(And so it begins, 80% of the reason I started this novel)
“Wake up! Our diligent and virtuous U.C. convenience store employees must not rest yet!.”
“With strength and power, wake up and start your day~♪.”
“How can I change that…?”
Today, I greeted another new morning.
Before I knew it, I had been kidnapped, and a whole week had passed at this convenience store.
Except for that dreadful alarm sound, I had adapted to most of the work so far.
-Store Manager-
[Good morning, Mr. Kim Hyun-woo.]
-Kim Hyun-woo-
[Yes, good morning, I’m filled with strength and power.]
When I saw those strange red eyes outside the window, nothing particularly strange had happened besides that in the convenience store for the past two days.
Time continued to pass quietly.
Of course, like Seretini had warned, Alencia also came to visit me the next day and told me to be careful when I’m alone in the dawn…
-Store Manager-
[It seems like you have a healthy glow on your face.]
-Kim Hyun-woo-
[Compared to before, I’ve been doing fine for the past two days.]
Just like the message I sent to the store manager, the convenience store these days was peaceful. Even the minor disturbance caused by the two dwarves and Diana who would come to talk in the evening, weren’t much.
Thanks to that, I slept well and my skin became smooth. If it’s this peaceful, working at the convenience store wouldn’t be bad at all.
Of course, it’s a bit frustrating not being able to go outside, but I don’t want to wander around Universe-1221 without actually knowing what’s happening.
At most, I want to take a short walk.
– Store Manager-
[Hm, perfect timing. Then, as part of the training during the probation period, we will receive guests from a different universe today.]
“Yes…?.”
But can’t the store manager see that I want to rest comfortably?.
Even just the guests from Universe-1221 are terrible enough, and now they want me to welcome guests from a different universe here?.
**********
– Store Manager–
[At our U.C convenience store, we also receive guests from universes other than the one we belong to, as needed. This is because there are cases where our U.C convenience store is not established in other universes, and among them, there are occasionally VIP customers who can use the nearest U.C convenience store in the closest universe.]
The store owner kept sending messages to me non-stop even while I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom.
– Store Manager–
[Although our store is affiliated with Universe-1221, it is also located between the boundaries of universes, allowing contact with them. Of course, it is usually blocked by a firewall, and as I mentioned earlier, only certain VIP customers have access to pass through the firewall and visit.]
– Kim Hyun-woo –
[What exactly are these VIP customers?.]
– Store Manager–
[VIP customers are customers who are given special treatment by our headquarters, mostly consisting of special transcendents or space travelers who are not affiliated with a specific universe.]
If they’re talking about transcendents, they must be referring to the gods and angels-like beings I’ve seen in Universe-1221.
I’m not sure what they mean by special transcendents though…
– Kim Hyun-woo –
[What about space travelers?]
– Store Manager –
[Exactly what it means. They are individuals who travel through various universes without settling in one specific universe. In the past, they were called wanderers, but the terminology changed recently to refer to them as travelers. However, due to threats caused by them, space travel is restricted, and only a few customers are currently able to travel to other universes through Universe-1.]
There are certainly some fascinating things.
I’m not sure how to become a VIP customer at this convenience store, but it’s really interesting to know that there are people who can travel through multiple universes.
If that universe is a peaceful one, I guess it’s fine, but what if it’s a universe filled with terrible monsters?
Of course, I would naturally avoid such dangerous universes…
I mean, unexpected accidents can happen to tourists on their travels, even in relatively safe countries.
– Store Manager –
[If you have any questions, please ask after familiarizing yourself with the rules in the manual, which will be updated soon.]
After finishing brushing my teeth, washing my face, and tidying my eyebrows, I continued to read the message while shaving.
No matter how desperate the situation may be in this convenience store, as long as I try to live like a proper human, I can at least maintain some dignity.
– Store Manager –
[There are also some precautions when guests from other universes visit. Please be sure to familiarize yourself with the manual and avoid being rude to the guests.]
After cleaning myself up, I left the bathroom.
Now I was ready to face the morning at the convenience store.
[※Important Notification Received: 1 item]
Just in time, the new rules had arrived.
I wonder what dreadful rules are here to welcome me this time.
＜New!＞
[8. Occasionally, guests from other universes may visit the U.C. Convenience Store. In such cases, the window may turn black, and the light outside may disappear. Please do not worry about this, and there is no need to feel fear.]
- [8-1. Sometimes outside the window, it may turn red. In such cases, immediately inform the store manager and block your eyes, nose, and ears to block as much information as possible. Hold your breath for at least 1 minute until you return to normal. You must not be caught alive.]
