Convenience Store Worker From Another World Chapter 40

Episode 40. Career Counseling Pyeondol (1)

Anyway, I didn’t lie. It’s true that I touched the wallet and it burst, and neither I nor the store manager know why that was possible, so this isn’t wrong, right?

This was something that even the elf officer who checked the CCTV agreed with.

“You have no idea what this part is about.”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

“…Okay, I understand. Thank you for your cooperation.”

Although his expression was somewhat dubious.

I’m only half-sincere when I say I’m sorry. I’m sincere, but I have absolutely no desire to be dragged to the basement of the National Intelligence Service and eat seolleongtang for being a punishment for faithfully responding to an interrogation. I don’t want to live with electrodes attached to my body.

If this were someone else, I wouldn’t know, but it’s public power. I have a very close relationship with the National Intelligence Service, right? But I did my best to answer other questions, so I believe the public power will take care of the rest. Since there was an ID in my wallet, I’ll catch them right away.

“After checking the CCTV, we confirmed that in addition to the employee, there was another witness captured in the footage….”

I guess this is a kid talking. I quickly added.

“As you can see, he’s still a child. Asking him won’t help much.”

Actually, I caught it thanks to that kid, but I can’t let a 7-year-old kid get hurt. The elf nodded as if he understood, and that was the end of the hearing.

“Do you have any other questions?”

“Uh… there is one.”

“What is it?”

“Isn’t there a chance that that wildcat cobalt will come back and cause trouble again?”

This wallet seems expensive, and I blew it. Why don’t you come back and punch me in the face with it, even if you’re angry? Bring your feline friends with you.

The elf, who had been thinking for a moment, answered while pointing outside.

“I will be working in this area for a few days.”

“Is that okay?”

“Yes. I think you can change the layout by suggesting it to the West… If you call, I’ll be there within 2 minutes.”

The words were very believable. I would have felt much more reassured if it weren’t for the dark circles under my eyes.

“Is there anything else?”

“Oh, I have a question too.”

“What is it like?”

“Officer, do you usually sleep well?”

This was not my question, but the store manager’s. Why are you asking me this out of the blue?

“…I’m sleeping well. About 30 minutes a day.”

This elf answers that question again. But how can you survive on just 30 minutes of sleep a day?

“You should sleep while you’re sleeping. What if you drive while drowsy?”

“It has an autopilot function. It’s okay… .”

“If you come later, I’ll make you a potion, so take one with you.”

“… This is a violation of the Prohibition of Solicitation Act.”

“Even though the original price is less than 30 thousand won?”

I also tried the potion the store manager mentioned on my first day of work. It’s true that the elf’s face looked like it would hit someone in the face while they were sleeping, so I helped her out.

“I tried it too and it was effective. It tastes like strawberry.”

Whether it was the cost or the fact that he didn’t like the strawberry flavor, the elf looked at me and the store manager in turn with somewhat bewildered looks before sighing softly and answering.

“… I’ll come see you again later.”

And then he left. Are you going to eat it or not? I looked at the place he left off and asked the store manager.

“What would have happened if I had told everything?”

“Didn’t you tell Chan-i to become a police officer? People with anti-magic abilities are welcomed wherever they go. It’s not enough.”

“Even if the address is unknown?”

“That’s not it.”

I have no intention of doing it anyway. As a police officer, I have to catch thugs too, but what can I do against orcs or trolls with twin axes tattooed on their backs?

“But seeing as you’re talking about the Anti-Bribery Act first, you seem like a proper elf….”

“Oh, so that’s why you brought up potions?”

“I was just feeling sad, wasn’t I? You looked so sleepy.”

“Ugh.”

“Your rank is a police officer, and you’re an elf. You’ll probably have a hard time at the police station.”

The store manager had previously said that elves were discriminated against because they were a war criminal race. When I think about the way the old men behave, I think it’s not because they are a war criminal race, but rather because the elves have inherently flawed personalities…

The elf officer doesn’t seem to have any major personality issues. At least he doesn’t act like a troublemaker. He does seem to be working abnormally hard, though.

On the way, two guests arrived. They were kobolds with the heads of a wolf and a fox, respectively. They walked with their arms crossed, and although they were not drunk, they seemed to have had a good amount of alcohol.

I looked at the time, it was 10:15. I finished speaking while looking at the store manager.

“I’ll go talk to my older sister myself. Why don’t you go home from work first?”

“I’ll do that. I hope today goes smoothly.”

“me too.”

“Yeah, thanks for your hard work.”

And so the store manager left work. While the two Cobalts went inside to choose drinks, I sat down at the checkout counter and thought for a moment.

It’s not that special to have an anti-magic constitution. The store manager also mentioned this.

But the problem is what happens after this. In one week of working, you’ve gained the kind of sensing powers that only a goldsmith could use, and next week, you’ll have an electromagnetic heart embedded in your chest, or a shield falling from the sky?

Whatever it was, if I had more strange abilities and someone else found out about them, I would definitely not be able to live like I was now. I was a research subject, after all. I repeat, I don’t want to live for decades eating only seolleongtang or having electrodes attached to my body.

