episode_0415

They arrived at the Academy City.

Yul was deeply moved by the sight of the academy after a long time.

It was only after seeing Yul enter the academy that I made my way to the general store.

Seeing that the academy had started classes and students were milling about, I felt anxious.

If the general store had opened as scheduled for the start of classes, it would have been the perfect time for Mr. Nae to learn all about our store.

“He must know by now that we don’t have any customers.”

I wonder what Mr. Nae thought when he saw that.

“Hmm….”

What if it wasn’t a situation without customers?

“People who found out that we were starting business might come back and bother Mr. Nae, no matter what’s happening.”

I prepared myself to handle either situation.

Arriving in the city by carriage, it was dawn.

Upon reaching the general store, it was time when people would just be waking up.

I opened the locked door of the general store and went inside.

It looked just as neat and tidy as when I hastily left.

Seeing no speck of dust, I thought hiring staff was a good decision.

“It was always a hassle cleaning a dusty shop every time I left it vacant for long.”

Leaving the shop in the hands of an employee meant I didn’t have to worry about cleaning when I left and returned.

“Clean.”

If there was one thing to touch, it was the second floor, my private space.

Knowing that the second floor was my living area, Mr. Nae would have found it difficult to come up unannounced.

I put down my belongings, went straight to the bathroom, and washed up.

While I hadn’t completely skipped washing during travels, cleaning up by the riverside couldn’t compare to the thoroughness of home.

After shedding off the grime from traveling, I sensed activity downstairs.

In that brief moment, it seemed like Mr. Nae had arrived for work.

Feeling hungry, I headed downstairs to greet Mr. Nae before anything else.

“Mr. Nae.”

“Eek!”

She, busy preparing boxes, was startled by my sudden presence on the second floor.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Boss? When did you arrive?”

“I arrived at dawn. I felt activity on the first floor after washing up, so I came down.”

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

It seemed news of the expeditionary force returning to the Academy City hadn’t spread yet.

“Of course not. Just a bit tired.”

“I managed to rescue the expeditionary force safely.”

“Wow!”

Applause followed the news of successfully rescuing the expeditionary force.

“How have you been, Mr. Nae? Why isn’t Daemon around?”

Where could Daemon be and what mischief could he be up to without being by Mr. Nae’s side, day or night?

Always reminding her to take care, whether morning or night.

Daemon seemed untrustworthy, always repaying trust with betrayal.

“Daemon is currently out at the upper levels.”

“Why is he there? His job should be to protect you.”

“That part is being taken care of by Erin Tina.”

Upon further inquiry, it wasn’t Daemon’s fault.

There was some urgent need for transporting goods quickly at the upper levels.

Although it would be a simple task for Daemon if asked, carrying the items personally meant they couldn’t be delivered on time.

“So he asked me for help.”

“He has spirits too, though…”

“I’m not sure about that either.”

I felt the need to get a detailed explanation from Erin Tina regarding this matter.

“Thanks to that, people who are protecting me are coming to work every day. They patrol the area regularly to check for anything suspicious.”

Daemon was given a task, so Erin Tina is perfectly covering for him.

It seemed urgent enough for Erin Tina to be entrusted with Daemon’s work, so I understood.

“How’s the general store? It seems well managed.”

“Oh! Here, take this. It’s a list of items we’ve been selling. I’ve also listed all the items we took out from the warehouse.”

“You sold items?”

“Yes? Yes, of course. We opened the store in time for the new school year.”

“Hmm….”

It was perplexing.

Upon checking the ledger, it was evident that quite a lot of items had been sold.

It used to be a struggling shop until last year.

Given the circumstances I intended, I saw no need to advertise further and was content with maintaining the status quo.

“What’s going on? There’s no way our shop suddenly became famous.”

Where did these customers come from all of a sudden?

“Were those visitors the same people who came here last time?”

“No. They didn’t come at all; individuals sent from above took care of it. The rest were all regular customers.”

The mention of regular customers was even more surprising.

“How did these people find their way here?”

Negeesi looked puzzled.

Even to me, the question I just asked seemed somewhat startling.

