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「As I stated earlier, although that might only be your opinion, I can only say that this is the result of our store’s efforts.」
「You can’t deceive it! You’re definitely using some dirty tricks to get all of your customers!」

Getting a bit curious about the angry yelling, I strained my ears and, what do you know, there seems to be a random old lady arguing with Trisha-san.

「If that wasn’t the case, then there shouldn’t be any reason for my customers to stop coming to my store! Now confess your dirty trickery!」

Hmm? Since she said my store, maybe she’s a clothing store owner at some other place?
From how she’s speaking, the old lady probably came here to raise some complaints but really now, I don’t think Putieveil is the type of store to do her so-called dirty trickery and all.

「I’ve once visited your store during our market research but, frankly speaking, you’d never attract any customers with that, you know? The store’s interior was lacking and your wares, the most crucial part, were quite unsatisfactory.」
「You’re saying that to force your blames against me, aren’t you! We never had any problems before you came, so it’s absolutely not my fault!」

Ugeh, that’s just terrible. Isn’t she the one here blaming other people for her lack of effort in her own business?
Ruti and I went through the clothing stores when we first arrived here at the capital, so we should’ve passed by this old lady’s store as well but none of the stores we saw really left an impression on us, see?
All of them were just so dim inside and their goods were weirdly biased in terms of design…… So she’s probably just here to find some faults.

「At any rate, we still have a business to run for today and you’re troubling our customers, so please leave.」

Trisha-san handled her calmly. Even since she became a manager, she’s really showing her capable woman side more and more. She’s so cool.
But it looks like the old lady didn’t like her attitude since she is getting more heated up.
Naturally, I’m starting to get worried so I went to look at them. Probably getting a bit too hot-headed, I see the old lady lunging towards Trisha-san.

「Ruti.」
「Got it.」

Since it’s getting really dangerous now, we went to break them up.
At this point, the old lady’s so flared up that I can’t even understand what she’s saying, so I lightly smack the old lady’s hand and separate her away from Trisha-san.
It would be nice if I had a handcuff or something but since we don’t have anything that convenient, I asked Ruti to make ice cuffs and restrain the old lady’s hand behind her back. It’s probably cold, but it should be perfect for cooling her head.

「Excuse me!? What do you think you’re doing!」

Woah, even though she’s cuffed she’s still going strong. It might be dangerous to leave her like this.

「Ouch…… I’m sorry, thank you for the help. As a manager, handling this is also part of my job…」
「No, no, no, this is already more than what a manager should handle alone.」
「That’s right. It would be different if she only kept complaining but since she exercised violence, this is already a part of the guard’s or the order’s responsibility.」

It’s great that she’s enthusiastic about her being a manager but if this is still a part of her job, then managerial work would be pretty bloody and there wouldn’t be any reason to have guards around anymore.

「That’s right! This is a problem between me and her, you have no business being here! I don’t care what authority you think you have to restrain me, let go of me right now!」

I can’t be sure about the business part but we definitely have the authority, yeah. Regardless of how we ended up being a part of it, we are still members of the Order of Mages, you know?

「We’re mages from the Order of Mages, working under the direct control of the kingdom. So not to brag but we have more authority than the guards, you know?」
「Order of Mages? What the heck is that! You’re just making up lies, aren’t you!」

Oof…… To think that the order’s lack of recognition would backfire like this. Let’s suggest making the order patrol around the capital wearing uniforms for our public recognition next time we meet the leader……

「Ruti, I’ll keep her down so could you go call a guard?」
「Understood, give me a moment.」

Saying that, she disappeared in thin air. Yeah, teleport seems really useful…… I hate my own body’s limits.

「It’s even your valuable day off…… I’m really sorry about this.」
「It’s fine, don’t worry about it. It’s just natural to help a friend out, right?」

Well, it’s not like I wouldn’t think of helping if she wasn’t a friend, but Trisha-san has always helped us out, so all the more reason to.

「Friend? Then you two are in cahoots, aren’t you!? You’re conspiring against me all along! Like how they do in the theater shows!」

You’re just being delusional! At this point, wouldn’t it be better to get her a psychiatrist than to hand her over to a guard?

As I was getting fed up with the old lady blabbering, Ruti came back bringing along a guard.

「Welcome back. So you can teleport other people with you too?」
「I’m back. Well, we won’t be able to move together if I can’t after all, right? That’s why I adjusted my imagination of teleport. 」

She’s saying that like it’s nothing but isn’t that pretty amazing?…… Besides that, when she used it yesterday and earlier, she didn’t use any chants as well. The leader would probably cry.

「Well, that was quite a valuable experience. I’ve heard the gist of it from Ruti-sama but I’d like to hear the victim’s testament as well.」
「Roger. This lady is the victim, she’s Trisha-san.」
「I’m the manager of Putieveil’s Royal Capital Branch, Trisha. This isn’t really the best place to talk, so why don’t we…… Ah, I’ll need the employees to take over my duties, so would you mind waiting here for a moment?」

Just as she finished saying that, she quickly left some instructions to the store employees.
After that, with a loud voice, she began talking from a spot with a good view inside the store.

「To all of our valuable customers! We would like to sincerely apologize for troubling you today! To make up for it, we will be giving a 20% discount for all of our products limited to everyone currently shopping as of now!」

So generous! I can hear cheerful voices and shrieks from all over the place. With this, Trisha-san left a really good impression on the customers, huh. Turning this trouble into an opportunity, as expected of her.
Being able to do these sorts of adjustments and services is what made them successful. If only this old lady would understand that…… But considering how she was earlier, it’s probably impossible, huh.

After the guard finished questioning, we handed him the old lady and immediately joined in, buying ourselves some discounted cloaks.¹

1. Fire: This entire chapter can be summarised with: “Karen: I’d like to meet the manager”