Two weeks later.
The employees were very busy due to having to work their regular hours while also preparing for the festival.
In these two weeks, everyone was running about, cooking their respective local cuisines, ensuring everything needed for those dishes was ready, and working with the Morgan Company to deal with the security and the reception of the customers at the festival.
But despite the busyness of the preparations, the morale of the employees remained high. I was secretly shocked.
In my past life, we had yearly company recreation events to bolster the team spirit of employees, but they were really just meant to satisfy the complacency of the upper brass. The only ones excited about such events were a small portion of the company, which included the people planning the event. The rest of the employees were merely forced to participate under the pretense that such events were so-called ‘company events’. A compulsory wastage of an employee’s free day, in other words.
Still, I get where they’re coming from. It’s obviously better if the employees could develop some sort of unity. And it can’t be helped anyway if it’s company policy, but… I really don’t want to see my employees make the same faces as those employees in my past life.
For now though, everyone seems to be having fun. The stalls are gradually taking shape and everyone is eager to work.
Moreover, it’s not just my employees who’ll be participating in the stall, for some unexpected people have decided to help out.
“Boss! Zeke-san from the butcher is here!” [Carm]
“I hear you! I’m going right now!” [Ryouma]
I stopped working on the empty lot of the store and went to the reception office.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.” [Ryouma]
“You didn’t make me wait at all. This is for today’s portion. I brought the goods to the kitchen already.” [Zeke]
“…This is more affordable than expected.” [Ryouma]
“You’re purchasing so much, so I thought I’d give you a discount.” [Zeke]
One of the people cooperating with us was Zeke-san.
He helps out by providing meat for the trial dishes, and on the day of the festival, he himself will be helping out in the stall along with his employees. A few days ago, when I purchased a lot of ingredients, he asked me what I was using them for, so I answered him, and in the end, he decided to help out.
When I asked him why, apparently, he and his employees want to spend time with their family during the festival. But if they were to waste too much, they would be scolded by their wives, so in exchange for helping out one day out of the two days of the festival, I will be paying them them an appropriate salary.
If I get their help, preparations for the festival will become relatively easier and the money that can be used for the capital will also increase. My employees won’t have as much of a burden on the day of the festival and we will also have more opportunities to mingle with others.
After establishing a win-win relationship like that, Pauline-san and her housewife friends, Kiara-san and Mary-san, also got word of our deal. The three of them told me that they were willing to help out with the trial dishes and on the day of the festival itself if I gave them the same conditions. Presently, they are helping out in the kitchen with Shelma-san.
Incidentally, because the housewives joined, word of the Semroid Troupe coming to perform spread through the housewives intelligence network. Among other things, when I showed my face at Pauline-san’s store, many of her friends had something to say… Are we going to end up with a crowd like when we opened the store for the first time? I should prepare for that possibility.
“Well then, Ryouma-kun. I’ll see you in the evening.” [Zeke]
I saw Zeke-san off as he left to go back to his store, then I went back to working on the empty area.
Tonight, I will be checking the menu of the stall for the last time and open the place that will be used as the venue of our social gathering. I have to at least prepare the place a little.
Evening. After work hours.
I was checking some documents while waiting for the visitors at the office when Carm-san came.
“Boss, Serge-sama and a representative of the Semroid Troupe is here.” [Carm]
“Thank you very much.” [Ryouma]
I quickly went to the reception office.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.” [Ryouma]
“Sorry to disturb you, Ryouma-sama. This here is the leader of the Semroid Troupe.” [Serge]
“My name is Prenence Semroid. Though I may be young, I lead a troupe of itinerant entertainers. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, young sage-dono.” [Prenence]
Inside the room was Serge-san sitting on the sofa, as well as another person at the back. The person was a handsome man with dazzling hair like silver threads. He stood out even as he sat. When he stood up and offered a hand shake, I responded, but… His actions struck me as somewhat theatrical.
“The pleasure is mine. You can just call me by name. There’s no need for the sage stuff…” [Ryouma]
“Oh? I see you are a humble man, wise— Ryouma-dono.
The music box. That small box that could spin that delicate sound… It is a work of wonder, I must say. It has given our performances a new ‘flavor’. Moreover, the musical composition I composed was even incorporated into it, allowing my music to reach more people than thought ever possible… If you, Ryouma-dono, the man who developed that, is not worthy of being called a sage, then who is?” [Prenence]
Is that thing really that big of a deal to musicians? …Or is he just flattering me?
Forgive my bluntness, but my first impression of him is ‘hard to deal with’.
“Thank you very much.” [Ryouma]
“I should be thanking you. Not only did you bestow upon us the music box, you even gave us artists a place to showcase our talents.” [Prenence]
“Yes. But the place isn’t really anything special, though. It’s just the empty lot of the store that we rarely use.” [Ryouma]
“I saw it a little along the way. It’s more than big enough. I’m sure my friends will be delighted.” [Prenence]
“Are they already there?” [Ryouma]
“Yes, they’re already at the venue.” [Prenence]
Just as planned. The details of the music box and the fact that I’m its developer aren’t really things that should be spoken of in public; hence, our topic here includes not only the details of the performance but also the secrecy of my identity, which is why only the representative was called here.
“It would be rude to keep them waiting then. Shall we go over the details quickly?” [Ryouma]
After getting their confirmation, I opened our discussion.
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