Episode 8
#8
[A handful of Constellations admire your actions and propose a contract.]
[The Constellation ‘Pure Fire Fairy’ proposes a contract.]
[The Constellation ‘Leisurely Wing of Spring’ proposes a contract.]
[The Constellation ‘Little Fairy of Winter’ proposes a contract.]
[The Constellation ‘Lion of the Silent Forest’ proposes a contract.]
[The Constellation ‘Shadow of the Sky Hidden by Light’ watches with indifferent eyes.]
“So it was a contract proposal?”
I wondered what was going on; turns out, the Constellations were proposing a contract to Alt.
It seemed Alt had been quite active on the ground.
But can a Constellation make a contract with a robot?
[Most likely, they are proposing a contract not to Alt, but to Master.]
“Huh? Me?”
Ah, well, I suppose that makes sense.
The Constellations had probably realized that Alt was a skill created by someone.
Since they didn’t know who the robot’s master was, they couldn’t send a message directly and were sending it through Alt instead.
‘Most of them are Constellations I know…….’
They were mostly Constellations I had seen at least once in a game or novel.
Good-aligned Constellations.
However, there was exactly one Constellation whose identity I couldn’t place.
‘Shadow of the Sky Hidden by Light?’
Who is it? A Constellation I’ve never seen before.
Even I, who had played the game, felt it was completely unfamiliar.
If it had been mentioned even briefly in the game, I might have forgotten, but I wouldn’t feel it was unfamiliar, right?
No, that’s not what’s important right now.
This is an opportunity. A chance to advertise to the Constellations.
I immediately spoke to Alt.
“Alt, can you hear my voice?”
[Yes, Master. Awaiting orders.]
“Relay my words to the Constellations exactly as I say them.”
[Yes, understood.]
* * *
[The Constellation ‘Pure Fire Fairy’ asks who your master is.]
[The Constellation ‘Leisurely Wing of Spring’ expresses gratitude to you for saving their contractor.]
[The Constellation ‘Little Fairy of Winter’ watches you, seemingly fascinated.]
[The Constellation ‘Lion of the Silent Forest’ continues to propose a contract.]
[The Constellation ‘Shadow of the Sky Hidden by Light’ watches you with languid eyes.]
The Constellations were showing interest in a single robot.
The unidentified robot that had appeared suddenly yesterday.
The military might that robot had displayed in just one day was enough to surprise the Constellations.
Just who was the master of that robot?
To the Constellations, the human who was the master of that robot was undeniably desirable.
Because the more contracts they made with humans who possessed powerful skills, the more it directly connected to the Constellations’ rank.
At that moment, the robot that had been quietly hunting demonic beasts suddenly ground to a halt.
The robot showed interest in the Constellations’ messages floating before its eyes and opened its mouth.
“I have something to say to the Constellations.”
[The Constellation ‘Pure Fire Fairy’ watches you with puzzled eyes.]
[The Constellation ‘Leisurely Wing of Spring’ asks what it is you wish to say.]
“My master is planning to create a rest area for survivors.”
[The Constellation ‘Lion of the Silent Forest’ asks what kind of rest area.]
[The Constellation ‘Little Fairy of Winter’ takes interest in your words.]
The Constellations began listening to Alt’s words with interest.
The mention of a rest area for survivors had piqued their great interest.
Alt politely continued speaking to those Constellations.
“If you would bring to me any humans you have contracted with, or survivors you have your eyes on. I shall guide them to the rest area. You will likely not be disappointed.”
[The Constellation ‘Shadow of the Sky Hidden by Light’ shows interest with a faint smile.]
With Alt’s final words, the Constellations turned toward their contractors.
It was partly because they were interested in Alt’s words, but also because they wanted to check for themselves who Alt’s master was.
* * *
I opened the shop list again and was checking for useful items.
‘Well, I wonder if there’s anything good?’
I was planning to simply open a restaurant, but if there were decent items, I intended to use them as well.
After all, I was trying to create a space where survivors—more precisely, survivors who hunted demonic beasts—could rest comfortably.
I scrolled down the shop list and examined it.
Then, one item caught my eye.
[Portable Magic Stone Shower Booth – 10,000 Points]
A portable magic stone shower booth?
Is that… the shower booth I know?
If this was the shower booth I knew, it would be quite useful.
There must be a lot of people who couldn’t shower because the water had been cut off by now.
