Chapter 259 – Episode 259

Important conversations take place over drinks, and drinks are also a meeting place?

It wasn’t completely wrong. It was still a common phrase in 2025.

However, times and the world have changed too much for this to be unconditionally true.

2025.

The number of people who drink and smoke has decreased overwhelmingly compared to the past. However, this does not mean that people who do not drink or smoke are reluctant to meet new people.

In fact, more and more people feel lonely or bored because they do not drink or smoke and are sober.

Of course, there are people who don’t. There are very few people like that.

Most people wanted to solve loneliness and boredom. However, there was no way for someone who did not drink or smoke to go to a bar. There was a lot of resistance.

Meanwhile, what caught my eye was a maid café.

To be exact, it was May World located at Sindong Station. This maid café had a uniquely different feel even in the world.

“Welcome, master!”

It started with the gentle kindness of the maids.

The maids at other maid cafés were friendly and kind enough, but unfortunately they couldn’t be compared to May World.

It’s different here.

The maids welcomed me with sincere politeness, as if they had been maids since birth.

I could only know this by seeing it in person.

“Ha, it seems like the mental fatigue melts away immediately.”

“This is it, this is it.”

2025.

It is true that compared to the 20th century, life has become overwhelmingly better.

There are certainly people who do not, but it is rare for people to starve for all three meals a day, and Korea has been ranked first in the global luxury goods purchasing rate for three years already.

Nevertheless, the country’s sudden rapid growth was not without side effects.

The Republic of Korea has achieved tremendous technological development and growth of capital, but at the same time, it has lost the affection and coziness that the country originally had in the past.

Although some say it is a natural process of becoming an advanced country or following the flow of the times.

For those who had already felt affection for the past when they were born, the rapidly changing world of individualism and egoism was very disappointing.

There were even people who were disillusioned or exhausted by this world of individualism and egoism.

And, this was the place where such people gathered.

[May World]

[Welcome, master!]

[From here on, it is the country of maids.]

Okay. From here, it’s the country of maids.

It was as if this was a different country, only this place was different.

Apart from the kindness of the maids.

“Are you here, writer? “Are you feeling okay today?”

“Oh, don’t even talk about it. Today I finished the storyboard that will be uploaded next week. “My wrists and back are just fine, fine.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

“Hehe, thank you. I see that Mr. Junhwan is resting here right now…”

“Ayu, I always tend to finish things leisurely. Haha.”

Here, everyone could talk to each other comfortably.

It wasn’t like that from the beginning.

It was just a phenomenon that happened because as the return visit rate increased, everyone naturally became familiar with each other’s faces.

But, that was good.

Individualism, egoism.

I may have gotten better with eating, but recently, I can’t easily brag to my friends just because I’m doing well, and just because I don’t brag doesn’t mean I can keep in touch with my friends.

Unless you’re dating a lover, family and really close friends are your only means of communication.

It wasn’t easy to be satisfied with just that.

Because sometimes I want to meet new people.

“Master, the weather is nice today.”

“Wow, I can say that because I’m inside. It’s sweltering outside right now.”

“Hehe, I think it would be fun if we all went to the water park together?”

“That’s right.”

If you were stuck at home, you would probably just watch TV or use the computer all day.

Then I wouldn’t have said a single word all day.

When I came to Mayworld, I could talk non-stop for hours. With pretty maids and people I met here.

It started at some point.

Mayworld is not just a maid café, but has become a place where people who feel similar loneliness, depression, poor health, and boredom gather.

After it was properly recognized as such a place, the speed at which such people came to visit it became much faster.

This wasn’t something that could be copied just because someone wanted to.

Because it was a natural phenomenon.

And, by frequently visiting places like this, it was natural for people here to feel a sense of belonging, whether they knew it or not.

When you have a sense of belonging, you become attached.

When a bond develops, a bit of loyalty or a desire to help each other arises without us even realizing it.

Still, the maids at Mayworld never asked for help.

Today was a little different.

“Hey, among the masters who are drawing, does anyone know Strawberry Cat?”

“Do you know anything, strawberry cat?”

“Soo-ah’s benefactor asked for help.”

Of course, the maids at Mayworld treat Hyunwoo Kim as their ‘real master’ and serve him.

Hyunwoo Kim never intended to do that.

It was natural because there was Yoon Su-ah and Lee Woo-joo. Even sane people could not help but be influenced that way when Yoon Su-ah and the café owner praised one person every day.

Furthermore, in today’s world where the future is so uncertain, relying vaguely on someone and praying is meaningless.

It was even more so because it brought a greater sense of psychological stability than expected.

Even before Kim Seo-ran and Wino-ran were hugged, all the maids felt the same way, feeling loyalty and faith to Kim Hyun-woo.

Not only Yoon Su-ah and Lee Woo-joo, but even Kim Seo-ran and Wino-ran tell the same story.

At this level, even if it were a scam, it would work, because it is not a scam.

“Ah, master. Do you know anything about Strawberry Cat?”

“Any… “I’ve talked to you a few times via chat before.”

