- (Anna’s POV) –

 

After my visit at the orphanage, I walk back to Alice’s house. I greet the guards then I enter the house. Once I’m inside, Zoe (Alice’s maid) welcome me:

“Welcome back Anna-sama, the Lord, the Dame and Alice-sama are waiting for you to eat dinner, they are already in the living room.” (Zoe)

Oh crap… am I late again?!

I run toward the dinner room and see Eleonora’s and Alice’s face completely dejected. What happened again?!

Then, Eleonora look at me with tears in her eyes followed by Alice.

“Anna-chan! How do you even use this ‘soap’ ?!” (Eleonora)

“Yeah! We used the whole bottle on our head but then it was hard to remove it! And now, our hairs are not even shiny like yours!” (Alice)

So, it was about THAT?! Besides, why did they use the whole bottle?! Well… I think it’s my fault, I forgot to explain it to them…, tehee~

“Haha, I will explain after dinner…” (Anna)

We then all sit to eat dinner.

 

**********

 

After dinner, I was dragged by Alice and Eleonora toward the bathroom… Those women are scary!~

“Alright! Now that we are here, explain to us the process!” (Eleonora)

Fortunately, I still had one leftover bottle. I then give them a demonstration.

“Ok… So first, you have to put this amount on your hand and scrub your head and hairs until there is some soap foam. Like this.” (Anna)

“Ohh! So, we have to put a small amount only and then scrub it!” (Alice)

It might seem obvious for me, but it makes me remember that I should also put a notice in the shop… I don’t want some people saying that it’s a scam because they don’t know how to use it!

Following my explanation, Eleonora and Alice correctly wash their hairs with soap. Once we are all done with the bath, we look at each other’s hair.

“Woah, your hairs are so shiny Okaa-san!” (Alice)

((A/N: For those that don’t know, ‘Okaa-san’ means ‘mother’ or ‘mom’ in Japanese.))

“Hehe~, your hairs are also more beautiful like this!” (Eleonora)

Looking at their smiling face, I also smile. They are both blond and beautiful. I can definitely use them to advertise my products in the future! Hehe~

After the bath, I was about to go to bed when Eleonora suddenly interrupted me.

“Anna-chan! Please let me pet Shiro-chan!” (Eleonora)

*Sigh*… I don’t know what to do with her…

“Alright… But only for 10 minutes!” (Anna)

After the petting session, I directly go to bed. I’m not tired physically because I didn’t do anything physical, but I’m tired mentally after all those meeting and preparations…

 

**********

 

Today is D-Day! It’s the day when I open my first shop! I’m currently eating breakfast with Alice’s family after my daily training with the knights.

“So, it’s today that you open your shop?” (Eleonora)

“Yes, but during the afternoon, I still have to prepare many things this morning.” (Anna)

 “Fufu~ I will visit you then!” (Eleonora)

“Me too!” (Alice)

I don’t mind, but I hope that they won’t create some problems…

After breakfast, my destination is the orphanage! Once I arrive in front of the orphanage, my employees are already waiting outside! They are early!~

“Hello, it’s nice to see that you are early! I’m happy to see that you are serious about the job!” (Anna)

“”“Hello Anna-oneesan! Please take care of us!””” (children)

After our greeting, I enter the orphanage and head toward the headmistress.

“Hello, how are you today?” (Anna)

“Welcome Anna-chan! I’m fine! We prepared the soap and found some herbs as you requested, but we didn’t have time to prepare many of them yesterday.” (headmistress)

“It’s fine, I plan to open the shop this afternoon, so you still have time during the morning. And I think it will be enough for today.” (Anna)

Then, I finally head toward my shop with my newly hired employees!~

********

Once I arrive to my shop, I start to explain to them what they need to do, then suddenly someone knock at the door.

“Hello, we were told to deliver this box.” (??)

“Ah, I was waiting for this, thank you!” (Anna)

I open the box and see hundreds of glass bottles. Perfect! My potions and soap containers!

After that, I fill the glass bottles with potion and soap with the help of my employees. Then I show them what they need to do with a customer and what to do with money. I also insist on what effect the potions have because they will need to explain it to the customers. I also write on a sign what we are selling and put it on the door.

