It's Smaller Than I Thought
The day after delivering the adult toys to the lake, it was a quiet afternoon around 5 PM with hardly any customers.
-Well done. Thanks.
I'd thought he wouldn't care, but it seemed he'd been pursuing it all along. That meant he knew I'd clashed with her again too.
"Was it serious enough for Your Highness to contact me directly?"
-Well, she's one of those people even I can't touch.
"Has Repis's influence grown that much?"
-She's reached the level of the current Magic Tower Lord at her age. She's being touted as the one to advance the empire's magic. Mess with her wrong, and not only the Magic Tower but the other nobles would push back hard.
So internally, they couldn't touch her.
-Her magical advancements through human trafficking benefited a lot of nobles. The crown prince let out a wry chuckle.
"I get the gist."
-Haha, I thought becoming crown prince meant I could do anything, but there are more constraints than I imagined.
"With great power comes great responsibility."
-Anyway, along with the previous matter, you've smoothed this one over too. Your reward will come soon. Thanks for acting in the empire's safety.
"I'll be waiting."
A reward from the crown prince wouldn't be shabby, whether it was money or land.
It wasn't for the empire, though. I'd just stumbled on the back-alley gang I thought had made Robinson vanish, and when I found out they were connected to Repis, I got involved. No grand sense of duty there.
Still, owing the crown prince one wasn't a bad reward in itself.
After cutting off contact with the crown prince, I turned to see Elena finishing up cleaning the convenience store. She was perched at the bar table, munching on a triangle kimbap with her cheeks puffed out.
I was pretty sure I'd fed her lunch earlier. Why was that going in her mouth again?
"Manager? Something on my face?"
Elena asked, her cheeks bulging from the kimbap.
"You just look like you're enjoying it."
"Ah, hehe. It's my favorite. Jeonju bibim kimbap. Honestly, nothing beats it."
Jeonju bibimbap was delicious, sure. That gochujang-based sauce mixed with rice and veggies tucked between, plus the minced meat gochujang in the center. Wrapped in seaweed, it was a perfect all-in-one meal. And only 12 silver—1,200 won in Korean money. Even the price was a steal.
"Elena, you have good taste."
"But customers hate it. I don't get why."
"Probably can't handle the spice."
Tuna mayo ones sold better here. The gochujang sauce must feel foreign to people not used to heat.
Poor folks in this world who didn't know Jeonju bibim's glory.
Smack. Smack. Smack.
After finishing the kimbap, Elena sucked on her fingers and asked,
"By the way, did you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"There's a nice dessert place nearby that just opened."
"Dessert?"
"Yeah, wanna go together later?"
"After eating that much?"
Looked like she'd downed at least five.
"Rice belly and dessert belly are separate. Can you go?"
"Hmm, I'd like to, but..."
I pointed at the counter.
"Got work to do. Can't really step out."
"Dmitri's here."
"He can't make it before 10 PM. Has his reasons."
"Tch!"
Elena pouted her lips. She really wanted to go that bad? No matter how I looked at it, Elena's appetite was off the charts.
"Eat that much dessert and you'll gain weight."
Time for some moderation. I didn't mind her wants usually, but this much was trouble.
"Ah, I don't gain weight easy! And I only gained 300 grams!"
She yelped, sounding guilty.
"No need to shout about it."
"M-Master is an idiot!"
She stuck out her lips and whipped her head away. Was she really mad? Idiot, really?
But before I could dwell on it—
Ding-a-ling.
"Welcome!"
A customer arrived. The man ignored the greeting, standing awkwardly and scanning around.
Like a meerkat, he popped his head here and there, then met my eyes and quickly looked away.
My manager senses tingled. This guy's a tough customer.
He shuffled around the store aimlessly. What was he looking for? At first, I thought condom buyer— that shy pattern newbies had, overly cautious, suspiciously hunting for stuff.
But he didn't touch the condoms. He wandered near them but showed zero interest. Not even bluffing.
Guys buying condoms first time would casually poke them, acting cool like, "Hmm, maybe this one?" Pretending they're pros. Obvious to anyone watching.
Not condoms. Booze or smokes? Nah, those types grab other stuff and slip alcohol in the basket.
