SSS-Grade Cafe in Front of The Dungeon

Chapter 176

Translated by cabinfourtranslations.

“What’s wrong with everyone?”

I went back to the group with Ki Yoohyun, and the atmosphere was strange.

“Haha, what do you mean? We were just having a break and drinking coffee like this.”

“Oppa, that’s a potion bottle.”

How should I put it…….

It was as if they were trying to feign indifference but were actually very interested in our conversation. But I couldn’t reveal my regression or Ki Yoohyun’s past in the face of battle. I whispered in Ki Yoohyun’s ear.

“Yoohyun-ssi, what I told you earlier is a secret…….”

I could feel their gazed glued to the back of my eyes. I finished whispering and looked back.

“…….”

The others quickly turned their heads. But I know they were staring this way.

“Hey, if you have something to say, why don’t you say it?”

“No! Eonni, we’re not curious at all, right?” Joo Shinhee spoke, urgently waving her hands in the air.

“I don’t like … eup, euph! Let go of me!” Joo Shinwoo blocked Ash’s mouth with his hands.

“It’s a secret between you two ……. then I’m supposed to pretend I don’t want to know!” Jijon winked with one eye.

“Waeoolg! Don’t worry. Even cats know how to match the mood!”

“Kkyuuu!”

And the rest of my family, looking smug.

Then, the system alarm sounded.

Don’t tell me there’s another quest. I freaked out every time it rang. I checked the system window with an anxious heart.

[The condition has been met.

[Achievement: You have achieved ‘This is The Last Recovery Point Before The Boss Fight’.

Please collect the reward.]

[Achievement: This is The Last Recovery Point Before The Boss Fight

You’ve done a splendid job of gathering the hearts of your party into one.

Their firm hearts will never be shaken.

Reward: Dalgona Cream Cold Brew Recipe]

[You have acquired a new recipe ‘Dalgona Cream Cold Brew’.]

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“Hooo….”

Did this achievement appear because we all drank coffee together? Why did it appear now and not earlier?

Well, it’s not a day or two for this system to be late…….

When I read the name of this achievement, I was reminded of the past. In the past, I used to think that if the world were an RPG game, I would want to play the role of an innkeeper in a beginner’s village.

But somehow, when I came to my senses, I became the owner of a cafe in front of the Demon King’s Castle. It was a completely different plan from the one I had made right after my regression and awakening.

‘You never know what life will bring…….’

Well, life is always going to be different from your plans, isn’t it?

Anyway, I got a new recipe as a reward, but there was one problem. Due to the caffeine addiction, there was a limit to the number of times I could buff it with coffee. I have to choose the menu carefully, but I won’t know if that sweet and creamy cold brew buff will be useful until I make it.

“Uhm…..”

“You’d better make that recipe, waeolg!” Mieum suddenly interrupted with a knowing look.

“You want me to make this coffee?”

“Kyakyaolg! That’s right!”

She sounded confident. Did Mieum know the effects of this coffee?

Okay, let’s make it. If I tried it and didn’t like the effect of the buff, I’ll think about it then.

“Everyone, I’ll let you try a new coffee.”

Everyone cheered at my words.

Before making coffee, I checked the ingredients in the refrigerator. Cold brew coffee was …… oh, there it was. Not a lot, but enough for everyone to have a cup. I also had whipped cream and dalgona, so I had all the ingredients.

First, I had to make the dalgona cream. I filled a milk pitcher with fresh cream and finely sifted dalgona powder. I whipped it to a thick texture. The fine dalgona powder dissolved into the whipped cream, creating a golden cream. Next, I filled a coffee glass with ice, poured in cold brew coffee, and carefully scooped the dalgona cream on top. The golden cream was layered with the coffee.

The final step is the garnish. I sifted in some dalgona powder, sprinkled it gently, and added a small piece of dalgona. Done. It’s complete.

Now, what would the effect be? I checked the coffee’s status window with a pounding heart.

“Uh…..”

As it turned out, this coffee didn’t have a fixed buff effect attached to it.

[Dalgona Cream Cold Brew (★★★★☆)

Status: Good (Time Remaining: 01:00:00)

Effect: Provides an optimal buff suitable for the person who drinks it.]

The optimal buff? If this description was true, this was the best coffee ever.

“Glad you listened to me, meow!” Mieum said proudly.

I quickly made another cup of Dalgona Cream Cold Brew and handed each of my companions a cup. They all drank the coffee and looked impressed.

“With this … I guess I’ll be fine no matter how much I use my healing skills.”

“I can shoot arrows faster!”

“You idiot, my triple stacking curse is even greater!”

They really did get different buffs. Everyone talked excitedly about their buffs.

“What about you, Yoohyun-ssi?”

“I’m …… haha, this coffee is really good, and it’s incredible.” Ki Yoohyun gave this vague answer. Well, he’s very strong, so the buffs must be even stronger.

Finally, I grabbed my own cup of coffee. The dalgona cream was sweet and creamy, and the rich cold brew coffee had a clean finish that kept the sweetness of the dalgona from becoming overpowering. The crunchy pieces of dalgona added a nice crunch.

In short, it’s pretty tasty.

“…….”

After finishing my coffee cup, I looked at the system window with a pounding heart.

As expected, will there be coffee-related buffs? Or will there be an increase in the level of ability to support the poor physical ability of an F-Class?

