Chapter 01
The female protagonist eats everything
Early morning.
Rubeo Department Store was busy even before it opened.
“Hey….”
In particular, on the first floor, outside the checkout counter, where there was the most foot traffic within the department store, the stalls were lined up.
This is a special store filled with hidden dessert restaurants that have recently become popular through word of mouth or are known only to those in the know.
“Heart, heart….”
Department stores often rented out space to promising stores like this.
Although there were strict screenings and a certain amount of seat rent, shop owners tried to seize this opportunity by any means necessary.
Because you can expect significant promotion and revenue. And if you’re lucky, you might even be able to open a branch inside a department store.
“Ugh, ugh…!”
There was a serious look on the faces of everyone preparing for business.
But today, that seriousness was a little shaken.
“phew….”
Everyone’s eyes were focused on the child who had just sighed plausibly.
* * *
“Ugh, it’s heavy….”
Nibelia exaggeratedly wiped her forehead with her sleeve.
The smallest stall, located in the most remote and least well-known of the shops in the special store.
But this small stall was Nibelia’s first shop.
Today was the first day of business for the ‘Meow Shop’.
“Oh my goodness, miss!”
The maid Deter, who followed behind, said in surprise.
On Deter’s two arms were three large boxes that Nibelia had just brought.
She quickly placed it behind the counter and looked at Nibelia.
“Please wait a moment. Did you bring him here alone?”
“It’s Nini’s store, so Nini has to move.”
“That’s great. The boss is truly different.”
“Nini is the boss!”
Nibelia, who had been praised, smiled. Her soft, white cheeks twitched along the corners of her mouth.
Nibelia divided her pure white silver hair into two parts and tied it into a round bun so that it would not get in the way.
Her clothes were also like Deter’s, a black dress with a white apron.
“By the way, I don’t know if it’s okay to wear it like this.”
Deter said in a tone that he was not worried at all.
“A young lady dressed as a maid….”
“You have to dress like this to do a good job.”
Actually, Nibelia really liked my outfit.
The little boss and the maid moved diligently even while talking.
Nibelia carried the cookies she had baked the day before and filled them with crooked price tags.
A small tongue poked out from between the child’s lips as he concentrated.
“Deter, did I write well?”
Nibelia, who had finished writing, was examined.
Deter nodded after checking the price tag.
Although the numbers had gotten smaller and smaller because they were written too large at first, they still looked cute and special to Deter.
“You’ve written much better than before. You even wrote down the currency units this time. How wonderful.”
“I practiced!”
Nibelia raised her chin. This time, too, it was a show of pretension, devoid of even a shred of dignity.
“I’ll sell a lot and become rich!”
Rubeo Department Store is the largest shopping mall in the Drameno Empire.
Because it handles so many products that the term ‘commercial building’ is not enough, it eventually created a new word, ‘department store’.
The special store in front of the cash register on the first floor of the department store was the place that Nibelia had her eye on.
I happened to overhear the employees gossiping that selling things here would make you rich.
So, I lobbied and bribed the officials to do business here.
I rubbed my mother’s shoulders, who was the owner of a department store, and also diligently ran errands for my grandmother and grandfather, who were the shareholders of the department store.
Every morning, I brought my father a newspaper to get permission to go out. And I ate eggplant, which I disliked, without being picky.
It was an opportunity obtained through hard work.
Nibelia’s goal was to sell all the cookies she made.
“Deter, put this on.”
“Can I run it like this?”
“huh.”
After finishing displaying the products, Nibelia handed Deter the sign she had drawn herself.
A white cloth with the words ‘Meow Shop’ crookedly written on it was hung on the top of the stand.
Nibelia’s heart raced as she watched this.
“It’s Nini’s store!”
“Today is a wonderful first day of business.”
“What are your business days?”
“It means work. So, it’s the day the young lady opens her shop and sells cookies.”
“Yeah! It’s a business day!”
Nibelia clenched her fists.
“Let’s make lots of money!”
“If I earn money, will you give me some too?”
“No. I’ll only give you the money I promised. No more.”
“You are so honest and straightforward.”
Deter praised the young lady as he fixed her clothes.
* * *
But business was not as easy as it sounds.
As soon as the department store opened for business, a huge crowd flocked in.
The first people to catch the eye were the splendidly dressed nobles. However, most were moderately well-off middle class people or ordinary citizens.
“Welcome! Would you like some puddings wrapped up for you?”
“Our store uses homemade butter….”
