At the Café – Same Evening
Arsh slipped in quietly through the back door of the café, his footsteps soft as he entered the staff room. Luna was already there, arms crossed, her brows slightly furrowed in visible irritation.
"You're late," she said, her voice sharp but not unkind. "The entire Star Club is here, filming and live-streaming all over the place. They're treating the café like their personal advertising playground."
Arsh blinked. "Where's the boss?"
"He's the one who let them in," Luna sighed, rubbing her temples. "He thought it'd be good publicity. But the customers aren't happy—some are covering their faces, others are outright leaving. This place is supposed to be peaceful, but it's turning into a circus."
Arsh placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
With calm resolve, Arsh walked into the main lobby, where bright lights, phone cameras, and loud chatter filled the air. Members of the Star Club posed, smiled, and flaunted their charm on live streams, treating the café like a photo shoot.
At the center of it all stood Fran, the owner, animatedly introducing the café on a live video. Arsh approached him and bowed slightly.
"Sir, may I speak with you in private?" he asked politely.
Fran, still holding the phone, smiled wide. "And here he is—our most famous and handsome waiter! Smart, gentle, professional—he's the soul of our café!"
"Sir," Arsh said again, gently but firmly, "a word in private, please?"
Fran finally nodded. "Of course. We can finish this shot later."
They retreated into the staff room. Fran looked at Luna and chuckled. "You never told me your friend was that popular, Azura."
Luna rolled her eyes, but Arsh remained focused. "Boss, what are you doing out there? The customers are frustrated and leaving."
Fran looked a little guilty. "I'm just trying to promote the place. And it's not costing me much—the girls are Azura's friends."
"But you're sacrificing your customers' privacy," Luna cut in, her voice tight with frustration.
Arsh leaned against the wall, his tone casual but piercing. "Sir, let me ask you something. Why did you open a café? What is a café, really? After all, people can drink coffee at home or from a store—cheaper, even."
Fran hesitated. "A café is a place for peace. I wanted to offer a relaxing environment and the best service."
"Exactly," Arsh said with a small nod. "And privacy is a part of that peace. If customers feel their privacy isn't respected, they won't come back—no matter how good the coffee is."
Fran rubbed the back of his neck. "I… didn't think of it like that. But what about the promotion?"
"I'll speak with their editor," Arsh said. "We'll make sure all customer faces are blurred in the video. And live-streaming? That ends now."
"Thanks, Azura," Fran sighed in relief. "But the club president is still out there streaming live."
"Leave her to me."
Arsh stepped back into the main area and approached the girl at the center—Hikari, the Star Club President. She was live, her voice bright and bubbly as she praised the café. Arsh reached over and ended the stream with a casual tap.
"Ms. President, may I ask you to stop all this?" he said, his voice polite but firm. "Some of our customers are starting to complain."
Hikari frowned. "But the owner asked us—"
"Fran is well-meaning," Arsh cut in gently, "but he didn't realize the impact on customer experience. Please."
Hikari sighed. "If that's the case, okay. Anyway, we're actually here because of you."
"Oh?"
"We need help," she said, motioning to her club members. "Let's talk in private."
Café Staff Room – Minutes Later
Hikari folded her arms and looked directly at Arsh. "As you know, the Summer Festival is coming up in a few days. Every club's competing for the 'Best Club' trophy, and we want to win. We've decided to open a themed café on the fourth day. The problem is… none of us have experience."
Arsh raised an eyebrow. "A café is a great idea, but it's not just about pretty faces in aprons. Service requires elegance, awareness, humility. And from what I've seen, you all are… a little arrogant, though good actors. That might help."
"Yeah, we get that," Hikari smirked. "That's why we're here—to learn from you."
"Well," Arsh said, thoughtful, "watching isn't enough. You need hands-on experience. I'll speak with the owner. You can start training as waiters right here."
"Seriously?" Hikari turned to her group. "Everyone, this is our chance. Anyone with other plans can back out now."
No one moved.
"Good," she said, turning back. "We're in."
Fran was more than happy to approve. After all, having social media stars and idols working in his café was a marketing dream. By evening, the café was buzzing. The crowd spilled out into the lawn. Customers kept pouring in, intrigued by the sudden celebrity waitstaff.
The Star Club members, dressed in simple uniforms and aprons, were overwhelmed but enthusiastic. They stumbled, learned, improved. Luna worked side by side with them, while Arsh glided through the chaos, helping wherever needed—refilling drinks, handling complaints, organizing the kitchen, guiding the girls.
