Convenience Store Worker From Another World Chapter 73

Episode 73. Spiritual Consultation Convenience Store (2)

Fortunately or unfortunately, there were so many hamburger wastes that they were left to rot. They had to sell them or not until customers came.

What was really unfortunate was that most of the discarded burgers contained onions.

Most types of onions, including onions, are toxic and, if they enter a dog’s body, they dissolve its red blood cells. The poisoning takes effect more quickly in small dogs.

This guy has regenerative abilities, so I thought his red blood cells would recover quickly, but I thought it was no different from bungee jumping a pig out of curiosity. So I took them out one by one.

The dog, who was watching my handiwork, said:

“Boss. I know that you need to eat a variety of foods to grow taller. So, it’s okay.”

“If you eat this, you won’t grow, you’ll die, Inma… .”

Strictly speaking, it doesn’t kill you, but it does cause anemia, convulsions, vomiting, diarrhea, and other symptoms. This is because the poison is weak. So unless this guy destroys an onion farm, it won’t go to the goal… .

“Oh my god, is that cyanide…?”

“It’s similar.”

I told him that since he wouldn’t be able to eat it anyway, he shouldn’t even think about it. After flipping the patty and lettuce over and checking the onions, I put it in front of the puppy.

“Just eat. Let me wash my hands for a moment.”

The puppy hesitated for a moment this time, but after a while, he closed his eyes tightly and bit into the hamburger bun.

While I was chewing on it, I did what I had to do. First, I washed my hands… .

Next is where this guy will sleep. He can’t sleep on the bare floor.

A cushion would fit this guy perfectly, but the only cushions in the store are the ones they sell. After thinking about it for a moment, I took out the coat I wore to work from inside the office.

After spreading it out on the counter and rolling it up, I found that it had a solid donut shape. After that, I took the pad out, placed it on the stand, and left it in an appropriate location.

When I looked at the dog after finishing, it was still half-eaten. There were no pedestrians on the street, and no cars were running. There would be no reason for a complaint to be made about a dog being in the store.

“Hey, I’m going to make a quick phone call.”

“Is Jeongha Mang-i?”

“uh.”

Shouldn’t I be the one asking for permission? This guy calls me boss boss, but I’m not the boss here.

I went outside, took a sip of pollen, and sent a quick message to the store manager.

[ Can I talk to you? ]

I was going to wait a minute and close the call if there was no reply, but then I got a call. As soon as I picked up, I immediately apologized.

“Sorry for being late, manager.”

“No, Chan-ah. I couldn’t sleep either, so I was just rolling around.”

“You can’t sleep?”

“When I close my eyes, I keep thinking about the sales receipt.”

I also just saw the sales figures when I got to work. Today’s business was completely empty. It was a natural course of action since the number of people outside was reduced to curfew levels.

“I thought this might happen, so I brought a can of beer… I should’ve brought two.”

“If I were the store manager, I think I would have been furious.”

“haha….”

I could feel the sorrow of a small business owner in his weak smile. When the store manager sighed faintly, I swallowed my words for a moment. After a while, the store manager asked.

“Are you calling because of that ghost puppy?”

“Yes. I thought you might be curious.”

The store manager wanted to see her face.

After first saying that we met in front of the main gate, I told him about my dog’s adventures as honestly as I could. After a while, the store manager said this.

“It’s like a really depressing documentary….”

“Well, you get paid for a documentary after filming is over.”

Minimum 50 per round, maximum 80. If he was getting paid that much to do that, he could at least eat hamburgers without any worries.

“And this is just my personal opinion… I think he’s a little depressed right now.”

“melancholia?”

The store manager asked back, but I couldn’t help but think, Was there even one bit of hopeful news among all the things he told me?

There was none. I was concerned that this guy, who was extremely reluctant to owe me anything, didn’t even consider what I would think when he actually told me his story.

So I thought about it and the answer came to me quickly. It’s not that I didn’t consider it, it’s that I can’t. It’s that I don’t have the time in my heart.

“When I fed him kimbap before, he refused to eat it twice, but this time he ate it as soon as I gave it to him. I could be overreacting, but…”

It is a situation that is difficult to determine.

Because there is nothing more dangerous than treating someone who doesn’t have depression as if they do. If you do that, you might realize, “Oh, I was depressed,” and actually become depressed.

“But isn’t it difficult to recognize depression on your own?”

“What I mean is.”

At least the early symptoms are showing: low self-esteem.

When he was trampled while trying to help the stray dog, the dog said, “I don’t know what would have changed without me.” If he didn’t really think that, he wouldn’t have said something like that.

