Prologue
Translator: Skythewood
Editor: Hiiro
There would be times in life when you needed to take a break.
To spend time comfortably without being disturbed or needing to worry about other people’s feelings. A time of relaxation to rest your body and soul.
Take me for example, wiping down glasses would be a very comfortable time for me.
The freshly washed glasses were still moist, so I would use a clean and dry cloth to wipe them down. I would pay extra care to the parts that come in contact with the customers’ lips. And finally, I would wipe it from bottom to the top to finish it off, and produce a clean work of art without any fingerprints or stain.
It would look even more mesmerizing if you looked at it under a light source, and would literally soothe your heart.
I placed the glasses I wiped onto the cupboard behind me, arranging them neatly. After putting back the last glass, I shifted my attention to my next objective.
I picked up my black apron placed neatly on the bar counter, put it on, and tightened its strings behind me. I’m all set to open the shop now.
I walked out of the bar counter and surveyed the shop one more time, checking for rubbish on the floor, whether the chairs are arranged properly, and for any stains on the tables.
This place used to be a bar, so it was spacious with ten counter seats, four tables for 4, and three tables for 2. It didn’t feel cramped even with so much furniture. I was the only staff here, could I really manage this alone? The answer was, yes, since I didn’t get many customers.
After finishing my inspection, I walked out of the shop.
The weather was incredibly clear, with just a few dashes of clouds in the sky. My shop was located in an alley away from the main street, but the foot traffic was still great, and I could hear the noise from the main street from time to time.
A person with the face of a bear in dull silver armour walked by, followed by a beautiful long eared woman and a short man with dark robes that reached the ground—— there were people of all races walking through the streets.
I’m used to this sight already, but still couldn’t help wondering if this was a dream.
——Fantasy World.
All this could be explained if this was a different world, but whether I accept this explanation was a different issue. I wanted to yell 「Where is this place? How do I get home?」, but no one would take my words seriously. This might be a Fantasy World from my perspective, but to the people here, this was their real world. Judging from their reality, if someone yelled 「I came from a different world」, that person had a screw loose.
I sighed heavily with my hands on my hips.
The weather was great. But that was the reason for my melancholic mood.
「Sigh.」
「Sigh.」
I cocked my head when I heard that.
I did sigh, but I heard another sigh overlapped with mine. Someone else was sighing.
I followed the source of that sound, and locked eyes with a girl sitting on a bench by the road.
She was around my age, wearing a black based uniform, with a prominent cape embroidered with a logo. That was clearly the uniform from the Arialu School of Wizardry.
The girl looked at me with eyes that were as blue as the sky. Her ponytail was tied rather high up behind her head, and her hair was as red as the setting sun.
Two strangers were sighing at the same time, then stared at each other… This situation made me really uncomfortable. Anyway, I should show the smile I nurtured by attending to countless customers. I smiled at her.
The girl raised her eyebrow at that and nodded my way. She definitely thought I was a suspicious person.
I messed up so early in the morning. I looked up to the sky and shook my head.
Sigh, never mind, it couldn’t be helped. I would devote myself to work today too.
I checked the shop entrance for trash, then picked up the wooden signboard by the door. It was written in the language of this world, but I could read it. One side said 「Close for the day」, and the other said 「Open for Business」.
When I turned the sign to ‘open’ and put it back——
「Is this a restaurant?」
A voice came from beside me, which made my shoulder shudder.
The girl on the bench had walked over to me. I hid my surprise with a smile and turned to her.
「Of course, but this isn’t a normal restaurant.」
The girl stared at me dumbfoundedly, and I said with pride:
「This is the only Café in the world.」
「Café?」
That was right, there wasn’t any concept of Café in this world. Therefore, this was the only Café in this world.
「A Café is a shop that provides light meals and beverages. And I recommend our Coffee.」
「Coffee?」
The girl frowned, her face saying she had never heard that before.
「You don’t know what Coffee is? That won’t do, Coffee is the most trendy thing right now, please have a try.」
「It’s trendy?」
「That’s right.」
That was a lie.
「Does it taste good?」
「It has the taste preferred by adults.」
「I see.」
She didn't seem interested. The girl’s vermillion hair swayed when she looked up at my shop. She looked inside through the windows.
「So, there are tables, right?」
She asked in a strangely intimate fashion, and I answered with a nod:
「There are.」
「Are the chairs comfortable?」
「Naturally, I’m very picky about that.」
Chairs were a very important part of a Café. It couldn’t be too hard or too soft, it needed to be just the right amount of fluffiness to let people relax.
Just as I was thinking how weird her questions were, her brows softened into a smile. Her bright blue eyes sparkled under the sun.
「Can I study here?」
I nodded profusely. This was the first time I had seen such vibrant eyes.
「I will be back.」
She said before leaving, and I watched her back as she left.
I exhaled after seeing something nice this morning. This was the opposite of an exasperated sigh. I now had the energy to do my best for today.
