Chapter : 2
“What on earth is this…?”
I stared blankly at the status window.
I needed a little time to grasp this sudden situation.
But—
“Oh my goodness! What is going on? It’s already this late!”
This crazy game didn’t seem inclined to give me even that much time. Grandma Basha jumped in alarm as if something terrible had happened, hurriedly straightening her clothes. Then she gestured toward the ruined building and spoke.
“The train schedule is tight, so you can hear the rest from Hugh. He’s inside the shop.”
“…Where are you going?”
“Oh, right! Don’t forget to come up with a new café name! Well then, Leila, I’m off! Run your very own café well!”
After rattling off everything she wanted to say, Grandma Basha left.
In an instant, I was left alone.
“Hah…”
It felt like a storm had just passed.
The situation I was in was so unbelievable that a hollow laugh escaped me.
So what you’re saying is—I just possessed a game I literally installed moments ago, and now I suddenly have to run a café?
“…And the café building is completely wrecked…”
Is this for real? Huh?
I shut my eyes tightly and let out a long breath. Once wasn’t enough, so I repeated it a couple more times. Only then did my thoughts begin to settle.
That was when I slowly started to notice how my appearance had changed after possessing this body.
Instead of my original black hair, soft pale-pink hair swayed gently around my waist.
I looked down at my hands—smooth, delicate hands that looked like they’d never known hardship. They were nothing like my original hands, which had been red and irritated from housewife eczema and covered in calluses.
‘My appearance must’ve changed a lot too.’
Earlier, I’d briefly seen my reflection in Grandma Basha’s eyes. I think I looked like a gentle puppy.
People used to tell me I looked fierce unless I was smiling—but now, everything was different.
“Ah…”
The family that used to hold me back, the crushing debt—none of that existed here.
A sense of reality I hadn’t felt until now crashed over me like a tidal wave.
“So this is my reality now.”
I can live my own life here, right?
An indescribable emotion brushed past me. I clenched my fist tightly, then relaxed it.
Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and opened them again.
‘A quest?’
Now that I’d accepted reality, the next thing to do was quickly assess the situation.
I reread the system window in front of me.
Turn the building in front of you into the best café in the Kingdom of Jenon within one year.
The building in front of me, huh.
I looked at the building again.
“Yeah… no matter how I look at it, it’s a disaster.”
It looked like mashed tofu…
Another sigh escaped me, but I didn’t have a choice.
“So basically, I have to run a café here now, right?”
The one piece of good news was that out of all the jobs I’d ever done, I’d worked the most part-time jobs at cafés. I was even pretty good at it.
And since there was already a building, at least I didn’t have to worry about rent. Not a terrible starting point.
“Oh, right—didn’t Grandma Basha say I should decide the café name before she left?”
Everything had been so chaotic that my memory was already fuzzy.
The moment I frowned slightly—
Ding!
Tutorial!
– The First Step to Becoming a Café Owner!
- Decide on a café name (-)
– Please choose a name for your café.
Reward: Basha’s Inheritance - Restore the café building (-)
- Decorate the café interior (-)
As if it had been waiting, the system window appeared.
Next to it, another window popped up where I could input the café name.
“Oh, so that’s how it works?”
If this was the tutorial, then opening the café must be the real start of the game.
If it told me exactly what to do step by step, then—
“There’s nothing difficult about this.”
Grinning, I typed a name into the input box. A famous name that immediately came to mind when you think of cafés!
“I can’t miss the chance to become the owner of StarXes.”
Just hearing the name made it sound like customers would flood in from opening to closing time! I waited with a satisfied smile for the name to be confirmed.
But then—
This name already exists.
Please choose a different name.
“Ugh!”
Even naming a café is this picky?
I narrowed my eyes and glared at the game window, then tried typing in a few more names.
BackX’s Café, YiXya, 1,000kmb Coffee, Compass, and more. I even tried simple words like Rose or Chocolate.
Same result every time.
Duplicate ending.
“…Then what am I supposed to do?”
Anything obvious, stylish, ordinary, or pretty was clearly out. That meant I needed something unusual—something no one else would use.
“Hmmm…”
After a moment of thought, I typed one word into the input box.
“No way this’ll work…”
‘Yonggari’
Completed.
The reward will be delivered shortly.
“…I’m doomed. Why did that work?”
I covered my mouth and let out a dry laugh. If I’d known it would be that easy, I would’ve chosen more carefully…
“More importantly, when are they giving me this reward?”
Pouting slightly, I closed the completion window.
That was when I heard voices from inside the café.
“Ah! There you are! Hugh has been waiting forever!”
An animal about the size of an adult man’s hand charged at me from the entrance—straight toward my shin!
I dodged desperately. I lost my balance and fell, but I was relieved that I’d saved my shin.
“Hoo…”
Letting out a low breath, I glanced at the creature that had rushed me.
“…Huh?”
Did I see that wrong?
I looked again.
Still couldn’t believe it, so this time I stared openly.
Golden, silky fur. Tiny ears. Puffy cheeks and round eyes. Neatly folded little hands.
A flustered, slightly wronged expression—
It was very large, but this was definitely—
“…A hamster?”
That animal was undeniably a hamster.
A hamster far larger than any normal hamster!
So shocked I leaned closer, I stared straight at it. Maybe thinking I was going to turn into a turtle, the hamster widened its eyes and spoke.
“Hey! If you stare that hard, Hugh gets embarrassed!”
“…Hugh?”
“Yes! I’m Hugh! I’ve been waiting at the café forever, owneeerr!”
I really, really wanted to meet you!
The hamster named Hugh stood upright on two legs and smiled brightly like a human. Anyone else would’ve squealed at how cute he was—but I stared at him for an entirely different reason.
‘…Don’t tell me.’
That hamster on Grandma Basha’s shoulder in the loading screen…
And wait—don’t tell me the reward is a hamster?
I couldn’t hide my confusion as I stared at Hugh.
Hugh blinked, then took a small step back.
“Oh! I almost forgot—I was supposed to give you this first!”
Hugh opened his mouth wide and casually shoved his hand inside. Up until then, I just watched.
Hamsters do hide snacks in their cheek pouches, after all.
But something was off.
I’d expected maybe a sunflower seed—
What came out of Hugh’s mouth was something completely unimaginable.
He squeezed his eyes shut and worked hard to pull it out.
When it finally emerged in full, all I could do was stare in awe.
“…Wow.”
A hammer.
A hammer came out of his mouth.
And not just any hammer—it was bigger than Hugh himself.
The head was absurdly large.
Big enough to drive in five nails at once.
The fact that he’d stored that inside his mouth was astounding.
Thud!
Hugh carefully set the hammer on the ground.
“It’s something Lady Basha left for you, owner!”
Hugh had treasured it all this time.
He looked at me with a proud expression, clearly waiting for praise. I gently patted his head.
“Good job, Hugh.”
“Hehe. Go ahead and check it, owner.”
Hugh personally guided my hand to the hammer.
The moment I touched it—
Ding!
A system window appeared.
Master Craftsman’s All-Purpose Hammer
– A truly all-purpose hammer that can fix anything!
– Created by the hands of an exceptional master craftsman.
– Performance varies depending on the user.
How to Use: Lightly tap the desired location.
Duration: 48 hours from first use.
Another window appeared immediately after.
