Chapter 37: The Convenience Store’s New Product, Bento (2)

Upon arriving at the convenience store via the artifact, she saw Seojun helping Suho with his work. 

Seojun always helped with the convenience store tasks for about 3 hours even after the omelets were sold out.

Although his job at the convenience store was to prepare food, Seojun often handled cashier duties as well with Suho’s help.

After greeting them that she was back, Hyejin neatly organized the ingredients she bought at the mart into the refrigerator one by one.

Then, she was about to buy the teleport item but paused and looked at Suho.

“What should I do? Suho, it’s way past your clock-out time, but something urgent came up for me…… Could I finish this and then treat you to a meal?”

“Don’t worry about it. Go ahead and take care of your business without concern.”

“Thank you so much! It’ll be quick!”

Hyejin repeatedly expressed her thanks as she entered the staff room, opened the system window to purchase the teleport item, and immediately accessed the manager-exclusive shop.

“Parcel…… parcel…… Ah, here it is!”

While Hyejin muttered softly in the staff room, Eunwoo was enthusiastically telling Suho and Seojun about how delicious the sundae skewer Hyejin had bought him was.

Watching that scene warmly for a moment, Hyejin touched the parcel receiver in front of her.

Teleport item ‘The Parcel Machine’

Price: 3,000,000 gold

Product description: A teleport item for sending and receiving parcels or goods. 

To use it, both the sender and receiver must have the item.

Caution: Items that are too large cannot be delivered. 

Also, if the item is significantly heavier or lighter than the recommended weight, there is a very high chance of losing the parcel.

“It would be nice if you could send it even if only one side has it. This item’s cost-effectiveness is a bit disappointing.”

She pondered for a moment, but to develop various products in the future and quickly exchange discussions, the teleport item was absolutely necessary.

Purchasing boxes, bubble wrap, box tape, and scissors will incur an additional cost (20 gold).

Would you like to purchase all the items needed for parcel delivery?

YES/NO

Hyejin decided to purchase the boxes, bubble wrap, box tape, and scissors just in case.

Normally, parcels would be sent from places like post offices, but this was inside a dungeon. 

There was no way there would be something like a post office.

Hunters’ associations or guilds probably have teleport items, so there might be customers who want to use it.

After a brief hesitation, Hyejin pressed the YES button.

Purchase is starting. It will take about 5 seconds to complete the purchase.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1…….

Teleport item ‘The Parcel Machine’ purchase completed. Would you like to view other products?

As soon as the system finished speaking, a large machine reminiscent of a public phone booth appeared on the left side of the convenience store entrance. 

The machine had a door that could be opened and closed, and inside were parcel slips as well as the boxes, tape, bubble wrap, and scissors that Hyejin had additionally purchased.

There was also a circular scale that seemed about 100 meters in diameter. 

It probably measured the cost with that scale.

Hyejin hurriedly closed the system window, left the staff room, and ran to the newly appeared parcel machine.

“Wow! What’s that?”

Eunwoo said, looking at the machine with wonder.

“A new machine, huh.”

“It’s new every day here. I should learn about this machine too.”

Suho and Seojun also stopped what they were doing and briefly commented while examining the teleport machine.

While the three of them watched the teleport machine with sparkling eyes, Hyejin called Seungseok again to receive the sample lunch box.

After the ringtone, Seungseok’s voice came through.

-Oh, the call came even sooner than I expected?

“Yes, sir. I came straight back to the convenience store and bought the teleport machine. Do I need to operate this or something?”

No, no. First, turn on the power, then press the receive delivery button. You know that Bluetooth function? 

The one that connects devices. Well, you’re young, so you probably know. 

Anyway, the receive delivery function needs to be on for us to search for the address.

“Receive delivery button…….”

-And be careful not to step on the scale. Sometimes it recognizes people as items and causes errors.

“Is it that scary of a machine?”

Lightweight people could get whisked away in one go. I haven’t heard such stories yet, though. 

Anyway, on the right side of the scale, there should be a red button. That’s the power button.

Listening to Seungseok, Hyejin hurriedly pressed the power. 

The power came on quickly, and the monitor screen attached to the top of the machine lit up. Hyejin said to him.

“I see the receive delivery button you mentioned, sir.”

Press that and wait a bit. We’ll input the address from our side and send the sample lunch box. 

Once connected the first time, it won’t take long next time.

Hyejin nodded and swallowed nervously. She felt oddly tense. 

Though it was unlikely, she worried about an error during delivery.

Alright, I’ll send it, so receive it well. Oh, and about delivering supplies more frequently like I mentioned last time. 

Let’s decide after seeing if the lunch boxes sell well and the convenience store sales keep rising, okay? 

