episode_0051

Before long, the clock hands point to 9 o’clock.

The bartender absentmindedly gazes at the storefront and lets out a deep sigh.

“Today, no one is coming for real…”

At the melancholic sound, Anna glances at Siho briefly.

She tilts her head like a cat pretending not to know after causing trouble.

Siho, accustomed to her poker face by now, needles her unnecessarily.

“How long are you all going to stay here? I saw you taking medicine.”

“Just so. We’re leaving now.”

Anna gets up from her chair.

Juksa also rises to follow Anna.

“I have a company dinner to attend today, so I should leave too.”

She adjusts her collar with red eyes.

As she heads out, she puts a cigarette in her mouth.

“Light it up for me outside.”

“Don’t nag. Why aren’t you calling me ‘unni’ again today?”

Juksa persistently asks as she strolls around the hall.

Siho, caught off guard, jerks her head up as if stabbed in the chest.

“I told you not to say that…”

Muttering, Siho watches Juksa walk away with a smile.

As she exits, she stops abruptly, reminiscing about something.

“Back then, things were going well…”

Her murmurs make the bartender’s face flush red.

“Hurry, get out! I couldn’t even sell a single drink today because of you…”

The petite bartender pushes the two lionesses out.

They reluctantly step outside as if they can’t win against this.

After the two killers completely leave, Siho finally breathes a sigh of relief.

“Why are you sitting here burning up?”

“I’m too lazy to run. Give me a ride, you bitch.”

“Kick rocks.”

Outside, the banter between the two lionesses fades away.

When the noise is out of earshot, Siho leisurely returns to the counter.

“Did they all leave?”

Jiwuk peeks his weary face out from the kitchen.

He looks pale, spurred by the energy of the two women.

“Yes, they left.”

“You rested for a few days due to illness, when did you become friends?”

Jiwuk shivers slightly, finding the recent situation unbelievable.

It’s a normal reaction without anything special.

“That’s true.”

Siho chuckles bitterly while wiping spilled Kim Let.

The greenish liquor stains the cloth.

The bartender stares blankly at the sticky cloth.

Was my Kim Let really that bad?

She ponders whether there was an issue with her bartending skills.

There was nothing wrong with the recipe itself.

Perhaps it was a matter of detail.

Thinking back, using illness as an excuse, she couldn’t even make garnishes or properly chill the glasses.

As Jikil pointed out, the quality had indeed dropped.

She suddenly recalls her aching body and looks down at herself.

Her more sensitive and enlarged chest involuntarily wrinkles her face.

Although she managed to shake off the weakness in her mind, her body had not fully recovered.

To rid herself of that day’s memory, Siho vigorously shakes her head as if insane.

Her enlarged chest mocks her from within the apron.

Jiwuk quietly observes her and asks, “Hey, Siho.”

“Yes?”

“It might be a sensitive question, but…”

Scratching his chin, Jiwuk blushes.

“Did you go to the hospital for surgery?”

Siho grins awkwardly at the sudden mention of “surgery.”

Prompted further by Jiwuk, she blushes even more.

“Lately, with the atmosphere… things seem to have changed a lot…”

Tears well up in Siho’s eyes at the senior’s honest words.

Though she tried not to show it, everyone was aware of her changing body.

Feeling exposed, Siho is embarrassed.

To add to her discomfort, Jiwuk delivers the final blow.

“Especially your eyes seem prettier. Have they elongated sideways? My girlfriend is quite interested in it too…”

“Senior.”

Siho interrupts Jiwuk quietly.

He tenses at the darkening tone of the bartender’s voice.

“Yes…?”

“Instead of asking about that stuff, why don’t you go chop some onions!”

Siho exclaims, clenching her fists.

Startled, the senior apologizes and quickly hides in the kitchen.

“Men, seriously.”

Siho muttered to himself without realizing it.

Then, as he grasped the meaning of his words, he slapped his cheek hard.

Pull yourself together.

Don’t forget who you are.

I’m a former military reconnaissance unit member!

Even if my body has changed strangely, it will all get better with just taking medicine…

The doctor said I would definitely get better.

He continues to hint at himself.

But Siho already knew.

Today is the last day of the medicine he has been taking for a week.

The daily dose of medicine didn’t bring about any dramatic effects in the end.

The clock’s hands soon pointed to 10 o’clock.

During that time, Siho turned on the TV out of boredom.

On the screen was news comparing the level of the Hunter Association in Korea with associations from around the world.

There were significant differences in levels between the associations, with the news emphasizing that the American association was overwhelmingly superior to Korea.

Gigas, colossal monsters like those in the Empire State Building.

And even Mine, who destroyed a city with a single gesture, despite being as small as a child.

To deal with such monsters, the U.S. has raised as many as 2000 Rankers.

Due to their high level, they were often dispatched to other countries.

Rankers sent overseas are usually ranked around 80th in skill compared to their domestic ranking of 800th.

“Wow, so from the U.S. ranking 10th onwards, they’re all at the level of the top ranker in other countries.”

Siho wiped a glass as if watching a fantasy movie.

He, who only earned rent and wanted to become a Hunter, had somehow become an ordinary bartender, marveling at the news.

