Welcome to the Café of the Dark Guild’s Successor - Chapter 22

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

A café run by the Dark Guild’s successor.
Chapter 22
“You’re not going anywhere! Who the hell are you?”
“And who might you be?”
“Me? I’m Rosia’s one and only sibling.”
Seniel’s voice rose as if she were about to breathe fire, her eyes narrowing at Kaiden.
Yet Kaiden maintained his smile and extended a hand toward her.
“Rosia has a sibling? What an honor. I’m deeply indebted to her.”
“Indebted? Exactly what kind of debt?”
The moment Seniel clasped his hand, Kaiden’s turned bright red. She was definitely applying pressure.
I moved to separate the two of them, but stopped short at what came from Kaiden next.
“We’ve been sleeping together. I plan to again tonight.”
This insane bastard…!
Who says something like that at a time like this? Perfect for misunderstanding!
I swallowed my curse.
It was the first moment I regretted not killing him when I first found him on the sofa.
“Sleeping, yes. We sleep. So right now you two are…”
Murderous intent flashed across Seniel’s eyes. Unable to contain her rage, she grabbed Kaiden by the collar and lifted him off the ground.
“Seniel, calm down. It’s not like that. Let me explain.”
“I’m hoping you have a reason I can accept.”
Even in this predicament, Kaiden lost none of his composure, completely surrendering his body to Seniel’s grip.
He dangled there like a young fawn oblivious to danger, about to be devoured by a beast.
‘Sigh.’
I pressed my forehead and grabbed Kaiden’s arm, dragging him back down to the ground.
“Do you want to see me spinning around? Explain quickly.”
“Exactly as it sounds. All sorts of ghosts started appearing at the Temple and he’s terrified. Couldn’t sleep at all, so I let him stay last time.”
“A Priest afraid of ghosts?”
“Prayer doesn’t work, apparently. He says he only sleeps well here, so I’ve been letting him.”
“That’s total nonsense!”
Seniel’s suspicion hadn’t eased one bit. She glared at Kaiden fiercely.
“I only slept. In my room. Kaiden was on that sofa.”
“Why would you trust an adult man? This is too dangerous. You’re way too naive for your own good.”
Well, if Kaiden tried anything, I’d beat him into submission.
Since I knew I was far stronger, I hadn’t even worried. But from Seniel’s perspective, it probably looked concerning.
“He’s not just any man—he’s a Priest. He wouldn’t see me that way. And wouldn’t having him nearby put your mind at ease too?”
This time it worked.
Seniel, somewhat calmed, sniffed and scrutinized Kaiden from head to toe.
“True enough. They say Priests bind that… part when they enter their training period.”
“That part?”
Following Seniel’s gaze, I looked Kaiden over—and found my eyes stopping at his lower half.
“No, no! Mine is perfectly healthy!”
“Kaiden, please just shut your mouth.”
How did everything that came out of his mouth manage to make things worse?
Seniel looked ready to grab his collar again as she demanded, “You have your Priest Identification Card, don’t you?”
“Yes. Here it is.”
Kaiden produced the Priest Identification Card from his breast. It was the first time I’d seen it, and his affiliation was clearly listed.
Seniel examined his credentials and asked several more questions before pressing her forehead.
“I’d always hoped there’d be someone to protect you. But can this frail Priest really keep you safe?”
“I’m not frail. You must know Priests go through various trials to earn their title.”
I found their exchange utterly dumbfounding.
Honestly, I couldn’t care less who was supposed to protect whom, but since we had to move past this, I forced a smile.
“Look—just move on from this. If you develop any strange feelings for her, know you’ll be torn to shreds by my hands.”
Seniel issued the threat coldly, raising her aura. Sharp wind that could draw blood swept over Kaiden.
“Seniel, that was too much…!”
Certain he’d been hurt, I rushed over in alarm, but—
“Not a scratch.”
Contrary to my expectation, Kaiden stood unmoved, his face still serene.
Without any particular exertion, he simply endured with perfect composure.
His casual resistance, effortless as it was, caught me off guard.
Unlike me, who found it strange, Seniel seemed relieved that Kaiden wasn’t entirely weak and murmured as much.
I seized the moment while Seniel’s guard was down and smoothly changed the subject.
“By the way, Seniel, what brings you here at this hour?”
Only then did the reason for her visit seem to occur to her, and she scratched the back of her head.
“I came nearby for training.”
“Training? Alone?”
“No. The elite members of our Black Eagle Knights.”
“Where are they all?”
“We’ve set up a Campsite not far from here. I just slipped away for a moment.”
