Bab 3: This Hero Starts to Work!

"So you see, it's important that the Agrippas go on this shelf instead of on the upper shelf." Biar held two different food items in his hands as he pointed to the separate shelves where he placed them.

Biar has been giving me the general information I will need when stocking the shelves here at this store. It seemed this place is popular with adventurers that need field rations as well as with mothers that need ingredients to cook.

So far, Biar has taught me about how shelving certain items on certain rows leads to people buying more of that item. The items that are less important go in the middle rows while the items that are more important go on the higher or lower levels. As it turns out, shelving the items in a certain manner causes people to subconsciously want to purchase the closer items that wouldn't be sold otherwise. As expected of a shopkeeper of his age, Biar knew the secrets of the trade.

"Do you have any questions so far?" Biar asked me. I had to be careful about how much I asked or else they might get annoyed with me and throw me out. I hate to admit it, but I'm at this couple's mercy right now.

"None! You're great at explaining things Biar-san!" I lied. I have so many questions I can barely contain it, but I need to keep it in. I can't just ask him about the world now. We are not friends yet nor do we even know much about the other.

So far, I've learned that the average price of a grocery item here is between 5 to 8 juns. I have also learned that juns are named after the first emperor, Invarnis Herim Dages Von Jun. I also learned that this country is an empire. I have also learned that there is a small amount of overlap between the fruits and vegetables of this world and those of Earth. There are potatoes, tomatoes, and apples here, but I've heard mention of other items like rice and wheat.

It would take roughly thirty minutes for Biar to fully stock the store after a day's worth of shopping. Biar said it would take me around double that time at first, but I would get it done quicker the more I did it.

It was my duty to man the counter while Biar watched over me to ensure that everything was going well. I was given a sheet that listed the prices of each item. There were pictures and a number beside everything that made it clear what everything was worth. This paper even stated what deals there were, like "buy three get one free."

I am actually fairly nervous about doing this job. Aside from the fact that if I screw this up I would be out on the street back at square one, I also just have a generally nervous feeling. Maybe this was because this was my first job ever?

I didn't have time to explore my feelings as I heard the ringing noise of the store door opening.

"Ah, good morning Ania-san!" Declared Biar as he stepped away from behind the counter. "We have a new hire here, his name is Kenji!" He presented me like I was some new product.

The woman looked at me for a moment, glancing up and down before she smiled. "Ah, Korgi-san, it's nice to meet you, dear." This Ania woman muttered.

Ania appears to be rather old. I'd say she is around eighty years old at the earliest, but she could easily be pushing ninety. I suppose the life expectancy of people in this world is actually rather good, at least in the cities.

Ania is wearing dark flowy clothing including a shawl and a hood over her head. I can see a few strands of grey hair sticking out of her hood, but otherwise, aside from her face, she is covered entirely. Ania is hunched over and very short. The wrinkles on her face make her age apparent.

As Ania began to walk around the store. Biar grabbed my shoulders and whispered to me. "Walk near her. She's old and there's nobody else here. She might need your help getting items that are lower or higher than others."

I can't argue with that logic and it's not really a problem so I may as well do it.

I stepped away from the counter and kept a short distance away from Ania.

A few minutes passed as I hovered around her. She would pick up bottles, slowly investigate the labels, and then return them to their previous spots.

This woman is agonizingly slow. I understand that she's an old woman, but does she have to lose in races against snails?

At times, Ania would call me over and request something from me. "Ah, Korgi-san, could you please tell me what this label says?" She would often ask.

It seems like this woman's eyes were either bad from age or she couldn't read. Either way, I would read the label on the items for her as she requested.

I read out the label on the purple colored vegetable. "This is Juctrod, Ania-san." I said to her.

"Ah. I need that. Thank you Korgi-san." She smiled as I handed the jar to her.

This woman keeps getting my name wrong. I wonder if she's doing it intentionally. If she is then I'll be pissed off. I could probably beat up an old woman if I needed to.

After what felt like an hour, Ania finally finished her shopping. No one else entered the store while Ania was shopping which led to me hovering around her the entire time.

I stepped behind the counter and looked over the sheet that Biar gave me. "Your total will be…" I did the math in my head as quickly as I could. "One hundred and fourteen juns, Ania-san." I declared after calculating the prices of all her items together.

"Hmm…" She seemed disinterested in what I had said to her only to suddenly realize what I had told her. "Oh yes! Alright... let me just get out my coin purse…" Ania slowly reached to her side.

After a long pause Ania finally pulled out a small leather sack from her side. She reached into the sack and pulled out 6 glistening gold coins.

As she dropped the coins into my hand something odd happened. I could instantly tell the exact worth of each coin by the way they each felt in my hands, as if the amount was written on them and my hands could read it. I could tell that the amount I was given was exactly one hundred and fourteen juns.

As I placed the money in the register, Biar stepped forward. "Thank you, Ania-san. Have a good day!" He announced as he escorted her out of the store.

When I had finished ensuring the money was sufficiently organized inside of the register, Biar returned back into the store and congratulated me.

"Good work Kenji-san! Keep working like that and you'll be perfect here." Biar declared as he gave me a thumbs up.

Work continued like this for a while. The occasional shopper would appear, but usually the shop would be empty. I was watching the sun slowly go down before Biar clapped his hands and shouted out. "Well... It seems to be about time to close. Kenji, come help me close up shop!"