The part-time job at Super Buff Coffee was ordinary.
Taking orders, washing dishes, cleaning, etc ….. I had already done this a number of times. There were a lot of customers, so it was busy, but they gave me breaks every now and then, so I was able to keep up my stamina.
On the first day of my part-time job, no, first day of infiltration, I realised after less than an hour: as Oh Seoho said, the regular employees at Super Buff Coffee don’t know anything. Most of them aren’t even Awakeneds, just workers who are happy to have a job that pays more than a regular barista’s salary.
What makes this cafe unique was this. All the drinks in the cafe are made by the baristas and then sent to the manufacturing room inside.
That’s the room. The room where I saw a strangely dressed man and a suspicious golden glass bottle.
However, access to that room was limited. The manager told me that only on special occasions could she go in with permission from higher ups.
“What’s that place for?” I asked the manager in a casual tone, pretending it was just a passing comment.
“Ah. Our cafe sells buff coffee. That’s where we buff it and serve it to our customers.”
“Aha.”
“Don’t get too close. We’re very systematically organised compared to that crappy Cafe Rieul.”
“…….”
I got called crappy by a fake. For a moment, I was genuinely upset. What’s wrong with Cafe Rieul! At least I didn’t add a fishy substance to my coffee.
“….Nieun-ssi?”
I must have stiffened my expression. The manager looked at me in surprise.
No. I cannot arouse suspicion. I am the dust of the universe. I must regain my composure … how to calm down!
[Activating the ‘Smile‘ Skill.]
I decided to use my skill. Smile. My stomach churned, but my lips formed a perfect sales smile.
“I just got some dust in my eyes.”
“I see.”
Luckily, the manager didn’t look at me suspiciously.
But the system alert continued.
[You have achieved a true sales smile.]
[You never forget your sales smile under any circumstances. You are a model for the self-employed people.]
[The level of Smile (C) has risen to 2.]
[※ Afterwards, you can select the effect when activating Smile (C).]
[Smile (C)
Details: (Lv.2) Smiling brings good fortune.]
Good fortune? It’s nice to level up, but it came with a nonsensical effect.
‘Smiling brings good fortune‘ means that using the skill will increase your luck, right? I wonder what happens when my luck increases. Luck. Luck, ugh … winning the lottery?
No, that’s not it. Rather … I wonder if spinning the golden draw ticket will give me a nice item. For example, a new grinder or an espresso machine, or a set of coffee cups.
Oops. It’s very interesting, but it wasn’t the time for this.
“Hmmm. Anyway, Nieun-ssi, be very careful not to go into the manufacturing room.”
The words sounded so serious that anyone who heard them would think the place was suspicious. If I can check that room without being seen, I think the first part of the quest will be completed.
Pretty simple hohoho. I’ll get the information while those two S-Class Hunters are idling in different sections.
You can do it, Kwon Rieul, no, Kwon Nieun.
But…….
As simple as I thought it would be, I ran into an unexpected problem. The manager, a single-digit member of the first fan club of the symphonic metal band “Sanity Finch,” is the reason.
The manager didn’t leave me alone for a second!
“Nieun-ssi, have you seen the Blu-ray of Sanity Finch’s UK tour last year?”
“That, I’m not sure, not yet….”
“You know, the one with the Sanity Finch bass on the live stage…..”
“Ah, haha…….”
I’m a person who can’t tell the difference between a guitar and a bass, so I think I’ll get caught soon. Why did Oh Seoho give me this concept?
I can’t do it. As expected, there are limits to getting access to the manufacturing room in question on my own. Let’s make contact with Choi Yichan.
[Me]
Help me TT
Choi Yicham, how’s it going there???
I waited for a long time, but the ‘1’ sign on KakaoTalk did not disappear. Is Choi Yichan also being targeted?
If it’s a warehouse, there should be fewer people than in the store, right? Let’s meet and talk to him in person.
“I’ll get some coffee beans from the warehouse.”
“We can’t make our Ace walk a long way. Here are the beans.”
I started working today, what Ace?
“Ah yeah … you really take good care of me, haha.”
At this point, it seemed unlikely that I would be able to get to the warehouse to see Choi Yichan.
If that’s the case, I should try to talk to Ki Yoohyun inside the store.
Just in time, on the other side of the hall, I saw a blond man with a head taller than the rest of the crowd. He was easy to spot even though there were so many people around him.
“The store is too crowded, I’ll go help them organise the queue.”
“Nieun-ssi, it’s break time, just finish what you’re doing and get some rest.”
“But….”
“Work is important, but proper rest is essential. Please don’t deny Nieun’s legitimate rights.”
“…….”
Really reasonable, efficient, kind, and humane. A truly great manager. If I wasn’t a spy infiltrating this place, I would have really appreciated her consideration.
Thanks to the manager’s perfect attention mark, I never had a moment to myself.
Tell me the truth, don’t you actually know my true identity? So are you intentionally sabotaging me? I was starting to have this kind of doubt.
[Disguise Yourself: (Completed)]
If this is what the system says, then they don’t know who I am.
In the end, it was time to get off work and I still hadn’t gained access to the manufacturing room.
Suddenly, the manager said, “Since Nieun-ssi is here, we should have a welcome party. We’re going to have a late-night staff dinner after work, will you come?”
“Oh, umh … yeah, that’s great.”
At other times, I would have said no to having a company dinner after work. However, there may be information that can be obtained by comfortably exchanging stories at dinner parties. Yes, I wasted my time during work hours, but let’s try to turn the tables at the company dinner.
It’s nice to attend with that ulterior motive……
…….
