Without realizing it, Hyejin looked at the young hunter with deep pity.
She couldn’t interfere in another family’s conversation, especially customers’, but she couldn’t help feeling sorry for the young customer who looked like she might burst into tears any moment.
When their eyes met, perhaps not wanting to show herself crying in front of others, the young customer held back her tears and replied primly in a stuffy, nasal voice.
“But I don’t want to eat this bread. I like the honey bread that comes with whipped cream at cafes!”
“Then hurry up and pick. If we waste another 5 minutes here, we’ll be late for the guild meeting too.”
At the middle-aged hunter’s words, the daughter started roaming the convenience store irritably.
Then, she roughly picked up a snack.
Was she coming straight to the counter with it?
“Tsk tsk. Here we go again, here we go.”
But the moment she tried to grab something, the daughter’s movements slowed dramatically.
Like a sloth. A word flashed in Hyejin’s mind.
‘Speed!’
The fourth keyword was speed. That applied to this young hunter.
She slowly touched a product on the right, then moved her hand to one on the left.
But dissatisfied with that too, she headed to the ice cream section, then turned back to the shelves with chocolate and jelly.
Of course, there were plenty of customers who wandered and agonized this much.
The previous Hunter Kang Dongho had taken forever to choose too.
But this young customer was, well, just slow.
Not that she pondered long, but her pure walking, picking up, and putting down speed was sluggish.
“This kid, really.”
Hyejin glanced at the middle-aged customer whose face was turning red as if about to explode with anger, and bit her lip hard.
Was there any way to speed her up?
That’s when Hyejin recalled the middle-aged hunter mentioning that his daughter liked idol photocards.
And since Induk Trading supplied various convenience stores, she thought they might have bread with photocards.
‘If our store doesn’t have that bread, that’s why it’s taking longer since nothing appeals to her. If something she likes is right in front, her speed might pick up too.’
Hyejin decided to ask Seungseok.
If the product wasn’t available, nothing she could do, but if there was stock left, she could get it teleported right away.
“Um, just a moment. If you’re looking for photocards with celebrity photos, I think I can help.”
“Really? How did you know I was looking for that? I was so disappointed thinking they didn’t have it here! Actually, I’ve only gotten to eat it twice so far. My allowance is too small. I even walked here to save bus fare just to buy one bread.”
“What? You didn’t take the bus, just for bread?”
“Ah, whatever. It’s because you give me such a small allowance, Dad.”
Hyejin cautiously stepped out from the counter, glancing between the father and daughter.
“Please wait a moment.”
“Sis, I really want to buy that. See, Dad? If I hadn’t come in, I wouldn’t have gotten what I wanted!”
The daughter whined but seemed secretly pleased.
Hyejin smiled at them before calling Seungseok.
Click.
“Hello?”
-Ah, isn’t that the manager? We seem to be talking a lot lately. So, need some products or something?
“Yes. I have a favor to ask—do you have that bread where you can pull idol photocards? Ah, what’s the name. Sevbang? I think that’s it! Could you possibly get it?”
Sevbang? Hmm, that’s not made by our Induk Trading.
“Pardon?”
-We make various products, but that’s not one of ours.
Hyejin entered the staff room with her phone, closed the door, and said to Seungseok.
“Um, the customer really wants to buy it and is looking for it.”
-What to do, got it. Hold on a sec. I’ll check!
“Ah! I gotta brag to my friends.”
“Geez. You’re that happy? Huh?”
“Of course! I thought I couldn’t get it anymore!”
Hearing the father-daughter conversation from beyond the staff room made Hyejin anxious. It was the quest, sure, but the teenage hunter was so excited.
Even with dungeon gates opening, idols were eternal icons for teens.
Many celebrities, including idols, had awakened as hunters, and those already popular becoming hunters was big talk among fans.
So big companies started making products with idol photocards based on that trend.
Among them, the hottest was Sevbang.
The photocards were rare ones not available elsewhere, popular among hunters and non-awakened alike, making the bread hard to get.
Hyejin had known about it since her days as an ordinary F-rank hunter, as it had steady popularity.
Hyejin sighed deeply after hanging up.
She regretted being too reckless.
If she couldn’t get Sevbang, Seungseok would feel bad, the young customer would be upset, and of course, the quest would fail.
After pondering deeply for a while, Hyejin cautiously emerged from the staff room, and the young customer approached her with sparkling eyes.
“Sis? How much longer do I have to wait?”
At the young customer’s question, Hyejin spoke with an apologetic expression.
“The supplier for our convenience store is checking right now. They’ll call back soon, so please wait a bit.”
“Wow, I might really get to buy it. I should’ve come to this convenience store and asked earlier.”
“What’s so great about that bread with celebrity photos!”
“It’s not just celebrity photos. It’s photos with pictorials of oppa who awakened as hunters. They’re not easy to get. You don’t know anything, Dad!”
That’s when it happened.
A call came from Seungseok.
Hyejin bowed deeply to the customers like folding a flip phone and quickly re-entered the staff room to answer.
“Hello? Sir?”
-Ah, I checked with another company, and they have a few left. They can send some over. Would five be okay?
“Really? Of course, that’s fine! Thank you, sir!”
-Thanks for what? I know a guy who helped me before, and he manages the Sevbang deliveries. Seems they set aside some for company staff, but some didn’t want them. He was wondering what to do when I called, so he’ll send them right away.
“Wow, really? Then how long will it take to get to the convenience store?”
Better to send directly to your convenience store than through our Induk Trading? Since it’s staff bread, it might not be barcoded.
“Ah, that does seem better, but then how do I handle the price? It’s not an Induk Trading product, and no barcode, so it’s tricky.”
Yeah. It’s awkward since it’s not ours, but the guy says better to give to someone who wants it than trash it.
It was gonna be thrown away anyway, so no need for money.
“Hm, but then it wouldn’t be fair to others still hunting everywhere for Sevbang. I’ll sell it at full price and send you the proceeds.”
-Nah, it was trash-bound anyway. No need to give me the sales. Ah, then treat me to a cold drink next time I visit the convenience store. How’s that? If you insist on the money, just donate it even if it’s small!
‘Donate!’
Hyejin nodded vigorously. She’d been wondering how to handle the money, but donating for preschool children seemed doable.
“Sir…….”
Hyejin’s heart warmed at Seungseok’s gruff yet endlessly kind voice, and she bit her lip before nodding.
“Thank you so much, sir. I feel like I keep getting huge help.”
Hyejin kept thanking him over the phone. Beyond lunch boxes, Seungseok was a benefactor giving lots of aid.
-Thanks for what? I’m the one thankful. Having a convenience store in the dungeon gives us a place to deliver, develop new lunch boxes—it’s great. We help each other out. Got investment for factory operations too.
“Still, thank you so much.”
-Enough with the thanks! I’ll send the guy your convenience store address right away, so keep the teleport item powered on. Need to connect.
“Ah, yes.”
Hyejin dashed out of the staff room, winked at the waiting customers, and went straight to the teleport item.
‘Press the power button.’
She’d turned it off to save power when not in use, so she turned it back on.
Booting started, and soon the machine powered up.
-Yeah, yeah. They’re locating you now. Probably 5 minutes till arrival.
“Yes. The customer will be so happy.”
-A young customer, right? I know, I have kids too. Students have no money. When they want something, how badly? Can’t earn yet, and even if they awaken as hunters, parents don’t want kids in dungeons. No matter how high-rank the kid becomes, dungeons are hell itself.