“Oh! Me, really? Then I’m sorry. Su-ah’s benefactor is in a bit of a difficult situation right now. A little help…”

“Sure. Of course, we should help. “They are asking for help from Mayworld, not from anyone else.”

The maids were more active than ever.

The same was true for members who already felt a sense of belonging to Mayworld. Above all, at Mayworld, we never thought of someone helping us as one-sided help.

It was like that to each other.

Because the people gathered here already think of each other as close friends or family. These people were a help and happiness to each other just by being here together.

For these people, the outside of Mayworld is bleak and hell-like.

Lee Woo-joo muttered seriously as he watched about three artists holding up their phones.

“I want to expand the store.”

I really wanted to build the second May World store.

Aside from the already stable profits, I wanted to expand these positions in Korea. However, the reason why the second point could not be made was very simple.

Because there are not two Yoon Su-ahs.

“Ugh.”

Unless there was one more person like Yoon Su-ah, there would never be a second Mayworld store.

That’s why Lee Woo-joo had a good appetite every day.

* * *

Illustrator Strawberry Cat.

He was a fairly famous writer in this industry. She is both good and bad.
His drawing skills were ridiculously excellent, but at the same time, his mentality was so bad that he often ended up falling asleep mid-dive, making him both famous and infamous.

However, in the case of notoriety, the only good thing was that it was not revealed because people who considered defamation deleted the post on their own.

“Uh, uhm… “I just can’t draw.”

Strawberry cat.

So, his real name is Kang Moo-seong, and he dropped his hand that was on the tablet. He was a very passive and introverted person, completely opposite to his energetic and lively image.

That’s why it took him two or three years longer than other artists to make his debut as an illustrator.
The reason was that she was worried that if she debuted with insufficient skills, she would receive complaints or criticism from customers.
In other words, she decided to make her debut only after her skills were such that no one could criticize her.
Naturally, from the time of her debut, Strawberry Cat’s skills became a hot topic on the Internet. She said a sudden divinity appeared.
However, she was a person who felt even such attention as a burden.

Because she became much more famous than she expected, she was the type of person who was able to get through the first half of her life, only to fall apart in the second half.

“Ha, ha, ha…”

Although she may seem pathetic to others,

Strawberry Nyannyang, from her point of view, seemed to be so frustrated that she was in a desperate position. She said she couldn’t go to Mint Lane due to poor health, but she hasn’t put down her pen for even a second since then.

She said, ‘I thought if I said I couldn’t do it and drew it, I would be able to draw it.’

It wasn’t at all.

But she didn’t even have the courage to put down her pen.
Kang Moo-seong sobbed, even shedding tears. She hated her own weakness and patheticness to the point where she hated it.
Recently, this tendency has become worse rather than better.

It was because of the emergence of AI.

It is said that no matter how good AI is, it will never be able to touch the realm of art, and the first area to be conquered was painting.

Of course, in the case of Strawberry Kitten, the appearance of AI drawings did not mean that the request would decline due to her overwhelming drawing skills. An incredible number of requests and inquiries were still coming in to him.

However, Strawberry Cat was that kind of person.

She still feels anxious.

‘I don’t even know how much time is left.’

If AI continues to develop like this, no matter how good you are at drawing, you will soon retire from this industry.

No, you will be kicked out.

When she thought those negative thoughts, she became even more afraid and couldn’t draw.

“Ha, I really hate it.”

Strawberry Kitty sighed and laughed at herself.
I always wanted to vent this frustration to someone. So, Strawberry Kitten tried talking to strangers on the Internet, and sometimes she even got mental counseling, so she could talk to someone. In the worst case, she bought a bunch of dolls and muttered to herself.

Sometimes she wanted to open her mouth and sing alone.
However, it was impossible to be satisfied with that.

Strawberry Cat is passive and introverted. Nevertheless, she wanted to meet people.
When we actually meet, it becomes hard, and we can’t do anything… Still.

「Tok tok, tok tok tok!」

“… Huh?”

Just like that, she just sighs in self-loathing.
Her own phone seemed to be ringing particularly loudly today. My heart might stop when I hear the ringtone, so I blocked all my phone calls, and then it started ringing.

“What’s going on?”

Her heart skipped a beat as she wondered what would happen if she came from Mint Lane.
It wasn’t like that.

It was a contact from another illustrator, webtoon writer, or drawing artist that I had never met but somehow became acquainted with.

“What is this…?” …”

Strawberry Cat, who was talking to them, tilted his head in embarrassment.

When I was given the address without my knowledge.

「Ding dong! Ding-dong-!」

After a while, the doorbell of the officetel she was staying in rang.

“Who are you?”

Could it be a pseudo-religion, a person who came to ask for just a glass of water, or an insurance seller? …

Despite her heart pounding, Strawberry Cat opened the door cautiously.
And, she was very surprised.

“Hello, master. My name is Han Ji-in, and I am a maid on a business trip from Mayworld. From now on, I want to take a little care of my master. Is it okay?”

At the entrance, there was a blonde maid with a slightly crooked name on her chest, smiling.
Holding a lunch box filled with omelet rice in her hand.