Convenience Store Worker From Another World Chapter 138

Episode 138. Regular Customer Assembly (1)

* * *

When the store manager comes to work, she wears a light brown cardigan similar to her hair color and a skirt that goes up slightly above her knees. She came out wearing almost the same thing today.

He was dressed in a plain manner, no different from usual, but today, the manager’s expression felt particularly strange. This was because his clothes were not wet, not even a drop of moisture.

Standing there calmly as if nothing had happened amidst the scattered goods everywhere, it looks mysterious if you exaggerate a little. What kind of magic did he work in this weather that even a raincoat couldn’t handle?

I didn’t say it out loud, but the store manager smiled and answered.

“I came here via teleportation. I’ll take care of it.”

“Ugh… .”

“But I’m the only one who’s neat and tidy, so I’m a bit self-conscious. Do you want to loosen up for a bit?”

As soon as I nodded my head after releasing my disposition, the store manager raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.

At the same time, the damp feeling I had on my body disappeared without a trace, and my clothes became lighter. All the other guests besides me felt the same.

After that, he put both hands in his cardigan pockets, looked at me with an incredibly bright expression, and spoke.

“I’m invincible today, Chan-ah.”

“That’s great news. But how invincible exactly are you today?”

“You were invincible twice just now, so now seven?”

When asked about the time, he answered with a number. If I just understand the context, it seems like he used magic once to teleport and once to remove moisture from the clothes in the store…?

Anyway, being invincible is good, but why is it invincible nine times in particular?

I briefly thought of the red map, but didn’t ask any further questions. Everything except the state of the store, the behavior of the regular customers, and the store manager’s attire was a mess.

Where should I start to deal with this? While I was thinking about it, my older sister next to me called out to the store manager in a mumbling tone.

“Sister.”

It was a heavy voice I had never heard before. The store manager answered with a slightly less cheerful face.

“Yoon-ha, you look a lot more tired than when I saw you this morning.”

“Can I talk to you for a minute, Unnie?”

“Of course. But before that, I need to give the officer a rest.”

My sister nodded and looked at me, so I nodded back to her, telling her to go do her business. Let’s say the store manager, my sister, and the policeman are all doing their business, so…

“Cough. Tea, Mr. Chani.”

This seems like the right way to do it. We don’t have much time, so let’s do it in 10 minutes. The old man who was watching us put down the motorcycle he was holding and asked.

“Sir, where would be a good place to take the motorcycle?”

“Uh… Since the beverage display case is long, I think you can put it there.”

“Then I’ll leave it over there and rest for a bit. My arm is a little sore.”

For a person who says that their arm hurts, their tone is very relaxed. I decided to take it as an intention to step aside while we talk amongst ourselves.

“Thank you, sir.”

When I told him, he nodded and went inside the store on his motorcycle, and I dragged Elena halfway to the seat next to the Chihuahua.

Although the location is not very good, there is no other place in the store where you can sit right now. As soon as you sit down, Ms. Elena lies flat on the table and starts mumbling.

“I’m sorry for bothering you… .”

“You don’t have to feel sorry for me. Did I almost die? Miss Elena almost died.”

“… Ugh.”

“But I still have to say it. I sent you a text telling you not to come because I don’t know what might happen, but did you still feel like coming after seeing that?”

I could guess the reason, but I kept my mouth shut because it didn’t seem like something I should say. Ms. Elena immediately submitted her expected answer.

“That’s why I’m so worried about you, Chan!”

“Oh, I was really worried…?”

I said it with half apology and half annoyance in my voice.

I wonder if these regulars are possessed by frogs as a group, or why they only do things they are told not to do. Am I some kind of shepherd boy?

“Well, still… .”

This is what he said, in a dejected tone. He said that he was watching the news at home this morning just before the signal went out, and that he saw a familiar street among the aerial images.

“Hey, our store was on TV recently?”

“Just a moment. The TV was showing the subway station flooded, but I saw the lights on in Chan’s store. The lights were off everywhere else.”

After a moment, the screen was completely covered with dark clouds, and that was the final blow. I walked around the living room for a while wondering what to do, and then I quickly packed my things and ran out.

“So, what happens next?”

“I caught a taxi at a taxi stand. It was raining so hard that it took a long time to catch one… .”

They somehow managed to catch him, but the moment they told him the destination, the taxi driver got angry and asked what kind of crazy person was going there.

After much bickering and double the taxi fare, we somehow reached an agreement that he would only come as far as the area, and after getting off at a place where the clouds weren’t reaching, we planned to swim all the way to the store.

“So you met the officer on your way here?”

“Yes. Thanks to that, uh. Knock knock! Knock knock, knock knock!”

As he was talking, he started coughing again, as if water had risen to his throat. I asked because the coughing sound was unusual.

“Aren’t you catching a cold right now? Your body temperature must have dropped significantly because all the clothes you’re wearing inside are wet.”

