A F-grade monster cut in half. Above it, neat numbers floated up like experience points.
Rohan’s eyes widened as he saw it.
His brain, thoroughly immersed in the game, instantly understood what it meant.
‘This kind of mechanism?’
Rohan tried to keep a straight face, pretending not to be surprised, and returned to his seat.
When he opened his status window and the shop, he noticed that, aside from achievements, one point had definitely been accumulated.
Back when he had dealt with the Yard-Pound brothers, no additional points had been given.
‘But monsters give extra points that can be used in the shop?’
It was something he would’ve discovered eventually, but the thrill of finding this loophole now… sent shivers down his spine.
‘This is insane.’
The vague path he had envisioned in his mind was becoming clearer.
For someone like me, who had been feeling stifled as achievements piled up, this was a refreshing breakthrough.
It felt like a gentle breeze had swept through my consciousness, lifting my spirits.
“Good job, everyone.”
Finally, the cadets, including Wikitree, made up their minds and, with trembling hands, captured the Gero Eye.
Juyun gave them light praise and had them sit comfortably.
She continued the remaining explanation, telling them to just listen.
“After hunting a Gero Eye, there’s nothing worthwhile to salvage. In other words, it doesn’t make money.”
“““…”””
“That’s why some people ignore them even when they see them. But if that behavior keeps piling up, it’s obvious how society will change.”
Juyun first emphasized the importance of establishing ideal and correct values, then began delving into minor theories.
All the cadets in Class 1 were captivated by her sincere voice and focused intently.
“And the fact that Gero Eyes are being seen abnormally often in the city center is also a sign that a nest has formed somewhere. The places where Gero Eyes build nests and breed are usually near the outskirts of the city or…”
Rohan strained his ears to absorb as much information as possible.
The detailed points Juyun shared during class were things you couldn’t learn in Abyss City.
Games that focus on school life usually highlight relationships and events to keep things interesting and stimulating.
In games, to minimize boredom, theoretical lessons aren’t explored in depth. Those omitted moments are happening now.
Rohan felt a sparkling interest in it and focused as much as he could.
The afternoon class flew by in a flash.
After all the classes ended.
Having had a cheap meal at the Academy dining hall, Rohan was on his way to the dormitory when he received a message through a job app.
[This is Flowering Chrysanthemum Bookstore. Feel free to visit during business hours.]
He immediately checked the time in the message.
I checked the business hours of Flowering Chrysanthemum Bookstore through an internet search.
“Plenty of time before closing.”
Today must be a dopamine-filled day because Rohan immediately turned his steps back from heading to the dormitory.
The bustling street in front of the Academy was crowded with cadets.
Everyone was holding their weapons or smartphones in one hand. Watching them go in and out of cafes and shopping malls like that was truly fascinating.
“Back then, a nameless Hunter had to sort out their weapon before even entering a store.”
While ruminating on the bittersweet memories of his past life, he left the bustling area and reached a place lined with houses.
Rohan found the Flowering Chrysanthemum Bookstore nestled between alleys without even glancing at a map.
“First time falling here and visiting a bookstore.”
That’s how Abyss City was set up.
Even though science had advanced compared to his past life, this world still overwhelmingly favored paper books.
It was also a direction Rohan personally preferred.
“…”
He approached with slow steps.
Rohan was overwhelmed by an indescribable emotion as he saw the familiar bookstore come into view.
“Feels weird.”
The Flowering Chrysanthemum Bookstore exuded a cozy vibe.
Outside the bookstore, new magazines and books recommended by the owner were displayed.
He remembered carrying a few literary works and magazines as goodwill items. But even then, it was only a dozen or so. Here, there were countless things he’d never seen before.
Before opening the store door, Rohan’s gaze was stolen by the stacked books.
He picked up a manga from the recommended section and flipped through it.
“All these manga are new to me?”
The books labeled as popular were all unfamiliar works. Even the manga that claimed to have sold 300 million copies was no exception.
“…”
Everywhere he looked, there were manga he’d never seen before.
At the same time, he realized the obvious fact that this was a different world.
A sense of regret for not being able to see the endings of the manga he knew, but also a sense of satisfaction knowing there’d be no shortage of things to read if he had the time.
Both feelings hit him at once.
“My Hunter Academia. I really wanted to see how that manga ended.”
As a Hunter and an avid reader, that was something he wanted to see through to the end.
It was unfortunate, but there was nothing he could do about it.
*Thud!*
Rohan forcefully closed the manga that was trying to suck him in and grabbed the handle of the Flowering Chrysanthemum Bookstore.
