“I am Gong Wiseon, the ordinary manager of White Deer. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
A man with round glasses and thin, slit-like eyes stepped forward and greeted me.
He certainly didn’t strike me as ordinary.
No, a truly ordinary person wouldn’t introduce themselves as such in the first place.
Honestly, the disreputable informant I encountered in the otherworld looked exactly like him.
Perhaps it was due to a past experience of being thoroughly swindled by a man with a similar demeanor, but a sense of wariness instinctively rose within me.
Of course, I didn’t let it show.
One shouldn’t judge a person by their appearance, especially when that person is the manager of this establishment.
Maintaining a composed expression was crucial, especially before someone who might hire me.
Approaching him with a smile, I extended my hand.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Yoo Sihyeon. I’m the one who contacted you yesterday about an interview.”
“Ah, so you’re the one? I’ve been expecting you. Please, have a seat and make yourself comfortable.”
Having shaken hands, we settled down at an empty table.
Then, Gong Wiseon suddenly uttered these words.
“My, Yoo Sihyeon, you truly are a kind individual.”
“Excuse me?”
‘We’ve barely known each other for ten minutes; what could he possibly mean by that?’
As I inwardly tilted my head in confusion, Gong Wiseon continued with a light smile.
“You see, people who meet me for the first time usually react by finding me suspicious or even unpleasant. Yet, you, at least, didn’t seem to do so, Mr. Yoo Sihyeon.”
‘I’m sorry.’
‘I actually thought you were incredibly suspicious.’
“It’s simply not right to judge a person by their appearance.”
“Hmm, that’s an excellent mindset. My goodness, it hasn’t been long since we met, but I’m already finding myself drawn to you, Yoo Sihyeon. May I take a look at your resume?”
‘At this point, it feels like he’s trying too hard to flatter me.’
‘It’s far too excessive for mere lip service.’
Harboring these doubts, I handed my resume to Gong Wiseon.
Following that, the interview proceeded in a much more relaxed atmosphere than I had anticipated.
It made all my nighttime worries seem utterly pointless.
I was truly bewildered, unsure if I was here for a casual chat or an actual interview.
After I had answered a few of Gong Wiseon’s jesting questions, he suddenly spoke.
“Well, first of all, you’ve passed half the interview.”
Gong Wiseon uttered this puzzling statement.
“Half the interview?”
“The role of a bartender isn’t merely about crafting drinks. It involves cultivating the desired ambiance for patrons and serving as a confidant to help them unburden their hearts.”
Gong Wiseon adjusted his glasses and continued.
“And Yoo Sihyeon, you possess a remarkable ability to captivate the hearts of those you converse with. I felt it distinctly, even in our brief discussion.”
Gong Wiseon’s assessment drew a wry smile from me.
Having endured Arche’s drunken ramblings for a full decade, it was only natural.
“I’m relieved to hear you say that.”
‘So, there was a reason why this interview didn’t feel like a proper interview all along.’
‘He must have deliberately created such a relaxed atmosphere to test my conversational skills.’
‘I had simply taken him for a light-hearted man who enjoyed jokes, but this is quite a surprise.’
“Furthermore, you are undeniably handsome. Appearance, too, plays a significant role in customer service.”
“Ahaha, thank you.”
“Your customer service skills are approved. Now, it’s time to assess your proficiency in the main part of the job: beverage preparation.”
Gong Wiseon slowly rose from the table.
He then took a seat at the long wooden table—the bar counter, that is—and, with a faint smile, gestured to the opposite side.
“A simple Gin and Tonic, if you please, Bartender. Feel free to showcase your skills to your heart’s content.”
A Gin and Tonic.
It was a straightforward cocktail, yet perfectly suited for evaluating a bartender’s fundamental abilities.
Fortunately, it was a cocktail I had studied the night before.
Approaching the bar counter, I quickly surveyed the cocktail-making tools.
Having studied all night, and finding these tools not significantly different from those I used in Bailia, I anticipated no issues in their use.
Recalling the recipe from memory, I skillfully began to prepare the Gin and Tonic.