With my hands on my hips, I looked up to the sky.
I couldn’t help thinking that men were simple creatures, and were helpless before cute girls.
I stood by the street in a daze, and almost ran into a pedestrian. The foot traffic was getting denser, there was one carrying red fruits that looked like apples. A man in a black bandanna with a small dragon-like creature on his head passed by. A girl with a huge horn on her head was walking hand in hand with a horse faced man.
Multi-cultural wasn’t enough to describe this scene with people of all races living together in this city. This was a Fantasy World, filled with magic and demihumans, with incredible people walking the streets. But there was just one thing that wouldn’t change——
Those who didn’t work, didn’t get to eat.
If I wanted to survive, I needed to get a job.
That was why I opened a Café here. My family ran a Café passed down from my grandfather’s time, so this was the most familiar line of work for me.
This was the only job I could do. Many sad things happened, but there were many happy moments too.
And I got to chat with a cute girl too.
I moved the signboard unconsciously, then put it up properly again.
『Open for Business』.
Chapter 1 一「Hot Pressed Dry-Cured Ham and Cheese Sandwich with Hot Spring Egg」
「Hey Yu-kun, I don’t want to work anymore.」
A balding old man with a long white beard said at the bar counter. He was crossing his arms with a sharp glare and a serious face. The old man looked out the window at the people dyed red by the setting sun walking by.
「I don’t want to work anymore……」
He repeated with deep emotions.
I sighed in my heart, because this grandpa was always like this. Be it day or night, he would wander over and collapse into a chair, then go home after saying nonsense.
I call him Gramps Goru. I didn’t know what line of work he was in, but he wore well tailored clothes that somewhat resembled a yukata. I imagined he worked in high management.
「You fled here again?」
I put down the plate I was wiping and asked. Gramps Goru turned to me and said:
「I didn’t flee, I just drop by to take a short break.」
「You’ve been here for two hours.」
「What did you say? My memories’ bad at my age……」
「Please don’t fake dementia during crucial moments.」
「Hehehe.」
Gramps Goru laughed weirdly, then rested his elbow on the bar counter to support his cheek—— a completely relaxed posture.
A Café was a place for people to rest well enough that they would forget the time, so I wouldn’t comment more on that. I was happy someone was willing to treat my shop as a place to relax, since that meant this place was very comfortable.
「This place is as empty as always.」
Gramps Goru said after looking around the shop.
Aside from Gramps Goru at the bar counter, the only other customer was the Elf nee-san reading a book at the table by the window. It might be fine if this was the case only during off peak hours, but my shop was always like this.
「Yu-kun, it’s a bad idea selling this Coffee thingie.」
Gramps Goru picked up the Coffee cup before him and took a sip, then furrowed his brows.
「The taste is as memorable as ever.」
「Please carefully taste the fragrance and sour after taste of the Coffee.」
「The fragrance is good, but it’s too bitter. I have a sweet tooth after all.」
He then picked up a white jar on the bar counter, then added the brown powder into the Coffee—— the powder was sugar.
As a merchant providing the beverage to a customer, I wanted him to enjoy his drink. But I couldn’t help feeling dejected when he dumped the sugar in as if to cover the taste of the Coffee.
After coming to this world, I was surprised by many things. One such thing was the lack of a Coffee drinking culture. Coffee beans existed, but they weren’t consumed as a beverage, but as a type of medicine to perk up the mind or wake the unconscious.
When I first started this shop, I thought the brand new Coffee beverage would be a smash hit. But I was more naive than a three year old child. The black and bitter Coffee wasn’t well received. The people in this world thought bitter things were bad for the body, and mistook it for poison. Very few people could appreciate Coffee.
And so, this Café became a strange shop that provided a dark and bitter beverage known as Coffee.
「Sigh, it’s boring.」
Gramps Goru stared at the lights hanging from the ceiling as he lamented.
「If it’s boring, then go to work.」
「What are you saying, I’m enjoying this boredom.」
「You’re not hoping for something interesting to happen because it’s boring, right?」
When he heard that, Gramps Goru smiled at me.
「At times like this, it’s better to seek out fun. Instead of waiting for things to happen, it’s better to search for it yourself.」
I agreed with a nod. But there weren’t many people with the energy to do just that.
Gramps Goru was repeating 「boring~」 in a rhythmic way, when a clear sound came from the door. That was a chime I fixed on the door to let me know that a guest was coming.
I turned and saw the face of a girl looking through the door gap, looking around timidly. Her vermillion hair rolled down her shoulders as she surveyed the shop with clear blue eyes. She was the girl I spoke with this morning before opening up shop. She wasn’t just being polite when she said she would be back. I never thought she would really visit again in the same evening.
「Welcome.」
I greeted her with a smile.
「Oh, erm, are you open?」
She asked politely. I nodded and gestured for her to enter.
