“That’s right, sir. I hear screams every day while running the store here, but it always leaves a bad feeling in one corner of my heart.”
-Yeah, must be the same for you working there, Manager. Still, that convenience store must be a huge help to the hunters. Feels good to be part of it too. Hahaha.
“Thank you. I’ll work even harder, sir!”
-You do that. Anyway, make sure to pass it on well to the customer! Hanging up now.
Not long after Seungseok’s call ended, a flash of light appeared over the teleport delivery scale, and invisible items began to materialize.
Seeing the packaged box, Hyejin quickly pulled it out, cut the tape with scissors, and returned to the counter with the well-wrapped breads.
“Wow! It’s really Sevbang?!”
“I could only get five, but I hope you like them.”
“Wow, five whole ones. I’d be thrilled with even just one.”
“Five? Then how much is all this?”
The middle-aged hunter smiled at his daughter’s delight, then asked with a somewhat flustered expression.
He must have thought the price would be steep for five hard-to-get breads.
“The original price is 1,000 gold per bread, but these aren’t for sale.”
“Not for sale?”
“Yes, I got them through an acquaintance, so they’re non-commercial items.”
“Non-commercial means you’re giving them for free, right?”
“Hm, that doesn’t seem fair.”
Hyejin pondered carefully for a moment on how to phrase it.
At first, she thought about not taking money, or if she did, not mentioning they were non-commercial. For the quest, that might have been the right move.
But.
“When I was a kid, I didn’t have much money, so I couldn’t buy the Pokémon bread my friends ate every day. That memory came back, and I really wanted to treat you.”
“But giving it for free doesn’t seem fair to those still hunting around convenience stores for Sevbang, or those who can’t afford it. Since they’re non-commercial, if you buy them, I’ll donate the proceeds to an organization for preschool children. So, the price is 1,000 gold per bread.”
The middle-aged customer listened quietly until Hyejin finished, then gazed thoughtfully at his daughter.
“Heh heh, if it were me, I’d just say 1,000 gold without explanation. No, even after all that talk, how can you charge for non-commercial items? What if someone argues? That’s not how you do business.”
As the middle-aged customer grumbled, a system window appeared in the air.
Skill nullified, skill nullified.
Through the hunter’s emotion, the ‘Toss Coins on the Counter’ skill is nullified.
Hyejin’s eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly composed her expression and calmed down.
“Still, I believe honesty works for now.”
“Sigh, donate! Since it’s for donation, I’ll buy them all. Not because I dote on my troublemaking daughter.”
Even as he said that, the middle-aged customer watched his daughter, who was hugging an armful of breads from the counter and bouncing with joy, with eyes full of love.
“Thank you so much, sis! I won’t forget this kindness.”
“Kindness? I’m just happy you’re pleased. Ah, but I have a request for your daughter.”
“Me, me?”
“Yes. Could you keep it a secret that you bought this bread at the convenience store inside the dungeon? It’s not something we normally sell, and after thinking, if we stock it, young hunters might come into this dangerous dungeon. So, we don’t plan to sell Sevbang. I’d prefer if word doesn’t spread that it’s an unobtainable bread.”
When Hyejin spoke cautiously, Hansol tilted her head as if she didn’t quite understand.
“But it would help the convenience store’s sales—why not sell it?”
Before Hyejin could answer, the middle-aged hunter laughed heartily and gave his daughter a light tap on the head.
“Sigh, what do you know? When will this girl grow up? Manager, good thinking. The idea of kids sneaking into the dungeon without telling their parents to buy this is horrifying just to imagine.”
“Ouch, why hit me!”
Rubbing her head where she’d been tapped, the young customer glared mildly at the middle-aged customer before nodding.
“I promise. Actually, I really want to brag and promote this convenience store, but if you don’t want that, not doing it is helping, right?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Hyejin replied with a bright smile.
Then, the middle-aged hunter held something out to her.
“Take this. It’s an item I got as loot from killing a monster in the dungeon last time—giving it to you, miss.”
“Huh? Oh, no! You don’t have to!”