What then?
"None here..."
A new type. What was he hunting so hard for?
The man glanced at me and Elena repeatedly, steeled himself, and approached.
"Um, excuse me."
"Yes, sir?"
He kept sneaking peeks at Elena. Oh, was he trying to hit on her? I had protocols for creeps like that.
As Elena stepped away from the counter for cleaning—
"H-Has the adult shop not opened yet?"
"Pardon?"
"Y-Yeah, I happened to see at the lake yesterday, and they said you sell them here..."
Oh, a lake customer. Hadn't even planned to open yet. We'd just delivered yesterday. Thought it'd take time for word to spread, but already?
Madam worked fast.
"Ah, about that."
"You're the one selling them, right? I've never made a woman cum. Got chewed out by my ex-wife and divorced over it. Tried brothels to fix it... but no dice. They just gave mechanical reactions, like stones. But yesterday was different."
He sounded desperate. The wounds of a man who couldn't satisfy ran deep. Noble or merchant with means to hit the lake, yet lacking there.
Sexual performance satisfaction, huh.
"Women tried those toys and went wild. Girls who smiled politely for work turned feral. First time seeing that. It was magic."
"Sir, calm down."
Madness in his eyes.
"You selling? Or does it take time? When should I come back? Extra pay if now?"
Whoa, not selling might make him torch the place. No need to chase away a buyer when it's slow.
"Alright. Elena."
"Yes, Manager?"
"Watch the counter a sec."
"Where you going?"
"Got a place to take this customer."
I pointed to the partition for the new adult shop stairs.
"You said it's not open yet."
"Be right back."
"Okay."
I led the customer up to the third floor. The adult shop. Didn't expect to bring the first customer like this before opening.
Thump thump. His heartbeat echoed even here.
"For your ex-wife?"
"No, my fiancée. Want to satisfy her."
Wife around but hitting the lake? Nobles' twisted sex ed was beyond me, but shocking.
"Got it."
"Please, Manager. That item..."
Up on the third floor, his mouth snapped shut.
"Huh?"
He blinked, eyes glued to the adult shop. Women's toys, men's—couldn't peel away.
"What're all these?"
"Aids. Not just for women. Men's too."
"Haha... Manager, you a god?"
Awe and admiration. Mouth agape at the goods. Eyes locked on the onaholes.
"S-Strangely shaped."
"Mini woman. For guys wanting solo time over partnered sex sometimes. You know how to use it."
"P-Price?"
Hmm... Back home, around 50,000 won? Varied wildly—10k to over a million. Same for dildos.
What for fair price here? Rarity mattered. Exclusive to me.
Money's good. Money's best.
Fair price. Happy seller, happy buyer.
"Standard model's 20 gold."
"Not cheap."
"Cheaper exist, but not for nobles."
"Hmm..."
The guy who'd come for dildos and rotors fixated on onaholes.
"Th-This, this, and that too."
Three different onaholes, two sizes of dildos, some rotors. Big spender first customer. Desperate, huh.
"Gel freebie. Helps a lot pre-use."
"Th-Thanks."
Deep bow.
"Use well."
Handed over in a patterned paper bag hiding contents.
"Spread the word."
"Thank you. Blessings await."
Blessings from onahole sales? Purity questionable.
Customer bolted with bag of dildos and onaholes.
"Manager."
Back on first floor, Elena asked.
"Yeah?"
"What's up there that me and Sylvia can't enter?"
She pointed to the third-floor adult shop stairs.
"Trouble stuff."
"You can?"
"Someone's gotta sacrifice."
"I can!"
"No."
Too soon.
"Aww, why~."
"No means no."
Too young to sell these. Hasn't even tried 'em. And Elena selling adult toys? Never. Not till I'm dust.
"Aiiiing~~~."
"No aegyo. Still no."
"Ow, Manager!"
"No. Back. Counter. Customer coming."
"Eeeek!"
I ignored her cute tantrum and greeted the next.
"Welcome to DG Convenience!"
"One Esse Light please."
"Esse Prime coming up. 1 gold."
Ah, money rolling in. Keep it coming.
Sell Adult Items
You can now order new items.
Another rude quest. Damn system.