Chapter 34
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: 4. Elves and the Coffee Farm (11)
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The first day waking up on the farm. Unlike life in Astraea, with no one around to worry about, I rose at dawn, grabbed my sword, and began my workout.
In my previous life, taking a year off would have left my muscles wasted and my body in ruins, but as expected of a fantasy world, my senses were merely a bit rusty—moving my body presented no issues at all.
I had dipped into the labyrinth before, but it was barely enough to loosen up, and wielding a greatsword made it quite different from my style back in my prime training days.
After exercising and training for a while, I washed up and stepped out to find Elli waiting. She had finished some task and gathered her long hair, previously cascading down her back, into an elegant updo.
"So that's how you made it all the way out here alone—you've got something solid to rely on, huh."
"It's just that I won't lose to anyone I bump into on the road, unless they're a demon worshiper or some demon praying for the Demon King's revival."
"Your examples are way too extreme. Anyway, I whipped up some samples of what we talked about yesterday."
What she had placed on the tray were coffee cherries with the pulp removed in stages, just as we'd discussed.
Regardless of whether it was practical or not, a question popped into my head, so I asked.
"Did you store the coffee cherries as-is for a long time?"
"Huh? No. This is a natural farmyard, but a bit further on, there's an indoor farm where I control the temperature and humidity. I've set it up so most crops can be harvested monthly."
She'd essentially built a greenhouse.
Elves were far longer-lived than humans, and it showed—the conclusions and lessons drawn from decades in one field were impossible to ignore.
When she offered to show me, I shook my head for now. I was curious, sure, but coffee and the Empress took priority.
The coffee cherries she'd peeled matched my expectations almost perfectly. They were nearly identical to the ones I'd seen at a coffee farm in my previous life.
Two seeds per fruit. An ivory-like parchment that's yellowish-white, wrapped in mucilage.
She'd brought samples with varying amounts of mucilage removed, since we weren't sure how much to strip off. The honey process was differentiated by color based on how much was left anyway, so trying them all made sense.
Touching one lightly with my finger, the sticky, slightly sweet adhesion felt strangely intriguing.
"Since we don't know the yield yet, I'd like to try a bit of everything, but I'm worried it'll be labor-intensive."
"For drying, should we expose them to sunlight and dry them quickly?"
"In shadier spots, fermentation might give a heavier, sweeter flavor, but over-fermentation or rot would mean we'd have to check them constantly."
"We can tweak the logic of the harvest familiars. They sort by color, size, and ripeness automatically, picking only the perfectly mature ones. A few tries should do it."
"...Then shall we try them all? Varying the mucilage amounts and drying conditions?"
"Not hard at all."
Big Sis was really going all-in. She'd talked about getting stuck in a rut, bored with the routine, so it seemed her passion for a challenge had reignited after all this time.
I wondered if I was being too greedy, but seeing her enjoy it put my mind at ease.
I saw her off as she hummed a tune, then straightened my clothes and face before sitting in front of the communication orb.
How would the Empress react? I planned to come out swinging a bit.
**
Alina was a bit fatigued. The Julius she knew had the flaw of being a foolish fiancé, but otherwise, he was meticulous, preparing thoroughly without leaving openings.
His courtesy and inclusivity bordered on obsessive, and his perfectionism gave the impression he was always racing against something. From Alina's perspective, these weren't entirely positive traits, but they didn't make him laughable or dismissible either.
And crucially, she had no intention of making an enemy of him, so maintaining a favorable impression required some capital.
Unable to show her tiredness openly, she stifled a yawn behind her hand, dismissed all her attendants, and entered the cafe building.
"...Soundproofing magic, huh. None of the outside bustle gets in."
"The Manager wanted a serene atmosphere."
"As expected, Leimi, you're here too."
The "as expected" made Leimi's left eyebrow twitch slightly. No one liked being investigated behind their back.
It was practically a declaration she had no intention of leaving, so Alina chuckled and waved it off.
"So, did you prepare well overnight?"
Riza averted her eyes at Alina's question as she pulled up a bar stool. Still just a kid, after all.
Alina sipped the coffee Riza cautiously served, her gaze drifting to the communication orb beside the espresso machine.
