He had a humanoid build with pitch-black skin, wearing a crisp white suit, a luxury gold watch, polished black leather shoes, and a white silk top hat.
"He looks like something out of a high-end department store display..."
"I am Schwartz, the Vice Manager of Walmazon Mall Branch No. 3, owned by the Demon King!"
...So it wasn't a department store; it was a shopping mall.
Wait, if it's a shopping mall, does that mean his flashy outfit and accessories are actually bargain deals?
"How can I help you today?" I asked, maintaining my professional demeanor as a shopkeeper.
"We have poached your shop's red Golem! If you want her back, come to Walmazon Mall Branch No. 3."
His arrogant attitude made my voice sharpen.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Once you hang up a shop sign, consider every retail business your rival!"
"Why the hell do you need to resort to kidnapping!?"
"Kidnapping? How rude. It’s 'headhunting.' We, the Walmazon Mall, require a diverse inventory—and that includes employees. We cannot have a mysterious Golem wasting away in a backwater general store like this."
"She’s not a Golem! She’s a Haniwa!"
"Stop speaking nonsense!"
Matching his volume, I snapped back with a retort.
"Shut up! Did you really need to blow up my sign for that!?"
"Hmph, simple. Intimidate the competition first. It’s a classic business tactic."
"You idiot! That’s way over the top!"
"This is the Walmazon way! ...Oh, I almost forgot! Please consider Walmazon Insurance. Our 5-year plan covers damages exactly like this one."
"Like I'd ever sign up for that!"
"Hahaha! Isekai dwellers truly are amusing. But can you really defeat our company, the one that grips the economy of this world?"
"I just want to live a peaceful life kneading clay in the corner of this world!"
These words came straight from my heart.
"...Naive! Once you hang that sign, such a luxury is forbidden. Do not underestimate the Isekai Franchise! And again, don't forget the insurance!"
"Stop bringing franchises and insurance into a fantasy world! You're ruining the dream!"
"Hahaha. Well then, I have a meeting to attend. In the meantime, please enjoy the hospitality of my summoned beast."
He snapped his fingers, and with a flash of light, a gargoyle wearing a white tuxedo appeared.
"Whoa!"
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The gargoyle, slightly smaller than me, gave a polite bow before attacking with razor-sharp claws.
The claws whistled through the air. I barely managed to dodge.
"If you cannot survive this level of hospitality, I cannot recognize you as a rival."
"I don't think 'hospitality' is something you're supposed to survive!"
"Hahaha. Then, I shall take my leave. Rest assured, I won't leave a single scratch on that red Golem."
With a theatrical bow, the tacky devil in the white suit vanished into thin air.
"Hey, wait!"
I tried to stop him, but the gargoyle blocked my path with another attack.
Having gained zero offensive skills, I faced the gargoyle with nothing but a thick tree branch.
"If only the Haniwas would move..." I thought of the clay figures inside the shop. But I knew better than to expect a convenient plot twist like that.
Regardless, I had stamina. I would block his attacks, drain his energy, and wait for a chance to counter. That was my only option.
Attack after attack came. Only my trained leg strength allowed me to keep dodging.
Eventually, the enemy's movements slowed. I saw my chance and struck with my wooden sword (well, a nice-looking stick)!
The five-centimeter thick "nice stick" snapped effortlessly.
"Of course...!"
Even a nice-looking stick couldn't withstand actual combat.
However, the gargoyle grew cautious, wary of the fact that I—who had done nothing but dodge—finally fought back. It backed away to create distance. But that turned out to be a fatal mistake.
The sound of a chant echoed.
"O stones, flow and erase the enemy—Rhyolite Storm!"
Sharp stone fragments, like a wave, surged toward the gargoyle. It was as if a massive stone tornado had been slammed into its side, blowing the gargoyle deep into the forest.
"Manager! Are you okay!?"
"Scorie! You can use magic!?"
"I've been practicing every day to hype up my idol-chasing activities!"
"Oh... well, thanks anyway!"
"Wait, impact damage barely works on gargoyles! It just got blown away! We need to evacuate before it comes back!"
"Evacuate to where!?"
"To the town, for now!"
The path from the house to the town was dangerously exposed.
As I hesitated and looked back at the forest, a massive barrage of trees and stones was already flying toward us. There were so many they blotted out the sky.
"It's the gargoyle's counterattack!"
"There's no way to dodge this..."
"Hide behind me and stay low! ...Wait, no, this is impossible!"
The reliable-looking Scorie panicked in an instant.
(Ah, this is the part where I die.)
I squeezed my eyes shut—right then.
"Brick Protect!"
I heard a familiar voice, but I didn't have the luxury to check who it was.
The trees, stones, and earth slammed into us with incredible force.
...But the attack never reached us
"Wait... I'm alive."
Looking ahead, a brick dome had formed around us, shielding us both.
"Are you two okay?"
Igora, the Golem boy, came running up the hill, out of breath.
As soon as we stepped out, the dome crumbled. It seemed to be a one-time-use defense.
"How did you get here?"
"I came to deliver the brick bread Scorie ordered. It just finished baking."
Igora had a large bundle tied to his back.
"Now that you mention it, I do smell something delicious..."
"I saw you two under attack from a distance, so I quickly cast a defensive spell."
"That’s amazing! I didn't know you could use magic."
"I can only use support magic, but..."
"Anyway, you saved us. Thank you!"
"Manager! That thing is coming back!"
The gargoyle was approaching, walking with an elegant, almost intellectual stride. But it was an unnatural walk.
Wait, it looks like it's holding something with both hands...
(Wait, that tuxedo... his bow... he's not a monster, he's a 'Salaried Beast'!)
"Wait, could it be...!"
An idea flashed through my mind. I dashed back into the shop.
"Manager, where are you going!?"
Igora's voice chased me, but I didn't stop. I ran deep into the back of the store.
I gathered up the unsold mini-Haniwa figures, packed them into a box, and arranged them neatly. I wrapped them in cushions, making them look as high-end as possible, just like I'd seen in the department stores.
Clutching the perfectly packaged box of Haniwa, I leaped out in front of the gargoyle. I cleared my throat and delivered a line with as much professional flair as I could muster.
"We are 'LunaCrafty Trading,' newly opened. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Please, accept this small token of our appreciation."
I bowed deeply, offering the box of mini-Haniwas to the little gargoyle.
"M-Manager..."
I ignored her and kept my head down.
It was humiliating to give a "greeting gift" to someone who had just destroyed my sign and part of my shop, but survival came first.
"..."
The gargoyle took the Haniwas and seemed to contemplate for a moment. Then, it gave a polite bow and vanished into a mist.
"Did we... do it?"
"Yaaaay!"
"Thank goodness."
We collapsed in front of the ruined shop, sighing in relief.