Before stepping into the Principal's office, he had requested Shikuro to escort Corazon to a hair salon for a complete makeover. Corazon's current appearance was driving people away, and there was no need for him to maintain this peculiar makeup solely to please someone.
With a persona resembling that of the joker and a disdain for children, he had previously rejected any kids from joining Doflamingo's crew. However, now that he no longer faced such restrictions, it was in his best interest to transform himself into a normal citizen.
After their brief conversation, Aoto returned home and resumed his usual routine of setting up the shop, all the while studying the intricacies of Eldritch Magic. The Academy was closed for a few days due to the New Year, granting Shikuro some much-needed personal time.
Meanwhile, Winry and Edward were fully engrossed in the library and didn't emerge, but the rest of the group had responsibilities to attend to, including Aoto himself. After receiving his new makeover, Corazon rejoined them at the shop, emanating a newfound handsomeness and towering height.
His blond hair stood out among the crowd, and without the makeup, his face exuded a masculine charm. Coupled with his impressive stature, Corazon had the ability to make any woman's heart flutter at the mere sight of him.
"Now you look much better. Go on in," Aoto commented as he observed Corazon making his way through the store. Corazon nodded in agreement, and alongside Shikuro, he ventured into the library. With the opening of the new shops imminent, their free time would soon be greatly diminished.
Several days had elapsed since the first sale, and Aoto busied himself with organizing the shop. The computer sales were steadily increasing as the Hidden Rain village not only manufactured computer parts but also purchased them from Konoha.
Konoha experienced a similar trend. Many people had spotted the spreadsheet feature displayed on Aoto's shop desk, KFC, and Victoria's Secret, arousing curiosity among shopkeepers about this new technology.
Word spread, and as a result, numerous households began saving money to acquire these computers. Even the new medical school started incorporating computers into their work. Aoto was well aware of the sales figures, as profits were distributed monthly. With each passing month, he not only sold a greater number of Windows 98 computers but also reaped profits from their sales, considering he was one of the investors and the visionary behind their design.
In truth, the reason Aoto could afford to purchase nearby plots and shops was due to the computer sales and the substantial earnings he garnered when he sold Palicos. He had managed to sell each Palicos at a price three times higher than the system's value, accumulating a considerable fortune that could only be expended on acquiring lands and shops.
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Fortunately, after a week, they obtained a shop situated slightly away from the main shopping district. Aoto wasted no time and promptly paid the full amount. The shop was pristine, with everything in order.
"Sorry, Grandma, you'll have to walk here every day," Aoto remarked as he escorted her to see the new shop.
"Well, at least I'll find some peace here, away from all the noise at your KFC. Kids really do make quite a racket," Pinako responded. Aoto was certain she said this to spare his feelings. Later, out of guilt, he mentioned that he planned to appoint someone else to manage the shop, but Pinako refused, claiming that no other upstanding individual in society would take charge of the shop.
Only once the shop became established and routine would Aoto be able to find a suitable person to oversee its maintenance.
Upon arriving at the shop, which was already immaculate with tinted windows and doors, Aoto began arranging the items on the shelves. The process of designing the shop took a week to complete because he wanted the shop to have a unique appearance compared to the others. Pinako also lent a hand in organizing everything after Aoto started to arrange things.
"Grandma, starting tomorrow, we're opening the shop," Aoto announced. Pinako nodded.
"Ed and Winry mentioned they would come for the grand opening," Aoto added.
"These kids... I had hoped to keep it away from them," Pinako sighed.
"They're not kids anymore. They're adults," Aoto replied.
"To me, all of you will always be like children," Pinako said as she lit her pipe, a gift from Hiruzen, who seemed to have found solace in her companionship due to their shared age and love for smoking.
He had shown up one day in Aoto's shop congratulating him for the good sales of computers, but when she saw Pinako smoking at the side of the shop in her pipe, he stopped and started talking with her instead. The next day, he came again and now with a new pipe and quite an exclusive one at that.
Pinako liked the gift and thus they both had started spending time with each other once in a while.
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The next day
Winry, Edward, John, Arya and Corazon had shown up in the first day of the shop's opening. The shop was named Konoha's adult store.
The shop items had always been a mystery to them since Aoto and Pinako refused to speak about the items in the shop and kept everything in secret. Thus their cursorily was at it's peak as they stepped into the new shop, the air was filled with an unusual energy. Shelves were lined with an array of curious objects and intriguing contraptions, leaving even the seasoned adventurers momentarily bewildered. Winry's eyes widened as she took in the peculiar sights, her mechanical aptitude momentarily eclipsed by a lack of familiarity.
"Grandma, what is all this stuff? It looks so...strange. What are these...things?" Winry stumbled on her words as she asked. She unable to make out what these items were.
"Ah, my dear Winry, welcome to the realm of adult novelties. These are items meant for, um, personal enjoyment and exploration." Pinako said with a straight face, not embarrassed at all, while chuckling.