「Of course we are open. As you can see, there are plenty of seats open in the shop.」
「It’s the same yesterday and the day before too.」
I glared at the noisy Gramps Goru, but he just looked away innocently and whistled.
The girl entered slowly, as if to check if the shop was safe. She wore the same school uniform she had on in the morning. Her vermillion hair was tied up behind her head in a ponytail, and she had a large school bag.
She didn’t go to a table, and headed straight to the bar counter.
「There are so few customers that I thought you are closed.」
「You really hit where it hurts.」
There are only a couple of customers in the shop, so those visiting for the first time would feel hesitant.
「This isn’t a bar, but a 『Café』, right?」
「That’s right, little girl, this is a Café, so the recommended beverage is Coffee.」
Gramps Goru picked up his Coffee cup and winked at the girl. The girl felt troubled by the intimacy he was showing and nodded lightly.
「This is the first time I heard of a Café and Coffee.」
「Isn’t that right, I only learned after visiting this shop. Here, have a seat.」
「It’s fine, I……」
「Come now, just for a while, take a seat.」
「Okay……」
Gramps Goru led the girl by the nose and was forcefully seated in the chair beside him. I considered sounding out to help her, but decided to observe for the time being.
After I set down a wet towel and iced water before the girl, Gramps Goru said to me：
「Yu-kun, give this girl a cup of Coffee.」
「Oh, it’s fine, I……」
「My treat of course. In return, can you tell me your name? Everyone calls me Gramps Goru.」
「Ehh…… I’m Linaria.」
「Your name is Linaria, huh!? That’s a flower that blooms deep in the Gambius snow plains, that represents the advent of spring and hope. Were you born there?」
Gramps Goru talked smoothly with Linaria, I felt impressed by his glib tongue and decisiveness.
I squatted down behind the counter and took out a white jar of Coffee beans from the cabinet. I opened the cover of the Coffee bean grinder, scooped a cup of beans and poured it into the Coffee bean grinder. I then attached the handle of the Coffee bean grinder and turned it slowly.
Shyaa shyaa shyaa, grate grate grate.
The sound of Coffee beans being grounded reverberated in the shop.
Coffee bean grinders were amazing things, the time spent grinding Coffee beans was so blissful that it took your mind off anything.
After experiencing a cup worth of blissful time, I prepared the Vacuum Coffee maker.
I affixed a glass sphere-like container onto a clamp, and added a mana lamp used for heating below it. I then placed a glass beaker shaped apparatus above, which had a glass tube protruding below.
<TL: Probably look something like this. https://amzn.to/3zbhhMG>
This was something used by the researchers and pharmacists in this world, but I asked someone to custom make and modify one into a Coffee maker. So it had an awe inspiring presence when I used it to make coffee.
I added hot water into the glass sphere with a silver flask. This flask was a special magic device. As long as its mana stone installed in it still had mana, the water inside would maintain its boiling state. This was an amazing device.
After adding hot water, I carefully wiped the glass. If there were droplets on the glass, it might break when I heat it up. Glass was rather expensive here, so I had to be careful.
I lit the mana lamp used for heating under the glass. I wasn’t sure if the mana lamp used fire magic or the mana stone inside could emit heat, but the center of the mana lamp would glow red and turn hot when I lit it.
This was a Fantasy World with a very developed magic civilization, but the craving for convenience was similar to my world, which was fascinating and intriguing at the same time. The material and fuel behind the technology might be different, but the goal of 「boiling water」 and 「starting fire」 were the same.
I added a filter on top of the glass beaker, then poured in the Coffee powder. When the water was boiling, I inserted the glass beaker’s protruding tube into the glass sphere’s opening.
「Uwah……」
Linaria gasped in awe.
The boiling water started rising. It rose through the tube into the glass beaker above.
「What is this? Magic?」
Linaria asked me with a surprised face, which made me smile.
「Don’t laugh, isn’t this magic?」
「It’s not.」
There was enough hot water in the beaker to make the Coffee powder float. Before the Coffee powder spilled over, I stirred it with a small wooden spoon to mix the powder with the hot water.
The top glass beaker was divided into three layers, the foam, the floating coffee powder, and the Coffee extract. The overflowing Coffee fragrance spilled out with the hot air. This was a comfortable and serene moment only possible when the Coffee was made.
After all the hot water had risen to the top beaker, I turned down the heat. The tiny amount of leftover water at the bottom was still bubbling.
When I realized it, I saw Gramps Goru and Linaria had stopped their conversation and were staring right at the Vacuum Coffee maker. I couldn’t help smiling at their serious faces.
Linaria glared at me.
「Sorry, it’s because you look so serious.」
When she heard that, Linaria pouted and said:
「It can’t be helped, this is my first time seeing this. If this isn’t magic, how did the hot water got up there?」
「Well, the heated water caused a change in pressure, or something like that.」
「Pressure? What’s that?」
I crossed my arms, stared at the ceiling and said in deep thought:
「When the water is heated, the vapour in the glass sphere will expand, and since it has no place to go, it will be squeeze upwards.」
I checked the glass beaker, put out the fire completely, then stirred its contents again.
