Reborn As A Beastman With A System

"Step right up! Hot, steaming buns, bursting with exotic flavors!" the vendor's booming voice echoed down the bustling street, drawing the attention of a diverse crowd.

A curious customer, eyes wide with intrigue, approached the stall. "Excuse me, how much for one of these delicious buns?"

The vendor, wiping his hands on a flour-dusted apron, pointed towards a rustic wooden board propped up against the cart. "The prices are all listed right there. Please, take a moment to read them before you make your choice!"

Peering at the board, the customer recited slowly, "Standard buns are two copper coins each, but if you fancy something special, the first-level soft-bone rabbit buns go for five copper coins. And if you're really adventurous, the second-level knife-horn venison buns are ten copper coins each." A group of orc customers, their ears perked in interest, nodded approvingly as they scanned the board.

Just a few hundred meters from the opulent Kasha Hotel, the Jifu Bun Shop stood as a culinary beacon, with a line of eager orc customers that seemed to grow longer by the minute. The shop, a recent addition to the neighborhood, had quickly become a hive of activity, attracting more patrons each day.

Inside, the air was warm and inviting. "Master, let me handle the counter for a while. You look like you could use a break," Logan suggested, handing a steaming bun to a burly bull-headed patron while a Beastmen customer waited his turn.

"Sounds good to me!" Logan agreed, his face glistening with the morning's labor. He retreated to the quieter sanctity of the back kitchen.

"Are we out of buns already?" inquired a wolf-eared girl, her vibrant red hair contrasting with the white flour that dusted her face like snow.

"Not just yet," Logan replied with a weary but warm smile, brushing the flour from her cheeks tenderly. This girl was Jane, who had become not only his companion but also his business partner.

It had been a whirlwind half month since Jane had decided to transform her lifelong dream into reality. Previously the manager of the now-defunct Kasha Hotel, Jane had faced setbacks but remained undeterred. Inspired by the unique buns Logan had introduced her to, reminiscent of the flavors from his past life, she proposed they start their own bun shop.

Logan, having ample free time and a desire to support Jane's ambitions, readily agreed. Thus, Wolf Bun Shop was born, staffed by a loyal crew of Beastmen maids and servants from Jane's personal connections.

"Take it easy, Jane. The team will bake more. What's the rush?" Logan chided playfully as he picked up one of her less-than-perfectly-shaped buns. "Besides, these are a bit on the... unique side, don't you think?"

His comment drew a stifled giggle from the Beastmen maids busily shaping dough nearby. They glanced at each other, amusement twinkling in their eyes as they observed their boss's culinary experiments, none of which resembled the traditional round buns.

In the wolf Bun Shop, the scent of fresh bread mingled with the laughter and chatter of its patrons, a testament to a dream realized and a partnership strengthened with each bun sold.

"Crafting buns is actually quite straightforward," Logan mused aloud, his tone laced with bafflement. "I just don't understand why it seems so elusive for my dear lady!"

Jane, holding a distinctly misshapen bun, turned to him with a defiant smile. "Is it ugly? I think it looks charming in its own way!"

Logan examined the bun, its uneven edges somehow endearing. "Well, it certainly has... character!"

"Unique," he added with emphasis, nodding more from obligation than agreement.

It was no secret why he was being so diplomatic; Jane had stealthily stepped on his foot, a gentle but firm reminder to keep his critiques friendly.

Jane's eyes twinkled mischievously as she lifted her foot off his, her voice playful. "That's more like it! As long as the filling stays inside, it doesn't matter if the bun is round, square, or flat!"

"You do have a point," Logan conceded, managing to stifle a chuckle. Jane had a knack for justifying her culinary creations, one inventive reason after another.

A more serious tone crept into his voice as he considered their venture. "Do you really see yourself running this bun shop long-term?" Logan asked earnestly. He knew Jane was formidable, a fifth-level strongwoman, yet her enthusiasm for baking seemed to surpass even her physical prowess.

