When we returned to the inn, it was just before noon.

The dining room was already overflowing with customers who had come to have lunch.

I'm home.

'Oh, you're both early.

'Cause we're sold out of hamburgers.

That's good. If you're home early, I could use your help.

Mom said that as soon as Letty and I came home.

'Well, we were supposed to be gone originally, why don't you take a break?

'We're on the edge even with Ricotta. Just one of us, please.

Certainly, even if Ricotta would have been there in the morning, it was obvious from the crowd that they were busy. They must be looking for help from the cat.

Letty, please.

'Well, I'm tired too.

I put my hand on Lettie's shoulder to ask her for a favor, but she easily ducked.

Hmmm... Unlike me, Letty loves to work, but she doesn't seem to like it.

Okay, we'll take turns then. Tori first then.

'Yeah, why me?

'Yes! Then, please!

Mom's merciless pronouncement meant that I would soon be working as an employee, even though I had only just returned home.

d*mn, this means I'm working almost twice as hard as usual.

From now on, I'd better leave it to Letty and Ira when I go to the stall, or take a break outside for a while even if the stall is sold out. We need to rethink how we work from now on.

As soon as I put away the cooking utensils, I immediately go into the cafeteria to work as a waiter.

I take orders, bring the food, and then just keep clearing the empty plates.

'Hey, ale! Give me some ale!

As I was going about my work, a new customer came in and asked for a drink in the middle of the day.

I turned around and there was a stout and familiar looking dwarf, his short arms and legs flailing about.

That was the dwarven blacksmith staying at our inn.

I think his name is Dodo something ...... and I glanced at the inn's directory and saw that it says "Dodogal". The contact information includes the name of a workshop in this town, so he is definitely a blacksmith.

So he might be able to make a meat chopper for us if we ask him.

Hey, what are you doing! Yale!

'Yes, I'm home!

I head for the kitchen to prepare an ale.

Dwarves have a temper when it comes to drinking.

I poured some ale into a cup and hurriedly brought it to him, and he began to gulp it down.

Ahh! I knew that sake tastes good.

You are such a good drinker that it makes me want to drink, too.

While I was there, Dodogal ordered a hearty beef steak set and some snacks on the house.

'Beef steak set and some random snacks,' he says.

'Oh!

I stick the note of my order on the slot and tell my father about it.

In the kitchen, my father was busy stirring a large frying pan and cutting up the ingredients. In the kitchen, my mother is frantically washing the cups and plates that have accumulated in the kitchen.

The kitchen still looks as busy as a battlefield. No wonder, since we have to cook so many different dishes. It's a lot busier than my food stall, which sells only simple hamburgers.

Okay, so we got our orders anyway. I think I've worked enough during the peak hours. I know it's a bit early, but I can't pass up the chance to have Dodogal.

I'm going to switch with Letty for a minute.

'Yes, yes.

After saying a few words to my mother, I went to the fourth floor, the living space.

Lettie was drinking tea with the magical tool that Natalia had given me.

I envied her, even though I, her brother, had been working so hard.

Letty, it's time for you to take over.

''Already?''

'The blacksmith dwarf is here, and I thought I'd ask him for some tools to make the putty easier.

'Okay.'

He seemed a little disappointed, but when I mentioned the tools, Letty readily agreed.

I would have told her to just ask for them in the evening. She is a strong sister, but she is a bit naive because of her good nature.

Letty finished her tea and went downstairs.

Dodogal is eating his lunch right now.

I will take a short rest here and then head for the negotiations.



I will take a rest here for a while before heading to the negotiation.



I had a cup of tea on the fourth floor, and when I went downstairs, Dodgal had just finished his ale and was getting out of his seat.

I was so relaxed that I almost let Dodogal leave.

I'm sorry, Mr. Dodogal.

Oh, you're early. Here, eight coppers.

As soon as I approached him, Dodogal handed me eight coppers, as if he thought I was counting.

No, that's right, but that's not what I'm here for.

Thanks for the money. May I ask you a question?

'Consultation? What is it?

'I'm a little out of my depth here, will you follow me?

'Sure.'

Dodogal followed me, his stomach full and satisfied.

When we entered the living room, Dodogal looked around curiously.

Everything in our living room is common, except for the hot water apparatus. I don't think it's that unusual.

I guess the fourth floor here is your house...' he says.

Oh, I see. It's a place where we usually sleep, but it's an inaccessible area for guests. It must seem a little fresh.

