Ch.53Kahlua Milk Royal

A few days had passed since Rina left.

Siho was able to get updates from her via text messages.

Rina, liberally using emojis, went on about bragging about her disciple.

The message said that one student’s sparring record had improved from 0 wins and 8 losses to 2 wins and 10 losses.

The bartender chuckled while reading the message.

“Still, going from 0% to 20% in the Young Pro league is a huge improvement.”

Siho put his phone down on the counter.

Then, while wiping a sticky table, he glanced at the clock.

4:40 PM.

Twenty minutes until the bar opened.

Jiwook had gone to the supermarket to buy ingredients.

The bartender enjoyed the solitude of the empty bar.

There was something peculiar about being alone in the spacious bar.

Just yesterday, Anna and Jeoksa had been here, and Rina had visited at night, so it felt a bit lonely now.

“Being alone feels kind of strange…”

Come to think of it, Anna, who had been monitoring his medication, hadn’t come today.

Maybe because the medication period is over…

But it feels a bit disappointing that she’d cut contact so abruptly.

Siho pressed his lips together as he stared at the entrance of the bar.

From a distance, the sound of chattering children could be heard approaching.

The bartender perked up his ears at the sound.

It was unusual for minors to visit a bar.

The door opened.

Two familiar-looking girls entered the corridor of the establishment.

The bartender remembered them.

One was the daughter of the bar’s owner, and the other was Rina’s favorite disciple.

“Unni-!”

Sehee waved energetically first.

Seeing her face, the bartender’s dry heart became moist again.

The bright energy of a young girl was a great source of strength even for the expressionless bartender.

However, compared to her, Seah standing beside her still had a timid expression.

Even though her performance had improved, it seemed her inherently introverted personality was still difficult to overcome.

But what did it matter?

Regardless of her personality, Seah was a pretty girl with red hair.

Still young and talented, she had a bright future ahead of her.

“Girls, it’s been a while.”

The bartender smiled with narrowed eyes.

Seeing her smile, Seah’s lips twitched slightly.

She mumbled while leaning closely against Sehee.

“Hello, unni…”

“Seah, why are you hiding? Come on in-.”

Siho beckoned to her encouragingly.

Sehee chimed in from beside her.

“Right. You were singing about wanting to see unni, but now you’re acting like this in front of her?”

When Sehee asked loudly, Seah shook her head frantically.

Then she quietly admonished her friend.

“Why did you have to say that…”

“Ahaha- See? This is what she’s like.”

Siho, happy to see them, came out from behind the counter.

Then she approached Seah.

The girl seemed to have grown taller since they last met, almost reaching Siho’s eye level.

The bartender gently stroked the side of her head.

As she smoothed out the tousled hair, the girl’s red eyes sparkled.

“You should have visited more often. I missed you.”

When the bartender spoke from up close, Seah’s nose bridge turned red.

She spoke with a flustered voice.

“I’m sorry. From now on, I’ll come every week. No, every day!”

“Hey, you live in a dormitory. How are you going to come here every day?”

Sehee poked Seah’s side repeatedly.

Siho also smiled broadly at Seah’s reaction.

“It’s okay. Just come by occasionally to show your face.”

The bartender said this and headed to the refrigerator outside the counter.

Soon, she had a pack of fresh milk in her hand.

“Make yourselves comfortable. You’re grown ladies now, so a drink should be fine, right?”

“Yes. I’ll have my usual-.”

Sehee confidently exclaimed, raising her finger.

Who would have thought she’d hear such words from someone who used to dislike alcohol.

Seah, seemingly oblivious to her friend’s words, mumbled to herself.

“A cocktail made by unni…”

Seah seemed to have become even more gloomy since they last met.

Even though her skills had improved and she was fighting better, her personality remained unchanged.

The bartender smiled and prepared the cocktails.

For the girls who would soon be adults, the first drink should leave a good impression.

With that mindset, Siho began bartending.

She prepared a chilled on-the-rocks glass.

She poured clear, transparent ice.

On that smooth surface, 1 ounce (30ml) of sweet Kahlúa.

2 and a half ounces (75ml) of rich milk.

Finishing with half an ounce (15ml) of Einspänner cream.

<Kahlúa Milk Royal>

Rating: ★★★★☆ (Flawless)

Effect: Instantly removes 50% of the consumer’s status ailments.

Information: A collaboration of Kahlúa Milk and Einspänner. Reduced the milk slightly and added rich cream for enhanced flavor.

These days, Siho tries things beyond the recipe. It looks good.

“Here’s your Kahlúa Milk.”

The bartender placed the glasses on the table with a serious voice.

The two girls stared blankly at the sight.

“Wow, unni. You seem different from before.”

Sehee spoke first.

Seah nodded silently in agreement with her words.

“Hm? Different, how?”

She wondered if they were going to mention her body again.

Siho cleared her throat and smoothed out her apron that clung to her navel.

“Your gestures are more elegant, and the cocktails are prettier than before.”

The bartender breathed a sigh of relief at Sehee’s words.

Such compliments were always welcome.

“Ah, just a moment.”

The bartender, momentarily distracted by the customer’s praise, almost forgot something important.

She quickly grabbed a powder container placed next to the cutting board and hurried out from behind the counter.

Then she gently wrapped her hands around Seah’s hands, which were holding the glass.

“Uh, uhh. Unni. What are you doing?”

Seah stammered in surprise.

