Welcome to the Café of the Dark Guild’s Successor - Chapter 92

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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.
92
“You wish me to ruin it?”
“Don’t just ruin it—erase it entirely. Burning it down would be acceptable too.”
The Empress spoke in a chilling tone, her expression turning venomous.
“A shop on that mountain? That makes no sense. No one should be coming and going from there.”
“Then what of the shop’s owner?”
“Drive them out. If they resist to the end, dispose of them. It can’t be helped, can it?”
“Understood.”
With these new orders received, Robin returned to Alaine Mountain.
“Still, I can’t bring myself to kill someone who’s just living peacefully.”
He decided to save the final method of disposal for last and opted to threaten the owner first.
“I wonder how a woman alone came to open a shop out there?”
Rosia, the shop’s proprietor, seemed so ordinary to Robin that it struck him as even stranger.
She appeared to have deep connections with noble women, so he’d investigated, but Rosia was undoubtedly a commoner.
“Well, a threat should scare her into closing up shop.”
Judging by how she spent her free time stepping outside to gaze at the chicks with innocent wonder, a simple intimidation would surely frighten her into fleeing.
With that in mind, Robin summoned two gangsters who had long been loyal to him.
“Boss.”
“Give us the order.”
The twins possessed imposing physiques that made them perfect for intimidation.
“See that cabin over there? Threaten the shop’s proprietor. Tell her to clear out within two days.”
“Intimidation? That’s our specialty.”
“We’re confident!”
Robin nodded and handed over the payment.
“Make her cry rivers. Scare her so she runs immediately.”
“When should we do it?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
Once the gangsters left, she wouldn’t sleep a wink there.
It was Robin’s courtesy—letting her have one last decent night’s sleep.
***
As early winter approached, daylight grew short.
I opened my eyes to darkness outside and checked my clock, curling deeper into bed.
During my time in the Guild, I had never slept past a set hour—not once.
I always fell and woke at consistent times. There was no room for lingering in bed or dawdling.
So I’d lived believing I had exceptionally strong discipline. Until I came here.
“……Just five more minutes in bed.”
I watched the wall clock’s hands turn, burying my face in the pillow.
The rustle of the quilt and the warmth enveloping my body. Yet cool air beyond.
I wanted to linger in this coziness a moment longer, so I shifted on the mattress.
But then.
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!!”
Armstrong’s cry jerked me upright.
Curious whether the chicks had made it through the night, I pulled on my coat and opened the door.
But something was blocking the entrance.
I jumped back in surprise at the massive object obstructing my way.
“What is this? A bear?”
No—a wild boar the size of a bear.
Once I’d identified it, I circled the creature, unable to hide my bewilderment.
There were no signs of sword wounds or arrow strikes.
Unless it had been cursed by magic, it had simply collapsed and died on its own.
“Did someone leave it here?”
I hadn’t sensed anyone crossing the Boundary Stone all night.
If someone skilled enough to escape my notice had left this, that would be a problem in itself.
While I stood there, head tilted in confusion, the Cat walked over boldly and sat in front of me.
“Meow-w.”
“What’s that look?”
Was it preening?
Surely not……
“Did you see who brought this?”
“Meow!”
The Cat leaped gracefully onto the boar and showed off its sleek form.
Its silver fur gleamed in the morning light, so beautiful I couldn’t resist petting it.
Then, all of a sudden.
Could it be that this Cat, which doesn’t flee even from magical beasts, had caught the boar as repayment?
“Well, it doesn’t matter. If someone left it… they must be more skilled than I am. If they’d meant to kill me, they would have done it long ago.”
I decided not to overthink it.
Besides, I now had an enormous amount of meat without taking a life—my lips curled upward.
If meat had fallen from the sky, surely I should eat it, yes?
I dragged the boar straight to the Valley and began butchering it with my sword.
I’d done this many times before, so dividing the meat by cut was quick, but despite my care, blood splattered all over my clothes.
“Sigh, I’ll need to change. Boar, I won’t forget your sacrifice. Thank you.”
After a moment’s prayer for the creature, I returned to the shop. I gathered firewood in the yard and built a large fire.
“I’ll cook this up nicely and bring it to Cayden.”
Nothing restores vitality like meat. I loaded a pan full of it, eager to feed him well.
Then I felt someone approaching from behind the trees.
‘The boar’s owner?’
Worried they might claim ownership, I tensed and concentrated.
Though the person had decent skill, they weren’t capable of visiting while I slept, so I relaxed and continued grilling.
“You there.”