Yes, by the way, I'm sleeping in the attic further up.

''Oh.''

I tried to make a pot of tea for both of us with my grimoire while the dwarf was looking at me with interest, but maybe Mr. Dodgal would prefer something like alcohol.

'Which do you prefer, tea or liquor?

'Of course it's alcohol!

When I asked him just to be sure, he said it as if it were a matter of course.

Oh, I knew it. While rummaging through the shelves, I find a bottle of red wine that my father drinks for dinner.



Yes, thanks to the stall's reputation, the number of customers is increasing, and I'm putting some of the proceeds into the store, so it's a little bit better.

I pour a glass full of red wine and make myself a cup of tea.

'What, you don't drink yours?

'I'm not old enough to drink that much yet, and I've got some consulting to do.

'Boring.

'Well, it's good that Mr. Dodogal can drink my share for that.

'I hear that human children are susceptible to alcoholism. I have no choice but to drink your share.

When I said this, Dodogal gave me a brilliant flip-flop.

I wonder if all dwarves are like this.

We toasted with red wine and tea.

Dodogal shook the glass, smelled it, and drank it all at once.

Oh, it's not very strong, but it has a nice mouthfeel. You are drinking good wine.

What, is this wine really that good? Maybe it's worth a lot of money.

No, I can't help what I've already served. Let's give up.

So, what is it that you want me to make for you?

As expected of a blacksmith, he seemed to have guessed what we were going to discuss.

Yes, Mr. Dodogal, you know the hamburgers I've been selling at the food stall lately, right?

'Yes, I bought some and ate them too. They are good, but the quantity is a little small.

Certainly one is not enough for a man with a hearty appetite, as was the case with MacDonald's this morning.

However, since our discussion is not about the quantity of hamburgers, I laugh and go on to the main topic.

The meat for the hamburger needs to be minced once, but doing it manually is quite troublesome, so I would like Mr. Dodogal to make a tool that can easily mince a certain size of meat.

'Mincing meat of a certain size oh ......'

Dodogar crosses his short arms and makes a difficult face.

Well, if I were asked to make such a tool out of the blue, I wouldn't come up with it immediately, would I?

'I have a rough idea of how it works, can you take a look?

'Oh, I'll look at it as a reference.

As Dodogal looks interested, I take out a piece of paper from the dresser.

It is a rough sketch of a meat chopper that I drew during the break.

I know roughly how a meat chopper works because I had a manual one in my previous life.

Of course, I don't have a perfect grasp of how it works, but it should give you an idea of what I'm looking for.

When I presented the composition paper, Dodogal's eyes changed color and he began to look at it.

After looking at it for a while, he slowly raises his head and looks at me.

'...... did you think of this?

'Yes, that's right. I thought it would be easier to mince the meat.

That's a lie. I just transcribed the tools of my past life from memory, without much of my own theory in them.

But I know you won't believe me if I tell you about reincarnation, so I have no choice but to say this.

'...... Tori, is it? You, you shouldn't be an employee here, you should be an inventor or a blacksmith.

'Oh no, I'm better off just relaxing here.

I'm just recreating things from my previous life, so I don't have the talent that Dodogal thinks I have.

So, can you make it?

'...... can make it.'

The topic seemed to be going off in a strange direction, so I asked him frankly, and Dodogal nodded firmly.

Oh, that's great! Now I can make minced meat without having to keep wielding a knife.

May I ask you for a favor right away?

'But there is a condition about the reward.

You can make it, but the cost of materials is quite high? If we can produce more putty, we can increase sales, so even if we go a little over budget, we can make it up later.

It is possible if the amount of money is not too large.

'...... does it cost a lot of money, or do you need rare materials?

No, no. What I want is a burger that is worth eating!

I asked him anxiously, and he said something I hadn't expected at all.

What?

'I told you before. Your hamburgers are small! And the amount of meat! I want a more filling hamburger! So, give me a hearty han
Make a burger! That's your reward this time.

Dodogal, in a daze, crossed his arms, refusing to take a step back as he blurted out, "I'm not going to let you do this.

I didn't expect to be asked for a more satisfying hamburger instead of money.

Well, we were going to increase the variety of hamburgers eventually, as we increased production.

Mr. Dodgal's request is no loss to me, and I hope it is.

I understand. Then I will make more satisfying hamburgers.

'From now on, you don't even have to say honorifics.

'Okay.'

So I asked Dodogal to create a meat chopper, and as a reward I was to come up with a new kind.