Kneading! Cafe Check-Up and a Hunter's Collapse
I was on my way out of the Baekya Guild headquarters, heading home, when a sudden thought crossed my mind.
I wonder how Han Seorin's cafe is doing?
The guild leader had warned me she was dangerous, but I was curious if she was using the recipes I'd reworked for her properly.
It'll take a bit of a detour... but why not? I've got nothing but time anyway.
I turned my steps toward Han Seorin's cafe.
I peered inside through the full-glass window.
The subtle, upscale atmosphere was still top-notch, but there wasn't a single customer in sight.
As expected... Did she screw up her image too badly at the start?
No wonder no one was coming, selling coffee and sandwiches like that.
Tsking my tongue, I cautiously pushed open the cafe door.
Ding-a-ling.
A cheerful bell rang out.
Looking toward the counter, I saw Han Seorin propping her chin on her hand, staring intently at some book with a super serious expression.
I caught a glimpse of the book's cover in my view.
‘How to Slowly Tame a Wary Cat’
Cat? Does she have a cat?
“Hello.”
I slipped inside and greeted her softly.
“Eek!”
At my greeting, Han Seorin's eyes, buried in the book, went as round as a rabbit's.
She whipped the cat book from the counter behind her back at lightning speed.
...Damn, that was fast. I could barely track it with my eyes.
“Uh, c-come on in!”
Her usual drowsy vibe was gone; she looked totally flustered.
“Um... boss? Why hide the book? Do you have a cat?”
“Huh? Oh, ahaha! Y-yeah! A friend rescued a stray and asked me to take it in. Just studying up. But what brings you here?”
Han Seorin laughed awkwardly and smoothly changed the subject.
“Oh, just passing by on my way home, got bored. Wanted to check how the cafe was doing.”
I glanced around the interior as I answered.
Seeing all those empty chairs made it weirdly embarrassing, so I scratched the back of my head and grinned sheepishly.
...No trace of any customers ever coming. Every chair's exactly as I last saw it.
“Getting any customers these days?”
Leaning on the counter, Han Seorin replied to my question.
“Yeah, a few trickle in now and then since you came by. They all try the sandwiches and coffee, say it's delicious.”
A proud smile spread across my face at her words.
Knowing my recipes were working made me feel great—my tail hidden in my pants was swishing like crazy, and my white ears under the hoodie were perking up wildly. I could feel it.
These involuntary beastkin emotional displays were a real headache, but what could I do? No control over them.
Han Seorin used her magic eyes to sneak peeks at Baek Arang's wildly twitching ears and smiled slyly.
God... I just wanna keep her.
“But boss, you're talking casually to me now?”
She'd definitely been polite at first, but now it was natural casual speech.
I didn't mind. Honestly, her formality had felt awkward; this was better.
“Oh... sorry, did that bother you? I just... kinda felt like we were friends without realizing...”
“No, just curious. I like it better this way.”
“Really...? Phew... good. Can't really repay you, but want a coffee on the house?”
Her offer made my shoulders twitch.
Coffee.
The stuff that had taught me it could taste awful.
But... I'd reset everything perfectly, so it shouldn't be like before.
Bracing myself to be proven wrong, I nodded cautiously.
“Sure, then just a light iced Americano, please.”
Taking my order, Han Seorin stepped to the coffee machine.
Having received Baek Arang's order, Han Seorin brewed the coffee with more care than ever.
She didn't care if others were disappointed, but not this kid.
Watching her tense up while making it, I tilted my head.
Is brewing coffee such a high-stakes thing?
Moments later, a glass with clinking ice was set before me.
Totally on edge, I lifted it carefully.
Swallowing reassurances to myself a dozen times, I sipped just a tiny bit through the straw.
“......”
Oh.
I blinked.
No burnt taste, no gross bitterness.
The beans' nutty aroma and perfect acidity blended flawlessly—a great, totally normal, delicious coffee.
This quality could stand with any chain cafe.
As Baek Arang sighed in relief and downed the coffee in one go, Han Seorin—who'd been staring intently from across the counter—finally exhaled deeply too.
Anyone would think I was a judge or something.
“It's delicious. You're maintaining the recipe I set perfectly.”
At my praise, Han Seorin patted her chest and grinned happily.
Then, propping her chin on the counter, she eyed me cautiously and spoke softly.
“Um, if it's okay... could you teach me some other recipes too?”
“Other recipes?”
“Yeah. Yours got such a good response, now I wanna learn more.”
Han Seorin glanced away, cheeks flushing.
I stifled a laugh inside.
Compared to how Cha Eunwol foamed at the mouth calling her a psycho... she just seems bad at expressing herself?
Just your average boss passionate about menu development, shyly blushing while asking for recipes.
I couldn't fathom what was so crazy about her.
“Of course. I'll give you a few more. Pen and paper?”
I nodded readily and jotted down detailed brunch and dessert recipes.
Han Seorin took the paper and hugged it to her chest like treasure.
“Alright, see you. I'll drop by if I'm bored again.”
“Yeah, take care. Really... thanks.”
With a pleasant send-off, I left the cafe and headed home again.
Maybe because I'd chugged that iced coffee too fast at the cafe, my lower belly suddenly signaled.
“Aish, bathroom.”
I hurried to an old public restroom tucked in the back of a nearby park.
“Phew, made it.”
After finishing up and washing my hands, I stepped out.
The deep night park was deserted, with only a chill wind blowing.
The moment I exited, my sensitive ears caught a pained groan.
“Urgh... ah... grr...”
“Hah... hah... damn...”
Someone panting, scraping the ground— the groans were crystal clear.
What...? An accident nearby?
The sound came from a dark, secluded clearing behind the restroom. Old me might've ignored it, but it sounded so agonized. I took a deep breath and headed toward it.
There, someone curled up on the ground, trembling violently.
Clutching their head like it might split, gripping the dirt in unbearable pain—it looked awful.
“Hey, you okay?”
I approached cautiously and tapped their shoulder.
“Urgh...”
At my touch, the person slowly lifted their head.
Under moonlight peeking through clouds, their face appeared.
Thick cold sweat on the forehead, bloodless pale lips, sharp eyes glowing with instinctive mana.
“Huh...?”
I gasped upon recognizing her.
The woman who'd been in a standoff with Cha Eunwol in the Baekya Guild lobby just hours ago, ready to blow up the whole building.
Cheonroe Guild leader Cheon Yura, collapsed on the park ground.
“......!!”
I yelped and fell back on my butt.
What the hell happened for an S-rank hunter to be like this?
Cheon Yura looked at me, but her eyes were completely unfocused.
No trace of the overwhelming mana pressure from the lobby.
She rolled on the dirt, groaning intermittently.
What...? Ambushed or something?
“H-hey! Snap out of it!”
I shouted urgently, but she just clutched her head, breathing raggedly, no response.
Her face worsening, spasms coming faster.
Leave her like this, and she might really be in danger...
“1-1-1, 119!”
Finally thinking of emergency services, I fumbled for my smartphone in my pants pocket.
As my trembling finger hit the emergency call...
Special skill ‘Kneading’ activation conditions fulfilled.
Target: Cheon Yura
The target's condition is extremely unstable. Designate as Kneading skill target?
“......What?”
I stared at the familiar translucent blue system window floating in front of me, doubting my eyes.
What the hell is this nonsense?
Kneading?
What, do CPR or something?