MTLNOVEL Chapter 24
[Notice]
[Business Name: Arc’s Shop of All Things]
[Disposition: Business suspension for 3 days]
[Violation: Sale of alcohol to minors]
As Saha nervously stuck a notice on the shop door and hurriedly ran away, I looked on in shock.
My head was spinning.
…From now on, I will definitely check IDs, absolutely…!
Reflecting on the bitter taste of adulthood, society, and life.
Activating my happiness circuit.
Lately, Arc’s been having a hard time.
This is a good chance to take a proper rest.
Distinguishing between what can be changed now and what cannot…!
Happiness circuit deactivated!
Yeah.
After all, a business suspension is like spilled water.
It’s time to calmly polish the inner workings that I’ve neglected so far.
Status window!
No, smartphone!
[Point Shop]
– Reset daily sales quantity of the Oracle’s Shop (110 points)
– Reset weekly sales quantity of the Oracle’s Shop (550 points)
…
– Expand shop premises (5,000 points)
– ??? (8,000 points)
– ??? (10,000 points)
[Remaining Points: 5,500]
…?
Is it just me or have prices risen a bit?
Was the initial reset ability really this messy?
Anyway.
I was glad I could clear this week’s weekly quest before the business suspension.
I wanted to gather some more points to uncover the mystery of the 8,000 and 10,000 points.
Now is the right time for real estate investment.
Stocks may lie, but real estate does not!
[Shop Premises Expansion (Level 1)]
[The first floor of the shop expands, and a second floor is newly constructed.]
[5,000 points required.]
[Y■ / N□]
I decisively pressed yes.
[Error: A person is inside the shop. Please try again after everyone has exited.]
“Oh no.”
Although I was hit by the misfortune beam, there was one person who remained inside the shop.
Clang— Clang— Clang—
With the rhythmic sound of hammering in my ears.
“Ha-Rong?”
Clang—
“Water is truly amazing, isn’t it? It freezes perfectly at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees, and one gallon of water is 10.022—”
The hammer thrown by Ha-Rong grazed past the side of my head.
“…Arc?”
“You’re working hard today too. Let’s step outside for a moment.”
As Ha-Rong stretched out her arm, I watched her magic hammer smoothly return to her hand.
Is she possibly a triple-class?
What kind of hammer does she use like Mjolnir?
Holding such trivial doubts in my mind, I exited the shop with her.
“Ha-Rong, I’ll show you something awesome.”
“Oh?”
I had to brag about it.
[Y■ / N□]
I confidently spent my points.
Kugugugu──!
As a tremendous noise shook the ground, my small and precious building was enveloped in light.
With the theme song “Butterfly” playing in my head.
In that glorious moment of evolution.
I watched with Ha-Rong the emotional scene of the shop transforming into Metal Gray Shop.
Eventually, as the light emanating from the shop completely faded away.
“Wow~”
“Wow, Arc. What is this? Amazing.”
My first-floor shop, which felt old, antique, and avant-garde.
Completed its large and beautiful evolution.
Seeing the transformation akin to a robot, Ha-Rong, filled with excitement, dashed inside without asking and began exploring the shop.
I opened the shop management window.
[1st Floor: Forge / Shop of All Things / Vacant]
[2nd Floor: Vacant / Vacant / Vacant]
So many vacancies!
It was a result not regretting the 5,000 points investment.
Swiftly manipulating, I designated the first floor’s vacancies to the pub, no, the Shop of All Things, and since I needed to measure the second floor, I followed Ha-Rong into the store.
“Whoa….”
Previously, I had to cram tables together in a small space to accommodate the maximum number of people, which would lead to the spectacle of Lumi’s massive peaks brushing past people’s heads while serving.
…Is a cramped space better?
No. There’s always something to gain and something to lose.
To increase sales, that level of sacrifice should be endured.
Anyway, while taking in the much wider internal space, I contemplated how to set the tables.
