Convenience Store Worker From Another World Chapter 155

Episode 155. Everything has a cause and effect (7)

* * *

“Are you moving?”

“Chan-i, do you remember what I told you on your first day at work? About moving around here and there.”

“uh….”

I remember. This convenience store sometimes does business in front of the school district, sometimes at the intersection here, and sometimes in front of the Demon King’s Castle.

I had half-forgot about it because I had been working at this intersection for almost a month. I asked because it came to mind.

“That’s what I mean, store manager. What on earth is the Demon King’s Castle? Is it a place that serves good Jjajangmyeon?”

“Huh? It was a place where a very bad and evil demon lord resided?”

“If it was a place to stay, what about now?”

“It’s a war memorial. Admission is free.”

He added that in the past, there really was a demon king in this world. He was the one who started the great war. And when that demon king died, the war ended.

After that, they held a marathon meeting for about a week about what to do with the Demon King’s Castle building, which had lost its owner and reason for existing, and decided to keep it in its original form and turn it into a war memorial.

“If you look at the Demon King’s Castle from outside, it’s so eerie that you’ll be amazed. They even used magic to recreate the atmosphere of that time.”

“Then, isn’t it the same as back then, where you’re scared and can’t go in?”

“No. It’s just what it looks like on the outside, but the inside is fine. When you go in, there are things like the history of the Four Heavenly Kings and the magical uniforms they used to wear.”

I wondered what the Four Heavenly Kings were, but since my biggest curiosity had already been resolved, I didn’t ask any questions. The store manager paused for a moment, looking at me, before adding:

“Of course it’s not dangerous at all. Maybe a bat flies from the spire sometimes?”

“I feel a little more reassured now that you’ve told me so clearly. By the way, that…”

“Are you moving?”

“Yes. Did you plan it out in advance?”

“I was thinking that it would be good to go around mid-June this year. That’s when business is the best.”

The reason why business is so good is because mid-June is the time when the academic schedules of the academies and schools in the academy district are aligned perfectly.

Many elementary, middle, and high school students, especially those going into magic-related fields, are in the midst of a period of serious handling of magical items, and universities are in the final season―

“Wait a minute. Are you saying that there are dozens of elementary, middle, high schools, and universities all gathered there?”

“huh.”

“How big is the area of the land there?”

“I don’t know about that, but I remember there was a bus running inside.”

No, I heard that the bus goes around to where the kids study… .

I can’t really imagine it since I’ve never been to campus, let alone experienced campus life. I’ve only been there twice, but I’ve only stopped by the testing center building near the entrance.

But based on what the store manager told me, I had a feeling that a huge hell gate was about to open inside the store. I thought about it a little more and asked.

“When do you plan on moving?”

“After hearing Chan’s opinion. It won’t take long to move.”

They say it won’t even take 5 minutes to change the products on the shelf and move the space. From my perspective, it’s like my work place has changed overnight, so I think they’re asking this out of consideration… .

Of course I have nothing to say. I don’t own any shares in this store. If the owner, the store manager, says to go, then I have to go. As an employee, what more can I say?

Since I was planning to find a house in that area anyway, commuting to work won’t be a problem, and I don’t have any luggage to worry about, so there’s nothing to prepare. There’s just one thing I’m worried about.

Looking down at one of them, he seemed to understand what we were talking about to some extent, and he was frowning. Or maybe he was reacting to the two letters ‘moving’.

“Sir, you said you weren’t going to move….”

“I didn’t lie. I’m not moving. This store is just moving.”

“Wow… .”

“It’s not like we won’t see each other in the future. Hana, don’t you go to a kindergarten near the academy district?”

The last time we teleported, the store appeared in a building right in front of the main gate of the school district. It will probably be moving there this time too.

This kid goes to kindergarten there, so from now on, you’ll see him more often than not. Let me explain. Hana wiped away her tears and shouted brightly.

“aha!”

“Next time you make friends, bring them along. They won’t feel burdened since they’re right in front of you.”