For the prices, I will start with 20 silver coins per potions and 2 silver coins per soap bottles. I could go with a cheaper price for the potions, but I think it’s better if they only buy it for real disease and wounds. If there are too many people buying it, I would need to work way more because I’m the only one able to make potions, even if it’s quickly made. 20 silver coins is approximately what an average working commoner get in one week, it’s quite expensive but still affordable for the commoners.

Suddenly, one of my employees ask me a question:

“What’s the name of the shop, by the way?” (Leo)

SHIIT! I completely forgot!!

“Uhm, do you have any suggestion?” (Anna)

“Huhh” (Leo)

“What about ‘Anna’s shop’ ” (Julia)

“I think ‘Potion Land’ is good too!” (Noah)

What the hell are those names?!

“Anything else?” (Anna)

“Ano~, what about ‘Sanctuary’” (Lina)

That’s it! It’s very good!

“I like it! We will go with ‘Sanctuary’ of no one else have a suggestion.” (Anna)

No one seems to give any other suggestion.

“Alright! The shop will be named ‘Sanctuary’!” (Anna)

After that, it’s already time for lunch. I take out a few leftover plates and give it to everyone.

After lunch, it’s time for ‘Sanctuary’ to open!

 

********

 

It has been 2 hours since the shop opened, and I realized that I did a huge mistake somewhere. No one bought anything yet!!!

Of course, some people came in the shop, but they only looked at what we had and left without buying anything!!

On a corner of the shop, I see 2 men whispering something to each other. I wonder what they are saying… It’s not at the same level as Shiro, but my senses are slightly more sensitive than a normal human, so I can hear them if I focus.

“Why did you bring me here?” (man 1)

“I was curious because I saw that a new shop opened, what do you think about it?” (man 2)

“Well, the effect of the potion sound amazing according to this paper, but I don’t really believe it. I never heard of any potion that can fix a bone or cure a disease instantly!” (man 1)

Ah… so they don’t believe the effect of my potions… Let’s see what they say next!

“But what if it was true? I mean, you know, your mother…” (man 2)

“Yeah, it would be amazing if it could cure my mother’s illness but there is no way that it will work! Besides, the price is close to one week of my salary, I don’t feel like spending it only to ‘try’ a new product!” (man 1)

I see… so that’s their problem. The price is not too high, but I need to gain some ‘trust’ if I want to sell my products. After their conversation, the 2 men left the shop without buying anything.

It’s a big miscalculation from my side… what should I do?

Suddenly, someone else enter the shop. Ohh! It’s Eleonora and Alice!

“Anna-oneesama!” (Alice)

“Hello Anna-chan!” (Eleonora)

“Welcome to ‘Sanctuary’! What do you want to buy?” (Anna)

“Ara ara, I will take 3 bottles of soap, please.” (Eleonora)

When I was about to head toward the shelve to take the soap, one of my employees already come toward me with 3 bottles. So efficient!~

“Here you go, Eleonora-san!” (Anna)

“Thank you, here is the money. So, how is your business Anna-chan?” (Eleonora)

“Well… You are the first one that bought something. Somehow, the customers don’t believe that my potions are very effective and don’t feel like paying that much to ‘test’ it. Also, they don’t know what soap is, so they are not interested. I’m a bit stuck and I don’t know what to do…” (Anna)

Well, it’s true. Even if I know how to fight and can make potion, it’s not like I have any experience in business management…

“Ara ara~, what about giving some samples for free so your customers can test the effect?” (Eleonora)

That’s it!! Eleonora, you are genius!

“Ohh! It’s an amazing idea, thank you very much!” (Anna)

“Ara, don’t worry about it~, I’m happy to help my cute little Anna-chan~!” (Eleonora)

After her words, she left the shop with Alice. Then, I try to think for a plan to increase my customer’s trust.

I think it would be ok if I give everything for free today but only one product per customer. Once they come back at home, they will test the product and talk about it to their friends and family. Then tomorrow, I will have a lot of people coming to the shop. Hehe~, my plan is perfect!~

I place a sign on the door stating ‘<Everything is free today but only 1 product per customer>’

 

**********

 

- (Random customer’s POV) –

 

My name is Adam, I’m working as a guard and I have to watch the entrance of the town everyday. I heard that Lady Anna opened a shop today. I never met her, but I heard a lot of thing about her. Apparently, she has the Lord’s and guild master’s approval and we were told to never anger her.

I have a break right now so I think that it would be a great idea to visit her shop to see what kind of product she is selling.

Once I arrive in front of her shop, I look at the door and there is the list of products.

