第１３９６堀：忙しい時も休みを忘れない (Part2)
"Haha, don't worry. I won't tell Yuki-san. Anyway, let me reintroduce myself properly: I'm Lari, a member of the party led by Ovik, the adventurers exclusive to Weed."
Indeed, Lari-san is one of the few adventurers who has been with Weed since its early days, contributing to its development while also handling our more clandestine operations.
"I see~. It's a pleasure to meet you~. But, if you're an exclusive adventurer, Lari-san, what brings you here?"
"Well, being an exclusive adventurer means we can't really stray too far from Weed. We get a decent monthly salary in exchange, but that gets boring after a while. So, after consulting with Yuki-san and Ratz-san, we decided to open shops like this one. This is our third location, actually."
"Th-third!?"
I’ve certainly heard of adventurers opening shops after retiring, but managing three at once? That sounds like quite the business acumen...
"Haha, it’s not really my own doing. I’m just the waitress here; the one actually running the show is Ovik’s other wife. Plus, we have help from acquaintances of our other party members. It’s what you’d call an investment. Of course, Ratz-san and Eris-san helped us out, too."
"I see, I see, I see."
Exactly. Lari-san and Ovik-san have long-standing connections with the key figures of Weed, which allows them to secure such cooperation. While it is a hobby of sorts, there is certainly a strategic, behind-the-scenes purpose to it as well.
"Alright then, please enjoy our signature dishes designed for women. Here is the menu. Just ring the bell when you've decided."
With that, Lari-san deftly moved off to attend to other customers. She’s quite practiced, isn't she? Lately, her work at the Adventurer Guild has been almost exclusively focused on helping out at shops like this. Well, the fact that there aren't many situations requiring the intervention of exclusive adventurers is a good thing, I suppose.
"Wow! This is amazing. This sandwich is so cute!"
"It really is~. Oh, wouldn't Orelia like something like this?"
"Which one? Ah, yes, that’s lovely."
As I was lost in thought, the group—centered around Yayui—was bustling excitedly over the menus. It seems they are quite pleased, which is a relief. Then, Fiora-sama leaned in and whispered to me.
"Thank you for your consideration toward them."
"Not at all. I will be working with them quite a bit from here on out. It shouldn't just be Yuki-sama taking the lead; I need to reach out to them myself as well."
"You’re as diligent as ever with these things."
"It is only natural. Relationships are fragile and can crumble from the simplest of oversights. Even one's health can deteriorate from just a little bit of overexertion. Yuki-sama and the others have a tendency to push themselves too hard, so I felt it was my duty to provide that necessary follow-up."
Indeed, while Yuki-sama and his circle are diligent, they are the type to throw their entire lives into their work. Seeing them like that makes it impossible for their subordinates to rest, which is why I and the other middle managers intentionally force them to take breaks.
Well, given their positions, it’s perhaps unavoidable. They are quite troublesome, actually—they’ll grumble about wanting to rest like any normal person, yet they continue to plow through their work with the same intensity.
"Um, excuse me, but judging by what you just said... did you arrange this for our sake?"
Oh? It seems they overheard us, and Orelia and the others are looking our way. There’s no need to hide it.
"Yes. It’s quite common for newcomers in my department to find that their meals can't keep up with the demands of their first jobs. In such cases, I take them out to eat like this. They’ll follow along, if only out of respect for their superior's authority."
"Isn't that~, like, an abuse of power~?"
"You are correct, Hovis. But if this helps my subordinates reach a better state of mind, then it is a worthy endeavor."
"I-I knew it, Prof-san, you really are kind."
"My, I was under the impression that my reputation was that of a strict taskmaster?"
"Nobody believes that kind of formal reputation. That's just how you look from the outside. Anyway, I'll have the mushroom cream pasta."
Amidst such idle chatter, we slowly enjoyed our lunch. Taking breaks is absolutely essential—both for one's mental well-being and for operational efficiency. And after this, it’s time to play some games.