Convenience Store Worker From Another World Chapter 47

Episode 47. The Handwriting-reading Pyeondol (1)

The store manager gave me a vacation for two days.

“That… Chan-ah. I’ll take care of the registration right away, so go inside and sleep for now. Don’t come out tomorrow night. Are you listening?”

“I’m listening. I’m listening, but this is….”

The things I heard were just floating around in my head. Even aside from the fact that I had to take the test in a place I had never been to and on something I had never learned before, there was a bigger problem.

“I don’t have any ID, sir. Don’t I need to submit something to take the national exam?”

“Don’t worry about that, there’s a way to do it all―”

“What method do you mean? I don’t think you know anyone in the government of this world… .”

No matter what, I blurted it out because I thought the store manager might be too blunt, but the store manager completely remained silent about this part.

“… … .”

“Store manager?”

“Oh, anyway, I’ll do it for you, so don’t worry. The test is at 9 AM, so get some rest and come to the convenience store around 8 AM. Got it?”

Randa. I was really nervous about keeping quiet, but let’s put that aside for now… This is really… .

“Store manager. If I fail this, can I take it again…?”

“Yeah, that’s okay. So don’t think about anything today and just go in and rest.”

After that, I finished the handover as if I was roasting beans in a flash, and I left the convenience store as if I was being pushed by the store manager and went home… I was so sleepy while I was at the convenience store, but once I lay down in bed, I couldn’t fall asleep even though the day was almost over.

I managed to fall asleep around sunset, and when I opened my eyes, it was exactly 7:40 AM. Just in case, I stuffed a computer marker that was lying around the house into my pocket and went to the convenience store, where the store manager was lying on the counter with his chin resting on his hand.

“Manager, I’m here… .”

“Oh, Chan-ah.”

As soon as he saw me, he jumped up, came over to me hurriedly, and asked.

“Did you sleep well? How are you feeling?”

“I slept well, but I felt like I was being dragged to a slaughterhouse.”

I turned around and looked outside the convenience store. It had been almost ten days since I started working, but my main area of activity was exactly thirty steps from the main gate. That was it.

But, you want me to take a bus to the academy to take the test? Does that make sense? I don’t even have a transportation card.

As I was looking at it with a blank look on my face, the store manager grabbed my hand tightly and said.

“It’s okay, Chan-ah. I’ll take care of it.”

“The store manager?”

“Yeah. Before that, let’s close the blinds first… .”

“ah.”

It means you’re going to teleport. I hadn’t thought of that.

After closing the blinds and locking the door, I closed my eyes with my back to the main door as I always did. When I opened my eyes and turned around after the store manager tapped me on the shoulder, an unexpected sight unfolded before me.

In the distance, there stood a castle, a really dirty big castle at that.

That wasn’t all. Around the largest castle with its spire, there were several buildings of various sizes, all of which had unique styles. Some were modern gray buildings, while others had oriental pavilions as roofs.

In addition, there are several buildings in the Rococo or Renaissance style, which look like they would be found in a history book about the Middle Ages when you were young. I heard that the exams are held in the academy district, so this must be where the different races study… .

“Manager, is this an amusement park?”

“Is Chan-i going to school or an academy to play?”

“There are a few people who are out of their minds and do that… but for now, I am literally sorry.”

“aha.”

The store manager later explained that this is the best-equipped educational institution in the world.

The largest castle in the center is said to have been built by several different races working together a long time ago, but when a war broke out several decades ago, most of the buildings were destroyed, but that castle alone retained most of its original form, so it became a symbol of peace, or something.

So, after repairing it and considering whether to use it as a museum or a memorial hall, someone came up with the idea, “Instead of leaving it for decoration, wouldn’t it be great if we educate children here?” That idea was adopted as is, and it became the first building in the academy district…

It is said that it has been expanded and expanded little by little for several decades to reach what it is now.

“For something that size, it would probably hold most kinds of fruit.”

“It has most everything you need.”

There are places that train hunters, places that train magicians like store managers, and places like technical high schools and engineering schools. I thought there wouldn’t be enough time to ask what else they were teaching, so I changed the subject.

“Um… Where are you now?”

“Near the Hakwonji Station. I originally planned to come later, but somehow it ended up like this.”

“Oh, you said you were going to do business here too.”

“Yeah. Why?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

I looked out the window and blurted out whatever came to mind.

“It’s cool.”

I thought that if there was a place like this in my neighborhood, I would never be bored. If it weren’t for my fate that I had to crawl inside from now on, I might have actually done so.

“Which building among those is the testing center?”

“Um… Looking at the map… it looks like the building on the right over there.”

The store manager, standing by the window, points to the right side of the castle. It was a modern building, and quite large. At least there was no need to worry about getting lost.

As I was about to leave, the store manager handed me a few things. I brought a computer marker pen, and this one. In addition, there were canned sports drinks and candy.

“They said that the receipt will be printed at the test site, so you just need to show up.”

“Okay, I understand.”

After that, I tried to leave, but the store manager came and grabbed my hand. His face was full of worry.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Chan-ah?”