With her ears and tail perked up straight, she tapped the orb. After briefly graying out, the screen switched, revealing a blond man.
Oh ho, look at this guy. Showing his face outright.
"Long time no see, Julius Lebedev. You look healthier than last time—must be from being away from your idiot fiancée."
『At least the daily stress is gone. I trust you're well, Your Majesty Alina Mesrina, blessed by the goddess, ruler of the great Pallan Empire, sovereign of the 32 vassal states, Captain of the Imperial Guard, and rightful guardian of the Church?』
"No point in using such formal titles; things won't change. Keep it simple."
『You forgot: before ascension, Duke of Mesrina, Count of Yuala, and Captain of the Empire's 12th Knight Order.』
"Damn it all. I get you're sore I dug you up, but can you drop that habit of beating around the bush to vent?"
Riza and Cosetica, seeing the Manager smirk teasingly for the first time—a skill honed in noble social circles—exchanged awkward glances. Their limited interactions made this side of him feel off from their fragmented impressions.
Leimi, on the other hand, couldn't hold back a laugh at this rare, vicious jab straight out of high society.
"Anyway, enough. Good to see your face after so long."
『Is it?』
"That tone says otherwise."
『Given how Your Majesty acted at banquets, I didn't think you knew the word 'glad.'』
Alina had never really felt glad to see anyone, so she shut her mouth without retorting.
Well, except this guy, maybe.
"...Still, your advice has helped with state affairs, so I'm not lying."
Seeing Julius openly puzzled—"What did I even say?"—Alina felt an odd irritation bubble up.
It was that unpleasant feeling when you remembered someone's words but they forgot everything about you.
Ah, so this is what young nobles in the palace feel when rejected by a woman. She realized her translucent reflection in the orb mirrored his expression perfectly.
Yes. The never-dated Alina had gained new insight.
"Weren't there various things? How to handle kids. How to leave good impressions on those around you. How to inspire faith in your subjects."
『Ah, you remembered all that? I figured Your Majesty dismissed underlings' words as jokes.』
"Are you doing this because I'm not with kingdom or ducal reps in an informal setting?"
But she had indeed dismissed most advice without listening, so she couldn't rebut.
"Ahem. Anyway, to business. Note that no one else imperial is here besides me."
『More consideration than expected.』
"Yeah, I go out of my way to show sincerity, and all I get is sarcasm."
『Sorry. My status isn't exactly one I can greet you proudly about.』
"Then you could've flattered me instead."
『You know I'm not the type.』
True enough. He was famous for smiling at anyone, but it wasn't sycophantic groveling—backed by his combat prowess, no one dared treat him lightly.
Still the same.
She valued this trait highly and remembered it well. Seeing it firsthand now made her chuckle. As a noble, talent, and man, he was top-notch.
"Fine. I was going to haggle a bit, but seems we're past that. Assuming you accept my terms, I'll keep silent about your presence in Astraea—no, anywhere in imperial territory."
『What are the terms?』
"Simple. One: Place a contact orb for communicating with me. Two: Negotiate with the southern elves tied to your current southwest farm in a way that benefits the Empire. Three: Just three times. When I ask for help, assist without question."
『Three... times?』
"What I lack is a dagger to crush my opponents head-on. No need to kill. I need a situation where challenging the Empress is taboo."
『...I see. Understood. But isn't three too many?』
"Considering the risk if the Imir Kingdom catches wind while I'm hiding you, it's fair."
After a brief silence, the Manager—Julius—nodded.
"You're not too worried about the southern elves conflict."
『Honestly, I don't see it as a big deal.』
She knew he'd negotiated with demons in his territory's borderlands even before adulthood or academy enrollment, but his nonchalance made Alina a tad skeptical.
『I'll handle it and contact you.』
"One last thing."
『What now?』
"That is... probably, without your midway advice, I'd be an even bigger failure of an Empress now. So..."
Even Riza and Leimi noticed her face flushing beet red as she trailed off.
"Thanks. Yeah."
『...Sure. Whatever.』
"Cold reaction. We'll hash out details later..."
With that, she'd settled her debt to him! Alina bolted from the cafe amid the oddly lukewarm air.
"Manager."
『Yeah?』
"When did you hook her?"
『...Hook her? Me?』