Inside Solace Book House...
The last of the walk-in customers had finally left.
"We'll close for the lunch break."
Han Feng spoke softly.
"Yes, Boss!"
Noelle obediently nodded before carrying the Temporarily Closed sign outside.
Han Feng then began conjuring lunch.
Using the Gourmet Tablecloth for this was, without question, the fastest and most convenient method imaginable.
There was no close second.
After all, this was the miraculous item that even the Three Archons couldn't help but envy.
Just as the meal had been prepared...
A pink door suddenly appeared inside the manga shop.
The next moment...
Lumine and Paimon hurried out, both wearing terrified expressions.
It was as though some unimaginable horror had been chasing them.
"Boss Han! We almost didn't make it back!"
Paimon flew up in front of Han Feng, still visibly shaken.
Based on her years of experience as a devoted foodie...
She was absolutely certain that eating those pitch-black things would've ended badly.
"Oh?"
"Tell me what happened."
Seeing their expressions, Han Feng became curious.
Weren't they just selling carrots?
Why did they look like they'd barely escaped some terrifying monster?
They'd even said they almost couldn't return?
"So here's what happened..."
Paimon recounted everything that had happened after they went to Tenshukaku to meet Ei.
"I see."
After hearing the whole story, Han Feng smiled knowingly.
Just as he'd expected.
No matter how wonderful something smelled...
If it looked terrible, people naturally wouldn't want to eat it.
Especially those burnt-black tri-color dango.
They looked suspicious no matter how you looked at them.
Who knew what kind of aftereffects they'd have after eating them?
"Good thing we had the Anywhere Door."
Lumine looked equally relieved.
"That gadget really saved us."
Otherwise...
Given how difficult she found it to refuse people...
She might really have forced herself to try one.
And then...
One bite would've become her last.
"Exactly!"
Paimon nodded vigorously.
Soon, however...
She completely forgot about the incident and began proudly showing off today's accomplishments.
"Hehe! Boss Han!"
"We made over 400,000 Mora selling carrots today!"
"And we even signed a contract with Tenshukaku!"
"From now on, we'll deliver a shipment every so often!"
"Paimon is finally going to become rich!"
Thinking about today's success made her grin from ear to ear.
Unlike before, when she mostly watched from the sidelines...
This time she'd contributed a lot.
"Very impressive."
"You really do have a talent for this."
Han Feng applauded lightly before smiling.
"But..."
"You still remember those four favors you owe me, right?"
"I remember..."
"B-Boss Han..."
"What are you planning?"
Seeing that familiar smile on his face...
Paimon instinctively sensed danger.
Every time Boss Han smiled like that...
Someone was about to suffer.
"What do you think?"
Han Feng casually pinched her chubby little cheeks.
During negotiations...
The cleverest strategy for the side holding the advantage wasn't to state their demands outright.
Instead...
You threw the ball back to the other party.
That forced them to grow anxious.
They would start guessing...
Lowering their own bottom line...
Or raising the price they were willing to pay.
All you had to do...
Was reserve the right to either agree or refuse.
It was just like a job interview.
Suppose the HR manager asked what salary you expected.
At first...
You confidently asked for ten thousand a month.
But then...
You noticed a room full of competing applicants.
The HR manager looked expressionless...
Perhaps even slightly impatient.
If you were desperate for the job...
There was a good chance you'd immediately lower your own expectations.
That was exactly Paimon's current state of mind.
Leaving aside the fact that she wasn't someone who broke her promises...
She absolutely didn't dare offend Boss Han.
She'd finally managed to cling to his leg through Lumine.
Now she could eat and drink at the manga shop every day.
If she lost that because of this...
She wouldn't even have a place to cry.
Still...
She wanted to struggle a little.
"Boss Han..."
"My share is 220,000 Mora..."
"How about I give you half?"
Han Feng merely smiled...
Continuing to pinch her face without saying a word.
"...Then..."
"How about I give you 200,000 Mora..."
"And keep the rest as payment for my hard work?"
She cautiously tested the waters again.
But seeing Han Feng still smiling silently...
Paimon knew there was no escaping this.
Unless she bled a little...
She wasn't getting past this hurdle.
"...Boss Han..."
"From now on..."
"Whenever I make money..."
"I'll give you half."
Paimon gritted her teeth and made the painful decision.
If they were simply running street stalls...
Income would still be unstable.
But now...
They'd signed a long-term contract with Tenshukaku.
Every shipment would earn an astronomical amount of Mora.
"So you said it yourself."
"I didn't force you."
Han Feng smiled brightly.
This negotiation tactic really was effective.
Originally...
He'd only intended to collect most of Paimon's current earnings.
Who would've thought...
There'd be an unexpected bonus?
Although Boss Han claimed he didn't care about money and preferred simply relaxing in his manga shop with a cup of tea...
Being able to "exploit" Paimon still put him in an excellent mood.
"Y-Yes..."
"Boss Han didn't threaten me at all..."
"I agreed to this willingly..."
Paimon looked ready to cry.
She'd been bullied...
And now she even had to praise the bully.
There truly was no justice in this world!
Even so...
She wasn't actually too heartbroken.
After all...
They'd still be making plenty of money.
The only difference was whether she'd make more or less.
Besides...
She'd been eating and drinking at Boss Han's place for free all this time.
She could just treat the money as payment for room and board.
Thinking that way...
She felt slightly better.
But the moment she remembered...
She still owed three more favors...
Her mood instantly sank again.
Back then...
Having a mountain of debt hadn't seemed so bad.
But now that repayment day had arrived...
It was agony.
"I never should've made that bet over poker..."
Paimon's face filled with regret as she thought back to that fateful card game.
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