Carefully, I placed ice into the glass, ensuring none splashed out.
Then, I filled the glass, maintaining a 1:3 ratio of gin to tonic water.
After a light stir or two.
“May I use lime?”
“Please, feel free to use it.”
I paused for a moment, contemplating.
Whether or not to showcase my signature technique, ‘aerial fruit carving,’ before Gong Wiseon.
Ultimately, I decided to prepare the lime in a conventional manner.
While the sight of fruit being precisely sliced mid-air would undoubtedly astonish him, it was far too extraordinary for an ordinary person to accomplish.
For me, currently pretending to be an ordinary individual, it would be an exceedingly risky move.
Thus, I secured the lime to a cutting board and neatly sliced it into eight wedges.
Though, even those slices, imbued with the power of my ‘Extreme Sword,’ were divided into utterly perfect segments.
Finally, I gently picked up a perfectly cut lime wedge with tongs and carefully placed it into the Gin and Tonic.
“Though my skill may be unrefined, I hope you’ll find it satisfactory.”
I presented the finished Gin and Tonic to Gong Wiseon.
“A remarkably clean preparation. Did you receive formal training somewhere?
“I’m self-taught.”
He offered a knowing smile, then lightly savored the Gin and Tonic I had handed him.
“Excellent taste, skillful execution, and pristine cutting. Truly superb.”
He nodded his head.
“My word, how could I not hire you? You’re hired, Yoo Sihyeon. I look forward to working with you.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Boss.”
The interview was a resounding success.
Afterwards, Gong Wiseon and I finalized my work schedule.
“You’ll be working from 6 PM to 2 AM on weekdays. Night differential pay applies from 10 PM, so from 10 PM to 2 AM, you’ll receive 1.5 times the hourly wage we discussed. Does that sound acceptable?”
“…”
I furiously calculated in my head.
The hourly wage was 20,000 won.
Including night differential, that’s roughly 200,000 won per day.
If I worked five days a week… 4,000,000 won a month?
‘And I haven’t even factored in weekly holiday pay yet…?!’
Even after taxes, it was more than enough for me to live comfortably on my own.
“Yes, that’s more than sufficient.”
“Phew, it’s truly been a long time since we had a part-timer. I feel quite relieved.”
That only deepened my curiosity.
‘Why had there been no part-timers until now, despite such an excellent job?’
“Excuse me, Boss, I have a question.”
“Please, ask away.”
“You just mentioned I was the first part-timer in a long while, correct? This place has such great facilities and high pay, so why hasn’t there been anyone working here part-time until now?”
Gong Wiseon offered a wry smile at my question before replying.
“Haha, well, you see. The primary clientele of this place, White Deer, are Hunters. Since they’re superhumans, there’s no telling what might happen when they get drunk… so everyone has been reluctant to apply.”
‘Aha.’
‘So that’s why the pay was so high—it’s hazard pay.’
Villains loiter near my home, and now I have to serve Hunters at work.
‘Whether at home or at work, the danger remains the same.’
Hunters, then.
They weren’t my enemies, but they were certainly a nuisance.
The Hunter Association would eventually pursue me, and I would naturally find myself clashing with Hunters attempting to capture me.
Rationally speaking, working in a place teeming with Hunters could pose a considerable risk to me.
However, there were two compelling reasons why I couldn’t easily give up this job.
First, the pay was substantial.
If I only worked here, I wouldn’t have to worry about finances at all.
‘It would be troublesome if financial constraints hindered me when I eventually regain my powers.’
Excluding chance-based methods like lotteries or gambling, working here would yield the highest return for my time.
And the second reason.
‘If I build connections with Hunters here, I might naturally extract useful information about the Hunter Association.’
Alcohol loosens people’s tongues.
It makes them eagerly unburden the resentments they’ve kept hidden deep within their hearts.
If alcohol can make people reveal their own secrets, surely they wouldn’t hesitate to talk about their workplace.
By engaging them in conversation, I could naturally acquire a wealth of information about the Hunter Association.
‘That would be useful for evading their investigation.’
‘Hmm.’
‘Yes, I definitely need to work here.’
