The Crown Prince Has Arrived
The empire's crown prince, Second Prince Astur Obillon Leo Rasing Valer Imperion. His name was a tangled mess of his personal name, his empress clan's name, the imperial castle symbolizing his lineage, and a bunch of customary add-ons—but no one could properly pronounce the whole thing. They just called him the Crown Prince.
He was the second prince who had beheaded the first, third, and fifth princes during the Princes' Rebellion to finally claim the crown prince position. Kinslayer. Madman who devoured his own brothers. Who would dare utter the name of the crown prince who had seized his massive power with the emperor's tacit approval? Probably not many even knew his full name.
"Why's the Crown Prince coming here? The goods for the imperial capital left with the merchants just the other day, didn't they?"
"Beats me. I'm just the messenger, you know?"
"Haa, Luna. You should've told me that part."
"I don't know. Madam just told me to pass that on and buy some condoms."
She pointed at the stack of condom boxes on the counter, as if urging me to hurry up and ring them out.
"I don't wanna run into any imperial folks if I can help it, so let's settle up quick."
"Haa."
Of course, this wasn't the Crown Prince's first time at the convenience store. The Moonlit Lake wasn't just some brothel, after all. Most folks thought of it as a flashy pleasure house where dazzlingly beautiful women sold their bodies to nobles and rich bigshots for a night of dreams. Not wrong, exactly—they did sell their bodies and make money off it.
But the Moonlit Lake had the empire's backing. Some imperial guards and knights dispatched from the capital were undercover, disguised as lake guards. Simple reason: brothels were where money and even more valuable info flowed.
It was the imperial family's private vault and a key outpost for the emperor's intelligence network. Luna, who had come to see me now, was one of the lake's women—and also part of that intel squad.
So, not someone to take lightly.
That's why imperial folk and nobles bought women there, funneling money to the crown, or bought and sold info. Even foreign envoys swarmed the place. I had no clue how the money and deals went down inside. What would a lowly convenience store manager know? I just figured that's how it was.
The Crown Prince did drop by the Moonlit Lake now and then for that cash. Yeah, the lake itself. Whenever he handled business there, an imperial knight would pop into our store for a single can of beer. But he'd never come straight to the convenience store like this. Not once.
Why now? We paid taxes on time like model citizens, never broken a law—heck, I'd even gotten imperial citizenship two years back, so no illegal resident status anymore.
Stay calm. Nothing to sweat. No skeletons in my closet.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
My head was spinning. My hands flew over the scanner for the condoms.
"Haa, we're all on high alert right now too. Everyone's tense wondering if he'll show up at the lake. Madam's pissed off big time..."
Luna let out a heavy sigh.
"Oh, right. Madam said if the Crown Prince shows up at the lake, activate this for her."
She handed me a stone glowing with a faint lunar light. Channel mana into it, and it signaled Madam—a magic item.
"Got it."
I reached out to take the stone, but Luna suddenly grabbed my hand and hooked her pinky with mine.
"Huh?"
Elena's startled voice came from the side.
Ignoring her, Luna stroked my hand softly, this way and that.
"Wow, Manager's fingers are definitely thick. How'd a guy who just sells stuff here get fingers like that?"
She licked her lips and pressed her breasts together, flaunting her assets to seduce. Her perfume hit my nose hard.
With the index and middle fingers of her free left hand, she tapped my hand's back slowly, then slid up my wrist like a hiker climbing a mountain.
"Wanna come by after the Crown Prince leaves? I'm free tonight~."
"Won't do any good."
Luna's skimpy outfit caught my eye—see-through enough to tease. I stared openly, but she didn't blush. Instead, she lifted the neckline barely covering her cleavage. A glimpse of black lace lingerie.
Still, my little buddy stayed limp. Ah, thanks. Confirming my curse is alive and well today too.
"You know I don't go."
"Hng, tough nut, huh? No reaction at all?"
"Yeah. Only virgins get me up."
"Figures. Picky guy. Well, didn't think you'd bite anyway."
"Ultra-thin condoms, 30 boxes—30 gold total."
"Still pricey today."
"That's 'cause they work."
