Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: The Heretic of the Magic Tower (1)
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"He really left like the wind when it was time to go back."
"But he took all the coffee with him anyway."
"He really is a peculiar human. His strength just doesn't match his personality at all."
"From my perspective, he's just a customer who buys coffee and fruit. More importantly, what's got you clinging here like a deadbeat?"
Under Ellie's eviction order, Kiss clung desperately to her leg. The damned demonkin brat was dead, but the aftermath lingered on the land, leaving the parched soil with no easy fix.
In the end, Ellie had agreed to supply materials to the whining Kiss. Just recently, she gazed at the cabin where Julius had stayed and felt a strange sensation. She'd thought he was just a human man serious about coffee, but he was strong enough to take down a demonkin worshiping the Demon God.
From the address he gave during their coffee dealings, he clearly lived in Labyrinth City Astraea. He ran something like a restaurant cafe, so he probably wasn't an adventurer.
He was peculiar, that much was true.
She sighed as she stared at the coffee drying rack he'd checked one last time before leaving.
"I hope nothing comes up."
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"Oh man, you're finally back."
I'd adjusted my pace to arrive at dawn, so I could rest a bit upon arrival and open the cafe right away. After an intense battle followed by driving the carriage for hours, I was utterly exhausted. Still, skimping on sleep was part of my training gains—it wouldn't kill me. I could just open up shop and doze a little to shake it off.
I'd already told Rija in advance that she didn't need to come in today, so there was nothing to worry about. With a relaxed mind, I unlocked the door, stepped inside, and settled into the counter seat that was basically mine.
Thanks to Rija's diligent work and cleanup in my absence, a faint coffee aroma mingled with the natural scent of the detergent used for wiping tables, tickling my nose.
"Home sweet home."
Home. Yeah, home. After living here over a year, it sure felt like it.
I climbed the stairs to the second floor, grabbed a change of clothes and soap from my room, and headed to the shower room I'd set up separately to wash off. There was a cleansing spell that blew away bodily grime like daily life magic, but nothing beat the subtle languor and pleasure of warm water melting away tension.
After basking in the joy of returning home under the warm stream for a while, I dried my hair and body.
Slipping into the cafe manager's suit that felt brand new after so long, I truly felt like I'd come back for good.
This is where I belong.
I pulled out the cups, arranged just a tad differently from how I'd left them, and wiped them clean with a soft cloth. Holding a glass up toward the rising dawn sun scattered the light beautifully.
Nothing beats this kind of pleasure.
Savoring the gentle morning sunlight, I didn't fight the sleepiness creeping in from the familiarity.
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"Sleeping so soundly."
Leimi had heard from Rija that the cafe manager was back and rushed over, only to find him dozing at his spot, glass cup cradled in both hands.
She'd come out of worry since he'd traveled far, but seeing his utterly peaceful sleeping face stirred an indescribable feeling.
"...Ah. You're here."
"Shouldn't I be the one saying that?"
"Fair point."
Sensing her presence, the manager opened his eyes and greeted Leimi with the same smile as always, unchanged from before his trip. Seeing him brew coffee in his usual demeanor, as if nothing had happened, she could only sigh.
Was he just that unflappable, or had nothing really gone wrong? From what he'd told her, he'd fought some tricky opponents, yet here he was without a hint of trauma. It was downright odd.
Well, good was good.
Leimi sat at the bar table and sipped the coffee he served. It tasted as good as ever.
"How was Rija?"
"She did great. Quick learner, full of passion. I even thought she could run a branch someday."
"Glad to hear it. I wrapped everything up safely too. I'll report the southern issue to the Emperor later. No rush."
"You sure treat His Majesty casually."
"We've known each other a while, and he'd just get annoyed if I groveled."
As he started brewing his own coffee—seemingly more awake now—Leimi asked without hesitation, noting his clearer expression.
"So, what's this about nomadic elves helping you catch that guy?"
"Ah. You know those demonkin Demon God worshipers? I nabbed one of their high priests."
What? Did my ears deceive me? A Demon God cult executive was the kind of foe that called for national mobilization and raids. Even with strong nomadic elves, how did he catch one?
When she pressed for details on the fight, the answer was jaw-dropping.
"Basically a one-on-one duel, and every time I landed a hit, high-firepower support delayed their healing? So in the end, it boiled down to you and that priest Karsis trading blows, right?"
"Yeah."
"Insane."
Leimi wasn't well-versed in swordsmanship, so "strong" was just a word without measure. But she knew how dangerous a Demon God cult executive was.
The manager had dismantled one in direct combat without a scratch. He wasn't just "extremely" strong—he was freakishly strong.
And with Demon God worshipers starting to crawl out now, was it okay for him to just sell coffee?
After a brief ponder, Leimi shelved the thought. If the world fell because he didn't fight, then it deserved to fall.
"Anyway, enough of that. What was this about wanting help from the Magic Tower?"
"That Karsis guy was a Demon God priest who worked miracles through blood. The area around him is soaked in corrupted blood that's impossible to restore. Officially, it's unclaimed land under elven de facto control, so we need light-attribute magic, but can't get it."
"...The Magic Tower doesn't have any light-attribute mages right now either."
"No, no. You know Namei Christe from the Royal Academy? She's basically Magic Tower affiliated."
"Ah, yeah. Supposedly brilliant."
"And there's a student at the Academy called the Saintess of Light."
"Got it. Using them as a conduit for the request?"
"Exactly."
"That shouldn't be hard. I'll contact Dalia and submit it as a commission. What should I say the source is?"
"I'll tell Mina sis. It's an elf issue. Then she can pass it as info she got from the elves, and submit the request."
Clever. It might trace back to Labyrinth City if dug deep, but Magic Tower commissions guaranteed anonymity except for unethical goods.
It wouldn't easily reach the manager, let alone Labyrinth City or Astraea.
Leimi nodded.
"So, hand off the request, report to His Majesty, and done. Hope for some peaceful times ahead."
"Tell me about it. I don't wanna leave this place."
"And that coffee change you mentioned? Worked out?"
"Yeah. The elf farm owner was bored shipping the same crops and happily agreed to experiments."
"So I get to try new flavors too?"
"If it works out."
There must be a reason if you did it yourself. Leimi leaned back against the high chair's backrest at the bar and said.
"You're really back. Feels like normal life now."
"For real. So much happened at once, I'm drained."
"Don't go closing the cafe though."
"No way."
Leimi chuckled, leaning forward and playfully tweaking the manager's nose.
Like a cheeky kid.
But when he sweetly reassured her, he felt manly, which was troubling.
They shared a smirk, and right on cue, the door chime rang.
"Manager!"
"Manager! Hehe, I'm here as a customer."
"Welcome."
Rija greeted cheerfully, while Mina flapped her hands excitedly as she approached. She lunged for a hug, hesitated, waved instead, then circled the manager flapping her arms wildly, desperate for that embrace.
With a helpless look, the manager lightly hugged Mina, patted her, and sat her at the bar table.
And shortly after, Mina asked in a subdued voice.
"That earring. Why's it got Spiegel's symbol?"
"Oh, this? It's a gift that doubles as a communicator."
"No elf harems allowed."
"It's not like that."
After bickering over the earring for a while, Mina finally calmed down with a hearty breakfast of hand-drip coffee and veggie dishes made with care, returning to her usual self. Rija awkwardly smiled at her idolized big sis while sipping a milky latte.
It was the everyday scenery reclaimed after a short but arduous journey.
"Whew, manager's back? Things feel normal now."
Including the last one, Dras.