Hearing that the entire Black Eagle Knights had come to train—something I’d been curious about—my eyes lit up.
“Did you pick this location?”
“No, Bidler did. Isn’t that strange?”
Regardless of why Bidler chose this place for training, it was a good opportunity to directly assess the Knights’ strength.
“How about you? Have you had any guests these past few days?”
“One came and went.”
“Really? That’s impressive!”
Though calling a shipwreck survivor a “guest” seemed questionable, they did pay and eat, so it counted.
Seniel was thrilled at the news that we’d already had a visitor, as if it were her own success.
“Tomorrow I’ll bring the Knights here. With so many of them, the sales will be solid.”
“How am I supposed to manage that? I don’t have anything to sell them.”
I realized far too late that I should have developed a menu instead of just putting up an “Open” sign.
Since I’d never seriously intended to run a business, I’d forgotten the most essential part.
“Just make something. Since you have no talent for cooking, you were going to sell drinks, right?”
“That was the plan.”
“How about water then? Refreshing, invigorating water!”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
The Spring Water here really was the finest I’d ever tasted.
I marveled at it every day, so selling it might actually work.
“That would be fraud.”
“How is it fraud if I’m selling water as water?”
Kaiden and Seniel bickered—the Priest’s conscience apparently unwilling to allow it.
“I have a good idea.”
Kaiden suddenly raised his hand.
“What is it?”
“You’re out of this. This is between her and me.”
I playfully shut Seniel out and gestured to Kaiden to continue.
“There are many trees with delicious berries nearby. If we use those…”
Kaiden wasn’t just good at cooking—he knew this area far better than I did.
He explained that he’d been gathering most of the ingredients for the dishes he made from the forest.
Before long, even Seniel—who’d been skeptical of him—began listening intently. After putting our heads together for a while, a recipe for drinks to sell had taken shape.
***
Seniel returned to the Campsite at dawn, and Kaiden, who had slept on the sofa, quietly left before sunrise.
I set out early myself to gather ingredients for the drinks.
The drink recipe had two varieties.
A Strawberry juice with crushed Rileina Herb for a bitter tang, and a Lime juice with Lime slices and fresh Apple Mint leaves.
“She said about ten people, so this should be more than enough.”
Looking at the basket on my arm, brimming with freshly picked Strawberries and Limes, along with herbs and leaves for the recipe, I felt satisfied.
I’d washed all the ingredients thoroughly in the Valley water and collected plenty of Spring Water for the drinks.
With all the preparations done, I returned to the Cottage and placed the ingredients on the cutting board.
I reached for a knife to prep the Limes and Strawberries, and the sharp tingle against my palm made me flinch for a moment.
“It’s been so long since I handled a blade.”
My specialty since childhood had been the Short Sword Technique. Though I usually worked with larger swords than a knife, that familiar sensation returned from the similar curve.
“…Did I concentrate too hard? Well, it doesn’t matter.”
Before I knew it, my hands were moving with practiced precision, and I’d peeled the Lime skin impossibly thin.
Admiring the perfectly separated flesh, I began slicing the leaves I’d collected into neat pieces.
Beautiful presentation makes for beautiful eating, after all. Once I’d stacked the sliced leaves, they formed an elegant rose-like garnish.
I’d finished prepping all the ingredients in a flash and shook out my hands.
With nothing left to do, I leaned against the sofa for a brief rest.
After some time had passed, I felt the presence of several people crossing the Barrier Stone.
I walked to the window and opened it wide, and a lively commotion reached my ears.
“Rosia!”
“Rosia, I’m here.”
Seniel and Orbis came waving cheerfully toward the window.
While greeting them, I quickly surveyed the elite Black Eagle Knights appearing behind them.
Fresh from training, they were all shirtless.
‘Well-disciplined bodies.’
Every single one had a toned, well-muscled frame with no one lagging behind.
The moment I leaned forward to see more clearly, someone abruptly stepped into my line of sight.
“I’m here too.”
It was Bidler, the prince.
Tall as Seniel was, he stood directly before me and blocked my view of the Knights entirely.
I nodded in acknowledgment and angled my head to the side to avoid him.
Bidler promptly shifted sideways, deliberately blocking my view again.
At this point, it seemed intentional, so I glanced up at him with a slant.

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