「So when I turn off the mana lamp like this, the expanded vapour will revert to normal, and then……」
A while later, the Coffee extract in the glass beaker above slowly flows down into the glass sphere below.
「Uwah, uwah!」
The clear hot water that had turned a deep shade of amber flowed down into the glass sphere again. Gramps Goru looked at Linaria with a gentle smile, as if she was his granddaughter.
In the end, there was only Coffee powder bloated with air and steam left in the top glass beaker, proof that the Coffee had been perfectly extracted.
I removed the top glass beaker, then used the clamp as a handle to pour the Coffee from the glass sphere into a Coffee cup. The heat from the cup filled the air, and the thick fragrance of Coffee penetrated my nose right to the top of my head. This fragrance was absolutely blissful too. The process of making Coffee was filled with all types of bliss.
「It smells nice.」
Linaria said with a mesmerized voice. I couldn’t help smiling as I placed the Coffee cup on a saucer and served it to Linaria.
「This is my unique blend of Coffee, please enjoy.」
Linaria picked up the Coffee with both hands, and stared at it, as if she was before a dark gem.
「I’m going to drink it.」
Linaria took a sip, then raised her brow. She turned to me with her eyes wide open. Her lips left the rim of the cup, and she had the surprised face of a child.
「…… It tastes awful.」
Gramps Goru laughed out loud while I slumped my shoulders dejectedly.
They seemed to have hit it off nicely, and were chatting happily. Although it’s mostly Gramps Goru talking and Linaria responding.
Thanks to that, I got to know Linaria better.
She had outstanding results in the academy, and ranked first last year. But she got picked on by her noble classmates because of that, and was having a hard time at school. I heard the wizardry students would be doing an internship in the Labyrinths soon. I also learned that she likes slightly warm tea.
I would chip in occasionally, and spent most of the time listening.
A while later, it was completely dark outside. I went out to turn on the lights for the signboard, and found a person standing in a corner outside the shop. That woman bowed towards me.
「Thank you for your hard work.」
「How long have you been standing there?」
At that, she took out a pocket watch to check the time, her silver locks swaying by her neck.
「About an hour.」
It was longer than I expected, and I was at a loss for words. She could have waited inside the shop…… When she saw my face, she smiled gently.
「I don’t want to interrupt since you were enjoying yourselves.」
The woman was wearing a white blouse and dark coloured suit pants. She was Gramps Goru’s secretary, and would always come here to pick up Gramps Goru who was slacking off.
「It has been fun, but is the time alright?」
「That’s true, I should ask him to return soon.」
「Did he sneak out from work again?」
「Yes, he slipped away part way through his work. I will need him to work properly now.」
I lowered my volume meaninglessly, and Ms Secretary mimicked me too. She might look like a mature cool beauty, but she still humoured me.
「You actually waited for an hour.」
「There isn’t anything scheduled for tonight, and if I don’t let him relax adequately from time to time, he will run away for real. That is part of my job too.」
As expected of Ms Secretary, she knew how to handle Gramps Goru. I was impressed.
「I will invite Gramps Goru to come out then.」
「Sorry for troubling you.」
She bowed formally at me, which filled me with anxiety. Because Ms Secretary was a mature and beautiful lady, my heart would race when I spoke with her. And she always smelled so nice.
I thought about how wonderful beautiful big sisters were as I returned to the shop. Gramps Goru was coughing wildly as he leaned on the bar counter. Linaria waved at me frantically.
「H-Hey, Grandpa is……」
「Cough cough…… Don’t worry, it’s just my old wound acting up……」
What old wound?
「A-Are you alright?」
Gramps Goru coughed more violently when he saw Linaria’s worried face.
「Sorry, can you pat my back… gently.」
「Your back? You just need me to pat your back?」
Seeing the panicking Linaria reaching for Gramps Goru’s back, I immediately smacked the lecherous old man’ head from behind. There wasn’t any hair to soften the blow, so there was a clean sound.
「That hurts——!」
「Yes yes, Gramps Goru, that’s enough of your terrible acting.」
Linaria looked suspiciously between me and Gramps Goru. Gramps Goru nursed his head and pouted, then started throwing a tantrum with a click of his tongue.
「I don’t have much time left to live, so let me enjoy a gentle and warm moment. That’s not asking for much.」
「Please don’t do that in my shop, or I will shorten the time you have left.」
「Oh? Are you threatening me?」
「You are just imagining things. And Ms Secretary is waiting outside.」
When he heard that, Gramps Goru showed a complicated face.
「It’s useless to make that face, please go back to work.」
「No…… I want to stay here…… and play with Linaria some more……」
Gramps Goru smacked the bar counter and shouted 「don’t wanna, don’t wanna」, so I had to pick up the meat cleaver from the kitchen quietly. This was the biggest and thickest knife I had.