Tiling!

[The buff effect of Dalgona Cream Cold Brew is applied.

Effect: You will remain sane no matter what happens.]

What? Why did this buff appear?

‘Could it be that the Demon God is using a mental attack? Since I’m weak as an F-Class, I’m the only one at risk of being attacked by mental skill?’

“Hmm….”

I have no idea at this point. I could only hope that this buff would help me.

By the time we finished our coffee and were all prepared, Ki Yoohyun called the group together.

“I know it’s not really in my nature to say this, but ……. but the time has come.”

Ki Yoohyun made eye contact with each of us. His serious gaze touched mine for a moment before he turned to face forward.

“Then, let’s go. To subdue the Demon God and restore peace to the world.”

“Yes!”

We headed forward. A bizarre black castle awaited us.

The final boss battle was just around the corner.

***

We finally arrived at the castle known as the Throne of Darkness. The castle was entirely black. The tall walls and spires resembled Gothic architecture, and in the front door was a sculpture of a dog with three heads.

It doesn’t move, right? The realism of the sculpture gave me goosebumps.

There was still no sign of any other monsters. Nevertheless, as we got closer to the entrance, the sounds of speech naturally diminished. We could feel a powerful force inside. We passed through the entrance cautiously, wary of our surroundings.

Soon, a large hall was revealed. The hall had an atmosphere reminiscent of a religious altar. The walls were covered with strange carvings, and there was a staircase in front of us. At the end of the staircase was a door with an antique design.

‘I’ve seen this before…….’

In the vision I saw in my grandmother’s notebook, I also saw a door like that. Could it be the ‘Ultimate Gate’?

“Hey, over there!” Someone in the group raised their hand and pointed up the stairs.

Faaah~ At that moment, the lights in the hall suddenly lit up, and I was able to distinguish things more clearly.

There was a difference between the vision of the past and the present. The “Ultimate Gate” was partially open. I couldn’t see much beyond the door, but there was a faint light leaking out.

And in front of the “Ultimate Gate”, a gorgeous, enormous throne stood. It was the Throne of Darkness, the name of the castle.

On that black and ominous throne, a Demon God sat.

‘He’s already been resurrected……?’

It’s different from the visions of the past. The Gate has opened and the Demon God has been resurrected. Somehow, to my bewilderment, the Demon God slowly rose to his feet.

Tap, tap, tap. His footsteps echoed in the silent hall. He slowly descended the stairs and stood before us.

He looked like a man made of shadows. Every part of his body was black, making it impossible to see his features. The black color, which absorbed all the light, disturbed our vision.

Staring at this strange black shadow made my head throb. I tried to remain calm, but my whole body trembled. I was terrified. My senses tingled with an instinctive fear I had never imagined.

“Rieul-ssi, it’s all right.”

Ki Yoohyun called out from beside me. The sound of his gentle voice finally brought me back to reality. I blinked my eyes slowly. It’s all right, it will be all right.

The other members of the party, who were struggling to withstand the Demon God’s intense presence, gradually regained their senses.

【Hoo. I can’t believe you reached this point again. That’s fun.】

The voice spoke directly into my head. This eerie voice caused slight damage to my psyche just by listening to it.

…… again?

【That’s right. I remember all the past. Oblivion is a blessing granted only to mortals.】

The Demon God answered as if he had read my thoughts.

“How …. did you get resurrected already?” Ki Yoohyun asked sharply. He also seemed doubtful about the situation.

【The Faceless One, or The Mad Chaos….】

【You call him Aeon.】

【Aeon offered himself as a sacrifice. To awaken me.】

This Demon, the final boss, had a big mouth¹.

This was an unexpected turn of events, but even if the Demon has already been resurrected, it made no difference. We just need to defeat him.

“……Yoohyun-ssi.”

Ki Yoohyun nodded at my call. He glared at the Demon God with icy eyes. The emotion I sensed in him wasn’t fear or nervousness. It was a clear determination.

Determination is contagious. The party members steadied their resolve and distanced themselves from the Demon God. We formed into formation and prepared for the battle that was about to begin.

I waited in the rear with the rest of my household. My part was already done. Without the ability to summon Cthugha, I would be nothing more than a stumbling block.

“Kkyuuu!” Lime spread her body out like a thin membrane, enveloping Ash, Mieum, and me. It was a pretty solid shield.

【Kkkkkkk……! Foolish humans, I will make you regret it!】

The Demon God shouted in the manner of a final boss. His voice was very relaxed, as if he was confident of his victory.

However, the final boss would eventually be defeated at the end.

‘Please……!’

I clasped my trembling hands. In front of me, I could see Ki Yoohyun’s straight back. Ah, I see. I recognised it clearly: the back of someone very precious to me.

Swish!

Just then, an arrow flew through the air. The arrow cut straight through space and pierced the Demon God’s body.

It was the beginning of the battle.

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Translator’s Corner:

1. as in the idiom; a person who talks a lot, especially about himself or herself, and who cannot keep secrets. ↩︎

omg I wasn’t planning on updating another chapter today since it’s my tomorrow’s plan. but someone is currently binge-reading this from the prologue (i got the likes notifications for hours) and seeing new people still reading this story always gave me strong motivation to continue … i hope they’re not bored asdfghjkl