Convenience Store 24: The Tower of the End 1st - Chapter 74



Only Krnovel

Episode 74 41st Floor, Tower Country (2)

“435 gold… … .”

It’s an absurd amount.

That’s a lot of money, enough to buy a house in the heart of the land of turrets and live out the rest of your life in luxury.

‘It is a steep price for a young halfling to pay.’

However, that doesn’t mean I can defend my subordinates.

After all, it was his subordinate who committed the mistake.

“435 gold… … 435 gold… … .”

Was it a big shock?

The subordinate was shaking with his hands and didn’t know what to do.

“I don’t intend to condone my subordinate’s mistakes… … but wouldn’t it be okay to show him a little mercy?”

“If I hadn’t done anything wrong in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened.”

That’s right.

So I have nothing more to say.

However, it is not something that can be paid in his stead.

“… … What happens if I can’t pay the compensation?”

“There has to be a price to pay. Whatever it is.”

“In proportion to the price… … .”

Why is the word death the first thing that comes to mind?

‘The other party is a merchant who travels from place to place doing business alone.’

He must be quite confident in his skills, so he runs the business on his own.

It wouldn’t be wise to use force against him.

‘In the end, I have no choice but to hope for his mercy… … .’

The problem is that the store owner doesn’t seem to have any intention of backing down either.

“Gald, this matter is out of my hands. Whether you live as his slave or meet your end, you will be responsible.”

“Ahh… … sob sob sob… … .”

Gus looked at the young halfling shedding tears of regret.

Although I said it coldly, I felt weak inside.

Finally, he sighed and looked at the shop owner.

“By the way, do I have to pay with money?”

“It doesn’t have to be that way. Anything that is worth the money is fine. But it has to be something I like.”

“… … Is there anything else you want?”

The shop owner smiles faintly at his question.

“Well, I think it would be better if you showed me all the paddles you have. Then I’d be more inclined to talk.”

“… … Okay.”

Gus sighs deeply and starts rummaging through his bag, taking out each item one by one.

The first thing he took out was a flute.

“It’s the flute called Berserker’s Thrill. I took it from the one who seemed to be the leader of the monsters that came out of the gate. When I listen to the sound of that flute, I get a sense of elation for a while, as if I can do anything.”

“Interesting. But this looks like it could be used in the field, so why is it left unused?”

Gus chuckled at the shop owner’s question.

“It’s good for raising the morale of the subordinates, but it also boosts the emotions of the commander, who has to be the most level-headed of all. It was quite a disaster because the chain of command was disrupted. After all, the key is the turret.”

“Aha. But why are you carrying that around?”

Gus smiled bitterly.

“That’s right. This is what happened to be in the bag. Anyway, I suffered a setback, but I think it’s a pretty good item for climbers who are always fighting. Especially since you often do business alone, you probably need that flute a lot. If it doesn’t work out, you can always resell it.”

“Let me think about it. Is there anything else?”

Gus searched through his bag diligently, but found nothing but junk.

He frowned and shouted at the other halflings around him.

“Hey you little punks, what do you have? Am I the only one who cares about my comrades?”

Then, something sparkles in Gus’ bag.

The shop owner looked at it carefully.

‘Golden… … is it a bottle?’

“What is that?”

Gus, who had been screaming loudly, flinched.

“What do you mean?”

“There, in the bag, there was something that just started shining brightly.”

“Well, you saw something wrong. It’s probably a piece of metal.”

“It was a golden bottle?”

Gus’s face turned pale.

The shop owner smiled at him and held out his palm.

“Take it out and take a look.”

“Oh, no! That one… … !”

“Is there anything more precious than your colleagues?”

“Ugh… … .”

* * *

A few hours later.

Hwaaaaaaaah-

‘Whew.’

When I got back home, I put my bags on the floor.

‘It feels like it’s been a while since I’ve been back.’

It seems like word of mouth spread while dealing with Gus.

It took quite some time because I had to sell things to the increasing number of halflings.

‘Hehehe, but thanks to that I was able to make a lot of money. And I also got some unexpected income.’

I took the flute I had received from Gus out of my subspace pocket.

Berserker’s Thrill

Description: A flute used by the chieftain of the Berserker clan, a clan obsessed with battle and slaughter.

Content: When using the flute, everyone around you, including the person playing it, will be overcome by a strong sense of elation.

Special Note: Only the Berserker clan will go into a state of ‘berserk’ when they hear the sound of the flute. Other races can only feel a heightened sense of elation.

I looked over the flute’s explanation again and chuckled.

‘An item that inspires excitement regardless of whether you’re an enemy or an ally.’

Of course, I read the description and brought it.

I could kind of understand why Gus had left the flute there.

‘Of course, if the person in charge is not cool-headed, the organization often falls apart. But those Berserkers have a peculiar taste. Can you hear the sound of the flute on the battlefield?’

I left the room with the flute.

“Clone! Come here for a moment!”

“Why? What is it?”

“Okay, a gift.”

Let me throw the flute to my clone.

The clone took the flute with a dumbfounded expression.

“What is this?”

“Wouldn’t it be quicker to understand if you just say it once rather than listen to an explanation?”

“okay?”

The clone put the flute to his mouth, sucked in air until his cheeks puffed out, and then spat it out.

PiliLiLiLi-

The strangely toned sound of a flute echoes softly through the space.

The pupils of the clone that had been blowing the flute a few times widened.

“Huh?”

“How is it? Do you feel something?”

“Uh, um… … What should I say? I suddenly feel a sense of triumph? I feel like I have to fight something right now.”

