episode_0012

Anna’s hair tickles my neck.

She whispers so close that I can hear her breath.

“Is that all?”

A rich scent of soap wafts from her nose.

“Just wait and see. There’s nothing as delicious as my drink in this world, you know?”

I swallow dry saliva and say firmly.

In response, Anna stares at me as if she heard something unexpected.

Finally, she smiles as if something has come to mind.

Then she approaches me and gently touches my side hair with her finger.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Leaving those words behind, the silver-haired killer passes by me.

She takes a leisurely look around the shop before sitting down.

Phew…

Finally, I can breathe a bit easier.

Thanks to that, I could reflect on being the only survivor in this hellish place.

Sehee is still trembling on the floor.

I fetch a blanket from the kitchen for her.

It’s a cute blanket with cats drawn on it.

I cover her legs over her short skirt.

But her trembling shows no sign of stopping.

“Unni, I’m sorry…”

Sehee mumbles.

“Sorry for what?”

“To be honest, the reason I acted rudely earlier was to prevent Unni from running into Siwoong. He has a thing for petite girls…”

So that’s why she blew smoke to make him leave.

It was unpleasant, but it was effective.

It made me nervous enough to recall my school days.

“I see…”

“I didn’t hang out with them because I wanted to fit in.”

As she starts her story, her voice trembles.

Perhaps it’s because she’s dredging up painful memories from her heart.

“When I entered school, I was famous as my father’s daughter, but I hardly inherited any of his abilities.”

That must be why I didn’t feel much intimidation when I first met her.

“Because of the fame, I was assigned to the strong kids’ group, but they found out I was weak and treated me like a burden instead.”

I understand that feeling.

No matter how hard you try, you can’t become strong.

Is there anyone who knows that feeling as well as I do from my past life?

“As a result, I started getting bullied at school. I joined Siwoong’s gang to try to overcome that…”

Sehee hugs her knees.

And she buries her face deeply.

“I haven’t told my father about this.”

“He must never find out. If my fragile father hears this news…”

Sehee’s trembling voice seeps through her knees.

“My father thinks it’s his fault that my mother died.”

So her mother passed away.

“My mother went to the inn late at night to see my father, who had regular customers…”

The girl continues hesitantly.

“She was torn apart by a nocturnal monster and passed away. That’s why he drinks like this ever since.”

I remember the streets I walked on a while ago.

I can imagine the long, dark silhouette watching me from the alley.

Just thinking about it sends shivers down my spine.

“Surely, if he knew I was being bullied, he would think it’s all his fault again.”

“So, to excel at school, did you join such a group?”

Anna’s dead eyes glare at Sehee.

At that, the girl shrinks even more.

“…”

Every time Anna speaks, Sehee trembles as if hearing the cries of her enemies.

Of course, Sehee is also at fault.

After all, Siwoong’s group consisted of drug addicts and perverts.

Maybe not just me, but she might have already experienced such a harsh situation.

I don’t want this young girl to go through that again.

When that thought crosses my mind, I rise from the floor.

“Wait. I’ll make you something else to drink.”

“Alcohol?”

“Well, yes?”

“I don’t like alcohol. It just makes people drunk and violent, doesn’t it?”

It’s not something for her, a smoker, to say, but I understand.

Probably because of her father, who is likely an alcoholic.

“Don’t worry. Not all alcohol is just for getting drunk.”

I gently stroked Sehee’s head.

“People sometimes find comfort through alcohol.”

I headed to the kitchen.

I poured milk into the kettle.

I had a drink in mind for her.

This drink is neither cold nor harsh.

It will be warm, gentle, and embrace us.

While I was busy preparing the ingredients, I felt a warm gaze on me.

It must be that silver-haired killer sitting there with his chin resting.

Anna looks so calm that it’s hard to believe she recently killed six people.

She watches my every move intently, like a loyal cat watching its owner, which isn’t entirely unpleasant.

However… It’s just chilling to see the bloodstains under her eyes.

Should I say she’s more akin to a cheetah or a leopard than a cat..?

“Um… Sorry, but could you stop staring at me?”

I hand her a tissue, making a request.

“Do you have something to say?”

When I ask, Anna raises a finger to her lips.

Then she squints and smiles.

“Because you’re hypocritical.”

“What?”

Despite her awkward Korean, she knows quite a variety of words.

Hypocritical… When have I been like that?

“When I tried to kill that kid. You recklessly rushed in.”

Anna wipes her face with the tissue I gave her.

“What’s wrong with that?”

I asked, bewildered.

Is it hypocrisy to risk your life to protect a child?

“You knew. If you intervened, I would stop. You used that.”

It was a simple gamble.

In the end, she hesitated to keep killing me, believing in that moment.

“I’ve had a similar experience in the past. I regret it for a lifetime.”

