Chapter 99
However, from the look in Yaeko's eyes, it was clear that she had not fully come back to herself yet. There was still a trace of shock lingering there, like an echo that had not completely faded.
Seeing that reaction, for some reason, a strange urge surfaced in my mind. A simple idea, yet one oddly inappropriate for a moment like this. I wanted to put something into Yaeko's mouth.
Something striking enough, surprising enough, to break through her dazed state. Something that could pull her back to reality in an instant.
Like a sour candy. The kind with a sharp taste that immediately attacks the tongue, a flavor impossible to ignore, strong enough to make anyone jolt and react spontaneously.
The image appeared in my head just like that. Yaeko suddenly reacting to the piercing sourness, her expression instantly changing from absent-minded confusion to complete shock—perhaps that would be interesting to see.
The corner of my lips lifted slightly without realizing it. Not a full smile, just a faint curve, barely visible, yet enough to show that something had crossed my mind. And for a moment, the silence no longer felt awkward.
Damn it... That thought had appeared without warning, like a wild shadow slipping quietly into my head without permission.
It came so quickly, so suddenly, that even I was late in realizing where my thoughts were heading.
The moment awareness caught up, an immediate sense of discomfort surged through me. I realized how inappropriate that thought had been, and it made me feel slightly annoyed with myself.
By reflex, I quickly averted my gaze, staring at the other side of the room for a few moments. I drew a slow breath, trying to calm myself and force my mind back onto the path it should be on. This was not the time to let things like that distract my focus.
Still, there was one thing I could not deny. This woman was truly very beautiful. And that was a fact beyond dispute.
From Yaeko's calm and gentle face, the softness of her features, to the clarity in her eyes that nevertheless seemed to carry many burdens, everything about her stood out vividly to me.
Even Yaeko's innocent expression when confused had its own charm—not because it was contrived, but because it looked so natural.
Yaeko's beauty was not the overly striking kind. Not the kind that forced people to turn their heads because of glamour or extravagant appearance. On the contrary, there was a quiet simplicity in her, and that was what made her so difficult to ignore.
Even in a situation like this, in the middle of a serious conversation and important discussion, Yaeko's appeal was still unmistakably clear.
There was something in the way she looked at the person speaking to her, in the way she listened without interrupting, in the way she remained silent while waiting patiently—everything about it felt sincere, honest, and without pretense.
That was precisely what made Yaeko even more captivating. And that... was slightly disrupting my concentration.
I truly could not understand how Yaeko's husband could bring himself to divorce her simply because they had a child with hearing problems.
The more I thought about it, the harder it became for me to understand that man's logic.
The thought gnawed at my mind, stirring emotions that slowly rose from deep within my chest. A rough impulse emerged—a simple yet furious desire: to beat that man black and blue without wasting many words.
To me, what that man had done was not merely cruel. It was deeply cowardly.
Abandoning his wife and child just because circumstances did not match his expectations was proof of how little responsibility he possessed as a husband and father.
What a disgusting man. And more than that... an absolute bastard.
I let out a long breath, suppressing the anger that was beginning to rise before it could turn into something useless. There was no point in thinking about someone who was not even here. Anger would not help anything now.
Slowly, I turned my attention back to Yaeko, who was still sitting in front of me.
Yaeko looked calm, seated neatly in her chair, but I could see small signs of unease in the movement of her hands.
Her fingers were clasped together on her lap, occasionally shifting slightly as if trying to suppress her anxiety. Even so, she still tried to maintain her composure, looking at me attentively while waiting for my next explanation.
"You will work from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays and Sundays, this shop will be closed. As for working hours, you will start from nine in the morning until seven in the evening," I said in a calm and clear tone, making sure every word was easy to understand.
I paused for a moment, giving her time to organize the information in her mind.
"The salary for taking care of this shop is one million yen per month. That is the fixed amount you will receive during your first six months," I continued in a steady voice.
My gaze remained fixed on Yaeko, observing every slight change in her expression.
Yaeko's eyes widened slightly when she heard the amount. Her shoulders tensed faintly, as if she were making sure she had not misheard. The surprise was clearly visible, even though she tried to remain polite and composed.
"After you have worked for half a year, I will consider increasing your salary," I added with slight emphasis. "Of course, that will depend on the performance you show during that time. If your work is good, then there will be no reason not to raise it."
Yaeko lowered her head slightly, seeming to carefully process all of the explanation. Her expression showed a mixture of relief, surprise, and gratitude that she was trying not to display too openly.
I then shifted slightly in my seat when I remembered one important thing I had not mentioned yet.
"Oh, right," I said, glancing toward the back of the room, "in the back of the shop…"
"There is a Cursed Tool shaped like a door," I said, raising my chin slightly to gesture toward the rear of the room without actually turning around.
My movement was calm, as if the object I was speaking about were something ordinary, even though for most people, its existence was clearly far from normal. "That object can send you to any location, as long as it is still within the range of the Cursed Tool's ability."
I deliberately spoke slowly, giving Yaeko time to absorb each word.
"The range of that Cursed Tool is limited to Japan only," I continued in a clearer tone, making sure nothing was misunderstood. "So, you cannot use it to travel abroad. Besides that, its usage is also limited—it can only be used twenty times in a single day."
I paused briefly, allowing the information to settle in her mind before adding the next explanation.
"That usage limit resets exactly at midnight, when the day changes. So after twelve o'clock at night, the number of uses returns to full again as before."
My tone then became slightly more serious as I moved on to the more important part.
"However, there is one thing you absolutely must pay attention to," I said while looking directly at Yaeko. "You have to state your destination very precisely and specifically."
Yaeko immediately lifted her gaze toward me. I could see from her eyes that she was trying to understand every detail, not wanting to miss a single thing.
"For example," I continued, "if you want to return to your house, you cannot simply say 'home.' That is too general. You have to clearly specify whether it is the living room, bedroom, kitchen, front yard, or some other exact place. The more specific your wording is, the more accurate the transportation result will be."
I let out a soft breath before continuing.
"If the location is not stated accurately enough, then your destination may miss the mark. It will not be too far from the intended place, but enough to cause trouble—especially if you are in a hurry or carrying something."
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