"Alright, we’ll pause entry here for now! Once a customer leaves, we’ll let another one in."

After letting about 20 customers into the store, we began regulating the entrance. Inside, Fia-chan and I managed the customers, while Lilia handled things outside until the instant soup supply ran out.

"Tetsuya, Fia-chan, congratulations on your grand opening!"

"What an impressive store—well done!"

"Fia-chan, you’re as adorable as ever. Congratulations, both of you!"

"Thanks, everyone, for coming!"

"W-Welcome!"

Among the first group of customers were Roya, Fal, and Nicole. I’d noticed them earlier while showcasing the products, but I couldn’t exactly leave the other customers to chat with them. Now that those who entered earlier were browsing, I could finally take a moment to talk.

"Thanks so much for coming, all three of you."

Our shop had opened early in the morning, just as adventurers were starting their day. Apparently, they had lined up outside to show their support.

"It’s your grand opening, Tetsuya. Of course we came to cheer you on. We brought some flowers for the occasion—not much, but we hope you like them."

"Wow, they’re beautiful. Thank you! I’ll display them in the shop right away."

They handed me a vibrant bouquet. It was such a thoughtful gesture; I’d definitely find a vase and arrange them later.

"I was surprised to see Lilia working here!"

"Yeah, that really caught me off guard!"

I realized I hadn’t mentioned this to them before.

"Well, I was looking for someone who could act as both a clerk and a guard, and things just worked out. She decided to work here."

"…Lilia as a guard? That’s impressive. A lot of people know her, and her presence is intimidating enough to keep anyone from trying anything shady."

"Even so, we have rare items here, so we can’t let our guard down completely."

While most stores might not face too many issues, ours carried unique items, making caution necessary.

"Hey, Tetsuya, does your shop have uniforms? It’d be so cute if Fia-chan and Lilia had matching outfits!"

"Uniforms, huh… That’s not a bad idea. But since we just opened and don’t have many employees yet, I’ll consider it when the team grows."

Matching uniforms could indeed be a nice touch. Then again, Nicole might just want to see Fia-chan in an adorable outfit. Not that I’d mind seeing them both in uniforms. Clothes from my old world would probably suit them perfectly.

"That instant soup was amazing! It’s so convenient—just add hot water, and it tastes incredible."

"Yeah, I tried the corn cream soup. It was sweet and delicious!"

"I had the consommé soup, and it was fantastic! I’m definitely buying some."

"And that blue tarp thing—it’s so versatile and handy. The price isn’t bad either. I’ll need to grab one of those!"

"I appreciate it, but only buy what you can reasonably afford, okay?"

"Honestly, Tetsuya, your shop sells stuff we genuinely need. Thanks to what I’ve bought from here, my missions have been way more comfortable and efficient."

Hearing that was incredibly satisfying. If I could help Roya and the others with their work, then my efforts were worthwhile.

"Alright, let’s go pick out our items. See you later, Tetsuya."

"Yeah, let’s grab a meal together sometime!"

"Fia-chan, good luck with your work!"

"Thank you, Nicole-neechan! See you soon!"

The three returned to browsing. I should invite them for a meal sometime and ask for their feedback on the gear they’ve used. Hearing an adventurer’s firsthand experiences would help guide my future product selections.

"Thank you! That’ll be eight silver coins in total."

"Um, yes, five silver coins in total. Thank you for your purchase!"

Phew, the first day of our grand opening was turning out to be incredibly busy.

"Sorry, we’re limiting instant soup purchases to two per customer."

To prevent reselling, we had set a limit on how many items a single customer could buy, which was noted on the price tags. Some customers wanted to try all four flavors, but I had to politely decline. Without these restrictions, there was a high chance of items like the compass being resold.

"This is how you use this item!"

Fia-chan and I primarily stayed at the counter near the entrance for payments. When customers had questions, Fia-chan would go over to assist, explaining how to use the items. Although the price tags included explanations, some details could still be unclear.

"Tetsuya, the sample soups are all gone."

"Great. It’s getting busier, so come inside and help out, Lilia."