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Normally, if there's a genius in the family who built a store that big in one generation, you'd rely on them, right? Why is it so difficult to manage?
"I relied on him at first. But he said he couldn't support me because he couldn't see a vision of me succeeding as a merchant."
"No, no, no, no. Even so, business know-how, or if not, you should have asked him to be a joint manager or owner, right?"
Wouldn't it be good to have Giuseppe-san as the owner and Julia as the manager?
All income and expenses are reported to Giuseppe-san, and all sales are collected by the owner. Then, the store's budget and the salary for Julia, the store manager, are allocated from there.
If Julia doesn't have the talent for business, wouldn't it be good if Julia was just a salesperson and the part that carries the core of the store was done by her uncle Giuseppe-san?
When I said that straight out, Julia tilted her head as if she couldn't understand at all.
"But, my uncle runs the store even though it's Dad's store?"
I held my head.
"Let me ask you the other way around, why can't your uncle run it?"
"Eh, because. This store is Dad's store. I used to work at this store, and we talked about me taking over Dad's store someday."
"So, this store is only Julia's father's store, not her uncle's?"
She nodded at my question.
Is she a child? Isn't her perspective narrow?
"Listen. You know that Julia doesn't have the ability to run the store right now, right?"
"Y-yes..."
"Then why don't you rely on your uncle, who's a professional in management?"
"I, I did rely on him! I asked him to teach me because the management wasn't going well. But my uncle just kept telling me that I wasn't suited for it, so I should quit."
I felt a headache at Julia, who had lowered her head with a whimper.
"Doesn't this world have the concept of mergers, joint operations, or subsidiaries?"
"If we're absorbed, doesn't that mean that Giuno can't open a store anymore?"
Oh, really? I see? Does Julia think that entrusting the management to her uncle is the same as this store disappearing?
I don't get it. I don't get it even if I talk to Julia. Anyway, I understood why Julia didn't entrust the management to her uncle.
But I don't understand why her uncle is so negative about Julia's store management.
"For now, let me talk to that uncle of yours once!!"
I shouted earnestly. Just that might eliminate the cause of my stomachache for the past few weeks!
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A few days later, I opened the store door as usual, making a clanging sound.
"Ah! Rai-san!!"
Julia turned a happy smile towards me, and.
"Um, nice to meet you?"
"Oh! Nice to meet you. You're Rai-kun that Julia and Mom were talking about, right?"
A man with gold hair slicked back and a distinctive aquiline nose.
He's the man who was standing at the cash register at Fradino that day.
So he's Julia's uncle.
"I heard from Julia that you wanted to talk about the store's management. Recently, her questions have become more specific than usual, or rather, they have content. I was curious about who was teaching my niece the knowledge."
"I see, that's what it is."
Julia probably contacted him as soon as I said to meet him before. Otherwise, I don't think he, who should be busy, would bother to come here.
"She's my brother's child. I wanted to do something about it, but honestly, antiques are not my specialty. I didn't think I could succeed even if I got involved, so I was refusing to get involved in the management, but what do you want to talk about?"
He smiled drily and scratched his cheek. However, his eyes are completely sizing me up.
"Oh! Uncle! Are you going to talk to Rai-san while he's standing!? I'm sorry, when I told my uncle about the story I heard from Rai-san the other day, he said he definitely wanted to talk..."
Julia said that while lowering her eyebrows apologetically.
But it's good to have a reliable adult acquaintance who manages a store, albeit of a different type, although I can't say that without reservation.
"I was thinking of talking to Mom again too. I want to hear your story in detail. I'm thinking of closing this store itself today, would that be okay?"
"Of course."
We proceed to the back of the store.
The space in the back is the store's storage room, but there's a staircase from there that leads to the second floor.
When you go up those stairs, it's the living space where Julia and Zinebra-san usually live.
Of course, it's also possible to enter and exit the living space by going up the outer stairs of the building.
When we went up to the second floor, Zinebra-san was preparing tea for everyone.
"Hmph. Just when I thought you were back for the first time in a while. Is it about the store again? I'm not going to close this store! This is the store that I was entrusted to by that child. Even if that child says to close it, I won't close it just because you told me to. You even brought that child along, this is our problem! You don't have to interfere!!"
As always, her words are harsh and there's no way to get to her.
However, Julia's uncle, who is used to such Zinebra-san, led me and Julia to sit in the chairs.
"Again, I'm Giuseppe. I'm the owner of the store that handles general merchandise, such as ornaments and weapons and armor for students on the main street."
"Fradino's, right? I know it. I'm Rai Ortlnerk. I entered the Knight Department of the academy this year."
"To the Knight Department? I'm surprised. I heard from Julia that you could see through real magic stones, so I thought you were in the Magic Department."
Here too!! Is it strange to be familiar with magic if you're in the Knight Department!? No, it's strange, normally!!
"I'm often told that."
"Is that so............ Are there many kids like that this year? If so, I'll have to review the lineup of products at our store a bit."
"Eh? No, I think it's probably just me and the people around me."
"Is that so! No, but will there be more demand for that in the future? Either way, if Rai-kun will continue to use our store, I'll revise that area a bit."
Giuseppe-san nodded as if he was convinced.
"Um, can I talk?"
"Oh! That's right, I'm sorry. When it comes to business talk, it's so interesting that I get off the subject."
"That's why your girlfriend runs away! Even though you're a good age, Uncle."
"That's right. My brother Dino showed me such a cute Julia."
Giuseppe-san is dying from the double combo from his niece and mother.
Please stop. Giuseppe-san's life is already zero!!
"H-haha. I just end up prioritizing the store's management."
"If you like management so much, do something about this store too. This store is what that child, your brother, left behind."
Giuseppe-san made a serious face at those words, which were quieter than usual, but had weight, and then sighed.
"I came to talk about that."
Giuseppe-san, with a serious expression, looks at Julia.
"I've heard the store's management situation from Julia for the most part. Honestly, when I heard that story, I decided that this store should be closed before I get into debt."
I can agree with that too.
Honestly, if Julia and Zinebra-san, who are amateurs at best, manage this store, they'll end up in debt hell.
"Honestly, I thought that was fine. Then I could return the debt, and it would be a good excuse to take in Julia and Mom. Then I was planning to have Julia attend the academy, and eventually marry her to a man that I approved of and have him take over the store."
It would be prejudiced to say it because he's a merchant, but he's thorough.
Running a store on the main street probably means he has a lot of money.
The problem is the successor.
If there isn't one now, then marrying his reliable niece to a man he approves of would silence those who value meritocracy and those who are particular about blood relations.
"So, I wasn't giving her realistic advice and was letting Julia and Mom do as they pleased, but."
When I glanced at Julia, her eyes were filled with tears.
Well, that's right. These are the words from someone she trusted.
Giuseppe-san also noticed that, lowered his eyebrows, and smiled a little.
They both have similar expressions.
"Rai-kun came, and it was connected, although it was by a thread."
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