12th day.
In the afternoon of Gimuru, a carriage leisurely passed by. Within it were the merchant guild’s Grisiera, Pioro, and Serge. The tamer guild’s branch head, Taylor, were also with them, as well as Serge’s two subordinates, which were a pair of twins he wished to introduce to Ryouma.
“It shouldn’t be long now.” [Pioro]
“Right. It should be right at the second corner.” [Serge]
The pair who looked like each other tried to hide their anxiety as they turned to the windows.
Everything started just a few days ago. While they were working at a branch store in Ruiam, they suddenly got a notice of personnel change from the main store indicating that they were to leave their current jobs to someone els and go to the main store in Gimuru. The notice was signed personally by the president, Serge, himself.
Everyone congratulated them for being promoted to the main store, and after doing just as the notice had indicated and finding someone to replace them, they came to Gimuru. That was this morning.
They had to be delayed due to poor weather conditions, but when they got to the main store, they were suddenly informed that they weren’t called to work at the main but at a store managed by an 11 year old child, who had connections with the duke’s family. After that they had to change into their party clothes and headed to the opening party.
They not only had to be careful not to fail at managing the store, they also had to be tread carefully in their relationship with this child who was most probably the child of a noble himself. How they do here will decided their future.
“Oh, I can see it. That’s the store right there.” [Serge]
“Ho Ho Ho. That kid sure did a good job.” [Grisiera]
“A splendid store! He built this in a week?” [Pioro]
“Nee-san, is this?” [Carm]
“Yeah…” [Carla]
It was a simple looking store with a pure white wall attached with windows here and there surrounded by flower beds and a lawn. It was a simple design, but it was overflowing with an aura of cleanliness.
As the five stepped out of the carriage and entered the store, a shelf near the ceiling caught their attention, for the statue of four gods could be seen on it. When they looked around, they noticed various wooden furniture with a gentle atmosphere like the right L-shaped counter. Serge and Co. were shocked upon seeing the store completely furnished, and at the same time, Carla and Carm started feeling a little hopeful for the future of the store.
“Welcome! To the Laundry Agency: Bamboo Forest!” [Ryouma]
To the pair of twins, the person who would become their boss and was also the source of their worries, Ryouma, had just made his appearance. Their eyes reflexively changed to those of judging gazes.
“Ryouma, thank you for your invitation today. I’m really happy you even invited me~” [Pioro]
“Not bad. This store gives me a good feeling. Looks like I can look forward to what’s ahead.” [Grisiera]
“Congratulations for completing your store.” [Serge]
“Thank you everyone.” [Ryouma]
Ryouma looked just like a normal child as he smiled, completely unlike the sort you’d think suited to be a merchant. For better or for worse that’s how he looked to the twins. If he were just one of the kids in the neighborhood, they wouldn’t think anything of it, but unfortunately, he was going to be their boss, so they couldn’t help but think of how much trouble was waiting for them. Merchant work was no walk in the park. As someone who worked in the filed despite being so young, they knew that all too well.
“Guild Leader of the tamer guild branch, Taylor, thank you for accepting my invitation.” [Ryouma]
“Congrats. I was just wondering why there hasn’t been any news since you registered, but Reinbach did introduce you.”
Seeing the boy talk so brightly like that with 4 people, half of which led a guild while the other half owned a large business, the twins turned to each other and shared a knowing glance. This kid really was a noble’s child.
“Serge-san, those are?” [Ryouma]
“Oh, please excuse the belated introductions. These are the assistants I wanted to introduce to you.” [Serge]
“Carla Norad. I have been working with my younger brother at the Morgan Company’s branch in Ruiam just a few days ago.” [Carla]
“Carm Norad. It is our pleasure to make your acquaintance.” [Carm]
“These two twins are still young, but they have been working as the vice-manager at Ruiam’s branch until just a few days ago. They have worked for a long time at Morgan Company and they can also be trusted to do the job. I’m certain they can be of service to you, Ryouma-sama.” [Serge]
“That’s…” [Ryouma]
“Is there a problem?” [Carla and Carm]
Ryouma immediately added.
