episode_0043

[Being a daughter harpy is so envy-inducing]

Author: HoneyCallMeHungry

Today, I accidentally accepted a crappy call and cursed while waiting for the signal.

Then, a harpy or was it a garuda? Swiftly flew over my head.

In a split second, they were far away, and suddenly I felt a pang of jealousy, seriously.

Harpy <- Honestly, aren't they a scam species?

While some worry about delivering various things after buying an expensive motorcycle;

They don't need to follow traffic regulations…

It's frustrating just picking up honey calls.

No, I did read a post about daughter harpies only picking up honey calls recently.

That was what made me most envious;;; I really want to grab some sweet calls with my amazing eyesight too…

I think it's lucky that there aren't that many individuals.

If there were just twice as many as now, I would have probably quit being a daughter harpy immediately.

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– They follow traffic rules? Then they’re not daughter harpies, right?

– If it’s about harpies, they’re definitely a scam species lol Apart from not being able to roam at night, there aren’t many penalties, right?

ㄴ That’s because of nyctophobia, for city-dwelling harpies, it doesn’t apply much, yeah.

– Vampires and pixies are in a perpetual tie lol

ㄴ Seriously, when will they win…?

ㄴ But they did win against Dura last time…

– Is flying sex gay?

ㄴ Flying sex is awesome lol

ㄴ Harpies must feel great with their aerial excretion cannons…

ㄴ Dude.

ㄴ Oh, stop it.

.

.

.

“…Well, after finishing the presentation quite well, I sighed thinking, ‘Professors always ask weird questions!’ Really, it seems like I might have bombed this semester too.”

“All professors are like that. They pick only what they want to ask, look disappointed if you can’t answer… You’ve really been through a lot, guest.”

“Ugh… Only bartender sis truly understands me…! How can she be so pretty and empathetic?”

“Haha, thank you for the compliment, guest. Here’s your order, the . I hope it lightens your heart a bit.”

“Yes… Sis! Thank you!”

After what felt like 4 seconds, the four-day holiday passed by, and the ordinary routine returned.

For some reason, the boss seemed to have worked some magic; the cocktail bar was noticeably quieter compared to before the holiday.

Making cocktails, having enough leisure to chat lightly with customers.

Though still busier than usual, it was definitely better than the hellish few days before.

For the first time in a while, I could greet customers with a genuine smile, not a forced one.

“The day after a holiday isn’t usually this tough.”

“Do you think so too, sis? Seems like everyone had a rough time before the holiday, huh?”

Shaking the shaker with a raised corner of her mouth, a colleague bartender approached quietly and responded to the murmured words.

As if it was absurd to speak as if she hadn’t struggled at all, I looked at her closely, almost interrogating her.

“You’re not saying it like that, Juyeon?”

“Hehe, of course, I struggled too. You know what? That was the first time I ever thought that?”

“What thought?”

“The thought of asking you to bite my neck.”

“…Are you planning to kill someone?”

If you want to bite, go without eating garlic. If you come back after taking a bite, asking to be bitten is practically asking me to help you commit suicide, you lunatic.

Giving her an incredulous look, I focused on making cocktails again, chuckling, while Juyeon concentrated on making another cocktail.

Perhaps because the recipe was simple, he swiftly made the cocktail and handed it to the customer, who then glanced around briefly before striking up a conversation with me.

“Oh, right. What did you do during the holiday, sis?”

“What do you think I did?”

“Hmm, the sister I’m thinking of would elegantly enjoy a glass of wine in a sophisticated manner…”

“…I just tossed and turned on the bed. On the last day, I played with that guy.”

“Jaehyuk’s brother? What were you doing with that boring brother… No, that’s not it. Perhaps, sis, are you in a relationship with that brother…”

“It’s not like that, we’ve just been friends since middle school.”

“I see.”

The protagonist made an indiscernible subtle expression, but I casually ignored it and changed the subject.

“By the way, no inter-species guests have shown up today? Usually, there are at least two around this time, right?”

“I heard that the fox mermaid guest said they were going on a trip around this time, and as for the pixie guest… I’m not sure. They’re quite unpredictable.”

“It’s a relief if the pixie guest doesn’t cause trouble. They say their heart races every time they tease Nero.”

“…I feel the same way.”

