Our Cafe is Open as Usual - Chapter 33
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Episode 33
After I accepted the tea party invitation, the Viola father and daughter began to truly enjoy the cafe among themselves.
Whether it was because they liked the strawberry latte they first tried, or because they wanted to confirm if the other drinks were made just as well, I don’t know, but they ended up ordering every single drink on the menu.
‘Thank goodness this isn’t a franchise cafe with tons of menu items…!
If this place had been a franchise cafe… wouldn’t it have become famous for drinks made with the cafe owner’s tears?’
I crossed off the items they ordered one by one while barely managing to handle the other customers’ orders as well.
Before I knew it, time had flown by and it was time for the sunset.
The customers headed to the reed field one by one to watch the sunset.
Even the noble who had complained about heavy footsteps was no exception, as Antonio and Ashe also rose from their seats.
I looked around the hall that was gradually emptying and approached them.
“Are you going to watch the sunset?”
“My daughter has been waiting only for the sunset. Bill came here last time and saw it, praising how beautiful it was.”
“Even the God’s representative praised that sunset.”
“Then we must see it before we go.”
Antonio put his silk hat back on and extended his hand to Ashe. Ashe adjusted her dress and then took his hand.
They were such an affectionate father and daughter even upon second glance. I watched them and spoke again.
“There will be many people there.”
“I’m already prepared for that. We’re not the type who always wield our power around.”
“I know. But today I want to escort you personally. For someone who employed me, even if briefly.”
“You certainly have a pleasant way of speaking.”
“I’m something of a businessperson myself.”
Hahaha!
Antonio’s laughter rang out loudly.
“You didn’t train somewhere to develop such eloquence, did you?”
“Should this be considered training?”
It was banter I had learned from working part-time jobs. Just exchanging a word or two with customers and leaving a good impression gave me many ways to appeal to the boss.
‘Just as they say you can’t spit on someone who’s smiling, no one curses at someone who flatters them.
It sounds nice to hear.’
I shrugged my shoulders and guided them. Through the back door attached to the cafe kitchen, which led to a small backyard.
Beyond the backyard fence, the reed field spread out widely.
A fence lower than other places. And in front of it, a small table and chairs.
Surely Basha must have loved watching the sunset from here. I could guess this easily even without Hyu telling me.
‘I separately restored this furniture with a hammer.’
This must be the table and chairs that Basha used personally.
Since I couldn’t show such a space to customers, I had blocked off all paths leading here.
So there was no way there would be customers in this place.
The elevation was slightly higher than the reed field open to customers, so I couldn’t see the customers gathered to watch the sunset either.
This place was perfect for quietly appreciating the sunset.
I remembered what Frizia had told me when I received those well-used partitions earlier.
– Nobles enjoy a private atmosphere.
I had thoroughly utilized even this tip.
“From this spot, you two should be able to enjoy the sunset comfortably.”
“May I really receive such kindness?”
“Of course!”
“Then I won’t decline.”
Antonio and Ashe settled at the backyard table I had guided them to.
Though it was a crude table incomparable to the furniture Frizia had made inside the cafe, they seemed quite pleased with it.
They conversed until just before the reddened sun touched the reed field.
Ashe was mainly the one talking.
Starting with asking if she couldn’t come here tomorrow as well, all the way to suggesting they hire me as the Viola family’s dedicated barista.
Ashe, who had been chattering away like a baby bird, suddenly became quiet at one point.
It was because the golden sunset had approached like wheat-colored waves.
I watched them with satisfaction before returning to the kitchen through the back door. With everyone’s attention focused on the sunset, it was time to rest a little.
Iliyana and Hyu were already sprawled out in a corner of the hall.
I made a drink for each of them, plus one for myself as a bonus, and approached them.
“We’ll close at 8 today. When I tried yesterday, there were no people at that time.”
“That’s really a good choice, Lailah. Working until late hours like yesterday isn’t something humans should do.”
“…Is that so?”
“Of course.”
Iliyana spoke seriously and took a sip of coffee. Since it was coffee that restored 5% energy, I could see her fatigue lifting slightly.
“Even royal maids don’t work this hard. By the way, when will you hire people?”
“I’ll hire them right away. Things have become more urgent than I thought.”
I thought so. Frizia said that with Lailah’s abilities, many people would come looking.”
“Speaking of which, do you know anyone you could recommend? Someone looking for work, or someone who used to work at a cafe…
You’d know more about these kinds of situations than I would, so please look into it for me.”
Iliyana stared at me intently. It was like the persistent gaze of a cat just before hunting its prey.
After looking me over from head to toe, Iliyana quietly spoke.
“If you want to find people who worked at cafes, there would be many. However, they would absolutely not want cafe work.”
“…Why not?”
“Because they’ve already experienced disaster.”
“Disaster?”
“I knew this would happen. I knew Lailah wouldn’t know anything about it.”
Iliyana let out a deep sigh and explained the disaster that had occurred in Jenon Kingdom.
“When the disaster happened 5 years ago, catastrophe struck cafes and pubs. We call it the gods’ curse. Because…”
According to Iliyana’s explanation, it went like this.
Abnormal weather and crop changes that started with a sudden disaster.
Freshly harvested coffee beans would all spoil when roasted, and wheat stored separately in barrels for making beer would rot.
There was clearly nothing wrong with the raw materials themselves, but the moment they were processed to make coffee or beer… mold would grow or terrible odors would arise.
This phenomenon only occurred with ‘beverages.’
When they barely found solutions and tried to act on them, harm would come to those shops. People would suddenly get injured or sick… in severe cases, they even died.
Eventually, all cafes and bars in Jenen Kingdom closed down.
“So it might be difficult to find people. If it’s simple customer service work like what I do, maybe… but if you’re looking for someone to make drinks, it’ll be very difficult.”
Iliyana finished her remaining coffee and stood up. The customers were returning to the cafe one by one as the sunset had completely disappeared.
Iliyana patted my shoulder a couple of times and moved to attend to the customers.
Hyu, who had been quietly listening to my conversation with Iliyana, placed her small hand on mine.
“Master! Don’t worry too much! We’ll be able to find people! And… such things won’t happen at Yonggari Cafe!”
Hyu comforted me brightly and hopefully. However, I couldn’t hear anything.
‘…So that’s why the cafe building was that price initially… and why Millen told me to experience it myself.
That’s why people reacted so strongly to the news of a cafe opening…’
Realization hit me all at once.
Customers who had come once would never visit ‘Yonggari Cafe’ again, thinking they might get caught up in disaster.
The nobles who viewed me unfavorably must also be because of the disaster. It was a disaster that even they, as nobles, couldn’t overcome.
Yet here I was, a mere commoner, fearlessly opening a cafe, so they must have found it irritating.
“Even Ashe suggesting so easily that she hire me as a barista…”
I stopped thinking for a moment.
“Ha, haha…”
This is really hardcore.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————