「Ohh! I suddenly feel like working! I don’t have time to waste in this small rundown shop!」
Gramps Goru changed attitude with incredulous speed, quickly got up and smoothened his clothes, then said to Linaria besides him:
「Thank you for today, Linaria. I had a great time because you accompanied these old bones. As thanks, I will pick up your tab today, you can eat whatever you fancy. Although the choices here are limited.」
「How dare you say that in my face.」
My cleaver gleamed, intimidating Gramps Goru.
「My, how scary! I better beat a hasty retreat before I’m sent to my grave. Bye, Yu-kun, put it on my tab.」
Gramps Goru left swiftly, leaving the stiff faced Linaria behind.
I put the cleaver back, then cleaned up after Gramps Goru. At this moment, Linaria asked timidly:
「Is that Grandpa always like this?」
「He is a weird one, don’t let that bother you.」
She nodded sagely as she stared at the door Gramps Goru exited from for quite a while.
While I was washing the dishes, Linaria snapped back to reality and remembered her goal here. She adjusted her sitting posture, then started reading a thick book she pulled out of her bag. It was a brown, leather bound book, with strange words I couldn’t read and pictures. They looked like moon runes to me. I was moved by how much it looked like a magic tome.
She forgot her goal because of Gramps Goru’s mischief, but she came here looking for a place to study.
After Gramps Goru left, the shop became quiet, and the noise from the main street seemed distant.
I remembered the summer festivals from my childhood days.
My parents were busy with work, so I couldn’t wilfully ask them to bring me to the festivals. I could hear the sound of drums from the window in my room, the noise of the passing crowds, the fireworks in the sky, and the chatter of my neighbours leaving after the fireworks were over. I would spend my summer festival sitting by the window, listening and imagining the crowds.
But in this world, every day was like a summer festival.
This city built around a Labyrinth had a dense population. Adventurers hoping to strike it big in the Labyrinths, tourists who wanted to see a Labyrinth, and the merchants doing business for these tourists. All sorts of people visit this city.
Hence, the streets were filled with food stalls, and the place stayed bright late into the night. The nonstop crowd made it hard for tenants staying in the taverns by the main street to have a good rest.
However, my shop was always this quiet.
This was no laughing matter for a business place, but I could only smile about it. Gramps Goru spent an unexpectedly large sum of money here, so the Café could barely make ends meet. If not for him, I would have to close the place down.
Elf nee-san who was seated at a table laid a book open before her as she stared blankly out of the window. It was completely dark outside, so the window reflected her face. This might sound like a cliche, but her delicate features made her look just like a doll.
Linaria sat at the bar counter reading her book seriously. She had a small piece of paper that she wrote on with a pen from time to time.
After putting away the dishes, I took a look at the clock, and saw that it was dinner time.
I hesitated to call out to Linaria, then decided to prepare dinner for her on a whim.
After lighting the magic stove, I poured hot water from a flask into a pot and put it over the stove. I then took out round bread the size of my face from the cabinet. It had a fluffy texture, looked a little dark, and had a signature sourness. I cut two thick slices from the loaf.
I then took out a brick of cheddar and cut off two thin slices.
I then prepared the dry-cured ham. This dry-cured ham was normally called Parma ham, made by curing the hind leg of a pig with salt. The production method was very simple, it just needed to be dried and then smoked. The ingredients were just pork, salt, time and air.
There was one small problem here—— I didn’t know whether pigs existed in this world. Were there domesticated pigs? Or were they boars hunted in the Labyrinth? It might be a completely different animal that tasted similar to pork.
Such dry-cured ham was redder and had a thick layer of fat around it. It had a thick flavour, but surprisingly, it didn’t taste gamey at all. It was tougher than pork, and might be closer to boar meat.
I turned off the heat when the water boiled, then poured in cold water to adjust the temperature. I then slowly added an egg.
I then added an iron pan on the stove beside the pot, heated it up, and melted some butter on it. I placed the round bread on it, then flipped it over when it turned brown. After putting the cheese and dry-cured ham on it, I top it off with another piece of bread.
The dry-cured ham was salty enough, and the flavour of the cheese was strong, so there wasn’t any need to add any seasoning. I just need dry-cured ham, cheese, time and air.
I covered the bread with a clean piece of cloth, then pressed on the cloth with a small pan, and the bread underneath sizzled appetizingly. After waiting a while, the fragrance from the bread told me it was time to flip the bread over.
I removed the pan pressing on the bread, took away the dry cloth, and the aroma burst forth and filled the room. The bread was flattened by now, and the golden cheese was flowing out from between the bread.
I flipped the bread over with a wooden spatula. The bottom was now nice and crispy, it looked so beautiful that I wanted to frame it up like a piece of art.
When the other side was also grilled to a nice crisp, the Hot Pressed Sandwich was complete.
