第９１４堀：お店サミット (Part1)
Chapter 914: Shop Summit
Shop Summit
Side: Yuki
It feels like my entourage grows with every step we take.
No, wait—they actually *are* growing.
As I ponder this, my gaze falls upon...
"...And that’s why the ramen over there is surprisingly good."
"Oh? Miso ramen, you say? How curious. I cannot even begin to imagine combining miso with noodles."
"Indeed. Miso soup is something one drinks, is it not? I am quite intrigued as to what kind of flavor that would create."
"Well, the taste is, more or less, just miso. But when it mingles with the noodles, it creates a whole new experience. You know how tonkotsu ramen is delicious because the noodles soak up the broth? It’s like the miso version of that."
"“I see, I see.”"
There they were: Queen Miyabi of the High Elves and Gaul, the Elder of the Dragonman Village, deep in a lively discussion about ramen with Blade, the King of Roday.
"...Well, I suppose this is better than them being at each other's throats."
"Indeed. It is certainly far better than that. Though, Samantha’s mental burden seems to be reaching astronomical levels."
Following Jessica’s gaze to Samantha, I see...
"Honestly, His Majesty just keeps running his mouth, on and on and on... and we are the ones dragged along every single time..."
Ah, she’s muttering curses under her breath.
And since he’s currently chatting with Queen Miyabi and Lord Gaul, I can’t exactly stop him without making things awkward. How troublesome.
Should I be grateful that Shera and Charl dragged Lowell away, keeping her out of this mess?
Regardless, I need to look after Samantha.
"Samantha, don't let it get to you. The other monarchs won't treat King Blade’s conversation partners poorly just because he’s being his usual self."
"Yes... I suppose you are right. If one is unfortunate enough to be caught in His Majesty’s web, they are sure to be met with looks of pity. And as for Roday’s reputation... well, it couldn't possibly sink any lower than it already has."
"...Mm. Don't worry, Samantha."
Actually, Roday’s reputation isn't as bad as she thinks. It’s widely known that King Blade is a man of unbridled freedom, unbecoming of a king...
Chatting like this, we crossed the floor and took the escalator up, finally arriving on the third floor.
"My, you went to the trouble of placing the great powers' shops on the top floor?"
As Queen Miyabi noted, I intentionally placed the major nations' shops on the third floor. In a typical shopping mall, this would be where the cinema is. Since the concept of a "movie" doesn't even exist yet, I hope to make that a reality someday.
As for the second floor we just passed, King Blade answered before I could.
"Yup. The second floor is basically for the smaller nations."
"And the first floor is for the individual shops permitted by the mall management, like the ones Viria and her group were running earlier."
"I see. So the structure is designed so that one must pass through the host nation’s shops and the smaller nations' shops on the way to the major ones."
"Indeed. So that is the intent."
Lord Gaul hit the nail on the head.
This layout is meant to ensure people don't just look at the major shops and leave. Well, it’s not a hard rule—there’s more than one staircase, so you don't *have* to pass every single shop—but this design is definitely better for attracting customers.
"However, the second floor we passed earlier was quite lonely. It was nothing more than a rest area with tables and chairs set out."
"That is unavoidable for now. We can't just let shops in early simply because they are acquaintances."
"Ah, because that would be a matter of favoritism?"
"Exactly."
I know of several small nations in the Rogari Continent that deserve a storefront. For example, Taiki’s Ranks, Nogosh’s Sword Kingdom, or Nonoa’s Magic Kingdom—all three could provide shops that showcase their unique technologies.
But if I did that, it’s certain the other small nations would look at those three with envy. I could say it was because they had connections with Weed, but I want to avoid those three becoming the source of unnecessary trouble. And all three of them have said they don't want that kind of jealousy.
"Would you like to take the lead and open a shop, Queen Miyabi?"
"I shall do no such thing. Even if I were a nation with proper diplomatic ties, for my High Elf kingdom to jump ahead of others would surely invite the very jealousy you speak of."
Even Queen Miyabi doesn't have the nerve to open a shop before the others. I thought perhaps her High Elf kingdom, having had almost no diplomatic relations until now, wouldn't care about such things, but it seems she is sensitive to that after all.
Well, enough about the small-nation shops that haven't even started yet...
"Oh? Isn't that King Blade? Have you been wandering around aimlessly again?"
"No, no. It’s an inspection. An inspection."
The person who spoke to us—or rather, to King Blade—was...
"...Lady Marly, what are you doing?"
There stood Marly, one of the Zilba Kingdom’s proudest Magic Sword Users, known by the title "Wind Princess Knight."
It’s no wonder Jessica’s face twitched.
Marly was wearing the cute shop-clerk apron adopted by the Zilba Empire’s store.
It looked good on her at a glance, but knowing who she was made it feel incredibly surreal. Why is that?
"What? As you can see, I’ve been entrusted with minding the shop today. I am wearing this uniform apron and serving customers. Tell me, doesn't this cute apron suit me well?"
She spun around, and she truly did look cute. Her smile was so bright that passersby were stopping in their tracks.
Yet, the sense of dissonance was overwhelming.
"Haa... well, it certainly suits you, but..."
Jessica seemed caught between the fact that it looked good and an instinctive feeling that it was fundamentally wrong, leaving her with a complicated expression.
As I was wondering how to phrase this, Blade let out a booming laugh.
"Bwahaha! It looks good on you, sure, but knowing who you are, it’s bizarre how much it *doesn't* fit!"
The old man laughed as if he were having the time of his life.
I mean, he wasn't wrong, but he could have chosen his words more carefully. Even though Marly was still smiling, I could see the anger simmering beneath it.
"My apologies. And you, wandering around and eating your way through the place under the guise of an 'inspection' without a shred of dignity for your station—that’s quite the attitude for a king."
Oh? Had Marly actually taken a liking to that apron?
Well, even if she hadn't, she was bound to be annoyed after being laughed at so openly. Still, that’s a bold thing to say to a king of another nation. She could be punished for that.
"Ha! Anyone who tries to flaunt their status here is the one who’s out of place. Marly knows that too, which is why you’re dressed like that, right?"
"Well, I suppose so. Still, does it really not suit me that much?"
It seems Marly had chosen that outfit specifically to blend in with the atmosphere of the place.