I sold them way pricier than back on modern Earth. Demand kept climbing anyway. Way cheaper and easier than smearing herbs on your junk after sex—just slip one on.
I bagged the boxes.
"Gotta try harder to get you over next time~."
"Waste of time."
I waved her off. Like I said—non-virgins do nothing for me.
After dropping that bombshell, I watched Luna leave with her condom-stuffed bag and sighed heavily.
"Elena."
"Y-Yes? Oh, yep! Boss!"
Maybe 'cause of the steamy talk with Luna—Elena's face was beet red. She flailed around, unsure what to do, head down, avoiding my eyes.
Too explicit in front of the kid?
"Gonna need you for extra shifts today."
"E-Eh? Y-Yes! Got it!"
I'll handle the Crown Prince, but his entourage—you take care of 'em.
"Kuhahaha! Long time no see. A whole year already?"
"Your Highness."
I half-expected a massive procession, but it was modest. The Crown Prince in plain clothes—far from flashy—followed by five knights. Just six total.
Don't underestimate the small number. These were the empire's top warriors. The loyal knights under him were why he'd won the Princes' Rebellion.
"What brings you to this humble shop?"
"Wanted to see our manager's face after so long."
"I'd have come to you if you'd called."
"Can't have you entering the palace—Father would get upset."
"I see."
"He hasn't cooled off yet."
"That's frightening."
What could be scarier than the empire's ruler pissed at me? Hope he's over it by now.
"Also here to see the empire's greatest wonder—the convenience store—with my own eyes. Realized I'd never visited personally."
"Look around as you please."
"Mind if I browse?"
"Of course."
The Crown Prince stepped inside. His knights scanned the place with fierce eyes.
The store was empty. Peak drunk hours, but I'd turned customers away.
-Sorry, closed till midnight due to circumstances.
Let in some hammered idiots, and if trouble brewed, I'd be the one smashed. No way. Absolutely not.
"No customers? Slow time usually?"
"Closed to prepare for Your Highness."
"Ah, then I owe compensation."
Under knight escort, he headed straight for the booze shelf. He smacked his lips at the chilled canned beers in the coolers.
"Always impressive. No magic fridge chills like this."
"You're too kind."
"Thanks to your store, it's an imperial specialty now. Locals treat it like fine liquor, yeah?"
"Yes."
Convenience store stuff was everyday junk back home, but rare here. Canned beer and tins that lasted forever unopened. Retort pouches—boil the bag, meal's done. Plus daily essentials. Some even had absurd effects.
Just stick it on and wounds heal!
Upon use, natural recovery power increases.
For small wounds, certain chance to acquire Complete Recovery trait.
Complete Recovery: Healed completely without scars
Such items counted as precious magic goods. Rare low-prob drop on order, so I didn't sell 'em easy.
"Ah, I've seen this at the palace. First aid for the imperial knights, right!"
The Crown Prince chuckled, holding a Band-Aid.
Imperial folk took most medical stuff. DG partnered with the palace for smooth sales—we offered goods, got exclusive rights. If other merchants bootlegged, knights hunted 'em down. Magic items included.
"Amazing. No wonder mages obsess over convenience stores."
Admiring alien tech, he turned to me, canned beer and jerky in hand.
"Tour's over. Down to business."
Why the dramatics? A store manager like me couldn't guess.
Surely not demanding I sell the place? That'd suck.
"Heard a rumor in palace circles lately. About your store."
"Rumor?"
"You know it?"
Sensitive enough for a secret visit? Treason? Spy? Black magic user? All unrelated to us. If real, I'd claim innocence—crime of honest sales? I'd go mad if that was it.
I pondered. Nothing fit.
"Can't think of any rumor big enough for Your Highness to visit personally."
"Really?"
"What is it?"
Greed flickered in his eyes. Bad vibe. Serious stuff.
He paused, then spoke.
"Mix Buldak Ramen and Jjajang Ramen—supposed to be killer. Can you tell me how? Wanted to try, but Father ate it all."
What?
"Buldak and Jjajang Ramen?"
"Yeah. Everyone's raving. I know zilch about store food."
All that tension for this?
This guy?
I deflated.