A few days later, construction of the store was almost done and work began on procurement and production of merchandise.
The maids are now divided into production and sales teams, except for the minimum number of personnel for the mansion, and they are being moved to the store.
Just a few days ago, potions were delivered for quality control.
Thanks in part to my careful instruction, the quality of the potions is second to none.
The variation in quality that tends to be a problem in mass production was no concern in the basic and middle-grade potions. As for high-grade potions, I can sell the ones I make for the time being, so there should be no problem.
As for other items, I plan to sell daily necessities and miscellaneous goods for adventurers, like those sold at other merchant houses.
While all these preparations were going on, Bohbee visited my mansion.
We are having a conversation in the reception room of the mansion.
âBoss, I am finally here. Please take care of me from now on.â
âYou bet. My pleasureâŠwell then, letâs get right to it, I would like to hear your opinion. Itâs a new product thatâs going to be the highlight of our company.â
âA new product?â
âYeahâSebas, please bring it over.â
When I called out to him, Sebas brought the new product.
He brought a white object in the shape of an oval doughnut.
âUm, what am I looking atâŠ?â
âItâs aâtoilet seat.â
âA toilet seat?â
Thatâs right. Itâs a removable toilet seat with a hot water flush function.
In this world, there are still many pit toilets in the countryside, but in larger towns, sewage systems are well developed.
And each household had either the Japanese-style and Western-style toilets.
In urban areas, those who can use cleaning spells clean up with magic after doing their business, while others wipe with tissue paper.
Water can also be poured down the drain by conjuring water magic, or by using the magic stones and magical tools provided.
So I came up with this product.
âThis is a product that is installed in a sitting toilet, and has a magic stone built into it. By channeling mana through this part, the built-in tube extends, and after defecating, the toilet can be flushed with water and even dried with a warm air function. If you channel mana through this part, it is also possible to flush water. It also has a function to warm up to the proper temperature so that the buttocks donât get cold.â
I explained the product while holding it, but it didnât seem to make much sense to him.
âOkayâŠsince youâre here, why donât you give it a try?â
Having said that, I went ahead and set up the toilet seat in the nearest bathroom.
âItâs done, try using it. Iâll be waiting in the room.â
Bohbee walked into the bathroom with trepidation.
As soon as I returned to the room, I heard a scream coming from the toilet.
ââŠShould I go check it out?â
âNah, itâs all goodâŠprobably.â
Actually, Iâm the only one who has used this product yet.
Thatâs why Sebas didnât know what was going on in the bathroom and was worried and asked me about it, but I stopped him.
And I donât think Bohbee would be too psyched if he came over to take a look.
A few minutes later, Bohbee came slamming noisily back in.
âWh-What the hell is that thing?! So much that I donât even wanna use the toilets Iâve been using so far no more!â
He was so surprised that he forgot to speak formally.
I nodded my head in satisfaction at Bohbeeâs astonishment.
âYou think so too right. Oh right, Sebas. I want you to install them in the mansion, the employeesâ quarters, and in the store. I have a stock of them in the warehouse and Iâve prepared a manual on how to use them, so please go through it.â
âHahahaa. I understand. This is going to be fun~âŠâ
Sebas left the room with a smile on his face.
Iâve never seen Sebas looking so happy, sheesh!
As I was looking away from Sebas, Bohbee came up to me and excitedly opened his mouth.
âI want one of these in my house! Please sell me three units for my personal use!!â
Whoa, whoa, back up!
Having a dude come this close ainât fun at all.
âHey, youâre too close, back up a bit.â
âOops, Iâm sorry about that.â
He backed away for the time being, but Bohbee seemed to be unable to control his excitement.
It seemed like we were getting nowhere, so I sighed and opened my mouth.
âSo, I thought we should discuss the price first. Iâm thinking of two gold coins for the type with the full specification with all functions for the nobles, and two large silver coins for a low-priced version without the warming and water-flushing functions, so that the common people can afford it.â
In Japanese yen, a noble would pay 200,000 yen. And the common folk pays about 20,000 yen.
The warming function always consumes mana, so it costs money to incorporate it. In addition, the material of the seat and the overall decoration will give it a luxurious feel and differentiate it from the low-priced version for the nobles.