“I was just surprised at how qualified you are. There’s no problem at all in that regard. It’s a huge help to me too to have someone skilled come, but it just so happens that the work isn’t very demanding, so I’m not sure if you’ll have the ability to demonstrate your abilities here… No, I’m not saying you’re not needed.” [Ryouma]
Isn’t it a waste to use such talented people for a receptionist or someone to carry the laundry? But with the two already as nervous as they were, Ryouma’s words couldn’t be taken lightly.
It was then that Serge realized that they were acting a bit odd, but…
“Aren’t you getting too worked up? Th–” [Serge]
“Ryouma! We’re here!” [Wogan]
Just when Serge was about to gently speak to the twins, a loud voice interjected followed by 11 men and women entering the store. It was the adventurers gulid.
“Welcome to the laundry agency, Bamboo Forest! Please walk right over to this counter here.” [Ryouma]
“Oh, you did a pretty… GEH!? What’s the shitty old hag doing here!?” [Wogan]
“Who’s a shitty old hag? This grandma here might be a hag, but I sure as hell ain’t no shitty old hag!
Goodness, Wogan, you’ve been the leader of the adventurers guild for so long and yet your mouth is still as potty as ever. That’s why in the past you…” [Grisiera]
“Quit bringing up my past mistakes every time we meet! Good grief, and just how long are you planning to stay in power? Talk about being a tenacious old hag… So, why are you here?” [Wogan]
“Obviously, I was invited.” [Grisiera]
“…Ah, forget it. Ryouma, how do we get our laundry done here?” [Wogan]
“Right… Carm-san, Carla-san, since I’m going to be showing them how to use this store, I might as well take this opportunity and show you how things work around here. Let’s go in. Serge-san and the others too.” [Ryouma]
Ryouma opened a part of the counter and urged the six to enter.
“First, the customer needs to purchase a bag specially made for this store’s purposes. A bag for one person’s worth of clothes goes for 20 suits per bag. The bag will be used every time the customer enlists our service, so it’s a one time purchase.” [Ryouma]
“I’ll take one then. We fill this bag up with our clothes, yeah?” [Wogan]
“Yes. Also, today is a practice of sort, so as thanks, the laundry will be free of charge. The bag too. Please have one and wait a bit.” [Ryouma]
“Thanks.” [Wogan]
“Carm-san, Carla-san, when a customer pays, you have to put the corresponding special slate into the pole by the right side of the counter.” [Ryouma]
From under the counter, Ryouma took out differently colored slates that had a hole on top and below, then he pointed toward the pole nearby that could fit the slates just right, as well as the sideboard with an enclosure.
“What is that?” [Carla]
“It’s a tool I made to easily calculate the income for the day. In our store, the prices vary according to the size of the bag purchased, so the slates signify 1 medium copper coin, 1 medium copper coin and 8 small copper coins, and 4 medium copper coins. That’s it. There’s just three. So when the customer buys a bag for his own use, you are to receive one medium copper coin from him, and then you are to put the black slate into the sideboard. The sideboard has a gradation and can fit up to 100 slates.
Once you’ve reached a hundred slates, you are to write a one on the paper below the sideboard, then you are to bring the black slates back under the counter. You are to repeat this until work ends, at which point you are then to use your record and the remaining slates to count the income for the day.
For example, let’s say your record says that you filled the sideboard with black slates three times with 42 remaining in the sideboard. In that case, the income for the day will be 342 medium copper coins, which translates to 3,420 suits.