With the regular customers not showing up, the cocktail bar felt somewhat empty.

Thinking that today would pass more uneventfully than usual, I was rinsing the shaker when –

“Seriously, just try it once, okay? You won’t regret it!”

“…Even from the outside… It seems very expensive here…”

“It’s not that pricey! And I told you I’d pay! Just relax and enjoy yourself tonight!”

“Well, I guess…”

As they say, speak of the devil, a new inter-species being appeared at the cocktail bar.

Although she had the appearance of a slender and tall beauty, her arms and legs were in the shape of a bird – a harpy.

Accompanied by her human friend, she began to approach me hesitantly.

—–

It had been about two months since the inter-species mutation crisis erupted.

During this relatively short yet seemingly long period, I had encountered quite a few different species, but meeting a harpy was a first.

Perhaps, encountering a vampire might be a first for a harpy like me.

In folklore, a harpy is a monster with a bird’s body attached to a human head.

Strangely, those who underwent a harpy transformation in reality had the form of a monmusu rather than the traditional image from folklore.

Whether they retained the characteristic of being a ‘harpy,’ they all seemed to stay indoors as soon as evening fell.

So, honestly, I couldn’t believe that there was a harpy right in front of me.

It was a bit like stumbling upon a vampire wandering during the day.

I felt a desire to ask various questions in that moment, but I suppressed the urge and welcomed the guest.

Not asking immediately wouldn’t cause any major issues.

“Welcome, guest! This is Midnight! Are you accompanied by anyone else?”

“Oh, no… It’s just the two of us.”

“Great, please take a seat in front of me. Oh, let me give you the menu! If you need anything, just call me, okay?”

After flashing a professional smile and handing over the menu, I tried to continue cleaning the shaker, but it wasn’t long before the guests who came with the harpy called me over, so I approached them again.

“Bartender, I’ll have a Midori Sour, and… Can you recommend something for my friend here? It’s his first time trying cocktails!”

“A menu recommendation… Got it. Could you tell me what you like and how you’re feeling today?”

Looking at the tired face and the shoulders slumped with exhaustion, as if strongly advocating, ‘I want to go home,’ I almost wanted to serve him an Earthquake to send him off, but… it was his first experience, wasn’t it?

Considering the nature of the harpy species, it was uncertain if she would return to the bar, but leaving a good memory for everyone would be ideal.

With my arms crossed, I waited for the harpy to speak up.

“Soft, I want something soft. Since I’m usually fierce, I want to be a bit gentle…”

“Come to think of it, among the harpy traits, wasn’t there something about being fierce and nasty in temperament?”

“Yes, yes… Ah, I don’t want to be like that, but I keep getting fierce during the day…”

As someone who has never experienced a harpy’s daytime behavior, it will forever remain unknown to me.

Listening to the harpy’s order, I briefly pondered and then recalled one cocktail.

…Honestly, if you want a soft feeling, isn’t this the safest and best choice? It’s also recommended for beginners as a cocktail.

“ , would you like to try it? It has a coffee milk flavor, so the aversion shouldn’t be too strong.”

“S-Sure. I’ll have that, please.”

“Okay, just wait a moment, I’ll make it for you soon.”

Refreshing and sweet, mixing cider for a fizzy sensation in , and the smooth feeling of coffee milk in .

Both cocktails are easy to make, so I quickly prepared them and served them to the guest.

“Here are the cocktails you ordered~”

“Wow, they look great! Let me take a picture… Hey! Wait a minute! What if you gulp it down already?!”

“S-Sorry. My throat was really dry… But this is really delicious.”

Whether it was the or not, the harpy drank it down like coffee milk, making gulping sounds.

In no time, she finished a glass and let out a strange moan before collapsing on the table.

And then.

“Ugh… I want to beat up the delivery guy, damn it…”

Unexpectedly… she started sobbing uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face.

Is this all from just drinking this? It’s only 5% alcohol?

I was momentarily taken aback, but comforting the customer’s worries is also part of the bartender’s job.

…Actually, it’s just to calm her down in case she starts causing a ruckus with those sharp claws.

Anyway.

I began counting the feathers scattered on the table, listening to the worries of the harpy… no, the harpy working as a delivery person.

I hope her drinking habits don’t lead to trouble.