“No! I just got a little wet. I thought it wouldn’t be enough even if I wore a raincoat, so I came out wearing a rash guard on purpose! Cluck!”

“…yes?”

I was dazed for a moment. What did you wear inside?

“It’s a rash guard. I was looking around the house for a waterproof bag, and I remembered the swimsuit I bought a long time ago. I’m going to throw it away.”

Rash guard refers to functional clothing for water sports. It is used to protect against abrasions that may occur while swimming outdoors or rashes that may occur due to exposure to sunlight.

In simple terms, it means that you came wearing a full-body swimsuit instead of underwear. What kind of drugs did you have to take to come up with such an idea?

“I thought it would be much better if I wore a rash guard since I was going to get wet anyway. I had to swim a few times on the way here, and it was super comfortable!”

It seems like a fashion based on practicality, but I have a lot to say but I won’t say it. Yeah, honestly, I don’t care what anyone wears underneath, and this is much better than looking like a drowning rat…

Okay, let’s leave that as it is, next question.

“Why did you need a waterproof bag?”

“Ah. That’s it, just a moment.”

Miss Elena put her hand into the back of her raincoat as if she had been waiting. I couldn’t bring myself to look at her, so I turned my head away and waited. The sound of the zipper opening, the rustling sound.

Then I heard something clattering onto the table. I decided it was time to check, and there it was, a black pouch with a string sitting there.

The size is about the size of a tennis ball at best. It looks quite small considering that I brought a lot of them. Is there some kind of magic attached to them?

“This is a pocket with a space expansion magic.”

“Aha. Isn’t that really expensive?”

“I bought it on a 24-month installment plan, but I haven’t even paid off half of it yet. The cost of replacing the magic stone is also outrageous.”

Miss Elena became sullen after speaking. It seemed like she asked something pointless.

“I brought all the medicine making kits, magical herbs, and medicines I had at home. I was worried that Chan-i might have gotten hurt….”

Miss Elena had said that she makes magic potions at home, separate from her work at the potion company. She says it’s a hobby, but she’s also sincere enough to visit a magic potion workshop concept cafe.

“Even if you’re not injured, I can make pretty much anything you tell me.”

Additionally, when he talks about a subject he is confident in, his tone tends to be very reserved, and what he just said was exactly like that.

I’ll try my best – I feel like I’m going beyond this level and telling the truth calmly. Anyway, I know that you were worried a lot, and I also understand that you want to help in some way.

It’s not that I’m not grateful. Of course I’m grateful. I’m a hundred times more grateful, but… .

“Still, let’s not let something like this happen again. Us.”

“yes….”

“I’m being serious about this.”

Actions that are supposedly done for the sake of others can actually end up hurting others. It’s easy to say it out loud, but it’s also easy to make mistakes.

I learned this at the age of twenty-four, at a high price. So I believe that Ms. Elena can do it too. She’s not like me who cut the strings of her bag by herself, so she’ll learn much faster.

“Thank you for your concern. I really appreciate it and am grateful, but I think I would be even more grateful if you could think about what I might worry about later. Do you understand what I mean?”

“Yes… Knock knock, knock knock!”

“Okay. I won’t talk any longer, so just rest for now.”

Miss Elena, like the puppy, is looking up at me with a tired look in her voice, as if she has lost her tension. It’s been exactly 15 minutes since we last talked.

“… … .”

I looked towards my sister, the store manager, and the police officer. The police officer seemed to have almost completely recovered, and was checking the uniforms, shoulder straps, and flashing lights one by one in front of the dairy products section.

The other two were chatting away in the dairy section. After scanning the entire store with my eyes, I approached the officer.

“Are you feeling better, officer?”

“It’s okay. How are you, boss?”

“I’m fine too. But, officer, have you heard anything from the store manager and your older sister?”

“… The owner didn’t say anything to me, and you and that hunter… Are you two acquaintances?”

“yes.”

Let’s answer, the officer slightly turns his head to look in the direction the two are standing and answers in a subdued tone.

“The Hunter said that if something goes wrong, he should maintain the store’s condition.”

“Uh… Yes?”

“I think it would be better for you to hear the details yourself.”

It was a nuance that I didn’t really like it. I nodded slightly and stood next to my older sister and the store manager, and they were having this conversation.

“Sister, it’s been a while since I’ve done something like this. It’s not that I don’t trust you… .”

“It’s been a while! I’m still in my prime, Yoonha.”

“Sister. I’m sorry to interrupt, but what on earth were you talking about with the officer?”

I joined in, prepared to be told to get out. Neither my sister nor the store manager bothered me, and my sister got straight to the point.

“Lee Chan. I had a hard time finding that thing outside, and you are resting here.”

“If it’s a situation where I can rest, I will rest, but what were you talking about?”

“My sister and I will go alone. Leave the customers in the store to the police officer.”

“The two of you? You two went down a manhole together?”

