Chapter 24
“By the way, the hammock is mine. If you want, I can set up another one for you….”
“I don’t have the leisure to lie around like that.”
That’s how I expected Chris to respond. His face seemed to say he didn’t know the meaning of leisure.
“Alright then. Good day.”
As if declaring an end to the conversation, I put on my headphones. Chris then dragged over the axe that had been lying on the floor.
His icy gaze landed on me. Then he raised the axe, not to swing it, but…
The shadow of the axe fell over my face, blocking the sunlight.
“Move that axe away. You’re blocking the sun. Don’t you know how precious sunlight is for someone who works all day?”
“……”
“If you’re bored, go chop some firewood. You know it gets quite chilly in the evenings, right?”
“I’ll chop some.”
Chris slung the axe over his shoulder and continued.
“You’ve got guts.”
Was that his way of calling me lazy?
I pursed my lips defiantly, and Chris turned and walked away. Only then did I play my music.
“Ahhh…..”
Three hours later, I stretched and climbed down from the hammock, and lo and behold, the view was different from when I’d fallen asleep.
“Huh?”
First, the loose window frames were now solidly fixed, and the back door that kept coming unhinged looked tidy.
‘There’s even a new lock.’
Not only that, boards had been nailed to the kitchen wall.
‘The drafts kept coming in.’
It didn’t seem like I’d be shivering from the cold in the evenings anymore.
Ding!
<Notice> Store Durability 200/200 (Safety Rating: Lowest)
“Wow, the durability has doubled.”
Though the safety rating was still ‘lowest,’ I realized just how ramshackle the building had been until now.
‘But where did he go? I don’t see him.’
No sooner had I tilted my head in wonder than the back door creaked open.
“Finally awake, I see. I thought you were going to sleep your life away.”
“Well, whose fault is it that I woke up at the crack of dawn?”
Why pick a fight as soon as you see me? I responded grumpily.
Strangely, Chris didn’t look the least bit tired. He probably didn’t get a wink of sleep.
“What have you been up to?”
“I’ve been searching for doors. Ah, this may seem belated, but you’ve set up shop in quite an odd place?”
“Ah, yes. It just happened.”
“I set up some traps in the vicinity just in case……”
“Eek! Take them down right away!”
I cried out in shock.
My cash cow, the rich duke, could be coming through that door!
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After collecting all the traps, my whole body ached.
‘Why were there so many?’
From pitfalls disguised with foliage that you’d plunge into if you stepped on them, to traps that hung you upside-down from a tree if triggered.
“Haah……”
Having me do hard labor, he was an ungrateful part-timer.
Still, I somehow managed to finish everything before business hours.
“Hmm. Did you really need to rush that much?”
“If you’re free, make some posters for me. Just copy the ones I’ve made.”
“They’re too poorly made to copy.”
“Could you keep those thoughts to yourself?”
I placed thick drawing paper and colored pencils in front of Chris.
There’s no photocopier here. I’ll have to prepare little by little to advertise in other dimensions.
“How many should I make?”
“As many as possible.”
I left the posters to Chris and reheated the stew.
“Stew really is best when simmered more than twice.”
Should I dip some soft bread in it, or have it with toasted baguette? It was a delightful dilemma.
‘But this is drinking food, so I should eat in moderation.’
My hand kept reaching for more, which was dangerous.
What if I ended up eating it all before any customers arrived?
Just as I was thinking that, the door opened.
“Welcome…”
“Who’s there!”
Opposite my broad smile welcoming the customer, Chris had a vicious expression.
I hurriedly grabbed Chris’ arm.
“What are you doing?”
“That guy just appeared out of nowhere. I was keeping watch outside but didn’t notice him at all. Isn’t that suspicious?”
Well, that door is connected to other dimensions, after all.
“I’ll warn you once. Stop right there. Take one more step and…”
“Enough!”
As Chris threatened him, the customer couldn’t bring himself to enter and lingered by the entrance.
I rushed over and apologized to the customer.
“Sorry for startling you. Please have a seat anywhere comfortable. You’ve visited three times already, haven’t you?”
“Oh, you remember me.”
“Of course. Would you like your usual order today?”
“Hmm. In that case, Owner, I’ll have my regular.”
I smiled and muddled some mint. I filled a glass with sugar and crushed ice, then poured in rum and lime juice before topping it off with soda water.
‘Garnish with a lime wedge and mint leaves to finish.’
The refreshing and zesty ‘Mojito’ was placed in front of the customer, along with frozen grapes as the standard side dish.
“Sorry to have kept you waiting.”
“Ahh! This is what keeps me alive. This one glass is the joy of my life these days, haha!”
The weary, worn-out customer instantly perked up after taking a sip of the mojito.
‘Seems like a regular customer from one of the dimensions I’ve visited.’
This customer, too, was hooked on the mojito–He was the coachman from the ‘Regressor Lady’ dimension, if I recall correctly.
“By the way, who is that man? I’ve never seen him before…”
“He’s a part-timer.”
The customer remained conscious of Chris the entire time he drank his mojito. Understandable, since Chris didn’t take his eyes off him once.
I definitely needed to intervene.
“The customer looks scared because of Chris. You’re not thinking of driving all the customers away, are you?”
Are you trying to bite the hand that saved your whole fortune and brought you back from the brink?
I tried to let it go since he fixed up the place, but this was too much.
“How can you run business in peace? Those guys must be hiding something. You’ve got some guts.”