I smiled and nodded.

“Wouldn’t it be faster to work like that?”

“ah.”

Only then did he understand my intentions.

A sinister smile appeared on the corner of the clone’s mouth.

“Wouldn’t efficiency double?”

no.

The effects of the flute had already spread throughout the kitchen.

“Wah!”

Starting with Baekgu, who was swinging two knives frantically and cutting the edges of a slice of bread.

A tin can that washes dishes combatively while the siren on its chest blares madly.

“Come! Come! Come!”

And then there’s Balina, who roasts coffee beans like crazy while screaming incomprehensible screams.

I chuckled as I looked at the scene, which was confusing as to whether it was a kitchen or a battlefield.

‘I knew it would be okay.’

The work speed, which was clearly different from before, was definitely satisfying.

‘At that speed, I think we’ll be able to produce at least twice the existing amount.’

Everything is going as planned.

‘I’ll leave the flute to the clone to take care of it, and I’ll take a closer look at the one I brought.’

At the time I pointed this out.

I remember Gus’s expression becoming distorted, almost pale.

‘Hmm, is this really that precious?’

I pulled a tall bottle that appeared to be made of gold from my subspace pocket.

‘The exterior looks very luxurious.’

I carefully opened the cork.

A refreshing scent like fermented fruit rises.

‘Oh, at least the smell passes!’

I remembered Gus’ face as he passionately talked about how he made it using the precious fruit from the 41st floor as a base.

[That’s really precious… … . Ugh… … A promise is a promise, so I’ll keep it, but you have to promise me one thing. Absolutely! Don’t just drink it. Do you understand? There’s a special way to drink it. First, I’ll explain… … .]

There was a lot of talk about this and that.

There was one thing that Gus emphasized.

[When you drink it, make sure you have a large bucket ready. A basin or a jar, whatever! Fill a very wide area with water, and then add just one drop of that Eldrago! Not two drops! Just one drop. Got it?]

At that time, I asked Gus, who was speaking passionately with a sad face.

Why did you explain it in such detail?

[Well, I don’t want to see that precious thing being misused!]

The expression on Gus’ face as he cried out was truly a sight to behold.

[This is something I should actually get 435 gold for!]

I saw sincerity in Gus’ expression as he cried almost like he was crying.

In exchange for Eldrago and the horn, he agreed to reduce the price by 435 gold.

‘Is this something that precious? …? Anyway, first, we need to collect water in a wide area.’

The problem is that there is no proper place to store the water.

‘It’s not like I can go buy a big bucket right now. Hmm… … .’

I thought about it for a moment and then snapped my fingers.

‘I’m not going to sell it anyway, I’m just trying it out, so it doesn’t matter, right?’

I went straight into the bathroom and turned off the bathtub drain.

‘This is the best for receiving water.’

After a while.

I nodded, looking at the water that was almost overflowing.

‘Okay! Now just one drop here, no more, no less!’

I carefully tilted the bottle into the soup.

A drop of liquid falls from the spout and falls onto the calm water.

Chalang-

‘Is it done?’

Just then, as I was looking down at the waves spreading out over the water.

Bubbling-

Suddenly a huge number of bubbles are rising up?

‘Oh, it doesn’t seem like the water is boiling, but it’s interesting. Anyway, it’s done now, right?’

I soaked the cup I brought in the bathtub and then took it out.

I snickered, looking at the water in the cup.

‘It’s ridiculous to drink water that was in the bathtub.’

I even drank water from a decades-old water bottle.

I lived in the military for two years in a worse environment than this, so why can’t I do this?

‘More than that, I’m really curious about the taste.’

I quickly brought the cup to my mouth.

“… … ?”

‘Oh?’

I swallowed the water in my mouth and burst out laughing in disbelief.

‘Look at this? It’s changed like this?’

* * *

The next morning.

I went to work at the cafe a little earlier than usual.

Daughter-

‘It looks like the kids haven’t come yet. I like it.’

I got off the cargo truck and took out the materials I had brought from the cargo hold.

‘Wow, I should’ve bought this a long time ago. It’s definitely more convenient to have a top car.’

It carries much more luggage than a passenger car.

I wonder if there is a more suitable car than this.

Rattling-

A box full of sandwiches, powdered golden amena, and a jug containing the original iris extract.

and

I took the plastic containers I had brought from home out of the car.

‘The flute certainly seems to have had a big effect. The amount I made increased significantly compared to the usual amount, right?’

That’s true too.

Today in particular there was more stuff to move.

I smiled as I looked at at least ten different speech channels.

‘If you bring that into the kitchen, it’s over!’

After a while.

Daughter-

“Oh, boss! Hello!”

“hello!”

“Hey guys. Are you going to work together?”

“I met you in front of the station! But, boss, you came early today?”

I nodded to Seon-ah’s question.

“I have something to prepare today.”

“Wow, but what is all this? It seems like there’s more stuff than usual? Boss, aren’t you going to collapse from overwork?”

“Haha, it’s okay. If you keep doing this, you’ll get used to it. But could you please move those things inside the kitchen? Leave the talking bowls alone, they’re heavy.”

They move the materials with ease.

Then, Soo-Jung pointed to the pipes placed on one side.

“But boss, what is this? Is it the essence of the scent of the sea?”

“Oh, no. That’s the concentrate for a limited-time drink.”

“Limited sale? We have a new menu?!”

“Wow! What is it this time?”

When they showed interest.

Instead of answering, I poured the water from the bottle into a cup and mixed it with the juice of grapefruit and lemon.

“Okay, that’s it. Try it.”