Two men with rough-edged faces planted themselves before me in a cocky stance. They had identical faces—twins, it seemed.
“Yes?”
As I picked up the meat, I wiped my forehead with a blood-stained hand, and blood dripped down my face.
“Th-that blood… wipe it off.”
“There’s blood on your clothes too… Ahem.”
They flinched at the blood covering my face and clothes, coughing awkwardly.
“Oh, my apologies. Are you customers?”
“That’s right. When does the shop open?”
Their manner of speech was peculiar, but I flipped the meat with business-minded enthusiasm and smiled broadly.
“From now, whenever you customers wish—right this moment.”
I felt quite proud of that response and stood, carefully moving the meat aside so it wouldn’t burn.
“Come in, please.”
The men followed me into the shop, still cocky and swagger-filled.
I hadn’t seen them in the village, so they were travelers—nothing unusual about that, as adventurers and tourists often stopped by.
“What can I get you?”
“We know what we want.”
But the moment they entered, they changed completely. Suddenly they were kicking chairs around with loud thuds.
“Who gave you permission to work here?”
“I did.”
“Huh?”
“This is my land.”
“Th-that’s not what we were told. Wasn’t it supposed to be something else?”
They exchanged uncertain glances, clearly caught off guard. I immediately sensed there was someone behind them.
“You’re not really customers, are you?”
When I asked coolly, both men straightened their shoulders and approached menacingly.
“Never mind that! You’ve got two days to close up and leave.”
“If you don’t want to know how scary we are, do as we say.”
Close the shop? Just like that?
My patience for this hooliganism was wearing thin, so I turned my head to look at them.
In that moment, the men not only kicked over chairs but slammed the table with enough force to break it.
“……Ahh!!”
“Are you alright? It’s not broken, is it?!”
The carpenter had built so sturdily that the table didn’t budge an inch. Instead, the man who struck it trembled and actually had tears welling in his eyes.
‘Idiots, the lot of them.’
I clicked my tongue internally.
“Consider yourselves warned! Two days. If you don’t close up by then, things will get unpleasant.”
“Aren’t you crying? You’ll cry for sure, right?”
He stepped right up to my face, his finger jabbed toward my eyes threateningly.
I simply stared at him. Our eyes met for several seconds.
Suddenly his face flushed crimson. He spun around sharply, and with an indignant snort, he and his companion bolted from the shop.
“Was my shop the real target?”
I became very curious about who would bother with such pointless threats, wanting my shop to close.
Whoever was behind this didn’t know me well. Since no one came to mind, I decided to follow them.
But someone had joined their number.
I felt three people huddled near the Boundary Stone and tilted my head.
“Were they working together?”
The mysterious Knight who’d appeared recently and lurked around the shop.
It bothered me that they kept watching from hiding, but since they had only formal training, I pretended not to notice.
If someone was using a Knight to monitor me, it would be Juliano or someone from the Imperial Palace.
I’d been careful these past few days to avoid revealing my identity.
But suddenly they wanted the shop closed? I couldn’t fathom their intent at all.
“Well, I’ll find out in two days.”
If the shop stayed open, I’d hear what they had to say and the mastermind would reveal themselves.
I decided to worry about how to handle it then, and for now, returned the meat to the fire.
“Once I eat all this and regain my vitality, that would be ideal.”
Since I’d sent a message, a doctor would come within days, but I hoped to recover some of my strength before then.
***
Seniel, who had recently joined the Imperial Palace Knight Order, found himself running in circles.
Though it was a cover, he’d dreamed of entering since childhood and was thrilled to have passed—
but his major war contributions and his long tenure in Bidler’s personal Knight Order became liabilities, and he faced constant obstruction.
“There’s factional resistance too.”
Seniel’s popularity within the Palace showed no signs of waning.
His personal locker was always stuffed with gifts and letters, and many noble daughters came to the Palace to see him.
The other Knights, jealous of Seniel, ostracized him.
“Being talented is a problem in itself.”
Seniel shook his head and cleared away the gifts piled in his locker, opening it again.
The moment afternoon training ended, he had to head straight to his security duties patrolling the Palace.
“My post today is… near the Empress’s Palace?”
Fortunately, patrol duty was his favorite time.
Though his position was fixed, he could move freely throughout the Palace and investigate as he pleased.
Recently he’d been observing the Crown Prince and Princess Melissa separately per Bidler’s instructions, and the Princess’s quarters happened to be near the Empress’s Palace.
Thinking it fortunate, he changed clothes and went outside to join the patrol.

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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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