Chapter 46
“Welcome, I’m glad to see you again.”
“Hmm, I was busy earlier…..”
“Yes, well, now you can take your time and enjoy.”
When it was her turn, I warmly greeted the gumiho and prepared my special ‘Cream Makgeolli’ by mixing makgeolli with milk, honey, and sugar, then whisking it to create a frothy texture.
“It’s ‘creamy makgeolli’.”
“Oh my……”
The gumiho’s large eyes widened at the creamy makgeolli.
“It’s so smooth! It feels like swallowing a cloud. Truly a heavenly honeyed drink!”
The excited kumiho shouted, and the line grew longer again. Of course, their orders were for ‘creamy makgeolli’.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
I couldn’t hide my proud feelings, as before the kumiho had taken just a sip and disappeared, leaving me utterly disappointed.
As business was booming like this,
“Oh.”
While making cocktails to keep up with the endless stream of orders, I suddenly ran out of makgeolli.
“Ah, I’m sorry, but I’ve run out of makgeolli……”
I apologized with a bow, but the spirit before me shook their head, saying there was no need.
“Just wait! I’ll go buy some makgeolli, so keep taking orders.”
“Huh? Okay.”
I nodded, dumbfounded.
In a situation where I’d have to close due to a lack of ingredients, the customers volunteered to go get the ingredients themselves.
Soon, the spirit who went to buy makgeolli returned, bringing the brewery owner who hurriedly followed due to the sudden large order.
“Oh, aren’t you…?”
Spotting me, the brewery owner’s face was full of shock.
‘How many times have he met me today?’
It was a tenacious connection linked by makgeolli.
“Since you’re here, have some makgeolli cocktails before leaving.”
The brewery owner who had once chased me away drank the creamy makgeolli with a blissful expression.
Word must have spread in the market, as the spirits who saw my fire show earlier and the gambler who took my entire fortune also lined up.
Before long, the long line shortened as we entered a lull period.
The slightly intoxicated spirits didn’t leave but gathered together to chat.
“It really feels like having a granddaughter.”
“Indeed. Hey, if any pesky rascals bother you, bring them here anytime! I’ll teach them a lesson, for sure.”
“Haha, thank you for the kind words.”
I laughed awkwardly, and the tiger spirit emphasized it sincerely.
“I have so much free time after retiring. I used to cherish every minute and second back then. I miss those days. Let me tell you, when I was young……”
Is it the alcohol? Everyone started getting talkative.
When I responded politely, the spirits kept putting things in my hands.
“Take this. It’s because you remind me of my granddaughter.”
Starting with snacks, then a few coin pennies as ‘allowance’, and even a pretty pair of shoes.
“Hmm, so mixing drinks like this is called a ‘cocktail.’ What’s the name of this place?”
“Well, it’s……”
Just as I was about to say it’s from another dimension, Shu suddenly cut in.
“It’s right here!”
A line of light extended from Shu’s fingertip, drawing a door.
The familiar door had a sign hanging on it.
<‘Milky Way Lounge’ Cocktail Bar. Currently preparing for business.>
“I’ll leave this door here, so feel free to visit anytime! We have many delicious cocktails prepared.”
Shu said cheerfully while looking around.
‘Is this guy really trying to open a business right now?’
I couldn’t help but let out an awkward laugh. Shu even stepped forward to take questions from the customers.
“So what time do you open?”
“From 9 AM……”
“Whoa, wait! We’re not opening that early, are we? Please come around 4 PM instead.”
I hurriedly cut in to correct him. As the spirit who asked walked away, Shu clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.
“You’re not even doing business here, are you?”
“You’re just lazy, so some coercion is necessary……”
“What cocktail bar opens that early?”
“But you close early too, Noona.”
Unfazed by my sharp retort, Shu fired back.
“That’s for safety reasons, you know?”
“Which is why we should open early. The more people around, the safer, right?”
“Absolutely not, no way.”
We fiercely growled at each other like a shield and sword.
“If the customers suddenly increase, it’ll be all your fault.”
“Not my ‘fault,’ it’ll be ‘thanks to me.'”
Realizing this could go on forever, I pursed my lips and turned away from the grumbling Shu.
‘Anyway, I should prepare in advance.’
If customers from this dimension visit, I’ll need a steady supply of makgeolli.
‘I never want to see disappointed faces after drinking my cocktails again.’
It was…a bit painful when expectations were dashed and faces were stained with disappointment after taking a sip of my drink. It hurt my self-esteem, you could say.
The gumiho and haetae’s rejection of my cocktails seemed to have affected me more deeply than I expected.
I approached the brewery owner, who was laughing unsteadily from being drunk.
“I’d like to receive makgeolli supplies regularly. You said it only costs a coin, right?”
“Look at this! How about our store’s makgeolli, made with 100% glutinous rice!”
“Don’t you have any interest in nutty, tangy makgeolli?”
Suddenly, brewery representatives rushed over vying for attention.
