The First Customer
Hello? I'm Lee Se-ah, a new agent from the Special Civil Affairs Office!
The department is called Special Civil Affairs Office because it's meant to solve anomalies without civilians knowing about them. It's really funny, isn't it?
Anyway! As the rookie agent I've been waiting for, I've been assigned the mission to explore the Happy Convenience Store.
My senior agents said it's one of the easier ones among D-ranks, so it should be fine!
I thought it would be okay since I had studied and trained for it, but after hearing that one word from the anomaly, I got really scared...
It felt like we made eye contact, but hopefully it's okay?
Eh? It seems like it's coming towards me?
"Customer, do you need anything?"
Ugh... that voice that sounds like it's tearing apart, and that unbearably empty face... I really want to cry, but I have to endure it without showing it, following my training...
"Ah. N-never mind! I'm just looking around!"
Uwa, I bit my tongue from being too tense. But luckily, it seemed like I fooled it, and it nodded and went back.
My goal was to explore the civilian area, distribute the guidelines, and buy the 'Ectoplasm Flavor Cheeseball' to escape and return?
First, the second compartment of the freezer, the space under the third shelf, the space next to the recycling bin... all empty! Fortunately, it doesn't seem like civilians got caught in it!
Then, avoiding the anomaly's eyes sitting at the counter, I stuck the guidelines in the holder...
And finally, just take the cheeseball up there...
Ueh, it's a bit high up... if I stand on tiptoes... eh?!
Crash— boom!
@
'...'
What kind of situation is this?
The anomaly was standing there muttering to the human, then went back to the counter staring blankly, when suddenly a sound of something falling came.
I wondered what the sound was and got up from my seat, went to the place where the sound came from, and saw that the shelf had fallen and the items were scattered on the floor.
Most of all,
'Why is this customer lying on the floor writhing and saying something? "Sorry, the item fell...?"'
I know, you idiot.
There was a reason why anomalies treat humans as their true customers.
Normally, when you accidentally knock something over, you say sorry and try to put it back, right?
But this customer, what can I say, thought that if it wasn't visible to his eyes, there was no threat, and just lay there like an ostrich banging its head on the ground, repeating the same words.
Although I hadn't read the humans' guidelines, from the horror stories posted in the gallery, it seemed like it was similar to the behavior of 'if something happens, lie on the floor with ears covered.'
'But would that not be visible to the anomaly's eyes.'
When you meet a bear, there's a famous saying.
[If you meet a bear, lie down pretending to be dead.]
Of course, in modern times, it's been revealed to be nonsense.
But from the bear's perspective, it revealed that there was no human-themed buffet show.
'Hmm~ This human has firm ribs and soft flesh? The heart seems well cooked to medium well.'
From my current perspective, that's how the human looks.
No, originally, who wrote in the guidelines to lie on the floor? The anomaly isn't stupid, so how could it not be visible?
'Sigh, I'm not an anomaly that kills humans, just clean up.'
Lying there trembling was pitiful, and since I was already releasing enough high-quality essence, I started cleaning without touching it.
Actually, seeing the lying person, the anomaly probably just let the human go because it was annoying, and someone wrote it in the guidelines. Is this survival bias?
Honestly, I was quite scared at first thinking it was a hunter, but the prejudice that hunters are rather pathetic is starting to form.
Honestly, the store manager described in text was scarier than the hunters in front of me right now. Socially weak employees should clean up, ugh.
Trembling—
'D-did it finally go...?'
Sigh, I still survived! I accidentally spilled the items, but by following the guidelines, I just silently cleaned and left?
As expected, the guidelines are amazing! Is this what a guideline written with blood and sweat is?
By the way, what kind of taste is this Ectoplasm Flavor Cheeseball in my hand?
Still, no barcode or instructions, and I successfully picked up the item, so now it's time to go to the register!
Current Happy Convenience Store 10 meters in front of you is a D-class anomaly managed by the state.
If you are not a national level 7 or higher agent or C-rank hunter certified by the hunter association, stop immediately and leave the scene.
Violating this can cause mental illness, body amputation, disappearance, death, ███ etc.
The state and hunter association will not take responsibility for any human casualties and subsequent spiritual losses caused by ignoring this warning and entering.
