WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Arsène
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◈ I Became the Convenience Store Clerk the Rankers Are Obsessed With ◈
Chapter 10: Hunter Kuroaki
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I went to the police station for the investigation into the doppelganger incident.
The manager watched the store for me while I was there.
The questioning ended sooner than I expected.
I was only there as a witness, so there wasn't much for me to do.
All I had to do was briefly explain how I'd encountered the doppelganger and how I'd told the two apart.
-Thank you. Thanks to you, we believe we can develop a method for future doppelganger investigations.
-Simulation results suggest that this investigative method is highly efficient.
-Adopting this method for doppelganger investigations is advisable.
-You will receive a certificate of commendation and a cash reward.
Mr. Deokpal, the victim, gripped my hand tightly and thanked me over and over.
“You saved me. I really should've realized that bastard was a doppelganger sooner... Once this investigation's over, I'll be sure to repay you!”
He said he'd bought the item with money he'd saved to take on his next dungeon.
It was quite expensive. He teared up as he explained that if the doppelganger had stolen it, he wouldn't have been able to clear any dungeons right now, let alone take on the next one.
He was so relieved, saying I'd saved him by identifying the doppelganger.
On my way back to the convenience store from the police station, I heard the news playing on the large screen in Taepyeong City's square.
An owl beastfolk newsreader wore a neat suit.
-Hoot, on to our next story. A sharp-eyed citizen has exposed a case of doppelganger face phishing, a crime that has recently plagued the shopping area near Hunter Tower.
-In particular, the citizen's method of identifying doppelgangers using strong light and shadows has proven highly effective. The Taepyeong City Peacekeeping Force has decided to adopt it immediately as an official investigative procedure...
It was already on the news?
Word traveled fast.
I scratched the back of my head, feeling a little awkward.
'I only managed it with help from the gallery.'
I'd combined their advice with a hint from someone I suspected was the manager, and now it had become an official investigative procedure.
And a cash reward, too.
“When that reward comes in, I should treat myself to some beef.”
My notifications went wild.
Private messages from the gallery users were pouring in.
They asked if I was okay.
They said they were glad it seemed to have worked out.
-You're the first gallery user I've seen solve something like this after just a week on the job.
-This bastard's got natural talent.
-Those doppelganger fuckers are seriously nasty.
-Good work.
It felt like I'd accomplished something big, and that put me in a good mood.
When I returned to the convenience store after the questioning, the manager greeted me.
“Well done! I, the True Progenitor, had faith that my trusted servant would bring this to a fine conclusion!”
She laughed heartily.
She'd been a huge help in resolving the incident, but she was pretending she knew nothing about it.
Anyone could tell that message had come from her.
I didn't press her about it.
Until she brought it up herself, it seemed best for us both to keep it a secret.
The manager was holding tofu as she welcomed me back.
It looked warm, as if it had only just been steamed.
“What's the tofu for?”
“Huh? Isn't this what people do? In movies, they give tofu to people who've been to the police station.”
She must've seen a few movies where people ate tofu after leaving prison.
“Giving tofu to someone after witness questioning isn't a thing.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
The manager looked down at the steaming tofu and smacked her lips.
“What a shame. I bought it because I thought you'd like it.”
“Who doesn't like a gift? Thanks. I'll enjoy it.”
I took the tofu from her.
It was still warm.
“...”
Even after I took it, she kept staring at me.
If anything, her gaze grew more intense.
Wait, did she want me to...
“Eat it right now?”
“They always do in the game.”
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
She was clearly dying to try this.
She wasn't a little kid.
Who would've thought a store manager would dream of doing something like this?
Still, I couldn't ignore her kindness.
She'd rushed over to cover the store while I was being questioned, and she'd even bought me tofu.
She'd also advised me to check the gallery. And on top of that...
'I think she's the Anonymous User who's been giving me advice.'
I took a bite of the warm, steaming tofu.
It had a pleasant, nutty flavor.
“How is it? Do you suddenly feel like starting a new life?”
“It's good.”
“...That's all?”
“Uh, yes.”