I put the sandwich on the plate, and as the last bit of decoration, I scooped up the egg and peeled it. The Hot Spring Egg that was a little too well done slid beside the crispy sandwich. It was so perfect that I was mesmerized by it.
I approached Linaria with this masterpiece of mine in hand. I thought she was focusing on her studies, but she was already looking my way and watching me cook.
「The timing is just right. If you don’t mind, please eat this.」
「For me? Can I really take this?」
「Of course, it will be troubling for me if you don’t eat it. The food taste best when its freshly served.」
I placed the plate before Linaria, then set the fork and knife for her.
「Since Gramps Goru is footing the bill, you can order more if you like.」
「Thank you, I was just feeling hungry, but… what is this?」
Linaria tilted her head confusedly.
「its Hot Pressed dry-cured ham and cheese Sandwich with Hot Spring Egg.」
「Hot pressed sandwich?」
「Just take a bite.」
With that, I turned back and started cleaning up the kitchen. If possible, I want to watch her eat and ask her about the taste and how to improve. But of course, I couldn’t do that, and could only steal glances.
Linaria picked up her fork and knife. This was her first time having a hot pressed sandwich, so she was moving timidly with sparkling eyes. The moment she cut into the hot pressed sandwich, the melted cheese flowed out like lava. The cheese soft enough to form strings was a blissful existence.
Linaria picked up a piece of cut sandwich with a fork, and smiled after taking a bite. That was enough to fill me with joy.
I hummed as I cleaned up the cooking utensils. At this moment, Elf nee-san who was sitting at the window table waved at me.
I left the counter and approached her, and she looked at me with a vague expression, her hair stuffed behind her ear seemed very sexy.
「That.」
She pointed at Linaria and said. This was my first time hearing her voice, and I was surprised by how pleasant she sounded. It made me feel that Elves were really a fantasy race.
「Ohh, a hot pressed sandwich? Would you like one?」
「Does it have meat?」
「Yes, it has dry-cured ham.」
Elf nee-san slowly shook her head:
「I can’t eat meat.」
Her expression didn’t change much, but the sadness in her eyes made my chest tighten. How could I let a beautiful big sister show such a sad face!?
「Can you eat eggs and cheese?」
I asked with a firm tone, and she nodded lightly.
「Then I will make you one without meat.」
「Yes.」
Elf nee-san nodded firmly like a child, and I couldn’t help smiling.
Linaria ordered another hot pressed sandwich after she finished one for her dinner, then continued to study.
Elf nee-san who gobbled up the special hot pressed sunny side up egg sandwich had already gone home, leaving just Linaria and me in the shop.
While I was wiping the utensils I had cleaned, Linaria packed her bags and stood up.
「My dormitory has a curfew, so I should be going.」
「I see, good work on your studies.」
Linaria nodded at me, and after a short pause, she looked like she wanted to say something. I held my peace, and waited quietly for her to speak.
「Hey……」
Linaria said with downcast eyes. The lighting in the shop made her blue eyes even more vibrant.
「Are the things in this shop expensive?」
She was probably using Coffee as reference for the pricing.
「Coffee is more expensive, but there are more common meals too.」
Linaria looked relieved.
「Can I come again? I don’t have much money though.」
「I will be happy if you visit.」
I spread my arms and gestured at the shop.
「As you can see, I’m always waiting for customers.」
「I see, that’s wonderful.」
Linaria smiled sweetly, and I smiled back at her.
「This place will always welcome you. You can stay as long as you like, it’s fine if you just drink plain water.」
「I will order something, and I want to try that dish again.」 Linaria picked up her bag and said: 「Pardon my late self introduction, I’m Linaria, Linaria Lifonto. May I know your name?」
「I’m Yu, Yu Kurosawa, nice to meet you.」
「Yes, nice to meet you too.」
She pushed the door open and left after saying that. The chime echoed in the shop, then faded to silence. The temperature in the shop seemed to lower by a few degrees.
The empty shop feels a little lonely.
I hummed as I got ready to close shop.
Chapter 2 「Devil's Fruit Pasta」
Roasting Coffee beans in the morning was an important job for me.
The new stock of Coffee beans were still raw, and couldn’t be used to make Coffee. To turn them into delicious and fragrant Coffee, a roasting process was necessary for the raw beans.
I added Coffee beans to a hand net, then roasted it over the fire. To heat the Coffee beans evenly, I kept shaking the hand net with my wrists. This process was time consuming and the tool was heavy, so it was tough. Because how well the beans were roasted would affect the taste, so I couldn’t afford to look away.
<TL: Something like this? https://amzn.to/3x0uzJQ>
After roasting them for a while, the beans started to turn brown. Some time later, the Coffee beans started cracking loudly when it was completely heated. Five minutes later, faint white smoke entered my nose.
