Company Introduction Inquiry
Hello good day. I'm currently waiting for the receptionist of Cooking Guild validating our file.
There are some super annoying preparations that need to be done if we wanna execute the plan.
Farannam-kun who's waiting with me is looking nervous. The same goes for me inwardly though.
Just as there are communities dedicated to Combat Job people like Adventurer Guild and Assassin Guild, so are guilds for production job people naturally.
Cooking, Medical Care, Construction, Merchant and such and such. In fact, production probably has more guilds than Combat Job-related guilds.
And so, in order to enact our plan, we need to confirm if the dish... or more like snacks we're gonna sell are fine even if they're made by an orphanage.
Someone might claim the patent right for our snacks after all. Gotta come up with a new snack if that's the case.
Oh, the receptionist closed the file. Is she done with the validation?
"Thank you for waiting. I don't see any particular issue with patent infringement."
"Is that right, thank goodness. The ingredient and cooking method are all very simple, so I thought somebody else might have done it already."
"Deep-fried dishes are not exactly common, yet this dish in particular is simple indeed. Or perhaps it's more akin to snacks?"
"Yes, it is. Ah, would you like to sample one?"
"Are you sure? I'll have one then... Fumu."
The receptionist kept crunching and moving her hands to carry more chips into her mouth.
Hm? Wonder if just one piece isn't enough cause it's so thin.
Guess it's no wonder a receptionist of Cooking Guild's would have a golden tongue, simple 'Potato Chips' won't budge her.
These chips are made with the potatoes grown in the orphanage garden.
Those potatoes are shaped long and thick like sweet potato so not only are they easy to peel, even just one is enough to make dozens of chips simply by slicing it thin. They might be a better fit for potato chips than earth potatoes even.
The taste itself isn't that far behind the chips made by a famous company in Japan.
We put the thin sliced potatoes in water for 10 minutes and then replace the water twice, then we dry them with Livelihood magic, after which we fry them in oil and add salt by the end so even children can make them.
The chips spoil easily so we make sure the wrapping paper is airtight, then all that's left is to write best before dates to avoid issues.
...Hey hey, lady, how long are you gonna keep eating. She said one and all yet that sample is almost all gone now.
"...Ha!? E-excuse me, it's so good my hands wouldn't stop moving..."
"Think nothing of it, I'm just glad that it's to your liking."
"To be perfectly honest with you, I wasn't sure if it was gonna sell at first due to how simple it is but that all changed after a bite, this will sell for sure. At the very least, I will buy them."
"O-oh really."
"Do contact me once it's open for sale. I mean that, truly."
The receptionist kept pushing on me after decimating an entire pack of potato chip sample. Why's she so crazy about it.
...Maybe she's gotten tired of thick flavored dishes she eats everyday so a simple tasting snack feels fresh to her.
If peasants can be surprised by luxury meals, I guess the reverse can be true too. I wanna taste one someday.
And next up, we gotta go to the Merchant Guild and consult on stuff like permit and place to open our shop.
How many bureaucracies does an orphanage have to go through just to sell potato chips anyway. What a pain.
It was simpler during Hunting Fest since my stall was only temporary, but the orphanage is going to keep selling in the future so there's a lot more procedures to tackle.
Getting the guild permit is only the starting line too. You gotta promote through word of mouth, and then make revisions on things that need improvements once you've started selling, it's an entirely different battleground than magic beast culling.
In fact, to me it's much easier and simpler to beat up some poor magic beasts in their territory and then go report to the guild or sell the mats. No, that job is a highly risky one with your life on the line, I shouldn't call it easy.
While we wait for the receptionist,
"Err, Kajikawa-san, I know it's weird asking this now, but why are you going so far for our orphanage?"
"I'm not doing this solely for the orphanage. It's benefiting me in a way too."
"Benefiting you?"
"Yeah, oh but I'm not gonna ask you to hand over a percentage of your profit or anything, don't you worry about that."
"Okay..."
Faram-kun looked doubtful as he replied. Don't make that face now.
By benefit I don't mean money, it's Reina.
We might have resolved the incident this time, but considering Reina's personality, she likely won't enjoy her adventuring life if the orphanage stays on a tight leash as is.
Consequently, Alma and I will feel down too if we see Reina downcast.
In other word, I'm doing all this for my own sake, a hypocrite if you may.
...Well, I'm not lying when I say I hope the orphanage children can lead a better life from now on.
Oh, we're finally getting the permit.
Fumu fumu, we can open shop this weekend huh... Aren't the rent fees too high as a whole? Asking 20% of the sales even at the cheapest spot, what a rip off.
"The fees may seem high but that is just how it is everywhere. We won't charge you if you plan to open your business at the orphanage's site however."
"But the lowest being 20% is a bit..."
"Would you like to confirm the table on market prices? That list I prepared has the more reasonable prices at good spots..."
The receptionist looked apologetic as she handed a paper with a market price table.
