The Reason for Hesitation

"Uh... well."

The reason for my hesitation wasn't that I was busy.

Of course, it would be a lie to say I wasn't busy.

Today saw a record-breaking number of customers, and usually, having a lot of customers meant being busy.

However, it was manageable.

With the bar's Remodeling, the Weapon Storage System had become more refined, reducing the grueling Process of lugging things around. Ordering and payment were automated anyway, so unless someone used a Cryptocurrency Storage Device called a Credit Chip, there was no room for me to Intervene.

The only tasks left for me were Serving cocktails to distant tables, Cleaning tables, and guiding customers.

They were simple tasks to begin with, and tempered by my past experiences, I had quickly become so skilled that I could practically do them with my eyes closed.

The more demanding, large-scale tasks like organizing the Warehouse or Setting up the bar were handled before opening or after Closing Tasks, so they don't matter right now.

Even the Troublemaker Handling Task, which used to be incredibly Awkward, felt like... no big deal after experiencing the Luddite Incident.

No matter how vicious a troublesome Ronin Customer might be, could such a Customer really compare to a terrorist gang?

In many ways, I had gained some breathing room.

Part of it was because my reputation as the “hand Butcher” had spread among the Ronin, making them hesitant to pick fights carelessly, and no one dared to cause trouble Recklessly due to the Dragon President's presence.

It was also likely because I had gained confidence in my Self-defense and was equipped with Powerful weapons like a Microchip and a Custom Suit applied with nanotechnology.

Thanks to all these factors, the work that used to push me to my mental and physical limits now felt quite manageable.

Therefore, Head Bartender Sey's request to come help if I wasn't busy was perfectly acceptable. I could easily make time for something like that.

The problem was what she was asking me to do.

Barback.

Literally, it means working Behind the Bar.

Usually, it refers to a Trainee Bartender who acts as an Assistant, handing over Cocktail Ingredients like liquor, ice, and garnishes from Behind the Bar where the Bartenders work, and lending a hand with Serving when things get busy.

Looking only at this, one might think it wasn't much different from the work I had been doing all along...

But there was one crucial difference.

The difference between working inside the bar and Outside it.

In this industry, that Minor difference was a very Important Matter.

Starting as a Barback, you work at the Bar Table.

It is inevitable that you will act as an Assistant to the Bartenders, so in a way, it is obvious.

And I had never, not even once, done that before.

Of course, I had gone in frequently for Cocktail Mixing practice or training, but I had never stepped inside the bar during Working Hours.

That was clearly the Bartenders' Territory, and as the On-site Manager, I needed to respect that.

And that was normal.

Unlike bottom-barrel entertainment establishments that would immediately deploy someone into the field with a few recipes slotted into a memory chip just because they had a pretty face and a smooth tongue, our bar was a place that maintained the Tradition of the Liquor Industry to some extent.

Both in its attitude toward cocktails and its attitude toward employees.

If I had to weigh the pros and cons, the advantage would be that thanks to such traditions, the quality of the cocktails handled and the employees Serving them was exceptional.

The disadvantage was that Employee training was incredibly rigorous for achieving that.

Just looking at myself, I had somehow managed to adapt, but hadn't I gone through an exhausting OJT (On-the-Job-training) period, working while memorizing this and that until my head felt like it would explode?

Therefore, it inevitably took a long time for a New Employee to become a Barback—someone qualified to be called a true member of the Bar Table, directly contributing to the Cocktail Service that would go down the customers' throats.

It varied from bar to bar, but in the case of a Classic Bar, that period was usually at least three months.

Sometimes it even took from half a year to a full year.

Our bar wasn't a genuine Luxury Hotel Bar, but merely a Small Bar on the Outskirts, so it probably wouldn't take that long.

Still, there was no doubt that one had to go through an apprenticeship period of a month or two to become a Barback.

The duration was just shorter; the Industry Practice of having to go through intermediate steps remained the same.

But Sey had just asked me to Step in as that very Barback.

Considering I was a newbie who had only been working for about ten days—and since there was a period when the bar was closed, it would be even less if counted by Actual Working Days—it was a hard story to Accept.

But at the same time, I couldn't imagine that the sharp Head Bartender Sey, of all people, wouldn't even know the Minimum Requirement to become a Barback.

Furthermore, because of her personality, rarely making empty talk and taking her assigned duties seriously, it was puzzling.

If Tony had said something like that, I would have dismissed it as a silly joke, but with Sey saying it in a serious voice, it felt real.

And it was real.

"The boss gave permission too. You're a Full-time Employee now, and there's nothing more for you to learn out in the hall anyway. You looked bored just doing Simple Labor."

"Uh, it wasn't quite like tha—"

"Quiet, and get in there."

"Uh-uh-uh?"

Thud—clank.

The Dragon's Lair Head Bartender lightly ignored my protests and forcefully shoved me inside the bar.

And just like that, I started my work as a Barback.

* * *

Was it because it was my first time coming in during Working Hours?

The view from inside the Bartending Table was somehow different from the view from the Outside.

It might be because it was situated right in the center of the shop, or perhaps because it was elevated about half a Step higher than the hall where the customers sat, making it a Position where I could see everyone at a glance while simultaneously being clearly visible to everyone.