“my!”

Even if it worked out well with Hana, I’m not sure how the other regular customers will take it. Especially Mongmongi.

This guy doesn’t even have a phone, so I can’t send him a text message saying he moved somewhere. If he moves without saying anything, I might never see him again. I said this to the store manager cautiously.

“Manager. This is what I mean. That…”

“huh.”

“Couldn’t you delay it for a day or two? This is purely personal, and it may sound ridiculous, but…”

“That makes sense. I’m worried about her too.”

“… Yes. Thank you.”

“But we can’t delay it too much, Chan-ah. You know that.”

I agree. Even I feel complicated when I look at the sales receipts from the past few days, so how much more so must the store manager feel. It is obvious that sales will continue to be like this until the distance returns to normal.

I can’t just wait around for that guy who may or may not come when the store manager’s livelihood and my salary depend on it. I don’t intend to just wait around forever.

“What I’m saying is, I’m going to go and see where this guy lives.”

“Oh. Do you want to do that? When?”

“Right now. I was planning on going out for a bit today anyway.”

I had already sent a message to the store manager in advance, telling him that I would need to find a house near the academy district. I also said that I wanted to look into it for a while.

Anyway, you can’t finish looking at houses in one day. Even if you sign a one-room contract for a short period of time, it’ll be at least half a year, so you can’t decide on a place to live for half a year after looking at it in one day.

“Chan-i, are you feeling okay?”

“I think it’ll be okay. I haven’t been that tired even after walking around all night and during the day for the past few days. For now… .”

Where does that guy live?

All I know is that I live in a city park on the other side of the school district, an hour’s walk away at a Pomeranian pace. At my own pace, it would probably take about 30 minutes.

I calculated halfway and set up the map app, and fortunately, there was just one park that met the criteria. After turning off the map app screen, I took my wallet and took off my uniform, saying,

“As for the handover, uh… it’s a bit awkward to leave work like this, store manager.”

“That’s right. Without drawing the curtains or turning on the switch.”

“Curtains? Switch?”

“There is something like that, Hana. What do you want to do? Do you want to play with the store manager?”

The store manager had already placed one of them on his lap. It seemed like it was quite comfortable being with the manager, as it just flapped its tail and legs on either side of his lap without showing any sign of awkwardness.

He raised his head in response to my question, looked at the store manager’s face, and spoke with a slightly hesitant tone.

“Hey… Sir, are you going to meet the puppy?”

“Why? Are you going too?”

“That’s right, I’m the only one worried… .”

Then he raises his head again and looks at the store manager. I think he is thinking that since the store manager played with him before, he should play with him too.

The store manager, whose eyes met mine, smiled faintly and patted me on the back as he spoke. His face was filled with a playful expression.

“Have a nice day, Hana. I’ll work here alone, sometimes counting cigarettes and displaying the products.”

“Ugh… over there. Oh, right.”

After saying that, Hana stretched out her body and took out a box of chocolates from under the counter and handed it to the store manager. It was the chocolate that she had suggested eating together earlier.

“Here, take this, sis. Don’t forget to eat it.”

“Oh my. Where did you get this?”

“This is it. That…”

It’s my favorite chocolate, but my mom always says that she only buys me one a week because my teeth will rot if I eat them. So that chocolate has a secret?

“I’m a private person, but you should drink it too, sir… ”

The store manager, looking into my eyes, raised the corners of his mouth as if to say, ‘I’m going to eat it all?’ I spoke with confidence.

“At 18, it’s a very tempting age to be upset, sir. I understand.”

“If you don’t come back soon, I’m going to eat all this delicious food by myself. Got it?”

* * *

I went out into the street with my smartphone in one hand and an empty non-woven bag in the other, holding a handcuff. When I came out and checked the map app, the arrow was pointing to the right.

“You have to go quickly, sir. Otherwise, my sister said she’d eat all the chocolates… .”

“The store manager was joking, so I don’t think we need to go quickly.”

“Huh?”

