With the overly enthusiastic Kiana fan club joining in, the afternoon business of [Hmoe Random Play] took on a whole new look.
The badge girl took charge of the cash register. Her combination of hardcore otaku and clumsy crafter made her a walking encyclopedia of the Homu series.
When faced with professional questions from customers like "which version is more worth collecting," or "the timeline relationship between this spin-off and the main story," her answers were clear and logical.
She even brought up many old otaku memes from before the Great Honkai, causing some equally experienced customers to nod repeatedly, exclaiming "an expert."
See, that's what you call professional.
The twin-tailed and short-haired girls transformed into energetic and vibrant sales assistants.
Although they weren't as hardcore as the badge girl, their strength lay in their overflowing enthusiasm and good memory. They quickly memorized the general content and target audience of many discs, and their recommendation success rate was surprisingly high.
Moreover, they seemed to have mastered the art of "bundle selling" without being taught, often "casually" recommending other works from the same series or director after a customer had chosen a movie.
The other few girls stood near the entrance and the rest area, responsible for guiding the flow of people, answering simple inquiries, maintaining the basic cleanliness of the shop, and occasionally refilling the hot tea for the two "shopkeepers" in the temporarily empty rest area.
In the morning, [Hmoe Random Play] was a chaotic mess of fumbling and mistakes. But after just one lunch break, it had become orderly and well-organized, even faintly resembling a professional audio-visual store.
The process for customers to select, inquire, and pay became much smoother. The time spent complaining and waiting was greatly reduced, while satisfaction and the duration of their stay increased.
Prosperity +1
The two "Stelles," with mixed feelings, finished the hot tea "offered" to them by the fans. They sat in the rest area in the corner, quietly and uneasily watching the completely unexpected scene before them.
On one hand, it was indeed much easier not to have to personally deal with those tricky questions.
But on the other hand, watching a group of strangers bustling around in their own shop while they sat there like outsiders... that feeling was...
Itchy, and completely uncomfortable.
They were still, in essence, the "Shu" who craved complete control.
And now, this passive acceptance of "help," even being "enshrined"... made them restless.
...
Alright, he wasn't going to pretend anymore.
You're all busy, doesn't that make me stand out even more?!
How am I supposed to live like this?!
So after finishing their tea, the two silently exchanged a glance, found a moment when no one was paying attention, and stood up at the same time, feigning a very natural manner to take on a small portion of the customer reception work.
They didn't try to steal the fans' "thunder." After all, it was a kind gesture on their part.
The two just quietly provided service to some of the older-looking customers and those with simpler questions.
The fans, who had entered "work mode," were now completely absorbed in it. New things always brought a surge of high enthusiasm.
And seeing the two "Stelle sisters" finally no longer sitting idle, these fans didn't stop them or persuade them to rest again. They just worked even harder at what they were doing, as if to show off their abilities to the "masters."
In the midst of this slightly strange yet inexplicably harmonious bustle, some of the customers from the morning stepped into the shop again.
These customers clearly remembered the morning's chaos, and now, seeing several young faces providing enthusiastic service in the shop, they couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
So someone walked straight up to Shu, who was helping an old granny find the latest season of the "The Homu Family" series. Only after the granny left with a satisfied look did he lower his voice and ask with a bit of admiration and curiosity.
"Boss, not bad! You're really quick! This morning, you two were running around like crazy, and this afternoon, you've already hired so many... 'employees'?"
The customer's gaze swept over the badge girl and the others, clearly mistaking them for official employees.
Shu maintained "Stelle's" placid expression on his face: "They're not employees. They... are all friends who came to help."
"Friends?" The customer's eyebrows shot up, and then a look of realization dawned on his face. He patted Shu's shoulder with considerable force.
"Not bad, young lady! You're so popular! To be able to make such enthusiastic and capable friends right after arriving at the base! You've got skills!"
Popular? Skills?
Shu was speechless.
How was this being popular? This was clearly an accident! A chain reaction caused by a mishandled response!
If they could, they would rather not know anyone, and quietly run this half-dead little shop!
Now, neither of their wishes could come true...
The complaints could only be suppressed in his heart.
Shu forced a stiff smile, which counted as a response to the customer's "praise."
This customer also seemed to be a warm-hearted person, and someone with a discerning eye and some experience.
He didn't continue to ask about the details of the "friends." Instead, he looked around the shop, his eyes showing appreciation and a hint of... regret?
The exquisite decorative figures, the empty display counters, the reserved space next to the rest area, the unused medium-sized screen in the back of the shop...
"Boss," he spoke again, his tone becoming a bit more serious, with the air of an experienced person giving advice. "This shop of yours, I see, is not simple."
The two "Stelles" felt a slight chill in their hearts, and waited silently for what was to come.
"This stock," the customer pointed to the shelves, "is complete, and a lot of it is good stuff. You have a sharp eye.
"And this renovation, this layout..." he pointed to the empty display cabinets, which clearly had reserved spotlights and special countertops. "These places, you're planning to put more valuable collectibles, right? Like those figures?"
His gaze swept over the not-for-sale figures used as decoration, and he shook his head in admiration. "All of them are exquisite. Probably old treasures from before the Great Honkai. You'd probably be reluctant to sell them, and it would be hard to replenish them... A pity for these good counters."
He pointed his finger to the counter next to the rest area, which had a power source and a water dispenser: "And here, wouldn't it be great to set up a small bar? Maybe sell some coffee, some juice, and have some simple snacks.
"Then those who come to watch movies and pick out discs can sit and have a drink, chat, and the atmosphere would be completely different.
"Oh, and that big screen, it's such a waste to just show trailers! You could totally do a 'daily classic screening' or 'new release on-demand,' charge a reasonable viewing fee, or give out viewing vouchers for a certain amount of spending.
"Sigh, let me tell you, in the base right now, everyone's on edge. What we're lacking is exactly this kind of place where people can relax and enjoy themselves for a while."
The middle-aged customer's eyes grew brighter as he spoke, as if he were painting a blueprint: "Oh my! The foundation of your shop is too good! The location, the renovation, the basic stock are all top-notch.
"Looking at the entire living area now, or even the entire base! You're the only one specializing in entertainment and relaxation! The market potential is huge! Just the two of you sisters, plus these friends who are helping out, you won't be able to handle it, and you'll be wasting such good hardware."
Aha! So that's where the problem is!!
The eloquent customer looked sincerely at [Shu], who had quietly walked over, his tone extremely genuine.
"Really, consider it. Hire a few reliable, official employees.
"Even if you just hire one or two at first, to help watch the shop, manage the stock, and make some simple drinks, to free yourselves from these daily chores. Only then will you have the energy to think about how to make this shop better and more unique.
"And I don't think you're short on money. This shop... it's clear you have 'ambition.' Tsk tsk, don't waste it."
The two "Stelles" had their eyes wide open, showing the same "looking at a master" expression as the fans before.
An immortal is showing the way!
We'll smash all of this tomorrow!