Toasteful: Chapter 171, Part 1

[Part 1/4]

The large gates set up at the 4 corners of the city. The ten-block-long main street that continues from there is known as the prime location for shops.

It's only natural. The main street is the face of the city that people from all over the country see first when they visit. The row of luxurious shops, decorated with extravagance, has many employees and customers who are mostly from the upper-middle class.

And among them, Nanban Tea house, a tea shop under the umbrella of the Tachibana Trading Company, which handles imported tea and sweets, has already gained a certain reputation among the young and fashionable people in the city, despite being a newcomer to the street.

Young nobles, students from the countryside, artists, and high-class courtesans, all with different backgrounds, would visit the shop, hold Nanban tea and sweets, and chat with each other... Some elderly people might frown at the disturbance of public order, but the shop was thriving, especially among the young, with its high popularity.

"Isn't it convenient for us, too?"

Keika, a beautiful young woman who worked at the North City main store of Nanban Tea house, one of the several Nanban tea shops in the city, was brewing tea in the back while chatting. With her bright, colorful kimono, which incorporated Nanban designs, and her made-up face, she was a beauty, and it wasn't just her ―― all the employees of Nanban Tea house, including those from the countryside, were known for their high-quality appearance.

It's been said since old times that the signboard girls are the face of the shop, and Nanban Tea house, under the Tachibana Trading Company, was particularly famous for the high quality of its employees' appearance. They were carefully selected from the hiring stage, and the shop even provided them with clothes and makeup allowances. It was clearly a business strategy to attract customers.

The shop girls didn't mind being treated like commodities. Rather, they welcomed it. While selling spring was forbidden, the shop encouraged its employees to emulate Nanban's customs and rewarded them with extra pocket money. And surprisingly, many customers followed suit. Was it something like "tips"?

No matter what, popular girls like this didn't become stupids. And to aim for this secondary income, the shop girls would dress up even more, and depending on the situation, they would even be "trained" by some wealthy patrons who would teach them how to behave and buy them accessories as a amusement. Some would even have their portraits drawn by ukiyo-e artists or have songs composed for them by musicians.

There were those who would compete with multiple wealthy patrons, become the top shop girl, and even end up as the mistress of a wealthy merchant who had no relation to them whatsoever. Of course, moralists would criticize this as a corruption of public morals and report it to the authorities, and there were cases where the police would come to the shop, but the shop girls and customers would chase them away with insults and thrown objects.

"That was the most hilarious thing, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, yeah. They said they'd reform, but when the young masters from the noble families came out, they got scared and ran away!!"

As if remembering something, a coworker, a girl with pseudonym named Azusa , would giggle and respond. The sight of those who usually wielded power running away with their tails between their legs was a masterpiece.

"What's wrong with being immoral and shameless? Are you going to become a night hawk or something? Or maybe a pr**titute?"

Even in the exorcists' household, there were limited job opportunities for women. If one was a good girl, they could just sit around like a doll in a good household. But they were different. They didn't have parents to rely on, and they could lose their jobs or become disabled at any moment. That's just how the world was.

They might say that public morals were corrupted, but the Tachibana Trading Company's Tea House still had a good welfare system. While there might be some harassment or dirty talk, it was still better than falling into a life of hardship. A strong woman would clap her hands and demand compensation.

"Don't you think so, too? Hmm?"

"Ahaha..."

The Tea House girl called out to the third person. The youngest girl, who was washing dishes and couldn't hide her smile, was the one who had been hired last month with a pseudonym name Koiha. She had a refined appearance, but still had a hint of countryside rusticness. In fact, she had been working in the fields just 2 months ago.

Refugees were flooding into cities everywhere, centered around the capital. Even this family, who were barely scraping by, were about to be sent to a remote city at night. If only the Kebiishi (police) would do something about the youkai, it would be a relief.

"Listen to my advice, senpai. When dealing with customers who seem promising, attack them aggressively. If you hesitate, you'll miss your chance to make a sale."

"Uh, sales..."

The youngest or new employee couldn't help but let out a wry smile at the ridiculous advice.

