Convenience Store Worker From Another World Chapter 125

Episode 125. It was okay when you came in, but when you left (3)

* * *

After that, we just chatted for three minutes until the taxi arrived.

[ Are you really not tired? ]

[ It’s okay, stop asking, this is already the fourth time ]

[ still ]

[ Doing it again ]

I can’t sleep right now anyway. Even if I get to the hotel right away, I’ll probably just roll around in bed for a few hours to sort out the complicated thoughts in my head.

I thought that rather than wasting time like that, wouldn’t it be better to meet someone who needed me for a bit? If they knew I stayed up all night and still wanted to meet, then it must be because it’s important…

[ Don’t bother coming to me. I was planning on taking a taxi to somewhere anyway. ]

I didn’t want to say anything about becoming a refugee, so I made up a story, but Ms. Elena immediately sent me a question message.

[ Where? ]

I cut out the address from the hotel photo and sent it to you, and after a while, I received good news.

[ Wow, it’s a 6 minute walk ]

[ Huh ]

[ I live nearby ]

There is an officetel complex between the academy district and the hotel, and I commute to and from work from that officetel or something.

Just as I was about to reply, I heard the sound of a car exhaust from afar. I checked and saw that there was a taxi sign on.

[There is a cafe nearby that I often go to]

[ The coffee is delicious ]

[ Then I’ll meet you there, please give me your address ]

[ I need to take a taxi now. It’ll probably take about 40 minutes ]

[ Yes, I will be getting ready right away ]

[ See you later ]

[ yep ]

That was the end of the conversation. I opened the back seat of the taxi that stopped in front of the bus stop, took out my money, and made eye contact with the taxi driver. It was a middle-aged elf. No, why of all people… .

“Where are you going?”

What? Why don’t you tell me the truth?

I realized it after thinking about it. I’m not wearing my uniform right now. I immediately took out my phone and showed him the address. He just stared blankly and pressed the navigation button while saying,

“It’ll be about twelve thousand won. Cash?”

“Yes. Cash.”

“Fasten your belts. Let’s go.”

* * *

I just stared out the window the whole time I was in the taxi. The taxi driver did say a few words every now and then, but…

“What’s so strange about what’s outside that you’re staring at so intently?”

“No. I feel motion sickness.”

I was just wandering around. I wasn’t really getting motion sickness. There were a few things that were really strange. For example, when I was just leaving the city and crossing the bridge.

A rainbow shaped like an oriental dragon was floating over the river. Not a rainbow-colored dragon, but a rainbow dragon. Beneath it was a large underwater fountain.

At first, I thought I was hallucinating because I was sleepy, but whenever the force of the fountain’s water changed, it would open its mouth and roar, and it would even form a circle around the fountain…

Then, as the water suddenly stopped flowing, it disappeared, but as the fountain began to spurt water again, it rose into the sky as if ascending from the bottom of the river.

At this point the taxi driver spoke to me again.

“Is this your first time in this city?”

I thought for a moment and then answered.

“Yes. This is my first time.”

It’s been a month. This is my first time coming out here.

“Ah. So you’re a nobleman who came from a rural area.”

This old man speaks so nicely. But since the conversation has started, I thought I might as well ask one or two things I was curious about, so I opened my mouth.

“Why is that dragon out there doing that?”

“Why are you doing that? It’s almost June.”

“It’s June so that’s what happens?”

“It’s June and it’s hot, so they’re opening the fountain. Is there any other reason?”

I was about to ask more, but I stopped myself. Anyway, I thought it wasn’t wrong.

Instead, I looked toward the park in the distance, and just like the taxi driver said, there were a few more things you would only see in the summer: duck boats, banana boats, and the like.

I was just staring at it, thinking it was somewhat normal, when suddenly the duck boat raised its beak in the sky and started squawking. What the heck was that?

The two-person banana boat began to peel itself open to increase the number of passengers it could accommodate. After looking around, I asked.

“It seems like there aren’t many customers.”

“Where are the crazy guys who ride boats in these times? They’re all busy working and staying home.”

“Is it because of the gate?”

