"Welcome to the Fantasy Manga Store."
While Kai was curiously looking around the shop, a calm voice echoed gently inside the space.
Only then did Kai realize that he was not alone.
He turned toward the store counter and saw a young man standing there. The man was dressed in clean clothes and wore a gentle smile as he looked at him.
[Passive Ability Activated]
[Mysterious Aura]
In that instant, Kai felt a strange pressure wash over him.
A mysterious aura poured out from the store owner, making Kai's heart tremble. In his eyes, the man standing behind the counter felt like a bottomless abyss. His mind buzzed, and his breathing became unstable.
"G-Good afternoon, sir," Kai said instinctively.
At that moment, Raeshan's voice reached his ears again, calm and steady.
"Welcome."
Suddenly, the strange pressure disappeared, and Kai felt normal again. He looked at the smiling store owner, but his heart remained uneasy.
This store was not simple.
Kai walked closer to the counter and asked, "What do you sell here?"
Raeshan replied calmly, still smiling. "We sell manga."
"Manga?" Kai frowned. "What is that? I have never heard of it before."
Raeshan cursed inwardly.
Selling manga to people who had never even heard of such a thing was going to be difficult.
Still, he maintained his smile and explained, "Manga is an illustrated art form. It is a way of storytelling through drawings and words."
Kai listened carefully. Slowly, interest appeared in his eyes.
"So… this illustrated art book," he said hesitantly, "how much does it cost? What was it called again?"
"Manga," Raeshan replied.
"Oh, right. Manga. Give me one manga. How much for a single book?"
Raeshan pointed toward the bookshelves.
Kai followed his finger and saw price tags attached beside the manga.
His face stiffened.
"Five silver coins… per volume?"
Kai almost cursed out loud.
With five silver coins, he could buy a low-grade potion. As a low-grade adventurer, he only earned one to two gold coins a month. Most of that money went toward dungeon supplies and basic survival.
Buying a five-silver illustrated art book felt like a complete waste.
Kai looked back at the store owner, who was still smiling calmly. For a moment, Kai felt like he had walked into a scam store.
But it was too late to leave.
He glanced outside. Heavy rain continued to pour down. Then he looked back at the luxurious interior of the store and the mysterious store owner standing quietly behind the counter.
Kai sighed inwardly.
"Fine. Today, I will entertain myself."
"What was it called again? Manga."
He placed five silver coins on the counter and said, "Give me one copy."
Raeshan smiled.
"Thank you for your support."
He handed Kai a copy of the manga.
Kai received it carefully and looked down at the cover. A handsome young mage holding a magic wand stood before a beautiful medieval city. Bold letters were printed on the front.
Element Mage Accession
Kai tightened his grip on the manga and walked toward the seating area.
Kai plan was reading manga and wite for raining to stop.
Kai sat down in the small reading area.
He carefully placed the book on the table. Five silver coins were not a small amount for him. If this thing turned out to be boring, he would regret it for weeks.
"Tch… an illustrated storybook," he muttered.
Still, he opened the cover.
The first page stunned him.
A vast magical library filled the page, shelves stretching endlessly into the distance. Floating runes glowed faintly in the air. At the center stood a young mage holding a book, his eyes filled with longing.
Kai blinked.
"…This art is good."
No, it was more than good.
It felt vivid, almost alive. Completely different from the crude manuals and posters he was used to seeing.
He turned the page.
Then another.
Without realizing it, Kai leaned forward. The story pulled him in naturally. The young mage reading about an Archmage, dreaming of reaching the peak of magic. Leaving the tower to travel the world. Cities, ruins, unfamiliar races, and battles that felt tense yet beautiful.
"This is… actually interesting."
The rain outside faded from his mind. The sound of droplets hitting the glass disappeared. Even the strange store owner behind the counter slipped from his awareness.
Page after page passed.
When the story reached the moment where Elean confronted the Devil General, Kai's breath caught.
The illustration was overwhelming.
The Devil General towered like a nightmare given form, demonic pressure almost leaking from the page. Elean stood before him, staff trembling slightly, yet his eyes were firm and unyielding.
Kai's heart began to race.
His fingers tightened around the book.
Suddenly, a strange warmth spread through his body.
His mind buzzed lightly, as if something had clicked into place. Movements he had practiced countless times with his sword replayed in his thoughts. Stances connected naturally. Flaws he had never noticed before became painfully clear.
Kai frowned.
"…What is this feeling?"
He slowly clenched and unclenched his hand.
It felt different.
Lighter. More stable.
After a long moment, he lifted his head and looked toward the counter.
The store owner was watching him, a faint smile on his face, as if he had already known this would happen.
Kai swallowed.
Outside, the rain had stopped. The sky glowed orange as the sun began to set, signaling the arrival of evening.
Kai picked up his manga and stood up.
"I need to go," he muttered to himself. "I have to tell my sister."
Without another word, he walked out of the store.
Raeshan watched Kai leave, his smile deepening slightly.
"Come back again," he said softly.
At that moment, the system's mechanical voice echoed inside his mind.
[Customer has gained enlightenment from manga]
[Store Reputation +10]
[System Points +20 SP]
Raeshan was not surprised by the enlightenment notification.
But the rewards made his eyes widen slightly.
"So this is how it works…"
Just then, the system's mechanical voice echoed once more.
---
Author's Note
If you like 'Manga Store Owner System', please consider adding it to your collection.
Also, send Power Stones to keep me motivated to write more.
Thank you for your support!