"Welcome! Thank you for coming to the Outdoor Shop!"

"Ah, yes! Um, I’m looking for a new product called alpha rice…"

"Of course, here it is. There are four flavors to choose from, so please pick one you like. The instructions for preparation are written here. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask any of our staff members."

"Oh, thank you! Um… I’ve been to this shop a few times, but are you a new employee?"

"Yes. I’ve just started working at the Outdoor Shop today. My name is Angel. Nice to meet you!"

"Ah, I see! I’ll definitely come back again!"

"Thank you! We look forward to seeing you again."

…Hmm, that one’s hooked. That fledgling adventurer will probably come back to the Outdoor Shop just to see Angel.

It was a splendidly courteous customer service interaction, thoughtful and considerate of the customer. Angel, with her extensive experience in retail, was as polished as any shop from my original world. Her smile was simply wonderful. And well, let’s face it: a shop with a beautiful clerk is one you just want to keep visiting.

As men, we are sad creatures, prone to misunderstandings. If a female employee shows us even a little kindness, we can’t help but think, "Does she like me?"

"That guy… getting so close to Angel like that!"

"Alright, alright, Dolph. Focus on the register. There’s another customer waiting."

"…Welcome."

As expected, Dolph couldn’t stop glancing at Angel. Today, I had Dolph manage the register while Angel guided customers.

Although I had planned to train Angel on shop duties during the two-day break, it turned out she didn’t need any instruction on customer service or handling the register. Her training ended on the first day.

Hiring someone with experience as immediate reinforcement really saved a lot of teaching time. The remaining time was spent familiarizing her with the shop’s products so she could explain them to customers.

"…Thank you very much."

"Come on, Dolph, you’re not smiling anymore. A good customer service smile is crucial."

…Honestly, Dolph is way harder to deal with than Angel. Until yesterday, he could even handle customer interactions with a smile, and his good looks had the few female adventurers swooning over him.

Angel is just helping male adventurers as part of her job; he really needs to get used to it.

"Wow, so your name’s Angel. You’re really cute. If you don’t mind, how about grabbing a bite after work?"

Clatter!

"Stop! Stop! Calm down, Dolph! My apologies, sir. Here’s your change—five copper coins. Thank you for your patronage, and we look forward to seeing you again."

"Tetsuya-san! Angel’s getting hit on! We have to rescue her!"

"Dolph, you’ve been hit on by female adventurers plenty of times yourself, haven’t you? Relax, she’s fine for now. Let’s see how it plays out."

This starter town of Al-Flare is full of rookie adventurers. Some are the kind who’ll hit on others as soon as they meet.

Dolph and Lange have both been approached by female adventurers, and Lilia gets hit on by male adventurers quite often. They usually brush them off easily… well, except for Lange, who sometimes does go out for meals afterward.

No one’s ever dared to hit on Fia, though. She seems to be adored by everyone, regardless of gender, like a cute little mascot.

…Huh? Me? Of course, I’ve never been hit on by any female adventurers. Why do you ask?

"I’m sorry. Unfortunately, I’m currently in a relationship, so I’ll have to decline."

"…Oh, I see. That’s too bad…"

The adventurer slumped in disappointment. Well, if she says that, there’s not much else he can do but back off.

"What!? Angel has a boyfriend!?"

"Calm down, Dolph! We discussed this in the morning, remember?"

Angel is a beautiful woman, and unlike Lilia, who’s a famous adventurer equipped for battle, she dresses like a regular civilian. It’s inevitable that male adventurers might try to approach her persistently.

That’s why we decided as a team to create a fictional boyfriend for Angel. Sure, some customers might stop coming if they’re only interested in Angel, but that’s not the kind of shop we’re running anyway.

I had explained all of this to Dolph in advance, but he seems to have completely forgotten. He really becomes useless when it comes to his sister…

"Thank you very much!"

Somehow, without any major incidents, we managed to finish today’s business.

"Phew! Great job, everyone. Before we start the closing tasks, let’s have a quick debrief about today."