Mastore 44 - Dumpster

Magic Realm Convenience Store – Ch. 44 

Monolingual Convenience Store Worker (3)



Looking at the Jungin as she said that, I could see them moving their mouths while looking this way, seeming like they were saying something. It looked like they were talking, but I couldn’t hear a single word. Maybe those big ears of hers let her hear things better.

But her expression as she listened wasn’t particularly pleasant. She already had a sharp look due to her heavy dark circles, and with her eyebrows furrowed on top of that, it was enough to make my heart skip a beat just looking at her.

Wait, didn’t the elf just say “about me”?

“You can understand what those Jungin customers are saying?”

“I’ve heard it so often that I’ve become familiar with it.”

It was an answer that made me think a lot. A species whose language the police have heard so often they’ve practically memorized it... Hmm...

The elf, occasionally twitching her ears as she listened, sighed quietly and continued while looking at the logbook.

“For the curse prevention logbook, failure to record results in a 2 million won fine for the store. The person who does not record will be fined 100,000 won...”

“Why’s the fine 2 million won?”

The amount was too large to just pass over with ‘If that’s the law, then so be it’. Am I supposed to square off with these guys who refuse to write down their info? What the heck is that?

“There aren’t many cases where the fine is actually imposed. It’s rare to get caught, and even if you’re unlucky enough to get caught, other officers at the station usually just say ‘be careful next time’ and let it go, but...”

The elf, speaking in a subdued tone, pointed at the logbook and said,

"I’ll issue the fine."

She must have noticed the Jungin didn't fill it out. No, but it’s force majeure, so what can I do? (An event or effect that cannot be reasonably anticipated.)

"I tried to get them to fill it out, but what can I do if those customers don't want to?"

"You mean those Jungin?"

“Yes. I tried, but all they did was grumbling something. Can’t you help me out with this, Officer?”

To be honest, it was half on purpose request. What are they going to do if a police officer tells them to? If they don't like filling it out, they can just leave.

The elf looked at me for a moment, then nodded as if it was no big deal. As expected of people’s guardian.

As I picked up the pen again, the elf started walking towards the Jungin first. I followed behind, and the Jungins, apparently not expecting us to approach them, shouted with surprised expressions.

“?????! ??????????!”

"They're saying 'We didn't do anything wrong'."

These wannabe exhibitionists sure have a lot to say. As I silently held out the logbook and pen, they alternately looked at the book, me, and the elf officer's face, then started whining loudly.

“???? ??????? ?????? ??????? ??????? !”

"They're asking why they need to write their information there."

“??? ?????―?????? ?????? ??????, ?????―????????? ??????”

“‘Is it because you’re a police? You war criminal’, they said.”

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Of course, it’s because she’s a police. If you don’t like it, why don’t you become police yourselves... No, what did they just say?

“What did these punks say?”

“You heard correctly.”

I looked at the elf, wondering if she was serious, but she didn’t seem to think for a second that she might have misheard. Are these guys actually insane?

Are they thinking we can't understand their language, or are they saying it for us to hear? Even after hearing the elf officer's translation, the Jungins' heads are still held high. They seem to think it's the former.

What's even more absurd is the officer's tone as she continues to translate their words without batting an eye.

“??? ????? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ?????!”

“They said, ‘Why don’t you write down your own info first, you smallfolk.’”

“???? ?????? ??????? ???? ?????? ?????... .”

"They're also asking how an elf managed to become a police officer..."

“???? ??????? ????????????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ??... ??????”

"'How dare a smallfolk resist the Jungin,' hmm."

These guys don’t even smell like alcohol. So why are they acting like drunkard, spewing nonsense like this?

I’m not old enough to claim I’ve lived long, but I’ve never understood guys like these, no matter how much I try. People who think they're the best, and are desperate to show it off...

If you were really great and deserving of respect, people around you would recognize it naturally. But here you are, acting like you own the store, talking loudly and stripping off your shirts like a bunch of uncivilized idiots. Why should anyone respect that?

I've now clearly realized how these guys are treated in this world, and how I should treat them. But the elf officer, even after repeating all the insults they hurled, didn’t show an ounce of reaction. In a burst of anger, I asked,

“Officer, can’t you arrest these guys for defamation or something?”

“It’s a bit tricky.”

“No, why??”

“For defamation to apply, there needs to be publicity, and the insults must be based on false information meant to demean or express contempt… but there’s no publicity here.”

“Even though I can hear them?”

"You couldn't understand it, could you?"

Apparently, since it wasn’t said for others to understand, it didn’t qualify as public defamation. I was too dumbfounded to respond, and the elf officer gave a small, cynical chuckle before continuing.

“And… I’m used to it.”

“No....”

"I've heard much worse."