“Is there really a need to do that? You should be doing business.”

“I’m worried, that’s why. It’s Chan-i’s first time going outside… ”

“I’ll contact you after I finish the test, so please come back then.”

I was grateful that it didn’t cost me anything to catch the bus. Just before I grabbed the front door handle and left, I spoke to the store manager in a casual tone.

“I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

“huh.”

* * *

I had no idea that my monumental first outing to another world would be like this, or that it would be in the school district or something, not an intersection, but I went out anyway.

The first thought that came to my mind was that I now understood why there were so few high school students or younger of different races at the intersection. This was a student paradise.

Wherever I looked, there were only students in their school uniforms, and occasionally I saw kobolds and vampire kids without their uniforms, carrying only bags and slippers. Without exception, all of these guys were moving busily towards the castle.

In addition, I didn’t feel particularly scared or uncomfortable, unlike what I thought. If I had to compare it to something, it was like the feeling I had when I first went on a business trip to Jeju Island when I was working. Maybe it’s because I built up an immunity while dealing with those convenience store thugs.

I listened in to see what the neighborhood kids were talking about. It was something like this.

“They say we can’t play the game without adult verification. What are we going to do with the castle?”

“Don’t worry, it’s the adults’ fault. It happened on YouTube.”

“really?”

“Yeah. But, playing games isn’t something that only adults should do, so why did you stop it?”

That’s right.

In the meantime, I heard something fluttering in the sky and looked up to see harpies, winged aliens, flying around eating bread with their mouths. I guess they were late.

Because the flow of people was so clear, it wasn’t hard to find the way. After crossing the crosswalk and entering what appeared to be the main entrance, a rocky path that seemed to stretch at least 20 meters appeared… .

As I continued along the road, a fountain appeared, and beneath the fountain was a sign with large letters. It read, ‘Anti-magic License Examination Center, 300m ↗’.

I walked for about 5 minutes in the direction the sign pointed to, and arrived in front of the modern building I had seen before. The concrete above the main entrance had this written in gold: ‘Hunter Theory Classroom’

I like that it doesn’t have names like Bonghwanggak or Hyeonmu-gwan that are difficult to understand. I went up to the reception desk and spoke to a man with a sheep’s head and sheep’s horns sitting there.

“Excuse me. Is this the Anti-Magic Certification Examination Center?”

“Yes. Did you bring your receipt?”

When I shake my head, he glances at my face and asks.

“Are you human?”

No, isn’t that too harsh…?

“I’m sorry. I had to submit this in a hurry….”

“No, it’s okay. I’m used to it because there are a few people who don’t bring their receipts. Are you a human, correct?”

“Uh… oh, yes.”

I see you asked about race. Let me answer. He opens the list on the reception table, flips through the pages a few times, makes a V-sign, and closes it.

“Your name is… Lee Chan. Your identity has been confirmed. After you have your face recognized at the kiosk inside the lobby, you can go up to the third floor.”

“Thank you… Oh, that. Can I ask you one thing?”

“Yes. What are you talking about?”

“Are there any other human races besides me among the applicants?”

I asked, since there was only one line printed on the page with the check. Suin nodded immediately.

“No, not this year.”

“thank you.”

If there were people, I would have greeted them as if I were meeting a friend from my hometown, and asked them some expected questions. As soon as I entered the main gate, I saw a kiosk, and a picture frame appeared as if I was scanning a QR code.

When I put my face up to it, a message saying that I was authenticated as a recipient appeared, and a piece of paper printed out below.

I walked up the stairs to the second floor while holding it, and when I reached the hallway, I saw that all the doors were closed, but there was one door that was open. That seemed to be the testing room.

When I entered, there were at least a hundred different races sitting in their respective seats. The test was supposed to start at 9 o’clock, but I don’t know why they’re sitting so early.

I sat down according to the number on the ticket, and the seat on my left was Minotaur, and the seat on my right was Orc. When I sat down, I felt like I had turned into a hamburger patty.

I tried to avoid eye contact and thought about it with my chin resting on my hand.

My older sister seemed to think that I would pass the test without any problems, and the store manager didn’t seem too worried about whether I would pass the test. But I need to know what the test questions are before I can be at ease or not.

I glanced at the orc, wondering if he could be of any help, and he was staring intently at his past exam book. If he had the same personality as the orcs I had seen at the convenience store, he would have kicked my butt the moment our eyes met, but this orc was wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

He seemed like an intellectual. I thought it would be okay, so I spoke to him.

“Excuse me, Brother Oak.”

“Oh, are you talking about that?”

The tone of the answer was very polite. He must be a trained orc.

“Yes. Could I just look at it for a moment next to the past exam book?”

“Oh, yes. It doesn’t wear out.”

I got up slightly and stared intently at a place where the orc’s gaze could not reach. The problem that immediately caught my eye was this.

[ The cause of the humidity imbalance in the habitat of the A-class Arachne monsters during their spawning season… ]

Let’s skip this for now… .

*2022.10.31. Modifications

Added information about ID cards in the first half.