Welcome to the Café of the Dark Guild’s Successor - Chapter 26

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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A café operated by the heir to the Dark Guild.
Chapter 26
“Me? There’s no way.”
I’d never felt disappointment from another person in my entire life.
It made no sense.
My throat was dry, so I grabbed the glass of water in front of me and drained it in greedy gulps.
“Eat something.”
“Just watching you eat makes me full, Rosia.”
“That’s not how it works. You only get full when you actually put food in your mouth.”
I stabbed a piece of salad with my fork and stuffed it into Cayden’s mouth, expression unreadable.
We continued eating like that.
As the food gradually disappeared and empty plates began to accumulate, I mumbled something in passing.
“If the temple work gets too hard, tell me. I can take you on as my assistant.”
“Really? It’s a tempting offer… but maybe I’d consider something other than an assistant.”
“Like what?”
Cayden wiped the corner of my mouth with a napkin as I chewed the last remaining tomato, then laughed.
“Something like a husband?”
I was just beginning to furrow my brow at this strange comment when there came a sharp knock at the door.
I’d sensed someone’s approach earlier, but figured it was probably someone who’d wandered in by mistake, so I’d ignored it.
“One moment.”
When I opened the door, there stood the man who’d visited a few days ago and eaten sweet potato, along with another man who appeared to be his companion.
“You remember me, right? I stopped by the other day. Could we get a meal?”
The man’s gaze drifted past my shoulder to the table where Cayden and I had just finished eating.
But since we’d only just finished, there was nothing but empty plates.
“We just finished everything. Come back tomorrow.”
As I tried to close the door, one of them jammed his foot into the gap while the other shoved his arm in without hesitation.
“P-please, wait!”
“Couldn’t you make us a drink, at least?”
I’d used up all my ingredients for the Knights Order today, so I couldn’t make any beverages.
“No. I can’t.”
Despite my clear answer, the two showed no sign of giving up—they were practically on their knees, pleading.
“We’re really terribly hungry. You know there’s nowhere else around here, right? I brought a friend today too. Anything would do, as long as we could eat something… wouldn’t it work out?”
“Rosia, I’ll go back to the temple and fetch something.”
Cayden, listening from behind, felt sorry for them and stood up from his chair.
“Wait.”
I didn’t much care for people who pushed their way in so brazenly, but suddenly I remembered the stew I’d made earlier.
I figured it wouldn’t hurt to sell what I’d gathered intending to throw away, so I opened the door wide.
“Sit down.”
The two settled quietly at a table. While I warmed up the pot, they began chatting openly with Cayden.
“Are you two a couple? When I stopped by a few days ago, the owner was alone.”
“Does it look that way?”
Rather than deny it, Cayden simply smiled broadly and went along with it.
“Yes, you make quite a charming young couple.”
“How did young people like you end up running a place like this?”
Instead of answering, Cayden gazed at the two with a benevolent smile and turned the question back on them.
“You believe in God, don’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Since we’ve met like this, it must be fate. Shall we say a prayer first?”
Watching the two become flustered at the sudden solemnity, I ladled the stew from the vigorously boiling pot.
But the stew that had looked fine until moments ago had now turned a vivid blue.
‘Is it because of the mushrooms?’
I tilted my head, recalling that the mushroom pattern had been blue, but I had nothing else to give them.
When I set the generous bowls on the table, the two—who were about to start praying as Cayden had suggested—both brightened at once.
But as soon as they looked at the stew, their faces darkened.
“W-what is this?”
“Onion Mushroom Soup.”
One of them stirred the soup with a spoon, then immediately wore a suspicious expression.
“Is there really only onion and mushroom in it?”
“I’m not in a position to be questioned, but… the color really is quite strange, isn’t it?”
I furrowed my brow. First they were desperate for anything to eat, now they were complaining.
“It only has wholesome ingredients. All wild-harvested from around here. If you’re not going to eat it, get out.”
When I reached to take the soup back, the two exchanged glances, then picked up their spoons and began eating.
But their expressions gradually hardened. After swallowing a few more spoonfuls, one of them suddenly dropped his spoon.
“Something’s… wrong…”
“The taste is… ugh!”
The other man set down his spoon and clutched at his throat, choking.
“W-water! Please… water…!”