“Well, that’s right. Why do guests stay at this hotel? For sightseeing?”

“No, that’s not it. I just came for a moment because something came up.”

“What unlucky thing. Why did it have to come up at this time of all times?”

I think so. If this location were my world, it would be around a major bridge in Seoul. The riverside road in front and behind the major bridge is always packed with cars, and there are always people running or walking in the park.

However, there are hardly any cars on the bridge or along the riverside road. There are no other species in the park at all. On one side, there are more than a dozen electric kickboards lined up.

This wasn’t the scene I had imagined either. I got stuck at a traffic light at the end of the bridge, and the taxi driver who was waiting for the signal blurted out,

“If it weren’t for the gate, there would have been a lot to see.”

“… That’s right.”

“Even if you’re bored, please bear with it. We’ve arrived at our destination.”

* * *

After another 15 minutes, the meter stopped moving. I checked this now, but the horse had a horn on its head. It must have been a unicorn.

“If you cross the street here, you’ll reach your destination. Should we go further?”

“No, I’ll go myself.”

“It’s 14,000 won.”

It was because the 100 won bill matched exactly. After paying 20,000 won and receiving 6,000 won in change, I stared at the address written on my phone and headed to my destination.

I arrived after walking for about 5 minutes along a street crowded with pedestrians, but the building was a bit strange.

“her.”

It’s so weird that it makes me laugh out loud. So, a kettle?

It was a strangely shaped building that looked like a large, erected kettle that was about 600 years old. Looking at the color of the exterior, it looked like porcelain rather than brick.

I touched the outer wall just in case, and it was really porcelain. If the building was meant to be a cafe and the exterior was made of porcelain teapots, what on earth would a noodle restaurant look like?

As I sat at a nearby outdoor table and pondered this problem for about five minutes, I heard a voice from a distance.

“Mr. Chani!”

When I looked up, I saw Ms. Elena waving her hand loudly from the pedestrian direction. I nodded slightly, and she came running at a brisk pace, taking shallow breaths.

Perhaps because she wasn’t stopping by on her way to or from work like usual, she wasn’t wearing a suit, but a blouse with a ribbon on the chest. I’m glad I went to work yesterday wearing jeans and a shirt.

“Sorry to keep you waiting!”

“No, I just got here. By the way… .”

“yes?”

“Your clothes suit you well. Your shoes too.”

I felt like I had to say it, so I did.

I’m single and have never met a woman outside of work, but in this situation, I felt like I had to bring up clothing first.

But is what I’m saying right now? That’s what they say in dramas and movies. Miss Elena seemed flustered, her voice slightly raised.

“Oh. Really? I just came out wearing whatever I wanted!”

“If that’s the case, then why am I the only one doing that? I’m just wearing jeans and a shirt… .”

“No! Not at all. I think it’s the first time I’ve seen Chan-i not wearing his uniform.”

“Now that I think about it, that’s true. It’s really a strange situation.”

“That’s right. That’s amazing…”

It’s a strange situation in many ways. When I came to my world to look for a part-time job, I never thought I’d be walking outside like this and meeting this succubus outside… .

“… … .”

“… Ah, um.”

There was no word between us for a moment. Since we had already met, I asked to lighten the mood a bit like at a convenience store.

“I’m talking about this place. Do all the cafes around here look similar? This is my first time seeing them.”

At this question, Miss Elena looked momentarily puzzled, then answered, “Ah.”

“This is a concept cafe, Chan-i. It looks really unique.”

“If it’s a concept cafe, I guess you’re talking about something with an interior that looks like a warehouse or a bank.”

“Yes. This place has an old-fashioned magic potion workshop concept, so I came here because I was curious.”

This already amazing place is becoming even more amazing. What is the concept of a magic potion workshop?

“I came here and tried Americano, and the coffee tasted really good.”

“Okay, then. Go in… No, why is the doorknob shaped like this?”

On the medieval wooden door, there was a crooked wooden handle. I creaked open the door and went inside, and the interior was even more bizarre than the exterior.

