The Elf's Tea House Invitation
I returned under the convenience store's parasol once more.
There was no particular place I was heading to, but seeing the empty envelope made me want to come back here.
"I'm hungry."
I plopped down heavily and muttered weakly.
The triangle kimbap and cup ramen that I had saved for so long had long since disappeared into the Minotaurus's stomach with just one bite.
I even forgot to ask the Minotaurus for payment, so my wallet now had not a single coin left.
After returning the rampage that I bet my life and all my wealth on, there was nothing left.
The world is really cruel.
That's why I can't do my patriotic duty!
"Aigoo, no matter how I think about it, it's so wasteful."
My entire fortune that I could have saved and eaten sparingly for a week... turned into a one-second bite-sized snack...
I had the phone number on my business card, but I had no way to contact anyone right now.
I didn't have money to buy a phone, and I didn't even have a coin for a payphone.
No, do payphones even exist these days?
"...Still, though."
If it didn't end with anyone dead and in peace, that would be fine, right?
Comforting myself like that, I looked up at the bright sunny sky.
Anyway, tomorrow I'd be heading back to the outskirts again.
This absurd commotion in the city today would soon become a hazy memory.
"No way, damn it. But no matter how I think about it, putting that in my mouth was crossing the line...!"
"Hmm.... Not bad."
"!"
Startled by the sudden voice, I turned around.
A woman was standing under the warm sunlight, looking down at me.
Her long hair loosely tied with a green ribbon, sleeves of her shirt rolled up to the elbows.
The backlight flowing along the outline of her long hair, making her bright brown hair look like it's glowing from the rising sun.
Her eyes were softly curved with clear jade-colored pupils.
A beautiful woman with a mysterious and languid atmosphere.
Her face was beautiful too, but her outfit was really bold.
A side-tie skirt that clung to her body revealing every curve and over socks.
Plus the silhouette visible through the thin shirt.
I hurriedly averted my gaze from the woman and looked around in confusion.
A person like that talking to me?
No way.
It was a reflexive action from that thought.
However, the only person nearby was the part-time worker inside the convenience store.
That is, surprisingly.
The person who spoke to me was me.
"...Me?"
"Yeah. You, kid."
The woman said that and casually pulled out a plastic chair next to me and sat down.
The simple action of pulling out a chair and sitting.
From that unremarkable action, elegance emanated.
A slight breeze blew, and a fragrant scent came.
A fresh yet slightly bitter fragrance.
Flower scent...?
"Ara, I'm twenty-eight."
"You shouldn't look at that."
The tone was as if saying what a obvious thing to say.
I was dumbfounded and my brain stopped for a moment.
"...W-well, isn't late twenties a bit old for 'Ara'?"
Instead of answering, the woman smiled faintly and pointed to her own ear.
"Kiddo. What do you think my age is?"
Pointy and long ears.
Evidence of being an elf.
"Ah."
Awakened elves shouldn't judge age by appearance.
I had seen very few elves even in the outskirts.
I had seen elves a few times after coming to the city, but since I didn't talk to them or get involved, and I was too captivated by their beautiful appearance, I overlooked the fact.
It was as if the tone treated me like a child...
"Then, the real age... um. Species is elf, huh? Haha. You're really beautiful."
I was about to ask how old she was, but suddenly my spine chilled and I hurriedly changed the subject.
"Fufuh, interesting."
Because hurriedly changing the subject was too obvious, the elf burst into laughter.
"My title is, um. For now, I'll call you Han Dohwa. As you can guess from the title, I'm a native elf."
"...Native elf?"
"Elf who was born and raised on this Korean Peninsula."
The elf, Han Dohwa, said that and winked.
The word "native elf" was strange, so I asked, but I didn't not know the meaning...
"Yeah, Han Dohwa. My name is Kang Seohyun. As you can see, I'm a native human."
"Huhu. Calling me native human, you're telling some interesting jokes?"
Because I accepted the joke she threw first, Han Dohwa seemed even happier.
"The conversation got a bit spicy. That thing just now. You stabilizing the rampaging kid... Minotaurus, that was you, right?"
"Ah... You saw that?"
"By chance, I guess."
"Yeah, that's true... but it's nothing special. I just... thought he looked hungry. I thought if I fed him something, he'd calm down..."
"Hungry, huh..."
The woman mulled over the words.
"Seeing what the kid wanted to eat was also shown?"
"...Huh?"
"There were restaurants around the kid, so if he was just hungry, he would have gone there. Since he didn't, it means he knew exactly what he wanted."
"That's..."
"If it's difficult, you don't have to answer. More importantly, was it really you who intended to calm him down?"
"I did intend to."
"Really?"
Surprisingly, Han Dohwa nodded without further questioning.
It was as if only my intention mattered, and she quickly backed off from something she was very curious about.
"Anyway, as long as no one got hurt and it ended peacefully, that's fine. Whatever."
I shrugged my shoulders and fiddled with the empty bag.
Recalling the triangle kimbap and cup ramen inside, my stomach twisted anew.
"Why do you value the empty bag so much?"
"Ah, this? Because it's my entire fortune..."
"Entire fortune?"