While they kicked up a fuss, I matter-of-factly fetched water and put it in their hands.
But they couldn’t even drink it—they simply fell from their chairs and collapsed to the side, convulsing.
“Ugh.”
“Blegh…!”
The two men, retching violently, began glaring at me with ashen faces.
“How did you… know our identity? Kgh.”
Their absurd accusation made my expression twist.
“I have no idea. How would I know who you are?”
“You were… waiting to assassinate us… infiltrating all the way here? Setting a trap? Going undercover?”
“Give us… the antidote… now…!”
Anyone seeing this would think I’d deliberately poisoned them.
Watching these two men spout nonsense, I crossed my arms tightly.
“I didn’t put any poison in it. It’s just plain onion soup with wild mushrooms on the side, okay?”
They were treating the food I’d personally gathered and spent time cooking as if it were poisoned, which was starting to annoy me.
That was when it happened.
One of the men writhing on the floor suddenly shoved his hand into his chest and hurled a knife at me.
I, of course, smoothly sidestepped it.
“Rosia! Danger!!”
Cayden rushed over and wrapped his arms around me, but the knife had already passed.
“Are you all right? You’re not hurt?”
“I’m fine. But hiding weapons? What kind of people are these?”
As if that had been their last resort, both men lost consciousness, foam bubbling from their mouths.
“My food is that potent?”
While I stood there bemused, Cayden approached them and checked for a pulse at their necks.
“They’re still alive.”
Cayden took a small spoonful of the stew they’d eaten and sniffed it.
“Surely not…”
Cayden’s eyes widened. He looked at me with trembling pupils and asked quietly.
“Rosia, what exactly was this wild mushroom you mentioned?”
“It had blue markings. I threw out the rest in the kitchen corner.”
As Cayden examined the leftover ingredients I’d set aside to discard, his hands began to tremble.
“Did the mushroom have a sweet smell to it?”
“It did.”
The moment I finished speaking, Cayden grabbed a water bottle and began pouring it directly into the unconscious men’s mouths.
“Is something wrong?”
“It’s a Poison Mushroom. An extremely potent variety. This region has a rare species that grows nowhere else.”
Cayden threw the now-empty water bottle to the ground and turned back to me.
“Rosia, you didn’t eat any of it, did you? If you had, you couldn’t possibly be standing here fine.”
Well… I had tasted it quite a few times while cooking.
Flustered, I averted my eyes from Cayden’s and cleared my throat.
“I didn’t eat any.”
“Really? Look me in the eye and say it. You can’t lie to a priest. God will be angry.”
Ugh. Using God in a moment like this seemed like overkill.
Unable to pile on more sins, I finally admitted the truth.
“Fine, I had a tiny bit… just tasting while I seasoned it.”
“Rosia! You can’t eat wild mushrooms without checking them first. And you live in the forest without knowing that?”
For the first time, Cayden raised his voice and scolded me.
I honestly felt it was unfair, so I shot him a look.
‘I’m fine, aren’t I?’
Even if there was poison, I was okay, so I’d gathered the mushrooms without any special verification.
But seeing how grave and worried Cayden’s expression had become, I couldn’t bring myself to argue.
“…I’ll be careful next time.”
“Please. If you’re curious whether something’s edible, ask me. Always.”
Cayden brought a fresh water bottle, his expression taut with suppressed anger, and filled a cup to the brim.
“Drink it.”
Unfamiliar with Cayden’s seriousness, I simply did as told and drank.
Once I’d finished the water, he took both my hands firmly in his own.
“I’ll use Holy Power.”
“I’m fine. Use it on them instead.”
“What matters to me is you, Rosia.”
Cayden gently cradled my hands and closed his eyes, beginning to pray.
I stood dumbly waiting, alternating my gaze between his long eyelashes and his hands, from which light was flowing.
After a moment, the light faded.
“How do you feel?”
“Mm, it’s warm?”
“That’s all?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t feel energy surging through your body, or feel refreshed, or healed at all?”
“Not at all. My hands are just warm. Like they’ve been held near a fireplace.”
At my response, Cayden tilted his head, puzzled.
“It seems the poisoning wasn’t severe after all. That’s fortunate, but… normally with this much Holy Power, one would feel a distinct difference. It’s strange that it had no effect.”

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