“I was concerned about that, so I wanted to ask the store manager something.”

“What kind?”

“That… That guy is a spirit. There must be a way to make him realize his talents on his own, or for someone to teach him directly…”

If it’s really a lack of self-esteem, the cause is clear. It’s because as a stray dog, you have nothing to boast about.

A small dog at two years old, he has only been a stray for three weeks. His fighting ability is beyond compare. I think he is special because he can speak and recover quickly, but that’s because I am human…

It’s a talent that’s not useful for acting like a stray dog. So if you learn a talent that can be used for that job, wouldn’t that solve your lack of self-esteem to some extent?

I have this thought, but I actually don’t know anything.

“The store manager also told me about my constitution, so… that… yes.”

While asking the question, I became speechless and stopped talking.

If you don’t have the ability, it’s right to not interfere at all, but why are you calling the person who pays your salary in the middle of the night and asking him something?

The store manager was silent for a moment, then slowly said this.

“… First of all, I don’t think my opinion will be of much help to him… .”

But the store manager took it seriously.

“I think it would be more certain to look into the case of a similar spirit rather than me.”

“Uh… Are you talking about something like a phoenix?”

“Yeah. The talents that spirits possess aren’t exactly magic, even if the results look similar.”

“If it’s not magic, then what is it?”

“Something that uses mana, but isn’t magic.”

So, it is a field for spiritualists rather than magicians, but it is said to be so difficult that even these scholars have not been able to produce any significant results for decades. It seems to be treated similarly to a platypus.

So, the store manager’s opinion was that going to a spiritualist wouldn’t be of much help, and it would be much better to ask someone in the same industry.

“I could tell you how to use mana, but… that wouldn’t be of much help.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. I think you’re already doing well. It’s not like someone taught you how to speak or heal wounds.”

So this doesn’t work either, and it’s also ambiguous to teach basic magic… You need to be able to draw a magic circle. In other words, you need to have hands.

But that guy only has two front legs. And he can’t dip them in ink and knead them.

In this situation, at least he himself can do nothing.

“I think that even if we can’t communicate with each other, we can feel something just by looking at each other…”

The store manager added as if he was sorry.

“Sorry, Chan-ah. I guess I can’t be of much help… .”

“Not at all.”

Let’s look at another example of a spirit. I didn’t have this idea until I heard it from the store manager.

I remember the store manager saying that there was a phoenix in the zoo ten bus stops away. I could try to sneak a word to him to go there.

Even if you don’t have money, if you find a hole and sneak in, you won’t have to pay an entrance fee. Even if you get caught by the staff, if you turn your stomach over once, won’t they think you’re cute?

“I’ll say it like the store manager said.”

“Yeah. And what else? Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

“Uh… It’s not that I’m curious, but there’s something I wanted to ask.”

Actually, that’s why I called. I brought that guy inside the store, but he said he has no place to go, so I’m going to let him sleep in the store overnight. Is that okay?

“Is that kid shedding?”

“They said they aren’t doing it now.”

“Then it’s okay. If that kid leaves, I think I’ll have a hard time sleeping.”

It’s okay. That concludes my immediate business, and I need to end the call now…

It always feels awkward to just finish what I said and hang up the phone. While I was choosing what to say, the store manager spoke quietly first.

“Chan-ah.”

“Yes, store manager.”

“I’m starting to get sleepy. Can I go to bed?”

“Uh… yes. Of course.”

“Then I’ll go to bed. Take care. Work hard.”

And then it was cut off. Why does the back of my head feel itchy?

As I entered the store, scratching my head, I saw a puppy sitting there with a hamburger wrapper in its mouth.

“Why are you asking that?”

“I can’t seem to find the trash can right now. I was trying to at least clean up where I ate….”

“Give it to me.”

The trash can is not visible because it is covered by a curtain. Even if it had known, it would not have been able to throw it away because its legs are short.

I took it and threw it in the trash can, then picked up the puppy and sat it down in the seat I had made earlier.

“Hey. Since I got permission, let’s watch the news now.”

“Allow? Wasn’t the boss the boss?”

“There’s an ambassador above me, and I have to ask his permission to buy you a hamburger. I also told you that you can speak.”

“…Tea, really?”

I can see that he is worried. After sitting him down, he turned on the pad and added right away.

“I’m sorry for reporting it after the fact… but nothing bad has happened so far, right? He’s the type of person who won’t cause any trouble in the future either.”

“Is that so…?”