The bartender then picked up the remote control.

While watching the top 100 Rankers in the U.S., he turned off the screen.

Because he heard the sound of the front door opening from afar.

“—.”

The bartender prepares himself inwardly to greet the guest.

Soon, a woman with black hair neatly tied to one side enters the counter.

She walked with a soft loafer sound every step she took in a simple suit.

Her face seemed mysterious and mixed-race, half like Anna, but unlike her sharp leopard-like features, she had a neat rabbit-like appearance.

“Welcome. I’m Moment–.”

Siho greets the first guest with a big smile.

However, despite the bright bartender’s greeting, the woman’s expression remained dark.

She just sighed deeply and sat at the counter.

Seeing her like that, Siho couldn’t help but tense up involuntarily.

“Hello…”

The woman muttered, avoiding eye contact with Siho.

For her, the bartender politely clasped his hands and asked, “Do you have a specific menu you’re looking for?”

The woman stared blankly into space.

Her large eyes had deep dark circles, indicating fatigue.

“I don’t really know much about alcohol.”

It was an awkward question.

Someone coming to a bar saying they don’t know much about alcohol.

Siho paused for a moment in thought.

Recently, he made a promise to himself.

Unless absolutely necessary, he vowed not to read others’ memories recklessly.

Instead, he decided to ask honestly.

“How are you feeling today?”

“My mood? As you can see, not very good. It’s been tough lately…”

The woman muttered, resting her chin on the table.

Soon, as if she had made up her mind, she opened her mouth.

“Just give me something strong. Something sour and strong to help me snap out of it.”

At her request, Siho raised the corners of his mouth.

That clue was enough.

An excellent choice.

Typically, when women feel bad, they look for something spicy and stimulating.

Alcohol is no different.

When you’re feeling dirty, something strong and intense helps.

Of course, Siho prides himself on not liking spicy things.

But she doesn’t know.

Recently, he had some delicious tteokbokki near his home.

“Well then, let me prepare that for you.”

Siho bent down and took out lime juice.

Earlier, he had failed with Kimlet and now planned to try a different version.

While preparing for a moment, the female guest observed Siho intently.

She asked the busy bartender, “You’re that wandering merchant, right? Selling potions…”

“Uh… that’s true, but I’ve been busy lately, so I haven’t been able to sell much.”

Shiho was curious about how the woman knew about that incident.

Certainly, she wasn’t among the people he had met at that time.

“Do you happen to remember Se-ah?”

“Se-ah…?”

How could he forget her?

She was always spirited at parties but more dedicated than anyone else.

She was the girl who gave him the wolf ear item for free.

“Of course I remember. She was the one who used fire abilities.”

“Se-ah recommended this bar to me.”

Thanks to that, Shiho could roughly guess what kind of person she was.

Probably an academy instructor or staff member.

“Is Se-ah doing well? Come to think of it, I haven’t seen her around lately.”

“Yes. She’s been promoted from the remedial class to the elite class.”

The woman, who had been quite melancholic, brightened up at the mention of Se-ah.

Her expression was proud, as if boasting about her own daughter.

“It’s amazing. An kid who was always gloomy and had poor grades is now so cheerful…”

She chattered energetically, her face no longer clouded with sadness just by talking about her student.

Setting aside his bottle for a moment, Shiho listened to the woman’s story.

News of Se-ah also brought joy to her.

“She didn’t hesitate to use any means to win. Even in sparring matches between students, she would throw fireballs. It was the first time I saw such desperation.”

A flash appeared in the woman’s eyes.

As if reminiscing about the fight back then, she excitedly recounted Se-ah’s feats.

“Korean hunters need that kind of desperation.”

“Nowadays, they’re content just achieving ranks. It’s a situation where they don’t know when another monster might appear.”

The woman smiled bitterly, looking at the bartender.

Then, seeming disappointed with the reality in Korea, she once again wore a melancholic expression.

“So I was curious, who was the bartender who gave courage to the failed child.”

Shiho covered his mouth with the back of his hand, looking embarrassed.

It was a peculiar habit he had developed recently.

“I’m not the impressive figure you expected… I’m sorry.”

As the bartender mumbled, the woman shook her head.

“No, I find you even more intriguing because you seem weak.”

She said in a loud voice, as if praising him.

Though the comment about appearing weak stung Shiho a bit, he decided to take it as a compliment for now.

“Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, didn’t I?”

The woman reached into her jacket pocket.

Soon, she pulled out a business card and handed it to Shiho.

Occupation: Academy Remedial Class Instructor.

Information: A hunter dispatched from the American Association to Korea.

“Please do tell me too, the secret to giving courage to children!”

This name, where had he seen it before…

Soon, the bartender recalled the news he had seen on TV earlier.

Upon realizing the name on the business card, Shiho’s hand started to tremble slightly.

He had seen the name on the TOP100 list from the United States.

Rankers above 100 in the U.S. were comparable to the TOP10 in a country.

In other words, the woman in front of him was also a TOP10 expert.

Undoubtedly, Lina was a beautiful woman akin to a rabbit.

But among them, she was the strongest American rabbit.