Chapter 62

On the morning of the school festival, the sky was clear and cloudless, perfect for the event.

I woke up a little earlier than usual and finished taking care of the garden and other preparations.

For breakfast, I made tonkatsu to boost my morale, even though it was a bit heavy. I paired it with spaghetti.

Spaghetti and tonkatsu, or "spakatsu," is something I was familiar with from my previous life. The smell of the crispy tonkatsu woke up the two notorious sleepers.

...Well, Yomi seems to be a deliberate offender, so in reality, there's only one notorious sleeper.

I completed the breakfast with a side of pickled leafy vegetables and egg soup.

The two of them quickly finished the large breakfast I had prepared. Despite being adults, they effortlessly ate what seemed to be a two-person portion, which was quite astonishing.

They would probably do well in an eating contest, wouldn't they?

"Master, you're starting the school festival today, right? We were thinking of taking a break from our adventurer jobs for these three days and visiting the school. Is that okay?"

"Hehe, we must see Master's heroic figure with our own eyes."

It seems these two had planned this from the beginning.

Since they've helped me so much, I can't say no.

"No problem! Just be careful not to get bothered since you're famous now."

"\"Yes!!\""

The two of them thought, "Master is just as famous as us," but didn't say it out loud.

I left the house a bit earlier than usual, leaving the cleanup to the two of them. The main street was already bustling, thanks to the school festival.

Rebrant had said he would handle the promotion, but I hadn't heard the details.

I have a bad feeling, though, given his track record.

When I arrived at the location where the 10th class's stalls would be set up, there were hardly any people around yet.

Feeling uneasy, I decided to prepare something just in case.

Better safe than sorry. If it gets that busy, it would be a good thing, after all.

While checking the rest areas and other things, my classmates started arriving one after another.

The girls at the reception were dressed up, but something seemed lacking.

They had cute brooches and light makeup, but what was missing...?

After observing for five minutes, I realized what it was.

"The hairstyle."

"Hmm? What's wrong with the hairstyle?"

Oops, I was talking to myself. Marco must have heard me.

"Well, I can tell the girls at the reception are dressed up, but I felt something was missing."

"Oh, so it's the hairstyle, huh?"

Since we're at it, maybe I could try some simple hair arrangements.

Fortunately, thanks to a picky coworker from my previous life, I can do a few styles quickly.

I took out iron ingots and mithril blocks from storage and made a hair iron, of course, a wavy one.

To test it out, I styled Marco's hair.

When I met Marco, she had short hair, but now it's grown to just below her shoulders, so I can do a lot with it.

I infused the hair iron with magic to heat it up and gently applied it to Marco's hair, making it fluffy in no time.

"Here, this should change the impression, right?"

"Wow! Amazing, Owl! I don't even recognize myself!"

When I showed her the mithril mirror I made the other day, she seemed to really like it.

The girls who saw this quickly formed a neat line.

Their eyes sparkled with excitement and anticipation.

...I had a feeling I'd have to do this for everyone.

Well, it might help with attracting customers and boost the boys' morale.

Plus, it would help me get closer to the girls. I ended up doing various styles that suited each of them.

Everyone seemed happy, so I guess it was a good idea.

I thought the boys might be jealous, but their reaction was the opposite.

Mob A: "Hey, Owl! Our girls look incredibly cute, don't they?! I might make a move on that girl!"

Mob B: "I was thinking the same thing! A hairstyle can really change the impression! Good job, Owl! I'm going to make a move on that girl!"

At first, they kept their distance, but maybe they're actually nice guys.

Just a heads-up, Mob A and B. Making a sudden move now will probably end in rejection, so you might want to hold off. But I'll give you credit for your spirit.

The preparations were finally complete, and all that was left was to wait for the opening.

"Ahem. Can everyone hear me? Thank you all for your hard work in preparing for the school festival. The festival will run for three days starting today. Many guests will be here, so please don't cause any trouble. While making a profit is important, I hope you all enjoy the festival. I'll keep my speech short. Let's start the first day of the school festival!"

The principal's voice, amplified by some magic or magical device, echoed throughout the campus.

The school festival was about to begin.

Since we have a schedule, the people working at the stalls and those on break are already decided.

During breaks, it's common to walk around the campus, experience various activities, and eat on the go.

Luna and Yomi know the schedule, so they might visit during my break.

If they do, it would be nice to walk around with them.

Ray and Marco are planning to walk around together on the second day, so I'm free today.

Incidentally, as the initiator, I don't have much free time on the first day. I'll probably have about two hours at lunch.

Students and general guests started walking around the campus, and it's now quite lively.

I can see a few people who look like nobles, but they're probably not of high rank.

I think the higher nobles will come later.

The start is going well with a decent number of guests. The noble guests who do come tend to avoid eating on the go and prefer to eat in the rest areas.

I thought nobles wouldn't come, but it seems Rebrant did some good promotion.

I'm curious about how he did it.

