401 - - Episode 399 The inn with a strong arm torque that has begun to move

"So, Yuta gave me an idea, what are you going to do with it?"

"Oh, first we'll tell the old man to buy a store. Then we'll talk to the guild of commerce and the guild of cooks. Then we'll get a carpenter. We'll build a private room!"

This is a bad idea. That's the look of total excitement before an adventure. No, I was a little more nervous when I went on my adventure because my life was in danger. It's more like Kark's face with his favorite food laid out in front of him.

What's he going to do with a face like his son's when he's long retired from adventuring? I know that a man can be any age and still look like a child, but when your husband looks like that, it's a problem.

But when it comes to this, I can't stop. If you hold him down, he'll go berserk, so you have to let him do as he pleases to some extent. I have to correct the course so that he doesn't run away while nailing him to remember the reality. ......This is the most difficult problem I have had since I built this inn.

"You're welcome to ask for advice, but what are you going to do about the inn you're renovating?　Are you taking a break?　How many private rooms?　How many more people are you going to add?"

"Why don't you consult with the commercial and culinary guilds before you make that decision?"

"That's true, but if we ask them for advice out of the blue, they won't be able to help us unless they have some idea of what we're going to do."

Well, we could throw everything to the commercial guild and choose the safest one among the proposals, but that would make my husband jump to the well-funded proposal, so we reject it.

It stands to reason that the more money you spend, the more likely you are to like it. The important thing is to make a capital investment that fits your budget.

"But thanks to Yuta, we're making money, aren't we?　You don't have to think too hard, do you?"

"Yes, we are making a lot of money, and we can afford it. But that doesn't mean we can afford to be extravagant like a tycoon. Good food and cheap price is your motto, isn't it?

We're the only one who doesn't raise the price of food even though we're doing so well. Well, that's why I married him.

"But, but you see, there it is!　Yuta's proposal to build a private room would be a good way to make money, right?　So we'll be fine!"

It's a good idea. The motto "delicious and inexpensive" should be kept in the center of the restaurant, and a private room could be built on the side to satisfy the husband's desire for food and make a profit. I have to thank Yuta for the recipe as well.

"It might be profitable, but it's not profitable yet. Look, I don't care if I end up with you, but I'm not the only one you have to carry. Your life is on the line too, so think about it!"

"Mh...... right. I don't mean to make things harder for you, Martha, than they have been for Kark. I'll think it over."

It's a little bit gruesome to use my son's name to convince him, but you have to make do with what you can get. But I'm surprised you're so easily convinced. I wonder if I had built this inn after I gave birth to Karluk, we wouldn't have had to go through all that trouble... I'm starting to feel like I'm in the wrong order.

"I'm glad you understand. It's not that I'm against building an addition to the inn. Let's take it easy and come up with a plan that you and I can both agree on.

"Okay. I'll think it over."

Whew. I guess I won't be doing anything rash for a while now. It's not that I'm stupid... it's just that I'm so slow-witted when it comes to things other than cooking. Well, I said I'll think about it. If you're ready to think about it, it's okay.

**

"Martha!　Look at this!　How's that!"

"What's with the ...... paper so early in the morning?"

"What's this? It's a plan for an addition to the inn. Martha told you to think it over.

No, I thought I said let's think about it together.

"I understand the expansion plan, but how come we discussed it last night and you have a plan this morning?　Didn't you sleep?"

"Oh!　I've been feeling pretty good lately, so it was a piece of cake."

"Huh. ...... Well, all right. I'll keep an eye on things, and you can get on with making breakfast. Gina and Sara should be here soon. Come on, Kark, get your ass in gear. You clean up outside the inn.

"Oh!"

"Whew!"

But ...... is a bit misguided. I knew Torque was motivated, but to stay up all night thinking instead of cooking is not the kind of motivation I'm used to. I'm going to have to get my act together to control it.

Good morning, Martha!

"Good morning, Martha."

Oops, there's two of them.

"Good morning, Gina and Sara. Good morning, Gina. Good morning, Sara.

"Yeah, I'll do my best. So, Martha, are you sure you don't want to help in the kitchen again today?

"Yes, that's right. I'm going to clean the cafeteria, so you two take care of the kitchen.

Gina and Sara cheerfully reply and head for the kitchen. These girls are in good spirits this morning. Gina, on the other hand, Sarah, whom I've known since she was in the slum, has really perked up.

We could only feed her leftovers and she was so skinny, but now she looks as healthy as normal kids, if not more so.

I was a little worried about him because of the bad reputation of the genie surgeon, but from the looks of him, I guess Yuta is doing well. He doesn't look like a fighter, but he has been surprising us by driving the adventurer guild's Gilmas into a corner and defeating fire dragons.

Oh, by the way, I have a concern about Gina. I told Gina that she should talk to Yuta about it, but she doesn't want to. What should I do?