1. Check the displayed products in the store only with your eyes.
1-1. Unnecessary physical contact without a clear purchase purpose will be considered as having 'purchase intention' and forced payment may be charged.
1-2. If you find something without a barcode among normal foods, or something with unclear blood stains, slime, black hair, etc. seeping from the packaging gap, immediately avert your gaze. This is not an item for you.
1-3. Especially if you find an item with your name, your date of birth, or a memory of something you regret most in the past printed on the product name, ingredients list, or event announcement ribbon, immediately back away 3 steps from that shelf. That's not a product, it's bait.
1-4. When picking up an item with a clear purchase purpose, always use the hand you don't usually use often, and hold it with the barcode facing down.
1-5. If you accidentally touch the item due to your carelessness or if the item rolls out from the display rack to your feet, never try to pick it up or clean it with your hand, but immediately cover your ears, lie on the floor, and clearly say to the counter's 'worker' "The item fell. Sorry."
At this time, never watch the process of handling the item and count exactly 3 minutes in your mind before getting up.
2. Payment is made using the paid currency.
2-1. Normally, payment is made using the anomalies' own currency. However, there is no way for humans to pay that currency or acquire it.
2-2. Based on many exploration data, the Management Bureau has produced special alternative currency that is recognized as valuable even in the anomalies' ecosystem and issued it to agents. However, the reaction to that currency varies depending on the external characteristics of the worker entity guarding the counter, so you must observe the entity's state closely and proceed with payment according to the following detailed guidelines.
2-2A. When the worker maintains a significant portion of human form
Many A-type workers are relatively friendly to humans. When you first offer the currency, they will show refusal, but soon after realizing the value of the currency, they are likely to make the payment. However, if the worker shows discomfort, stop requesting payment.
2-2B. When the worker takes on an form or human appearance is not visible
In this case, the probability is 50/50. With a 50% chance, the worker may be more friendly to you than A-type workers or even dislike you more. Please make wise judgments.
2-2C. When wearing a red apron with 'Store Manager' written on the name tag.
If you haven't taken out the currency yet, say 'I'll come back next time' and naturally leave. If you have already shown the currency, sorry, but recommend quickly using your own tools to commit suicide.
2-3. The payment voice is replaced with the POS machine's TTS. However, if the anomaly stares at you and smiles while paying or after payment, or if the voice is replaced with TTS at some point, █████.
3. [Security check required for ranks 3 and above.]
45 points.
Fortunately, the worker in front of me seems to be an A-type worker since he looks quite human-like!
Although I can't see well if the last part of the guidelines is stained, it should be fine, right? Normally, part-time workers don't talk much when customers pay in convenience stores!
In my pocket... ah, here it is! This coin is what I should hand over, right?
Eh? Why aren't you accepting it? And even though the face is gone, it seems like it's staring somewhere...
@
'? What am I supposed to do.'
Suddenly, after bringing the item, he proudly offered some strange coin-like thing.
'Isn't it written in the guidelines to pay only in points?'
Should I take this? No, what does this have to do with points?
I wondered if there was a way to handle this, so I opened the spring note, it was page 11?
Ah, I don't care about that kind of thing.
Oh? This is completely sweet honey?
I think humans don't know the value of this coin well, since they gave me 45 points, but they take at least 100 points, so I should show maximum courtesy to these triple A-class customers.
Although the mouth is gone, I tried to smile with the smoothest face possible.
"Thank you, customer. Please come again!"
Then the customer turned around, face pale, and let out a cute scream.
Ah, I don't care about that kind of thing.
Oh? This is completely sweet honey?
I think humans don't know the value of this coin well, since they gave me 45 points, but they take at least 100 points, so I should show maximum courtesy to these triple A-class customers.
Although the mouth is gone, I tried to smile with the smoothest face possible.
"Thank you, customer. Please come again!"
Then the customer turned around, face pale, and let out a cute scream.
Ah, I don't care about that kind of thing.
Oh? This is completely sweet honey?
I think humans don't know the value of this coin well, since they gave me 45 points, but they take at least 100 points, so I should show maximum courtesy to these triple A-class customers.
Although the mouth is gone, I tried to smile with the smoothest face possible.
"Thank you, customer. Please come again!"
Then the customer turned around, face pale, and let out a cute scream.