“I think it”s a bit wider than before.'

I hadn't really noticed when looking from the Outside, but seeing it now, I noticed the table had gotten longer, and the space inside had become much more spacious.

Before, it was just enough room for two people inside, but now, it is large enough for even three people to barely fit.

...It couldn't be a coincidence.

Boss Dragon must have pictured this in her head since the bar's Remodeling.

For me, it was a good thing either way.

Becoming a Barback meant escaping my Position on the fringes and officially entering the World of Bartenders. While I wouldn't say this line of work was my true calling or the high-paying profession everyone dreams of, since I had already started, a quick Promotion wouldn't hurt.

If I did Barback work on top of being a Manager, they might even give me a bigger bonus.

“And to get a bonus, I”ll have to do the job right.'

Enough with the stray thoughts.

I didn't want to ruin my first time working as a Barback by getting distracted.

They say everyone makes mistakes, but that's an excuse you can only use when you've actually done your best.

“The next order is...”

I had naturally been deployed as a Barback and had already started working.

I scanned the top of the AR Bill, which was only visible from inside the bar.

“...Moscow Mule.”

A cocktail is also known as the Kyiv Mule.

As you can tell from the name, it's a cocktail originating from Russia. And it has a Vodka Base, fittingly for something from Russia.

This also belongs to the category of traditional classic cocktails, and for what it is, it's quite delicious.

It's sweet and sour, slightly bitter, and goes down the throat refreshingly. Plus, there is a slight hint of the Spiciness of Ginger at the Finish.

And where does that ginger flavor come from? It's Ginger Ale.

Expressed in a Korean way, it's Ginger-flavored Cider.

The Moscow Mule is a cocktail made with vodka, Lime Juice, ice, and Ginger-flavored Cider.

It sounds like a combination that would taste terrible, but it was surprisingly good. The World of Cocktails is truly Mysterious.

Glancing over quickly, Tony was already pouring vodka into the Moscow Mule's signature Copper Mug, having laid down a base of Lime-flavored Artificial Additive.

Next to him, Crushed Ice was already prepared.

His hands were definitely fast. He had prepared that much in the Blink of an eye.

It was a speed that even I, skilled from my work as a Chef, struggled to keep up with. Even though he benefited from a prosthetic arm, it was amazing.

"Some Lime Juice and Ginger Ale, please."

"Yep."

I moved hurriedly at Tony's words as he added the ice. I couldn't just stand there staring blankly.

Factory-made Lime Juice was such a frequently used ingredient that I could find it with my eyes closed, and the Ginger Ale was... in the bottom of the refrigerator.

Because I had thought of the recipe in advance, I was able to find it quickly just by reaching in and rummaging around.

"Thank you."

As I held out the ingredients, Tony snatched them up immediately.

That was it. He lightly mixed the ice and the drink with a spoon, placed a few garnishes on top, and served it.

"With Lime Juice, Ginger Ale, vodka on the rocks, and one tablespoon of love, the Moscow Mule is complete."

I tried my best to ignore Tony drawing a heart with his Bar Spoon and flirting with a well-built female Ronin, and focused on my work again.

Fetching ingredients that were a bit far from the Bartender's reach was the most basic duty of a Barback, just like I had done.

The difficulty itself wasn't hard, but to take out and prepare the ingredients on time, I couldn't let my Guard down.

In addition, knowing which liquor was on which shelf of which Display Cabinet, and which refrigerator this ingredient was kept in, required an understanding of the Bar Layout and the Location of Ingredients. It was knowledge you could never know without actually working at that establishment, a realm that required experience, separate from skill.

If I hadn't gotten used to it through the Process of Cleaning the bar and studying Cocktail Mixing over the past few days, I would have been completely lost too.

Wondering things like, “Where is the Ginger Ale? I”m sure I saw it somewhere...'

Actually, even this was on the slower side.

I could feel that Tony was matching my pace rather than going at his own. It was obvious he was trying to help me, a newbie, adapt to the Barback duties as quickly as possible.

They say an experienced Barback moves as one body with the Bartender, bringing ingredients before the Bartender even asks, and intervening in the Cocktail Mixing Process very naturally.

For me, who was already overwhelmed just following the Bartender's Lead, that seemed like a distant story.

At least it was a relief that I wasn't at the level of grabbing the steering wheel and causing an accident while our capable Bartender drivers were driving me.

Even if there were Minor mistakes from time to time, like pulling out similar but wrong ingredients or misunderstanding terms, I was somehow managing without making any Major blunders yet.

If I kept at it a bit longer, I'd probably reach a stable level, rather than just barely managing.

Even looking at it right now...

'Redeye.'

My eyes went to the hologram bill, then quickly to the Bartenders. Tony was busy, and Sey's hands would be free soon.

I didn't know about other cocktails, but since this was a simple Hangover Relief Cocktail, I could prepare it in advance without any specific requests.

The ingredients were Tomato Juice and beer, and there wouldn't be any room for special additives or a Bartender's unique touch beyond that.

As I brought out the Tomato-flavored Juice, which wasn't a frequently used ingredient, from the fridge over there, Sey was already pouring Cold beer into a large glass.