But magic stones?
I asked Noah.
“Noah, is this what I’m thinking it is?”
[It is.]
“But the mention of magic stones means it uses them as fuel, right?”
[That is correct.]
If magic stones were the fuel, the price would be high and the efficiency poor.
Magic stones were items that dropped when you defeated demonic beasts that occasionally held mana. This meant they weren’t easy to obtain.
While I was thinking that, Noah spoke.
[Master, the shop on this Sky Island also sells magic stones.]
“Really?”
[Yes. If you scroll down further, you will see them.]
I followed Noah’s words and scrolled further down.
“Oh! They really have them?”
[Low-Grade Magic Stone – 5,000 Points]
[Mid-Grade Magic Stone – 25,000 Points]
[High-Grade Magic Stone – 50,000 Points]
[Highest-Grade Magic Stone – 100,000 Points]
If magic stones were sold in the shop, that changed things.
Since fuel supply was possible, I could use it efficiently.
Without hesitation, I purchased about two shower booths.
I could install one for men and one for women.
Ah! I’d need partitions for that too.
I’ll have to make one in Customization Mode later.
Then, at Noah’s following words, I felt a bit dumbfounded.
[Additionally, the Portable Magic Stone Shower Booth can also be powered by the user’s mana.]
“……You could’ve told me that first.”
No, come to think of it, isn’t that obvious?
Since magic stones were the raw material, its structure clearly ran on mana.
Well, still, there might be survivors without mana like me, so I bought a low-grade magic stone as well.
* * *
It was time to find a place to do business, but I actually already had a place in mind.
I went up to the second floor and activated the Scout function.
When I activated the Scout function, the place I saw was the café where I Sina and I Hayun were.
I entered the café and spoke to them.
[■■■ says there is something to say.]
“Ah! God!”
“Thank you so much for yesterday.”
[■■■ tells you not to worry about it.]
[■■■ says he came because he has a proposal.]
“A proposal?”
At my words, I Sina and I Hayun looked at the floating message with bewildered faces.
I continued.
[■■■ says he wishes to open a restaurant here.]
“Huh?”
“Here…… a restaurant……?”
Naturally, the two made bewildered expressions at my words.
Well, it was strange to open a restaurant when the world had changed like this.
However, since it had come to this, I wanted their help.
When opening a restaurant, wouldn’t it be better to have a fellow human guide people rather than unidentified robots?
“Uh…… that’s…….”
I Sina seemed lost in thought for a moment and began to worry.
I proposed once more.
[■■■ says he will provide meals regularly, including wages (points).]
“Ah! I’ll do it! If I’m good enough for you.”
I Sina immediately nodded at my proposal.
Honestly, she seemed more swept up by the word ‘meals’ than points.
Good, anyway, the proposal was accepted, so shall we prepare?
* * *
Before opening the restaurant, I was explaining to them about how the world had changed.
“So if we kill the monsters outside, we can earn something called points?”
[■■■ says that is correct.]
“Uh…… and you’re opening a restaurant to earn points?”
[■■■ answers that it is.]
Of course, I didn’t explain in detail.
They would find out whether they wanted to or not once the Holy War began.
Then, I Hayun asked a question after thinking about something.
“God. To let customers in, we’ll need to lower the barrier first, right?”
[■■■ says there is no need to dispel the barrier.]
“Huh?”
[■■■ says entry and expulsion are possible according to the user’s will.]
“Aha, God. Then how do we exchange points?”
Rather than explaining with words, I showed them through action.
“Huh?”
Ding.
[The target before you has requested a point trade.]
[Will you accept? (YES/NO)]
A notification window suddenly appeared before Hayun’s eyes.
Hayun looked around with a bewildered face for a moment, then accepted the notification.
Then.
Ding.
[Please enter the amount of points to transfer.]
[ Points]
“Wow…… it feels like a game.”
I Hayun nodded repeatedly, seeming to understand the function.
To add to the explanation, I continued speaking to I Sina and I Hayun.
[■■■ says you can request a point trade just by looking at the other person and thinking about it.]
[■■■ tells the two of you to try it as a test.]
“Oh! It really works! Unni, do you see the notification window in front of you? They said if you accept, the trade goes through.”
“Yeah, I’ll try it this time.”
The two began practicing the point trade system like that.
Then, struck by a sudden question, I Sina opened her mouth.
“Excuse me, God. Then how should customers pay?”