...Something's not right. No, she doesn't look like a bad person at a glance, but there's just something amiss with the way she carries herself, her expression and speech.
The table does show that the good spots she offered are more reasonably priced than the market prices, yet I can feel weird glances from the people around the receptionist.
...Menu, are the prices listed on this table fit the actual market prices?
<<Relative to the standard market prices, they are 2x-3x higher.>>
...So we're getting ripped off in broad daylight right now huh.
Despite her completely harmless appearance, this receptionist-neechan's got quite the wicked heart. Her apologetic expressions looks like a shoujo manga villainess's fake smile to me now.
What do I do, should I check with other receptionists? ...No judging from their glances, this whole guild might be in cahoots.
They're looking down on amateurs like me... I should bring it to the higher ups... No wait, could this whole guild be rotten to the core--
"Ou, that you lad! Didn't know you came to this town too!"
"Eh, yes?"
A familiar voice called out to me from behind while I was having an internal struggle.
It's the voice of a plump merchant that rode on the same wagon...
"Ah, Kanakmatt-san. Hello."
"Ou. I coulda spot that hairstyle anywhere, figured I might call out to ya. Heard your stall had a big break during the fest eh, planning to start a business here too?"
"Yes, well, actually I'm filling in for an orphanage... Oh right, do you mind recommending a place with a good cost performance ratio here? Considering my experience at the hunting fest, I'm apparently quite bad at choosing spots."
"Ou, sure thing', nae bother. I believe you'd do a bang up job anywhere tho'."
"U-umm, I'm still tending to him...!"
The receptionist sounded flustered when Kanakmatt-san took the paper with the overcharged market prices tabulated.
No no~, I really am bad at choosing good spots, what's so weird about consulting a veteran~. What puts you so on edge my good ma'am~?
Kanakmatt-san's expression turned from gentle to grim as he scanned over the table.
...Scary. He looks way scarier than me when I snapped in that wagon back then.
"...Oy, miss. What's the meaning of this."
"E-err, what, do you mean."
"What the hell are these numbers on this blasted paper, ya dumbass!!"
"H-hii...!!"
Kanakmatt-san yelled out loud as he slammed the paper on the desk.
Taking that head on, the receptionist turned pale as she fell down on her rear.
People around us who had been smirking as they watched me also flinched.
"Say, this spot! Yer asking for 20% of sales!?? This BS spot ain't worth nuthin' more than 5%!"
"C-calm down now. You're scaring the poor girl."
"Aa? Who're you, yer' defending this fraudulent piece of paper? Which company are you from."
"I'm Marda, supervisor of [Jinamura Company], don't you know me? Must be some backwater country bumpkin huh. And who are you anyway? Hm?"
A middle aged man who was watching from the sideline tried to soothe Kanakmatt-san.
The supervisor guy acted like he's someone famous everybody should know of as he made light of him.
Supervisor huh, the one at my factory always tried to micromanage over the laborers' overtime. He'd tell the people under him, 'Lessen worktime but not sales and output. Figure out how yourselves', while simultaneously never caring about adding more personnel or tools and maintenance... Wait that's nothing to do with now.
"Are your ears for show? Didn't ya hear this lad? I'm Kanakmatt, president of [Kanakk Travel Company], ya never heard of it in these boondocks?"
"K-Kanakk, Travel Company...!!?"
Kanakmatt-san introduced himself back. Wait, he's a president?
The people around us all rustled once they heard his name... Wait, is he actually pretty famous in Merchant Guild?
Heck, why'd a president wander around all over the country on foot by himself? Aren't presidents supposed to order their subordinates around as they sit back on their comfy chair?
"Oy oy, that man is Kanakk Travel Company's president! Rumor has it he's traveling around peddling his ware, you're saying that's no mere rumor!?"
"Isn't that a company that made it really big as of late cause they promptly deliver relief supplies to everywhere affected by stampedes."
"'Cheap and fast delivered anywhere' was it? They made that slogan true, impressive stuff."
He really is famous it seems.
...Encountering such a famous man by coincidence and even getting his help when I needed it most, isn't it a bit too plot convenient? I'm scared with my own luck.
Maybe it's influenced by my high Luck Attribute on my Status... How much is it anyway now?
"Oh yeah, I recall Jinamura Company. Its head office was physically destroyed in a Stampede seven years ago, and we supplied 'em raw materials practically for free."
"P-please excuse my impoliteness!!"
The supervisor man bowed deeply as he apologized, losing any visage of his confidence from earlier.
My man, you shoulda remember your lifesaver's face at least.
"Now then, miss. I'm sorry for yelling unprompted. Can you stand?"
"Y-y-yes..."
The receptionist barely stood up as Kanakmatt-san spoke to her gently all of a sudden.
She's half tearing up, only barely managing to pull herself together.
"Good, now go call the guildmaster here. I need to talk about this document."
The receptionist's face turned pale once again as Kanakmatt-san delivered the finishing blow.
...Well, uh, it's karma. You reap what you sow. Live strong.
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