But I can’t just give up and become a freeloader. Do I have no choice but to wait until the store manager figures out the cause or the method?

“Sir, please pay the bill.”

While I was thinking about it, the wolf kobold had placed three or four bottles of soju and a head on the counter. He asked me to pay and handed me my card, so I tried to take it, but the fox kobold that followed me was startled and pushed the wolf away.

“Huh? What are you doing now?!”

“What are you doing? Calculating.”

“You bought it earlier, so what are you calculating? Boss, please calculate it with this.”

I think I know what this pattern is. When the fox reached out again to take the card, this time the wolf was startled.

“No, I’m going to keep living today. Boss, don’t take that one, take this one. This one.”

Then, I pushed away the guy who was holding out his card, and when the fox held out her card again, I tried to take it… .

“You don’t have any money, you brat! Don’t listen to her and do this, boss.”

There are often cases where a bunch of drunkards come and ask each other to pay the bill. It’s nice to see such strong friendship, but why do they come here and do this? Showing off their friendship?

Even though we were staggering around while handing out cards, it didn’t seem like it would end any time soon, so I just took the card in front of me, paid for it, and handed it over. Then, the fox who wasn’t chosen looked at me and growled softly.

“no way….”

If you’re going to be annoyed, then come and find me when you’re sober. You won’t even remember.

When I put it in an envelope and handed it to him, the wolf, trying to cheer up the fox, put it on his shoulder and said in a drunken voice:

“Hey, but what kind of paper is that puppy I saw earlier?”

“Oh my, how many times have we heard that!”

“I don’t know, that’s why.”

“I look like a spitz?!”

“It’s definitely not a Spitz. What is it, a poodle?”

“No, the poodle is a bit bigger! It’s fluffy and big!”

Spitz? Puppy?

It sounded like something he was just spitting out while drunk, but something immediately came to mind when he said that to the dog. He asked the two of them on their backs as they were halfway through the lobby.

“Is the dog you are talking about a Pomeranian?”

When asked, the wolf hesitated for a moment, then hit his paw on the ground and shouted in an excited voice.

“That’s right, Pomeranian. I didn’t think of that.”

“What kind of Pomeranian is that! It’s a Spitz!!”

“Oh, stop yelling. Thank you, sir. Would you like something to drink?”

“it’s okay.”

“I said it’s a Spitz!!!”

“Oh, let me search it later. Which one is correct?”

After that, we went out, supporting each other. As I was looking outside, I saw a bundle of light brown fur approaching from the right.

Then he stops in front of the main gate and looks this way. As soon as I go out and open the door, a Pomeranian looks up at me and wags its tail.

“It’s really nice to see you, boss. It’s been a while.”

“Nice to meet you too, hey. How have you been…?”

I was about to ask him what was going on, but judging from his physical condition, he didn’t seem to be doing very well. His fur was extremely matted. But right before he left the house, he seemed to have been quite shiny.

In addition, there was a wound on the inside of his right ear. Judging from the red scab, it seemed to be a fresh wound. I changed the question and asked again.

“… Have you been outside the whole time since you left home?”

I asked, but the Pomeranian glanced to the side and pulled back its tongue that had been sticking out. When I checked the direction it was looking, I saw a group of kobolds walking towards it.

“You were out there without saying a word?”

He just nods his head to this question. The group of kobolds that came near looked at me like I was some kind of strange person, so I hugged them and brought them inside. He answered only after I sat him down inside the counter.

“How have you been, boss?”

“I’ve been doing pretty well. How have you been? Is Peanut okay?”

“I’m safe. As you can see—”

“You don’t have to show it. Why do you have a cut on your ear?”

When asked, the puppy lowered its head with a face full of sorrow and answered in a solemn voice.

“This is going to be a pretty long story… Is it okay if I tell it?”

When I told him to do whatever he wanted, he coughed and started telling me his story.

First of all, the house went well. Right after he ran out of the convenience store, his owner chased him while swinging the dog leash, but he ran like crazy with a single-minded determination not to pick up the peanuts and somehow escaped.

After I got out like that, I found myself in a back alley.

“At first, it didn’t feel real. Was I really… free?”

It didn’t feel real and it was scary, but he said he kept moving anyway. He didn’t know when his owner would chase him. So he was walking aimlessly through a back alley when he came across a pack of wild dogs.

“At first, I was happy to see you. Since I was in the same situation as you, I thought we could become comrades. So, I tried talking to you… ”

“so?”

“When he suddenly rushed in, I almost got bitten here and there. That’s when I got the wound on my ear. I tried to resolve it through conversation as much as possible, but he just kept yelling, ‘Get out of our area!’…”

It was the same no matter which back alley I went to, and the wandering continued. One day, two days. I solved my drinking water problem by getting water that was stagnant here and there in the back alleys, but I couldn’t do anything about food.

“Hey. I have some scrap left over. Would you like some?”

“I would really appreciate it if you would give it to me… but I came to see you again, sir, not to talk about such things.”

“Then what is it?”

When asked, the puppy asked with its tail hanging down as if embarrassed.

“Do you think… I can get a job here?”