Manager said that elf face a lot of discrimination in this world. Because they're a race of war criminals.

I felt like I was getting a small taste of what that must be like at this very moment. I couldn’t even think of anything else to say, and my head was starting to throb. Looking to the side, I see the elf officer take a small breath.

After that, she opened his mouth.

“??? ???? ????? ?? ??????... .”

No, you can speak their language too?

“???? ??????? ??????? ?????????? ?????? ??? ???? ?????? ? ?????? ????? ?????? ?????.”

Her pronunciation is even native-like. After calmly muttering those twisted words, the elf officer gently closed her eyes, opened them, and looked up at the Jungin. The Jungin, looking down, had an "oops" expression on their faces.

But it was just that—a mere oops. I asked the elf.

“What did you say to them?”

“I told them that if they continue making discriminatory remarks, I’ll arrest them.”

This elf is really like a stone Buddha. If I were in her shoes, I would've skipped the warnings and slapped cuffs on them immediately. At the elf's warning, the Jungin, who had been looking at each other with a nonchalant expression, began to rise sluggishly while muttering amongst themselves.

“? ?????, ??? ????? ??????.”

“?????? ?? ??????.”

"They're saying, 'This killed the mood, let's go to club.'"

"What club are they..."

Well, they’re leaving like I wanted, but it feels like a stone’s weighing down on my chest. Maybe I should ask Manager to print out a sign saying "Jungin Not Allowed" and stick it on the front door.

“?????? ???????―?????????.”

“Three packs of cigarettes.”

“Yes?”

"They're asking for three packs of the strongest nicotine cigarettes."

You want to smoke at a time like this?

Fine, whatever. It’s not like I can’t give it. I went back to the counter, took out three packs of the strongest cigarettes, and exercised my rightful authority as the person in charge of this convenience store.

“Please show me your ID.”

These guys were triggered just by the request to leave their contact info. They probably didn't want to write their personal information, so they would definitely be even more reluctant to show ID.

“????”

As they stared at me blankly, not understanding what I said, the elf beside me relayed my words to them. That immediately set off their trigger.

“????, ???? ??????? ??????? ??????? ?”

“??? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ?!”

"They're saying, 'Do I look like a kid? I don't want to show it.'"

Really? Well, what can I do? It’s mandatory, you know?

By law, when selling cigarettes at a convenience store, you’re supposed to check IDs, regardless of how old the customer looks, whether they’re elderly or foreign. Skipping it is just something we do when it’s obvious and too much hassle.

But now, with a police officer watching, what can I do? If you have a problem with it, argue with the law, not me.

“???!”

The Jungin seem to realize they can't force the issue with the police watching. After a brief standoff, the man who had asked for cigarettes handed over his passport with an annoyed look on his face. Alright, let's see how old you guys are...

The moment I touched it with that thought, the passport exploded.

“Oy, shit!!”

It was a massive explosion. The passport’s cover flew off, smacked me right in the head and slammed into the cigarette display, and the back cover shot backward, hitting the Jungin who had handed the passport right in the solar plexus.

As I clutched my throbbing head and looked up, I saw sheets of paper, at least a dozen, fluttering through the air like confetti. No, what in the world just happened?

“?????????!”

“They’re asking, ‘What the hell is going on?’”

The elf officer's hair was completely disheveled by the air pressure, but she continued interpreting steadfastly.

Only when several of the passport sheets began to lose its momentum and flutter did the Jungin finally come to his senses. They flailed their arms, trying to catch them, but the elf officer had already picked up one of the fallen sheets.

She held the paper up to the convenience store light, letting it shine through.

"Officer, what are you doing? Ouch, my head..."

"If this were a normal passport, I should be able to see a magic circle pattern in the corner when held up to the light."

She must be talking about those things you can see when you hold banknotes up to the light. After flipping the paper over a few more times, the elf folded it once, put it in her pocket, and continued in a flat tone.

“Nothing appears. It seems to be a forged passport."

"A forged passport? Are you saying these guys are all illegal immigrants?"

"That appears to be the case, based on the circumstances. We'll need to investigate further at the station, but..."

Without finishing her sentence, the elf pulled out her baton. One of the Jungin who had been swiping at the air trying to collect papers like they were clapping, saw the elf pull out the light stick and immediately shouted,

“??? ??? ?????? ????????! ??? ??? !”

"'That cop took out her baton, run away.' Hmm..."

"You can stop interpreting now!!"

“They seem likely to flee, so I’ll subdue them for now.”

With that, the elf calmly swung her baton straight into the leg of the Jungin who had shouted. A flash of light burst from the point of impact, and the Jungin who had been hit in the thigh collapsed like a wooden puppet.

As a bonus, he smashed the chocolate display as he fell. Damn it, when am I supposed to clean that up...?



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