265 – The Academy Convenience Store -1-

-Murmurs all around.

-Click-clack. Click-clack.

-What’s he doing here? Wasn’t he expelled?

-He didn’t get expelled, he withdrew on his own, right?

-Still, what confidence brought him back to the academy. Did he re-enroll?

-Ah… Damn, that sucks.

With my hand in my pocket, I strutted down the academy’s hallway, walking to the cheers of the buzzing female students. Catching sight of a familiar face full of freckles, it was Lady Vienna who had received a sand shower from me during the rankings. Seeing me after so long, she spitefully spat out her greetings, continuing to glare at me.

“Is this the life of a handsome man?”

In an academy filled with less attractive men, a handsome one like me is hard to come by, so I guess I can understand the fuss with a generous heart.

This is the weight a handsome man must bear. If the lady saw, she’d probably clap, saying even nonsense sounds novel, but with no one here to understand my heart, I blinked regretfully towards my murmuring peers.

“Ah, that guy just winked!”

Look at them, thrilled to death. This is why being handsome is great.

The familiar scent of the academy was nostalgic. The chatter of the students breathed life into the dreary halls, and the minor everyday complaints about assignments were a comforting contrast to the harsh society outside.

“Ah, youth.”

I was in good spirits, thinking, “I had those days too.” With a bittersweet smile, I unfolded the paper in my hand.

-Academy Senior Director’s Office.

“It seems I’m almost there.”

The paper had a map of the academy. It was the place where Malik, as in the novel, had taken up his position as the senior director.

In the novel, Malik had lived almost like a recluse. Unable to wield a sword after losing Hannah, he resented his father.

“They want me to take up the academy directorship…? Are they joking?”

Back then, Malik had taken over the directorship in place of the unconscious Chartia. There was no one else suitable. At the same time, he made the tough choice out of regret, not wanting to repeat the same tragedy.

Even knowing that the Histania family had killed Hannah.

Malik was a man who lived with regret. A fragile man who would stand by Hannah’s grave all day, lost in grief.

In the novel, becoming the director naturally entwined him with Yuria, and as the secondary male lead, he held his place, but he was a man who could never be the protagonist.

Now, he’s obsessed with business.

“Hmm.”

Shaking my head to clear the stray thoughts, I hurried towards the place where Malik was waiting.

The longer I stayed here, the more the unwelcoming people would dislike me. I wanted to get the job done quickly and disappear.

There weren’t many good memories here anyway.

Nor any close friends.

Thinking I should at least see Hannah’s face on my way back, I looked at the sign above the door as I walked.

[Guidance Counselor’s Office]

[Student Council Research Room]

[Student Council President’s Research Room]

“Hmm…”

-Click.

“Hmm?”

-Gasp!

“It feels like someone is following me.”

I shrugged my shoulders as I caught a glimpse of a purple drill peeking out from behind a pillar and continued on my way.

‘Shuen, perhaps.’

The reason for being followed was obvious. I didn’t give it much thought. It was typical idol rivalry behavior, after all.

‘Whatever.’

I was busy, so ignoring was the answer. I had found the Senior Executive’s office.

“Found it.”

[Senior Executive’s Office.]

I put aside my complex thoughts and carefully knocked on the door where Malik was waiting.

-Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Mr. President. The doormat is here.”

“Come in. And it’s Malik.”

At the friendly voice of the president, I smiled slightly and slowly opened the door.

‘Oh…’

The scent of Malik’s perfume wafted through the open door. A modern, clean fragrance. Clearly a businessman, Malik’s sophisticated attention to detail was evident as I bowed my head slightly to him, seated in his chair.

“It’s been a while, Mr. President.”

“How many times must I say it? Call me Malik. You’re a proper president yourself, no need to be so formal.”

“Why would I be Mr. President when you handle all the actual management?”

“Not ‘Mr.’, but ‘Mr.’ as in ‘Sir’. And informal would be even better.”

“Ha ha…! I’ll try to ease into it.”

“You’re not an easy one, are you?”

Malik, seemingly pleased with my cautious demeanor, smiled faintly and began to brew tea. Behind the bubbling magic pot, Malik carefully started steeping the tea leaves.

“What kind of tea leaves are those? They don’t seem like black tea.”

“Mandrake. The mandrake candies have been well-received, so we’re planning to release them in leaf form.”

“Hmm… Won’t it be too bitter?”

“Don’t worry about the taste. We’ve invested a bit in the drying process.”

Malik glanced at the tea, now a brown hue, and smiled before carefully placing the teacup on the table.

“Have a seat.”

-Gulp.

“Definitely not bad. The taste isn’t too strong, and the bitterness is just right, it seems like something the nobility would enjoy.”

“I told you, didn’t I? I’m confident in my flavors.”

Pleased with the business-like compliment, Malik lifted his teacup with a smile. Then, he calmly clasped his hands together and began to get to the heart of the matter.

“The reason I called you here is because of our previous discussion, so I assume you’re aware.”

