Over the past few days, Roland had shown no greater ability than he had during his interview, but the manager was still thoroughly satisfied.
With the economy in such a slump, there should have been no shortage of job seekers. But convenience store work paid poorly and required someone to be on-site much of the time, so high staff turnover was inevitable.
Most applicants were part-timers or temporary workers. With Shinto still under construction, even fewer people met the manager's requirements. If he hired someone troublesome, he would have to check the inventory and register totals every day, only adding to his workload.
Someone experienced and dependable like Roland, who needed no extra instructions, made the manager's life so much easier.
To keep Roland around, the manager had deliberately reserved the quieter shifts for him lately. Unfortunately, Roland did not seem to enjoy working behind the counter, even though there was nothing wrong with his social skills.
Was he uncomfortable dealing with people because of his personality? I should ask him later if he would prefer the night shift.
Seeing the manager leave, Roland breathed a sigh of relief and focused on his hands. He tapped the counter lightly, his long nails making crisp clicking sounds against its surface.
"My nails have grown again."
He had no real complaints about working the register. The problem was that the influence of his contracted spirit, Yoshikage Kira, had begun to manifest.
At first, he had merely been obsessed with his own hands, something he could still restrain. But as he faced all sorts of customers every day, Roland began to feel his instincts running wild.
Strange thoughts often popped into his head whenever he dealt with customers.
That woman's hands are nicely proportioned, but her skin is too rough. That child's hands are fair, too, but the burn scar ruins their beauty. This high school girl has pretty hands as well, but the calluses on her fingertips from years of writing are such a shame.
Oh, oh! That office worker has beautiful hands. If only I could get my hands on them and play with them at my leisure.
"No!"
Roland slapped his cheeks, snapping himself out of his wandering thoughts.
He was gradually coming to understand Yoshikage Kira's influence. Under such a sick, abnormal influence, it was genuinely difficult not to act.
After all, Roland felt that even his sexual tastes were becoming warped. That was a real, live high school girl! As a healthy adult man, his first instinct was actually to look at her hands instead of the long, stocking-clad legs beneath her short skirt?
Did that make any sense?
With that in mind, Roland did not even dare look at the Mona Lisa anymore. This was the Nasuverse, after all. Who knew whether the connection between the Mona Lisa here and da Vinci was really what da Vinci claimed? Getting a boner over something like that would haunt Roland for the rest of his life!
His tastes were already skewed enough. He could hardly step on the gas while heading downhill.
"Welcome."
This was the convenience store closest to the park, and at this time of day, housewives always came in with their children to shop.
Tidying the odds and ends on the counter, Roland offered his customary greeting to the mother entering with her child without even raising his head. He rubbed his temple to ease his troubled thoughts while looking over the newcomers.
The woman possessed a classical beauty, with lovely features and a graceful figure. Her soft, gentle green hair evoked a forest, falling naturally over her shoulders without any unnecessary adornments.
Her refined air, elegant bearing, and the gentle smile always on her face left only one fitting description: a Yamato nadeshiko, the ideal traditional Japanese woman.
Although she had a child with her, her dignified manner still gave her the air of a well-bred young lady. It inspired longing-and a little more sympathy for Cao Cao's tastes.
Most importantly, there were those hands.
Holding her daughter's hand, the woman used her free hand to take a bottle of orange juice from a shelf and place it on the counter.
"Hello. Could you ring this up for me?"
"Of course."
Roland went through the checkout motions mechanically, his gaze drifting discreetly over those hands. Up close, their beauty was even clearer: white as snow, with touches of cherry-blossom pink at the fingertips, untouched by worldly grime, yet beautiful enough to inspire covetous desire.
I want to kiss those hands. I want to press them against my cheek. I want to lick...
More and more lustful thoughts took root in Roland's mind. Since forming the contract, he had yet to obtain any hands, so naturally, he had no way to relieve the pressure inside him.
To keep himself from losing his composure, Roland had to discreetly drag his nails across his palm, using the threat of injuring his own equally beautiful hands to suppress his desire.
"That comes to one hundred and ten yen. Would you like this chocolate included as well?"
The little girl had secretly grabbed a bar of chocolate while the woman was not looking and, taking advantage of her height, slowly pushed it onto the counter. Seeing her, Roland broke off his thoughts and glanced between his legs.
Over the past few days, as he gradually adjusted, Roland had been fighting himself constantly. It was not that he possessed some iron will that refused to let his sexual tastes be warped. Rather, he understood one simple truth.
If you can't control your lower half, then it isn't your lower half anymore. It's your brain.
Calm down. Roland, you have to calm down!
Those hands may be wonderful, but there's a whole person growing out of them!
That's like scattering rainbow sprinkles over a cream cake. They're vulgar, useless decorations that only sully the beauty of the cake itself!
While Roland struggled with himself, the little girl caught trying to sneak her chocolate into the purchase froze. She slowly released the chocolate and lowered her head guiltily.
Noticing her daughter's little trick, the classically beautiful woman knitted her lovely brows and gently scolded her. "Rin, you've already had dessert today, haven't you? This is very rude! Have you forgotten the Tohsaka Family's teachings?"
That simple name immediately struck a chord deep within Roland.
Wait. Rin?
Roland tilted his head and looked at the dejected little girl. Though she was still young, she already bore some resemblance to her mother and had the makings of a beauty.
This child is actually Rin Tohsaka? Then this classical beauty I've been lusting after is Aoi Tohsaka? Like flowers reflected in a mirror or the moon upon the water, once the truth was pointed out, his old impressions and reality suddenly overlapped.
"I'm sorry, Mommy..."
Little Rin obediently apologized without trying to argue.
Seeing her daughter so downcast, Aoi Tohsaka sighed. Knowing that Rin had been feeling sad for the past year, she did not scold her further, instead gently stroking her head.
"We'll make an exception this time. I'll buy it for you. In exchange, you have to behave when we go stay with the Zenjo Family, all right? Your father is preparing for something very important, and we mustn't distract him."
"Okay!"
Children's emotions came and went quickly. Once reassured, Rin Tohsaka soon regained her spirits.
After comforting her daughter, Aoi Tohsaka turned back and handed Roland the chocolate as well.
"Sorry for the trouble. Please ring this up with the rest."
Polite even to strangers, and understanding toward her child. What a lovely personality. She would certainly get along wonderfully with me. Even after finishing the transaction and watching her leave, Roland still felt reluctant to let her go.
But he soon realized something more important.
They're going to stay with the Zenjo Family soon? That means the Fourth Holy Grail War is about to begin.
As he watched Aoi Tohsaka walk away holding Rin Tohsaka's hand, Roland's eyes flickered.