Mastore 125 - Dumpster

Magic Realm Convenience Store – Ch. 125

It may be easy to enter as you please, but when leaving... (3)

For the remaining three minutes until the taxi arrived, we just exchanged messages.

[You really aren't tired?]

[I'm fine so please stop asking, that's the fourth time already] [But still]

[There you go again]

I can’t sleep anyway. Even if I arrived at the hotel right away, I'd probably just roll around in bed for hours trying to sort out the mess in my head.

I figured it’d be better to meet someone who needs me rather than waste time like that. The fact that she wants to meet despite knowing I worked all night means it must be important…

[Don't bother coming to me. I was planning to go somewhere by taxi anyway]

I didn't particularly want to mention becoming a refugee so I made something up, but Elena immediately sent a question.

[Where to?]

I cropped the address from the hotel photo and sent it. Shortly after, good news arrived.

[Wow, that's a six-minute walk from my place]

[Hoo]

[I live nearby]

There’s an officetel complex between the Academy District and the hotel, and she apparently commutes from there.

Just as I was about to reply, I heard the sound of a car engine approaching. It had a taxi sign on top.

[There's a café I go to often nearby]

[The coffee is delicious]

[Then let's meet there, please send me the address]

[I have to get in the taxi now. It’ll probably take around 40 minutes]

[Okay, I’ll get ready right away]

[See you later]

[Yep]

That ended the conversation. I opened the back door of the taxi that had stopped in front of the bus stop and took out money, then made eye contact with the taxi driver. A middle-aged elf. Wait, why of all people...

"Where to?"

Huh. Why isn't he picking a fight with me?

Then it hit me. I’m not wearing my uniform right now. I immediately pulled out my phone and showed him the address. He just stared blankly and pressed the navigation button while saying,

"It'll be about 12,000 won. Cash?"

“Yes. Cash.”

“Buckle up. We're going.”

* * *

I spent the entire taxi ride staring out the window. The taxi driver tried to make conversation once or twice, but...

“What's out there that's so fascinating?”

“No. I’m feeling carsick.”

I made something up. It wasn't really carsickness, but there actually were a few surprising things outside. For example, just as we were leaving the downtown area and crossing the bridge.

A rainbow shaped like an oriental dragon was floating above the river. Not a rainbow-colored dragon, but a dragon made of rainbows. Below it was a large water fountain.

At first, I thought I might be seeing things because I was sleepy, but as the fountain’s water pressure changed, the dragon would roar with its mouth wide open or coil itself around the fountain…

And then it disappeared the moment the water stopped, and as the fountain began to spray water again, it soared upward from beneath the river as if ascending to heaven.

At this point, the taxi driver spoke up again.

“Is this your first time in this city?”

After a moment of thought, I answered.

“Yes. It's my first time.”

It’s been a month. It’s just my first time coming out this far.

"Ah. So you're someone who's been living in the countryside."

This elf old man sure has a way with words. Still, since the conversation had started, I thought I might as well ask one or two things I was curious about.

“Why is that dragon outside doing that?”

“Why? It’s almost June now.”

“It does that because it’s June?”

"They turn on the fountain in June when it gets hot, what other reason would there be?"

I decided not to press further. It wasn’t like he was wrong.

Instead, I looked toward the park in the distance, and just like the taxi driver said, there were a few other things that seemed appropriate for summer. Things like duck boats and banana boats.

Those seemed somewhat normal, so I was quietly staring at them when suddenly a duck boat raised its bill to the sky and started quacking. What's that now?

The two-seater banana boat began peeling its own skin to increase its passenger capacity. Looking around more, I asked.

“Doesn't look like there are many customers.”

“Who in their right mind would ride a boat in this situation? Everyone's busy working or holing up at home."

“Is it because of the gate?”

"Well, yeah. Why are you staying at this, um, hotel? Tourism?"

“No, I’m here for a bit because of some circumstances.”

"Talk about bad luck. Having circumstances come up at a time like this?"

I guess so. If this were my world, this location would be somewhere near a major bridge in Seoul. A place always packed with traffic on the riverside roads, people jogging, or strolling in parks nearby.

But here, there are hardly any cars on the bridge or the riverside roads. No other races were visible in the park. Even the electric scooters lined up on one side numbered well into the dozens.

This wasn't the scene I had imagined either. We got stuck at a traffic light near the end of the bridge, and the taxi driver muttered,

"If it weren't for the gate, there would have been a lot to see."

“…You're right.”

“Try to bear with the boredom. We’re almost at your destination.”

* * *

It was only after another 15 minutes that the meter's tongue stopped moving. I only noticed this now, but the horse had a horn on its head. It must’ve been a unicorn.

“If you cross the street here, that’s exactly your destination. Want me to drop you closer?”

“No, I’ll walk from here.”

“That’ll be 14,000 won.”

It was because the hundreds digit matched perfectly. After paying 20,000 won and receiving 6,000 won in change, I started walking toward my destination with eyes glued to the address on my phone.

I did arrive after walking about 5 minutes through streets with sparse pedestrians, but the building, well.

“Hoo.”

It was so bizarre that I almost laughed out loud. I mean, a teapot?

It looked like someone had taken a teapot about six hundred years old and enlarged it to building size. Judging by the exterior color, it wasn’t made of bricks but seemed like ceramic.

I touched the exterior wall just in case, and it was really ceramic. If they made the exterior in the shape of a ceramic teapot because the building's purpose was a café, what on earth would a soup restaurant look like?

While pondering this question for about 5 minutes while sitting in a chair at a nearby outdoor table, a voice called from the distance.

“Chan!”

I looked up and saw Elena waving her hand vigorously from the sidewalk. After I gave a slight nod, she came running over with quick steps and caught her breath slightly.

