CH 56

Spring has arrived, the season of budding leaves and blooming flowers.

I am standing in front of my newly opened atelier on its first day of business. Next to me is Leaf, sitting quietly with his “sit” command.

To the right of us is the alchemy workshop space, and to its left is an open space for the bread-making workshop where customers can also enjoy their meals. Of course, the bread can also be taken to-go.

In the center, the wooden sign with the words “Atelier Daisy” is displayed, with two large daisy flowers carved on both sides of my name “Daisy”. The letters are painted in bright green, while the daisies are painted in pink and white, giving a cheerful and welcoming vibe.

In this country, one week consists of seven days, and the last day of the week is designated as a day of rest. Therefore, “Atelier Daisy” is open for business for six days a week, and closed on the day of rest.

When customers enter the alchemy workshop, they are greeted by a counter where staff and customers face each other. A doorbell is placed on the counter, so even if I or Marcus are inside working or assisting in the bread-making workshop, we can still be alerted to the arrival of customers.

In the bread-making workshop area, there are shelves for displaying sample breads for take-out and shelves for storing actual products for hygiene purposes. Currently, Mina is preparing freshly baked bread for the opening.

Marcus has finished watering the farm fields and cleaning around the shop in the early morning and is now wiping the tables.

Cattleya is not currently a full-time employee, but we have made an agreement for her to visit periodically to follow-up on any potential financial or management issues.

As for the bread products to be offered on that day, we mostly leave it up to Mina’s ideas. Today, there are four items in the lineup: “Fluffy Bread” flattened with salami and thinly sliced asparagus on top, “Danish” with whipped cream and sliced strawberries on top, and two regular products, “Fluffy Bread” and “Crescent-Shaped Danish.” The price ranges from 300 to 500 lire depending on the product.

The drink options are either fruit-flavored water or tea, and today, they have prepared orange-flavored water. Also, since none of the staff members are over fifteen years old and legally allowed to drink, we do not offer alcohol.

In this country, it is customary to send potted plants with many blooming flowers instead of cut flowers to celebrate the opening of a new store. This is a tradition that stems from the wish that the business will take root in the area and prosper with many flowers blooming. Many potted flowers were given to me by people I have been grateful for before the opening, and I have decorated the space outside the second and third floors with them. The colorful flowers adorn the exterior walls of my atelier and celebrate its opening.

Behind the building is a spacious herbal garden, where the green fairy and mandragora bask in the sunshine and enjoy spring. Their move to the new location has been perfect.

In preparation for the opening, Mina wished to grow bread and herbs for our meals in the garden, so the lineup now includes rosemary, chives, basil, and more.

The smell of freshly baked bread wafts through the neighborhood. Many windows in the neighborhood open one after another, and people peek inside my shop to see what’s going on.

Early in the morning, adventurers heading to the labyrinth city also pass by while peeking inside the shop, wondering what the smell is.

The sound of the church bell ringing at three in the morning echoes throughout the town.

Now, it’s time to open. Leaf and I also move to the alchemy workshop inside.

The first customers are a group of four adventurers, two men and two women, who happened to be passing by and were interested in the new shop.

“It smells really good, but this is food, right?” one of the female adventurers asks Mina.

“Yes, it’s bread that we’ve improved to be soft using alchemy. This side has fluffy and soft bread, and this side is crispy and moist,” Mina explains.

The two female adventurers are hooked on the Danish with strawberries on top.

“Hey, leader, buy us some. It looks delicious!” one of them begs, linking arms with the male adventurers.

In the end, they purchase two each of the Danish with strawberries and the bread with salami. After paying, they leave while eating.

Customers also come to the alchemy workshop.

A party of three, one of whom is a woman, comes in.

“Hey, if the potion’s effect is doubled, you’ll go to the bathroom less, right? Drinking a mana potion straight is tough, honestly. If I’m going to dive deep into the dungeon, I want this mana potion,” the woman says.

“Do you really care about that now? It’s too late, isn’t it?” the man who didn’t pick up on the woman’s shyness says, and she hits him on the head.

The pricing is the same as what we sell to the country, so the man complains that it’s expensive, but in the end, the party buys two mana potions.

Then, the next customer comes to the bread shop. It’s a neighbor who was peeping through the window.

“I didn’t ask if my child wanted it. Can I buy four of the cheapest bread to try it out?” the neighbor asks.

With that, the neighbor buys simple and fluffy bread for breakfast and disappears into the neighboring apartment complex.

Thus, “Atelier Daisy” welcomed a calm opening day morning, made possible by everyone’s support.