episode_0010

“Oh, here we go.”

“Make sure to capture me too.”

The female hunter strikes a V-pose.

Her boyfriend films her pouring drinks.

My shoulders ache like crazy.

I can’t feel anything in my wrists anymore.

Champagne and beer spill over the table.

I bite my molars and push overflowing cups towards the guests.

“They love these half-empty cocktails filled with foam.”

They happily gulp down the barely-filled concoctions.

Why do they even drink this stuff?

“Oppa, look at this. It’s seriously aesthetic.”

“The real thing looks cooler than what we saw in videos.”

The couple hunter fiddles with their phone.

They’ll probably post this on some doomed social media platform.

After making this dog-like alcohol all day, I recently discovered one thing.

The pretty girl who came with my father yesterday was an influencer from Hunter Academy.

With 100,000 followers, she secretly filmed me making Black Velvet in front of Anna.

Thanks to that video circulating, the inn gained popularity, attracting so many customers.

So, that’s what promoting meant.

Business booming is good, but it feels unjust somehow.

My hands are already trembling.

Pouring and mixing drinks all day leaves my skin constantly moist.

This isn’t how a proper Black Velvet should be…

I’m irritated at them not even knowing the taste of the alcohol.

Later, annoyed, I hastily pour and mix the drinks with a blank expression.

Yet, the guests seem to enjoy the messy plating even more.

Are they all going crazy in this world full of monsters?

I shove an empty champagne bottle into a corner of the kitchen.

Already the 12th… Even the stock in the warehouse is depleted; this couple’s share will be the last.

I gather the waiting guests and raise my hands.

Then I announce, “We’re closing early due to ingredient shortage. Sorry.”

The sighs of the hunters in line echo in my ears.

Some subtly curse, wondering how they ended up here.

It’s not my fault the ingredients ran out…

My eyes involuntarily narrow.

Just how famous is this Anna girl to have such a huge impact?

Sure, she was really pretty, but still, she’s a psycho killer.

Probably no one among these people has actually met her.

If you ever meet those cold eyes, you wouldn’t want to see her again.

“Siho, you did great today. Thanks to you, we’re completely sold out of ingredients.”

Jiwuk approaches with a tired face.

“I just poured drinks. Seniors like you went through a lot cooking.”

“Yeah… We haven’t had this many customers since last year…”

He plops down on a counter chair.

Right.

This place used to be a famous pub.

It was mentioned by Jisoo noona, who was a big drinker.

But why did the owner neglect such a good inn?

Something must have happened.

Adults usually abandon a decent job for two reasons.

Money or family matters.

Considering that the Seoul’s biggest loan shark, Jeoksa, showed up, it’s definitely the former.

Maybe borrowing money was due to family issues.

Family…

I ponder deeply as I bid farewell to the last guest.

The cash register is overflowing with money.

With the economy crumbling, most transactions are done in cash since there are hardly any functioning banks.

With this kind of profit, there’s no need to switch to being a hunter.

Of course, I don’t know how much of this will end up in my pocket.

Suddenly, I imagine a future where the owner never returns.

In that case, would the profits be split between the senior and me?

That wouldn’t be so bad, right?

“—.”

Someone enters the shop.

“We’re closed for the day.”

I reply absentmindedly, busy counting bills.

However, despite hearing those words, the guest calmly entered alone.

It was only then that I raised my head.

And I faced a person who looked completely out of place compared to a pub.

“Long time no see.”

A girl I had never seen before flashed me a smile.

She was wearing the same school uniform as the pretty girl I saw yesterday.

The current time is 10 p.m.

Who would come to a pub at this late hour and say “long time no see” to me?

“Who are you…”

“Sister, don’t you remember me?”

She had innocent black hair and sharp features like a cat.

I really have no idea…

“You ran out of the store saying it was tough, and now you’ve crawled back here?”

Were we acquaintances before I possessed this body?

“I guess there’s no place for incompetent people, huh?”

But her way of speaking is a bit too much…

“Oh, sorry… It’s been busy today, and I mistook you for someone else.”

I vaguely pretended to know her.

“Yeah, today of all days, there are so many customers. When you saw the store, there was usually no one around.”

The schoolgirl trailed off, looking around the inn.

Then she made eye contact with Jiwook, who was tidying up the table.

“Oppa – long time no see.”

She greeted me in a completely different tone than before.

Her chilling voice left me speechless.

“Oh, Sehee. What brings you to the store?”

“A friend posted about our store on the net. So I came by to check it out.”

“Is the boss doing well? He hasn’t been to the store for months, so I’m worried…”

He awkwardly rested his chin on the broom.

“He’s fine, he’ll manage on his own.”

“Don’t you live together?”

“It’s been a while since I went home. You know what happens when Dad drinks…”

She now casually sat at the table.

Sehee’s short skirt was quite annoying.

“Just let Oppa handle the finances here. That guy will soon die from alcohol addiction anyway.”

“Should we… Well, first, we should pay off the debts with whatever profits we make from the store.”

“You’re too kind, Oppa. If it were me, I would have run away from the store like Siho Unni.”

She subtly kept provoking me.

I wanted to grab her by the collar, but she’s the boss’s daughter, so I couldn’t…

“Hey – we’re not bloodsuckers like Sehee. We need to earn money honestly.”

The term ‘bloodsucker’ made me want to grab her, but the thought quickly vanished.

That title is usually given to descendants of famous Rankers or Hunters.

It means the boss was at least a renowned Hunter, and that kid inherited that power.

I felt envious yet unjust.

“Please leave work early. I’ll take care of closing tonight.”

