Our Cafe is Open as Usual - Chapter 6

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 6

“Gasp!”

Before I could even finish reading the contents of the status window, my vision became dizzy. At the same time, the back of my head throbbed and a splitting headache crashed over me.

I had never experienced such a severe headache in my life, and on top of that, my body went completely limp. I couldn’t even properly grasp what was happening.

‘I think I caught a glimpse of words like energy and debuff…’

As if waiting for that moment, another system window appeared.

When energy falls below -%, debuffs will activate.

(Note: Debuffs are cumulative.)

When energy is 5% or below:

-Severe fatigue accompanied by intense headaches will occur.

When energy is 3% or below:

-You will be unable to control your body properly, with a 50% chance of nosebleeds.

When energy is below 1%:

-You will no longer be able to move your body, with a 20% chance of fainting.

*Debuffs can be removed through sleep (07:59:99). They can also be weakened with energy drinks (limited to once per day).

*Energy will not recover with inadequate sleep.

*Additional energy will be granted with perfect sleep.

*If energy depletion (5% or below) occurs 4 times per week, debuffs will be strengthened.

*In severe cases, this may lead to death, so please be careful.

“…Damn, this is crazy.”

Curses came out first.

Shouldn’t you have explained that there were debuffs, you crazy game!

“Hah…”

I let out a long breath and read through the system window floating before my eyes. Looking at the explanation about debuffs, I couldn’t help but hold my forehead.

“This is insane.”

So to summarize that content…

Debuffs start when energy drops to 5% or below.

Debuffs can be offset with 8 hours of proper sleep.

Energy drinks can eliminate debuffs, but there are usage restrictions.

To think it works similarly to reality even in a game… But the most chilling part was still remaining.

‘In severe cases of energy depletion, death.’

…I can’t even jokingly say I’m using my lifespan instead of stamina.

I let out a hollow laugh.

‘…The game is telling me to take care of my health too?’

Though hidden behind the terrifying-sounding word ‘debuff’, it was saying that maintaining 8 hours of sleep would be fine.

‘This is something I could never maintain even in reality…’

Even though the conditions are quite demanding…’

I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them.

“Fine, whatever.”

It’s not like they’re telling me never to sleep! They’re telling me to sleep for 8 whole hours, so I should be grateful instead.

“Then… shall I try getting some good sleep?”

‘Of course, looking at this environment… it’ll probably just amount to the act of ‘sleeping’…’

I looked around for a suitable place to sleep.

Then…

“Hyu, where are you?”

I realized that Hyu was nowhere to be seen.

“I think he said he was going somewhere earlier…?”

I must have been so busy dealing with customers that I couldn’t even remember that properly.

‘I should tell Hyu that I’m going to sleep…’

That way I can handle things if something happens later.

The moment I started looking around in earnest to find Hyu, a sound struck my ears and I nearly collapsed.

Beep-!

!Warning!

!!You have 3% energy remaining!!

-Debuffs will activate.

Please get sleep (07:59:99) immediately.

…No, this is crazy.

Is this speed of energy depletion right?

Indignation rose to the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t voice it.

Thud!

Because my body collapsed straight to the floor.

My whole body ached as if I’d been beaten somewhere. The headache that had been continuing from earlier became even worse, making it difficult to think properly about anything.

Whether I was getting a nosebleed or not, the fishy smell made even my stomach churn.

Gradually my vision blurred, my ears became muffled, and all sounds stretched out as if waterlogged.

In short, it was a total disaster.

‘This won’t do, let me just sleep like this for now.’

I need to save myself first!

Even though this was supposedly a game where my life was on the line, I couldn’t die so pathetically before even starting to run the cafe. To think the cause of death would be energy depletion!

I deliberately took a long breath, then lay down spread-eagle on the floor.

Broken wood fragments poked painfully into my back, but I squeezed my eyes shut. It was time to use my special skill of being able to fall asleep the moment my head touched anything.

Drowsiness gradually poured over me and I became hazy.

That’s when it happened.

“Hey, if you sleep in a place like this, you’ll be mistaken for a corpse.

Oh, are you already a corpse?”

An unfamiliar voice was heard.

Even through the muffled ambient sounds, only that unfamiliar voice was clear.

‘Who the hell is that? Who would enter my cafe without permission? Even if this place is a construction site!