First of all, the cups on the counter weren’t coffee cups. They were all potion bottles. There was a chandelier on the ceiling, and the stairs leading up to the second floor were spiral staircases.

In addition, there were several tree trunks that had grown through the floor tiles and covered the ceiling, and judging by the indifferent expression on the barista’s face instead of running away immediately, it seemed like this was an intentional interior design.

By the way, I don’t know what species that barista is. A tree? Isn’t that a living tree?

Finally, the coffee machine is occupied by some strange things. Flasks, tripod candles, and other things that look like they could be used to make potions right away.

“To this extent… .”

I think it’s almost like they’ve been caught up in the concept. If this trend continues, it seems like they’ll even be handing out Americano in a potion bottle.

“It really is like a magic potion workshop. Oh, Mr. Chan, what would you like to drink?”

“Can’t I just decline?”

“No, I always received it from Chan-i!”

“What is that…?”

“Please don’t do that. Let me buy one too. Okay?”

“… Then, I would like an Americano, large size, please.”

To be honest, my throat was a little sore. Ms. Elena nodded at my words, ran over, ordered two cups of coffee, and came back.

After that, she sat down at a nearby table. As soon as she sat down, Elena took out a tablet PC from her handbag.

“I told you I would see you this morning for work, Chan-i.”

“yes.”

“That’s because the higher-ups were actually very satisfied. It would have taken about two weeks for other half-magicians to do the work, but thanks to Chan-i, it was done very quickly.”

This is the best news I’ve heard in the past few days. Anyway, Elena Yang’s superiors at the company were very positive about the results of my work, but what do you do at times like this?

“That’s it, that’s it… .”

“yes.”

“… Mr. Chan, could we possibly work together on other things later?”

I think I heard from my superiors that I should advise them to ‘catch that guy~’. At first I wondered why they were talking so much, and I guess that was the reason.

“I asked you… so…”

“It’s a bit like that over the phone, so you wanted to meet up and talk about it?”

“yes….”

He answered right away.

“It doesn’t matter to me.”

I think I can do this kind of potion thing pretty well. You said my results were good. I don’t know much about it, but since you’re an expert, I guess it’s right.

Anyway, I have to keep working even after I’ve met my two quotas for this month, and I think it’s better to do it with a different race that I can communicate well with, since I’m going to do it anyway.

In this case, Ms. Elena. She opened her eyes slightly wide, as if she didn’t know I would answer right away. She added after speaking.

“But there is a condition. If I finish this job well, you can ask me again then.”

“yes?”

“Well, you don’t know what the future holds, right?”

The first meeting with the potion went well, but there’s no guarantee that the next one will go just as well.

I caught one more and proceeded with it, but let’s say I was the one who set it up. If that happens, it’s obvious that Miss Elena will be in an awkward position.

I won’t be held directly responsible for capturing the half-wizard as ordered by my superiors, but… I guess I’ll have to stay in hiding at the company for a while.

I don’t like that. I think so, but I can’t say it because it seems like I’m just embellishing things. I just muddled it together.

“Since this work isn’t over yet, let’s finish it all and think about it. Until then, I’ll always keep my schedule clear, and please tell me that I’m willing and thinking positively.”

“… Yes. I’m sorry, Chan-i.”

“I’m really sorry for saying that so often. I don’t care, it’s just work. But how exactly did what I did before turn out so well?”

I asked to change the subject. In response to my question, Ms. Elena took out a tablet PC from her bag, then took out the bottle of potion I had seen before and placed it on the table.

“Did you bring this out? From the lab?”

“Yes. Since I’m in charge of it, I asked the director separately. Chan-i’s schedule isn’t always free, so I want to make the schedule a bit more flexible.”

So I gave them a lot of preservation magic every month, and because of that, the budget went up a bit. I think it’s my turn to feel sorry this time.

“Based on what you’ve seen before, we’ve increased the stability a bit, and during the meeting, we had the idea of adding other effects. This is the addition of those effects.”

“Oh, really? What kind of effect?”

When asked, Miss Elena put down the vial and answered.

“The power of being honest with yourself.”