“No, sales have been better than usual. I was curious why business suddenly picked up, so I asked.”

“I see~ Is that so?”

The mention of better sales seemed to brighten Negeesi’s mood as she smiled.

“Come to think of it, I didn’t know there was a general store here, but I found out while passing by the construction site and decided to drop by.”

Was that the reason?

When construction is ongoing, attention naturally gravitates towards the surroundings.

It’s only natural for curiosity to arise when one sees construction underway.

Moreover, if a general store emerges from the construction, wouldn’t people want to check out what’s being sold there?

“Maybe we’re experiencing the delayed effect of our grand opening.”

Are the customers flocking in because of Negeesi?

Or has hiring Negeesi as an employee brought about some unknown effect?

“…Are customers really coming?”

As time passed after opening the shop, I could see actual customers entering the store.

Negeesi not only sold items in the general store but also provided a list of items that customers frequently seek, suggesting they would be good additions to the store.

“It’s turned into a real general store.”

While the general store I operated wasn’t fake, it hadn’t seen any customers until now, making it hard to call it a “proper general store.”

“Things are much easier with you around, boss.”

“It was a bit tough managing the store alone. You’ve kept it well organized, so it wasn’t too much of a burden, right?”

“Daemon helped with the difficult parts.”

Daemon, this guy, whether he’s trying to earn my approval or not, certainly did a good job this time.

The shop was running smoothly beyond my expectations, with issues neatly resolved.

“I can leave the shop to Negeesi in the future and be fine.”

The problem lay in the necessity of keeping Negeesi as our store employee.

Since customers weren’t constantly flooding in all day, I called her over when foot traffic slowed down.

“I thought you needed time, but I seem to have been mistaken. It looks like Negeesi can manage the store well on her own.”

“No, it’s because you haven’t been watching, boss. I made a lot of mistakes.”

“Even if you made mistakes, haven’t they all been rectified by now?”

“…It’s been some time, so that’s how it is.”

Just adapting to running the store alone is a challenge in itself, proving one’s capabilities.

“How long can you leave the entire store to someone who is just an employee?”

“Ah!”

I must have caught on to what I was trying to say, as a perplexed expression crossed her face.

“I would appreciate it if you officially made me the store manager.”

“…What changes when you become the manager?”

Having run the general store on her own for a while, there was a positive response, indicating she had grown attached to the place.

“The tasks won’t change. However, the benefits you receive will increase. For instance, I’ll raise your current salary by 30%.”

“T-Thirty percent?”

“Don’t be surprised by that. I plan to increase your salary every year. If you stay with us for a long time, bonuses will be substantial, almost as much as your salary. I would like you, Nae-gi, to work with us for a long time if possible.”

Working like this and reconciling with Franc, giving her a prime spot at the forefront of the store wouldn’t be a bad idea.

The forefront would be a bustling area where many people pass through, so setting up shop there would ensure survival.

“…I don’t necessarily want a higher salary. Instead, I’d prefer if you gradually increased it as I continue working here, as you mentioned.”

“Do you really not want a salary at the level of an employee?”

“It might lessen the burden a bit. If I receive too high a salary, it might become difficult due to the pressure.”

“In that case, I’ll do as you suggest.”

If my mother-in-law is uncomfortable, what can I do? I can make up for any missed salary as a bonus later.

“Thank you for your understanding. I’ll accept your proposal, sir.”

Receiving a definite answer about becoming the store manager was a significant achievement.

“You’ve thought this through well. And regarding what you discussed with me today, feel free to consider everything independently and consult with the higher-ups to make changes.”

Even preparing new items is a decision that the store manager can make.

“To that extent?! Isn’t that allowing too much?”

“If urgent, take action first and inform me later. If there’s something you’re not happy with, we can always change it later.”

“Uh… Yes! I’ll do that then.”

Her quicker responses than before were evidence of her growing affection for the store.

With the generous pay and excellent working environment, would she really leave for somewhere else?

After enduring hardships in prison for so long, I hoped she could now lead a comfortable life.

Moreover, my general store, being peaceful, would provide her with a fitting living space.