WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Arsène
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Became the Convenience Store Clerk the Rankers Are Obsessed With ◈
Chapter 7: Delivery Driver Lumina
──────
“Hellooo...”
A lizardman staggered into the store.
With a lizard’s face, reptilian hands and feet, and even a blue tail, he looked strangely out of place in a suit.
It really drove home that Taepyeong City wasn’t on the Earth I knew.
“It’s hot. Where’s the ice cream?”
“The freezer’s over there.”
“Thaaank you...”
The lizardman headed toward the freezer, fanning himself with one hand.
Once he reached it, he let out a deep sigh and flopped over the top.
“Ohhhh... So cooool.”
Apparently, we got customers like that from time to time.
-Some customers with cold-blooded traits, like lizardmen, dragons, and lamias, rub themselves against the freezers or heated cabinets. Let them do it for a bit, then say something. They’ll stop.
-They can’t regulate their body temperature, so it’s an instinct they can’t help. Don’t call them problem customers over something like that.
Right. They’d said it was an unavoidable instinct because regulating their body temperature wasn’t easy.
After lying across the freezer for a while, not even caring that his suit was getting wet, the lizardman office worker seemed to come to his senses. He opened the freezer and took out two ice creams.
“Thanks for being considerate.”
Scratching his head in embarrassment, he brought the ice creams to the counter.
“Here you go.”
Beep!
-This item is part of our buy-one-get-one-free promotion.
A bright electronic voice rang out with the barcode scanner’s beep.
“That’ll be 2,000 won.”
“Have one of these.”
The lizardman offered me an ice cream.
“For me?”
“Yes. It’s hot today. You should have one while you work.”
“Thank you.”
I’d heard lizardmen were friendly despite their fierce looks.
Now I understood where that reputation came from.
“Thank you.”
“Have a good one.”
Some of the stress from the problem customer earlier seemed to melt away.
Right. People hurt you, and people helped you heal.
Not every customer was a problem.
The proportion of problem customers was pretty high, but there were plenty of nice customers like this, too.
It gave me a little energy.
When there were no customers, I opened the gallery.
[Title: How to deal with undead problem customers / Comments (23)]
Blast ’em with holy power.
-You asshole, that’ll actually kill them!
-└ What are you, an undead spy?
[Title: How do I deal with a problem customer who starts shit first thing in the morning because they’re a hunter? / Comments (5)]
Title says it all.
-If you’re stronger than the hunter, just beat their ass.
-└ If I could do that, I’d be a hunter.
[Title: (NSFW-ish) Your daily hot older woman pic / Comments (88)]
Beastfolk today.
-That’s fucking hot.
-Look at that body. Heheheheh.
-Fucking furries OUT.
-When are we getting a lamia lady?
-I prefer humans.
-Cow beastfolk have the best boobs, though.
-Tiny, kiddie-looking halflings have the best boobs, though.
-└ ????
-└ Do us a favor and hold your breath for a good long while.
The gallery was full of convenience store schlubs with nothing to do, chatting among themselves.
Most of it was stuff you could read with your brain switched off.
As I ate the ice cream the customer had given me and browsed the gallery, one post caught my eye.
[Title: [Chat] Is that total newbie from yesterday still alive?]
It was a post about me.
Before I knew it, I’d clicked on it.
[Title: [Chat] Is that total newbie from yesterday still alive?]
Author: MagicTowerNightShift
These convenience stores are pretty rough places to work. Did the newbie run away already?
Heard the Death Knight was active today. Nobody from the other branches has said anything, so I’m guessing he went to the newbie’s branch.
Did a taste of Level 5 finish them off?
[Comments 12]
NoobShredder: Protect the noooob~!!!
└ Anon(223.39): Try living up to your username...
DemonKingLuvr: Surely they wouldn’t quit after one encounter? The Death Knight’s a pain, but not impossible to handle.
Anon: You die if that knight collects your soul, though.
WatcherOfLight: └ That fucker’s undead, that’s why. Just look at the username. Obviously some Demon King’s Army lackey.
DemonKingLuvr: └ Cut out the racial insults.
WatcherOfLight: └ I’m not trashing your race. I’m just naming a trash race.
Under a post that seemed genuinely concerned about me, a registered user who appeared to be undead was locked in a heated keyboard battle with someone whose undead hatred was turned up to MAX.
Anon: Still alive. Thanks for worrying about me.
MagicTowerNightShift: Oh, guess you’re managing.