There are three different fees just for the laundry service alone, and then you have another three from the bags, and then one from the special service aimed toward adventurers that includes armor and weapon, adding up to a total of 7 different kinds of fees, so I figured coming up with a system like this would make counting the income for the day a lot easier. On top of that, I also want to find out just how much of which is selling, but of course, there’s no actual telling how well this’ll work until we try it.” [Ryouma]
After saying that I went back to Wogan, but the other members of the merchants guilds were glued on the device.
Ryouma came up with this system by referencing the system in his past life that used different colored plates to calculate the income for the day. It’s the system used by conveyor belt sushi. Of course, the system Ryouma came up with is still in its experimental stage, but in this world that did not have cash registers, that was more than enough to pique the curiosity of the merchants.
Unlike present day Japan that Ryouma came from. Here, the literacy rate is low and there are plenty of people who are poor at even the four basic arithmetic operations. And this system was especially suitable to be deployed in the countryside, as using the system only required one to accept the right payment and then follow the rest of the memorized procedure.
Depending on the time and place, with this system even people who can’t do math could become an asset. The gradation could also be changed to suit other businesses. With their sharp insight, the five merchants immediately realized these things, but Ryouma was completely oblivious to them as he continued to talk to Wogan and the others.
“After paying your bagged laundry will be received and these tokens under the counter will be attached to the string tying the bag closed. A similar token will be given to the customer. Once, the laundry has been washed, it will be returned to the customer after confirming that the tokens are the same.” [Ryouma]
After Ryouma explained how the tokens would prevent mixing up people’s laundry, he then threw luggage into a hole plastered onto a wall that resembled a dust chute.
“On the other side is the room that the cleaner slimes are… Ah, by the way, cleaner slimes are…” [Ryouma]
“A slime that eats filth. We heard from Serge-sama.” [Carm]
“Thank you, Carm-san. Do you two have any questions?” [Ryouma]
“About that new slime variant… Can it really clean stuff?” [Carm]
Carm immediately asked that question. His older sister, Carla, seemed like she also wanted to ask the same question, as she opened her mouth but immediately closed it when her younger brother spoke first.
“It’s probably hard to believe without seeing it for yourself… In that case, can I ask if anyone among the customers is willing to volunteer their laundry for a trial run?” [Ryouma]
“You can use mine.” [Jeff]
Jeff threw his bagged laundry over. Ryouma took it, and after showing to the twins that the clothes were indeed dirty, he threw it into the chute.
“I’ve already ordered the slimes to clean anything thrown into this chute and to bring them to the next room afterward, so everything is already automated. All that’s left is to retrieve the clothes from there, confirm the customer they belong to and return them. This is how this store operates.” [Ryouma]
In order to reduce the risk of clothes going missing and to allow the employees to focus on their job receiving the customers, we won’t be opening the laundry bags to fold them.
After giving a short explanation in a matter of seconds, Ryouma went inside and picked up the laundry. When Ryouma revealed the clothes inside, all the filth was gone.
“Wow, it really worked… Can the slimes clean anything?” [Carm]
“So far, yes, but just to be safe it would be best to check if the clothes are really clean. If they’re still dirty, you can just run them through the slimes a second time.” [Ryouma]
“Will dyed products be okay? They won’t discolor?” [Carla]
“I’ve tested cloths and clothes dyed in plant juice many times, but so far I haven’t seen any cases of discoloration. If there are any, it must be because of some other reason… You should inform the customers of this beforehand just to be safe. Is there anything else regarding the store’s operation that you would like to know?” [Ryouma]
“None.” [Carla and Carm]
“I see. In that case, how about we split the work and tend to the customers?” [Ryouma]
As Ryouma said that, he urged Carm and Carla to go to the counter. After that they took the laundry of the remaining 9 people. Ryouma watched Carm and Carla from the side, and when he saw that they were able to safely complete the job, he heaved a sigh of relief. As long as they can get the work done, then that’s enough. As for being tense, well, they’ll loosen up over time.
On this day, Ryouma took the first step of being comrades in work with these twins.
There’s a bit of misunderstanding left, though…