The 10th class's stall sells three flavors of fried chicken sandwiches, with three different grades available.

1. Yangnyeom-style fried chicken sandwich

2. Mayo fried chicken sandwich

3. Salt lemon fried chicken sandwich

The best-selling flavor is definitely the Yangnyeom-style. It's affordable and offers a spicy dish, so it's popular regardless of social status.

The second most popular is the mayo fried chicken. The mayonnaise is made with wine vinegar, giving it a unique flavor, but it's still delicious.

I considered using gochujang with wine vinegar but decided against it as it would change the flavor profile. The current version is delicious enough.

There are three grades: S, A, and B.

I didn't use A, B, and C to make the S grade feel special.

The basic prices are set as follows:

◇Basic Prices◇

1. Yangnyeom: 1 silver coin

2. Mayo: 5 copper coins

3. Salt lemon: 5 copper coins

Grade S: Basic price + 2 gold coins

Grade A: Basic price + 2 silver coins

Grade B: Basic price only

So, the most expensive option is 2 gold coins and 1 silver coin.

The Grade B Yangnyeom is affordable at 1 silver coin, making it accessible to commoners who can enjoy the spices.

We also have two grades for the rest areas: the premium course and the standard course.

The standard course is quite cheap at 5 silver coins for 15 minutes.

We use mid-range furniture from the market and provide tea for free.

The premium course, on the other hand, is quite expensive at 5 gold coins for 15 minutes.

Unlike the standard course, we didn't use market furniture. We specially created the best items for this event.

We used the finest materials from the dungeon to create something unique to this world.

We also have aromas and women's toners, and we offer paid snacks.

Commoners can enjoy the Yangnyeom at a low price, and students and other guests buy them after seeing others eat.

The rest areas are popular with nobles, and the five rooms are always full, barely keeping up with demand.

On the other hand, no one is using the standard course, so we might consider converting the remaining rooms to the premium course after the first day.

Some nobles even come to buy the fried chicken sandwiches for the snacks in the rest areas, which is a pleasant surprise.

The snacks are supplied by Rebrant, so no one is too curious about them.

After a busy morning, it was time for my break, so I left the stall to the others.

"Master, we've been waiting for you!"

"Hehe, Master, you forgot to take off your apron."

Luna and Yomi were waiting for me outside the stall. They were in casual clothes, not maid outfits, and had changed their hairstyles and worn hats for a bit of disguise.

But there was another familiar girl in front of me.

"Aur, it's been a while."

"Mirei, it's been a while. Um..."

I have a lot to say, but there's one thing I'm most curious about.

"Why are you wearing the Lunea Academy uniform?!"

The ribbon is a commoner's, but why is she here? And why is she wearing the uniform?!

"Because I transferred to this school. I'm a second-year, so I'm your senior!"

According to Mirei, she started attending the school around the same time I did.

She was busy getting used to the capital and fitting in with the class, and she had to study intensively, so she didn't have time to see me.

"But I did see you a few times around the school."

"Why didn't you say hello?!"

"Hehe, I wanted to surprise you! Luna told me about the school festival when we were in the village, so I've been preparing for it."

This is crazy. What's going on? I'm reminded of something my mother said.

"\"You never know what might happen, so don't let your guard down. Luna and Yomi, take care of Owl.\""

"You never know what might happen."

Is this what she meant? Is this what she meant?!

"By the way, where are you staying? Did you join the dorm?"

"I'm staying with Baron Randolf for now, but not for long."

Mirei kept glancing at me.

...So that's what she means.

"I'll talk to Baron Randolf..."

"Of course, Owl! I love you!"

Mirei hugged me, pressing her soft assets against me.

Killer aura?!

I thought it was from Luna and Yomi, but it was from the boys in the class nearby.

Their gazes were terrifying, so I quickly pulled Mirei away and left the area.

After that, the four of us walked around the campus until my next shift. We happened to see a play, which was quite entertaining.

The use of magic made it incredibly immersive, and the actors' performances were excellent, making us lose track of time and almost miss our shift.

"Master, we'll walk around the campus again with the two of us."

"Hehe, we'll check in on you from time to time."

"Owl, don't forget about what I asked you!"

"Got it, thanks, everyone. Be careful not to get bothered, you all look so beautiful."

I said it out of concern, but all three of them blushed.

Mirei said, "That's why you're Owl..." but I ignored it since I didn't have time before my shift.

The stall was still busy when I returned, and I think we'll make a good profit at this rate.

The customer flow didn't stop, and we stayed busy until the end of the first day.

Professor Monica, not the students, will manage the revenue and only tell us the results on the last day.

I know we've made a good profit so far, and I'm looking forward to the final results.

After preparing for the next day and increasing the premium course, we confirmed the flow for the next day.

We had a brief meeting and then dispersed, but I couldn't leave immediately because the boys asked about Mirei.

I'll update this story gradually.

I'd be happy if you could rate and bookmark it.

I've also started updating the side story of "Nodara Tensei" gradually.