Welcome to the Café of the Dark Guild’s Successor - Chapter 7

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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 run by the Dark Guild’s heir.
Episode 7
Orbis lowered the fingers he’d been holding formally over his eyes and pulled Rosia away by the shoulder with a grin plastered across his face.
“Come on, we should go. This isn’t the atmosphere for a third wheel.”
“Actually, we really should be intruding—oof!”
In an instant, Orbis and Rosia vanished as the door shut with a bang.
Bidler, his nerve rattled, withdrew his hand from Seniel’s collar and took a step back, smoothing his clothes.
“Why did your sister show up at such a crucial moment?”
You understood I said ‘elder sister,’ didn’t you? Don’t read anything into it. And don’t jump to conclusions either.”
Bidler lowered his long lashes and exhaled a heavy sigh.
“She’s really that precious to you?”
“Yes. She’s the most precious person to me. Precious enough to trade my life for.”
Seniel spoke with more sincerity than ever before.
At the sight of her, Bidler’s pupils grew still and dark.
“Come to the Capital for now. There’s something I need to investigate. We’ll think about your leave after that.”
Bidler exhaled in exasperation and left the room roughly.
***
I stood in the Garden, anxiously waiting for the man who claimed to be Seniel’s superior to leave the Mansion.
“What was that about?”
The two of them had seemed remarkably intimate. The distance between them and the look in their eyes didn’t match that of a superior and subordinate.
‘He said I was his. And obedience? What does he mean by that? Would an ordinary superior say such things?’
As Orbis dragged me out, I’d asked him again about the man, but he said he couldn’t tell me anything.
Shortly after, the red-eyed man and his companion came out through the Mansion’s door together.
He deliberately approached where I was standing and spoke to me.
“I can’t be fooled by Seniel’s denial. Are you trying to cling to my subordinate now that you’re here? How dare you approach one of my people?”
He was even displaying possessiveness over Seniel toward me.
Though absurd, I found myself meeting his gaze with an even calmer stare.
“What exactly are you thinking?”
“What?”
“You’re ignoring Seniel’s opinion. Are you crushing her with your power? Or do you have some kind of leverage over her?”
At my measured questioning, the man’s eyes turned colder.
His blood-red eyes fixed on me with something chilling in their gaze.
I considered whether I should pretend to be afraid, but instead I held his gaze unflinching, a warning that he shouldn’t lay a hand on Seniel.
Seeing that I didn’t shrink back, he wore an expression of surprise and stepped closer.
“Seniel owes me a debt. She’s been repaying it diligently by my side—with her body.”
“With her body?! What does that even—?”
His ambiguous words struck me like a blow, and my pupils dilated with shock.
My mind couldn’t parse the meaning, and as my lips parted, the man passed by me with an expression that said he’d known exactly what I’d do.
That evening.
Today, venison that Orbis had apparently caught himself in the forest was the main course.
But my hand wouldn’t move.
My mind was full of that man’s words—that Seniel was repaying her debt with her body.
‘What could he possibly mean?’
As I stared blankly at the meat, Seniel picked up a knife in my stead and cut it for me, asking,”
“What’s wrong? You look like something’s on your mind.”
“Who was that person earlier? He looked like a nobleman.”
“He is. He was my direct superior.”
I watched the knife move in Seniel’s hands and swallowed a sigh.
I wanted to ask her directly about what the man had said, but my lips wouldn’t obey.
If she was hiding something from me, there had to be a reason. I worried that prying would only reopen old wounds.
Since our parents passed away, we’d spent more time apart than together.
I decided it would be better to use my own network of information rather than press Seniel about it directly.
I stopped my thoughts there and picked up the meat she’d cut, putting it in my mouth.
“Seniel, I think I need to visit the Capital for a bit.”
“Really? Actually, I have to go there too. We could go together.”
“You do? All of a sudden?”
“Ah… there’s someone I need to see.”
Seniel laughed awkwardly and kept the details to herself.
Seeing how suddenly this had come up, it seemed related to that man who’d visited this afternoon.
‘Will it be okay?’
I was planning to visit Raven’s core information bureau in the Capital anyway, so I was concerned.
Still, I couldn’t stop Seniel from being delighted that she’d be going to the Capital for the first time with me.
