I slipped through the doorway, making sure to turn the entrance sign the other way around. All regular customers could now enter the store. Although it couldn't compete with other fancy locations in the 1st District, seeing the results of not just my own blood, sweat, and tears, but Logan's, as well, gave me a sense of accomplishment. Claiming I succeeded solely through my efforts would be a lie. My husband made a significant contribution, though not as much as I did.

 

Logan's capable of severing mana-enhanced monsters in half with those pudgy fingers of his, but when it comes to delicate work, let's just say he's not the best when it comes to cleaning the dishes, or any other mundane chore for that matter.

 

Aside from domestic matters, the reason I'm here today is because of Gray's absence. He's currently scouting the 4th District, where the Overflow occurred. That's also where mercenaries and scavengers made a living, focusing their time and resources in hopes of making it rich. Fame was also included on the list. Our lives are on the line in any case.

 

And with the sudden departure of my other employee, a haughty chick who left all of the actual work to Gray, I had no choice but to be here.

 

I sat in the checkout chair with a long, bitter groan, bored out of my mind, and grabbed the remote from the shelf beneath, which also serves as a location for concealed treats. Fidgeting with its buttons, the television attached high in the corner revealed some random news channel. Something about an earthquake—I didn't listen to the details. Logan and Gray repeatedly warned me that this was poor service, but I couldn't help but think of them as being far too rigid to change anything.

 

You have to be a little bit sly to work as a mercenary, or in any other profession for that matter; to know when to play nice and when to screw things over, to simply set everything on fire when you had enough of it. Because I was around most of the time, Logan did okay, but I couldn't help but wonder how he'd do without me. Even though this wasn't the first time we had been apart, I was nevertheless concerned. And no one would benefit much if I stressed him out about my worries. I'll just have to trust him.

 

My eyes widened as I absentmindedly changed channels and noticed a vile, greenish creature on the screen. It went viral on social media a while ago. "What the..." I narrowly held back the urge to curse out loud.

 

Its sharp, crooked teeth were visible when it smiled. It resembled a goblin but was considerably bigger. A pair of eyeballs twinkled in a golden eerie above those fangs, giving off an awry impression of intelligence and malice. It might have undergone some form of mutation to become this way, or it might have been a different species of goblin all together. That was a possibility I couldn't rule out completely.

 

With the appearance of ripples in the atmosphere known as Dungeons, we couldn't tell just how many species of alien-like creatures existed out there. For my license, I studied a wide variety of monsters, but I wasn't an expert in that field. Some might be found in fantasy books, while others appeared to be taken straight out of an alien invasion film.

 

Everything was extremely ludicrous, but it was also very fascinating. I would have enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about them. The Dungeons and the environment within them, obviously. The monsters themselves? Not so much. There was a natural aversion that people had towards those beasts.

 

But as one can see, life hasn't given me the chance to achieve that. That didn't mean, though, that I wasn't happy with the way things were going right now.

 

I had a kind and caring husband, in spite of his enormous size and horrendous truck-like snoring. I couldn't have asked for much more than a little business that made a respectable profit. This is all I need; it's my small universe. More than that would be excessive and perhaps selfish.

 

Now hurry up and return home, you two. I'm still upset that you made no mention whatsoever of the little plot you were scheming. Naturally, Mara called and warned me about it, but it was frustrating that neither Logan nor Gray had the guts to tell me upfront about it and simply spearheaded the whole operation without properly consoling me beforehand. Guys will be guys, I guess. Still, I've worked as a mercenary for as long as my husband has, and I was a lot smarter than him, so any advice I gave was bound to be useful. It's too late for that now.

 

Maybe I should've done more and confronted them about their plans a little bit earlier... My heart was pounding, but I didn't pay attention to it as I turned off the TV and gave the incoming customer my typical welcome as I turned to face her.

 

Plastering a gleeful smile on my lips, I envisioned the harsh scolding waiting for them once they came back.