One slightly disappointing point was.
“Arc! The forge has also expanded!”
Ha-Rong’s ability to flamboyantly swing a hammer while forging was unique, but now that the shop and forge were separated by an inner wall, I could no longer witness that sight.
Yet if summer comes, there will be complaints about the heat…
Let’s consider it a precaution.
When I climbed to the second floor.
“Oh….”
An expansive space stretched out just like the first floor.
First, to facilitate easy stock management, I designated a storage room.
If I allow one space for the soon-to-be-unlocked alchemy workshop.
There would be one room left.
I’ll have to think that over gradually.
“Wow, this is also super spacious? You’re the best, Arc!”
“Uh-huh.”
Watching Ha-Rong bounce around with reactions like a high school girl made me feel unexpectedly proud.
…Do high school girls not talk like that these days?
That’s not my concern.
Having fully taken in the new neo-shop’s appearance.
“Our staffing needs to increase.”
I felt the necessity to reestablish the system of the shop, which had been running on the unpaid dedication of the heroes so far.
* * *
“So, from today, Ari will be the head of the customer management team. Everyone give a round of applause!”
Clap clap clap!
“Ha-Rong will be the head of the forge team. Everyone give a round of applause!”
Clap clap clap!
“Lumi is appointed as the official mascot. Everyone give a round of applause!”
Clap clap clap!
“Unfortunately, Yo-hena can’t participate in shop operations due to her sanctuary, and Saha can’t join because of the knight order. But still, give a round of applause!”
Clap clap clap!
“With that, the position awarding ceremony concludes. Shall we have a meal?”
“Ugh…? Master…? What about me?”
The demon at the table with humans?
…I can’t say such a bad thing.
I’m not a discriminatory person.
“Tynia… does not have an official title. Um, unofficially, should we say, future shop manager?”
“I-I’m the shop manager…!”
The lag when processing the corporate hierarchy in a way that doesn’t hurt anyone.
I whispered to our part-time employee, “I’ll promote you eventually.”
Ah.
It’s the completion of a world where no one gets hurt.
Of course, being a team leader or a head of this and that are just superficial titles.
The status window in my smartphone, however, didn’t determine it that way.
[Shop Overview]
[Total Level: 3]
[Reputation: 47 / 100 (Normal)]
[Cumulative Popularity: 418 (★★)]
[Number of Workers: 3 (1 Part-Time)]
The workers were officially registered in my shop management app.
…Honestly, I don’t know the difference.
Anyway, from a one-person startup owner.
I’ve risen to more like a decent company owner.
Good things are good.
The rest of my friends will surely work hard because a position shapes a person.
“Alright, let’s head to the tower. …Since the shop will not be operational, tonight is free time.”
“Nya hahahaha!”
“Tynia should study. She’s going to be the shop manager one day.”
“…Th-That’s right…?”
You still haven’t memorized enough.
Is the title of shop manager that easy to earn?
I wasn’t lying.
The moment I felt confident that the shop would run fine without me.
I would install Tynia as the shop manager.
Then I would be a free body, having shed the shackles of labor…!
Hehe… Hehehe…!
* * *
“…Isn’t this a bit excessive?”
Eighth floor of the Tower of Wishes.
District 10 of the Orc Village.
Hoping that Elise might be once again doing a naked dogeza, I arrived, but thanks to normalization.
The boss was properly present.
‘Cruel Orc Warrior.’ Level 45.
But the problem was…
[★☆☆: Defeat all bosses.]
[★★☆: Win without anyone being knocked out.]
[★★★: Defeat all bosses within 10 minutes.]
“Defeat all.”
Right.
Originally, there should only be one boss.
“Human… will… die…”
“Kurrr… can’t… stand it…”
“Make… Orcs… great… again…”
There were three of them.
I did ask to put in ones that were packed and hefty.
…
Isn’t that too packed and hefty?
