Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: 9: Pink Bubbles Bubbling in My Heart -1
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Lately, this thought keeps popping into my head.
It was a phrase I used to see now and then in my previous world, before I possessed Ethan's body.
The phrase was this.
"Everyone has some plausible plan or another."
Until they get slapped by reality.
'Brutal.'
I'd just taken a straight punch from a guy named Reality.
His straights really hurt. My head was spinning so badly I could barely think straight.
"Things aren't going as well as I'd hoped."
"Haha, complaining in front of a regular customer?"
"It's because we just started not long ago."
"Thanks for the consolation."
I wiped away the tears welling up and looked around the cafe.
There were twelve tables in the cafe total.
Only about three of them had customers.
And one of those was Melissa, who'd dropped by to loaf around.
'Business is tough.'
People came occasionally, and some even returned, but that was it.
Sure, it was a brand-new cafe that had only been open a few days, but even accounting for that, it felt too slow.
The reason was probably...
"Melissa."
"Hm~?"
"What the hell did you do in this classroom?"
The infamous reputation of the old Black Magic Club surely played a part.
"What do you mean, what did I do? I just went around recruiting volunteers."
"Anyone would get scared if you did that."
"What kind of talk is that?"
"You expect people not to run from the school's infamous terrorist?"
"That's too much. People who judge her based only on rumors without meeting her are no big deal anyway."
If she couldn't even talk back, she wouldn't be so hated.
Of course, blaming everything on Melissa would be cowardly. At times like this, I needed to reflect on whether I had any issues myself.
'Sigh, takes me back.'
My softening heart dredged up old memories.
Back when I was briefly rampaging around, dreaming of becoming a novelist.
From the day I uploaded a story I'd agonized over for days with a pounding heart.
To the moments of despair when views never topped one per chapter.
Staring at the empty cafe brought back that frustration.
However.
"Frustration forges a man."
I wasn't the same as back then.
The days of just moping and suffering when things went wrong were long past.
If things went wrong, I had to think about what my problems were and what solutions to find.
What I needed to do now was...
"Promote."
Hey, it's safe here. Nothing happens. No one gets hurt.
The food here's really good. Come try it.
Word of mouth would eventually bring more customers. Holding onto them would come down to skill.
I waited until the customers left, then hung up the sign.
[Close]
Business for the day was done.
No sign of more customers coming...
"Um."
"Yeah?"
"Are you closed for the day?"
I'd just hung the sign when a girl in a robe approached.
She must have come to visit the cafe.
"...Ah, I just closed."
"I see..."
"Sorry. Something came up for me today."
The robed girl shook her head.
"No, it's fine."
"Sorry. Mind waiting a sec?"
I went inside and grabbed a bag of cookies.
"As an apology. Please take it."
"No need for this."
"Please. It's for my peace of mind."
The robed girl hesitated for a long time before...
"...Thank you. I'll definitely come next time."
She bowed and left.
The cookies were a waste, but this was bait.
She'd come back next time out of gratitude.
Anyway.
Time to really go.
"Melissa, stay if you want. I'll leave Agnes behind."
"Oh ho~ That's great news."
"Wait just a moment!"
"Easy now. How about we have a nice, long chat, dragon lady?"
"Not nice and long, but sticky and long!"
Agnes looked uncomfortable, but what could I do? Troublesome customers were still customers.
"I'm heading out first."
"Mm, take care."
"You first."
I waved and left the cafe.
Agnes would handle cleanup, so no worries there.
Worry about me combing every inch of the academy from now on.
'Where do I even find her?'
I was about to search for someone.
Her name: Luri Bubbletea.
The final heroine of Healing Academy 2.
'Famous food reviewer.'
Luri was what you'd call a pink-charm heroine.
Pink hair, idol-like personality everyone loves.
That's why, along with Ophelia, she stuck deepest in my memory.
If she'd enrolled safely, she'd be a first-year now.
Enough time had passed since the new semester started.
"Excuse me. Got any review magazines?"
"Of course."
"One on this month's reviews, please."
"Okay~"
I took the magazine and flipped through it page by page.
Luri's fame was well-known across the continent, so if she'd written a review...
'There it is!'
No way it wouldn't be in there.
As expected, Luri's review was printed.
[Continent's Greatest Gourmet: Luri Bubbletea]
Looking for good eats in the academy.
Some decent spots, but no variety.
Want to try a cafe.
Ahh, I crave bubble tea.
'Lives up to her name.'
True to her nickname, she was craving bubble tea.
But this academy had no pearls for bubble tea. Pearls themselves were rare ingredients in fantasy worlds.
Mass production like in the real world wasn't feasible.
But it wasn't impossible.
There were substitutes.
'Gotta go find them.'
I grabbed my club from home and headed out.
To gather materials for pearl substitutes.
Serve Luri bubble tea.
If she reviews it well...
'Our cafe's going viral.'
The academy had an underground market.
A market built in the academy's underground ruins, as the name implied.
All sorts of goods traded there.
From rare items to shady, dangerous ones.