“It's different from the game...”
Her shoulders drooped in disappointment.
What exactly had she been expecting?
“In Stella Echo, there's a scene where Mir awakens after eating tofu when she gets out of the detention center. I was looking forward to it...”
Oh.
Now I remembered.
There had been a similar scene in the mobile RPG Stella Echo.
Mir was a hotheaded character who often caused trouble. In one episode, she'd been locked up in a detention center because of the buildings she'd destroyed while taking out enemies.
After getting out, she'd eaten freshly steamed tofu to recharge, right before saving the protagonist from danger.
That scene must've really stuck with the manager.
It had been quite a highlight.
Was that during the first-anniversary event story?
“Well, there's nothing dramatic enough happening here for it to turn out like the game.”
“Is that so?”
Just as she was mumbling in disappointment...
Ding!
“Clerk! Mincheol! Are you all right? I heard you ran into a doppelganger!”
A familiar elf opened the door and came in.
She'd hurried over and was panting as she looked between the manager and me.
“Ugh! V-vampire...”
“Ah, it's been a while. I've been feeling rather lonely since you haven't shown your face lately.”
“Urgh, why are you here...?”
“I came to watch the store while my trusted servant was being questioned at the police station. But what brings you, the forest queen, to this True Progenitor's store? Have you finally come to challenge me again?”
“I heard Mincheol was in trouble, so...”
“Oh, that's already been settled.”
At the manager's words, Friella turned her eyes toward me.
“Ahem. Y-yes, so it seems. I thought you might need my help, so I came as soon as I saw the news...”
Friella pressed a hand to her chest.
“What a relief. I'm glad it ended safely.”
“But is it okay for you to just come over like this? It isn't even lunchtime.”
“It's fine. Who do you think I am? I'm the elf queen who led the Elven Forest...”
“A freeloader elf.”
The manager cut right into Friella's proud introduction.
“...Vampire.”
“Am I wrong? Don't you come to our convenience store to take the food we're throwing out?”
“Th-that's... Merely an elf's noble duty to rescue discarded food and uphold the natural order! It's certainly not because I'm hungry or have no money!”
Friella's face turned as red as a tomato as she rattled off her flimsy excuses.
“What a long-winded excuse. Well, at least I'll commend you for rushing over out of concern for my trusted servant.”
“I didn't come here for your praise!”
She glanced at me.
Paying her no mind, the manager stretched and let out a long yawn.
“Yaaawn. Between admiring my figurines and covering the day shift, this True Progenitor has exhausted her strength. I'm off to bed, so take care of the rest of the shift yourself, my trusted servant. I'll be back this evening. Knife-ear, don't get in my trusted servant's way. Just eat the discarded food quietly and leave.”
“K-knife-ear? I am the great elf...!”
Friella shouted indignantly, but the manager had already waved her off and slipped through the staff-only door.
Now it was just the two of us at the counter.
Still fuming, Friella stole a look at me, then cleared her throat and folded her arms.
“Hmph! Anyway, I'm glad you're safe. A doppelganger, of all things. Facing such a vile, lowly creature...”
Ding!
Just as Friella struck a pose and tried to comfort me, the convenience store door flew open with a loud ring of the bell.
“Come on in.”
“Don't order me around.”
It was an elf.
His face was bright red, as if he was very drunk.
His blond hair was a little lighter than Friella's, and his eyes were blue. He reeked of sour, cheap elven wine.
“Hey, clerk! Bring me a cold honey water!”
The older male elf wore flashy hiking clothes.
He glared at me through his sunglasses, his brow deeply furrowed.
“Sir, the honey water is over there in the warmer. You'll have to get it yourself.”
“How dare you, you little punk! Talking back when your elder's speaking! Back in my day, huh? Humans had proper manners! One word from me and they'd all freeze... What are you waiting for? Go get it!”
Hmm.
Now I understood why elves all got treated like knife-ears.
They all said exactly the same things.
Clink!
The male elf dumped a pile of 100-won and 50-won coins onto the counter and shouted, slurring his words.