“Lumi? Take one and hold out over there. Saha will have a bit of a tough time but could you handle two at once, and Tynia, please use your haphazard skills every chance you get.”
I rapidly brainstormed and issued commands.
Lumi is spry and quick, so taking one on should be manageable for her.
As for Saha…
“Wow.”
Doesn’t seem bothered…?
Even while wearing full plate armor.
I could see Saha moving comfortably as if she were wearing nothing while fending off the Orc Warriors.
Every time her hammer was swung.
Whoosh—
Boom—
The sound of flames igniting, and something heavy slicing through the air spread.
“Graagh—!”
The boss’s scream resonated loudly.
“Fine, I’ll handle it. Lumi? You can pass that one over here as well.”
“…Don’t overdo it. Please save your ultimate skill until I tell you.”
“Okay.”
As expected.
The rights of the Flame Deck.
Despite not being a ranged skin, it was still unbelievably overpowered.
The more I hit with the basic skill, the more defense increases.
The higher the defense rises, the more the power of enhancement skills strengthens.
Thanks to the positive cycle of skills that shines the longer the battle goes on.
“Gahhh!”
Every time I swung the enhancement skill ‘Punishment,’ the HP gauge above the boss’s head swayed most vividly.
“Indeed, Saha is amazing….”
Yo-hena, who had been constantly focusing healing on Saha, expressed her admiration.
I nodded in agreement.
But that wasn’t the end of it.
“Gwaaaah—!”
The three Orc Warriors simultaneously enveloped their bodies in a purple aura and howled.
In other words, an attack that cannot be mitigated by status abnormalities.
If there are mass healing skills, it would be standard to take a hit and fill the blood…
“Saha, now!”
At my signal.
“Stand back. That one is mine!”
Contrary to her show-off line.
Intense flames ignited from Saha’s body—
And fiery armor surged onto all the heroes’ bodies.
“Huh?”
Including myself.
Right after the cutscene ended.
The Orc Warriors slammed their huge clubs to the ground simultaneously.
Kugugugu, kugugugugu──!
A tremendous quake enveloped us all at once—but—
The flame armor wrapping around us absorbed the damage.
And sent it off into the void.
…
Thinking back, I really hadn’t controlled the distance well.
If not for Saha, I might have been split into pieces by now…
Regaining my slightly lax survival instincts, I gave a thumbs-up to Saha.
A faint smile blossomed on Saha’s face, which had been quite stern.
Delicious.
[Cleared the 8th floor of the Tower of Wishes – Orc Village District 10!]
[You can now enter the 9th floor of the Tower of Wishes.]
[New feature unlocked: Alchemy Workshop]
Out of curiosity, I opened the statistics graph.
Damage dealt 1st place: Saha.
Damage received 1st place: Saha.
MVP: Saha.
“Wow…!”
Amazing, fantastic.
This is performance…
While savoring my satisfaction.
“Thank you for your hard work, everyone!”
I gave a thumbs up to all the heroes who had worked hard together.
Right after that.
“Did the solid guys I prepared meet your expectations?”
Space distorted as Elise appeared.
Wearing her characteristic costume.
With her hands, while saying.
“Tynia, tie her up.”
“Nya!”
What’s this?
Are you copying Lumi?
“Ah! If you do this suddenly…!”
Elise pouted, but.
We’re not doing WWE here.
Unlike the oracle, I am not invincible…!
“Saha? Do your thing.”
“Okay.”
As Saha swung her hammer with great force at Elise, who was briefly stunned by Tynia’s charm.
“Gyaaaah—!”
Clang!
“What kind of violent event is this…!? I might be too turned on by that power…!”
She didn’t come to her senses.
“Saha? One more time.”
Clang!
Thus, after being hit twice by the hammer, Elise, with her cheeks flushed, shot a finger-heart before tearing apart the space and slipping away.
Truly, the devil of deception.
She was an opponent to never let your guard down against.