Chapter 24: Bad Words, Bad Thoughts

[Notice]

[Store Name: Ark’s General Store]

[Penalty: 3-day Suspension of Business]

[Violation: Sale of Alcohol to Minors]

Saha nervously stuck a notice on the store’s door and quickly ran away, leaving me staring blankly. 

My head was spinning.

……..From now on, I’ll check IDs without fail, no exceptions………!

I reflected on the bitter taste of adulthood, society, and life itself.

Activating happiness mode.

You’ve been through a lot lately, Ark-pipi.

This is a chance to take a proper break.

Distinguishing between what I can change now.

And what I can’t…………!

Happiness mode deactivated!

Alright.

The business suspension is already a done deal.

Now’s the time to calmly work on the foundation I’ve been neglecting.

Status window!

Wait, smartphone!

[Point Store]

-Daily sales reset for the Seer’s Store (110 points)

-Weekly sales reset for the Seer’s Store (550 points)

…

-Store expansion (5,000 points)

-??? (8,000 points)

-??? (10,000 points)

[Remaining Points: 5,500]

……?

Is it just me, or have prices gone up a bit?

Were the reset abilities always such odd numbers?

Anyway.

I’m glad I managed to clear this week’s weekly quest before the suspension.

I wanted to save up a bit more to uncover the secrets behind the 8,000 and 10,000-point options, but…

Now’s the perfect time for real estate investment.

Stocks may lie, but real estate never does!

[Store Expansion (Level 1)]

[The first floor of the store will expand, and a second floor will be added.]

[Requires 5,000 points.]

[Y / N▢]

I boldly pressed “Yes,” but…

[Error: There are people inside the store. Please try again after everyone has left.]

“Oops.”

I got hit with the suspension notice, but there was still one person left inside the store.

Clang–, clang–, clang–

Listening to the rhythmic sound of hammering,

“Harong?”

Clang

“Water is truly fascinating, isn’t it? It freezes at exactly 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees, and one gallon of water weighs 10.022—”

A hammer thrown by Harong whizzed past my head.

“……Ark?”

“You’ve worked hard today. Let’s step out for a moment.”

As Harong reached out her arm, her magical hammer smoothly returned to her hand.

Is this kid a 3-star escapee or something?

How does she handle a hammer like it’s a yo-yo?

Keeping that minor question in mind, I left the store with her.

“Harong, I’m going to show you something amazing.”

“Ooh?”

I have to show this off.

[Y⎥/ N▢]

I confidently spent the points.

Rumble rumble─!

A deafening roar shook the ground as my small, precious building was enveloped in a radiant light.

Playing “Butterfly” as my internal soundtrack.

That glorious moment of evolution.

Watching my humble store transform into a Metal Gray─store, standing side by side with Harong.

As the light emanating from the store finally faded.

“Wow.”

“Whoa, Ark, what is this? Amazing.”

My old, antique, and avant-garde one-story store.

Had undergone a grand evolution.

Excited by the transforming robot-like spectacle, Harong, the engineering enthusiast, dashed inside without asking and started exploring the store.

I opened the store management window.

[1st Floor: Blacksmith/General Store/Vacant]

[2nd Floor: Vacant/Vacant/Vacant]

So much vacant space!

The 5,000-point investment was worth it.

I quickly designated the vacant space on the first floor as part of the general store, and since I needed to measure the second floor, I followed Harong inside.

“……”

Previously, to accommodate as many people as possible in the small space, tables were crammed together, creating scenes where Rumi’s massive mountains brushed against people’s hair as she served.

……..Was it better when it was smaller?

No. Gains come with losses.

To increase sales, such sacrifices are necessary.

Anyway, taking in the now more spacious interior,

I pondered how to arrange the tables.

A slight regret was.

“Ark! The blacksmith area has expanded too!”

Harong hammering away and occasionally causing small explosions was a unique attraction, but now the store and blacksmith area are separated by an inner wall, so that sight is no longer visible.

But if summer comes, we’d get complaints about the heat…………….

Consider it a preemptive measure.

Going up to the second floor.

“……”

A vast space as large as the first floor unfolded.

First, I designated one area as a warehouse for easier inventory management.

Another space would be reserved for the soon-to-be-unlocked alchemy workshop.

Leaving one room vacant.

I’ll think about that later.

“Wow, this place is huge too! Ark, you’re awesome!”

“Hehe.”

Watching Harong flutter around with her high school girl-like reactions made me feel oddly proud.

…….Do high school girls even talk like that these days?

Not my concern.

After fully taking in the new Neo-store,

“We’ll need more people.”

I felt the need to restructure the store’s system, which had been running on the dedication (unpaid) of the heroes.

***

“Therefore, starting today, Ari is the head of the Customer Management Team. Everyone, applause!”

Clap clap clap!

“Harong is the head of the Blacksmith Team. Everyone, applause!”

Clap clap clap!

“Rumi is appointed as the official mascot. Everyone, applause!”

Clap clap clap!

“Unfortunately, Johanna can’t join due to the sanctuary, and Saha due to the knight order, but still, applause!”

Clap clap clap!

“With that, the appointment ceremony is concluded. Shall we eat?”

“Umm…… Master……? What about me?”

A demon sharing a table with humans?

……I can’t say something bad like that.

I’m not a discriminator.

“Tina…..doesn’t have an official title. Well, unofficially, how about the future store manager?”

“M-me, store manager……!”