Hyejin waved her hands urgently, but the middle-aged customer placed the item on the counter anyway.
By then, the young customer was outside at a table, unwrapping the Sevbang. Watching her excited back, the middle-aged hunter let out a deep sigh.
“Our daughter is sloth-style, so she wears out the staff everywhere we go. Of course, I get it! She’s my daughter, and even I get frustrated sometimes.”
“Ah, yes.”
“But there are customers who can’t decide easily and agonize a lot. These days, everywhere we go, they sigh heavily, get irritated, angry, even tell us to leave? I don’t feel good getting treated like that, so I hate going places with her……. But kind, warm service like this—it’s been so long.”
As he continued, the middle-aged customer took gold from his wallet and carefully placed it on Hyejin’s palm.
“When I get mad, I end up tossing the money and storming out. Seems it’s become a habit lately. But thinking now, I was short-sighted. I should’ve been kind first. Learning this from a young miss like you.”
“No, I understand why you’d get angry. It’s because you adore your daughter.”
Just then, a joyful cheer came from outside.
Whether she’d pulled the photocard she wanted, the young customer was holding a small photocard above her shoulder, stomping her feet in delight. Hyejin and the middle-aged hunter couldn’t take their eyes off the sight.
“Ah, shoot, look at me. We really have to go now. So take it. If you don’t, I’ll feel bad.”
“Then……
Thank you, I’ll accept it gratefully, customer.”
The item Hyejin received from the middle-aged hunter was a small wooden box.
After her thanks, the middle-aged customer left the convenience store with a face full of smiles, waving.
“Goodbye, customer.”
As Hyejin greeted them, a system window appeared.
Quest ‘Show Off the Manager’s Cool Abilities!’ 4/5 achieved!
Special reward for 4/5 achievement: Small Wooden Box
Hyejin paused while trying to check inside the wooden box due to the system window, when Eunwoo, who had been playing with Asha in a corner of the counter, approached her.
“Manager, you okay?”
Hyejin smiled awkwardly and nodded.
“Yes, of course. I’m fine.”
This quest took a lot of time and was tiring accordingly, but clearing each one filled her with pride.
Now, only one customer remained.
***
“But seriously, I’m impressed with you, Manager. How do you do it? Smiling and doing your best to fulfill whatever the customer wants—it’s a bit touching?”
Eunwoo poured out admiration nonstop, as if he’d been waiting for the customers to leave.
Hyejin felt her ears turning red, so she cleared her throat—ahem, ahem—and avoided Eunwoo’s sparkling gaze.
“I feel the same.”
“Even you, Seojun…….”
Seojun, who had been feeding and playing with Bailey inside the staff room while watching everything, leaned casually against the staff room door with a light smile.
“But no one’s curious about what’s in that gift box?”
Just as Hyejin was getting embarrassed and wanted to escape, Asha jumped onto the counter at perfect timing and said indifferently.
Thanks to that, everyone’s eyes turned to the small wooden box.
“Yeah. What could it be?”
Hyejin examined the wooden box she’d received from the middle-aged customer closely.
On the outside, it looked like an ordinary small music box.
But she had no idea what might happen if she opened it.
It was loot from killing a monster, after all.
Inside was probably something like a monster’s tooth, hide, or bone.
On the other hand, it might be a hunter item.
Hyejin kept eyeing the wooden box before deciding to check the contents.
If it was an SS-rank hunter item, she couldn’t use it, but she’d only know by opening it.
Using her index finger, she gently lifted the wooden box lid, revealing a shining small orb-like thing.
“It’s pretty…….”
It looked like a black pearl at first glance, but the orb was so clear you could see through it, so Hyejin picked it up and inspected it carefully.
“What on earth is this?”
“He said it was loot, right?”
“Yes.”
Seojun took the orb from Hyejin, examined it, then slowly shook his head.
“I don’t know what this orb is either.”
“Must be rare. Ah, anyway, I didn’t get to thank you properly earlier. Thank you so much. Because you came just in time, I could handle the customers safely.”