[BL] Challenge: 100 Baby in Fantasy World-Chapter 254: Alrova Drink Shop

Several people in line noticed the group that casually walked straight past everyone without queueing. Naturally, the newcomers drew a few sharp glares.

Among the crowd, however, were some students from Gyakarta Academy and they immediately recognized the group, especially Gara.

"Those kids! How dare they cut in line like that?" grumbled a long-eared woman, her voice rising above the crowd.

Her daughter lightly tugged on her arm. "Mom, that’s Gara. The one who made the products sold here at Alrova Shop."

"The Alchemy Genius Gara? The one who’s your friend at the academy?" her mother exclaimed.

The young girl groaned inwardly. If anyone overheard her mom saying she was friends with Gara, she’d never hear the end of it.

"Just— yes, that’s him, Mom," she muttered quickly.

Their conversation spread to the clueless people nearby, and soon, the complaints vanished. Everyone suddenly fell quiet.

Meanwhile, Gara’s group didn’t even stop on the first floor. They went straight up to the second floor. Again, without waiting in line.

"You told Alrova people we were coming?" Kevio asked, glancing at Yuvika.

Yuvika nodded. "I did, but I never said anything about preparing a table for us upstairs."

Even she looked puzzled.

"I contacted Hilda," Gara said casually.

All eyes turned to him, then everyone nodded at once. Of course. It made perfect sense.

If Gara was the one who reached out, then Hilda, the head of Alrova Merchant House’s management, would undoubtedly arrange something special.

Just like how Yugo Merchant House worshiped Gara as the reason their business rose to become one of the biggest not only in Raksa County but the entire Nozama Province, Yuvika was sure Hilda held Gara in the same reverence.

After all, Alrova Merchant House was a new trading company that had risen with unbelievable speed. And all of it was thanks to Gara.

...

On the second floor, a server escorted them to a table. A few students from Gyakarta Academy recognized them, but no one dared to approach.

Class S students were in a league of their own, too far above for ordinary students to casually strike up a conversation.

"What do you all want to drink?" Gara asked.

The concept of a café or drink shop wasn’t common in this world, not even in the capital city.

But ever since the first Alrova Drink Shop opened in Falopo Town, followed by another in Raksa County, people had slowly started to understand the charm of a cozy place to chat and relax over a non-alcoholic drink.

It was organized, clean, and —unlike taverns— free of drunks.

"Ice Lumora Soda," said Yuvika without hesitation. She had fallen in love with that fizzy drink the very first time she tried it.

Orman and Kevio ordered the same. Madha asked for coffee, and Fian chose tea.

"What about you, Andine?" Gara turned to the mermaid girl, who realized she was the only one left.

She stiffened a little. The drink names —tea, coffee, soda— were all unfamiliar to her.

"I’ll just have the same as you guys," she said finally.

The server noted down their orders and left.

Andine exhaled in relief, her eyes wandering across the room. It was crowded, yet not cramped. Everything was neatly arranged.

Their table was right beside a wide window overlooking the bustling street below.

"Being up here feels so different from waiting down there," she murmured.

Downstairs had felt so crowded that Andine’s head spun a little. The endless press of people had left her drained.

But from up here, looking down through the wide window, the view no longer felt like a chaotic crowd. It was almost picturesque, like a calm sea of people moving in gentle rhythm.

It wasn’t just Andine who admired the second floor’s atmosphere.

Even Yuvika and Kevio, both children of seasoned merchants, could sense the clever mix of creativity and design that made this drink shop stand out.

"How does Alrova Shop always come up with such fresh ideas?" Yuvika murmured, still scanning the elegant decor. Kevio nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, the person responsible for all of it —Gara— just smiled quietly, watching their reactions without saying a word.

Their drinks arrived soon after. Everyone took their first sip, and judging from their faces, none of them had a single complaint.

"This— this tastes just like the sparkling water that flows from the coral trenches at the deepest part of Matara Lake!" Andine said, eyes shining.

"Wait, isn’t that the water everyone in Matara Lake says is the most delicious in the world?" Madha asked, raising an eyebrow.

Andine nodded quickly. "I only got to try it once. I didn’t expect Lumora Soda to taste this good."

