Otherworld Dagashi Shop Yahagi-Chapter 5: Bottakuro

Thanks to Merle, customers started coming and the sales that day amounted to 2070 rims.

Each customer’s average spending was about 200 rims.

As for Merle, she was so enthusiastic about the lottery that she must have spent more than 300 rims. It was only after her 7th try that a teary-eyed Merle drew a voucher.

The amount of the voucher she won was 30 rims, but she seemed to be satisfied with that.

She said she would come back tomorrow.

It seemed that “Dagashi Yahagi” had gained a cute regular customer.

After buying some bread with meat and vegetables in between for dinner, I went to the inn I had my eye on.

I’m talking about the “Reliable Inn: Bottakuro”.

Looking at that inn as it was engulfed in the darkness of the night, the place had this slum-like atmosphere straight out of a foreign movie, making the suspiciousness of the place doubled.

When I passed through their small door, there was a reception counter where an old woman, who had eyes and a body shape resembling that of a wild boar, absentmindedly resting her cheek on her hand.

When her gaze stopped on me, she asked in a rough voice.

[Staying overnight? Or just taking a break?]

The woman’s voice was sharp and it sounded like she was questioning me.

[I’m staying the night.]

[What do you do for work?]

The woman sits up and stares at me.

[……I’m a street vendor.]

I answered, thinking that she wouldn’t understand me even if I said I was a dagashi shopowner.

I’m already too tired to explain about dagashi.

[850 rims, up front.]

The atmosphere around this place seemed suspicious, but the price written on the signboard seemed to be true.

After I paid 850 rims, the old woman pompously lifted her big body and showed me to my room.

[Make sure to be quiet at night. If you make too much noise, a fight will break out.]

The walls are so thin that any conversation can be overheard.

If they are awakened while they are sleeping, the rough ones would apparently complain with their swords drawn.

Hearing her words, I swore to myself that I would walk stealthily……

The room I was ushered into was so small that it was no more than three tatami mats wide.

I mean, it isn’t much, but the room was thoroughly cleaned.

[The magic lamp only holds a magic crystal enough for it to run for two hours.]

After two hours, the light in the magic lamp on the bedside table would apparently disappear.

Well, I was already tired to the bone, so I didn’t really intend to stay up late at night.

When the old woman left, I covered myself with the blanket provided and fell asleep immediately.

◇

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of people’s footsteps.

The hallway was creaking even when people tried to walk softly, so I suppose it can’t be helped.

I got up too and headed for the well in the courtyard.

As I put my weight on the wooden hallway, the floors creaked.

As I walked along, I could hear the clicking of tongues coming from somewhere.

I’m starting to feel like this place only has rough guests……

Anyhow, I washed my face in the courtyard and then wiped my face with the hem of my shirt.

Come to think of it, I’m living a life without a single towel in hand.

I have 920 rims in my pocket.

The open space in front of the dungeon was full of stalls selling all sorts of things, so there should be at least a towel if I search around.

I was told that I could just leave without needing to check out, so I went outside trying not to make any noise.

I bought a towel I found at a stall in the early morning for 500 rims.

Well, though I said it was a towel, it was far from the towel I know, being more like just a piece of cotton cloth.

However, it was still useful.

It can be used as a scarf if I wrap it around my neck, or for washing my face and body.

As I was looking around for a cheap breakfast somewhere, a cheerful voice stopped me.

[Ahh, there you are! Are you still not going to run your stall?]

The voice belonged to Merle, with Mira following behind her.

[Good morning, Merle. Mira too.]

[Hey, hey, aren’t you going to open your stall this morning? I really want to buy 3 more 10-rim gums.]

[Alright. I’ll set it up right away, so come with me for a moment.]

Along with the two of them, we moved to a place where I could set up my stall.

[Open! Dagashi Yahagi.]

I shouted, and soon, my shoulder-pole stall appeared.

[Ara, mister is also a mage like me huh.]

Mira happily says that, but it’s kinda different……

My Job is Dagashi Shopowner.

[I wonder about that? This is the only magic I can use after all.]

[Oh my. Even so, that’s an unusual power. Is that perhaps Spatial Magic?]

While Mira and I were conversing, the cheerful Merle interrupted us.

[Rather than that, let’s get our 10-rim gums already. We’ll end up getting late in the assembly time.]

Merle had bought a lot yesterday, but that didn’t seem to be enough.

[Are you sure you want to buy that many?]

[If it’s just 30 rims, it’s no big deal.]

Well, they are dagashi after all.

[Besides, while chewing gum, we’ll do a lot of power shots today. We’re gonna earn a lot of money!]

[Earn money, how?]

Both Merle and Mira looked stunned when I asked that question.

[Of course, by defeating monsters!]

Well, that’s something I can guess.

[No, I don’t mean that. I just want to know why defeating monsters would earn you money. Are there rewards for them or something?]

At my words, Merle and Mira looked at each other, looking like they were wondering if I’m being serious or what.

Thereupon, Mira started explaining it to me in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

[When you defeat a monster, the monster disappears, leaving behind magic crystals and money. You didn’t know that?]

That’s the first time I’ve heard of it.

[I see, so the more you defeat, the more money you get.]

[That’s right. Ah, we’re running out of time already, Mira!]

[Indeed. We need to go.]

Merle and Mira hurriedly packed their luggages.

[Well then, see you in the evening then.]

[Ou, come back alive!] 𝗯𝗲𝐝𝐧𝗼𝘃𝗲𝐥．𝗰𝗼𝐦

[Hey, can you not say something ominous!?]

[We’ll be back later.]

Leaving those words, they ran off toward the entrance of the dungeon.

[Good day.]

Meanwhile, young adventurers came to take their place.

They were the same ones who had come yesterday, and this morning, they were accompanied by a few others.

All of them looked like young boys.

[Welcome.]

[Do you have any more curry crackers? I thought of telling them about it.]

[Is it true that they’re tasty and restore your stamina?]

His friends look at him doubtfully.

[I said it’s true. Just think you’ve been tricked and try buying them. It’s just 20 rims anyway.]

[I’ll buy one then.]

[Me too.]

They ended up buying not only curry crackers, but also cola and soda-flavored large round candies (which increase speed while eating them).

The mornings are hectic, so business hours are short.

That being said, it still resulted in sales of 360 rims.

With this, I now have 720 rims in my pocket.

Even so, that’s still 130 rims short of an overnight stay at Bottakuro.