Chapter 29
Chapter 29
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Elf and the Coffee Farm (6)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Feels like it's been a while somehow.”
This romance-fantasy world had a continent that seemed modeled after northern hemisphere Asia, likely for convenience in describing climates and weather. The Imir Kingdom lay in the east, facing the demon race across a mountain range. The Pallan Empire stretched from the continent's center westward in a long, slender territory reminiscent of Russia.
To the south lay the elves' autonomous region, and to the north lived a people with a Viking-like culture. There were more details if one delved deeper—like church enclaves or city-states of the mages, by the mages, for the mages—but nothing too crucial, so skip.
West of the western mountains were more alien tribes, but those peaks were incomparably more treacherous than the eastern ones, so exchanges were rare.
The Imir Kingdom maintained decent relations with the Pallan Empire to the west, a cold standoff with the demons to the east, and minimal contact with the south or north. It was peace itself, the kind that came once every two centuries.
The Lebedevs held territory at the far eastern edge, directly confronting the demons, so opening the windows of the main estate offered a full view of the mountains.
And now that I was at the western mountains, the scenery felt eerily similar to what I'd seen back home, stirring a subtle sense of déjà vu.
Nature was truly grand.
“Good work today.”
I fed the horse while taking in the massive mountain range—even a brief glance couldn't capture it all.
Times like this called for coffee. With a low buuuuz, I pulled an espresso.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Cosetica was currently more tense than she'd ever been in her life. Even though Labyrinth City Astraea had received autonomy from the empire, and the adventurers who'd staked their lives for it could slap an imperial knight squad seven times over, they couldn't afford needless conflicts.
She had to be confident, yet not offend.
Even after abandoning her adventurer days in the labyrinth to dive into tiresome politics, she rarely felt this drained.
The current emperor was rumored to be quite the eccentric, unlike his predecessor—suspiciously obsessed with music, art, and cuisine, sparing no expense from even his personal dignity upkeep to develop new things.
If such a man visited Astraea and just said, “Nothing special here,” it'd be a massive affront as one of the city's guild masters responsible for it.
In the end, she'd dragged herself around checking entries from various shops, earnestly urging respect for the imperial family—tedious tasks on repeat.
And one person who'd lost all motivation for different reasons.
“The cafe manager's gone.”
“He's already left, and quite some time's passed.”
“Don't feel like working.”
“You still gotta work.”
If Mina hadn't been half-handling guild master duties in her stead, even a beastkin's stamina tougher than a human's would've landed Cosetica in the hospital. She was grateful, but hearing the cafe manager's name every day from her was getting old.
She hadn't expected the elf, who'd known him just over a year, to open up so much.
She'd heard a heartwarming tale about him baiting the labyrinth with those kids last time, but that couldn't be all of it.
Not that Cosetica's personality lent itself to cheerfully listening to romance stories.
She was a lifelong singleton too.
“Sigh. At least nothing major's gone wrong.”
“It's a big deal to me.”
“Stop moping and get up.”
The city's internal prep and cleanup were done; now they just awaited the emperor's already-departed arrival. Seizing the breather at the end, she dragged the limp Mina toward the cafe.
As the two entered, there was Leimi inhaling coffee like a potion with half-lidded eyes, and Liza cleaning the cafe with a somewhat tense expression.
Without the usually laid-back cafe manager around, things felt awkward.
“What's with Mina?”
“Says she misses the manager.”
“Mina's going crazy too, huh.”
They plopped the floppy Mina at the bar table, and Leimi fetched a crystal orb, tapping it. A connection tone sounded briefly, followed by static, then the manager's face appeared.
Surprised at the unusual hour, he blinked wide-eyed and spoke.
『Any trouble?』
“Nah. Mina and Cosetica had some time, and she wanted to see you.”
『Haha. I've nearly reached my destination.』
The view spun, revealing mountains. Even through the orb, they looked stunning, drawing a gasp from Liza, who'd never left Astraea.
Mina, meanwhile, sulked at the orb.
