Marianna was bored. The shop had been empty for hours, but running a corner store was hard work. And making sure everything was stocked up and organized was tedious, but it needed to be done. At least the owners had left her with the digital lock’s code, trusting her to close up properly. Being a manager came with its perks, sure, but there was definitely something to be said about having to cover for absent employees. Especially when those employees were known to be lazy, and known to call out.

Timothy… Marianna angrily recalled the name of the seventeen-year-old co-worker who called out just hours before she was supposed to visit the beach with her friends. They’d planned the trip for weeks, and she’d even bought a new bikini she wanted to show off. But instead, she was going to have to sit here all night, and it wasn’t even four o’clock yet! The corner store had some pretty weird hours, but usually it wasn’t an issue because the five employees made it pretty easy to schedule fair shifts. It was only a problem when her coworkers called out right before their shifts, forcing Mari to seek a replacement. But the others, though responsible and generally amicable to sudden calls, were all busy. And as a manager, that meant Mari had to do her job and fill the void.

Marianna sighed. It was a pretty dead work day. Maybe that was because of the construction going on across the street, but it couldn’t be said for sure. Groaning, Marianna began shelving some new products, making sure to check expiration dates and block the items correctly. Some of them would have to come off the shelves soon, but the store could still sell them normally today. Those items she pulled to the front. Tomorrow, they’d need to receive discount stickers.

Gazing out the large windows at the front of the shop, Mari watched as some workers wearing yellow hard hats stacked I-beams in a large pile in the empty lot across the street. Marianna got lost in awe at modern engineering. To be able to make something so simple, and yet so effective… It was like appreciating cars and how their wheels spun. She often got lost in the beauty of simple miracles, reading up about them and learning the tricks behind the magic. It was just too bad she almost always had difficulty focusing, rarely remembering the secrets exactly. She muttered, wishing she could be doing something else.

The bell hanging above the door rang, Marianna nearly missing it in her reverie. She quickly put away the last product before dashing to the front of the store. Of course, once she saw the intimidating man that had entered, she nearly shrunk back into the aisle. He was tall, dressed in a silver and black pinstripe suit and matching trillby, with broad shoulders and a piercing steely-blue gaze.

Smacking her cheeks, Marianna mentally berated herself. Come on! Mother always says “Confidence is key!” No time to be shy! I’m a manager, after all!

Taking a deep breath, the timid girl bounced around the corner, moving to stand readily behind the counter. “If there’s anything I can help you with, sir, please do let me know!” she called out. But the man in the pinstriped suit quietly moved swiftly into the back of the shop.

At least he seems to know what he’s looking for. She smiled to herself. The strong, silent customers were far preferable to the “Can I see the manager? No, the real manager.” types. Marianna didn’t like those people at all. She also didn’t understand what led somebody to become that type of person. She certainly didn’t have the confidence or rude personality required to treat people that way.

Marianna stood, waiting, as the man came walking back to the front of the store, some simple groceries in hand. She quietly greeted him, then proceeded to scan his items.

“Your total is, um, 32.56,” she said, looking up into his steely blue eyes. But when the man pulled out his wallet to pay, a sour look painted itself onto his face. He grunted.

“It appears I’ve left my normal methods of payment at home,” he spoke in a deep, smooth voice. “Perhaps I can offer you something else, instead?”

Marianna frowned, about to ask him to clarify what he meant, but before she could, the man withdrew a large blue stone, a sapphire about the size of her fist, placing it on the counter.

“But sir,” the girl said slowly, eyes wide at the large jewel on the counter. “We, um. We only accept cash here.”

The man sighed, though it sounded like a growl, then rubbed his forehead. He leaned forward, placing his hands on the counter, and whispered, “Listen, I really can’t go home to my wife without these groceries. I just made an emergency stop here after she called, with some cravings, you understand, and she’ll be very upset if I don’t bring her these…” He lifted a box from the bag and squinted, reading the title slowly. “Berry… berry… dairy cherries?” He looked confused, but the product seemed to excite the girl before him.

“Oh yes! That cereal is delicious! Your wife is right to love it! You said cravings—is she pregnant? It’s fine! I’ll pay. You take them and go. Have a wonderful day, sir!” Marianna rapidly fired off, and before the man could protest, she printed his receipt and shoved it into his bag, handing it to him. He looked at it, and then her, shook his head in confusion, then left the store, mumbling his thanks.

Once he was gone, Marianna went back to work. She swept up, wiped down the glass door and windows, and took out the trash. It didn’t seem to be a busy day today. Returning to the employee washroom to clean her hands, she looked at herself in the mirror, nodded satisfactorily, and fixed her name tag.

“Hello, my name is Mari” was proudly displayed on her chest under the big bold letters that spelled out “Manager”. She smiled, happy with the responsibility, despite the anxiety it could cause her.

Exiting the bathroom, Mari headed back over to the counter, noticing the sapphire sitting on the counter. She realized the man must have forgotten it and reached forward to retrieve it, planning on placing it aside for him since she was hopeful he’d return for it. Then she touched it.

And everything went black.

And a voice resounded in her head.

“Please select a dungeon name.”