“You’re probably joking. Maybe…”

I glanced back as I was leaving, and the store manager had left the box of chocolates in a cool place behind the dairy section. Well, if you leave it at room temperature, it’ll melt.

“… But don’t walk too slowly. I’ll be waiting.”

“my!”

Honestly, I want to eat that chocolate too. I bought a few other chocolates at the store and tried them, but no matter what I bought, they didn’t taste like the chocolate that the one I bought had given me.

This is also my first day at work. When I was helping make Parents’ Day gifts, I never thought we would be walking down the street together like this.

“By the way, does your mother like Parents’ Day gifts?”

“My. Mom said she would put it aside separately. And―”

The mud that covers India leaves small and large footprints as you walk, and you avoid puddles of rainwater as you walk.

We walked for about 20 minutes and talked about various things, starting with how the Parents’ Day gift went. One of them was about the pedestrians wandering around the street.

“Hanaya. You, you’re walking around on the street, avoiding mean adults.”

“my.”

“By any chance, uh… is there anything else besides that? Like something your mother gave you?”

It takes about 15 minutes to walk to this guy’s mom’s company, and the road is wide open. I don’t think anything bad will happen in that short time, but you never know.

Even if you don’t necessarily come to our store, you might be out and about. I didn’t want you to imagine it, so I said it indirectly, but it seemed like one of you understood what I meant.

“Mom gave me something!”

“I guess so. What kind?”

“That’s… just a moment.”

He lets go of my hand for a moment and takes off his backpack. There’s something like a small call bell hanging under the strap. Is it the kind that makes a loud sound when you press it?

“This is it. Pressing it, Mom said her friends are coming.”

“If they’re your mother’s friends… Are they talking about dragons?”

“Hey, Mom, when you’re at work, sometimes you play with me.”

There are several dragons working at Ae’s mother’s company, and they usually transform into human form like Ae’s mother.

Then, the moment the call bell is pressed, it transforms into a dragon the size of a house and flies over. I looked at the call bell for a moment and asked.

“Are those dragons really big?”

“No? You’re not as tall as Mom.”

“hmm….”

Should I press it once?

They may not be that big, but how many times in your life do you get to see a flock of dragons flying through the sky? I have never seen one in all my years working in this world.

When I put this idea forward, one of them shook his head with all his might.

“No, sir. Back in the day, I dropped the phone downstairs and asked my mom and friends to press this button… .”

It sounds like he was playing with his phone near the sewer and dropped it. He asked again.

“Uh. But?”

“They came and threw everything away, and the adults who followed them came and scolded them.”

“That was a disaster.”

“Me. So, if you press it when I submit it, it won’t work.”

I don’t know why he ended up apologizing for this, but I do know that he’s quite affectionate towards other dragons. He broke the drain to get his phone out.

“Hey, I don’t even take out my phone outside anymore.”

“I learned something good.”

“So, sir, if you look at your phone while walking, you shouldn’t rent it. You’ll be in big trouble.”

“I have to look at the map, so I can’t help it, dude. Just wait 10 minutes.”

“my.”

After talking, I wondered if he remembered, because he kept glancing up at my phone as we walked while holding hands. As a result, the hand holding the phone started to sweat.

After looking up and checking the surrounding terrain and road name address for 10 minutes, I arrived at what appeared to be a citizen’s park.

[End route guidance.]

Looking around from afar, there were multiple entrances and exits, but there was no sign or main entrance where we were standing.

Still, I can see some street trees, benches, and a fountain that has stopped working inside. So it must be a city park. I looked down at one and asked.

“Hanaya. Where do you think the puppy is in here?”

But, one of them was staring at something black on the right side of the park. So, I looked at it and rubbed my eyes to see if I was seeing it correctly.

“…no….”

“Mister, sir.”

“uh.”

“Oh my god, there’s another dog lying down.”

I saw it correctly. There was a Doberman pinsaw lying there. It looked like one of those guys that were called black wind dogs in this park… .