I am the nine tailed fox Youko.
The acting village chief of Village Five.
...
Hmm?
You’re asking why I haven’t taken on a younger form?
What happened to the promise that I would do so once every ten days?
I don’t know!
What is this nonsense?!
Do not fabricate such lies!
...
I didn’t promise such a thing, did I?
Perhaps I said something under the influence of alcohol...
No, maybe the overwhelming paperwork drove me to madness and I blurted it out...
Fabrication?
It was fabricated, then.
Good.
Ah, no, wait, that’s not the point.
Stop telling lies that make me question my own sanity!
-0-
Pulling myself together, let’s go over today’s schedule.
I’m attending the pre-opening of the patisserie.
Hmm.
Patisserie Fairy Fairy.
A new establishment that will offer cakes previously only available at Kuro and Yuki and Bronze Cafe.
Once village chief gave his support and Village Five provided funding, the process of opening the shop moved quickly—but not without its challenges.
First, the reason for opening this store...
The residents of Village Five have long complained that they want to eat cake, but Kuro and Yuki and Bronze Cafe are always full, making it nearly impossible to get any.
Ordinarily, independent businesses like these wouldn’t be a matter for Village Five’s administration.
However, since both Kuro and Yuki and Bronze Cafe are run by village chief, it became our concern.
In addition to the voices of the villagers, there were also requests from the nobles of the Demon King’s Kingdom.
If commoners can obtain something while nobles cannot, it supposedly threatens their authority.
I personally think that any authority so fragile is better off discarded, but governance becomes unstable without it.
After all, not everyone holds power equally.
Still, I wanted to tell them that, as nobles, they should just make the cakes themselves—but it seems they can’t replicate the taste.
That’s understandable. Even the Fairy Queen herself acknowledges the flavor as supreme.
Reproducing it wouldn’t be easy.
In that sense, perhaps it’s strange that this village offers such a taste to anyone who lines up for it.
In any case, not all nobles are rational.
If a foolish noble with enough money gets serious, they could buy out Kuro and Yuki and Bronze Cafe before a shop even opens by hiring people to fill every available seat.
Fortunately, many noble affiliates—former noble title holders, noble parents, grandparents, and so on—reside in Village Five.
Because of that, this scenario hasn’t played out yet.
But the possibility remains.
And we can’t ask the Demon King to issue a warning.
Doing so would only draw interest from those who would otherwise ignore the situation.
As we debated solutions in council meetings, we decided to establish a takeout-only cake shop.
Of course, a single store would be nothing more than a drop in the ocean.
Everyone understands that.
So, we plan to launch about ten locations.
However, opening multiple stores all at once would be too much of a gamble.
We don’t have enough staff either.
For now, we will start with a single store as a trial, allowing us to evaluate its management and train employees at the same time.
-0-
Now, the discussion turns to where we should establish this crucial first store...
Should we place it near Kuro and Yuki or Bronze Cafe?
No, that area is already developed, and there isn’t enough space for a new shop.
The upper levels are out of the question.
The mid-levels are also unavailable.
That leaves only the foothills.
But the closer we get to the mountain, the harsher the conditions.
Which means...
The farthest edge of Village Five’ foothills.
That’s our only option.
Right now, there’s nothing there, but in the future, this area will serve as a connection between the central district and new residential zones.
Looking even further ahead, the planned Village Five New Highway will link this area directly to Shashaato City.
There are also plans for high-end inns, large dining halls, theaters, a coach station, and even a commercial complex similar to Big Roof Shashaato.
From a long-term perspective, it’s a solid choice.
...
For now, though, there’s absolutely nothing here.
But that’s just how it is.
Unfortunate as it may be.
It’ll be amazing in the future!
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