Hours passed like minutes. By closing time, the crowd finally thinned. The girls slumped in exhaustion, most barely able to stand. Arsh, however, moved with the same quiet energy he'd started the shift with.
In the corner, Hikari nudged Luna and whispered, "Are you two dating?"
Luna blinked, caught off guard. "What? No! I mean… we're friends. Just friends. We barely know anything about each other."
Hikari grinned. "He's really something, though. That face? That calm energy? I mean, even we—superstars—don't get that kind of attention. He's every girl's type. If I had to rank him, I'd say he's the second most attractive guy in the world."
Luna flushed. "You really like him, huh?"
"Doesn't matter. He's turned down everyone. Gently, but firmly. But he treats you differently. He's more relaxed, more natural with you."
Luna looked away. "Maybe… but I can't fall for someone so mysterious."
Just then, Arsh returned to the staff room. "You all did an excellent job. Seriously. With a bit of polishing, you'll be ready for the festival."
"Don't worry," Hikari said, stretching. "We've still got four days. We'll win for sure."
She waved goodbye and left with her team.
Luna smiled at Arsh. "You really helped us today. Thank you."
A soft voice chimed in Arsh's ear—OSAI.
"Ainz and Noar are still out. Minor demon activity. Nothing serious."
Arsh sighed quietly. "Luna, let's close up."
"Sure," she said. "But if you have something important…"
"I don't," he replied. "Let's finish this together."
They turned off the lights and locked the doors, unaware of the growing storm just a few streets away.
Southern Backstreets – Same Night
The night air was thick, humid. Trash bins lay overturned as a foul stench settled in the empty alleys. A faint tremor rippled through the street.
"Two Rank 4s, four Rank 5s, eight lesser demons detected," OSAI reported directly into Ainz and Noar's earpieces.
The two moved swiftly through the shadows, their combat suits glinting under the pale street lamps.
"Hey Noar," Ainz said while running, "it's a small group. Let me take them. I need the experience."
"No. Rank 4s aren't a joke. You're not ready."
"I almost beat Arsh in basketball," Ainz insisted. "He said I made him push harder than a Demon Beast!"
Noar groaned. "Fine. But if it goes bad, I won't hold back."
They entered the street. The demons turned and sneered.
"Found our midnight snack," one growled.
Another demon froze. "Wait… that's Noar. He's strong enough to beat a Demon Beast!"
"Don't worry," Ainz said with a cocky grin. "He's just observing. I'm your real opponent."
Noar nodded. "I'm just here to watch."
The demons attacked. Ainz summoned his drones in a flash, bullets raining down on the lesser demons. They collapsed under the barrage.
"Rank 5s… my turn," Ainz muttered.
He launched forward with an "Explosive Kick"—a rocket-powered leg strike laced with micro-bombs. Two demons fell instantly. Another lunged at him from behind, but Ainz spun mid-air and countered with a jet-powered punch.
A Rank 4 moved in. Noar stepped forward, eyes glowing.
"Hey!" Ainz barked. "He's fighting me! Wait your turn!"
The demon hesitated. Noar smirked and stepped back.
The Rank 4s struck with incredible force. Ainz barely dodged, ducking, flipping, rolling—until a surprise hit caught him in the ribs. Blood seeped through his suit, but it had absorbed most of the damage.
Noar stepped forward, concerned.
"I'm fine," Ainz said, rising. "I'm not done yet."
He summoned his full fleet of drones, forming a circular formation around him.
"Let's continue."
The Rank 4s charged again, but this time Ainz was ready. His drones blocked their attacks, creating windows for him to counter. He slashed, cut, dodged, and exploded his way through the chaos.
One demon lost an arm. The other raged and charged.
Ainz planted a bomb on their landing zone, flipped over them mid-air, and let it detonate. One demon was blown back. The other struck, catching Ainz's blade—only for Ainz to shift, intercept the punch with a drone, and slice the demon's second arm clean off.
Then—
RUMBLE.
The ground shook violently beneath them like an earthquake.
The demons faltered. Ainz seized the moment—one clean strike, and one Rank 4 dropped.
The last demon turned to run.
Too late.
SHNK.
A flash of silver. Noar appeared behind him, blade dripping.
"Don't waste time," he said.
Another tremor followed—stronger, deeper, and far more sinister.
Ainz and Noar looked up.
Something was coming.