“Oh, are you referring to the convenience store?”

“Yes, the convenience store. I did draft a rough business plan as you suggested, but there’s been a problem.”

Malik grimaced with a bitter smile, carefully placing a stack of documents on the table and sighing deeply.

[‘Academy Convenience Store’ Business Plan.]

I thumbed through the documents, nodding my head.

“It’s written in great detail.”

“Money doesn’t like foolishness, so it has to be well-written. Especially since it’s our first opening, we can’t afford to be sloppy, can we?”

“Have you secured the permit?”

“I’ve got it for now. I ended up taking on the director’s position unexpectedly.”

“The appointed director?”

“Yes. Thanks to that, I was able to get the permit without going through the student council. You know how powerful the student council is in this academy.”

“The student council does hold significant power.”

Malik muttered to himself with a wry smile, ‘Had I known this would happen, I should have laid some groundwork when I was the student council president.’ His words, befitting the eldest son of the justice-symbolizing Histania family, made me chuckle and nod in agreement.

“So, this is the problematic part you’re talking about.”

“Exactly.”

[Employees]

1. Counter Staff

└Hiring academy students.

└Three shifts.

·

·

·

Malik nodded at the page he was pointing to, affirming it.

“I’ve jotted down the plan after listening to you, but I’m not quite sure about the exact image to conceive. Even if we can adjust the triangle kimbap or the interior design after discussing it with you, we still lack someone to take charge of the store initially.”

“Why not just hire store employees?”

“It’s not like there are many convenience stores, and since it’s our first time doing this, we can’t just hire an ordinary employee, can we? Besides, there are business secrets involved.”

“Hmm… That’s certainly true.”

Malik sighed and said to me,

“Do you understand what I want to ask of you?”

[Counter.]

“I plan to hire academy students on an hourly basis later on, but I think we need someone to set the initial framework and provide feedback.”

I definitely understood what he meant.

The idea of the convenience store was mine, and it was clear that I was to man the counter and hand over to the next suitable candidate when they appeared.

But Malik knew this too.

“It’s a good point, but you know as well as I do, if I take charge of the convenience store at the academy, it’ll fail before it even starts.”

“…”

“I’ll be pelted with eggs.”

Malik nodded heavily and replied to me,

“I’m aware. But I believe in something more certain than that.”

“What’s that…?”

Malik looked at me and smiled.

“I believe in your face.”

I nodded like a sage who had just had a great epiphany at Malik’s words. Then I quickly responded with a bright smile,

“That’s certainly a valid point.”

As the self-proclaimed most handsome man in the world, I couldn’t let Malik down. It was a virtue of the possessed to smoothly run a business not mentioned in the novel.

After all, a convenience store is different from the shops in this world.

I smirked slyly and said to Malik,

“Then, may I take the discarded food?”

“…Hoh. Quite the thinker. Is it because you’re the butler of the Desmund family, or is it that your cunning mind works so fast? Histania would never have thought of such a proposal, even in death.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Malik reached out his hand.

“Then I’ll call you when it’s completed.”

“Will a week be enough?”

“If you can hand over perfectly. Personally, I’d like to ask for longer.”

“As you know, I’m premium talent.”

“Make sure the compensation is generous.”

I nodded and took Malik’s hand.

“Then, I’m counting on you, Mr. President.”

“It’s Malik.”

And so began the chaotic daily life of the convenience store.

*

At that moment.

Peeking out from the corridor, the girl gazing at the senior director’s office clenched her fist with sparkling eyes.

“That man is the one Histania Hanna has a crush on…!”

With her purple drill hair.

And her ample figure.

Shuen, trying to hide behind a pillar but betrayed by her full figure, was sneakily observing the man with curiosity.

He was no ordinary person.

For Shuen, who could see magical power, it was rare to find someone showing nothing.

-Baaam.

Either he possessed tremendous magical power.

Or none at all.

Of course, Shuen believed it was the latter.

“Suspicious.”

Shuen wanted to investigate this man. He was the object of her friend’s unrequited love and the one who had tormented her idol.

She wanted to unmask him.

-Ding-dong-dang-dong.

“Oh! I need to go to class.”

Startled by the bell, Shuen hurriedly started to move her legs.

And then.

-Creeeak.

The sound of the director’s office opening was heard simultaneously.

Shuen moved her legs even faster.

Not adept at running, Shuen’s legs tangled, and she naturally misstepped.

“Ah…!”

The corner of the stairs came into Shuen’s view. If she fell, her forehead would surely hit the edge.

‘No, not my face.’

Shuen closed her eyes tight, bracing for the impending pain.

And then.

“Oops.”

With the faint scent of perfume, Shuen’s collar was caught, and she found herself in the arms of a man.

Shuen’s eyes widened.

“Uh…?”

She was rendered speechless by the man’s gentle voice.

“Are you alright?”

Ricardo.

Shuen had run into the person she disliked the most at the academy.