“Yes. He’s the one who told me you were a spirit… Since you’re a good person, show him your face during the day. You’re not going to live your whole life as Dokgo Da-i.”

I’m not here half the day, which means there’s a limit to how much I can take care of.

If there’s someone who can take care of this guy when I’m not around, I’ll be able to sleep less restlessly.

“It seems like the president really trusts the ambassador.”

“Quite a lot. Be quiet for a moment so I can listen to the news.”

I manipulated the screen and pressed the most recent news recording. The 10 o’clock news from two hours ago. This was the first news.

[I will tell you the latest news about pollen. Most stores are closed due to this pollen proliferation incident, and large parks and zoos are no exception―]

What is this?

When I looked, it was like this. Pollen is spreading slightly, if not completely, in places a dozen kilometers away from the park, and even that slight amount is fatal to the respiratory tract of immature infants, or something like that.

Then, an empty zoo and a large park flashed across the screen, and when I paused, I saw something that looked like a huge wooden pole. The pole was burnt in places.

That looks like the place where that phoenix eats and lives, but why is it so empty? Did it run away because it hates pollen?

“Boss. Is something wrong?”

“No, I don’t have any….”

If this is the case, I can’t even suggest going to the zoo. It would be a waste of time.

The dog looked bewildered, but he watched the news anyway. Anyway, most places were closed and wouldn’t open until the quarantine was over.

[ Quarantine began at 9 p.m. today. As of one hour later, only some areas in the southern part of the park have been quarantined―]

“They said quarantine measures have already started?”

“That’s really fortunate. Do you happen to know when it will end?”

[ … A city official stated that this quarantine will take at least 5 days and up to about a week. ]

“They say it takes 5 to 7 days… .”

Isn’t it taking too long?

The reporter and news announcer must have had the same thought, as they began to talk like this with the screen split in half.

[ … Reporter, can you tell us exactly how quarantine is carried out? ]

[ … Yes. Quarantine will be carried out over the next few days, during the night when there are few people and the temperature is low. Also, due to concerns about the side effects of strong quarantine substances, it will be carried out in an environmentally friendly manner, without using magic as much as possible― ]

Doing it at night is fine. You don’t have to go out. But what about eco-friendly?

Anyway, if you look at it as quarantine, it’s probably just dispatching a few disinfectant trucks and sending them out on the streets. You won’t be mopping the outside walls of buildings yourself, and you won’t be scraping the floor with a gum-removing rag.

The white gas emitted by the fart truck is harmful to the body, but it is not very harmful. I know this because I used to follow the fart truck around every summer vacation in elementary school.

“A fart car? Is there such a car in the world?”

“Well, maybe not?”

I don’t know how quarantine is done in this world, but at least the cars I’ve seen so far don’t look much different from the cars I used to live in. There were even 1-ton trucks among them.

So, wouldn’t there be enough fart trucks? While I was thinking that, the news was nearing its conclusion.

[ ―Therefore, disinfection is planned for the entire street, so we recommend that you refrain from going out as much as possible until further notice. That is all. ]

After that, the replay icon appeared. I turned off the pad screen and spoke to the puppy.

“That’s right.”

“… Hmm, that’s too bad… .”

The puppy muttered, folding his ears down. It was as if he had been told to remain a beggar for five days straight, so it was worth it.

Plus, I’m starting to feel a little gloomy. I was going to tell him that it might help if he met the same spirit, but the only one I knew where he lived ran away.

I could still tell you to meet a spirit, but I can’t think of anywhere else besides a zoo. What, an aquarium? A botanical garden?

“hmm….”

– Booooo… .

I can hear a low, exhaust-like sound from outside the store. Isn’t that the sound of a truck?

– Booooooo.

“Boss. Did you hear that sound just now?”

“I heard it. It’s exactly the sound of a fart.”

This unique sound can only be produced by a van. It seems like a real van is driving around.

“Hey, Puppy. Let’s go out for a bit and get some fresh air.”

I’ll take a look while I’m at it. I’m curious about that eco-friendly quarantine thing, and this doggy asked me what a fart car is, so I’ll answer.

I was happy too. Maybe it was because I haven’t seen a snail car much since I was little.

I put him down in my arms, and the puppy followed me without saying anything. I opened the front door and went outside… .

There isn’t even a single car, let alone a dump truck.

Instead, there is something strange in the sky far away.

After staring at it for a long time, I was finally able to guess what that strange thing was.

“Yes, sir.”

“why.”

“What the heck is that huge thing? Is that the, the fart truck?”

“That’s not it… .”

Whale. A whale is flying in the sky.