“Manager.”
『Yes?』
“Show me your face.”
『...Got it.』
The screen whipped back to his face. He wore a wry smile, showing no signs of fatigue despite the distance. If anything, he looked relaxed alone, making Mina pout harder.
“Mina's mad now.”
“I'm not mad.”
『I'll head back as soon as things wrap up.』
“You haven't entered the farm yet, right?”
『Planning to tomorrow. I mentioned visiting when we first started deliveries, so shouldn't be an issue.』
“Thorough as ever.”
『I believe ingredient quality makes up half of a dish's flavor.』
“True, you've always been obsessive about materials.”
She'd heard he sourced meal ingredients by snagging portions from what major trading firms supplied to high-end restaurants.
Leimi thought inwardly, Rich folks gonna rich.
Of course, he'd mentioned wanting to test things at the farm, but with no one else to brew coffee variably besides him, what did he plan for the raw beans?
『If you lack skill, you ride the ingredient wave.』
“You're a good cook, manager.”
『Nah, I'm miles from a real chef. I've only seriously cooked recently.』
“...Come back soon and cook.”
“Sounds like talking to a wife on a trip.”
“Shut it.”
As Leimi teased from the side, Mina's cheeks puffed out, and she kicked under the table.
“Any trouble on the trip?”
『Oh, a noble I met midway invited me for a meal. Nothing big.』
“Hmm.”
“Wait. Isn't that sketchy? Crossing Astraea alone raises suspicions for some.”
『Eh? Happens occasionally. Nothing much.』
“Hey, what's your 'occasionally' benchmark?”
Leimi pressed with a baffled look. He knew he was strong, but wasn't his gauge for others' capabilities skewed?
His claim of many around him prompted Leimi to grab a tissue, sketching a bell curve with a pen.
One line at the far right. Another midway.
“Here's the strength distribution. This is you and your circle. This is soloing the central Astraea desert. Your benchmark's busted.”
『No, really, lots around me.』
“That's the weird part. Anyway, passing through someone's territory with freakish power might get you investigated or tracked. Be careful.”
『Got it. I'll watch out.』
“I wanted to talk, but Leimi hogs it...”
“Ugh, moping again. Should've just tagged along.”
“Then I'd be dead from overwork.”
Cosetica's hollow laugh silenced Leimi. The girl turned idiot around the manager, but he had skill and character.
Even the emperor's procession would have select guards from Astraea, managed by Mina.
『Cosetica. Handle the emperor well, please. Don't want undue attention.』
“Not like I can control that...”
『True, but still.』
“Right, emperor's en route. Better stash the orb that day?”
『Erase all traces if possible...』
“Wait, Cosetica. Hide a tree in the forest. Gotta act brazen or they won't buy it. No comms means suspicious for a new hire.”
『Ngh.』
“Leave the orb, pray the emperor skips us.”
Wearing a truly reluctant expression, he slumped from his carriage perch to the ground, lying spread-eagled as he muttered.
『Get kidnapped by southern nomadic elves so I can't return.』
“Manager, that's rape. Come back pure.”
“Mina, your wording's getting crude.”
『Ways to be stuck awhile?』
“How bad blood with the emperor?”
『No real beef, that's the issue. We know each other's dirty laundry. And without imperial citizenship, if told to leave, I go. By force. Probably via some deal with my family.』
“Hired by the palace maybe?”
『Even carefree emperor won't plop a foreign noble kid solo into a key post—major diplomatic gaffe.』
“Propose marriage? You're three years apart, right?”
『Nah, she's... And big sis Mina's glare's scary, so no jokes.』
At that, Leimi and Cosetica glanced at Mina, who clutched the tissue Leimi had drawn on, eyes promising a one-way ticket to the afterlife.
Leimi felt the need to later ask why she fixated on the manager so, then cut the call.
Mina shot Leimi a resentful glare before flopping her head back on the table.
“C-Coffee? One cup?”
Liza's courage scattered into the chilly air.