Chapter 5
I didn’t bother to look at the notification window this time either.
A forced quest? So what if it’s forced? If I’m not doing it, what can they do about it?
“It was a good call to have already raided the fridge.”
It’s a pity I can’t read the manga, but that didn’t make me feel any more motivated to leave home. I just plopped down on the bar counter.
How much time passed like that?
I was deep in a dazed state, neither asleep nor awake.
“At best, you’ll just become a third-rate bartender. Your cocktails lack soul, they lack soul!”
Ah, this is a memory from my apprentice days.
I used to get scolded frequently. Back then, the bar manager seemed so scary that a single word from him would bring me to tears.
“Do you think I’m criticizing you right now? You, who can’t even shake off the trainee label and haven’t earned a single award?”
There were times when I grit my teeth and worked hard after hearing such words from the head bartender, eventually winning awards.
It had been so long since I just lazed around like this.
I was always busy living.
Because I didn’t want to be looked down on anywhere, because I wanted to be recognized as a bartender.
Looking back, I wonder why I lived so diligently.
In the end, my life just ends pathetically by getting hit by a damn motorcycle.
“I should have just lived like this from the start.”
Muttering words no one could hear, I drifted off to sleep.
⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊
<Notice> 0 days remain in the free trial.
The quests that had been hounding me for the past few days disappeared, and a final notification popped up like a warning that the last day had arrived.
It didn’t go away or disappear.
Like a final summons.
But what could I do? Even if I had worked hard, selling thousands of cocktails in just ten days was impossible.
‘Not like I’m alive in the real world anyway.’
Growllll—
Even in my gloomy state, my body was honest. Right, I was hungry. The problem was that the food supplies at the bar had run out.
There was plenty of liquor, but drinking on an empty stomach was something I couldn’t do.
“It’s still daytime, so I should go look for something.”
This is a forest, so there should be fruits or greens around.
Before that, I went to the bathroom to wash up, but was taken aback when I saw my hair had turned a soft pink color in the mirror’s reflection.
‘A gentle pink like cherry blossom petals.’
It was a drastic color change for me, who had never even bleached my hair before.
Even my eye color had changed to purple.
Flustered, I frantically touched my face. Only the colors had changed – it was undoubtedly my face.
“But……”
Why did this feel so natural?
My original black hair and brown eyes now seemed unfamiliar.
As if I had just regained my original colors…….
“What in the world is going on……”
There was no one to help resolve this puzzling feeling.
I had ended up in this strange world in the first place, so what did hair and eye color changes matter?
“Who cares.”
Muttering indifferently, I just grabbed a basket and set off aimlessly.
Once I left the relatively well-maintained area around the cocktail bar, an untouched forest stretched out.
How far had I walked?
The surroundings gradually took on a deeper, darker hue as if enveloped in darkness.
‘It suddenly got chilly.’
I should have brought something to wear. I rubbed my bare arms and looked around warily.
“Found something.”
Finally, something plausible came into view.
A tawny mushroom reaching up to my waist. With yellow spots dotted on it, like polka dots.
“Not a poisonous mushroom, is it?”
I hesitated as I reached my hand out towards the mushroom.
The fruits hanging in clusters from the trees also looked bizarre. I thought they were jet-black fruits, but as I got closer, they suddenly spread their wings and flew away.
“Bats? Then all those ‘fruits’ were actually….. Ugh!”
Flap flap flap flap!
At that moment, a swarm of bats took flight, causing me to tumble backward.
“Owww…..”
They didn’t act threateningly, but I got a bit scared.
“I should just go ask the pirates to share some canned food instead.”
I dusted off my backside and got up.
That’s when it happened.
<Notice> Warning! You have entered a low control zone.
The system’s warning snapped me back to reality. Even if I had a “leave it be” attitude, I didn’t want to die twice.
Without looking back, I hurried my steps, but suddenly a volley of arrows came raining down.
“Ugh!”
None hit the mark, just grazing my shoulder. So I could relax….
‘Huh?’
In an instant, my vision swayed and my body pitched forward.
“Target is down!”
“Lower your bows. I’ll check on it.”
Voices came from not too far away.
‘Dizzy……’
I tried to get up somehow, but couldn’t muster any strength.
Then someone approached me. I barely lifted my head to identify them—it was a huge man looking flustered at me.
“A woman?”
The man knelt down and cradled me in his arms.