*Ding! Ding!*
A clear bell sound greeted the customer.
As he stepped inside, a comforting scent seeped into his mind. The faint smell of books resembled the rich aroma of coffee.
“Is anyone here?”
The counter was empty.
Still, he could sense some movement among the bookshelves, whether it was a customer or the owner, he couldn’t tell.
“Are you here?”
“Huh?”
“Oh dear, oh dear.”
As Rohan spoke, a response came from inside.
An elderly man with a warm impression, who seemed to be tidying up, slowly revealed himself while dusting off his hands.
Rohan immediately bowed.
“Hello. I’m Rohan, the one who contacted you today about the job opening.”
“Hehe, come on in.”
At the gesture to come and sit, Rohan headed to the table placed right next to the counter.
The owner boiled water in a pot while glancing at Rohan.
“Young people these days don’t really like tea, do they?”
“No, I like tea.”
Relieved, the owner slowly poured water into a cup.
Then, he handed Rohan a porcelain cup with steam rising from it.
“Here you go. Be careful, it’s hot.”
“Thank you. You can speak comfortably with me.”
At Rohan’s appeal that there was no need for formal speech, the owner smiled and nodded.
“Being a cadet at Orion Academy, good job opportunities must be overflowing, right?”
“I also like books and wanted to try working at a bookstore, so I applied.”
Is this an interview or just small talk?
Rohan straightened his back and engaged in the conversation, thinking it was an interview.
“The books that come in can be quite heavy, are you okay with that?”
“I’m confident in physical work. I pride myself on knowing how to use my strength efficiently.”
“Then I’ll give you plenty of time, work comfortably for a few days and decide.”
Occasional formal speech mixed in.
Rohan bowed his head in gratitude.
“Once you get a bit adjusted, I’m thinking of having you take over from the afternoon until closing, is that okay?”
“Of course. Once I get the hang of it, it’s completely doable.”
At Rohan’s words that he could start learning even today, the owner nodded in approval.
He began to explain the reason for hiring a part-timer.
“My grandson is just a baby who can’t even talk yet… Running the store as usual, I only get to see his sleeping face.”
“Ah.”
“Living like this, I’m afraid my grandson might forget what his grandfather looks like. Hahaha! I can’t help but feel anxious.”
It was a heartwarming story, like a game.
“But handing over the entire bookstore operation was too much of a burden, so I was wondering what to do. My son suggested posting a job listing for odd hours. I didn’t expect to find someone so quickly.”
“Part-time jobs that can be done for short hours after academy are not common, so I think I was lucky too.”
“Haha! You speak more maturely than my son, so mature.”
Rohan completed a simple contract via an app and exchanged numbers with the owner.
He received an employee-only apron.
[ Achievement unlocked: Apprentice Librarian at Flower Spider Lily. ]
[ You have earned 10P as an achievement reward. ]
‘Got it!’
Achievements related to part-time work have also been accomplished.
From now on, other achievements can be steadily built up.
And so, Rohan’s first part-time job began.
“The calculator is simple. Look here…”
Starting with the simple method of scanning barcodes, he learned how to process refunds and accumulate points.
He familiarized himself with the location of cleaning tools and the warehouse.
“I’ll move this.”
As Rohan stacked a box full of books and effortlessly lifted it, the manager gave a satisfied smile and a thumbs up.
‘Off to a good start.’
Rohan was already satisfied with this job.
Even though he wasn’t doing anything special, the feeling of being surrounded by books was quite pleasant.
On his way to place the box at the entrance.
[Positive cliché activated.]
“Huh?”
Suddenly, a notification window appeared in mid-air.
Rohan stopped in his tracks, still holding the box.
‘Cliché…’
He remembered receiving this as a reward while cleaning with the Yard-Pound brothers.
But it was hard to understand its exact meaning.
Is it okay to move?
Lost in thought, he stood still for a moment.
Thud.
He felt someone bump into the box.
“Ah!”
Clatter! A smartphone fell to the floor, with a game still running on the screen.
“Sorry! Are you okay…?”
As Rohan set the box down and was about to continue apologizing, his eyes met those of a girl with purple twin tails.
“…Sorry, sorry, sorry!”
The girl, looking down at the floor, showed an overly timid and shrinking demeanor.
Rohan clenched his teeth so hard to suppress his shock that they creaked.
Even so, his startled heart wouldn’t calm down easily.
‘I thought I wouldn’t see her until second year…’
The girl in front of him was the first one he thought of when considering who to team up with.
