Chapter : 01
Ding-a-ling.
As the door opened, the bell hanging at the entrance rang loudly.
I was slicing strawberries with a paring knife to prepare a drink when I lifted my head at the sound.
“Welcome.”
“Oh my, there’s a shop in a place like this? I came across it by chance during a walk and came in because the exterior looked so lovely.”
She calmly glanced around the dim shop where only the window area was lit, filled with old furniture that looked like they could collapse at any moment.
“I’m sorry, but there are no seats available.”
It was true.
There were only five tables, and even though that’s not many, it was a miracle they were all full.
Young ladies dressed as if attending a grand party were seated at every table, elegantly sipping their drinks.
“Oh no… Would it be possible to share a table?”
The young lady who had just entered looked like she might burst into tears as she pleaded, but no one inside even met her eyes.
“Unfortunately, it seems the other customers aren’t open to that idea.”
“But I came from really far away…”
“Didn’t you say you found the place by chance?”
“Oh my, what a good memory you have. Hehe. Actually, I’m the second daughter of Count Edrea’s family…”
As she whispered quietly to me, she caught sight of the nameplates the other young ladies had intentionally placed in full view and quickly changed the subject.
“Ahem… So, where does Sir Seniel usually sit? And what’s his favorite drink?”
Clearly, she never intended to hide her true goal. Her eyes sparkled as she began bombarding me with questions.
I ignored her and returned my focus to the cutting board.
“Seniel doesn’t come here.”
“I know he does. I paid a lot of money to get that information, you know?”
While I was thinking of ways to get rid of her as she persistently talked beside me—
Ding-a-ling.
The door opened again.
And this time, it was him—the very person who had been drawing crowds to my shop.
The young lady who had clung to me and all the other customers in the café screamed in unison.
“Ahh! Kyaaa!!”
“To see Sir Seniel up close like this… I could die happy now!”
His skin was so pale it was almost translucent, with visible veins. His sharply defined features were bold yet elegant.
Silky silver hair falling to his neck accentuated his fair complexion, while his deep, dark blue eyes contrasted beautifully. No wonder the reaction was so extreme.
‘Why are you showing up now of all times?!’
Every single person in the shop was a die-hard fan of Seniel.
“Sis! I’m here!”
Seniel ran toward me with a beaming smile, and I immediately grabbed him and pulled him behind the counter.
“What are you doing here? I told you not to come during the day.”
“I had some business nearby and just happened to pass by. But…”
He trailed off as his gaze fell on Kaiden, who was quietly making drinks in the corner.
“Why is that guy here again? A priest should be praying at the temple! Is he even a real priest?”
I grabbed Seniel’s cheeks with both hands and turned his face back to me, speaking slowly and clearly.
“Seniel. Because of you, this place is getting too popular. It’s so packed, customers are leaving because there’s no space. And all of them are your fans.”
“So what?”
“If you keep coming here, the rumors will spread even more. That means the café will get even more popular!”
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
Seniel tilted his head like he didn’t see the problem. I barely held back the words that almost escaped my mouth.
‘It’s a problem because this isn’t a normal café!’
How can a dark guild branch be this packed with customers?!
“Hmm… If you don’t like the crowd, should I just chase them all away?”
Seniel, clearly sulking from my scolding, began releasing an eerie aura into the room.
But even that was useless. These girls were such extreme fans that they’d probably enjoy even that side of him.
I was about to stop him before things got worse when the door opened again.
“We’re full—”
I was about to bark out that there were no seats with a scowl when I saw who it was and dropped into my chair.
“Rosia, the usual.”
He completely ignored the lack of seating and marched straight to the counter, casually exchanging a glance with Seniel.
“You have a usual now?”
“Aren’t I a regular here?”
The prince blinked at me innocently, and I lost all motivation to reply.
“Sis, should I finish mashing these strawberries?”
“Why are you in the kitchen? Get out. This is my territory.”
“Territory? You’re claiming territory next to my sister? Wanna fight?”
Kaiden, who had somehow become my assistant, wasn’t exactly lacking in looks either. The three men growling at each other… it was annoying, but I had to admit it was quite the sight.
A very entertaining sight.
Maybe that’s why?
The young ladies in the shop were no longer just squealing—they were fainting, collapsing off their chairs, declaring they could die happy.
I sat down and stared blankly at the chaos, mumbling to myself.
“Should I just shut this place down?”
✦✦✦
When I was little, my family ran a shop.
Not one with a fixed menu—if someone asked for food, we gave them food; if they asked for a drink, we gave them a drink.
What was the shop called?
It had no name.
My parents didn’t even hang up a sign.
The shop was deep in the mountains, where the air was fresh and the water clean. The only people who ever stumbled in were lost travelers or herbalists.
The place was always empty—but I liked it that way.
It meant I could spend more time playing with my little brother and being with Mom and Dad.
So, I thought our family must be rich.
Running a nameless shop in the middle of nowhere with no customers? That could only be a hobby for the wealthy, right?
But when I was eight, my parents died in an accident, and the truth came out.
“Sis… Waaahhh. We’ll never see Mom and Dad again?”
“Yeah. This is where we say goodbye.”
As I held back tears and clutched Seniel’s hand at our parents’ grave, a woman in dark clothing approached us.
“You must be Rosia.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m someone your father owed money to. Read this.”
Owed money?
My tears stopped instantly, and even my grief paused for a moment.
I scanned the document she handed me.
It was a contract. And the handwriting and signature were unmistakably my father’s.
He had taught me how to read and write, so I recognized it immediately.
“When your father died, a debt of 1 billion Jery was passed down to you.”
One billion Jery!!
My mouth dropped open.
It was an absurd amount of money—more than most people would see in a lifetime.
He borrowed that much?
For what?!
My confusion was short-lived.
All I knew was that I couldn’t inherit this debt. So I denied everything.
“I’ve never heard anything about a debt. And he’s dead—how can that pass to me?”
“See this clause? ‘Upon death, the debt is inherited by offspring.’ It’s the law.”
“Isn’t there a way to refuse?”
“There is one way. Both of you die here.”
Her smile was terrifying.
“There’s no other option. Come along now.”
She dragged us to a place filled with children our age.
There, Seniel and I underwent physical training and learned strange skills. We fought every day. Again and again.
It was a place of endless competition. Only the top ranks got food. If someone starved to death, they were simply tossed out.
It was too harsh for two kids like us who had never even thrown a punch.
As we missed more meals, Seniel grew thinner and weaker.
‘This can’t go on.’
Debt or no debt, I couldn’t let us live like this. I tried escaping with Seniel multiple times.
But we never succeeded. The place was like a fortress, with guards seen and unseen everywhere.
The first time we were caught, I begged the woman who locked us up.
“Auntie, I’ll do my best. I don’t know what you’re raising us for, but I’ll do it. Just… let my brother go.”
Clenching my teeth to plead for Seniel’s sake, she only scoffed.
“Don’t be mistaken. The weak don’t get to choose.”
If there was no way out, the only option was to survive.
Maybe if I were alone, I’d give up. But I couldn’t let Seniel die in that place.
So I threw myself into training like a madwoman.
One month later—
I knocked down a giant kid who hadn’t left the rankings for over a year.
They said I was the fastest to ever do it. Called it talent.
Step by step, I climbed the ranks. And the day I became number one, I returned to the woman.
“Can I choose now?”
