Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Intruder in Daily Life (2)
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Om nom nom.
The elf munching on grass in front of me like some onomatopoeic creature was Mina Elcart, a renowned adventurer even in Labyrinth City Astraea.
Elves in this world were a race tough to pin down with a single definition. Depending on how pure-blooded they were or how devoted they were to the World Tree, they ranged from psycho eco-fascists to heretics who didn't shy away from meat or slaughter.
The silver lining was that elves who mingled with humans tended to fall somewhere in the middle. The lunatics who chopped off the heads of environmental despoilers and watered the World Tree with their blood rarely ventured out of their own societies. And those horse-riding nomads who looked more Mongol descendant than elf wouldn't bother you unless you encroached on the southern plains or messed with their raids.
From that perspective, Big Sis Mina was an elf who mainly stuck to veggies but didn't force her beliefs on others. She could even casually look the other way on her faith to enjoy an egg or two.
I had no idea what other elves thought of her, but to any sensible, normal human, she was a prime example of a great non-human.
"It's been a while. I missed this place."
"I'm glad to hear that."
"I've had tofu, but soy meat? That's divine inspiration. Makes me crave real meat."
"A balanced diet is important, after all."
My cafe didn't really serve full meals, but ever since this elf sis tried my vegetarian special, she made a point to swing by around lunchtime or dinnertime. I wasn't a vegetarian myself, but I'd worked at Korean buffet spots and veggie buffets, so I knew what dishes pulled in the crowds.
Firm tofu like they use in spicy noodle soups, soy meat with a texture spot-on to the real thing, fruit and veggie chips freeze-dried to crispy perfection with deep flavor.
Surprisingly, with just knowledge and minimal ingredients, you could whip up all sorts of tastes.
Freeze-drying, which relied on sublimation of solids, wasn't researched back in my old world until the late 19th century. But here, I could mimic it with magic to create a low-temp, low-humidity setup.
Mina Sis loved the dried apples especially, so during apple season when she hauled in a mountain of them, I'd dry them non-stop until my mana ran out. I still had a huge stockpile in my well-maintained magic warehouse.
"Mmm. Let's get married."
"Just come as a customer every day instead."
"I'm serious."
She pouted, twirling her bright golden blonde hair as she stared at me, then let out a massive yawn and flopped face-first onto the table.
This sis might spout nonsense like that, but in reality, she was a pretty famous adventurer. Her skills were solid, and she earned deep trust across Labyrinth City Astraea for escorting newbie adventurers, training them, or backing parties on their first night dives.
That's why she often crawled in exhausted, unleashing her rage through binge-eating. But since my cafe didn't get much foot traffic, not many knew about that side of her.
"Coffee good."
"Sugar?"
"Yeah."
Maybe because she was always wiped out, she liked her drip coffee with sugar. This world barely used refined white sugar, sticking to unrefined stuff, so even a vegetarian like her could indulge without guilt. Coffee was 100% plant-based anyway.
She yawned wide open-mouthed, no hand over it, while crunching on the freeze-dried apple chips. When I brewed fresh coffee and stirred in two spoonfuls of sugar, she perked up for a sip before flopping back down.
She came off reliable outside, but up close, she had plenty of cute quirks.
"Been busy lately with all the newbies."
"I'm only a year in myself, so I wouldn't know."
"Winter makes travel a hassle, so few come to Labyrinth City then. Spring brings the biggest newbie wave."
"Makes sense."
"And that's exactly what happens."
I'd crossed the border in the dead of winter due to my special circumstances, but most folks saw winter travel as a huge risk. Magical beasts riding winter winds, wildlife and monsters descending from freezing mountains, bandits born from desperate farmers who hadn't harvested enough to last the season.
Unless you were dead confident in your skills and had supplies to spare, holing up at home was the way to go.
My home territory down south was mild enough that the locals didn't suffer much...
"How are the newbies holding up?"
"You interested in adventuring?"
"Nah, my sense of adventure burned out ages ago."
"One shot at striking it rich."
"Not interested."
Life's about humility and steadiness. Chase riches or glory beyond your station, and you'll taste bitter regret.
It was wisdom hard-earned from my second go-round at life, savoring both sweet and sour.
"Truth is, the most vital job is the one that skips adventuring altogether."
"Right? Stick to your skills and you'll avoid mishaps."
"Even giving it your all to dodge danger, bad luck can wipe you out in one go."
"Failing the RNG roll happens sometimes."
"RNG?"
"It's a thing."
Roll the dice wrong and get yeeted to heaven—that's TRPG gospel. No matter how you min-max your build around fixed stats, if the Dice Gods prank you, you're crossing the River Styx.
This was a romance-fantasy game world with combat and adventure elements, so it couldn't be all that different.
"Not pushing, but if you change your mind, just say the word."
"If a spark ever reignites in this heart of mine, I will."
"You talk like an old geezer."
"I'm just 21."
Sis was around 300, I think.
Never asked outright, so I wasn't sure.
She caught me musing on ages and puffed her cheeks before slamming her face back on the table.
Well, she was a cute elf for her age, at least.
I warmed up her slightly cooled cup with a heat spell, and she popped up for another sip.
"Truly the queen of homemaking. So attentive."
"Call it a shopkeeper's eye instead."
"Eek."
She brought up marriage now and then, leaving me wondering if she meant it or was joking. She definitely loved my cooking and our little banter when things were slow.
"You're pretty free today, though."
"I blackmailed the guild master for time off."
"...What kind of blackmail?"
"Told her I'd shove hot coffee up her nose if she piled on more work."
Ah. The guild master's a cat beastkin—can't handle hot stuff, sensitive nose, hates bitter too. She's got solid admin and noble-wrangling skills, but pure combat-wise, she's mid-tier.
Labyrinth City Astraea drew in heavy hitters from outside the empire too, and with rare items and talent floating around, it even had its own independent governing body within imperial bounds.
They could veto imperial orders to a degree and got perks in exchange for handling political demands—half of which fell to the Adventurer's Guild Master.
Natural for someone with political savvy and connections over raw power to take the role.
"Gotta ease up on the workload. Newbie escorts by day, night dives by night, occasional bodyguard gigs, guard duty too."
"Sounds like you're respected. I hate being swamped myself, of course."
"...."
Sis glared at me like she had a lot to say, then face-planted on the table again, flailing her arms as she grumbled.
"Help me out."
"How exactly?"
"Get your adventurer cert and join up."
"I'm just a powerless cafe manager."
"Liar."
Over half the low-rank adventurers were just muscle-headed thugs, so running a shop here demanded real force.
In this era before coffee went mainstream, idiots ranted about selling poison or charging for burnt bean water. Only way to shut them up was a beatdown.
Truth be told, my early regulars were just Leimi Sis and Dras, but someone famous like Mina Sis might've spread word in adventurer circles.
Strong or not, I just wanted to live quietly.
As I chuckled softly at her spinning her head on the table, she propped her chin up and spoke.
"Not even a little tempted?"
"Nope. Feels weird saying this in a city where everyone's hustling, but I came here to rest my weary body and soul."
"Something happen?"
"A lot happened."
She picked up on whatever my hollow smile conveyed and ordered another coffee. As I brewed it, she watched and said,
"...Cafe manager suits you better anyway."
"Right?"
