Grand Opening
Morning.
Clear skies.
The central district of the count’s capital.
Facing a busy street lined with foot traffic, there stood the shop.
The signboard read:
[Maryne’s Macarons]Maryne gazed at the sign with deep emotion.
“At last, we’re open for business!!”
She cried out.
“Meow!”
Firuru, whom she had brought along, meowed as if offering congratulations.
Yumia was smiling beside her as well.
They immediately went inside the shop.
A row of counter seats and table seats lined the room.
The interior had been designed with the feel of a stylish Western-style café.
Maryne and Yumia were dressed in shop uniforms.
Clothes with aprons attached.
On top of that, Maryne wore a white cook’s hat like a chef.
(It’s a commoner-style outfit, but this will do for today. After all, I’ll be serving customers too.)
If she dressed too much like a noble lady, customers might feel intimidated and keep their distance.
That was why Maryne thought this outfit was the right choice.
Incidentally, besides part-time workers, there were also servants from Maryne’s mansion working there.
They had come as helpers, but…
They were also doubling as Maryne’s bodyguards.
If anything happened, they would protect her.
Today’s staff consisted of four people: Yumia, Maryne, one part-timer, and one servant.
… Now then, the shop opened for business.
Customers did not come immediately.
Here and there, passersby glanced at the sign.
But they only paused, they did not come inside.
“……”
Yumia glanced at Maryne.
(As expected… customers aren’t just going to come flooding in right away.)
Naturally.
An unknown shop selling an unknown product.
Customers would not come so easily.
“Customers… really aren’t coming, are they?”
Yumia murmured.
But Maryne was completely unfazed.
“It’s fine. This is within expectations.”
“Really?”
“There usually isn’t a strong rush of customers on the first day. But, Miss Yumia…”
Maryne smiled softly.
“If even one person tries it, that’s where it begins.”
At that moment, one woman stopped in front of the shop.
She looked to be in her mid-twenties.
Judging by the bags in one hand, she seemed to be on her way back from shopping.
“Oh my… what is this?”
Inside the shop’s display case were two kinds of macarons.
Strawberry macarons and blueberry macarons.
Ten of each were neatly arranged in baskets.
“Welcome!”
Maryne called out immediately.
“They’re called macarons! A new kind of sweet made with strawberries and blueberries!”
“Oh? So they’re sweets.”
The woman seemed interested.
She asked:
“How much are they?”
“Five hundred dirin each!”
Dirin was the currency of this world.
1 dirin = 1 yen in value.
So 500 dirin was equivalent to 500 yen.
“That’s about the price of one loaf of bread… Hmm, then maybe I’ll try one.”
“Thank you very much!”
Yumia carefully placed a macaron on a plate and guided her to a table inside.
She had ordered a strawberry macaron.
A fork had been prepared.
However, deciding it would be easier to eat by hand, the woman picked it up with her fingers.
She stared at it closely for a moment, then brought it to her mouth.
Munch munch.
“............!”
Her eyes flew open.
“… This is…”
Another bite.
Munch munch.
“Mmm~~!”
the woman groaned, cheeks flushed.
(It’s delicious…! What is this texture…!? The sweetness of the confection and the strawberry flavor go so well together…! I can’t get enough~~!!)
Completely absorbed, she finished it in no time.
“Hey, can I get these to go too?”
Yumia answered her question.
“Y-yes. Certainly.”
“Then I’ll take two red ones and two blue ones. I want my family to try them too.”
Maryne smiled brightly as she packed the macarons into a box.
The woman cheerfully left payment behind and departed in high spirits.
“A customer… came. And she looked like she really enjoyed it.”
Yumia’s face showed relief.
“Yes. And she even placed an additional takeout order. A very promising start!”
Maryne made a small fist-pump.
What do you think about this chapter?