“1,600 won! That's for the honey water. Ring it up!”
I was wondering how to get rid of him when I heard a cold voice beside me.
“How dare you...”
“How dare you disgrace the forest by making such a spectacle of yourself before another species! What family do you belong to?”
It was Friella.
A blue light shimmered in her emerald eyes.
“Wh-what? What family are you from, woman... Eek!”
The male elf had been about to point at her, but he took off his sunglasses and checked her face.
In an instant, he went pale.
“Y-Y-Y-Your Majesty?”
“Don't you know it's the likes of you who make the other species hate elves?”
His legs seemed to give out, and he dropped flat to the floor.
“W-well...”
“Get out. Now. Don't cause any more trouble. If I hear of your disgraceful behavior one more time, I won't let you off with a warning.”
“I shall take your words to heart, Your Majesty!”
Before the automatic door had even finished opening, the elf rolled through it and fled the store like an arrow.
I found myself looking at Friella.
“Hmph. Elves disgracing their own kind. There are far too many like him these days. Fools who refuse to accept that times have changed...”
“Exactly the same.”
“What is?”
“You, when you first came to our convenience store.”
“I-I never acted like that!”
“Didn't you throw a tantrum demanding that we barter?”
“Th-that was a perfectly fair trade! Do you have any idea how precious that branch is? Even sold as stolen goods on the black market, it'd fetch four million won!”
She was trying quite desperately to defend herself, her face bright red.
“Oh, right. What did you do with the World Tree branch I gave you?”
“The branch? I've got it at home.”
I couldn't leave it at the convenience store or throw it away, so I'd taken it back to my lodgings.
Of course, I still didn't know what to do with it, so I'd just left it there for now.
It did seem like something special.
Simply having it in my room made my body feel pleasantly cool.
“If you haven't boiled it down and drunk it yet, I'd recommend buying a pot and trying to grow it.”
“Grow it?”
“It's a real World Tree branch. If you can get it to grow, something good will come of it.”
“All right.”
It wasn't an ordinary branch.
It certainly seemed like it could be useful.
“Oh, pick out a lunch box before you go.”
“Why a lunch box?”
“You helped me again today. I couldn't just send you off empty-handed. It isn't payday yet, either.”
“...R-really?”
“Yes. Take whichever one you want.”
“Th-then...”
She picked out a pork cutlet lunch box.
“Thanks. I'll enjoy it.”
Her cheeks seemed a little red.
Was I imagining it?
* * *
“And that concludes our conversation with Sonya, the hunter known as Kuroaki, who has set an unprecedented new record for the fastest clear of Floor 72! Sonya, once again, our heartfelt congratulations!”
The camera's red light went out, and the dazzling studio lights dimmed.
Sonya.
One of the hunters climbing Hunter Tower, and one of the strongest, counted among the Seven Heroes.
A record setter who held no fewer than twenty Hunter Tower records.
Her epithet was Kuroaki.
She'd earned it because black light shimmered wherever she passed.
One of the strongest hunters, she had never lost to a monster.
With countless people watching her every move, she was a celebrity in Taepyeong City.
Having set another record that day, she rose from her seat after finishing her interview with the anchor for the special broadcast.
“Great work!”
“Wow, Sonya. You were absolutely on fire in that interview. Our ratings are going to be through the roof!”
“Thank you.”
The smile vanished from Sonya's lips as she left their exaggerated praise and applause behind.
Click.
The moment the dressing room door closed, the tension in her back eased all at once.
“Haah...”
She took off her sponsored suit jacket, tossed it carelessly onto the sofa, and sank into the chair in front of the dressing table.
“This is exhausting. I'm so tired.”
All those eyes on her were too much.
So much that she wanted to get away.
She wanted to disappear from the world.
She wanted to leave for a world where no one knew her.
“This isn't why I became a hunter.”
Having shed her trademark black suit, Sonya put on a black mask and slipped into the shadows.
Darkness.
The place where she always found peace.
Footnotes:
In Korea, tofu is traditionally given to someone leaving prison, symbolizing a fresh start and a clean life.
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