“My life is on the line here.”
“Everyone’s life is on the line.”
Chris glared at the back of the customer’s head as he responded.
“Suspecting the customer is rude behavior. Remember this—the customer is not the enemy, but an ally.”
“…Alright, alright.”
Chris answered with a disgruntled look. He glanced over occasionally while pretending to wipe the table, there wasn’t much I could do about that.
The second customer who visited was such a stunning beauty that I couldn’t help but gasp in admiration.
“Welcome.”
I greeted the customer with a smile and served apple and mandarin orange slices as the standard side dish.
“Hey, boss.”
Chris then approached me and whispered.
“Even you think she’s beautiful, right?”
“She seems suspicious. That woman is armed.”
Does that really matter when faced with such a beauty? Chris was something else.
“Armed…?”
I glanced at the woman. She didn’t even have a bag, just her bare hands—where could she be hiding a weapon? Well, it’s possible she hid one somewhere like Johan….
“Look closely. That hairpin. It’s sharp enough to slit a throat if…”
“Let me make this clear—this place is safe, alright?”
Exasperated, I curtly cut him off and went to take the customer’s order.
The customer seemed to have something private to tell me as she put her hand to her lips and whispered.
“Who is that man?”
Was this another complaint about Chris?
“I’m sorry. He’s our part-timer, but I’ll warn him…”
“He’s so handsome. It’s a feast for the eyes.”
The customer’s whisper had a dreamy look in her eyes. Noticing her gaze, Chris stiffened his expression. He must be making some strange assumption now, without a doubt.
“Could you make me your finest cocktail? Oh, and I’d love it if the handsome part-timer could bring it over?”
“That’s…um, I’ll see what I can do.”
I chuckled awkwardly and returned to the bar area.
‘The finest cocktail, huh?’
What qualifies as the finest differs from person to person, so it was a rather abstract order.
‘Still, there are some general standards.’
For the finest cocktail, one would normally think of the ‘King of Cocktails’, the Martini.
‘But looking at this confident customer, a different cocktail comes to mind first.’
I poured ice into a shaker and added white rum, triple sec, and lemon juice.
Shake shake.
I vigorously shook the mixture and strained it into an inverted triangle glass. It had a pale, refreshing golden hue.
‘This combination is a winner.’
Rum is usually associated with tropical cocktails, but it pairs perfectly with citrus flavors.
“Chris. The name of this cocktail is the ‘X.Y.Z’.”
“Oh?”
“The X.Y.Z. cocktail is named after the last three letters of the alphabet, symbolizing the pride of being unmatched and definitive. Please bring it and explain it to her.”
“But what’s with that weird stare? She was gawking at me.”
“It’s just because you’re handsome.”
“Conveniently, I have some poison left over. If I coat the glass…”
“Oh, come on!”
I firmly stepped on Chris’ foot.
“Don’t try any funny business! Just deliver the drink and come back. Got it?”
“…Fine.”
Chris received the tray with a sour look. I glared at him vigilantly to make sure he didn’t do anything to the drink.
“Pardon me. Here is the ‘X.Y.Z’ you ordered. Supposedly the finest cocktail, embodying pride?”
“Oh, thank you.”
Though the customer flashed a charming smile, Chris did not let his guard down.
He even had a fork hidden behind his back.
Why on earth did he bring that? As an emergency weapon?
“Um…”
Even as the customer tried to speak, Chris abruptly turned away.
The side dishes were probably running low too. I sliced some kiwi and strawberry and approached the customer.
“Excuse me, Miss. Our part-timer is still a novice, so he makes frequent mistakes. I apologize.”
I politely apologized. A part-timer’s mistake is the owner’s mistake. I needed to handle this so the customer didn’t feel offended.
Was hiring this part-timer really a good idea? I was starting to doubt it.
“He has quite the poker face. Most would crumble if I teased them.”
“Well, you see. His eyes must be playing tricks on him.”
I answered honestly. Who else would be searching for weapons in the presence of such a stunning beauty?
“I couldn’t help but notice you two whispering earlier. By any chance, are you lovers?”
“No, we’re not.”
As I flatly denied it, the customer burst into laughter.
“Ah, so it was about me then, I assume?”
I chuckled awkwardly and mumbled some vague response. It was true, just an issue of what conversation exactly.
This customer must never know what Chris and I had discussed.
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⋆｡‧˚ʚ Translator Note ɞ˚‧｡⋆
A Mojito is a refreshing cocktail that originated in Cuba. It is made with five key ingredients: white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime juice, soda water, and mint. The combination of sweetness, citrus, and mint flavors complements the potent kick of the rum, making it a popular summer drink.
The drink’s origins date back to the 16th century, and it has since become a favorite worldwide for its light, crisp, and refreshing taste.
The X.Y.Z. cocktail is a classic mixed drink that traces its origins back to the early 20th century. It is a well-balanced cocktail that combines three main ingredients: rum, Cointreau (an orange-flavored triple sec liqueur), and lemon juice. This combination creates a drink that is both citrusy and slightly sweet, with a smooth finish from the rum.
This drink is known for its simple yet sophisticated flavor profile, making it a timeless choice for cocktail enthusiasts.
While the X.Y.Z. cocktail’s exact origins are somewhat obscure, the name does suggest a sense of finality or completeness, as it references the last three letters of the alphabet. This naming might imply a drink that’s meant to be the “last word” in cocktails, representing something unmatched or definitive.
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Thank you for reading! ♡
