LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Winter Break in the Second Loop
Chapter 23: Winter Break in the Second Loop
Now that the paper has been submitted, I thought I could finally be excused from helping the teachers with their chores.
However, there was a time when I also thought that.
“Alexi-kun, the next staff meeting is coming up.”
“Oh, sure, here are the documents.”
Huh? Why am I running around the staff room? And I even got assigned a spare desk. Since then, for some reason, I’ve been hanging around the staff room like an intern after school. Professor Kabaneru, too, shuttles between the research room near the flowerbed and the staff room, looking busy. Due to the research on non-incantation magic, he feels a bit obligated after involving the magician from the “Tower,” and I don’t mind helping him. But right now, I’m being treated more like a handyman in the staff room, below even Professor Laquell.
In the midst of all this, the midterm exams for the first semester were held. As expected, I shone as the top scorer with almost full marks. However, other students began spreading rumors like, “He’s trying to curry favor with the teachers.” Even though Camille Senpai and some other students understood, it’s disheartening to hear those who were once my friends talking behind my back. It’s true that changing from the Economic Research Club to the Agricultural Research Club and submitting a paper with Professor Kabaneru stirred up some jealousy, but I somewhat anticipated receiving such resentment.
To make matters worse, the day after the grades were posted, when I returned home:
“After imitating adventurers without permission, what’s the meaning of dabbling in magical research?”
My parents, who were pleased with the improved grades in the previous loop, were now furious. It seems the armor shop owner secretly snitched about my boots being damaged in the intermediate dungeon on the day I bought them. Since they are genuinely worried, it can’t be helped. I was a bit careless too.
However, the real problem is Professor Laquell. Without my knowledge, he visited my parents and proceeded to recommend me to the “Tower.” I repeatedly pleaded to refuse, but he insisted. During the winter break, I ended up getting thoroughly educated in the family business back home.
Moreover, my older brother, behind my parents, was laughing maliciously. That’s the kind of person he is. If only he were more reliable, I wouldn’t be going through this. Instead of harassing me to avoid losing the family business, he should focus on his work seriously.
My parents assigned me the task of organizing the warehouse. There seems to be a punitive aspect to it. Unfortunately, I’ve done both warehouse and ledger organization numerous times in the previous loops. I’m quite used to it.
However, looking at the warehouse again after remembering my past life as a Japanese, I was surprised by the lax management. Last time, I didn’t care because I managed to avoid helping at home, but this time, it’s shocking to see the inventory levels, estimates, and prices all relying on vague memories. Replenish when it seems to be running out. With this approach, the store, “Oda Nana,” is surprisingly thriving in the capital.
Inventory management, end of the month, end of the term, hellish inventory check. Warehousing tasks have the image of a punitive job, but don’t underestimate general accounting. I brought past records, confronted them with the current inventory, and began organizing by writing details such as product names, prices, minimum stock levels, and order units on wooden tablets. Old inventory in the front, new inventory in the back. Fortunately, we don’t handle items with short expiration dates, but old items tend to become outdated or gather dust.
I can’t take this! Oh, I can’t take this! The work is piling up!
Initially, my parents expected me to make some noise after being confined to the warehouse, but as days passed and I worked tirelessly from morning to night, they started to worry and came to call me, saying, “It’s about time to wrap up work.” Too lenient. With this bowl accounting, there’s no way to run a retail business.
And so, I was holed up in the warehouse every day. Forget the Holy Festival and New Year’s Festival. With the store closed and all employees having gone home for the holidays, it was a chance. Before the inventory started moving, I thoroughly investigated and organized it.
Eventually, my mother started crying, my father tried to persuade me, and my brother ominously watched as I energetically continued organizing the warehouse for about a week. Suddenly, fanfare played in my mind, and a small window popped up.
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Learned Skill “Appraisal”
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“Haa?!”
Suddenly, I let out a strange cry, making my watching family flinch! Well, I was surprised too. I never expected to acquire the appraisal skill, ranking among the top three popular skills in another world, in a place like this. I stopped organizing the inventory and eagerly tapped the status screen.
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Appraisal: Acquire by carefully appraising 1,000 types of items.
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I see. With the vast variety of products crammed into this warehouse, it’s perfect for acquiring the appraisal skill. This is how discerning merchants are nurtured. The usage involves focusing on the target and either saying or thinking “appraise.” Alternatively, you can turn on automatic appraisal.
“Wow!”
When I turned on automatic appraisal, my field of vision was filled with popup windows. I hastily switched from automatic appraisal to simple appraisal. Now, only things I focused on would pop up in a brief window.
My parents, watching me sit suddenly, pointing at the void, and making strange noises while looking around, trembled. But once I finished the trial run and sent them a beaming smile, their expressions of despair turned into relief. However, when I finished organizing the warehouse and showed the results, they were genuinely delighted.
Once again, I reassured my parents that I had no intention of neglecting the family business. However, regarding the magical research entangled in the academy this time (though I was the one who involved others), I explained that, due to the opponent being a noble, I might not be able to refuse the invitation. Therefore, I expressed my desire to contribute to the company within my capabilities.
They understand. They understand that it’s futile for commoners to make proposals to nobles, whether they respect our intentions or not. There are some good-natured nobles who understand our intentions, but they are just a handful. Whether I manage to dodge the recruitment attempts by Professor Laquell and the school principal, every break, I will visit my parents and promise to help.
After all, their ledger is sloppy and careless. Maybe we’re doing a bowl accounting for taxes, but the accounting spirit from my previous life has been ignited. It’s not over yet. It’s not finished. The next is summer break.