Another World Shop

It had been a few days since I signed the contract with the Monster Hunters' Association. The days drifted by in a calm, almost routine rhythm. Work filled the hours, and for a while, things felt… manageable. Predictable, even.

That evening, I was behind the counter as usual when a familiar face walked in. A young boy—the same werewolf I had met about a week ago—stepped through the door. But he wasn't alone. Next to him was a girl of about fifteen, she was probably his sister, he had told something about her last time. She had striking black-and-white hair, with matching ears and a fluffy tail of the same contrast. My eyes widened slightly at the sight.

I'd never seen a werewolf with such a mix of colors. For some reason, I'd assumed their fur was always a single shade — earthy brown, ash grey, something uniform. But this? This was like moonlight against midnight.

Her brother gave me a polite nod and said, "Thanks again for listening to me last time. I didn't get to introduce myself properly — I'm Kaen."

"Son Ujin," I replied, shaking his hand.

"To be honest, I have a favor to ask," Kaen continued, glancing at his sister. "I need to run some errands, and I was wondering if my sister could stay here with you for a while. Just until I get back."

I blinked. "You want to leave her… with me? Aren't you worried about leaving your sister with a stranger?"

He chuckled, but his eyes gleamed with that sharp werewolf instinct. "We're not strangers anymore. Besides, if anything happens to her, I'll find you. Our kind has strong senses — and stronger instincts."

That wasn't exactly comforting. I forced a nervous smile. "Right. Of course."

Still, I hesitated. "Couldn't you leave her with your parents?"

Kaen shook his head. "They have a council meeting. We were told to stay elsewhere for the night, and they gave us some money for food. But I don't trust just anyone with her. I don't really… have other friends. Not ones I'd rely on like that."

Something about the way he said that struck a chord. Loneliness, quiet and raw, lingered behind his words. I nodded slowly.

Turning to the girl, I asked gently, "What's your name?"

She didn't answer. Her eyes lowered, her fingers fidgeting at the hem of her sweater.

"She's shy," Kaen explained. "But her name is Rina."

"Rina, huh?" I crouched down slightly to her level and smiled. "Would you like something to eat? Or maybe something to play with while you wait?"

She gave a tiny nod, barely noticeable.Kaen gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze, then silently walked toward the exit.

And just like that, I was no longer just a store manager — I was a babysitter.

Or so I thought.

The door chimed again.

A little girl walked in — no more than eight years old. I'd never seen anyone like her before. Her wings were snow-white and shimmered softly under the store's lights. Her eyes were a glowing golden hue, her tiny horns pure white, and a slender white tail peeked out behind her.

I couldn't help but stare. Was she… a dragon?

In human form?

She glanced around the store before approaching me, a bit timid but determined. "Do you have any sweets?"

I blinked out of my thoughts. "Uh — yes! We have several kinds."

I showed her a few options. She carefully picked her favorites, then placed a few shiny coins on the counter. Her movements were slow, almost cautious, as if she were expecting something bad to happen at any moment.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Instead of leaving, she made her way to the small seating area near the window and quietly unwrapped her candy. Rina and I watched her silently.

Her expression was hard to read — lost, maybe. Nervous. Definitely not relaxed.

I walked over. "Will you be here long? Or… is someone coming for you?"

She stiffened. "Did I… do something wrong?"

I quickly shook my head. "No, not at all. Sorry — I asked that wrong."

She stared at her sweets for a moment before answering. "My mom will come around nine. She said she's busy with work… and I shouldn't have gone out this late without asking. But I just wanted to go out…"

Something in her voice made my chest ache. I nodded slowly. "You're welcome to stay as long as you need."

Moments later, Rina stood up and approached the dragon girl.

"Do you wanna play with me?" she asked.

The little girl blinked. "Why?"

"Because people always say dragons are scary. But you're not scary. You're cute."

The dragon girl's eyes sparkled with surprise. "Really? I… I've never played with anyone before."

They exchanged names — the dragon girl was named Yuli — and even swapped phone numbers. The two of them sat near the counter while I continued my shift, giggling and whispering, drawing with colored pencils and molding shapes from soft clay I had stashed behind the counter for emergencies.

Some customers remarked on how adorable they were. One even asked if they were my daughters; another guessed they might be my younger sisters. Each comment made me pause a little longer, stirring thoughts I hadn't expected.

Would I ever have children of my own?

I considered Amatea and Tsunoya. They were practically family now. But… would they ever have a mother? Would I always be raising them alone?

Would someone ever fall in love with someone like me?

My thoughts were interrupted by a soft rumble — the girls' hungry stomachs reminding me of their needs.

I checked the store — no customers for now. "Alright, let's go."

I led them to my room, where Amatea and Tsunoya were playing. The introductions were brief, but soon the four girls were chatting, laughing, and comparing their ponytails.

Meanwhile, I rushed to make sandwiches and some tea. Not the fanciest meal, but I had a job to do. I left them with clear instructions to stay in the room, and they promised to do so.

By morning, the store was quiet. Around eight, a young woman entered — elegant and poised, her features strikingly similar to Yuli's. She wore a flawless white dress and smelled of lavender and starlight.

"Good morning," she said, her tone warm yet confident. "I believe my daughter is here."

"I'm Son Ujin," I introduced myself. "She's safe. Sleeping, actually. She's been here since last night."

The woman gave a sigh of relief and smiled. "Thank you. I'm Loreanna, head of Elixoritis Pharmaceuticals." She pulled out a silver business card and handed it to me. "If you ever need anything, call me. Seriously."

I took the card, stunned. "Thank you… That means a lot."

She woke Yuli, who clung to her sleepily but smiled when she saw her mother. Loreanna gave me one more grateful nod before leaving, promising they'd visit again soon.

The rest of the girls slowly began to stir. I quickly helped the girls brush their hair and teeth — some were still half-asleep, so I had to guide them a little more than usual. But we managed.

Back at the store, Kaen returned.

He looked at Rina, concerned. "Everything okay?"

"She was sad when you left," Rina answered honestly. "But I made a new friends."

Kaen chuckled and looked at me. "Thanks for taking care of her." He handed me a business card.

"I work at the National Agency for Information and Control. I am only a middle-level employee for now, but I am on my way to promotion. If you ever need help, don't hesitate to reach out."

I stared at the card, wondering if this was fate. Or just luck. Either way, I felt like something was shifting in my life.

When Ha Rin arrived for her shift, I filled her in on everything. She laughed.

"You really had a wild day, huh?" she said, brushing her hair back with a small smile.

"More like a wild life," I muttered.

Later that day, Gai flew in with a new shipment. I unpacked the usual supplies, but carefully arranged our new special items — safe monster parts, enchanted trinkets, and soft magical plushies for kids. Everything was neat, sorted, and labeled.

Magical items that contained mana were called artifacts. Some of them were incredibly powerful, but the ones we had were harmless — or perfect for beginners.

Ha Rin helped me sort through them since she understood a bit about mana and could sense it. A few days ago, she told me she had taken a class on understanding magic, which made her an invaluable guide in this unfamiliar world.

Afterwards, I bought necklaces with bracelets for Amatea and Tsunoya — pink for Amatea and light blue for Tsunoya. Wishing Ha Rin a good shift, I went into the room and gave the girls their little gifts. Their faces lit up with joy, their eyes sparkling as they quietly told me they loved me more than anything in the world.

I smiled softly, thanked them quietly, and honestly, I was exhausted. Despite the warmth and happiness filling my heart, my body felt heavy with fatigue, heavier than anything else. I collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep, thinking of nothing — neither past nor future — just resting and letting go of all worries.