Chapter 100
The room fell silent again for a moment after that explanation. Only the soft sound of breathing and the calm atmosphere filled the gaps in our conversation.
After that, I leaned back slightly into my original position, letting my tone soften so the atmosphere would not become too tense.
"Besides that," I said in a more relaxed voice, "you also have the right to take leave when the time comes for you to give birth to your child."
Yaeko's expression shifted slightly. A trace of surprise was clearly visible on her face, as if she had not expected that I had already thought about that from the beginning.
"I will give you a full four months of leave," I continued. "Two months before giving birth, and two months after giving birth."
I carefully observed Yaeko's reaction. The fingers that had been resting on her lap since earlier moved slowly, as though she was holding back emotions that had suddenly surfaced. There was a faint sense of relief on her face, mixed with disbelief.
"So you do not need to worry about that," I said calmly. "Just focus on your condition and your child when the time comes."
I paused for a moment, then continued in a slightly firmer tone, signaling that the next part was important to pay attention to. "However, after that leave period ends, your working hours will change."
Yaeko straightened her posture again, listening with full focus.
"You will work from nine in the morning until nine at night." I let the sentence hang for a moment so its meaning could fully sink in before continuing.
"This is because by then, the shop will begin operating for longer hours. And I need someone who can truly take good care of this place." I gave a small nod, marking that all the main explanations had been delivered.
"That is everything you need to know," I said in a flat but clear tone. "If there is anything you want to ask, you may ask now."
After those words left my mouth, the atmosphere suddenly became quiet again.
No one spoke immediately.
Yaeko remained seated in her place, silently processing all the information she had just received—from the job that sounded normal, the fairly large salary, the unexpected maternity leave, to the existence of the door-shaped Cursed Tool that was clearly far beyond ordinary human logic.
Yaeko's gaze was fixed on me, but there was a slight emptiness in her eyes, as if her mind was busy trying to arrange all those strange realities into something reasonable.
Her face showed a mixture of confusion, surprise, and caution.
It seemed that even though Yaeko was trying to remain calm on the outside, her thoughts had not yet fully returned to reality.
And from the way Yaeko was looking at me now... it was obvious that she was still trying to convince herself that everything she had just heard was not some dream or strange joke.
I delivered my explanation slowly and in order, each sentence flowing with a rhythm I deliberately maintained so it would be easy to follow.
I did not want any part of it to sound rushed, because what I was talking about was not something trivial.
Every word had to be clear, every intention had to be conveyed completely, without leaving room for misunderstandings that could lead to something undesirable.
Throughout the explanation, Yaeko gave several small nods. Her movements were gentle and almost inaudible, but enough to show that she was truly trying to absorb every detail I conveyed.
Even so, it was clear from Yaeko's expression that the amount of information she had received in such a short time was too much to process all at once.
About the mysteries of this world—the supernatural and mystical side hidden from ordinary life—I had just revealed all of it before Yaeko, and it was clearly not something easy to accept just like that.
Yaeko's brows occasionally furrowed slightly. Her gaze blurred for a moment, as if her thoughts had been pulled far away in an attempt to piece together all the explanations, before finally focusing on me again.
"Sir, I can work until nine at night if necessary. There is no need for me to stop until I give birth first," Yaeko said suddenly.
Yaeko's voice came a little faster than before, and beneath her words was a subtle trace of panic—a quiet anxiety born from the fear of being seen as not trying hard enough, or worse, as unworthy of this job.
"No," I answered immediately, without hesitation. My tone remained calm, but the firmness in it left no room for argument.
"I do not want to hear that you are having problems, or that your child is affected because of exhaustion from work. So, you will only work until seven in the evening." I looked at Yaeko more seriously, deliberately holding my gaze on her for a few seconds longer.
I wanted to make sure Yaeko understood one thing clearly: this was not merely a suggestion, but a decision I had already made.
Yaeko fell silent for a moment. Her body, which had been leaning slightly forward, slowly straightened again, as if she were reorganizing her thoughts.
She did not protest, nor did she try to argue. She only gave a small nod, accepting my decision without a single word.
"Ah, besides that, does anyone in your family have any illness or something similar?" I continued, still looking directly at Yaeko without averting my gaze.
I deliberately left a brief pause after the question, allowing my words to truly sink in and giving Yaeko time to understand them.
"If someone is sick, injured, or anything like that, I can heal them. I do not want my worker to be distracted while working just because she keeps worrying about her family's condition at home," I said in the same calm, steady tone. "So, is there any member of your family with a particular illness?"
My eyes remained fixed on Yaeko, observing every small change in her expression.
"That... would hearing problems also count, Sir?" Yaeko asked hesitantly.
Her voice grew softer at the end of the sentence, as though even she herself was unsure whether such hope was worth voicing aloud. There was caution in her tone, like someone afraid of hoping too much only to be disappointed again.
"Of course." I nodded without the slightest hesitation.
Yaeko's reaction was immediate. The eyes that had been filled with uncertainty now came alive, shining with unmistakable hope. The change was so clear it was almost like watching someone glimpse a ray of light after being trapped too long in a dark, endless tunnel.
Her shoulders, tense just moments before, slowly relaxed. The breath she had seemed to be holding finally became steadier, though her chest still rose and fell as she struggled to contain the sudden surge of emotion.
"Then... could you treat my daughter, who has hearing problems?"
This time Yaeko's voice was far more serious. Her gaze met mine directly, full of hope she no longer tried to hide. There was a faint tremor in her voice, revealing just how much that question meant to her. Without realizing it, both her hands clenched slightly on her lap, holding back the mixture of anxiety, fear, and hope now filling her entire being.
"Of course. Would you like me to treat your daughter now?" I asked with a faint smile, making my tone as calm as possible so as not to add to Yaeko's nervousness.
"Yes, then... let us go now, Sir," Yaeko answered quickly.
She nodded several times in hurried motions, as though afraid I might change my mind if she delayed her answer. Excitement and anxiety were clearly mixed across her face, making her voice sound tenser than before.
Without wasting any time, I stepped out from behind the glass display counter.
My footsteps sounded soft yet distinct, gently echoing through the shop, which had suddenly become quieter. The silence gave the room a strange feeling, as if the entire place itself was holding its breath, waiting to see what would happen next.
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