Chapter 26: Customer Complaints

Thump.

Nica collapsed onto her knees, her body trembling uncontrollably. Relief washed over her, but the fear that had accumulated throughout the night refused to disappear.

She gasped for breath, struggling to calm herself as tears streamed down her face.

It took her a few seconds more of sobbing before she eventually looked towards me.

"Escape... I want to escape. Please, help me..."

It seemed she had finally reached her breaking point.

To be honest, I couldn’t blame her. After everything she’d experienced tonight, even I would have been tempted to give up...

I hadn’t expected that kind of customer either.

I knew this place was filled with dangerous entities that could kill anyone who made the wrong move. However, according to [As Above, So Below], the customers were unpredictable.

Their appearances, behaviors, and levels of danger varied wildly, making it impossible to predict who would show up next.

All I knew was that the most dangerous customers tended to appear within the first five to ten hours.

And after experiencing it firsthand, I could confirm that the novel hadn’t exaggerated anything.

This place was genuinely terrifying...

"Would you like to do a [True Name Transaction], Nica?"

She looked up at me, her tear-streaked face filled with confusion as though asking what I meant.

"A true name transaction is a supernatural agreement established through the true names of those involved. Once the transaction is complete, both parties are bound by their promises. Breaking an oath comes with consequences, including the potential loss of your true name."

I explained briefly before continuing.

"I know you’re a cautious person who does not trust others easily. This should reassure you that I’m serious about helping you escape."

Nica wiped the tears from her face. To my surprise, her expression quickly shifted from fear to curiosity.

"How do I perform this transaction?"

I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it, but I could have sworn a spark of interest had appeared in her eyes.

’Right. She’s the kind of person who thirsts for knowledge.’

Considering her personality, it wasn’t particularly surprising that she could regain some of her composure simply by learning about something new, even after experiencing something so horrifying.

Well, that certainly made things easier for me.

Rather than explaining the exact procedure, I decided to demonstrate it myself.

"I, Moon, swear on my true name to ensure Nica’s escape from this supernatural space, provided that she promises to owe me three favors."

Nica stared at me for a brief moment to process things. Then, she immediately understood what I was implying.

"I... Nica, swear on my true name to owe Moon three favors, provided that he ensures my escape from this supernatural space."

The moment she finished speaking, a strange, ominous atmosphere enveloped us.

It lasted only a few seconds before everything returned to normal.

Just like that, the transaction was complete.

’Heh. Another true name transaction.’

I couldn’t help feeling a little pleased. It was still fascinating to me to see something I had once only read about in [Arcana] become a reality.

However, I didn’t have time to indulge in my excitement.

I brushed the dust off my suit and made my way back toward the counter.

There was still one last thing I needed to do.

It was time to get away from this horrible place...

’Found it...’

Behind the counter, I found a small communication panel mounted beside the register.

It had a speaker grille and a button that appeared to connect directly to the store’s management office.

In the original [As Above, So Below], Nica had endured forty-two hours of the night before finally managing to escape.

By then, she had lost one of her eyes and had been forced to amputate one of her legs because of a severe infection.

Her escape had come at a horrifying cost, and even then, she had barely made it out alive.

Fortunately, I already knew how she had escaped.

At one point, a customer had filed a complaint through the store’s communication system, accusing Nica of failing to perform her duties.

The complaint had eventually resulted in her dismissal.

And the moment she was no longer considered an employee, the rules governing her role changed.

The customer then chased her out of the store, forcing her to run into the darkness beyond the entrance. Somehow, she managed to escape the supernatural space.

That was the exact same method I intended to use.

I pressed the button on the communication panel and leaned toward the speaker, clearing my throat as I prepared to deliver my well-planned speech complaint...

"Good evening. I would like to formally lodge a complaint regarding one of your employees, Nica, whose conduct and work performance have been nothing short of appalling."

I glanced at Nica, who was still standing nearby, looking utterly exhausted.

"Having spent a considerable amount of time in this establishment, I have had ample opportunity to observe her conduct firsthand. Frankly, I find her apparent disregard for even the most basic responsibilities of her position deeply concerning."

"Several shelves have been left completely empty, yet she has made no effort whatsoever to replenish the stock. Numerous shelves have been knocked over and left in disarray, with their products scattered across the floor, and she has demonstrated absolutely no intention of restoring them to their proper condition."

"Furthermore, the floor is covered in dirt, water, and mud, yet not once have I seen her attempt to clean it. She has neither retrieved a broom nor made any effort to use a mop."

"One would think that maintaining a reasonable standard of cleanliness would be among the most fundamental duties of a convenience store employee, but apparently, even such a modest expectation is beyond her capabilities."

"And if that weren’t sufficient evidence of her incompetence, I have also witnessed her taking a chocolate bar from your own shelves and consuming it without making any payment whatsoever."

Nica’s eyes widened as though saying : "You were the one who told me I could eat them!"

I continued without giving her a second glance.

"Frankly, I’m beginning to question your hiring standards. Is this a convenience store or a charity organization for lazy employees? Because if this is the level of service you provide, I’d rather take my business elsewhere."

I let out a long, dissatisfied sigh.

"Unless, of course, you’d prefer to dismiss this employee before I give your establishment the lowest possible rating and warn every customer I can find."

"I trust you’ll make the appropriate decision."

When I finished speaking, I released the button immediately as I took deep breathes for myself.

Nica stood frozen beside me, staring at me with an expression that suggested she couldn’t comprehend what she had just heard.

Well, I couldn’t exactly blame her.

After spending hours terrified for her life, she probably hadn’t expected her supposed savior to suddenly start reporting her to the management.

I waited patiently for the response of the supernatural space...

The fluorescent lights above us flickered.

It seemed the convenience store was processing my complaint.

Bang!

A loud impact suddenly echoed from the employee room.

I turned toward the sound.

Bang! Bang!

Something was pounding against the other side of the door.

Before I could make sense of what was happening, every light in the convenience store went out.

Darkness swallowed the entire room as the banging stopped.

For several seconds, neither Nica nor I moved.

Then, the lights flickered back on, revealing that the store had returned to its original condition.

The damaged counter was as good as new, the broken shelves stood upright, and the refrigerators were intact once more. Even the walls, which had been battered during our fight with the customer, had been completely restored.

The debris had vanished, the dirt and mud had disappeared, and the floor gleamed as though it had just been cleaned.

In the blink of an eye, the entire convenience store had returned to pristine condition.

I slowly turned toward Nica, only to notice that her name tag was gone.

The small badge that had once been attached to her uniform was nowhere to be seen.

That could only mean one thing...

She was no longer an employee of this convenience store.

’It worked!’

I approached her and gestured toward the entrance.

Beyond the glass doors, there was nothing but an endless expanse of darkness.

The same darkness that had trapped her here in the first place.

But this time, she didn’t have to remain inside.

"You may leave through the darkness."

I told her, pointing toward the entrance.