Perhaps because this wasn't her usual commute, she wasn't dressed in her usual business suit but instead wore a blouse with a ribbon on the chest. I was glad I went to work yesterday in jeans and a button-up shirt.

“I’m sorry, did you wait long?”

"No, I just got here too. By the way..."

"Yes?"

“Your clothes suit you well. Your shoes too.”

I said it because it seemed like I should.

Although I've never dated anyone or met a woman outside like this before, for some reason it felt like I should mention her outfit first in this situation.

But is this the right thing to say? Movies and dramas usually do it this way. Elena seemed a bit flustered too, as her voice slightly rose in pitch.

"Oh. R- Really? I just threw on whatever!"

"If that's the case, what about me, coming out in just a button-up shirt and jeans..."

“No! Not at all. I think this is the first time I’ve seen Chan out of uniform.”

“Now that you mention it, I guess so. This situation is kind of strange.”

"It really is. How strange..."

It’s strange in many ways. When I came to this world to find a part-time job, I never imagined I’d be walking around outside like this or meeting this succubus outside of work…

“.....”

“...Ah, um.”

We were silent for a moment. Since we've ended up meeting, I thought I'd try to lighten the atmosphere like we do at the convenience store.

“About this place—are all the cafés around here shaped like this? It’s my first time seeing something like this.”

Elena looked momentarily puzzled by the question, then went, ‘Ah’, and answered.

"This is a concept café, Chan. It looks really unique, doesn't it?"

“So by concept café, you mean places designed like warehouses or banks inside, stuff like that?”

“Yes. This one is themed after an old magic potion workshop, so I came once because I was curious."

The already unique place was becoming even more intriguing. A magic potion workshop theme…?

"I tried an Americano when I came, and the coffee taste was really good."

“Then that’s good enough. Let’s go in… No, why does the door handle look like that?”

The medieval-style wooden door had a crooked handle made of ancient wood. As we opened it with a creak and stepped inside, the interior was even more bizarre compared to the outside.

First, the cups on the counter weren’t coffee cups. They were all potion bottles. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, and a spiral staircase led to the second floor.

Moreover, several tree trunks sprouting through the floor tiles spread across the ceiling, and seeing that the barista wasn't running away and had a nonchalant expression, it seemed to be intentional interior design.

Speaking of which, what species was that barista anyway? A tree? Isn't that literally a living tree?

Lastly, strange devices occupied the coffee-brewing machine. Flasks, tripods, candles, and so on—things that looked like they could be used to make potions right away.

“To this extent....”

This place might’ve actually gone too far into its own concept. With this flow, it seems like they'll serve Americano in a potion bottle too?

“It really feels like a magic potion workshop, right? Oh, what would Chan like to drink?”

"Could I just decline?"

“No, I always received thing from Chan!”

"Well, that's..."

“Please don’t do that. Let me buy you something for once. Please?”

"...Then an Americano, large size, please."

Honestly, my throat felt a bit parched. Elena nodded at my answer, quickly went over to order two coffees, and then returned.

Afterward, we took seats at a nearby table. As soon as she sat down, Elena took a tablet PC out of her handbag.

“I mentioned this morning that I needed to meet Chan regarding work.”

“Yes.”

"Well, actually, the higher-ups were extremely satisfied. They said what would normally take two weeks with other anti-magic specialists was completed so quickly thanks to Chan."

This was one of the few pieces of good news I’ve heard in recent days. Anyway, the higher-ups at Elena's company viewed the results of our work favorably, and in times like these, what happens?

“That’s, well..."

"Yes?"

“…they were wondering if Chan might be available for other projects in the future…”

It seems she was instructed by higher-ups to ‘hold onto that person~’ and make this suggestion. I wondered why she was stretching out her words at first, but I guess this was the reason.

“They asked me to check with you… so…”

“It felt awkward to discuss over the phone, so you decided to talk in person?”

“Yes....”

I answered right away.

“I’m fine with that.”

I think I could do reasonably well with this potion work. After all, they said my work was good. I may not know much, but if the experts say so, it must be true.

Anyway, I have to keep working even after filing my two quotas for this month, and if I'm going to work, I'd rather do something I'm good at with a non-human I can communicate well with.

In this case, with Elena. She seemed a bit surprised that I answered so quickly, her eyes widening slightly. I added,

"But I have one condition. After I successfully complete this current job through to the end, please ask me again then."

“Huh?”

“Well, you never know what the future holds, right?”

Even though the first potion meeting went smoothly, there was no guarantee I'd do equally well next time.

Suppose I took on another project, but I messed that one up. Elena would be placed in an awkward position.

While she probably wouldn’t be directly blamed since the higher-ups asked her to secure an anti-mage, but... she might have to keep a low profile at the company for a while.

I don’t want that. That’s what I think, but I can’t say it outright without sounding presumptuous. So I just glossed over it.

“Since this project isn’t finished yet, let’s think about it after we’re done. Until then, please tell them I'm keeping my schedule open, that I'm interested, and that I'm thinking positively about it.”

“…Okay. I'm sorry, Chan.”

"You're really always apologizing. Don’t worry about it, it’s just work. But exactly how did the previous work turn out well?"

I asked to change the subject. In response to my question, Elena took out her tablet from her bag and then placed the potion vial we had seen before on the table.

"You brought this out? From the lab?"

"Yes. I've been put in complete charge of this, so I asked the lab director separately. Chan’s schedule isn’t always free, so I wanted some flexibility.”

So they put a month-long preservation spell on it, which added to the budget costs. Now it was my turn to feel apologetic.

“We improved the stability based on your previous review, and during the meeting, there was a suggestion to add other effects. This version has those additional effects."

“Oh, really? What effects?”

When asked, Elena put down the vial and answered.

"The effect of becoming honest with oneself."





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