“It’s baked in the shape of a gold bar and is usually given as a gift to those hoping for good fortune. Yes, I received an order for five boxes!”
“Banana Cheese Bread Pudding, just sold out!”
The special area was quickly surrounded by a large crowd of people.
Although there were some differences in popularity, most stalls were bustling and welcoming customers. Some stalls were already selling out.
“…….”
“…….”
But the cat shop was deserted.
There were some people who approached me out of curiosity.
But the cookie shape is ugly, the sign is shabby, and the salesperson is just a young woman in a maid’s uniform.
I didn’t feel like buying it right away.
“Who would come all the way to a department store to buy something this ugly?”
One of the onlookers said coldly.
Deter also readily agreed with that point.
“Of course, the cookies looked like they were kneaded with a four-year-old girl’s feet, roughly scooped out, and baked.”
“No, I didn’t mean to belittle you that much….”
“But please try it. I guarantee its taste and effectiveness.”
Deter took out a wrapped cookie and held it out.
The guest broke it in half and shared it with his wife who was with him.
“Our cookies have incredible benefits.”
Deter introduced.
“It has the effect of preventing headaches, rhinitis, body aches, chills, etc., and reducing muscle pain.”
I’m not sure about the hype, but the cookies were really tasty.
“Meow’s Shop uses only the finest ingredients. We never skimp on ingredients or cheat. The owner absolutely hates that.”
Deter pointed to the price tag.
“Look at the price there.”
A total of 5,000 Uva for 3 cookies.
The average monthly salary of a common worker in the Drameno Empire was 3 million Uva, and compared to the 100 Uva for three cheap candies children bought on the street, it was a very cheap price.
Finally, the customer opened his wallet.
“Please give me four bags of cookies.”
“Thank you, customer.”
While Deter quickly placed four bags of cookies into a box, the couple stared blankly at the sign.
Meow shop.
“…It’s a cat shop, but there’s a dog drawn on it?”
Rattling-.
Suddenly the counter rattled.
“I’m sorry. I slightly misstepped.”
Deter politely sent the guests off with cookies, thanking them and telling them to take a look.
“…miss.”
Then he glanced at the empty space under the counter.
There was Nibelia, curled up like a cat. In her arms was her beloved stuffed animal, “Wolf,” which she had brought from home.
“It’s not a dog. It’s a cat.”
Nibelia pouted.
“Aren’t you going to do business?”
“Don’t talk to strangers. It’s dangerous. You could get kidnapped.”
“Business is about doing business with people you don’t know.”
“ah….”
Nibelia, who hadn’t known that much, sighed deeply.
“Life is tough….”
“Where did you learn such strange words?”
“All adults use it?”
Deter stroked the shy young girl’s head.
* * *
The sales of the cat shop that opened with great determination were only four bags of cookies.
The department store owner, upon hearing this shocking news, went to the cat shop himself.
“Deiamor Youngae.”
“mom….”
“You should call me ‘Chief,’ not ‘Mom.’”
The Marquis of Deiamor, who is also the CEO of Celestina Deiamor Rubeo, checked the sales figures with a regretful expression.
“You only sold 4 bags of cookies?”
“huh….”
“Yeah, you should say yes, not this.”
“yes….”
Nibelia, who was completely exhausted, glanced at Deter.
“If Deter had worked harder….”
“Miss, it’s not good to blame others. And you said you weren’t going to give me more money.”
“It’s spicy…!”
“That’s the way the world is.”
But a more brutal moment was about to begin.
“There’s nothing I can do about this.”
Selena made a regretful expression.
“You don’t have to come to the cat shop starting tomorrow.”
“Then when can I come out?”
“I can’t come out. I’m just not selling well.”
“Igu?”
“Igu.”
Selena’s eyebrows furrowed as she imitated her daughter’s mannerisms. The mother and daughter, with their deadpan expressions, bore a striking resemblance.
Nibelia clutched her head.
“Brain, you don’t take bribes?”
“Rubeo Department Store doesn’t accept bribes. But, sir, do you have any money to bribe us?”
At those words, Nibelia looked back at Deter.
But Deter brought sad news.
“The ingredients for making cookies are so expensive, I don’t have any money left. I’m in debt.”
“Light? Something twinkling?”
“Debt means you owe money to someone else. By the way, that includes my labor costs, right?”
“…Ugh.”
Nibelia had a sad expression on her face.
In the end, the cat shop went bankrupt in one day.
