The Conductor of Dawn (1)
"If something burrows into a ghost story and torments people, what else would you call it but an anomaly?"
"Hm. So tormenting humans within a ghost story makes one an anomaly, does it? I wonder — who exactly decided the criteria for what qualifies as an anomaly?"
The instruments that had flared up like fire dissolved into thin air.
Seconds ago they'd looked ready to kill someone. Was she letting it slide this once because I counted as her "friend"? Not that I considered us friends in the slightest.
Amanecida rose from her chair, rapping her palm with her baton like a teacher determined to enlighten some ignorant child.
She didn't seem truly angry yet — I'd have to needle her a little more. The moment she blew up, I'd brand her a problem customer and throw her out of the store. Even back in her own ghost story, that was the one rule she'd always observed to the letter; wave the store policy in her face — problem customers get ejected — and she'd leave of her own accord.
"That is the Company speaking! My friend, you remain trapped in a corporate mindset! Human or anomaly — such binary thinking will do nothing for your rich and abundant life."
What bullshit. How was calling an anomaly an anomaly "corporate thinking"?
"Your thoughts are written all over your face. Ponder it properly. Every being in existence bears a name uniquely its own. How would you like it if the Maestro disregarded your individuality and called you nothing more than 'human'? How dreadful! Though it came from my own mouth, such a discordant chord is wretched even to hear!"
Every word out of her mouth was tedious and pedantic. Still, heard outside a ghost story, some of it might have been worth taking to heart. The reason I — a man who'd been thrown onto the frontlines of earning a living before I was even an adult — never got called a fool was thanks to her, after all. I'd learned it in her ghost story, pacing back and forth in front of that containment chamber.
But this place was inside a ghost story. An A-grade one at that — the Neverland of Disaster. More than anything, if I didn't take first place in this bastard of a management contest, I would die.
I could at least drive out an ordinary troublemaking anomaly. Avatar or not, this one was an S-grade anomaly. Back in my Company days, we'd only subdued her after burying ourselves in A- and S-grade equipment. With gear as shabby as mine, meeting her head-on meant death. For now, I would listen while thinking up new ways to get under her skin.
"As much respect as the Maestro extends to you, you might extend the Maestro some reverence in return!"
So she would "respect" me — while I was expected to "revere" her.
"U-um… B-Boss… what that lady is saying… I c-can't understand a w-word of it…" Ji Yesol whispered from behind me, where she'd been hiding.
"That's normal."
"But I shall forgive you today. To commemorate your grand opening, my friend, I have come to purchase goods!"
"What?"
Out of nowhere, she wanted to buy things at my convenience store?
"By the way — who told you I'd opened a store?"
"Employee Yang Nari, my new containment handler! The hospitality left much to be desired, but her stories of this and that were quite diverting."
Yang Nari? Wasn't she the first human customer I'd ever met inside a ghost story? I'd seen it coming back when she talked my ear off. Company people really are no help at all.
Screeeech— Amanecida settled back into her chair.
"B-but, um, customer… d-do you have… m-money?" Ji Yesol poked her head out timidly. She remembered perfectly well that no money meant problem customer. I'd taught her so well.
"Hahaha! I took you for a timid little thing, yet you have spine! That is precisely the spirit!"
Snap! Amanecida snapped her fingers.
How did someone stuck in a containment cell amass that much?
"Serve the Maestro to my heart's content, and I shall give you every last point!"
What was I supposed to do with this? Was a rich problem customer still a customer? If she flaunted her wealth without ever actually paying, wasn't she just another problem customer like any other? Still — if I pocketed all those Ghost Story Points, first place would be as good as mine. Amanecida's way of thinking was starting to feel contagious. Get a grip.
"Customer? This convenience store is hardly fine dining."
"I beg your pardon?"
Amanecida feigned astonishment. She liked beings with firm convictions of their own — human or anomaly, it made no difference. If I'd fawned on her here, she would have flown into a rage instead. It was obvious from the way she'd ignored Ji Yesol while the girl cowered behind me, only to praise her the moment she spoke her mind.
"Ha. Expecting hospitality from you has made the Maestro feel a fool. Then tell me — what can these points buy in your convenience store?"
