The Feline-kin Clerk and a Familiar Face

“Welcome.” A pleasant voice drifted from behind the counter.

Ziyao looked intently, realizing the clerk behind the counter was not human. Literally, not human. The clerk had short orange hair and a pair of yellow-and-white cat ears perched on their head, clearly indicating they were a beastkin.

“A Feline-kin?” Ziyao murmured.

The relationship between beastkin and humans was not particularly cordial. As favored dependents of the God of War, beastkin were inherently imbued with an aggressive drive. Unfortunately, human territories bordered those of the beastkin. Compared to the giants and dwarves, humans invariably appeared to be the easier target. Thus, every few years, beastkin unable to quell their aggressive impulses would inevitably venture into human lands, seemingly seeking a confrontation.

“Yes, Ningning is a Feline-kin from the Yellow-Ear Clan,” Elena introduced.

“Princess Elena, is this your friend?” Ningning, the cat-eared girl, revealed a curious expression. This was, after all, the first time the Princess had brought anyone here.

“Indeed, her name is Ziyao, and her honorific title is Tranquil Water.”

“An honorific title… a Sage?!” Ningning’s cat ears instantly perked up. Had she heard correctly? An honorific title—this was a distinction reserved only for top-tier powerhouses.

“Oh? Little kitty, how did you figure that out?” Ziyao stepped forward, a faint smile gracing her lips. Who could ever dislike such an adorable little kitty?

“Because your physique seems a little slender, meow, so you shouldn’t be a Martial Saint or Paladin from the warrior lineage. And if you were a Shadow Assassin, Princess Elena wouldn’t have revealed your identity, meow. As for a Cardinal, Ningning doesn’t think you resemble a cleric.”

Observing the smiling Ziyao, Ningning suddenly felt an immense pressure. This was a Sage, after all.

“Hmm.” Ziyao nodded in satisfaction. “Excellent, very simple reasoning. However, am I so intimidating? Your ears are trembling, you know.”

Pointing to Ningning’s slightly quivering, adorable ears, Ziyao spoke with a soft laugh.

“I’m sorry, meow…”

“Alright, stop scaring Ningning.” Elena walked over to help Ningning out of her predicament. “The usual for me. Ziyao, what flavor would you like?”

“Cherry… no, just a regular milk tea. And if there are any special toppings, add one.” As if by some strange impulse, Ziyao found herself recalling Aiya’s cherry-sweet lips. “Oh, and make it iced and extra sweet.”

Suddenly, she felt a craving for something sweeter.

“Very well. Please wait upstairs in the private seating area. Your drinks will be brought up shortly.”

“Let’s go.”

Watching the two girls disappear around the stairwell, Ningning’s gaze instantly turned wistful. She turned her head, looking toward a patch of shadow nearby. “Manager, have you abandoned Ningning?”

“How could that be? Ningning, you’re the cutest poster girl here,” a verdant figure emerged from the shadows. It was Ziyao’s old acquaintance, Sophia. “However, I won’t disturb them at this moment,” she chuckled softly. “But, you’ll have to speed things up, you know.”

She spoke toward the darkness. Since she was here, Youlan was naturally here as well.

“No matter. I will not lose,” Youlan’s voice emanated from the darkness, though she seemed disinclined to reveal herself.

“Alright, Ningning, that girl is a very good person, you don’t need to be afraid.” Stroking Ningning’s head, Sophia offered a gentle smile.

“Understood, meow.”

“This shop’s location is quite good.” Ziyao chose an empty private room and sat down, gazing at the sparse pedestrians outside the window. She suddenly realized the shop’s location was almost too good. Had the incident from a few days ago not occurred, the number of pedestrians here would likely have doubled.

“Indeed, the proprietor behind this shop is an Elf, you know.” Elena rested her chin on her hand, admiring Ziyao’s profile. This angle was perfect.

“An Elf?” Ziyao’s mouth parted slightly. Those fellows actually engaged in such ventures?

The Elven race, favored by the God of Wisdom, was renowned as the most perfect race on the continent. They possessed high magical talent and a lifespan superior to the other three races. As for warrior-class Elven Rangers, they were hailed as invincible in the jungle. Even their average racial attractiveness was the highest among all terrestrial intelligent races.

Merfolk, of course, were an exception.

“Yes, I also don’t understand why that Elf chose to open a beverage shop here in our Roland.”

“It’s not a bad thing, though.”

After all, this mysterious Elven manager was quite honest, and coupled with the shop’s high sales, the taxes collected were substantial. As a steady, reliable cash cow, the Royal Family didn’t interfere much. As long as the shop didn’t cause trouble, they effectively had the Royal Family’s backing.

Thump, thump, thump—

“Come in.”

A young girl dressed in a black-and-white maid uniform entered, pushing a small cart laden with two exquisite milk teas. Placing the two milk teas before the two young women, the little maid bowed her head, curtsying. “Then, I shall take my leave.”

With that, she intended to push her cart out of the room. However, Ziyao suddenly spoke, stopping the girl in her tracks. “You… you seem to be the girl who looked at me during that speech, aren’t you?”

Although Ziyao hadn’t immediately realized it, the moment the girl placed the milk tea she had ordered in front of her, it clicked.

An interesting girl, was Ziyao’s assessment.

“Revered Tranquil Water… you remember me?” Mi Yin pointed to herself, somewhat incredulous. Just a single glance, and this Sage had remembered her?

“Indeed. After all, your gaze that day, though devoid of hostility, still caught my attention,” Ziyao slowly stirred the milk tea with a small spoon. “And it’s only been a few days, you know.”

“Eh? So that was the reason that time?”

“It was. Many eyes were focused on me that day, but you were the only one who drew my notice,” Ziyao smiled at Mi Yin. “It’s quite a coincidence. Are you working here?”

“It’s a part-time job, isn’t it?” Elena interjected. She also had a slight impression of the girl. “I recall your name is Mi Yin, correct? The Vice President of the Royal Magical Academy’s Student Council.”

Am I… that famous? Why do both of them know me?

Mi Yin felt as if she were dreaming. Before her stood a Sage and a Princess.

“Yes, because my family isn’t very wealthy, I take advantage of my free time to work part-time here.” After all, this shop could be considered the best part-time job in the Imperial Capital: high wages, a good environment, and opportunities to interact with many nobles. Mi Yin had put in considerable effort to stand out among a crowd of competitors.