I need to show them the terrifying taste of the law, don’t I?’

But I couldn’t do anything right now.

My closed eyes wouldn’t open. My physical condition had even gotten worse. At this rate, I was going to faint in front of this unidentifiable stranger.

‘…This is troublesome.’

Cold sweat trickled down my spine.

‘Or maybe I should endure just a little longer and make them leave.

I’ll pretend to be a corpse.’

If they wanted to report it, they’d have to leave the cafe. Then, I could muster every ounce of strength and escape to the 2nd floor.

The moment I was devising my plan.

“Hmm, not a corpse. Then just a simple fainting?”

You seem to be conscious though.

The voice, now even clearer, came from right nearby. The stranger pondered for a moment, then spoke again.

“Hey, are you listening? I think I can help you. I happen to have a potion with me.

If you want help, try nodding once. If you can’t trust me, then there’s nothing I can do.”

Right, I can’t trust you.

They say the only things you can trust in this world are yourself and money. I was taught that you shouldn’t even trust blood relatives. So there would be no need to seek help from a stranger.

I stayed still, pretending not to have heard his words. Then more words followed.

“Ah, come to think of it, I don’t have time to wait. I have something to ask you, you see. So I’ll help you for now.”

This kind of thing really doesn’t suit my temperament though.

He muttered quietly, then pressed something cold against my lips.

Even in a situation where I couldn’t open my eyes, I could feel that he was acting quite carelessly.

“It’s an expensive potion, so you must drink it all without leaving any.”

With these words, liquid began seeping through the gap in my lips. Without any chance to refuse.

But this was a familiar taste.

‘…Hot6?’

Was the potion actually an energy drink?

Since it was already in my mouth, I had to swallow it. Actually, it was more accurate to say I didn’t have the strength to spit it out. I barely managed to swallow the liquid pooled in my mouth.

Then.

You have used an Energy Potion and recovered 50% of your energy.

Current Energy: 55%

The pain I felt throughout my body and the splitting headache disappeared as if washed away. My eyes even snapped wide open.

“Huff!”

I gasped for breath like someone who had just returned from the afterlife. While doing so, I rolled my eyes around to get a look at the stranger who had given me the potion.

And I was able to spot him.

The stranger who was crouched right beside me, observing me.

Shimmering silver hair dyed by the rising morning sun and blue eyes that held a cold air.

Cool and sharp features that matched them.

A man wearing a navy cloak, looking as if he had been roughly carved from a massive glacier, was looking down at me.

It was a very indifferent gaze.

“…”

Just making eye contact with him made me feel overwhelmed. It wasn’t overwhelming in a bad sense.

‘It’s like he’s on a different level than me.’

More than that, there was no NPC with that appearance among the game screenshots I had seen.

Both Leilah Token, who I had possessed, and that man in front of me.

…What the hell is going on?

As I quietly stared at him, he stood up from his position.

“If you’ve come to your senses, stop staring and get up now.”

“Ah.”

“More importantly, aren’t you going to say thanks? Something like ‘thank you for helping me,’ or how you’re going to pay for the potion.”

‘Huh?’

After getting up and dusting off my clothes, I blinked. I was planning to thank him for helping.

But asking for payment for the potion? After forcing me to drink it?

Meeting my bewildered gaze, he smiled smoothly.

“Ah, don’t worry. Since I forced you to drink the potion, I’ll accept payment in gold. I’m thorough about these calculations.

About 200 gold should do.”

He held up two fingers and shrugged his shoulders. He also added that there’s no such thing as free help.

‘Right, there’s no such thing as free in this world.’

It was actually easier to deal with someone who was upfront like this. I smiled wryly and pulled out 200 gold from my pocket.

It did hurt to have to give away money I had earned through such hardship.

“First, thank you for helping me. Although it wasn’t the kind of help I wanted, I’ll pay for the potion. Calculations should be thorough, after all.”

“Good mindset.”

He smiled with satisfaction as he took the 200 gold.

‘My precious money!’

I smiled while gritting my teeth, feeling my now-empty pocket.

“By the way, who are you? I’m Leilah Token. I’m the owner of this cafe.”

“Ah, then you’re Basha’s granddaughter?”

“You know me?”

He stared at me intently for a moment, then chuckled.

“Of course. You’re my business here.”

…What did you say?

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————