For a split second, I considered ripping her off. Amusement parks, mountaintops, valley resorts — places like those charged an arm and a leg by nature. No. Not happening. As long as she showed a willingness to pay, a customer was a customer. We might have been at each other's throats back in my Company days, but right now she could become a regular. Though honestly, her simply leaving would have been the best outcome of all.
I rapped on the calculator. No — there wasn't even any need for that. 100,000 Ghost Story Points could buy more than the merchandise; it could buy the whole store. But I was the owner. I had no intention whatsoever of handing my precious convenience store over to Amanecida.
The current leader was Bunny's Wonderland, with 5,200 points earned. In combat it was the weakest thing in the park, but in a management contest, that was another story entirely. After all, when I'd first entered this place, I'd fallen for Wonder Bunny's scheming and walked away with nothing but wasted Ghost Story Points. Either way, there was no need to make her spend all 100,000 points — earning a mere 5,201 would claim first place. Still, as a safety margin, getting her to spend up to 10,000 would be better.
"You answer slowly. Do you doubt yourself?"
"Of course not, customer."
I swept a hand across the refrigerated section.
"Everything from here to here."
"Oh ho?"
"You needn't spend all 100,000 points. Spend exactly 10,000, and I'll pack everything up nice and thorough in pay-as-you-throw trash bags and see you off properly, customer."
"Good, good. Very good."
Amanecida nodded. "Then might you explain what these items are used for?"
"As much explaining as you'd like."
The questions poured out of her.
"And what is this?"
"An energy drink."
"If I drink it?"
"It wakes you up."
"Then what is this?"
"Chocolate."
"If I eat it?"
"Good for when your energy dips."
"And this?"
"Instant ramyeon."
"If I eat it?"
"It fills you up."
"The Maestro has never once known hunger, but this is amusing. I suspect the containment staff and my orchestra members would be delighted to receive such things."
Clap, clap, clap. Apparently satisfied, Amanecida applauded.
Right — the containment staff were just lining up to eat ramyeon handed over by an anomaly.
"Wait, isn't that orchestra of yours only four members?"
Four member-anomalies of the Dawn Orchestra: one for strings, one for brass, one for woodwinds, one for percussion. Only four of them, yet somehow the music came out complete — because they were anomalies, that's why. These members guarded the ghost story in place of their confined master.
"Hmph! The five of us are worth a hundred apiece! Convenience store fare such as this would be devoured in an instant!"
So much for the self-proclaimed Conductor and Tuner of the World — her grasp of economics was certainly something.
"So? Why are you buying them, then?"
"Did I not say from the start that I came to have you sell me goods?"
"That'll be 10,000 Ghost Story Points, customer."
I fitted my face with its customer-service smile.
"Here you are."
Amanecida handed the points over. I pulled trash bags out from under the counter.
"Ms. Yesol, let's get these packed fast."
"Y-yes, sir…!"
Ms. Ji Yesol and I crammed everything Amanecida had pointed at into the bags.
"Faster… faster…"
Whether out of fear or the dread of provoking an S-grade anomaly's temper, Ji Yesol's hands flew. Somehow they seemed even faster than when she was cleaning. We set the bag — stuffed to bursting with energy drinks, chocolate, and ramyeon — up on the counter.
Ding-dong-dang—
Announcing the current rankings.
So this was why rich customers were such a blessing.
"C-come again…"
Greet Customers (2/3)
The Greet Customers counter had ticked up. An S-grade anomaly had shown up and scared us half to death — and she'd actually just bought her things and left.
Just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief—
"Ah, one more thing."
Amanecida stopped mid-step on her way out.
"While the Maestro was here, those mongrels dared not approach. Once I return, that will change, will it not?"
"Don't care."
"Well, that is exactly like you! Then, until we meet again…"
The moment Amanecida tried to leave the convenience store—
"Where do you think you're going?"
Three shopkeeper anomalies blocked her path. Wonder Bunny in his rabbit mask. Cheshire Cat in a cat mask. Runner Dodo in a dodo bird mask.
What a headache.
Cheshire Cat, the de facto ringleader of the shop anomalies, jabbed a finger into my chest, once, twice.
"A mere human, fleecing a great one's points with honeyed words? Where in the world did you sell your merchant's honor?"
From the corner, Wonder Bunny curled his lips into a sinister smile.
Seemed he'd decided he couldn't handle me alone, so he'd called in the other shopkeepers. That fucking problem customer.