I say as I take out the steaming milk kettle.

“I don’t want to repeat such a past ever again.”

Anna smiles and composes herself at the mention of the ‘past.’

“With such a small body, you say such extravagant things.”

Anna throws the tissue I gave her on the floor.

The white tissue had turned a dark red color.

I smile at her exaggerated reaction.

“Sometimes there are things more painful than death.”

If death is momentary pain.

Regret must be the longest pain in the world.

The moment regret sets in, the longest suicide in the world begins.

Just like my life now.

“…?”

As Anna listens to me, a smile starts to spread across her face.

The smile grows until it turns into laughter.

She laughs so much that she even knocks over the table.

Her exaggerated expression feels robotic, giving me chills.

“You’re quite amusing, aren’t you?”

She barely stops laughing and approaches me.

The killer with narrowed eyes pinches my shirt collar.

“Let’s strip it off.”

Did I hear that right?

What did this girl just say?

“That hypocritical mask.”

Under the halo, her pupils flicker.

I push Anna away.

It’s awkward having her around; it clouds my judgment.

I shake my head back and forth to clear my mind.

With her arms crossed, she watches me focus on bartending again.

I gather myself, roll up my sleeves, and prepare a thick mug.

I pour the steaming milk with steam rising.

I sprinkle Kahlua from the bottle onto the cup’s rim.

Slowly swirling it as if caressing the lips.

Finally, a sprinkle of cocoa powder…

Rating: ★★☆

Effect: Restores 30% of the consumer’s abnormal state.

Information: A flawless Kahlua Milk made according to the recipe.

It has a smooth, subtle vanilla and coffee aroma.

Especially for Sehee, the milk ratio is high, almost imperceptible in taste.

Received a bonus ☆ due to Angelic Hand’s effect.

“Try it, Sehee.”

Se-hee tightly grasped the warm mug in both hands.

The steam gently rose, caressing Se-hee’s face.

“This is alcohol?”

“More like a cocktail.”

I wiped my hands with a towel.

“It’s just coffee milk.”

Anna asked expressionlessly, chin resting on her hand.

“Don’t dismiss it. It’s so delicious, incomparable to store-bought milk.”

“Who would drink that? It’s not even vodka.”

Se-hee gazed down at the warm cocktail.

Then, as if making up her mind, she slowly sipped the foam on her lips.

…

I patiently awaited her reaction.

Coughing at the hot cocktail she was tasting for the first time, the girl warned, “Be careful, it’s hot.”

Her eyes welled up, whether from the heat or another reason, I couldn’t tell.

The answer came a little later.

A smile gradually appeared in Se-hee’s pupils.

Regaining composure, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

But no matter how much she wiped, tears kept flowing from her eyes.

I used a tissue to gently wipe them away.

“It’s a familiar… taste.”

Fear had vanished from her face imperceptibly.

With a much calmer expression, Se-hee looked at me.

“When I first entered the academy, this is what my father treated me to.”

Sorry, I actually peeked into your memories while covering you with the blanket.

“Smooth but ending with a sweet and robust coffee aroma. It’s really delicious.”

The Kahlua Milk given to Se-hee had a hint of liqueur in it.

Perhaps the former owner had made it mild like this for his daughter who disliked alcohol.

“Let’s go see Father. He will surely listen seriously.”

“Sister…”

“If it’s hard for you to go alone, I’ll accompany you.”

Se-hee hugged me tightly.

Resting her face on my chest, she held onto my shoulders.

Feeling the moist warmth, I paid no attention.

Right now, Se-hee’s feelings were all that mattered.

…

Anna watched the scene before getting up from the table.

Her face seemed cold, as if something had upset her.

“W-where are you going?”

“I can’t watch anymore.”

She readied her sword to leave.

“Wait!”

Hurriedly, I went to the kitchen and grabbed a tumbler.

Then, I ran outside after Anna.

Breathless from the fast pace, I barely managed to stop her.

“Is there more of a show left?”

“Hah… What’s this?”

Sweating, I handed her the tumbler.

“It’s… what is it?”

Anna seemed completely taken aback by my gift.

“Kahlua Milk. I made your share too, have it on your way back.”

“I don’t drink this kind of thing.”

Ignoring her refusal, I placed the tumbler in her hand.

“It’s cold out.”

I don’t know what I’m saying in front of a potential killer.

But I must say it.

One must repay help received to find peace within oneself.

“Thank you for today. Though the method was harsh…”

Anna’s eyebrows twitched.

As if trying to hide that sight, she quickly turned her head.

“Disgusting. People like you.”

Anna muttered as she left, still clutching the tumbler I gave her.

Watching her depart, I lowered my head.

Her temperament was truly twisted.

“Are Rankers all like that by nature?”

We were all broken in some way.

May my alcohol heal their wounds even just a little.