“We’re short on manpower right now. It’s too late to ask for help or support―”

It is said that if you move a certain distance away from an object that you have enchanted, the magic on that object will be removed.

That’s why I said that if the store manager and I go down, we don’t know what will happen to the store…

It was cut off in the middle. It was because there was a mistake in one of the premises my older sister had set.

“We’re not short on people, Sister.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’m going to tell you what I’m going to say now, so listen carefully. You too, manager.”

“Yeah. What are you talking about?”

I talked about things that came to mind in advance. What exactly is the current situation in the store, why are the customers here now, and what can these regular customers do in this situation.

And then what am I going to do?

As I said this, the store manager said quite a lot, and my sister’s eyes widened. Of the two, the store manager was the first to speak.

“… Are you serious, Chani?”

“Not yet.”

“Yeah. Then I’ll respect Chan.”

“You don’t want to bite?”

“I’ll tell you separately when I feel like biting you, Sister.”

“Well, let’s say that’s true, but what about those customers? They’re going to help us with what we’re doing right now, right? Aren’t they going to evacuate?”

I don’t know about this. I haven’t asked for opinions yet.

But right now, I’m the only one here who can even bring up the subject. The customers in the store, the manager, and my older sister don’t know each other very well.

There is only one thing I believe in. I have always been sincere when dealing with customers in my store.

So I believe these guests will understand that I am being sincere. I am worried that the Chihuahua will complain that the happiness circuit smells like it is burning… .

“You can’t evacuate anyway, right?”

“… … .”

My older sister took out a pipe and spun it around on her finger as if she wanted to smoke a cigarette, then stopped and answered.

“Yes. I will respect you too.”

Okay. I took a deep breath and shouted out.

“Guests! Sorry to interrupt your rest!”

As soon as I shouted, I felt everyone’s gaze turn to me. Except for the Chihuahua who was working. I felt a little uneasy, but I finished speaking.

“I have something to tell you, so would you like to meet up for a moment?”

* * *

The idiot really came after a long time. There are seven people in the store, one out of seven. If I were to list them, there’s me, the manager, Sister Yoonha, Elder Wolf, Miss Elena, Chihuahua, Officer Iruel, and Puppy.

With the exception of two people, practically all of my connections are here.

I was worried about what might have happened to that guy, but at least he’s somewhere safer than here. The professor, he’s probably doing his job…

“Hey, turn around.”

“why.”

“What is that puppy?”

“Kkiing… .”

Maybe it was because there were so many unfamiliar faces in the store, but the puppy didn’t come out until I pulled it out. I continued talking while still sitting on my lap. He needs to listen to what he has to say.

“I saved him from floating in the water, but he had social phobia.”

“Heh, heh.”

“What is social phobia?”

“Oh my. So cute… .”

“You can pet me later. There are a lot of people here now, so if you have anything to say, please raise your hand and say it later.”

Maybe because they’re all old enough, they all understand and nod their heads. When I was working part-time at a kids’ cafe, whenever I asked them to raise their hands to speak, there was always at least one kid who would ask which hand I was talking about.

“First of all, this is the current situation, guests.”

There was nothing much to talk about in terms of the situation. Right now, there is a key gate in the basement of our convenience store, and all of our customers are in big trouble.

The reactions to this varied. While the elderly and police officers who had been through a lot were indifferent, the Chihuahua showed a very violent reaction.

“Hey. Why on earth does that have to come out of a convenience store that’s just a five-minute walk from my house?”

“I don’t like it either. I don’t like it, but if it shows up somewhere else, wouldn’t the people living nearby all say the same thing?”

“What the heck, I came here to take a shit and ended up in a mess.”

But maybe because he has a quirky personality, he just brushes it off as something serious. Besides that, Miss Elena’s expression became very gloomy… .

“Then… everyone else will be in trouble too?”

“Yes. The problem is, right now we’re in the biggest trouble… .”

This is where it gets tricky. I thought about it for a moment and then followed the manual. When the mood is serious, there has to be at least one person who says something that will get you in trouble.

“That’s why I told you not to come. Right?”

No one said anything because they were so hurt. Yeah, you all came to see me. Did I ask you to come and cause trouble together?

“Since you’re here, please help me out. I haven’t even received my first paycheck yet.”

They continued their conversation, half introducing themselves to each other. The Chihuahua is good at coding, Ms. Elena is good at making medicine, the old man is good at pulling shoulders, and the officer is a specialist in public support.

And the store manager is a former great magician, and Yunha is a top-class hunter, so I thought if we put our heads together and think about it, maybe something will come out of it.

“That’s pretty much it, but if you have anything to say, raise your hand—”

“Hey, you piece of shit.”

As always, he doesn’t even listen to what I say. The Chihuahua scratches his molars with his claws, asking if there’s something stuck in them.

“Then what are you going to do?”

I thought about this earlier. I said it right away.

“I’m going down. To close the key gate.”