Sehee said as she got up from the table.

“Huh? No, the employees like us should do this.”

“I usually don’t come because there are no customers, but if things suddenly go well, I should help too.”

What’s this?

Although it seems like a sincere remark, something feels off.

Sehee took the broom from Jiwook and energetically swept the floor.

There was no sense of accomplishment as her footprints remained everywhere she cleaned.

After sweeping from the hall to the counter, she stood still in front of me.

“You should go too.”

Unlike Jiwook, she whispered in a cold voice.

“Uh… Okay.”

I forced a smile and untied my apron.

I put on the shabby hoodie I had stashed under the counter.

“Wow, unnie. You still don’t care about your appearance at all?”

“Why bother when there’s no one to show it to…”

“Well, there probably isn’t anyone. It suits you well.”

She squinted and clicked her tongue.

I found her voice unpleasant, so I hurriedly left work.

Outside, Jiwook was already waiting, dressed in a coat.

Seeing my disheveled appearance contrasting with his neatness, I could understand why Sehee said what she did…

“It’s cold today, did you just come in that?”

“I didn’t have any other clothes at home…”

He looked down at me with a worried expression.

“Do you want to wear this?”

When he tried to take off his coat, I lowered my head.

“It’s okay. After all, our house is nearby.”

He walks alone on the night street.

Today, I’ve already heard the word “sister” several times.

I’m starting to feel the reality of my situation.

Do I have to live with this face forever?

Well, at least my body isn’t completely flat compared to my height, so that’s fortunate.

Even though I’m short…

Thinking such pointless thoughts, I clenched my hands into my pockets.

“It’s definitely a bit cold.”

I should buy some clothes when I earn money later.

These days, it seems like shops are opening little by little.

But how should I buy women’s clothes?

I’ve never bought them before, so I’m at a loss.

I don’t know any girls around me either…

…!

Something in my pocket touches my hand.

With a bad feeling, I immediately took it out.

“Oh, the store key.”

I sighed involuntarily.

I forgot that I had to give it to Sehee.

I ran out of the store because she kept saying things I didn’t want to hear.

I have to see that face again…

Reluctantly, I headed back to the inn.

Except for a few streetlights, the way back was completely dark.

Thanks to the Hunter Association’s efforts to rebuild the city, this level of light is all they could provide…

But for someone like me at the bottom of the food chain, it’s insufficient light.

…?

As I get closer to the store, I hear loud singing.

What, did Sehee play music while cleaning?

I cautiously opened the front door.

There were people I had never seen before sitting on the sofa table as if they were having a party, drinking freely from the store’s alcohol.

What are they doing…

I scratched my head in disbelief.

Then, I made eye contact with a boy from the group.

“What’s up with him?”

I wanted to ask.

Who are these people, anyway?

“Sehee, did you say other classmates were coming today?”

“No – I never said that.”

I heard her voice from the kitchen.

If Sehee’s friends, are these guys academy students too?

Anyway, what are they doing in the store?

Two female students who were lounging at the table approached me.

As they stood next to me, my height felt even smaller.

“I work here, and it’s past closing time…”

I spoke to them as clearly as possible.

But maybe due to the overwhelming height difference, I felt like my voice was getting quieter.

“Why are you here again?”

Upon hearing my voice, Sehee hurriedly came out from behind the counter.

It’s like seeing a younger sister caught doing something wrong.

I used to have a younger sister, so I gained some courage.

Still, as an adult, shouldn’t I say something to these minors?

“I forgot to give you the key…”

“Thanks. My dad invited some friends to the store, so don’t worry about it.”

She casually took out a cigarette from her breast pocket.

Sweat trickled down my back at the sudden appearance of the cigarette.

Was the student-like appearance I saw earlier all an act?

“Still, using the store’s alcohol freely could be a problem…”

I muttered, fidgeting with my fingers.

In response, Sehee smirked and started to glare at me.

“I’m the boss’s daughter, why do you care? Stick to your job.”

The girl flicked the cigarette towards me.

Due to the acrid smoke, I grimaced and coughed.

I should stand up stronger in times like this…

Somehow tears welled up in my eyes.

Maybe it’s because of the harsh cigarette smoke.

Maybe…

“What?”

A man from the alley enters the store through the back door.

His low, heavy footsteps seem to reverberate throughout the entire store.

With olive skin and black two-block hair, he looks much older than Sehee, who must be 17.

“Are you the bartender that Anna approved?”

He asks in a deep voice.

What should I say in response…

My body stiffened, and I couldn’t say a word.

The intimidation he exuded was remarkable.

“Try following me a bit.”

He commanded as he sat at the central table.

However, I just stood there blankly, not heeding his words.

“What are you doing, not going over there to follow him? Don’t you know who he is?”

Sehee whispered to me in a quiet voice.

“Who is he…”

I stuttered and asked her.

“He’s Choi Siwoong, the youngest A-rank Hunter in the Academy. Don’t you even watch the news?”

A… A-rank Hunter?

Even my sister, who killed a Wyvern, had barely been promoted to B rank… This is higher than that.

Something was wrong.

Why is someone like that here?

Siwoong flirted with the girls, causing those beside me to suddenly grab my arms.

Dragged forcibly, I stumbled in front of the table.

It was then that I truly felt the weight of my ‘incompetence.’

“Trying to act all high and mighty based on your appearance? You’re incompetent.”

Siwoong’s grim face approached me.

“Up close, your face seems kind of cute, though.”

The burly man poked my under-eye with his thick finger.

The unpleasant sensation made me cringe.

At this late hour, with no one around to help an NPC like me…