What's going on with them, anyway?　Gina's father and brother come to our inn every break, try to peek into the kitchen to check on Gina, order loudly to let Gina know they are there, look at me reproachfully and say, shouldn't Gina be helping out at her parents' diner?　He asked me how I could help him. ...... Well, it's not that I don't understand the help, but that kind of obsession is a little scary.

I know how embarrassing it is to discuss Gina's family shame with her mentor, so I suggested that she talk to her husband, but she said she didn't want us to get in trouble either. It's a watery story.

I also think it's more annoying if they come to our house often. Well, I won't kick them out since they order their food and seem to be enjoying it seriously, but I'd like to have a plan in case something happens.

Hmmm...... I should talk to Gina's mother secretly after Yuta and the others leave the labyrinth city. According to Gina's story, her mother is relatively sane, so we should be able to manage. I'm a little concerned about the word "relatively".

"Whew, okay, I'm done cleaning the cafeteria."

Then I'll feed Kark breakfast and ...... still have some time left, so maybe I'll read your husband's plan for the extension.　

...... I can feel your passion. Passion.

However, I would like to keep the inn going during the extension if possible, I would like to have as many private rooms and banquet rooms as possible, I would like to have my own kitchen separate from the cooks I hire, and I would like the cost of the extension to be as low as possible. ...... This is not a plan, it is just a dream.

However, the husband is so motivated. It would be a waste of a woman's time not to cooperate. I know I can't do everything, but I'll help you as much as I can. When you have some free time after breakfast, we'll discuss it at the guild of commerce.

****

"Betty, you got a minute?"

"Hi. ...... Um, Martha. We are in the process of searching for someone to send to the inn ......."

I feel bad when you get frightened just by talking to me.

"Yeah, that has something to do with it, but I came here for some advice. I'm sorry I yelled at you the other day. I'm sorry about that."

I knew our innkeeper couldn't send in half a dozen people with recipes and milk and Yuta and stuff, but it's awkward because I was too busy yelling at him.

"No, no, no, please keep your head up. I wanted to try your food or your milk-based desserts, but I didn't care that I was too scared to go to the restaurant!　There's nothing wrong with that!"

...... I thought she was being sarcastic, but this is just Betty being flustered and showing her true feelings. It is a great mystery to me how this girl can be sitting at the reception of a commercial guild. The boss sitting in the back is scratching his head.

Well, it seems that his obsession with good food makes him incomparably strong when it comes to restaurants and ingredients, so maybe that's what's saving him.

"......That's very kind of you to say. So, this is going to take a while, is everything okay?"

"Oh, that's right. Yes, let me show you in the back.

**

"Gorgeous food by Mr. Torque. I want to eat it!

...... I explained the plan to her briefly, but I hope she was listening to me, right?

"Betty, Betty, you've got to listen to me."

"Haha ...... of course I was listening. I will definitely go to eat there."

Maybe I'm talking to the wrong person.

"I'm glad you're coming to eat with us, but that's not what I want to hear right now. If I build a private room or a room for small banquets, will it be good for business?"

"Yes, it was. Yes, it was. It's okay. Well, I'm sure it will be good for business. Toruk's cuisine has become famous, but since the inn was originally aimed at adventurers, there are many people who are hesitant to go there to eat. It was especially difficult for people in a certain position to take advantage of this atmosphere, so I'm sure they will be pleased.

Well, it's an inn for adventurers, not for the fashionable, so that's something to be expected.

"Would it be all right if I set you up in a private room?　And the price of food goes up, too, you know?"

"That would be an advantage. Instead, we should be wary of customers who spend a lot of money and order recklessly."

"How much money is a lot?"

"I think there will be people who ask for 100,000 elts or 1,000,000 elts for one meal. There are a certain number of people who are willing to pay any amount of money for a gourmet meal. I envy them."

Why does she always interject her personal opinion during every conversation?

"A million elts?　Are you stupid?　If you ask me to do something like that, I could put all the dishes in the room and I wouldn't be able to use them all.

"Ha-ha-ha, that's right. But I'm sure there will be people like that.

"Well, I guess we should also set a maximum amount."

Do you think it would be okay up to about 100,000 elt?

"You might want to do that at first. If you can find a way to get high quality foodstuffs, even a million elt can be done, but it's difficult because the best restaurants will have the best foodstuffs before you do."

What would happen if I asked Yuta for some fine food ......?　No. If the dragon's meat starts popping up, the inn will go flat this time.

"Well, I'll try not to think of too expensive ingredients for now. Thanks for your help. I'll come back to you when I have a definite plan.

Yes, sir. I will do further research. And we can also discuss the menu, so please call us anytime!

"Oh, yeah, okay."

...... You mean you'd like me to call you when I have a chance to sample the new menu?　Well, since you're the type of person who gets motivated by such things, it's not a bad idea to call them when you have such an opportunity.

But it looks like you'll have more guests than you thought. I'll have to look into it more, but I think we can make the kitchen a little better. Well, lunch is busy too. I better get back to it.