Han Dohwa's eyebrows rose slightly.
"One triangle kimbap and one cup ramen?"
"Yeah."
"Hmm."
Han Dohwa propped her chin, looking interested.
"Even though that was your entire fortune, you gave it to a stranger?"
"That's... well. It's my entire fortune, but... it's cheaper than someone's life or a building, right?"
"Interesting."
Han Dohwa's eyes started to sparkle as she said that.
This is like...
The look of a professor who discovered a usable college student, I guess.
Somehow, my spine chilled.
"Hah. Anyway. I have to go earn money now, so I'll go."
I cleared my throat unnecessarily and secretly stood up from my seat.
"Going to earn money, where?"
"To the outskirts."
"Hmm? Aren't you living in the city?"
"Right now, yes."
The word "right now" made Han Dohwa's eyes narrow slightly.
"Why go to the dangerous outskirts where they don't even pay well to earn money?"
"Um, it's a long story if I tell everything..."
"Then tell it as briefly as possible."
"..."
...This is embarrassing.
What kind of person is this really?
"Even though I look like this, I'm an awakener, F-rank."
"F-rank... ah, so..."
As if understanding, Han Dohwa slowly nodded.
One word "F-rank" meant no need to explain the rest, right.
The reality of F-rank awakener is roughly the same.
"However, kiddo. To my eyes, you don't look like an F-rank."
"Huh? Me?"
"...Did you not receive a precise test because of lack of money?"
"Eh. How did you..."
"It's quite common for F-rank kids."
Ah, so this is more common than I thought.
"Then, kiddo."
But the words from Han Dohwa's mouth were quite unexpected.
"Would you like to try working at a tea house once?"
"...Huh?"
In this era, tea house?
Probably meaning cafe?
"I've applied for cafes too, but they don't hire anyone..."
"Ah. I must have misunderstood, kiddo."
Han Dohwa leaned her body towards me.
"It wasn't about working at some random tea house."
Then, the flower scent from earlier became even more intense.
"It means you'd like to try working at the tea house I operate."
A little.
Enough to make my head dizzy.
***
"This place..."
"This is my shop. Sit comfortably."
The sign read 'Dohwa Tea House'.
It looked like a bright and cozy neighborhood cafe, but the atmosphere and the cafe's name itself were a bit unique.
"Do you like gabae-cha?"
Gabae-cha?
What kind of tea name is that?
"I don't mind what I eat or drink. Even slightly spoiled is fine."
"Fufuh. I don't serve spoiled things to ordinary customers, so rest assured."
...To ordinary customers?
Does that mean to non-ordinary customers, I serve even spoiled things?
Joke... right?
Han Dohwa went inside the counter and came out with coffee using familiar hand movements.
"Ah, so gabae-cha is..."
So, it's coffee?
"Ah, sorry. The word gabae-cha has gotten into my mouth and often comes out."
Even though I said that, Han Dohwa placed the coffee cup in front of me with an expression that didn't seem sorry at all.
"Here, drink."
"Thank you..."
The fragrant coffee aroma pricked my nose.
How long had it been since I drank coffee.
I enjoyed the aroma fully before drinking immediately, then took a sip.
As the warm coffee entered my stomach, my tension started to loosen a bit.
And after the gurgling sound, I realized anew that I had been starving all day today.
"...Sorry."
"Huhu. You seem quite hungry."
Han Dohwa smiled and handed me a sandwich she had brought.
"Here, eat slowly because you might get full."
"Thank you!"
Fresh food after a long time.
I ate half and planned to eat the rest for dinner.
"Already full?"
"No, this is to save for dinner later..."
"...I'll buy dinner too, so just eat it all."
"Wow, really? Thank you!!"
Han Dohwa looked at me with a pitiful expression and since she said she'd buy dinner, I gulped it down.
"...So, kiddo."
Han Dohwa, who had been watching me eat with a mix of fondness and pity, suddenly opened her mouth.
"How do you like this tea house?"
"How do I like it, um.... The interior is nice, the coffee is delicious, and the owner is kind?"
"That's not what I meant..."
Han Dohwa leaned her body towards me.
The fragrant flower scent came with a whoosh.
"It means it looks good for working from now on."
"Huh? Of course it's great! I'd even want to work for free!"
"Really?"
"Ah, no. Real free work is a bit..."
"Huhu. What a pity."
Han Dohwa was overly kind, which made it suspicious.
But my situation wasn't good enough to reject such a proposal because it was suspicious.
Moreover, if the other person really had bad intentions, I could sense it with my skill.
At least, Han Dohwa didn't seem to have bad intentions yet.
"However. Really, is it okay to hire someone like me? Won't you regret it?"
"Regret. I don't regret my choices once made."
Han Dohwa smiled with a confident face.
"Kiddo. Do you have the confidence not to regret it?"
As if to grab it since she wouldn't regret, Han Dohwa extended her hand.
I stared at her delicate hand for a moment, then grabbed it without hesitation.
"Gladly, please. Boss!"
Han Dohwa, no, the boss's hand was really soft.
"Clean and neat, nice to look at."
And so, I became an part-time worker at Dohwa Tea House.