If the goods sell evenly, I’ll come into the dungeon more often, sure.

Hyejin replied happily.

“Yes. That’s enough for me, sir! I’ll contact you again. Thank you so much.”

About 5 minutes after Seungseok finished speaking, a yellow light began to emanate from the bottom of the scale. 

The blindingly bright light engulfed the convenience store before subsiding.

Hyejin, who had raised her arm to shield her eyes from the bright light, slowly lowered her arm and looked back at the scale, where the sample lunch box sent from Induk Trading was placed.

“This is it.”

Hyejin said softly while looking at the sample lunch box. 

In case the soup leaked during delivery, the lunch box was double-packed with wrap and even a box.

Carefully unwrapping the packaging one by one and opening the lunch box container, she saw a single serving of rice and side dishes. 

The side dishes were a bit different from the existing convenience store ones; there were no fried items like chicken.

Fried items taste good but have the drawback of becoming soggy when reheated. 

The same for chicken, and since Hyejin didn’t particularly crave chicken or fried types, she naturally nodded.

The first side dish that caught her eye was a tuna salad made with lettuce and tuna. 

It seemed to have sesame dressing on it, given the lingering savory sesame scent.

Next to it was seasoned lettuce. 

Usually, convenience store kimchi is mostly stir-fried kimchi. 

Probably to make side dishes that don’t spoil easily and have broad appeal. 

Most stir-fried kimchi obviously looks mass-produced in factories, but the seasoned lettuce in the sample lunch box had the advantage of looking fresh first of all.

The next side dish was braised beef in soy sauce, and beside it was a small round container with soft tofu and soy sauce.

It’s simple but looks appetizing. It feels like it has balanced nutrition too.

Hyejin calmed her excited and worried heart and turned her eyes to the next side dish.

The next side dishes were stir-fried chicken with vegetables and stir-fried pork.

The one she was most curious about was the soup. 

As she carefully tried to open the lid, Hyejin’s phone rang again. 

Hyejin quickly pressed the answer button.

-How is it? Did you receive the item well?

It was Seungseok. 

He asked Hyejin in a quite excited tone. 

His voice, laced with laughter, was quite affectionate.

“Yes, sir. I received it well. Though I haven’t opened the soup yet.”

Ah, the soup. 

What I sent today is seaweed soup, but what we have in mind is a lunch box that changes from time to time. 

We’ll vary the side dishes a bit, and if the soup is different every day, it won’t get boring. 

Our company supplies goods to convenience stores, but before the dungeon gate burst open, I was planning to start a side dish store. 

Not just a neighborhood one, but online. 

So I have some know-how in making side dishes and soups.

“A side, side dish store?”

There are a lot of people living alone these days. 

Nowadays, even if you order online, it arrives in a day, so no worry about spoiling. 

I have good skills, so I really wanted to try it. 

Anyway, today it’s seaweed soup, but in the future, I plan to make things like chicken soup, egg mustard soup, napa cabbage soybean paste soup, beef bone soup with cabbage, so give me lots of feedback.

Seungseok’s voice sounded so excited that Hyejin got thrilled along with him.

It’s improvised, but I put some thought into it. 

For eating inside the dungeon, a high-calorie lunch box might be good, but still, for Koreans, it’s rice, soup, and side dishes, right? 

Nothing special, but stable Korean food is the best.

“Ah, yes. Sir. I like sandwiches or bread too, of course, but in the end, I crave rice. Especially when I need something hearty!”

-That’s right. Exactly. You know a thing or two for a young person, haha.

“A plain but hearty lunch box. I think it’s good. I haven’t tasted it yet, but I’m already looking forward to it.”

After finishing her words, Hyejin paused in silence before asking in a worried voice.

“By the way……

What about the lunch box price?”

Ah, the price? Hahaha, don’t worry too much. 

Like I said earlier, it’s still just a sample. 

And, you know, we received investment funds, so we have plenty of capital! 

The convenience store owner invested generously.

“The owner?”

-Huh? You didn’t know? Why didn’t he tell the manager?

“Uh, probably because he’s busy. So that happened…….”

Then hear the details from the owner. For now, try it and let me know. 

If you like it, let’s proceed with formal supply procedures. 

If you’re unsure, make a few sample lunch boxes and sell them. It’s good to see the reactions too!”

“Yes, sir.”

-Then give me a call!

When Hyejin hung up and looked up, Asha was quietly sitting in front of the convenience store door, looking at Hyejin. 

As Hyejin silently stared at Asha, Asha haughtily lifted her head.

“You seemed worried all along. Instead, you have to pay me back later for sure.”