Anon: Just doing the job. Convenience store work isn’t exactly hard.
MagicTowerNightShift: Did you meet the Death Knight?
Anon: Yeah, but I sorted it out.
MagicTowerNightShift: That’s a relief.
It happened right after I posted that reply.
Ding!
A private message arrived with the notification.
Anonymous User.
Checking our chat history, I realized it was the user who’d given me those handy tips for dealing with problem customers.
-Anonymous User: Try not to post anything that could give away your location.
-Anon: Oh, people can figure it out just from that?
-Anonymous User: Yeah. There are plenty of convenience stores in Taepyeong City, so it won’t be easy. But some people here have been working at convenience stores for years.
-Anonymous User: So it’s better not to share that kind of info if you can help it.
-Anon: You saved me there. Thanks again.
-Anonymous User: Have fun on the gallery.
From getting rid of problem customers to precautions for using the gallery.
I owed this user quite a bit.
I’d better be careful about sharing information.
I’d thought all I needed to do was keep my race a secret.
‘Come to think of it, if they find out where I am, they could find out who I am, too.’
I needed to be more careful.
I was still getting used to this world, after all.
Just then...
Brrring!
The telephone on the counter rang loudly.
-Good evening~.
The manager’s voice came through the receiver.
She sounded groggy, as though she’d only just woken up.
“What can I do for you?”
-Mincheol, I got word that today’s food delivery may arrive a little early. Can you handle it? There’s nothing particularly difficult about it. Just check that the quantities are right and stock the shelves, like I showed you during the handover.
That much was easy.
There was nothing difficult about it.
“What time will it arrive?”
-In about thirty minutes. It’ll be getting busy, so I, the True Progenitor, shall get ready and come straight in as well. I called to let you know in advance, just in case.
“Understood. I’ll take care of the delivery when it arrives.”
-Very well.
Thirty minutes later.
A deep engine roar pounded against my eardrums.
Vrooooom!
Thinking a large truck was coming, I went outside, only to doubt my own eyes.
“It’s not a truck?”
There stood a huge, dark navy motorcycle with sleek curves and a heavy frame.
But the rider sitting astride it drew my eyes even more than the bike did.
A tight black leather jacket and snug pants.
And a low neckline that showed off deep cleavage.
Long, slender legs rose from leather boots, and the rider’s smooth curves were attractive enough to catch anyone’s eye.
The rider watched me through a black full-face helmet that hid every inch of her face.
Was that blue fire flickering inside the helmet?
“Hunter Tower Branch. Got your delivery.”
A cool, husky woman’s voice came from inside the helmet, with an almost electronic quality to it.
“Oh, the delivery the manager mentioned?”
“That’s right.”
“Ah, yes. Thanks for your hard work.”
As I approached awkwardly, the helmeted driver stared at me.
“Is something wrong?”
“...A human?”
“...Yes. Is there a problem...?”
“How unusual. It’s been ages since I last saw a human.”
Humans really did seem to be rare.
Everyone who saw me had something to say about it.
‘Weird. There are fewer humans than people with lizard heads.’
She studied me for a moment, then tilted her head.
“Aren’t you afraid of me?”
“What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said. Aren’t you scared of me?”
“...No, I’m not.”
If anything, I was having trouble figuring out where to look.
Between the pants that showed off her figure and the leather jacket, I didn’t know where to put my eyes.
Even the crop top under her jacket had a plunging neckline, leaving her cleavage fully exposed.
If I looked up, there was pale cleavage.
If I looked down, her firm, lifted rear was far too clearly outlined.
“Really? How unusual. Everyone points at me and says I’m scary.”
“Why would they? You’re very attractive.”
“......”
At my words, her helmet turned toward me.
The visor was so heavily tinted that I couldn’t see inside, but I imagined she was looking at me in surprise.
“What an unusual human.”
She opened the delivery box attached to the back of her motorcycle.
Each time her slender arms moved, she lifted three or four delivery boxes as tall as I was into the air as lightly as feathers.
All those huge boxes had fit inside that tiny delivery box on the bike?
Was that even possible?
“Wow...”
As I stood there gaping at the unbelievable sight, she snapped her fingers.
A sheet of white paper dropped in front of me.
“That’s the delivery list. I’d like you to check it.”
“Oh, yes. Of course.”
While I checked the goods, she kept unloading cargo from the delivery box.