Bohbee puts his hand on his chin deep in thoughts.
âYeahâŠI think thatâs a fair price, maybe even a little low. But still, this is a revolution!â
âReally? If Bohbee thinks so, then thatâs reassuringâŠby the way, that one earlier was just a prototype for the nobles, and would actually look something like this when done.â
Saying so, I showed him the blueprints.
It is going to be pretty fancy, so Iâve prepared one for the mansion with the extra decorations removed. Which was the one I let Bohbee use earlier.
âMagnificent! This is nothing short of a masterpiece, boss, this would definitely make the nobles go crazy!â
Bohbee looked at the blueprints and gave his approval.
Whew, thatâs a relief.
âIs that so, that means a lot coming from you. Weâll be launching in a week, and weâll be offering discounts for a few days to celebrate the opening. Iâm going to add new employees after I see how things go, so please keep your eyes peeled at your slave trading shop.â
The reason I use slaves is to prevent information leaks.
I donât want to leak the inside information of my store as much as possible.
I could hire ordinary people and use contract magic to bind their words and actions, but I cannot bind them that strongly.
A slave, on the other hand, can be bound strongly, and even if I decide to release them, I can make a contract that is somewhat more enforceableâŠand in the extreme, I could use magic to manipulate their memories.
Bohbee nodded easily, as if he understood what I was thinking.
I guess heâs aware that information leakage would be detrimental to the survival of the store.
âYou got it, boss. Also, would you like me to revert to you before I hire anyone?â
âNo, I would like to hire people when Iâm not here as well, so itâs fine.â
âOkay, got it.â
After summarizing matters leading to the launch, Bohbee left.
The next few days were filled with meetings with Dillan and mock battles with Tendo and others.
Tendo and the others were able to improve more than expected.
I gotta say, actual combat really is the most efficient method to improve after all.
ïœ
The day before the launch.
Since the day before yesterday, the maids and employees have been distributing flyers to advertise the store.
In front of the store, I displayed an original product, the installation-type toilet seat.
The flyers announced that the toilet seats were also installed in the storeâs restrooms, so there was a line in front of the store even though the launch was scheduled for tomorrow.
Incidentally, there was no problem with the mass production of the toilet seats since the blueprints had been handed over to the employees. Since we now have more people with magic tool-making skills, we should be able to handle any increase in orders.
Me, Bohbee, Finne and Iris were at the store when Iris said something to me.
âDo you have a minute, Haruto?â
âWhatâs up?â
âIâd like to have that installed in the royal castle as wellâŠâ
Oh, thatâs it.
âOf course. Dillan has been very kind to me, so I made one customized for him. Well, would you like me to go deliver it now?â
âIâd love that!â
Irisâs eyes lit up.
There are only four of us here now.
For some reason, Zero seems to have been training at Sebasâ, while Tendo and the other heroes including Kusel are training at the mansion. Asha, Ephyr, and Noir are working at the mansion.
When I turned to Finne, she nodded her head as if to say, no problem.
âWhat about you, Bohbee? Wanna come with?â
âNo thanks! An audience with His MajestyâŠI think Iâll pass!â
âYou sure? Heâs quite friendly you know.â
Then, I was confronted with a dumbfounded look from Finne.
âHaruto, youâre probably the only one who can say such a thing! You do realize that, right?â
âY-You think?â
âYes, I do!â
I got scolded.
Certainly, weâre talking about the king of a nation. Finneâs reaction is probably normal.
Bohbee spoke to me, who was feeling down.
âIâm sorry I am going to have to pass this time around. But maybe next timeâŠâ
Come to think of it, I got to know Bohbee because Sebas introduced me to him, and I remembered that Sebas was originally Dillanâs butler. I wonder if Bohbee ever met Dillan?
Well, Iâll ask him about it next time.
âAll right. Well then, Finne, Iris, letâs go.â
We headed immediately for the royal castle.
We told Thomas about our business at the castle gate, and he let us through right away.
Again, I was shown into the usual living room, but Dillan was not there and was asked to wait for a bit.
Apparently, this time itâs going to be in the form of a formal audience.