“Ah, I see.”
“…If you’ve had a change of heart, you’re welcome to leave now. While money is important, safety is paramount above all else. I will respect your decision, Yoo Sihyeon.”
“No, I’ll take the job. After all, one must embrace risk for anything to truly begin.”
My reply brought a bright smile to Gong Wiseon’s face.
Though, his eyes remained completely shut.
“Thank you so much! Gosh, I’ve really been struggling to run the bar alone because I couldn’t find any part-timers. It’s truly a relief that you’ve come, Yoo Sihyeon.”
Gong Wiseon expressed his gratitude to me.
‘In that case, perhaps I could seize this opportunity to ask for a favor.’
‘It might be a bit presumptuous, but it’s a request I absolutely must make.’
“Then… could you possibly grant me a small favor?”
“Speak your mind.”
“Could I perhaps receive one week’s worth of wages in advance? My bank account is completely empty right now… I know it’s rude to ask, but please.”
Gong Wiseon remained silent for a moment at my request, but then he nodded and spoke.
“Hmm… I don’t usually grant such requests easily, but since it’s you, Yoo Sihyeon, I’ll make an exception. Please provide your account number.”
“Thank you!”
I repeatedly bowed my head, expressing my gratitude to Gong Wiseon for his kindness.
Just as I was about to give him my account number, the news report playing on the TV caught my ear.
–This is a breaking news alert. At 9:12 AM today, the Hunter Association announced a new A-grade monster bounty. The observed monster possesses a human form and exhibits high intelligence, capable of engaging in conversation. The Hunter Association is currently tracking the monster, so citizens are advised to…
‘That’s clearly about me.’
‘Have they already figured out my existence?’
‘As expected of the Hunter Association, I can’t let my guard down.’
The fortunate thing, however, was that they couldn’t track me while I wasn’t in my combat form.
If they could pinpoint my location even with my magic suppressed like this, I would undoubtedly have been captured by powerful Hunters and either beheaded or dragged to the Association by now.
‘The key will be to hunt down the villain as quickly as possible and then deactivate my combat form.’
From now on, I needed to be even more careful with my actions.
Just then, Gong Wiseon, who had been watching the TV, rubbed his arms and muttered.
“My, oh my, a new A-grade monster appearing. Goodness, I wonder if it’ll even be safe to walk outside anymore. How frightening.”
At his murmuring, I managed a wry smile and replied.
“Ahaha. Well, I suppose it’ll be fine if we’re careful.”
‘My apologies.’
‘That’s me.’
****
After my discussion with Gong Wiseon regarding the contract.
I steadily learned my duties at White Deer, receiving a handover from him.
As I diligently underwent training, trying to steady my mind that was reeling from exhaustion.
–Delivery. Is Mr. Gong Wiseon here?
Gong Wiseon’s name was called from outside the bar.
“Ah, please wait a moment.”
“Go ahead.”
Gong Wiseon went to the entrance and soon returned, cradling a sophisticated-looking box.
‘What is that?’
‘I can sense a flow of magic from within it.’
“What… is this?”
As I tilted my head and asked, Gong Wiseon opened the box with a light smile.
Inside the box were colorful magic stones.
“Why magic stones?”
“Ah, well, you see. The bar has been looking a bit empty lately, and I wanted to decorate it somehow… A regular suggested using magic stones for decoration, so I decided to buy some as a trial.”
“…Magic stones, as a trial?”
‘He bought magic stones for decoration, just to try it out?’
‘Just how wealthy is this man?’
“If you don’t mind, could you lend a hand for a moment? While I arrange the magic stones on that shelf over there, Yoo Sihyeon, please sparsely place some here on the bar counter.”
“Understood.”
Gong Wiseon picked up about six magic stones, each roughly the size of a baseball, and walked towards the shelf.
After observing his retreating figure for a moment, I reached into the box for a magic stone to decorate the bar counter.
Just then.
–!!!
An electrifying sensation, unlike anything I had ever experienced, surged from my hand as I grasped the magic stone.
Simultaneously, an unimaginable torrent of information slammed into my mind.