“Manager, let’s go for the second round!”
“…….”
“It’s a shame to say goodbye like this, so let’s go to the third round! Nieun-ssi, come with us!”
“Ah, haha…….”
I was surprised that we had three rounds of drinks. It’s a four-hour part-time job, but the drinking session lasted over four hours.
I sipped the coke I’d ordered instead of alcohol and glanced around, then I realised something unbelievable.
‘These people … are really enjoying this gathering, aren’t they?!!’
There was laughter all around me, with not a trace of discomfort.
Then, the employee next to me spoke up.
“Nieun-ssi, you said you worked at a cafe before, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Working here is nice because the headquarters support is so generous.”
“……!”
The head office became the topic. Now is the time for information.
“The headquarters is called Seonghye Enterprise, right? What kind of place is that?”
“More than that, I’m a year older, so feel free to call me Eonni! You can talk comfortably to me!”
“Nieun-ssi, me too, just call me Eonni.”
Just like that, the topic has changed.
Over the course of the long four-hour gathering, I got to know the employees’ personal informations, hobbies, social media accounts, plans for the next week off, favourite shopping malls, and dating histories. However, not a single piece of information about the company or the Cult that I wanted came out.
‘It’s too hard…….’
After only one day, I was exhausted in the midst of insiders. I really don’t want to go to work.
The first day, I came back without any results.
“Ash, I … I hate going to work…..”
As I slumped down on the table muttering this, I noticed that Ash was fiddling with his fingers. He cut out a small plastic part and carefully inserted it into the plastic body. His expression was serious and his hand movements were delicate.
“Ash, what is this? A plastic model?”
“Hmmph, nothing. It’s just…….”
“Just?”
“Kids like this stuff.”
He tried hard to feign indifference, but there was a hint of delight in his expression. I don’t know what it is, but it looks like he had a good time while I was gone.
Yeah, Ash, I’m glad you’re happy too.
Haaa …. I don’t want to go to work.
***
It’s been five days since I started my part-time job at Super Buff Coffee. I was surprisingly unsuccessful.
For your information, Ki Yoohyun and Choi Yichan were also fruitless. Ki Yoohyun was surrounded by too many guests, and Choi Yichan, on the contrary, said that there were too few people.
[Main Quest: The Coffee Spy Operation]
Mission Possible!
You’ve decided to infiltrate a suspicious cafe!
However, there are many obstacles in your way. Can you find the secret of the coffee without getting caught?
Disguise Yourself: (Completed)
Discover The Secret Of the Coffee: (Incomplete)
Time Remaining: 2 Days
Reward: EXP (500 exp), Random Recipe, Ether-Wiki Update]
I scanned the quest window with my eyes. The reduced Time Remaining section bothered me. I wouldn’t get any information from this, would I?
Luckily, my anxiety was short-lived.
Out of nowhere, an opportunity presented itself.
“Nieun-ssi, come to the break room for a moment.”
“Yes, what’s the matter?”
“Sapphire, the regional chairman of Seonghye Enterprise, is coming to visit the cafe. It’s a good opportunity, so let’s say hello.”
“……!”
All of sudden, the Cult’s company?
The name alone is suspicious. I faked a calm demeanour and asked the manager.
“Who is he?”
“Someone high up in the headquarters, and if you get his recognition, you’ll be….”
“I will be?”
“You’ll get a gold star!”
Aha. That was a very realistic reason.
It wasn’t long before the door to the break room opened and a man walked in. I instantly recognised him. It was the man in the strange clothes I’d seen here before.
“Welcome, Sapphire-nim.”
The manager greeted the man politely. The man who was called by the funny name Sapphire-nim was dressed in white, just like back then. Upon closer inspection, the man’s clothes, for some reason…
……were quite shabby.
It was a robe of stiff fabric, but the seams were torn in places due to poor seams. It was hard to tell if the marks on the chest were hand-stitched. It looked like a robe made by a beginner.
Sapphire, wearing a shabby robe and a solemn expression, looked at me.
Oh Seoho’s illusion is perfect. He assured me that I would never be able to get out of it until I returned to Cafe Rieul.
Nevertheless, when I thought that I had finally met the power behind this cafe, my shoulders tensed.
“……Hmm.”
“Hoho! You’re working hard. The work was hard, right? We need to hear the voices of the people who work in the field to improve the organization.”
“Ha ha, thank you.”
Phew, I was scared for no reason. I don’t think he’s suspicious of my identity.
“How about this, we’re having a staff get-together tonight. It should be fun, why don’t you join us?”
“A gathering……?”
“It’s called the Blessing of Seonghye hehe. The name is grandiose, but it’s just a small gathering to explore the wisdom that the stars of the universe have bestowed upon mankind.”
“……!”
This is it.
....
Translator’s Corner:
AAAAAA I’M BACK T_T Sorry it’s taking too long, I hope you guys see my previous notes. That was one of the worst moments of my life T_T Going to rural village was nice with the fresh air, beautiful view, and friendly villagers, but my team was such a misfortune T_T Funny enough, I dropped my phone like three times before the departure until the screen heavily cracked (I swear I’m usually not that clumsy) … I guess that’s a sign given to me that I should have just run T_T In the last 50 days, the members of my team were fighting each other and somehow they’re just mean for no reason and … I got outcasted for not picking any sides hahaha …. it’s been a very lonely and miserable month, I’m glad I’m back to my usual life without seeing them now T_T
Oh thank you for reading my rant asdfghjkl I’ll be back with new chapter tomorrow so let’s talk about the stories later! (I’m still recovering my mental energy T_T)