Iris was summoned and left the room first.
After another short wait, a maid entered the room after knocking on the door.
âMaster Haruto. His Majesty will see you now. Please come this way.â
âOkie~â
âWow, still so carefree, huh.â
âWell, just same as usual.â
âI guess so.â
We followed the maid to the audience chamber.
The guard standing in front of the door urges us to stand in front of the audience chamber.
âThe Great Hero*, Master Haruto has arrived!â (TLN: Different from the titled heroes like his classmates)
Prompted by the guardâs voice, the door opened.
Finne next to me seemed as nervous as ever.
We walked to the center of the room, got down on one knee and bowed our heads.
I usually interact with Dillan in a rather casual manner, so when I greet him in a formal setting like this, it feels a little uncomfortable.
âRaise your heads.â
Prompted by Dillanâs words Finne and I looked up.
âItâs been a while, Sir Haruto. What brings you here today?â
Iâm pretty sure he must have gotten the gist from Iris already, but Dillan seems to be acting theatrical because itâs a formal setting.
âRight. Today, I have brought the MVP of my newly established trading company as a tribute.â
âOh, The MVP you say?â
Dillan asked, leaning forward.
âLet me show it to you.â
I took out a new lavishly decorated toilet seat from my dimensional storage.
Since it was a gift for the king, I added a few more decorations to the one meant for the nobles.
âHere it is.â
The attendant took the toilet seat from my hand and carried it to Dillan.
âŠItâs kind of jarring seeing him hold the toilet seat so reverently.
Dillan took it in his hands and then went out of his way to ask, even though he should know.
âWhat is this?â
Itâs a multi-functional toilet seat that makes your bathroom experience more comfortable. It requires a few tasks to set it up, but once itâs installed in the toilet bowl, you can go ahead and give it a try.â
The prime minister and ministers around Dillan also seemed to be interested.
After taking a look at it one more time, Dillan handed it to the prime minister who was next to him.
âOh, I seeâŠRubel, please have it installed in my chamber immediately.â
âUnderstood.â
The said prime ministerâRubel, took it then turned to me and asked.
âSir Haruto. May I ask how to install it?â
âOf course.â
I handed him the installation manual and explained it to him as we looked at it together.
âThank you very much. Then, Your Majesty, I will get to work on it immediately.â
Rubel said and left the audience hall with a few of his personal guards.
Dillan opened his mouth.
âSo, Sir Haruto. Howâs the staffing going in your new store?â
âRight. I already have all the employees in place and everyone is anxiously awaiting the opening.â
âI see. Thatâs good to hear.â
I purchased them from a slave trader named Bohbee, who also happens to be a very talented manâŠthat I decided to have Bohbee himself help me out with my trading company.â
Dillan was well aware of how I treat slaves.
I omitted explaining that part because of that, but Dillan nodded his head somewhat agreeably.
âOh, I see. That guy.â
âDo you perhaps know Bohbee?â
Dillan nodded at my question.
âI do know him. He is a successful merchant with several businesses. He has a good reputation for his treatment of slaves, and all the nobles who have bought slaves from him hold Bohbee in high esteem. There are very few men as good as he is.â
âHeâs that reputable?â
Wow, even the king acknowledged him.
âBohbee is not rough even with his criminal slaves. He does his best to make each slave find the hope of living as a human being. You were right to take him in, Haruto!â
âYou bet. I got him goodâI mean, nevermind.â
âHey, you got him good, huh?â
âYou heard wrong. Pay it no mind.â
I already switched back to my usual tone. I really am no good with this sort of thing.
âI-Itâs all right. It was about time you switched back to your usual tone anyway. The people here are very understandingâŠfrankly speaking, Iâm feeling a little uncomfortable myself.â
âThen I will do just that, what a reliefâso, about Bohbee, it seemed like he already had a successor, so I poached him to my trading company.â
âOh, I see. I guess things are going to get even more interesting. I can hardly wait to see you in action. As Irisâs father as well.â
âHahaa, I guess I better roll up my sleeves then.â
While we were having such leisure conversation, Rubel, the prime minister, came back to report that he had installed the toilet seat.