Chapter 30: We have some suspicious neighbors
“Warning! Don’t litter again!”
The couple who’d tried to dump their trash apologized profusely, bowing before fleeing the café.
‘After all the effort we put into cleaning this place…’
I stood there, fuming, before turning to collect empty teacups.
Then—
“…Huh?”
I spotted that spirit from before flitting among the customers.
Clutching a teacup, it was picking up empty ones from tables, almost like it was helping me.
I approached and spoke.
“Hey, are you helping me out?”
The spirit, cheeks faintly pink, nodded shyly.
I’d been swamped with customers—brewing tea, serving, greeting—barely keeping up.
Had it been watching me struggle?
Whatever the reason, I wasn’t about to refuse help!
“Thanks! I’m counting on you!”
And so, the spirit and I teamed up, clearing cups, washing dishes, and prepping for the next wave.
Amid the rush, I noticed the café had gone oddly quiet.
“…”
“…”
Customers had stopped sipping their drinks, staring blankly at me and the spirit working together.
It felt familiar—like when I first met a spirit with Baekya Guild’s ranker, that short-haired woman, and Yuuri.
‘They called spirits monsters.’
But the girl who offered acorns and pinecones, who beamed over a cream bun—how could she be a monster?
This was a chance to clear up misconceptions about spirits. Maybe even have it help with light serving.
To turn early visitors into regulars for ‘discreet trades,’
small talk and friendly service were key.
I needed a reason to chat with customers naturally.
I handed the spirit a round cookie.
“Can you take this to that table?”
I pointed at the agency staff’s table.
-Pii…
The spirit glanced between me and the table, hesitating nervously.
“I’ll give you all of these.”
-Piii…
Even at the promise of a whole bag of cookies, it wavered.
-Pii.
Finally resolute, it hugged the cookie—nearly its size—and flew toward the table.
I ducked behind the counter, sneaking peeks at their reactions.
“W-Wait? It’s coming our way!?”
A terrified staffer half-stood, but froze, dumbfounded, as the spirit offered the cookie.
“…Is this for me?”
Nod—
“Thanks. I’ll enjoy it…”
The chosen staffer stared blankly, then smacked her colleague’s shoulder excitedly.
“Did you see that!? The spirit gave me a cookie! You all saw, right!?”
Gasps of awe and envy erupted across the table.
“No way… that’s insane…”
“Jealous! I want a spirit cookie too…”
The spirit’s eyes sparkled as it watched with me.
“They’re super jealous. Guess you’re just too pretty to them.”
My casual remark made it flinch, startled. Then it grabbed more cookies and flew back to the table.
“It’s back!”
“This one’s mine.”
“What!? Manager, you hated spirits! No way, I’m taking it!”
The once-fearful table was now bickering over who’d get the next cookie.
The spirit, cheeks flushed pink, shyly handed them out.
The youngest staffer snapped photos.
“Sunbaes, I got it all! You have to post these!”
“Nice, our maknae’s got the best instincts.”
I gave the returning spirit a bag of cookies, ruffling its head roughly.
-Piiiiing…
It melted with joy, looking ready to dissolve.
“So adorable!”
I only wanted to show spirits weren’t scary, but the reaction was beyond my expectations.
Should I pivot to a spirit café?
—
Back home, an agency staffer posted on Instagram.
[Who’s gotten a cookie from a spirit? Me! ^^]
– Photo
0.0x132x1 and others liked.
#Gate #Spirit #HotSpotCafé #Healing #HarnellaTeaHeaven #DMforLocation
From that post, word of a ‘café with spirit staff’ spread like wildfire among awakeners.
[…? A café with spirit employees?]
[What kind of weird bait is that? lol]
[Pics look legit, though…]
[Isn’t that the gate everyone was talking about?]
[Saw a spirit IRL yesterday, stupidly cute, unreal]
It blew up on awakener forums first—
“Guild Master! Let’s check out that spirit café!”
“Invite Chorok unnie too!”
“Hm… Chorok’s probably busy.”
“Still, let’s call her!”
It reached Sprout Guild, rising in status for distributing affordable Lumina Bells—
“Leader, there’s a café with cute spirits working. Shall we visit?”
“I’m busy. Gotta prep for a move.”
“…Move? What do you mean?”
It hit Manwol Guild, the current top-ranked guild—
“What…? A spirit café…?”
Finally, it reached Han Jiye, Baekya Guild’s master, who’d dedicated her life to spirit research.
She headed straight for the rumored café.
The stunning natural scenery—glimmering lake, ancient trees—barely registered.