[9. Guests from other universes are usually greater beings than most transcendent individuals. So, please show courtesy and refrain from rude behavior. Greeting when they arrive and saying goodbye when they leave is sufficient.]
- [9-1. Moreover, viewing U.C. Convenience Store’s system in front of these guests is considered impolite. Therefore, most systems will be deactivated automatically when these guests are present.]
- [9-2. If you have been rude, immediately apologize, and most guests will generously forgive you. If they do not forgive you, saying ‘I must have been dreaming’ will get you out of it. However, after waking up from the dream, reality awaits.]
- [9-3. Even if you make a mistake in reality, there is a way. Deny the reality in front of your eyes and dream in reality. Then you can end up going crazy to the point of no return. We have prepared many ways to treat mental illness at U.C. Convenience Store, so please don’t be afraid to go crazy. Going crazy in the face of an unacceptable reality is not that bad.]
[10. No matter what happens, do not lose hope. See reality brightly and do not give up hope in your dreams.]
“These new rules are filled with mysteries.” I continued to read the newly opened rules slowly.
Considering that the store manager said most VIP customers were greater transcendent beings, they were probably truly godlike or even gods themselves.
Ah, but if they’re gods, do they not have a human body?
-Kim Hyunwoo-
[But what does it mean when the outside turns red?]
– Store Manager –
[It is a rare case, but there are times when the firewall of the U.C convenience store gets breached. Normal beings with enough power do not need to breach the firewall. However, the fact that someone is trying to forcefully breach the firewall…]
-Kim Hyunwoo-
[I suppose they don’t come with good intentions.]
-Store Manager-
[Yes, that’s correct. When the firewall of a U.C convenience store is breached, the view outside turns red, as if it’s a phenomenon caused by it.]
-Store Manager-
[Our U.C convenience store’s firewall cannot be easily bypassed unless the entity belongs to Universe-1221. In Universe-1, we have made numerous attempts to prevent unknown threats, including them. However, it is impossible to prevent every threat and we can only assure that we have taken maximum efforts.]
Unknown threats.
They must be referring to those they have been warning about for a while.
And threats are not exclusive to them only. There must be countless unknown entities existing in infinite universes.
-Store Manager-
[Now that it’s time, please open the convenience store.]
“…I guess I’m not in my right mind.”
While reading the rules and the manager’s message, I suddenly felt a strangeness about myself.
I seem too unnaturally calm.
Of course, it’s best to remain calm in most situations, but even I felt disconcertingly composed.
Normally, if I encountered such crazy things, I wouldn’t be able to stay as calm and collected. I would have been furious and tried to escape, just like when I first arrived here.
But perhaps it’s because the convenience store world has become so familiar to me.
This shouldn’t be the case, but inexplicably, this convenience store begins to feel like my home.
This must be another occupational hazard, if it can be called that.
-Store Manager-
[And this time, the guest who will be coming is from a different universe. Please make sure to follow the rules so that I don’t have to make a funeral for Mr. Kim Hyun-woo.]
“What?.”
But why all of a sudden like this? No, I’ve only read the rules once and they’re already coming?!
-Kim Hyun-woo-
[Isn’t this too fast?!]
-Store Manager-
[If you have understood the rules well, there should be no problem.]
So, I haven’t even fully memorized those rules yet!
I can’t even remember what was in them!
Thud!
At that moment, the system screen of the U.C convenience store disappeared, and the view outside the window became eerily dark.
“This crazy store manager!”
Normally, when something like this happens, they would have notified me beforehand.
It has only been 10 minutes since the new rules for customers from other universes were implemented!
Ding-dong!
However, reality doesn’t wait for me.
The convenience store door opened, and the customer from another universe that the store manager was talking about entered.
“Oh, welcome, sir!.” I hurriedly greeted the customer and bowed my head.
I don’t want to mess up and cause trouble for myself, so I should act as politely as possible.
“…Nice to meet you.” Luckily, the voice I heard was that of a dignified man.
Receiving a friendly greeting, I slowly raised my head, and the first things that caught my eye were the shiny shoes and suit.
At least he’s not some weird creature like last time.
“You uncivilized creature.”
“Pardon?.”
But for some reason, his hands were green.
“I’m looking for something right now.”
I had a foreboding feeling from that moment on.
“What…what are you looking for?.”
As I fully raised my head, I saw a person-like figure with several large green tentacles hanging from his mouth.
“By any chance, do you sell earplugs here?.”
Damn it, not even normal animal beasts or creatures come here anymore!
What the hell should I call this, a monster?.
