The Fantasy World Fanatic Wants To Leave Work

56 – 56. This too shall pass (3)

Fortunately, contrary to my concerns, nothing happened that night.

Just in case, Diana and I watched from afar, wondering if someone with sinister intentions might be watching me. But unfortunately, there was nothing like that.

Honestly, I was a little scared, but I also wanted to try it.

“…This eye patch is really something.”

Anyway, today I greeted the morning safely.

The eye patch Seretini gave me works so well that I feel no fatigue in my body.

And wearing two accessories, a magic-infused bracelet and a ring, perhaps because of that, I have an inexplicable confidence that allows me to stretch my legs and sleep well.

Now, to greet a healthy morning, I do some light exercises and jog a few laps inside the convenience store.

I would like to jog outside and breathe in the fresh air, but because of my circumstances, I had to make do with this substitute.

At least U.C. convenience store is quite spacious, so I can imitate a morning jog like this.

-Shop Manager-

“You’re unusually active this morning. You always had the eyes of dried and escaped soulless pollock, so did you have a good dream or something?”

And at this point, the shop manager sends me a message with an incomprehensible metaphor.

Eyes of dried and escaped soulless pollock, huh.

I have no idea what that means, but perhaps it means that my complexion looks better than usual.

I’ve already spent more than half of my salary, but my weekly pay has also come in, and I’ve had a fantastic sleep, so both my body and mood are in the best condition, allowing me to be this cheerful.

-Kim Hyun-woo-

“Well, the money came in, and thanks to the eye patch Seretini gave me, I slept really comfortably. Since I started working at U.C. convenience store, I’ve been so tired that I had no choice but to sleep, but today, for the first time, I was able to stretch my legs and sleep comfortably.”

-Shop Manager-

“I see, I’m glad you had a good sleep. We use considerable resources to maintain the break room for the convenience of our employees, and it’s astonishing that such a small eye patch has more value than those resources.”

So why is the shop manager being so indulgent this morning?

He has spoken in a sarcastic tone like this more than once before, but today’s message seems to be filled with unusual emotions, making it completely incomprehensible.

I should have studied English harder if I had known this would happen.

Is today perhaps the day the manager has been waiting for?

“Let’s start with the tasks at hand.”

My work began even before the store opened, so I decided to handle the disposals first. Disposal here meant gathering items that needed to be thrown away, as they were valuable provisions for my daily needs and had to be managed in the dimensional disposal bin anyway.

“… There’s hardly anything to dispose of today.”

Strange, there were no lunch boxes to be disposed of this morning. Well, disposals weren’t an everyday occurrence, and despite the pouring rain yesterday, the evening rush left the shelves nearly empty.

The products would be restocked by the time the store opened, but then there wouldn’t be time to eat, with customers flooding in.

“The rain has been pouring since early morning and still hasn’t stopped.”

The only disposals I had were boxes of cereal with a tiger character drawn on them, tucked away in a corner. It was a bit disappointing, but having a simple breakfast with cereal wasn’t so bad. Besides, despite not being good for health, the cereal tasted sweet when mixed with milk.

Since I had money, I decided to buy some milk. I had a spoon handy, so this would be my breakfast.

-Kim Hyunwoo-

[It’s been raining heavily suddenly, just like yesterday. I wonder, does Universe-1221 have a monsoon season too?]

I sent a message to the manager while eating cereal soaked in milk. I hoped the weather wasn’t affecting the manager’s mood. It’s inevitable for emotions to be influenced by the weather, but I hoped the manager wouldn’t take it out on me for no reason.

-Manager-

[Of course, we do. However, the monsoon season doesn’t come like in typical summer climates. To prevent droughts, rain falls periodically at predetermined intervals. Also, due to the risk of flooding, the monsoon lasts for about 3 days at most. The climate in this universe is directly managed by transcendent beings.]

Fortunately, it seemed the manager wasn’t greatly angered. I wondered if the management was in the hands of Alencia or Seretini, considering a transcendent being was involved.

-Manager-

[Because of this, the saint of Universe-1221 participates in regular ceremonies. While these ceremonies are major events in the Papal State, the essence of it all is mere formality.]

Come to think of it, some customers did mention that the saint was participating in ceremonies. Considering Alencia’s identity, the ceremonies were probably just for show.

Anyway, it wasn’t pouring heavily outside. There was a moderate amount of rain falling. The term “moderate” was abstract, but I thought of it as raindrops neither too heavy nor too light, tapping gently on the window.

The sound of raindrops pitter-pattering.

The dampness in the air that one could sense even with human senses.

Inside the quiet convenience store, the sounds from outside could be heard, like music that deserved to be listened to on its own.

– Store Manager –

[Do you like it when it rains, Mr. Kim Hyunwoo?]

With cereal and milk in his mouth, Kim Hyunwoo was taken aback by the sudden question from the store manager.

– Kim Hyunwoo –

[Why do you think I like it?]

– Store Manager –

[I could see a longing in your eyes, as if you were wishing for something. Like a child, perhaps.]

– Kim Hyunwoo –

[My parents passed away on a day like this, when it was pouring. I heard the urgent news one day and rushed to the hospital under the rain, but it was already too late. They had both passed away. Maybe that’s why.]

Drinking the remaining milk, Kim Hyunwoo typed out his message.

– Kim Hyunwoo –

[If I had gone a little earlier, maybe I could have seen my parents for the last time, or at least held their hands. Whenever it rains, I always think about it.]

After sending the message, there was no reply from the store manager for a while.

Although the message was intentionally a bit provocative, it was not mixed with lies.

Sometimes, other shift workers or the store manager would say that when it rains, I stare out the window as if I could pierce through it.

