Our Cafe is Open as Usual - Chapter 30
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 30
Two pupils move busily.
Once to look at the young lady who came to visit.
Another time to look at the Quest window that appeared.
The pupils that had been rolling around diligently soon fixed on one place.
‘If it’s content that changed here and now…’
There’s only one action I can take.
I put my hands together and welcomed her warmly.
“Welcome, customer. You came yesterday too, didn’t you?”
“…Did you see me?”
“Of course! You ordered ice cream. Since you’re such an uncommon young lady customer, I remembered you.”
“…Mmm.”
The girl seemed shy as she slightly lowered her head. Then she clasped her hands together and spoke quietly.
“I’m Ashe Viola. I’m happy that you remember me.”
“And I’m Bill, the coachman who serves Miss Ashe. I work at the Viola Baron’s estate.”
It was a trembling voice.
It was so small that it could barely be heard properly. If it weren’t for the coachman standing behind the girl, I might have missed her name.
More than that.
‘She really is a noble.’
The clothes she wore and her way of speaking. Her gestures and attitude had already led me to deduce this fact. Even the system had subtly informed me that this girl was a noble.
Nevertheless, being directly introduced as a noble felt somewhat strange.
It felt like directly witnessing an insurmountable class difference right before my eyes.
Wasn’t there a term that was popular for a while?
‘Golden spoon…’
This is something you have to be born with.
In other words, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that fate decides for you.
‘I’m someone who lacks that damn luck too much.’
I’ve struggled quite a bit.
That doesn’t mean I consider my life unhappy. If I thought that way, I wouldn’t have been able to live properly.
‘Still, what’s enviable is enviable.’
Since I’m a commoner here too.
I looked at Ashe while feeling strange emotions.
When there was no reaction from me, the girl was fidgeting with her hands. After clearing my throat briefly, I answered Ashe.
“I’m also happy to meet you again. How should I, um, address you?”
“Oh! Please just call me Ashe comfortably! I don’t care about such things.”
“Then may I call you Miss Ashe?”
“Yes!”
Ashe bounced up and down just a little bit in place. She was so happy that I called her name that even her cheeks were flushed.
Seeing her like that, she was unmistakably a child.
Well, nobles are people too. I briefly reflected on the moment when I was unknowingly full of prejudice.
I bent down to match the child’s eye level. Then the girl opened her eyes wide and stepped back one step.
Round and round. The girl’s big pupils rolled around.
Then they stopped while being filled with me.
“Then how should I address you, sir? Boss?”
“Just call me Lailah simply.”
“Really? May I call you by your name?”
“Of course. We’re going to become very close from now on. You’re going to be a regular at Yonggari Cafe, our Miss Ashe.”
The girl’s head nodded vigorously. It was so intense that the coachman Bill cleared his throat with a cough. Ashe, who had finally calmed down, straightened her posture again.
“Then I’ll show you to a seat first. Ah, would the ice cream you had yesterday be fine for your order?”
“Yes! And please give Bill a cup of coffee.”
“Understood. It’ll be ready soon, so please wait just a moment.”
As soon as I finished speaking, Ashe walked quickly to an empty table. Even before I could guide her.
Meanwhile, I smiled faintly while watching the girl sit with her back straight.
‘A child is still a child.’
How cute.
It felt just like looking at a younger sister. I entered the kitchen with a pleased smile.
My expression instantly became serious.
“So right now, Miss Ashe is my only hope?”
Just one week.
Within that time, I need to invite three nobles.
While running the cafe too.
‘…I definitely need to hire someone.’
I need someone to make drinks instead of me.
Right now, I’m the only one who can make drinks, so if I leave the cafe, business stops.
But I can’t leave my post. How could I abandon a cafe that just officially opened a day ago?
A drop in reputation would be better.
Lowered reputation can be raised by any means necessary, but a cafe in the outskirts that loses customers… would go straight down the path to closure.
‘I’ll write a job posting today and put it up at the counter.’
For now, I’ll focus on Ashe.
‘If I could just invite Ashe’s family, wouldn’t that fill three people?’
If there are no unfortunate circumstances, both parents should be alive, right…?
I should casually ask about this while serving the ice cream. And what else should I ask?
While organizing questions diligently in my head, I prettily served the ice cream in a teacup.
‘At least it’s fortunate she came during the leisurely lunch hour.’
Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been time to talk.
As usual, people flocked in as soon as I opened the cafe at 10 o’clock. Even when there were no seats, they said they’d spread mats and drink in the yard… which gave me a headache.
But since the cafe doesn’t sell meals, people had to leave.
Even now, several customers were filling the hall. But the only order I needed to process right now was Ashe’s.
So there’s relatively plenty of time.
I came out to the hall holding ice cream in one hand and coffee for Bill in the other.
“Hyu really likes children, doesn’t he?”
Hyu was performing tricks on the table where Ashe was sitting. He seemed to be playing with the girl while chattering away.
I approached them and set the teacups down on the table.
Ashe, who had already tasted the ice cream, gulped down her saliva. Bill also sent expectant glances at the coffee.
“Then please enjoy!”
As soon as I finished speaking, they each took a taste. Ashe became happy and Bill became drowsy.
I shrugged my shoulders and casually joined them at the table.
“But is it okay for you to come this far out?”
“Ah, um… Father doesn’t know yet. But! Father will come to this place.”
“…Hm?”
Who’s coming?
My pupils shook mercilessly. Only Hyu seemed to notice this fact as he quietly climbed onto my hand.
However, Ashe, unaware of my reaction, spoke brightly.
“I’m running away from home right now. Father scolded me for coming here yesterday. He said there would be talk from the surroundings…”
“…There’s talk?”
“Mmm… Actually…”
Ashe carefully told me what she had heard from her father.
About Yonggari Cafe’s reputation in high society right now.
‘So it’s half people who like it, half people who dislike it…’
But the influence of those who dislike it is stronger?
So that’s why Ashe’s Father is in a difficult situation?
‘But Ashe is here…?’
It seems like I’ve ruined the first impression from the start. What should I do? I blinked rapidly. No matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn’t think of a way to handle this.
It was because I could all too easily imagine how I must look to Ashe’s Father right now.
‘What am I going to do about this?’
I was in a bind.
Just moments ago, I had been thinking of drawing Ashe and her family into the tea party. But if the situation was going to get this complicated… I needed to change my plan.
Let’s persuade Father and boost Yonggari Cafe’s reputation!
Yes, this is the only method left.
If even this fails, the chances of clearing the Main Quest become slim.
The only nobles I could invite were Parhan, Lord Valter, and Lord Lev…
‘When I met them before to get the wreath message, they looked incredibly busy.’
They had said they would continue to be busy for a while.
So it was difficult to ask them to make time. And I couldn’t keep relying on just them forever.
‘This is the point where I need new connections…’
I’m really screwed.
I chewed on my lips nervously. While I was screaming internally, Ashe finished her ice cream with a happy expression.
The girl, who had been looking wistfully at her empty teacup, turned to look at me.
“Would it be possible to order more, Lailah?”
“…Of course!”
“Wow! If it’s okay with you, Lailah, I’d like to spend the whole day here today!”
Her voice was full of excitement.
And behind that voice.
“Ashe Viola, what are you doing here?”
A suppressed low voice followed.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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