‘What? Were they all gathered here?’
I didn’t expect there to be so many breweries in this dimension where retired spirits live.
‘Come to think of it, I might brew alcohol too after retiring.’
Just this afternoon, I was anxious about not being able to get a single bottle of makgeolli.
One’s future is truly unpredictable.
“I’d like to sample your makgeolli. Could I get some samples?”
“Of course, no problem.”
“Try mine first……”
I might be surrounded by countless makgeolli for the time being.
Just as there are 100 different tastes for 100 different whiskies, the same goes for makgeolli.
‘Makgeolli may not be my specialty, but……’
Since there are customers who love it so much, I should put some thought into it.
‘Of course, I want to drink it too!’
I wonder which makgeolli would pair well with cocktails. It will be a happy contemplation tinged with a hint of self-interest.
🫧
As night fell, the bustling customers had all left. After finishing the clean-up, Shu slowly approached me.
“Let’s see. Today’s earnings are… wow! A whopping 2,105 coins!”
“That much? You could have cut me some slack.”
“What are you saying? We have to earn while we can.”
Notification windows kept popping up, but I was so busy taking orders that I didn’t even realize how much I had earned.
“Then I’ll take the subscription fee.”
<Notice> Basic payment has been completed.
9,800 coins will be deducted.
Just like last time, the feeling of being completely stripped wasn’t pleasant. It felt like being plucked bare, in a way?
Still, I earned quite a bit today, leaving around 1,700 coins as spare change. Knowing I didn’t have to start from zero was a bit reassuring.
“Noona, you’re pretty good at this, huh? Before coming to this dimension, you looked like you never wanted to do this.”
“I just like making cocktails, that’s all.”
Although I replied curtly, a smile was plastered on my face for some reason.
Yeah. To be honest, I was proud of today’s great success.
The kumiho who initially took just one sip before making a sour face and running away, came back and drank five glasses in a row.
‘I hope they’ll visit the bar again later.’
With that thought, I opened the door and returned to my cocktail bar.
It was a bit messy since I had neglected cleaning for a few days, but this familiar place felt cozy now.
“You worked hard today, so you can take the next few days off no matter what…..”
After resting up, I need to find that scammer who paid with counterfeit money.
‘I’ll hang him upside down when I find him.’
Even without clues, you can’t underestimate a bartender’s information-gathering skills.
Anyway, that’s for later. Immediately, I was so tired that I flopped down on the floor, but unexpectedly shu followed me in.
“What’s going on? I thought you’d just leave after the payment.”
“Huh? Should I go then?”
Shu squatted down beside me and asked hesitantly.
Wait. I feel like I’m forgetting something… Ah!
“You said you’d change the place.”
I sat up and said.
“I was going to leave if you forgot.”
“You were going to slyly brush it off.”
“Be grateful, this is a really generous service.”
Shu arrogantly tilted his chin up.
“You’re really full of yourself. So when should I start packing? Oh, are you providing a moving service?”
“No need for that.”
I eyed Shu suspiciously. No need to prepare for moving if changing places? This seems fishy.
Shu averted my gaze and softly chanted a spell. Then, a huge slot machine appeared in front of me.
“What is this?”
“Pull the lever.”
Following his instructions, I pulled the lever and the cylinders began spinning rapidly with pictures flashing by.
‘Ah, I know this one.’
If three identical pictures line up, you hit the jackpot in this gambling game.
The first picture was a diamond.
As one picture stopped, the world suddenly shook violently like an earthquake.
“Whoa?”
My body swayed, and I clung to the bar counter. Even in this situation, Shu stood upright.
At that moment, the second picture stopped. It was another diamond.
‘Just one more!’
Then, unbelievably, around thirty different kinds of bars flashed rapidly before my eyes—from luxurious hotel bars to chic pool bars, and even underwater ocean bars.
The speed gradually slowed down.
“Ah, it’s getting hot.”
Suddenly feeling intense heat, I grew dizzy. Because of that, I closed my eyes for a moment, and when I opened them, the surroundings had changed.
“Huh?”
Simultaneously, the third picture stopped. This time…it was a flame icon.
<Notice> ‘Oasis Bar in the Desert’ has been selected.
The old wooden building transformed into an architectural structure carved out of rock.
The bar counter and tables had all turned to stone, and the windows shrank, likely to block the sand winds.
Objectively, the bar itself looked far more stylish, but…..
“Where is this place?”
Going outside, a clear oasis came into view. Looking up, an immensely vast canyon spread out dazzlingly.
And besides that….endless stretches of sand.
I grabbed a handful of sand. The grains instantly scattered away with the fierce winds.
“Ah.”
Bewildered, I brushed my bangs back with my hand.
“He said he’d change it to a cool bar!”
Grumbling, I went back inside, but Shu had already fled.
After messing with me so much, now he just abandoned me in the desert?
“That brat! Just wait until I see him again!”
🥂
Thank you for reading! ♡
Oof… sand of all things.