Of course, most of them knew about my circumstances, so no one had ever asked me a question like the store manager did.

– Store Manager –

[…Do you miss your parents, Mr. Kim Hyunwoo?]

The store manager sent another reply about 10 minutes later.

As I cleaned up the cereal I had for breakfast, fed the dice, and checked the disposal bin, I felt a slightly flustered response from the store manager arrive.

– Kim Hyunwoo –

[Of course I miss them. Why wouldn’t I miss my parents?]

– Store Manager –

[I’m sorry. I asked you something unnecessary. I’m not used to the concept of parents when it comes to those I regularly interact with. Especially for transcendent beings like authors, who are born more naturally than from parents.]

Oh, the store manager apologizing without any formality is quite rare.

Honestly, although I miss them, I’m accustomed to it now, so I don’t have any special thoughts about it. But I wonder if there was some misunderstanding.

And to say that transcendent beings are born more naturally without parents, isn’t it more accurate to say that they are phenomena endowed with intelligence similar to living beings?

Well, if the father of all creation is called God, then we have to explain what gave birth to that God.

Considering that point, it would be more appropriate to think of transcendent beings like me as phenomena personified rather than living beings.

-Kim Hyun-woo-

There’s no need to apologize. My parents passed away a long time ago, and I’ve grown accustomed to their absence. I miss them, but it’s not to the point where I cry or behave like a young child when I see their faces again. I’ve long gotten used to it.

I stretched my neck and yawned lightly.

-Kim Hyun-woo-

Besides, fewer customers come when it rains, so I thought it might be more comfortable today with fewer customers. It’s not like I only think about my parents.

-Store Manager-

…I understand. Anyway, we’re opening the store soon, so please get ready. There are other things that need to be explained, but I will inform you in person later.

The store manager said he would explain it in person. I’m really worried about what crazy thing is waiting for me this time, but for now, there are more important things to focus on.

“I wonder who will be the first customer today.”

Indeed, who will be the first visitor to the convenience store today?

It’s like a hobby I developed since coming to U.C. Convenience Store, and it’s surprisingly exciting to predict and guess what kind of person will come.

When it comes to customers at the convenience store, there are humans, elves, dwarves, and werewolves, among others.

Of course, the elves and dwarves who come here are familiar faces, and they don’t come this early in the morning.

So, what’s left is either a human or a werewolf.

“Just in case, I prepared…”

I look at the jerky placed in front of the counter.

I don’t know why, but I have a feeling that I roughly know who will be the first customer.

Or is it because I had cereal for breakfast, so I’m full of tiger energy? The packaging itself seems to be overflowing with tiger energy.

Ding dong-

Then, the door opens, and the first customer enters.

Indeed, who is the first person to visit the convenience store?

“Roar!”

Just by hearing it, I can feel the familiar roar that sends shivers down my spine, so I immediately grab the jerky.

“Welcome, Amanda.”

I had a hunch, and I was right.

I don’t know how I guessed it, but Amanda was the first customer to visit the convenience store today.

Could it be that I could sense the tiger energy and knew that a tiger would visit as the first customer?

Cereal never fails.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re a good girl.”

Thanks to the tiger energy, I wasn’t scared even when faced with a tiger in front of me.

Perhaps it was because of familiarity, or maybe it was due to the frequent occurrence of surreal situations, but Amanda’s presence now felt strangely comforting, as if a tiger were, in fact, a familiar sight. In reality, Amanda looked like a tiger, but her behavior was more akin to that of a cat, reminiscent of a playful, affectionate long-haired feline that one might occasionally encounter at a convenience store.

Even now, upon seeing me, Amanda engaged in acts of affection similar to those between a cat and its owner – head-butting and tasting with her tongue. Of course, since these actions were performed by a massive tiger rather than a small house cat, I sometimes found myself in the precarious position of almost falling over or having my joints nearly snapped.

“hahahaha, I’m happy to see you too,” I said as I reached out to pet Amanda’s head, offering her a pre-prepared treat.

“But where did you leave your sister this time?” I wondered if Marine had come along as well, but her presence was nowhere to be seen this time. It was disappointing, but for now, let’s start with the treat.

Otherwise, if Amanda wanted to eat the treat, she seemed more than capable of swallowing my wrist whole, as if her mouth was already watering.

“?”

However, as I attempted to offer the treat to Amanda, someone suddenly seized my wrist firmly. It felt as if no one else was around, but when I raised my head to look, I couldn’t help but let out an involuntary gasp.

A gasp!

Even though I was face to face with a tiger, I couldn’t help but react similarly to anyone else if they were to witness what I was seeing. The massive stature, muscular body, and thin, stretchy fabric underwear with a tiger print pattern.

It felt like watching a wrestling champion on a monitor, except this time it was in reality and right before my eyes.

“Uh… Hmph.”

But now I wasn’t observing it on a monitor; I was seeing it directly with my own eyes. The tiger-skin cape draped over what appeared to be symbolic shoulders and a tiger’s head, and I distinctly read, “Uh… Hmph.” as if it were written out in clear syllables.

It felt even more awkward than reading a textbook. Nevertheless, it was unmistakably a tiger’s roar.

Oddly, the fear that coursed through my entire body now was greater than the initial terror when Amanda first entered the convenience store.

“Uh! Hmph!”

Until now, I had never had a customer like this. Was this a person or a tiger? How, then, were such unprecedented customers finding their way to this convenience store time and time again?

“Ah, welcome…?”

With a nervous voice, I greeted the figure in front of me, as if they were a guest.

Oh, I wish that devil had returned instead.

This was my sincere wish, without any embellishments.