Mastore 97 - Dumpster

Magic Realm Convenience Store – Ch. 97

Business isn’t going well because the car is too big (2)

This was the third time the elder werewolf chauffeur had visited. The first was when that triple rear-end collision happened right on the road in front, the second was when he gave advice right before my practical exam.

With each visit, he'd leave me with an armful of shock and awe, and thanks to that, there are several things I can't forget. For instance, the brand of cigarettes he usually smokes.

"One pack of One Blue, please."

“Here.”

I'd already taken out one with an intact warning image and prepared the change too. I took out the change according to the price and gave it to him, and he fiddled with his hat as if he was embarrassed.

"I appreciate the consideration, but really, any pack would have been fine, Boss."

“I’ll keep that in mind next time. Anyway, you asked how I’ve been doing, right?”

I’ve been doing alright, and I even have proof. When I took out and placed my license booklet from under the counter, the elder's eyes widened slightly.

"Oho, you passed, I see."

"Yes. Somehow managed it, following your advice from then."

He had told me that I needed a trigger and that my mindset was important. He gave me advice based on his own experience. Thanks to hearing this advice, I gained at least some understanding of how to handle my body—

I was able to help the dragon kid, and it came in handy during the practical test too. If I could have my way, I'd like to brew some red ginseng for the elder's health, but...

“I appreciate the thought, Boss, but I can’t really handle bitter stuff.”

He declined. Well, red ginseng would be an awkwardly expensive amount to suddenly hand over as a gift.

"Then at least let me buy you a coffee. I'm thirsty too, and it feels odd drinking alone."

"If you insist."

I think this much is fine. I still didn’t know what kind of coffee he liked, so we decided to each pick our own. I went with my usual Americano.

A moment later, what the elder brought was hot chocolate. Um...

"This tastes good, Boss."

Wait, wasn’t the whole ‘I can’t handle bitter stuff’ just an excuse?

“I’ll pay for the ice cup.”

"...Ah. No, we don't get the 100-won discount unless we ring them up together. Let me."

I caught myself mid-thought. There’s no rule saying a silver-haired gentleman in a hat can’t drink hot chocolate. After paying, I filled the ice cup with hot chocolate and handed it to him. He immediately drank half of it through a straw.

Then, he gazed out the front door and spoke softly.

"At first, I thought I’d taken a wrong turn, Boss."

"Sorry?"

"I couldn’t see the convenience store."

He must be talking about the Bongo van outside. I had forgotten for a moment, but seeing it brings back that overwhelming feeling. What am I supposed to do about that thing?

“It must be really inconvenient for you.”

"Indeed. Thinking about what you said, Elder, other customers probably pass by without seeing it too."

"Have you reported it?"

“I’m not planning to. Calling the police won’t guarantee they’ll tow it away…”

At best, the police can issue a ticket and try to contact the owner, but even they can’t do much about it. How can they contact someone when there's no contact information?

If by chance the elf police officer were to respond, she might put in some extra effort, but it's not like that officer is the only one in this neighborhood's police force. At best, they’d just tell me to wait and leave. And besides—

"If they get a ticket, they’re definitely going to think I’m the one who caused trouble for them.”

There are no pedestrians walking around right now because the soccer game is in full swing, and there are no bars within a 20m radius. The only store with its lights on is this convenience store.

In this situation, if someone gets a ticket on their car, who do you think the owner would suspect? They’d probably storm into the store and start yelling, ‘Hey, did you report me to the police?’ and pick a fight.

I hate dealing with difficult customers, and I hate even more turning a normal person into a difficult customer... No, parking a van in front of a lit convenience store and going drinking isn't something a normal person would think of doing.

“The more I think about it, the angrier I get. Should I just report it and see what happens?”

“No. As you said, Boss, there’s no need to stir up trouble unnecessarily.”

“…Well, I was just saying.”

What good would reporting do anyway? I'd feel better for a moment, then after arguing with whoever shows up, I'd feel twice as drained.

Don't know when, but seems like waiting for the owners to come to move their car is the only option. Just as I was about to half-resign myself to this, the elder quietly called to me.

"Boss."

"Yes."

“This is something I’m doing personally, so you don’t need to worry about it.”

What’s he planning to do?

At first I didn't understand, so I tried not to mind it as requested. The elder took off his hat, handed it to me, and then walked out the front door….

He stood behind one of the vans and started carefully examining the rear bumper, which was slightly dented—wait a second.

"Elder, are you perhaps planning to—"

“This spot seems fine.”

It does seem like a good spot, but shouldn’t you think this through a little more?

Before I could even finish my sentence, the old man grabbed the bumper with one hand, let out a small ‘Hup’.

Then, he lifted it.

After lifting it, he seemed to realize it wasn’t as heavy as he thought, so he adjusted his grip like a weightlifter. He tried to edge his body slightly sideways with that grip, but even to my eyes, the angle wasn't working.

“Boss. I can’t see the front, so could you do me a favor?”

