“Wah. Is this the store?”
“I remember grandma saying a store is a place where you buy things, right?”
“They use something called money in larger towns, don’t they?”
“Strange…”
This village’s first ever store is done.
It’s a small building made out of wood with about two rooms worth of space. The space near the entrance is the store itself, while the room in the back is where they will keep the things they sell.
It’s my first time seeing a store, so it feels weird. It just looks like a normal wooden house from the outside. The one thing that stands out is that ‘general store’ is written above the door. Apparently it just says that because this village still doesn’t have a name.
It took us a lot of time to settle into this land, but Miss Lan says we should decide what to call this village soon. Once we do, they’ll change the store’s sign too.
The door to this general store is locked with chains and a key. Apparently Mister Sadda is the one who has that key, and he says these keys made of metal are common in the capital. It’s strange.
I hear the door opens if you put this small key in there and turn it. I want to try doing that too sometime.
I’ve never seen anything like this in any of the villages where I lived. At most, people put heavy things in front of their doors when they went to sleep, but this is my first time seeing an actual key.
The exterior of the store is done, so everyone’s here to see it.
They say this general store was built quickly because we should have places like these in the village as soon as possible. I’m surprised because it was being built little by little, and then all of a sudden it’s complete.
Mister Sadda says he wants to leave stuff here, but not things that go bad with time like meat and medicinal herbs. He’s going to sell things people use in their everyday lives, like plates, spoons, handkerchiefs, etc.
But since we don’t have money yet, people are going to be trading.
People are going to have to donate things for free at first. I want to make something and donate too.
Mister Sadda didn’t want people to give things for free at first, and said he was going to gather things himself, but he gave up on that idea because he’s not as good at making things as he is at selling them, and he can’t leave the village because it’s dangerous.
People who donate things will receive something else later. I think people would give things anyway, but Mister Sadda says he wants to do things properly.
And so, the gryphons and I decide to make something together. The brothers Ryon and Yuin are having fun making baskets, so I join them.
“Gururururururururuuu. (Making baskets is fun.)
“Gururururuuuuu. (For everyone to use.)”
They say while skillfully moving their forefeet.
There’s something really exciting about working hard on something like this. Making things with my own hands is fun.
“It’s fun, isn’t it? What should we make, next?”
“Gururu. Rururuuru? (Good question. Clothes?)”
“Gururururururuuru. (Something tasty.)”
“Hm… They said they’re not going to sell food for now. They want to have things that they can keep in the store first.”
I’ve tried asking the villagers what kind of things are going to be sold, but I still don’t really know. I’m still not sure what a store is like anyway, so I have to ask Miss Lan to explain.
The only people in this village who actually know what a store is like are Miss Lan and Mister Sadda, and Mister Sadnid and the other knights.
But having something new like this really makes me feel that the village is changing.
I’m sure Mister Nirushi and the others who went out to explore will be surprised when they come back. I wonder how they’re doing. It feels kind of lonely, because I’ve never gone this long without seeing the people that left.
“I wonder, if Mister Nirushi and the others are well…”
“Gurururu, ruuruu. (I’m sure they are, mom is with them too.)”
“Gurururururuuu. (It’s all right.)”
I think the two gryphons are sensing that I’m worried, and cling to me while reassuring me.
I’m busy making baskets, but sitting between the warm bodies of the gryphons is making me sleepy all of a sudden.
“I’m sleepy…”
“Gurururuuruu? (Do you want to sleep?)”
“Gururu, rurururuururu. (If you’re taking a break, we’ll take one too.)”
Say the two gryphons, and I close my eyes. I sleep until Miss Lan comes looking for me.
—Girl and opening the store – Part one
(The miko starts doing things for the store.)
Join my patreon to support me and read ahead.