When I heard the sizzling sound, that meant the Coffee beans were medium done. I preferred it more well done, so I roasted it a little more before removing the Coffee beans from the fire, and fanned the beans to disperse the heat. If I didn’t cool them down quickly, the residue heat would roast it further, so I needed to fan it desperately and reduce its temperature before my work was done.
I put aside the beans to let it cool the rest of the way naturally, and tidied up the shop. Sweeping the floor, wiping the tables, cleaning the windows, I had grown used to such repetitive work.
After setting the tables and chairs, I was ready to open the shop. I opened the door, turned the wooden signboard to 「Open for Business」, then went back in.
I was open for business, but the customers wouldn’t visit right away. This wasn’t a popular shop after all, and there wasn’t anyone lining up and waiting for the shop to open.
I relaxed myself as I thought about that, but the chime made my shoulders shudder.
「Welcome.」
I turned around in a hurry, and found a familiar face peeking in through the door.
「Good Morning, may I come in?」
「Yes, Good Morning Linaria, we are open.」
When she heard that, Linaria smiled faintly and entered the shop.
The girl with hair as bright as the morning sun was now a regular patron, and would often drop by in the morning right after I opened the shop.
「You are early today too.」
I said to Linaria seated at the bar counter, and she looked back at me with surprise.
「Really? I think it’s normal.」
「The sun had just risen, is that really normal?」
「Isn’t it?」
The people in this world were early to bed and early to rise. Starting work at sunrise was the norm.
There wasn’t any entertainment. No television, video games, computer with internet, nor smartphones to chat with friends.
So people sleep early, and naturally get up early.
But to come right after I finished preparing to open the shop was still very early.
Linaria had very long hair, and it would take a long time to groom after waking up. And grooming their hair was just one of the many things girls needed to do in the morning. Besides, her dormitory was some distance away from the Café too.
I thought about it, and could only conclude that Linaria got up very early. As I was racking my brain that was still rusty from sleep, the water in the flask was now hot.
I took out a small jar of Coffee beans from the cabinet, and got the Vacuum Coffee maker ready. While I was using the Coffee bean grinder to ground the Coffee beans, Linaria stared at me with her palm supporting her cheek.
「Hey.」 Shya shya.
「What is it?」Shya shya.
「There is a nice aroma in the shop.」Shya shya.
「Well, I was roasting the Coffee beans just now.」Shya shya.
Linaria cocked her head puzzledly. Her soft hair rolled off her shoulders, and the sunlight shining in from the window made her vermillion locks even more vibrant.
「Then why are you grinding the old beans? Wouldn’t the freshly roasted beans taste nicer.」
Shya shya……
「Don’t stop so suddenly to stare at me.」
「Sorry.」 I started grinding the Coffee beans again. 「It’s true that most things taste the best when it’s freshly made, but that isn’t so for Coffee beans.」
「Really?」
I didn’t think she would be interested, but when I looked at Linaria, she was staring right at me, waiting for my explanation. So I said enthusiastically:
「Freshly roasted Coffee beans contain some sort of air. That means it’s fresh, but it will also interfere with the Coffee extraction. This air will disrupt the mixture of hot water with the Coffee beans, giving the Coffee a bitter and rough taste.」
「…… I see.」
I had been attending to customers everyday, and had learned to gauge someone’s mood from their faces. So I could tell that Linaria wasn’t interested. I prepared my Vacuum Coffee maker and said with a laugh:
「And so, compared to freshly roasted Coffee beans, it’s better to let it sit for a few days. That’s why I’m using this batch of Coffee beans today.」
「That’s a lot of trouble just to drink a cup of Coffee.」
「That’s what makes it fun.」
But Linaria didn’t seem convinced, and she stared at me with stupefied eyes. It couldn’t be helped, no matter the era, it was difficult for women to understand the romance of men.
After the water in the glass sphere started boiling, I inserted the top beaker, and the hot water started to rise and mix with the Coffee powder. I stirred it quickly with a wooden spoon.
The morning allowed you to tell the passage of time easily. In the past, I never thought I would get up so early, and didn’t even like the morning sun. But after rising early became a habit, it didn’t feel bad either.
The air was fresh in the morning and free from impurities, making me feel like taking deep breaths. Time was passing slowly, as if I could grab the sand of time and perceive it visually.
I looked out of the window.
The crowd walking down the streets looked shadowy in the morning sun. I wonder if they were going to explore the Labyrinths or shop in the streets—— this had become a familiar scene.
The sky was blue and merged vaguely at the horizon. The morning sun was bright, and the few rays shining through the edge of the clouds formed rings of pure white.
I turned off the mana lamp when I saw the Coffee extraction was done. The hot water that rose up flowed back down to the glass sphere after it had cooled. I took off the top glass beaker, and the aroma of the freshly brewed Coffee came right at my face.
Oh, how wonderful, this elegant moment was too luxurious.