“Bring the antidote immediately!”
The man who had shouted like thunder immediately tore open my shirt and buried his face in my shoulder. A stranger’s lips enclosed my wound and roughly sucked on it.
“Ah, it hurts……”
“Pah. It’s dangerous if I don’t remove the poison.”
The man continued sucking on the wound and spitting out blood. His hot breath brushed against my exposed shoulder.
“I’ve brought the antidote!”
“Open your mouth wide. It’s quite bitter.”
The vile taste that flowed into my mouth nearly made me vomit right there.
“Urghh.…..”
“You have to swallow it.”
The man’s large hand covered my mouth as he gently lifted my jaw. As the bitter medicine went down my throat, my blurring vision refocused.
“Haah……”
I was already feeling hungry and exhausted from getting caught up in this situation. I slumped against the man’s chest, leaning onto him.
“Please excuse me further.”
The man then tore open my shirt and tightly bandaged my shoulder wound.
‘Ah.’
Only then did I realize I had fully exposed my bare skin in front of this strange man.
What’s more, this strange man had repeatedly sucked and licked my bare skin……
“Your face is red. Are you alright?”
“I, I think I’m okay……”
“Then say ‘ah’.”
“Ah?”
Not understanding why, I did as instructed and a candy popped right into my open mouth.
“It will help with the bitterness.”
The man set me down. With my shirt in tatters, I used both hands to cover my upper body.
“My apologies. I failed to show proper consideration for a lady.”
The man took off his coat and draped it over me. A coat that seemed perfectly fitted for him was oversized and engulfed me.
A heavy musky scent wafted into my nose.
“……”
Finally, with a moment’s respite, I gazed intently at the man.
His impeccably tailored uniform accentuated his physique splendidly.
On his back was a massive sword as tall as my height.
Only by craning my neck could I bring his face into view.
Neatly groomed black hair. Eyes as deep blue as the sea.
The man had ruggedly defined facial features—the quintessential handsome man.
“Is there a problem?”
An icy aura emanated from him. I felt like a herbivore in front of a predator.
“Well, there are quite a few……”
The strange oppressive feeling made me trail off unconsciously.
But I had to say what needed to be said.
Clenching my fists tightly, I faced the man directly.
“I got hit by an arrow while just passing by, is that not a problem? It was even a poisoned arrow. I almost died, you know.”
Now that I voiced it out, indignation welled up inside me.
I was the victim here. I was just minding my own business when I got hit by a poisoned arrow, and I’m not supposed to be angry?
“Why did you suddenly start shooting arrows at me?”
“I will ask you instead.”
Those piercing winter-blue eyes fixed on me.
“What are you even doing in a place like this?”
“A place like this……”
I had intended to stand my ground, but found myself at a loss for words.
Because truthfully, I didn’t really know where this place was either.
“I am the Duke who rules the North. While chasing demons and crossing the ice wall, I discovered a gate.”
“A gate?”
“Yes. Beyond it, usually swarms with demons. I thought of this place as a dungeon.”
The man explained calmly, his eyes shining sharply. It was as if he was scrutinizing me.
“I apologize for dragging you into this, but truthfully, I find you rather suspicious. Just who are you?”
“I’m just a bartender.”
“A bartender?”
The man’s eyes narrowed.
“I’m someone who makes cocktails, which are mixed drinks made by combining liquor with other ingredients.”
“So you’re saying you run a tavern?”
I nodded.
“But that still doesn’t explain your reason for being here.”
“My bar is located nearby.”
“What is the name of your bar?”
“That’s……”
I mumbled, embarrassed to reveal the name I had accidentally settled on.
As the silence dragged on, the man smiled faintly and spoke up.
“Then please show me. I happen to be getting thirsty. Since I’m indebted to you, I’ll help increase your sales.”
On the surface, it sounded like an apology, but I sensed the underlying suspicion.
‘He probably wants to verify if I’m telling the truth.’
It was a more effective way than outright doubting and questioning the validity of my words.
“Sure, this way, please.”
Since I had nothing to hide, I took the lead confidently.
“My lord! We shall……”
“Stay nearby and search the surroundings while you wait.”
“Understood!”
The knights moved in perfect unison following the man’s orders.
‘A northern duke, just like a fantasy novel.’
By chance, I ended up leading this nameless duke back to my bar.
⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊
Thank you for reading! ♡
<3