The 2-second HR method. 

Small business style.

‘Anyway, I’ll promote you someday,’ I whispered to our part-time worker.

Ah.

The completion of a world where no one gets hurt.

Of course, titles like team or head are just for show.

But the status window on my smartphone didn’t see it that way.

[Store Overview]

[Total Level:3] 

[Reputation:47/ 100 (Average)]

[Cumulative Popularity: 418(★★)]

[Number of Workers: 3 (1 part-time)]

The workers were registered in my store management app officially.

………Honestly, I’m not sure what the difference is.

Anyway, from a one-person startup owner.

To a small business owner.

Good things are good.

The rest will work hard, as the position makes the person.

“Now, let’s head to the tower. …..Since the store is suspended, tonight is free time.”

“Nyahahaha!”

“Tina, you need to study. You’re going to be a store manager.”

“……R-right…?”

You haven’t memorized everything yet.

Do you think being a manager is that easy?

I wasn’t lying.

The moment I’m confident the store can run well without me.

I’ll make Tina the manager.

Then I’ll be free from the shackles of labor…………!

Hehe…… uhuhu……………!

***

“…….Is this a delusion?”

8th Floor of the Tower of Wishes.

10th District of the Orc Village.

Arriving with the hope that Ellis might be doing a naked dogeza again, but thanks to normalization.

The boss was properly present.

‘Brutal Orc Warrior’. Level 45.

But the problem was…………..

[★☆☆ : Defeat all bosses.] 

[★★☆ Win without anyone falling.]

[★★★ : Defeat all bosses within 10 minutes.]

‘Defeat all bosses.’

That’s right.

Instead of just one boss.

“Kill…… kill……all…. “

“Krrrr…..Nail…..I’ll put up with it….”

“Again…….. orcs………… make them great…..”

There were three.

I did ask for a full and solid one, but isn’t that too full and solid?

……..

Take one and hold it over there. 

Saha, it’ll be tough, but handle two at the same time, and Tina, can you use weak spells whenever Rumi is available?

“Keep using them whenever possible.”

I quickly strategized and gave instructions.

Rumi is quick and nimble, so handling one boss shouldn’t be a burden, but Saha…………….

“Wow.”

Doesn’t seem burdened……?

Despite wearing full plate armor.

She moved as comfortably as if wearing nothing, facing the orc warriors.

With each swing of her hammer.

Whoosh

Boom

The sound of flames roaring, something heavy cutting through the air.

“Groar!”

The boss’s scream echoed loudly.

“This is manageable. Rumi? You can send that one over here too.”

“……..Don’t overdo it. Save your ultimate skill until I say so.”

“Okay.”

As expected.

The Flame Deck’s human rights.

Even without the separate skin, it’s overpowered.

Basic skills increase defense with each hit.

Higher defense boosts the power of enhanced skills.

The longer the battle, the more the skill synergy shines.

“Grooar!”

Each time she swung the enhanced skill ‘Punishment,’ the boss’s health bar visibly shook.

“Saha is really amazing…………….”

Johanna, who had been focusing on Saha, exclaimed in admiration, and I nodded in agreement.

But.

It didn’t end there.

“Kuooh!”

The three orc warriors simultaneously enveloped themselves in purple energy and roared.

An attack that can’t be interrupted by status effects.

The usual tactic is to heal through it if you have area healing skills, but

“Saha, now!”

At my signal.

“Step back. That one is mine!”

Despite the last-hit-stealing line.

A fierce flame erupted from Saha’s body.

All the heroes, including me, were clad in fiery armor.

“Huh?”

Including me.

After the cutscene ended.

The orc warriors simultaneously slammed their massive clubs into the ground.

Rumble rumble─!

A massive shockwave hit us all at once, but the fiery armor absorbed the damage.

And dissipated it into the air.

…….

Thinking about it, I wasn’t managing the distance well.

If it weren’t for Saha, I might have been split into A/r/k by now………….

Reaffirming my survival instincts, which had been a bit lax lately.

Thumbs up.

I gave Saha a thumbs up.

A faint smile appeared on Saha’s usually cold expression.

Delicious.

[Tower 8th Floor – Orc Village 10th District]

[From now on, you can enter the 9th Floor of the Tower of Wishes.]

[New Feature Unlocked: Alchemy Workshop]

Curious, I opened the stats graph.

Damage Taken

1st. Saha.

Damage Dealt 1st. Saha.

MVP. Saha.

“Wow…..!”

Insane

This performance is……. insane.

Savoring the satisfaction.

“Great job, everyone!”

I gave thumbs up to all the heroes who fought alongside us.

Right after.

“Did you like the solid ones I prepared?”

Ellis appeared, distorting space.

In her usual costume.

“Tina, bind her.”

“What!”

What’s with copying Rumi?

“Ah, suddenly doing this……………!”

Ellis protested.

This isn’t WWE, you know…

I’m not invincible like the Revelatorr……………

“Saha? Are you George.”

“Yes.”

While Ellis was momentarily confused by Tina’s charm.

Saha swung her hammer with force.

“Kyaaaah!”

Clang!

“W-what kind of violent event…………! I might just fall for that power…!”

Still not in her right mind.

“Saha? One more.”

Clang!

After two hammer strikes, Ellis.

With her cheeks flushed, a hand heart blew and slipped away through a tear in space.

Truly a deceitful demon.

Not someone to let your guard down around.