「By the way.」
Linaria who was watching me brew Coffee suddenly said:
「Had you heard about the discovery of a new fruit?」
「New fruit?」
I asked Linaria while I poured the Coffee into a cup.
「Yes, it was discovered in a Labyrinth.」
「Labyrinths sure have all sorts of things.」
I grew up playing video games and reading manga, so to me, Labyrinths were filled with monsters, treasures and adventure. But that wasn’t so for this city. There were monsters and treasures, and you could adventure inside the Labyrinths too. But more importantly, you could find minerals, seasonings, food, and things like the pelt and bones of monsters. Simply put, you could find things that could clearly enrich the lives of normal citizens like me.
After pouring half a cup of Coffee, I added in warm tea with a generous serving of sugar. I served it to Linaria, who said in surprise:
「What is this muddy water-like thing?」
「Can’t you describe it in a nicer way?」
It was true that thick Coffee with milk would turn a murky shade of brown.
「I made it easier to drink since Linaria doesn’t dare to drink Coffee.」
「I don’t think I can understand people who likes to drink that.」
After Linaria started visiting my shop, I kept trying to tell her about the charm of Coffee, and changed the way I brew it to make it easier to drink, and sought the help of milk and sugar… And finally reach this step.
「You can definitely drink it this time since half of it is milk.」
「You can drink it with milk? Coffee is amazing.」
「This is Café au lait.」
「Café au lait? That’s hard to pronounce.」
Café au lait was a common beverage in French. They want to drink Coffee to wake themselves up in the morning, but drinking thick Coffee will hurt their stomach. So they thin it down with milk—— and Café au lait was created on a whim.
Linaria stopped after taking a sip. She kept blinking as she stared at the drink she disparaged as muddy water just now.
「What’s this, it taste nice.」
「Isn’t it just muddy water?」
「Don’t disrespect Café au lait like that.」
Linaria’s attitude did a 180, but I felt happy seeing her drink Café au lait so seriously.
「But I will like it a little sweeter.」
Linaria took the jar at the counter and added sugar into the Café au lait.
「I will remember that.」
I thought it was plenty sweet, but it didn’t seem to be sweet enough for her. Speaking of which, it seems all the people in this city had sweet tooths.
After adding sugar into the Café au lait, Linaria suddenly stopped:
「Although we can use sugar freely like this, sugar is actually a luxury product in places without Labyrinths.」
Oh. Since I could buy them easily, I never thought sugar was expensive.
「Now that I think about it, Labyrinths produce sugar, salt, spices and so forth, it’s amazing. However, I can’t help thinking it’s too convenient.」
「Depending on the floors, the environment of the Labyrinth will change, and its product will be different. The livelihood of the city depends on the Labyrinths.」
I nodded in agreement. The Labyrinth was like a magic bag that could churn out all sorts of things, which was fascinating. But to the people living in Labyrinth cities, this was only natural. Or maybe it was more important to benefit from the Labyrinths, so people didn’t think too much about the mysteries of the Labyrinths.
「After the number of explored floors increases, it causes a different problem.」
「Problem?」
「That’s right, it’s a pain to move resources from lower floors, since it’s so far away.」
「Oh, I see. By the way, are the Labyrinths really that deep?」
This was only natural, since they couldn’t haul cargo with a truck, and had to rely on manpower.
「The only ones troubled are the enthusiasts like a research lab or academy. After all, we need to research the things we find there first to know whether it’s useful.」
「So the new fruit we were talking about came from the lower floors?」
Linaria shook her head at my question:
「It came from the forest in the second level.」
Oh, the forest. Hmm?
「There is a forest in the Labyrinth?」
「That’s right.」
It had one……
「But…… What about light? If it's too dark, plants can’t grow, right?」
「There is light too.」
It had that too……
「Are there water and soil?」
「Of course there are.」
And also that……
What was with that Labyrinth? It had a natural environment? No, it had monsters in there, so that was a given. It was fine for a fantasy world, but I felt troubled when it was happening in reality before me.
「They already discovered the trees that grows that fruit long ago, but the fruit looked just like a Diles fruit, so no one realized it was a new type of fruit.」
「Diles Fruit?」
When she heard that, Linaria extended her slender index finger and said:
「It’s that thing. There are commonly seen in the mountains, can be red, yellow or green, and gives you a stomachache if you eat one.」
「Oh, that.」
I nodded despite not knowing what that was. I could tell from Linaria’s tone that was a plant everyone knew. To smoothen the conversation, it was important to pretend to have the same background knowledge as the other party.
「It taste great, but you’ll definitely get an upset stomach, so it’s called the Devil's Fruit.」
「Now that you mention it, that’s true. How nostalgic.」
I say again, I had never seen a Diles fruit before, and only thought that the name Devil's Fruit sounded really scary.
「It looked just like a Diles Fruit, but is a new variant, so the guild and the Witchcraft Association are investigating it.」
I wondered in my heart what the hell was a Witchcraft Association, but didn’t let it show on my face.
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