There wasn’t even time to marvel at the unbelievable strength coming from such a delicate frame.
Just three minutes later, as she finished unloading everything...
“Oh, you’re early.”
It was the manager.
She came in wearing a blue convenience store vest, rubbing her eyes. Her face looked groggy, as though she’d only just woken up.
“Didn’t you sleep well?”
“Ughhh... I was so busy admiring that figure yesterday that I didn’t even notice it getting dark. This is your fault. How could I stop playing the game after you brought in such a magnificent limited-edition figure?”
“That’s my fault?”
“Of course! I, the True Progenitor, was always a responsible adult who went to bed early and rose early!”
Hmm.
That sounded more like the manager’s fault for messing up her sleep schedule.
But I had no intention of talking back to my employer.
She was the owner who paid for my livelihood, after all.
Best to do what the owner said.
“I’m sorry.”
“Y-you needn’t actually apologize. I was merely saying it. If anything, it’s a joy, is it not? I can gaze upon my most treasured possession, even from afar. I am grateful to my trusted minion.”
Looking drained, the manager stretched and let out a long yawn.
“Haaah.”
She approached the delivery driver and asked,
“You haven’t done anything strange to my trusted minion, have you?”
“Of course not.”
“Even you won’t get away with laying a hand on the True Progenitor’s trusted minion. My minion and I share a very close bond!”
As the manager clenched her fist and declared this, the delivery driver turned toward me.
“A close bond... I see. So you’re something like the True Progenitor’s thrall. No wonder you weren’t afraid of me.”
“No, I’m just a part-timer getting paid by the hour.”
“An hourly part-timer? Then why did the True Progenitor say you share a close bond...?”
“Oh, that’s because...”
I was about to explain the mobile gacha game we shared.
“Th-that’s quite enough! I-I have no desire to share our private secret with anyone else!”
The manager hurriedly cut in and clamped a hand over my mouth.
“Mmph! Mmph!”
“...Looks like you’ve bonded over something pointless again.”
“It is not pointless! Do you have any idea how important it is?”
“If it’s that important, why not tell me about it? Unless it really is nothing.”
The driver’s cool challenge made the manager bristle.
“No! Absolutely not! It’s something a woman like you could never understand!”
“...Don’t bully your employee. Take good care of him. He seems like a good worker. Oh, and if the True Progenitor makes you work too hard, consider working for me. I’ll make sure you’re paid well.”
The driver snapped her fingers as she spoke, and the manager jumped in.
“Wh-what are you talking about? This is a dream job, with luxury, fully equipped lodging, meals provided, and an incredibly generous bloodsucking allowance! How dare you try to lure away the True Progenitor’s trusted minion! If you’ve finished your delivery, be on your way!”
“I’m joking. Just give me the signed receipt.”
The delivery driver held out her hand, sounding completely unfazed.
I quickly signed the paper I was holding and handed it over. She took it in her leather-gloved hand and put it away.
“Delivery checked. I’m off.”
Turning away without hesitation, she swung a long leg over the huge motorcycle and mounted it with ease.
Before starting the engine, she turned her helmet and gave the manager a quick once-over.
“By the way, Manager.”
“Wh-what is it?”
“Why don’t you wipe the drool off your mouth? It’s not very dignified.”
“Eek! I, the True Progenitor, do not drool in my sleep!”
Startled, the manager scrubbed at her mouth with her sleeve.
But there hadn’t been any drool there to begin with.
“Heh heh.”
A low, attractive laugh came from inside the helmet.
Ignoring the manager, who was huffing in embarrassment, she gave me one last look.
“Oh, and you. Part-timer.”
“Yes?”
“We’ll probably be seeing a lot of each other. Why don’t we exchange names?”
“My name is Kim Mincheol.”
“Mincheol... What an unusual name. I’m Lumina. See you around.”
I gave her a small bow, and she continued.
“And thanks for calling me attractive. It’s been a while since I heard that. I rather like you, human.”
“Have a safe trip.”
“See you next time, Mincheol.”
Vrooooom!
As she twisted the throttle, a deep engine roar shook the open lot.
The huge motorcycle disappeared, leaving a long afterimage of blue flame behind it.
Watching the bike recede into the distance, I let out a brief word of admiration.
“She’s cool in more ways than one.”
“Grrr...! How dare she make a fool of the True Progenitor and leave! I shall not let her get away with it next time!”
The manager looked rather cute, huffing and swinging her fists in frustration.
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