We set out for the Capital the very next day. The journey by carriage took just over half a day.
Once in the Capital, I didn’t need to worry about where to stay.
Orbis owned a house not far from the City Center.
Though it was a single-story building, it had four rooms, which was plenty for Seniel, Orbis, and me to share.
We unpacked in our respective rooms and then gathered in the living room.
While we drank tea to ease our fatigue, Seniel mentioned her schedule.
“Orbis and I will have to go out at dawn every day for training. The training period is five days. I’ll arrange for an escort to accompany you during that time.”
I shook my head quickly at the word ‘escort.’
If an escort hired by Seniel was attached to me, all my movements would be reported back, limiting my freedom of action.
“I don’t need one. What could happen in the Capital with its Barrier in place?”
“You haven’t been in crowded places in a while. I’m worried about you.”
“I need to get used to it eventually anyway. I’ll practice on my own. Besides, I don’t like having someone follow me around.”
“If that’s what you want, I understand.”
Seniel accepted far more readily than I’d expected her to, without much resistance.
There might be something else on her mind, but at least that’s settled.
“I’m tired, so I’ll turn in early.”
“All right. You’ve had a long day.”
“Sleep well, big sister!”
I reassured both of them and went into my room.
Then I lay in bed, holding my breath as I spent the night sleepless.
***
The next morning, as dawn broke,
I finally heard Seniel and Orbis moving quietly outside.
The moment they left, I kicked off the blankets and quickly slipped out of my room and through the front door.
I cracked open the door and looked outside. Fortunately, being near the Market meant there were already people moving about despite the early hour.
I hid myself among them and followed at a distance the figures of Seniel and Orbis in the distance.
Since I’d carefully erased my presence, there was no way they’d notice me.
But the problem came next.
Where they were heading was the Imperial Palace. A place you could only enter by presenting credentials and passing thorough identification checks.
“I can’t follow them there.”
I came to a halt right where I stood.
I’d come to the Capital hoping to see directly what Seniel was involved in. But my plan had fallen through.
“So it’s the information bureau after all.”
Shaking my head, I sat on a nearby bench for a moment, catching my breath to ease my disappointment.
“Phew, it’s hot.”
The season was changing. As I fanned myself with my hand to cool off, I noticed something odd about a person on the next bench.
They were opening up and laying out items from several large travel bags.
‘A vagrant merchant?’
I was watching their nimble hand movements with curiosity when the merchant suddenly turned to look at me, speaking in an annoyed tone.
“Get in line. I can’t serve you from there.”
“What line is this?”
“…Don’t ask if you don’t know.”
As the merchant continued their preparations, people began appearing from nowhere and gathering around.
A line had even formed, stretching on without a visible end.
Remarkably, everyone in the line was a woman.
Some had their faces hidden, and given the variety of clothing, it seemed that regardless of status, all had come to stand in line.
The line continued to grow even as I watched.
Unable to resist my curiosity, I joined the line at the back.
After waiting for some time, I finally glimpsed the object of desire over the shoulder of the woman ahead of me.
‘What is that?!’
I quickly clamped my hand over my mouth to keep from gasping aloud.
As my heart pounded, I muttered to myself,
“Why would Seniel be there?”
“Shh. You can’t say that name here. It’s forbidden.”
The woman behind me warned me with a low voice.
“If this is your first time, you’re really lucky. That person is a famous painter. Their touch is incredibly delicate and they don’t miss any detail, so their postcards are even traded on the black market.”
Yes. Postcards!
All these people were standing in this long line to buy postcards with the faces of several men, including Seniel, painted on them.
Seniel wasn’t the only one—the man who claimed to be her superior and a few others were depicted as well.
But the postcards of Seniel were overwhelmingly abundant and sold the best.
“Aren’t you going to buy any?”
I came to my senses to find that my turn had already arrived.
I frowned deeply, caught between wanting to hurry and feeling the pressing gazes telling me to move along.
“What’s the price?”
“Face only is 50,000 Jeri, half-body is 80,000 Jeri, full-body is 150,000 Jeri. The colored ones are 200,000 Jeri.”
And expensive at that.
Moreover, why did the non-face half-body and full-body drawings show them so undressed?
I felt an urge to paint over Seniel’s postcards, which were filled with nothing but skin tones, and my face twisted in displeasure.

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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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