you’re running a stall here as well?"
"Yes. It’s a chance to spread my and my husband’s cooking to the world. We applied, and we were accepted."
"I see. And where is Gaden, my father-in-law?"
"Hmm? Oh, my husband is at the shop. We couldn't just close it down, so Shelly and I are running this one. Well, the shop has more employees now, so it’s not a problem."
That was true. Gaden’s shop was one of the oldest in Weed, and with its nostalgic flavor, it had a loyal customer base. Profits had increased significantly, allowing them to hire more staff and expand the store.
"How is business?"
"Well, compared to our neighbors, we’re a bit quiet."
"Haha..."
They were sandwiched between the yakisoba and takoyaki stalls, after all.
Should I have been more careful with the layout?
But then again, being next to popular shops meant they were getting plenty of visibility...
Just as I was thinking that:
"Mean-dono. I've come again today."
"Hello, thank you for your patronage again today."
"Sup."