Jane had been at the shop from dawn each day, tirelessly shaping dough for hours. It was a passion that puzzled Logan; he had initially thought it was a fleeting hobby.

"Well, didn't you mention just a few days ago that we should expand to a chain?" Jane responded, her gaze steady. When they first opened the shop, Logan had offhandedly suggested franchising throughout Canyon City to spark some excitement in her.

Her interest had piqued then, and now she clung to the idea of a chain model, which Logan had only proposed to keep her spirits high. He hadn't anticipated her taking the suggestion to heart.

"And do you know how much we made yesterday?" Jane asked, a triumphant grin spreading across her face.

"How much?"

Logan's question was playful, but Jane was all business. "Yesterday alone, we sold 8,900 buns, bringing in 57,660 copper coins."

Logan's eyes widened in disbelief. He had missed yesterday's bustling sales as he was aiding the local winery. The day before, they had sold over 3,000 buns, but the revenue from yesterday nearly tripled.

"That's about 5.5 gold coins," Jane calculated aloud. "Imagine, if we had ten such shops, we'd be looking at dozens of gold coins daily, thousands monthly."

Logan was momentarily speechless. The prospect of such earnings was staggering. With their Silver Mane Tribe expanding rapidly, from a few thousand orcs to over 10,000, the financial strain was mounting. Jane wasn't just dreaming; she was planning strategically for their future.

Her vision of expanding the humble bun shop into a lucrative chain could be the solution they desperately needed. Logan realized then that Jane's passion for buns wasn't just about the baking—it was her way of securing a prosperous future for their tribe.

As she stood amidst the bustling bun shop, her eyes surveyed the thriving business that had sprung from her own hands—a venture born not just out of ambition but as a salve for past humiliations. The burgeoning revenues whispered promises of redemption and support, burdens she willingly shouldered for the betterment of her tribe.

She, after all, was to be the chieftain's consort.

Logan, her future husband, watched in silent astonishment. His world had never revolved around the humble bun, yet here he was, witnessing its unsuspected potential.

"Ten stores!" he exclaimed under his breath. "Thousands of gold coins monthly? There truly is gold in the most unexpected places!" But his wonder was not unfounded—the buns commanded a hefty price, a soft-bone rabbit filling fetching ten copper coins while a pound of white wheat cost only slightly more.

Canyon City's populace, comprising mostly of affluent mercenaries, cunning thieves, and savvy merchants, certainly had the means to indulge.

"If this is your wish, I stand with you," Logan declared, admiration lighting his gaze as he looked at Jane. How could he ignore the lure of a business spinning thousands of gold coins each month?

Jane, her eyes glowing with determination, nodded. "I've already scouted a location for a second shop. The simplicity of the bun-making process means we can start almost immediately."

In a tender gesture, Logan caressed her cheek, sealing his support with a kiss on her forehead.

Jane's smile was radiant, a simple joy blooming as she returned to her craft.

Outside the kitchen, the shop thrummed with activity. A dozen Beastmen servants bustled about, managing the flood of customers.

Just as Logan stepped forward to lend a hand, a voice called him from the street.

"It's Tyton," he muttered, weaving through the crowd to the doorway where Tyton hurried toward him, urgency in his whisper.

"Someone wishes to see you," Tyton reported, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

Logan raised an eyebrow. "The big wine merchants again? I've already turned them away repeatedly."

"No, not this time," Tyton corrected. "It's representatives from the Windrunner Chamber of Commerce, elves."

Logan paused, a flicker of recognition crossing his features. "Elves, from the Windrunner Chamber? Why would they seek me out?"

Tidon shrugged, his gaze drifting over the sea of patrons. "Seems everyone has a taste for your buns, though personally, I find them just passable."

Logan chuckled, the intrigue of the unexpected visit mingling with the day's surprises. "Let's see what they want then," he decided, stepping out to meet the new mystery head-on.