"Don't be so naive You'll get eaten alive if you're too soft. Think of customers as walking wallets, not people. It's exhausting to treat them like humans."

"Yeah, don't deny it, but it's no good to be as transparent. That's why you'll never get married or find a partner."

"Hey, wait, what did you just say?"

The new employee was taken aback by the coworker's sudden jab. She had said something she shouldn't have. It was war.

"Hey, enough chit-chat! Get back to work and serve the customers! The tea is getting cold!"

The waitresses scrambled to get back to work at the little fat chef's reprimand from the kitchen. When they emerged from the warm curtains of kitchen, the 2 senior waitresses (Keika & Azusa) were completely transformed, fawning over the customers with sugary sweet voices and exaggerated gestures, like they were trying to win an award. In a way, they were professionals.

"But, I won't give up...!!"

While the new employee (Koiha) was shocked by the seniors' sudden change, she steeled herself for the sake of money. She took a deep breath, put on a bright smile, and headed towards the customer's table.

"I apologize for the wait, dear guest~♡ I'll be serving you our special red tea and egg fried rice, made with love! If you'd like, I can even draw a picture on the plate with our special sauce."

Her voice was as sweet as honey, but inside, she was dying from the effort of putting on a facade. She had to endure it for the sake of money.

(Thinking of customers as just wallets...!!)

Now that she understood her seniors' mindset, she fixed a smile on her face and looked at the customer. She tried to think of the customer's face as just a wallet.

"...Uh, yeah. I'll take the tea over here. As for the food, I'll ask the young lady over there..."

The young man who was writing at the table gave a bland order to Koiha. His gaze was cold, with a hint of intelligence...

"......"

"...Can you hear me?"

"Ah, yeah, I can!!"

When she was stunned, the young man squinted his eyes suspiciously and asked. Koiha hastily replied.

(Lie, what do I do! He's really my type!!)

As a village girl, Koiha was used to the rough men in her hometown. So, the young man with a pale complexion, slender build, and a sharp gaze behind his glasses was a complete hit with her.

"Here, I'll pour you some black tea. How many sugars would you like?"

She placed the teapot on the table, holding the sugar container, and tilted her head to ask.

"I'll add it myself, so just leave it. And..."

The young man turned his gaze to the girl sitting across from him. Koiha also looked over, and their eyes met. The little girl was staring at her with an unpleasant expression.

"Uh, I'll have... egg fried rice..."

From the way she spoke and her decent attire, it was clear the little girl wasn't just a commoner. Koiha felt uneasy under her piercing gaze and placed the dish down.

"Then, I'll just――"

"Young lady, is there anything you'd like her to draw?"

Just as Koiha was about to leave, he indirectly stopped her. She felt a pang of sadness.

"..."

"Young lady?"

"...Kitty!"

The displeased child responded to the young man's question in a high-pitched voice, her tone slightly sharp. The young man didn't seem to mind and asked Koiha again.

"So, is that possible?"

"Yes, I'd be happy to draw it... meow."

The new employee forced a smile to answer the customer's request, ending with a cat-like voice. She was glared at fiercely, and she wouldn't do it again.

"Hehe, so..."

Koiha drew a cat for the Young lady, trying not to look at her. The Young lady let out a childish, high-pitched voice, saying "Kitty!" in surprise.

"Shh, quiet down, it's impolite... Thank you. Is this enough, Young lady?"

The young man, who had been watching the Young lady, changed his cold expression to a warm smile and offered his fist. Koiha was taken aback by the sudden change, but she quickly regained her composure and held out her fists as well. And then she received it. The weight felt substantial.

"What's this?"

Koiha couldn't help but stare at the thing she received, knowing it was a silver coin. Her senior had said that customers' faces were like small change, but it was impossible to get a gold coin without being a big spender. It was either copper coins or, at best, small silver coins. This was the first time she had received a silver coin.

"Is it not enough? Large and small change are a hassle, so please be considerate."

"No, no, it's fine! Ah, thank you very much!"

Koiha bowed her head deeply, showing her gratitude. Her family still hadn't found a job, and her own earnings were the only thing supporting her household. With this much, they wouldn't have to worry about eating this month.

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