Nina stepped into the café and was immediately hit by a strange stillness in the air.
The usual clatter of cutlery, the murmur of conversations, the laughter—none of it was there. Instead, an eerie quiet hung over the room.
Every single customer was seated, eyes locked in the same direction.
She followed their gaze.
At the front counter sat a breathtakingly beautiful hostess. Long hair cascaded over her shoulders, her skin flawless, and her expression perfectly aloof. Her elbow rested against the counter as she stared off into the distance, looking bored and sulky.
Nina blinked, already regretting her decision to walk in.
All around, men of various ages sat with dreamy, dazed expressions on their faces.
They weren't eating, drinking, or talking. Just... staring. Almost in a trance.
The other waitresses and servers worked stiffly around them, visibly irritated as they weaved through tables filled with customers too busy gawking to order anything.
Her Patron's voice stirred quietly in her mind.
[Something's off. I don't like this place.]
"Yeah. No kidding."
Nina muttered under her breath.
She was about to turn on her heel and walk right back out the door when someone grabbed her arm.
A frazzled woman, maybe in her thirties, balancing a tray with three drinks and two plates, stared at Nina like she was salvation in human form. Her hair was coming loose from its bun, and there were dark circles under her eyes.
"Are you here about the job?"
She asked, breathless, hopeful.
Nina blinked.
"Actually, I—uh, I'm just here as a customer."
The woman visibly deflated.
"Ah… I see. That's okay."
She forced a weak smile and straightened up.
"Feel free to have a seat, but… You might be waiting a while. We haven't had a free table all morning."
She gestured vaguely around the café.
Nina glanced at the tables again. Most of the customers didn't even have anything in front of them.
Some were sipping the same cup of coffee like it was a holy relic. None of them showed any signs of leaving.
And all of them were staring at the hostess.
"Is it always like this?"
Nina asked before she could stop herself.
The manager gave a tired laugh.
"Only since she started. But who am I to question a full house?"
She moved away quickly to serve a tray to a table where no one even noticed her approach.
Nina's Patron hummed.
[Her aura isn't natural. She might be using charm magic. Subtle, but effective.]
Nina didn't reply. She already knew what she was going to do.
She turned and walked straight out of the café.
There was no way she was going to get caught in that mess. No job was worth working in a powder keg like that. Not when it was one wrong move away from exploding.
[Good decision]
Her Patron said.
Nina sighed.
"I'll just try the next place."
Nina spun on her heel, eager to put the strange, tension-filled café behind her.
But the second she took a step, she collided hard with someone entering through the front door.
A cold splash drenched the front of her hoodie.
Sticky liquid clung to her sleeves and slowly seeped through the fabric to her shirt underneath. The sharp scent of fruit and milk told her exactly what had hit her.
She looked down.
Bright red slush dripped from her chest and sleeves. Her favorite hoodie was ruined.
"What the hell?!"
The man in front of her snapped.
He held an empty cup in one hand, the lid crushed, straw dangling uselessly from his fingers.
The remnants of the drink still clung to his jacket, but most of it was now all over Nina.
"Are you blind? You bumped into me! That drink cost ten bucks, and you just ruined it."
He barked.
Nina stared at him, stunned for half a second. Her day had already been long enough. Her body still ached from yesterday's ordeal, and now this?
She clenched her jaw.
The man didn't notice her growing irritation.
"Well? Are you going to pay me back or what?"
Nina met his gaze.
"Don't test me right now. I'm not in the mood."
She said quietly.
The man scoffed, clearly thinking she was bluffing.
"Oh, so you think puffing your chest out is going to scare me into apologizing?"
He took a step closer, his tone rising.
"You're the one who crashed into me. Just because you've got a bad attitude doesn't mean you're in the right."
Nina's fingers twitched.
"One more word and I won't be responsible for what happens next."
She muttered.
The man mistook her restraint for cowardice.
"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do, huh? Call your mom? I'm a hunter, you know! I've been holding back 'cause you're just a civilian—but keep pushing, and I might forget to be nice."
From the bond in her mind, her Patron let out a slow, dangerous sigh.
[He's really pushing it.]
Nina agreed.
And this time, she wasn't planning to walk away.
The moment Nina didn't flinch, the hunter's smirk vanished.
"You've got a real attitude problem. Fine. I'm done holding back."
He growled.
He reached for her wrist, clearly expecting her to recoil or back down.
But the second his hand touched her, Nina's other arm shot up like a spring. She caught his forearm in an iron grip, fingers tightening with slow, deliberate pressure.
[Break his arm]
Her Patron said flatly, voice full of disdain.
[No one touches you so casually and gets away with it.]
Nina didn't reply. She simply tightened her grip further until she felt the tremor in the man's muscles.
The cocky expression on his face crumbled into one of confusion, then pain.
"W-What the hell…"
He muttered, trying to pull away.
But before he could do anything more, Nina's leg swept under his, catching him at the ankles. With one clean motion, she knocked his legs out from under him.
He crashed to the ground.
People turned to look. Conversations halted. The front desk hostess sat up straighter, eyes wide with surprise.
The hunter scrambled to rise, but Nina didn't give him the chance.
She grabbed the front of his shirt and, with a burst of strength, dragged him across the floor like a ragdoll and tossed him out the front door.
The door slammed shut behind him with a satisfying thud.
Silence blanketed the café for a moment. Then whispers erupted.
"Did you see that?"
"She just—she threw him!"
"Wasn't he a hunter?"
Phones lit up as people scrambled to record, but it was already too late.
The show was over. Nina had already turned away, brushing off her hoodie like nothing had happened.
She walked back toward the interior of the café, eyes scanning for a place to sit.
The man occupying a table near the window looked up and blinked rapidly. He had just raised his phone to record when she caught his eye.
His jaw worked soundlessly for a moment, then he stood and stepped away from the seat like he'd just realized he was trespassing on a queen's throne.
Nina took the seat with a sigh. She leaned back and stretched her arms across the back of the bench, unbothered and calm now that the noise had passed.
"I need a drink."
She muttered aloud.
Before she could even wave anyone over, the overworked manager came rushing to her table, still holding a tray with drinks for another table.
"I—! I saw what happened! That was… incredible. Are you okay?"
The woman said breathlessly.
"Fine. Just thirsty.""
Nina said, resting her chin in one hand.
The manager nodded like a bobblehead.
"Of course! One moment!"
She turned and sprinted toward the kitchen, and Nina could hear her yelling for someone to grab a cola immediately.
Moments later, she returned with a chilled can of soda and a glass filled with ice.
"Here you go! On the house, of course."
She said, placing it down carefully in front of Nina.
Nina popped the tab and took a long sip before sighing again and slumping into her seat.
Her Patron's voice floated in lazily.
[See? Some people do recognize royalty when they see it.]
Nina rolled her eyes internally.
"I just wanted a job. Not a fan club."
[Well, too late now.]
Across the café, eyes were still sneaking glances in her direction—some full of admiration, others filled with confusion and curiosity. But no one dared approach her again.
For once, Nina didn't mind the peace.