It was a question asking because I, the owner of the restaurant, needed to receive points, but since I couldn’t see the customers, I couldn’t request a trade.
I answered I Sina’s question.
[■■■ says you can handle the payment through Eria.]
I had already heard from Noah that calculations could be done through the robots.
Hadn’t he said it was possible because the robots were also part of my skill?
“Uh…… by Eria, do you mean the robot outside the café?”
[■■■ says that is correct.]
Actually, the two had been making curious expressions for a while now.
And for good reason—since earlier, an unidentified robot outside the café had been busily preparing tables and moving things.
“God. What is that big thing?”
Then Hayun asked, pointing at the phone booth-like thing Eria was moving.
I answered Hayun’s question.
[■■■ says it is a portable shower booth.]
“What!? A shower booth!?”
Hayun was surprised, as if shocked by my words.
I Sina standing beside her was the same.
Well, the world had changed like this, so they must not have been able to shower for several days.
“Um…… God.”
Hayun cautiously opened her mouth, hesitatingly.
Seeing Hayun like that, I let out a short laugh and said:
[■■■ says you may use it.]
“Ah! Really!?”
[■■■ says that is so.]
“Wow! Thank you!”
The sisters smiled brightly at my words.
I looked at those sisters and continued.
[■■■ says let’s eat before showering.]
“Huh? A meal?”
I Sina made a puzzled expression at those words.
It was then.
Saaaaah—.
The brilliant light I had seen before descended from the sky and shone upon the table.
The next moment, steaming hot food instantly appeared on the table.
Watching that scene, I Sina and I Hayun’s eyes began to grow wide.
“Huh?”
“Wow…….”
[■■■ says this is the food that will be sold.]
There were various foods on the table.
Well, most were dishes commonly found at a snack bar, but in the current situation, they were no different from a feast.
I spoke to them.
[■■■ says to eat comfortably.]
At my words, the two immediately sat before the table and began tasting the food.
But the moment they took one bite, their pupils grew wide once more.
“Wow…… it’s incredibly delicious!”
“R-really?”
They were amazed and exclaimed at the taste of the food.
I made a puzzled expression at that sight.
‘Is it that delicious?’
No, they were probably reacting like that because it had been a while since they had a normal meal.
I also ended the Scout function for a moment to eat, picked up a kimbap that Tia had brought, and tried it.
But the moment I ate one piece of kimbap, an exclamation escaped me unconsciously.
“Wow…….”
No, how could such a flavor come from simple kimbap?
I could tell their reactions weren’t an exaggeration.
It was just that admiration came out naturally.
It was then.
[Master.]
“Huh? Alt?”
[Yes, I have returned to the café as ordered.]
“Okay, got it. Did you bring survivors too?”
[Yes, I have brought them.]
Good, all preparations are done, so shall we get ready to open the restaurant now?
I activated the Scout function again.
But the moment I activated the Scout function, the sight that greeted me made my mouth fall open unconsciously.
* * *
I looked at the unfolding scene with a slightly flustered face.
And for good reason…….
“I heard we could eat here?”
“Is it true?”
It was because people were swarming outside the café.
Just how many had come?
[Exactly 153 survivors have gathered.]
“Insane.”
I had no idea this many people would gather.
It seemed like at least all the people living nearby had gathered…… no, even so, this is too many.
“Hey! People inside the café! Is this the rest area?”
“Please open this transparent wall!”
“Uh, w-wait a moment. God, what should we do?”
At I Sina’s words, my mind, which had drifted away for a moment, returned.
Right, it was time to get down to business.
When the water rises, you have to row.
Still, I needed some time to prepare.
I spoke to I Sina.
[■■■ asks them to wait about 30 minutes.]
“Ah! Yes! Everyone! Please wait 30 minutes! We’ll prepare right away!”
Looking at the current situation, the tables set up outside and the shower booths—all of it seemed insufficient.
I first gave orders to Alt and Eria.
“Alt, clean up any demonic beasts approaching the area.”
[Yes, understood.]
“Eria, follow Alt and clean up demonic beasts, then when 30 minutes pass, guide the customers and calculate their points.”
[Yes, understood.]
“Noah, when you take orders, deliver them to Tia immediately.”
[Yes, understood.]
I immediately ended the Scout function and ran toward the workshop.
Since the tables had to be made in Customization Mode, I had to craft them directly in the workshop.