Dangerous places attract dangerous people.
Suspended graduates, expellees. That's who gathered in the underground market.
The Disciplinary Committee patrolled occasionally, but places outside official authority were always risky.
'Got tails.'
Stalkers already. Two of them. One average, the other huge.
Robes hid their faces.
I ducked into a side alley to lose them.
Not a good choice.
The situation now... yeah.
"Hey, you know where you are?"
"Alone?"
Avoiding the tiger, I walked into its den.
So this is how it ends?
Life doesn't go your way, but lately it felt overly harsh.
I'd just come quietly to browse the market.
"Mind getting out of the way?"
"Nope. You know what we want."
One thug made a circle with his fingers.
Shaking it around like he wanted money—
"Satisfy us?"
...Not money?
"Kuhuhu. Pretty face."
"Don't wanna hear that from a guy."
"What's wrong? You'll learn soon. Treat you like a girl, and you'll be one."
These psychos.
Probably expelled for something nasty.
To guys, even.
"Not playing to your tastes."
I pulled out the club strapped to my back.
"Wanna go?"
"Yeah."
"Fun. You think you can take us all?"
The blond-dyed leader at the front clapped, and thugs poured out of the cave.
Whatever they were doing, a weird smell lingered.
"...".
"Alright, boys! Hunt time!"
"Tch."
I gripped my club, battle-ready.
No need to fight them all.
Smash a few, and they'd scatter.
Worst case, make an example with Desperate Strike.
As I reared back for a big swing...
"Back alleys have lots of dangerous folks. Better watch out."
"You?"
"Gotta repay those cookies."
A massive robed figure burst from behind.
The sudden scene left me stunned.
"You okay, boss?"
"...Who are you?"
From afar, I hadn't noticed, but up close, it was clear. The robed girl I'd given cookies to.
"Saw you by chance."
"By chance?"
"Yeah. Saw you heading to the underground market alone. Followed you."
I see.
Sudden help, but not unwelcome.
I felt grateful to the brute throwing punches too. Fighting so hard for someone else.
But that gratitude...
"...Hm?"
"Haa!!"
Shattered with the brute's shout.
A far-too-familiar voice came from him.
Ethan said with conviction.
"That's the giant crocodile."
"...".
"Then you're..."
Ethan's hand reached for the girl's robe.
Whoosh! The hood came off.
Out popped...
"Ah, busted."
The Director's mask.
Ethan was shocked.
"Why are you here!?"
"Told you. Chasing you."
"Why!?"
The Director giggled at Ethan's words.
"Curious about the cooking of the guy who changes fates."
"...What? Something so trivial?"
"Fates change over trivial things. Even a single drink can alter destinies."
The Director said that to Ethan, then yelled at the giant crocodile, Karim.
"That's enough."
"Got it."
Leaving the wrecked cave behind, the brute—no, a crocodile—walked up.
"Long time no see."
"...What do you want from me?"
"Cold reaction. We did save you, after all."
"You tried to kill me last time."
"Never meant to kill."
"Don't wanna hear that from the guy swinging an axe my size."
Ethan's suspicious glare.
The Director smiled back.
"Wanna be honest?"
"Yeah."
"We wanna try your food. That's it."
"Believe that?"
"Don't look at us like monsters."
"Think about what you usually do."
"...Fair enough."
"Yeah. I need bubble tea ingredients. Thanks for the save, but I'm off."
Ethan said farewell.
"Hey, just let him go?"
"...No, grab him."
"Got it."
Karim lumbered over and grabbed Ethan.
The Director eyed him and got to the point.
"Wanting bubble tea means you saw Luri's review."
"Yeah. Gotta seize the chance."
"Can you make it?"
"Hm?"
"Can you make bubble tea?"
Ethan answered without hesitation.
"Of course."
"I see."
"Why ask?"
"I can hook you up."
"Hm?"
"Show off your skills a bit?"
The Director continued.
"Me and that Luri girl are friends."
"Friends? With you?"
"Don't say that. I have a status too. I'm an academy student anyway."
"Really."
"Yeah. Make us bubble tea, and I'll introduce you to Luri."
"Not bad. If true."
"It is. ...Oh, but why come here for bubble tea?"
"For ingredients."
The Director tilted her head, confused.
"Ingredients? Here?"
"Yeah."
"Ingredients here?"
"You'll see."
Ethan's confident words.
The Director replied brightly.
"Okay! Deal. Make us bubble tea. We'll provide safety and a bridge to Luri."
"...Tch. Decent trade."
"Right? No lies."
"...Sigh. Fine. Could use escorts. Coming to the cafe means you're serious."
Ethan cracked his neck.
"This way."
Ethan led the way.
Karim tossed a word to the Director as they followed.
"Bubble tea that bad, huh?"
A barbed remark.
But the Director shrugged it off.
"So what? Script hasn't been rewritten yet. I... really love bubble tea."
"Can't stop you."
"Let's go see how that guy changes fates."
"Isn't it just the bubble tea?"
"That too!"