36 - Cherry on Top

Kana and I stayed in Linna and ran the main branch. She started a proper on-the-go bento lunch service while we were out adventuring, and by the time we got back she had turned Silver Bounty into a profitable business, along with some help from Pinnea. Kana had taught some of Pinnea's girls how to sew and mend clothing, and employed a few of them during the day before their shifts started next door. She confided in me that she hoped some of them would choose the life of a seamstress over 'dancing', but Pinnea only hired girls who enjoy what they do so Kana was fighting a losing battle from the start. 

Outside of cooking and sewing Kana couldn't offer the same variety of skills we could when we were together, so it was initially her idea to start hiring outside employees to fulfill requests she couldn't handle on her own. She built a request box, and a job board (much like the guild's) outside our shop, and anyone able to complete the task was given the full reward. Doing it this way grew our brand quickly, and set us up for success when our party returned. 

I never knew she was so business savvy, but she was modest when I complimented her and said Pinnea gave her the idea. Apparently Pinnea had a dream where people put requests into a small box in their hands, and just like magic anyone else with a hand box could see it and accept it in exchange for money. To this day I have my suspicions about Pinnea's past. There was one time Loppu popped in while Pinnea was there, and I thought I saw Pinnea wink at her, but there's no way they could have known each other, right? She's definitely a mysterious woman.

As for me, the first thing I did the day after Kana kissed me for the first time was take her on a proper date. The second thing I did was start my own business plan.

Toast and I would head into the woods and he would hunt the monsters, and single out the Moroza for me. He'd then use telepathy to get them to follow us in exchange for food. The Moroza were easily bribed with food so this was a simple task. I had built a humble shack outside the city, and once we were all inside, I would show the Moroza a picture so they could transform without being seen. Loppu had told me they don't like to be seen transforming, or in their original forms.

My plan? Turn the Moroza into 'dogs'. The Moroza get fed, the people of Linna get the joy of loving a pet, and I felt like I had finally found something I'd want to do as a permanent job. I don't know why it never occurred to me before, but I was always the happiest when I was with Toast, and training him was hard, but rewarding. I love dogs, and I want my new world to know how great they are too. Kana took some time to come around to the idea of Moroza being in our house, but Maja believed the experience helped her to heal, and Zay'tun had previously paved the way for that process.

I'd had Hassel draw me dozens of pictures of different dogs from my world. The Moroza would transform into what I showed them, and Toast would tell them if they stayed like that, they'd get fed forever. They were smart enough to be trained so from there I could take them back to the shop and teach them how to be proper dogs with Toast's help. After only about a week, each 'dog' was ready to be given to its new family; they simply had to name it and it would bond to them, and with that I had successfully introduced the concept of pets to Linna. It took some getting used to for people to not think of them as Spirit Partners, but word really spread when I offered one of the 'dogs' to Ilta, who gave it to the king. There's even a statue of the king and his 'dog' in the city centre now. 

It took me starting my life over, but I really have found my calling.

Nowadays Kana and I have our hands full. We did have to hire some extra staff to take over for us for a while at the shop, and one sunny day an 'apprentice' named Komugi showed up armed with Maja's monster healing spells, claiming to be a 'vet'. She lives in our spare room and really helped out with the 'dogs' while Kana and I took some time off.

We got married just a year after our confessions and had a daughter shortly after, naming her Cherry. Her bum was cherry red when she came out and we needed to add to our 'fruit salad' as Kana calls it. Our family is going to grow a little bigger at the end of this year too, and I'm thinking Mikan, half of our names and another fruit. 

Kana dedicates what little free time she has to cooking and coming up with new recipes, and I may or may not have given her some ideas from Japan, but I missed things like riceballs and curry, so cut me a bit of slack. We bought the building from Pinnea and expanded the shop here and there for more kitchen space, a training facility, and renovating the upstairs into a proper shared home.

Making sure our friend's rooms were still there for when they come to visit was a must; Loppu granted everyone the use of her cloud portal as thanks for Maja essentially helping restore order to the world, so we get drop-ins all the time. It makes sharing inventory for the shops insanely convenient too, and since the shops were doing well I could finally afford the legendary 'item bag'.

Now, I'm sure you're wondering what the hero has been up to.

Toast is a little older now, and doesn't have the energy he once did. He's not an old man just yet, but I do try and take it easy on him. When we go into the woods if there are too many monsters at once I scoop him up and book it. Or I'll occasionally use the dagger Hassel made for me and try my best to defeat a stray Sagi on my own. The dagger had broken a few times because of its low equip level, but the handle has been sturdy ever since Hassel replaced it with the Jika antler I got on my first night in Maa. I'm glad I kept it all that time. 

I still have to rely on Toast for dealing with 'goblins', but he still loves to defeat them and collect their 'goblin' meat drops. When Cherry was first born he would offer his precious ham to her when she cried, and he even started sharing with Zay'tun when she visited with Maja. He's gotten less selfish with age. Just a bit.

I have also been usurped by Cherry as his best friend, and most days he gets to live the life of a normal dog and lounge around the house with her. He still sleeps with the Sagi doll Kana continuously fixed for him, though it's mostly patches now.

My peaceful life is busy, but I couldn't be happier. I have a loving wife, a faithful dog, a great pillow, and a bigger family than I could have ever imagined for myself.

Today I took Toast into the woods again to fulfill the first dog request I've taken in a month. He's a little tired from playing with Cherry all morning, but there's a lone Sagi here, and it's not a Moroza so I can take it out myself. I'll just thrust my blade forward and-

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