Gara blinked in surprise, suddenly intrigued by the mysterious sparkling water of Matara Lake.

While they continued chatting about the drinks from the mermaids’ territory, not far from their table, a girl quietly hid her face behind the menu.

She had just made it to the second floor after spending quite some time shopping below and the last thing she expected was to see that group already sitting there.

She’d been too absorbed in her shopping to notice them earlier.

The waiter noticed her odd behavior but didn’t say a word. Alrova Shop’s motto was to treat every customer equally, no matter how strange they acted.

"I— I should get going," the girl stammered, standing abruptly. She walked briskly toward the stairs, worried the waiter might shout after her for leaving without ordering anything.

"Please come again, miss," the waiter said politely instead.

She exhaled in relief as she descended to the first floor, convinced the people upstairs hadn’t noticed her at all.

Unfortunately for her, they had heard the waiter’s voice.

"Wasn’t that Vania? Your classmate?" Kevio asked, turning his head toward the stairs.

"I can’t believe she came to Alrova Shop after everything she’s said," Andine muttered, clearly annoyed.

"She seems to really like Alrova’s products," Madha commented thoughtfully.

Andine nodded, though her expression stayed sour. "If she’s still coming here even after learning Gara’s involved, then she’s not doing it to impress her friends. She must genuinely love the products."

Gara gave a faint nod and shifted his gaze back toward the window.

Coincidentally, Vania had just stepped outside but she wasn’t alone. A group of beastkin girls surrounded her. They didn’t look like friends.

Though he couldn’t hear their words, Gara could tell from their expressions that they were arguing. And one of them even shoved Vania by the shoulder.

"Are they... bullying her?" Andine asked, her voice uneasy. She’d seen it too.

"I know those girls," Yuvika murmured. "They used to be Vania’s followers. But ever since all her misdeeds got exposed, they’ve been turning on her."

"Wow, so even beastfolk relationships are just as messy as human ones," Kevio muttered, remembering how arrogant he used to be. Thankfully, he’d learned his lesson early.

Meanwhile, things weren’t looking good for Vania down below. The beastkin girls confronting her all came from elite families. Out of everyone present, not a single person seemed willing to step in. Especially not the students of Gyakarta Academy, who knew exactly what kind of reputation Vania had.

"I came here on my own, with my own money! Stop bothering me!" Vania snapped, glaring at them.

But the beastkin girls didn’t care about her protests.

"Oh? So just because you used your own money, you think you have the right to buy products made by someone you insulted?"

"Why are you angry? He hasn’t even said anything about it," Vania shot back defensively.

"He’ll be furious once he finds out you’re here. Forget it— just drag her away and take her stuff."

The moment she heard that, Vania’s eyes widened. She clutched her woven rattan box tightly against her chest.

One girl grabbed Vania’s arm, another yanked at the box.

Thud! The box fell to the ground. Luckily, the lid was tied securely, so nothing spilled out. But from the sharp clinking sound, Vania could tell something inside had broken.

Anger surged up inside her. She’d been holding herself back, trying not to cause a scene —especially knowing Gara and his friends were right upstairs— but her restraint finally snapped.

Her claws extended from her fingertips, glinting sharply under the light. Without thinking, she slashed toward the beastkin girl who’d dropped her belongings.

Before her claws could reach the girl’s face, a group of Alrova Shop staff rushed out from the building. The sight made Vania freeze. Panic hit her hard.If the shop blacklisted her, she’d never be able to buy from Alrova again.

"Please stop causing a disturbance and hurting other customers," the staff member said firmly. But to everyone’s surprise, he was speaking to the beastkin girls, not Vania. "If you refuse to cooperate, we’ll have to blacklist you."

"What? We’re not causing trouble!" one of the beastkin girls protested. "She’s the one who insulted Gara, the person behind all Alrova’s products! Of course we need to teach her a lesson!"

The staff member’s tone remained calm and professional. "I’m here to deliver a message from Mr. Gara himself."

He then turned his head toward the second floor. Everyone followed his gaze.

Up above, Gara and his friends were watching the scene unfold.

Vania slowly looked up in the same direction and when her eyes met Gara’s, her chest tightened. A storm of emotion swirled inside her, leaving her breathless.

...