“SPIRITS!!!!!!”
Her focus was singular.
Squealing with excitement, she rushed to the café and plopped at a corner table.
Menu? Whatever. Just give her the recommended.
“Spirit… spirit… spirit…”
After an agonizing wait, a spirit dusted with frost crystals flew toward her, cradling a large teapot.
-Pii.
It set the teapot down, lifted its petal skirt slightly, and bowed gracefully.
Sculpted beauty,
elegant poise,
natural grace and dignity.
“Haaaaa…!”
Han Jiye clasped her hands, breathless with awe.
Pour—
The spirit filled the cup with hot water, bowed again, and left without hesitation.
“No… don’t go…”
As despair gripped her, she realized the spirit’s appearance differed slightly from the photos.
‘Could there be… more spirits!?’
Her frenzied gaze scanned the café.
Soon, she confirmed three spirits.
The regal queen spirit that served her,
a white spirit stealing hearts at other tables,
and a cute one on the counter, flashing five fingers at the owner.
‘How did they tame them?’
The spirit caged in her guild’s basement was listless, awaiting death.
Yet these brimmed with life and ease.
What karmic fortune did this owner earn in a past life?
‘Did she awaken as a spirit tamer?’
A druid? A beastmaster…?
Jealousy burning, her gaze shifted to the counter.
The owner was… surprisingly ordinary.
“What? Just a normal person?”
No grand aura, no special vibe.
Just… utterly average.
‘Then there’s a secret in her actions.’
Ignoring her tea, Han Jiye observed the owner.
Contrary to expectations, the owner’s only notable act was scolding litterers.
She periodically handed something to the spirits, but what it was remained unclear.
“I can’t just sit here.”
She took a deep breath.
“I’ll ask directly.”
—
‘That was a weird one…’
I shook my head, watching the woman slink out of the café.
She’d seemed off from the start.
Scanning the place with strange eyes,
smirking oddly at Pristine…
Definitely not normal.
Worried she might mess with the spirits, I kept a wary eye on her.
Then she stormed over, breathless, and blurted—
– How did you tame the spirits!?
– Please, tell me the secret!!
Her feverish gaze gave me chills.
I kicked her out for disrupting business, but an uneasy feeling lingered.
‘By the way, I’m out of Harnella petals.’
Had word spread?
The sudden customer surge depleted my tea stock.
Time to gather more Harnella and test my new staff’s ‘rare gatherable detection.’
I decided to close for the day.
I waved off the last customer, smiling, and escorted them to the gate.
Today’s business—done!
‘Phew… what a hectic day.’
Without Pristine and Lumina pitching in, I couldn’t have handled the crowd alone.
‘Maybe I need an employee…’
Strolling home, I noticed a light in the neighboring house.
‘No way! A neighbor?’
My new home was in a cluster of similar houses, but I’d been the only resident.
Living alone in this vast space felt a bit lonely, so that light warmed my heart.
Knock knock—
I tapped the door to greet my new neighbor.
It opened, revealing a familiar face.
“Oh! Healer-nim, here!?”
Song Yuhwa, Kaewha Guild’s master.
“No way, you live nearby!? I just moved in today… hehe.”
Her awkward tone and forced cheer made me wonder…
Did she move here because I did?
“Uh… my house is right next door.”
“Wow! Neighbors!? I’ll visit often, neighbor Healer-nim!”
“Haha… sure…”
I cut the chat short and ducked inside.
‘Didn’t they say top rankers live in apartments?’
I picked this outskirts house to avoid them, yet one moved next door…
As confusion swirled, the doorbell rang.
Ding-dong—
The first visitor since moving in.
Bet it’s that Kaewha master, too eager to wait.
Always so impatient.
Creak—
I opened the door, exasperated.
But an unexpected figure stood there.
“Been a while.”
“…Huh?”
“Long time no see.”
A chillingly beautiful face.
An emotionless voice.
Eyes fixed on my cheek, as if it were natural.
The strange woman from Manwol Guild’s headquarters.
She brushed past me, striding into my house like she owned it, and plopped onto the sofa, legs crossed.
I hadn’t even invited her in!
“I moved next door.”
Her audacity left me speechless.
Who is she, acting like we’re old friends?
Inspecting her nails, she nodded toward the door.
“Someone’s outside. Get it.”
Ding-dong—
The bell rang again.
“Neighbor Healer-nim! Open up! I brought housewarming rice cakes!”
Yuhwa’s cheery voice made me close my eyes tightly.
‘I chose a house to avoid drama…’
But I had a sinking feeling my life was about to get more exhausting.