“Uh… Yes. Just a moment.”

Damn, I don't know either. Do we have any better options?

Ignoring the creaking sounds coming from the rear bumper, I stood at the front of the van and checked the wheel direction. Thank heavens these guys hadn't left the wheels turned.

“The front wheels are straight, so just push it forward, Elder! I’ll let you know when to stop!”

“Understood.”

Following a small answer, the van started moving steadily toward me.

The 1.8-ton van swayed up and down in sync with the elder’s steps, and the more I watched, the more it felt like a bug in a physics engine. Of all the things I've seen in my life...

I tried to shake off the cognitive dissonance and guided the parking (or physics) for about thirty steps. Finally, the view in front of the convenience store opened up considerably. I immediately shouted.

"You can put it down now!"

As soon as I spoke, thud. Creaking sounds echoed from every corner of the vehicle, vibrating through the air. After confirming the van had completely stopped, I asked about the elder's wellbeing.

“Are you okay? Your arms, your back, or anywhere—?”

“Just a bit of dust on my hands, but I’m fine.”

He clenched and unclenched his hands a couple of times, then brushed off some soot from his shirt. Since the van's rear is much heavier, let's estimate it at about 1.2 tons.

This means the old man just deadlifted 1,200 kilograms. He pulled off a 1-to-1,200 ratio, you know?

And after this, he says he's fine except for some dust on his hands. Shouldn't he be opening his own branded gym instead of working as a chauffeur? Seems like three generations could live without worrying about retirement funds.

“I’m thinking of moving the other van too. What do you think?”

“I don’t think you need to go that far.”

I'm not hoping for, nor do I need, the entire store to be visible. As long as half the sign is visible, people will know there’s a convenience store here.

Moreover, I couldn't bring myself to watch the same spectacle again. Just looking at the rear bumper area where the elder had gripped and lifted, it seemed slightly more dented than before...

"No, wait?"

I’ve never lifted a van with one hand, but I can imagine it. If the entire vehicle’s weight was concentrated on the surface area of an adult man’s palm, it would be normal for the bumper to bend, right?

But nothing had changed. I’m not saying this to flatter the elder, it’s the truth. After staring for a long while, I could finally reach a plausible conclusion.

"Elder. I don’t know much about this, but did you use magic?"

"Nothing as grand as magic. I'm not particularly gifted in that area... Though of course, I'm not saying I lifted it with pure physical strength either."

If he hadn’t added that last part, I might’ve asked what kind of protein he’s been taking. Sensing the need to elaborate, the elder rolled up one of his sleeves.

Extending his rolled-up sleeve arm with palm facing up, he continued,

"I merely used a bit of mana for a small trick. Though you probably can't see it even now—"

"You must be talking about this mist. Deep blue, like dry ice."

There was something swirling around the elder’s hand that I couldn’t describe any other way. Earlier I was only looking at the front wheels while guiding the parking, but when I focus my eyes, I can definitely see something.

When I mentioned it, the elder’s eyes widened in surprise.

"…I assumed you wouldn’t be able to see it. I forgot for a moment that you’re quite an extraordinary person, Boss.”

"Extraordinary? It's just that this is about all I can do. May I ask you more?"

“Of course. Anyway, right now, I’ve concentrated the mana in my body into my hand….”

He explains that with training, mana can be used in more diverse ways. For example, instead of focusing it on his palm, he could channel it into the van’s rear bumper to strengthen its hardness—

Or he could concentrate mana on a specific point and pluck out a single brick from the pavement.

"Just now, I tried slightly vibrating the ground with mana... I’m not sure if I explained it well.”

Never mind the explanation, this elder actually pulled out a brick.

And cleanly too, without a single crack. Should I be the one asking him to put it back? Pedestrians going to trip over it like crazy.

Thankfully, the elder placed it back himself. After inserting it into the ground and rubbing it once with his foot, the brick demurely found its place as if it had never been removed.

“If you’re preparing for situations like this, I could teach you some basic mana manipulation techniques.”

"I'm fine. Tow truck companies need to make a living too."

The elder seemed slightly dejected, but I couldn't help it. It's because my body has absolutely no mana. What good would learning manipulation techniques do for someone without a single drop of mana?

I don't even know the exact principle, but I've gained some knowledge. Mana isn’t just for casting spells—it can be used for all sorts of things.

Anyway, we've moved the van, and the bumper's intact so there shouldn't be any more trouble. The elder and I returned to the store and finished the drinks I had bought.

I took two sips, while the elder downed his remaining half in one shot. While he was throwing away his cup, I checked on my phone how far the soccer game had progressed. It was the 43rd minute of the second half.

Considering the extra time, it'll probably get busy in about 7 minutes. After briefly considering topics for a short conversation, I asked the elder.

"Have you been well, Elder?"

"Why of course, I've been doing well."

He said he had been doing well, but there was a strange unease in his tone. He continued.

“I play baduk and gateball too….”




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