[After entering the employee break room, Nica stole a university textbook that did not belong to her. However, when she exited through the same door, she discovered that the convenience store had undergone a strange and inexplicable transformation.]
"What...?"
Nica stared at the store around her, a faint crease forming between her brows.
She could have sworn there had been people here just a moment ago... and where was the person who was in the cashier area just now?
Keeping the university textbook hidden beneath her skirt, held securely between her thighs, she continued walking as she tried to make sense of the situation.
It was strange, really. Out of all the things she could have stolen from the employee break room, she’d chosen a university textbook.
But was that truly so strange?
To Nica, education was one of the most precious things in the world. It was something she had always wanted, something she had spent years longing for but could never seem to obtain.
If her parents hadn’t abandoned her to fend for herself, perhaps her life would have turned out differently.
She might have received a proper education and become a skilled doctor, a charming lawyer, a talented architect, or even a successful corporate executive.
There were so many possibilities and so many lives she could have lived.
Instead, she’d been born into a world that seemed determined to deny her every opportunity.
Damn this world. Damn the circumstances she’d been born into. And damn life itself.
Nica knew she was intelligent, in fact she had always known it.
Yet her intelligence had never been given the chance to flourish, let alone be properly tested.
She had applied for scholarships in the hope of funding her education, only for her own mother to steal the money she’d received on two separate occasions.
After that, most schools had become reluctant to offer her another opportunity.
And so, she’d been forced to work part-time to support herself, scraping together whatever money she could while secretly saving for the day she might finally return to school.
It was a miserable existence, but she had never abandoned her dream...
Her thirst for knowledge was something few people could understand.
Even as a child, Nica had always wanted to learn.
She wanted to understand the world around her, to discover things she had never known, and to keep learning something new every single day.
No matter how much the world took from her, that desire had never disappeared.
Perhaps that was why she’d chosen the textbook.
Even if she couldn’t afford a proper education, she could at least teach herself. This chapter was taken from novelping.com without permission.
With that thought in mind, Nica continued toward the convenience store’s entrance.
Then, just as she reached for the door handle, she froze.
Beyond the glass doors, stretching far beyond the reach of the store’s lights, the entire world had been swallowed by darkness
"What...? Huh...?"
She did not step outside.
Despite her confusion, Nica was intelligent enough to recognize that this was an unfamiliar and potentially dangerous situation.
Whatever had happened to the convenience store, she couldn’t afford to treat it lightly.
She cautiously looked down at herself.
That was when she noticed the name tag pinned to her buttoned-up shirt.
It hadn’t been there before.
Nica immediately tried to remove it, but no matter how hard she tugged at it, the name tag refused to budge. It was as though it had been permanently attached to her clothing.
"...What is this?"
Before she could investigate further, something else caught her attention.
A sign had appeared beside the doorway.
She was certain it hadn’t been there when she’d entered the store.
Written across its surface were several lines of neatly printed text.
[Welcome to your night shift, dear worker!
To ensure your safety and protect the convenience store’s reputation, please follow the rules below. These instructions have been carefully prepared to help you enjoy a pleasant and productive working experience!
Rule 1:
Kindly proceed to the counter and familiarize yourself with the equipment. This includes the barcode scanner, cash register, and other essential tools required for your duties.
If you are unfamiliar with the operation of our computerized checkout system, please consult the instruction manual located beneath the counter.
Never leave your designated work area unless doing so is necessary to comply with another rule!
Rule 2:
Our convenience store does not discriminate against its customers!
However, certain customers may attempt to harm our beloved employees. Such customers must not be served under any circumstances.
After all, if something were to happen to our only worker, who would keep the convenience store running?
Rule 3:
To identify these unwanted customers, please pay close attention to their physical appearance.
Do they possess five identical noses? Do they walk using five limbs? Do their bodies contain features that no ordinary human could possibly possess?
If so, please refrain from serving them. Remember, only customers who appear to be normal human beings are permitted to receive service!
Rule 4:
Please be advised that not all dangerous customers can be identified through physical observation alone.
For this reason, the convenience store has provided a special pair of glasses that allows its employees to see beyond physical appearances.
You may find them inside the drawer beneath the cash register. Please use them sparingly, however!
We wouldn’t want our precious employee to witness something truly hideous and suffer an unfortunate loss of sanity, would we? Haha!
Rule 5:
Your night shift will last for a total of 64 hours! Quite a long shift, isn’t it? But then again, the night has always been long.
The night is long.
The night is unbearably permanent.
The night is unbearably permanent.
The night is unbearably permanent.
The night is unbearably permanent.
The night is unbearably permanent.
The night is unbearably permanent.
The night is unbearably permanent.
Rule 6:
Thank you for choosing to work with us! We sincerely hope you enjoy your shift and look forward to your continued service.
Have a wonderful night!]