To the malfunctioning girl, Siho smiled and said:

“Can I have your glass for a moment?”

Siho carefully sprinkled cocoa powder on Seah’s drink.

The fluffy chocolate powder settled softly on the white cream.

“Unni- I want a lot!”

“Sure.”

The bartender also generously sprinkled powder on Sehee’s glass.

Meanwhile, Seah stared blankly into space, as if she had shut down.

Siho rested her chin on her hand and watched the two girls drink their cocktails.

They licked the cream off their lips, enjoying the smooth taste.

Soon, only ice remained in the glasses.

Then, as if remembering something, Sehee spoke up.

“Oh, right. Professor asked us to give you this.”

Sehee tapped Seah’s shoulder.

Seah, with cream still on her lips, finally snapped out of her daze.

“Huh…?”

Siho, looking at the girl, picked up a tissue.

Then she slowly extended her hand toward the girl’s face.

Seah calmly closed her eyes at the gesture.

“…”

But no matter how long she waited, she didn’t feel the touch on her lips.

Instead, she only heard the bartender’s voice.

“Seah?”

At the call, the girl opened her eyes.

The bartender was smiling awkwardly, holding out a tissue.

“Here’s a tissue.”

“Y-Yes! Thank you…”

She took the tissue hurriedly, looking embarrassed.

Then she roughly wiped her lips.

Her expression showed disappointment at the situation being completely different from what she had expected.

But the bartender had no way of knowing what was in her heart.

Seah tried to compose herself and handed an envelope to Siho.

It was an elegant envelope, sealed with wax.

“Professor Rina asked me to give this to you.”

“From Rina?”

Siho tilted her head as she took the envelope.

The finish was so elegant that she wondered how to open it.

She calmly cut the envelope with a knife from the counter.

Soon, the bartender’s eyes widened at the invitation inside.

<Lecture Invitation>

We invite you to be a lecturer at the Hunter Academy.

The duration is one day, and the class topic is ‘Mental Management for Hunter Candidates.’

The lecturer is free to prepare the class content as they see fit.

We hope you will attend the Academy and provide valuable guidance to our students.

Recommended by: Rina Kim. Approved by: Academy Vice Principal, Lee Taehyun.

“G-Girls… what is this?”

Siho asks the students with a bewildered face.

Her hand holding the paper trembled.

“What do you mean? Professor Rina invited you as a short-term lecturer.”

Sehee shrugged as if it were obvious.

Seah also nodded vigorously.

“I’m sorry, but I’m registered as a non-ability user, and I’m not in a position to teach anyone.”

The bartender sighed deeply and put the proposal down on the counter.

Sehee waved her hand dismissively.

“That’s what makes it amazing! Thanks to you, the supplementary class students’ grades have improved tremendously.”

Seah, in particular, exclaimed with clenched fists.

Louder than anyone else.

“That’s right, of course they’re still far behind our elite class-. But they’ve improved quite a bit.”

Sehee smirked arrogantly.

“Other professors asked Professor Rina about the secret to the grade improvement. That’s why the professor mentioned you.”

“Other professors also want to hear your mental management techniques directly.”

The bartender’s under-eye twitched.

This meant that when Siho gave the lecture, many Academy instructors would also attend the class.

“No way. Absolutely not!”

What kind of humiliation porn was this?

Siho shook her head frantically.

“Come on- what’s the big deal? They once invited someone who became a ranker through physical training despite being a non-ability user.”

Sehee tilted her head as if it were no big deal.

“That person is a ranker! I’m just a bartender!”

Siho crossed her arms to form an X.

Seah looked disappointed again and returned to her gloomy expression.

“Think about it. There’s still time. It’s an Academy invitation after all-.”

At Sehee’s smooth suggestion, the bartender collapsed onto the counter chair.

The Academy…

It had been her wish just to visit it, and now they wanted her to lecture there?

That’s absurd.

Absolutely absurd.

“—.”

While she was lost in thought, the sound of the entrance door opening was heard.

It was Jiwook.

He walked leisurely to the counter with ingredients in a brown paper bag.

Though a non-ability user, his tall stature and handsome face were noticeable.

“Customers already?”

The chef asked in a husky voice.

“No. It’s Sehee and her Academy friend.”

“Ah, Sehee-. It’s been a while.”

Jiwook and the girl greeted each other warmly.

At the sudden appearance of the male employee, Seah fixed her gaze on him.

Jiwook, seemingly unaware of her stare, looked at the table.

There were two empty glasses on it.

“Wow-, is it okay to serve free drinks like this?”

“She’s the boss’s daughter. Besides, senior, you’re always secretly drinking whiskey-.”

Siho nudged Jiwook’s shoulder.

The chef chuckled and put down the ingredients he had bought on the counter.

“I’m kidding- If they’re friends of our Sehee, it’s always free.”

Seah stared blankly at the two attractive people.

Soon, she mumbled to herself.

“Senior… senior…”

Unaware of her voice, the two employees laughed together as they organized the ingredients.

In the process, their hands touched and shoulders bumped.

Seah’s under-eye twitched.

Her red hair, which had been lying flat, began to rise slightly.

“Excuse me…”

The girl called out to the two in a dark voice.

The bartender and the chef turned their heads toward her.

And they spoke simultaneously.

“Huh?”

At that perfect harmony, Seah’s eyes burned red.

The flame ability user asked them:

“What kind of relationship do you two have?”