<potions to heal all wounds instantly but can’t regrow limbs, potions to treat all illness except the most serious ones, soap to wash your body and hairs.>

Wow! It sounds good! I wonder if everything is true.

Then, at the bottom of the sign, I see something else written:

<Everything is free today but only 1 product per customer>

Ohh! It’s good, I will be able to test her product without paying!  I enter inside the shop and a girl welcome me, she looks like 11 or 12 years old, I think.

“Hello, dear customer, what kind of product are you interested in.” (Lina)

What a polite girl~! She is so cute!

“I’m interested in the potion that can cure all wounds.” (Adam)

Then she takes something from the shelve and give it to me.

“Here it is, everything is free today, so you don’t need to pay anything!” (Lina)

“Thank you very much, I’m leaving then.” (Adam)

“Thank you for your patronage, goodbye!” (Lina)

She is cute and polite; I really want a daughter like her~. Then, I leave the shop and head back to my post at the entrance of the town with the potion.

I wonder how I can test this potion… Oh I know! I can use it on my friend Rayan that got hurt because of a monster attack last week! I think he should still be at the clinic for a few days; he was in a really bad state the last time I saw him; I hope he got better…

I head toward the clinic to visit my friend. Once I arrive there, his face looks really dejected and he has some tears in his eyes…

“Yo Rayan, how are you? (Adam)

“Hey Adam, I-I just got a visit from a doctor, he told me that my life isn’t in danger, but I won’t be able to wield a s-sword for the rest of my life!” (Rayan)

He speaks while half crying while showing his damaged shoulder… I can understand him. The only think we can do as guard is fight; if we can’t fight anymore, we are useless… I show the potion to him.

“You remember Lady Anna, right? She just opened a shop and I visited it. She is selling potions and I brought one for you! They said that it can cure any wound but can’t regrow limbs. I don’t think that it’s true, but what about testing it?” (Adam)

“Well, I heard that Lady Anna is quite exceptional so who know? I have nothing to lose anymore so why not. At the very least, it should reduce the pain…” (Rayan)

I give him the potion and he instantly drink it. Suddenly, I can see something unimaginable! I rub my eyes and pinch my cheek to make sure I’m not dreaming or something.

“T-T-The i-injury…” (Adam)

“What happened? I don’t feel any pain anymore!” (Rayan)

“L-Look at your shoulder!!” (Adam)

Then he looks at his shoulder where the injury was.

“W-Where is my injury?! Is it thanks to the potion?” (Rayan)

“I don’t know! But I don’t see any other explanation!” (Adam)

“W-Wow, this is amazing, my body feels so light! I can’t even see a trace of the injury anymore, there isn’t even a scare!” (Rayan)

“What about your old wounds and scares?” (Adam)

“Let me see… Oh!! There is nothing! There are no scares anymore on my whole body!!” (Rayan)

Wow… This potion is amazing… I have never heard about a potion like this, it must be extremely expensive!

And Lady Anna, just who is she?! She is giving those potions freely! Well, it’s only free today but even 20 silver coins feel like nothing for those effect!

Is she a goddess that descended?

 

**********

 

- (Anna’s POV) –

 

It’s finally the end of the day. Once we decided to give our product for free, more people came to buy it. Our stock of 30 red potions, 30 green potions and 30 soap bottles is gone. I hope that we gained some trust and that we will have more people buying our product tomorrow.

I head back toward Alice’s house for dinner. The hired orphan decided to not use the room that I have in my shop to sleep because they want to stay with the others at the orphanage, I can understand them.

Once I’m in Alice’s house, I can see Eleonora and Alice smiling with shiny hairs. Haha~, it looks like they like my soap!

“So, Alice-chan, how was your business today?” (Eleonora)

“I decided to ‘sell’ everything for free today because I want to advertise my product. We ‘sold’ everything that we had prepared but it’s because it was free. I hope more people will come tomorrow…” (Anna)

“Ara ara~, I don’t know about the potions because I didn’t test them, but I’m confident that any decent woman will jump on the soap once they see the result~. Don’t worry too much~!” (Eleonora)

“You think so?” (Anna)

“Of course! This ‘soap’ is amazing!” (Eleonora)

“I agree!” (Alice)

After that, we all sit around the table and we eat dinner while chatting, then I take a bath. After the bath, I create more potion and then I go to sleep.

I hope that my shop will have more success tomorrow~!