Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: New Face: Pink Hair (1)
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“This Cold Brew stuff is really something.”
“It's coffee with the aesthetics of slowness.”
“You'd think it'd pick up off-flavors from sitting in water so long, but paradoxically, it's so clean.”
“Espresso blasts it out with high pressure, dragging even the bad stuff along for the ride.”
Hm, hm. Dras nodded along like that as he tilted his cup of diluted Cold Brew again—the same stuff I'd served to the academy student customer earlier.
Sure, some folks dilute it with hot water sometimes, but I was in the camp that thought Cold Brew was better ice-cold.
Well, renowned adventurer Big Sis Mina was always swamped as usual, and whether Leimi Big Sis really buried herself in work or not, she hadn't even poked her head in today. So my one reliable regular was just Dras.
There were folks who dropped by every now and then when you least expected it, but none today, at least.
As we chatted about the sword he was forging for me—how was it coming along, anything I needed or not—the door swung open with the cheerful jingle of the bell.
“Welcome.”
“Y-, yes. I'm here.”
“Feels like it's been ages, even though it's only been a few days.”
She hadn't even properly introduced herself yet, but she'd asked me to call her Karin. She'd ordered coffee and something light to nibble on, so I portioned out some of the bread I'd baked that morning after roasting the coffee beans, topping it with grape jam, peanut butter, and plain butter.
“Oh, peanut butter. Been a while since I've seen the manager pull that out.”
“No one but Big Sis Mina eats it.”
“I don't like sticky stuff.”
“Wh-what's peanut butter?”
I explained it was a paste made by grinding peanuts and mixing in oil, salt, and sugar.
Karin hesitated for a moment on whether to try it, then smeared a bit on the white bread made from refined flour and took a bite.
“...Not super tasty, but it goes really well with bread.”
“That's why I don't make much. Not efficient.”
It took sourcing pricey ingredients, grinding them down, and mixing like mad. In that time, I preferred experimenting with coffee blends, which suited my tastes better.
Of course, for vegetarian Big Sis Mina, peanuts, vegetable oil, sugar, and salt fell under the 'oily sauce' category and worked decently.
“I heard you do baking too.”
“...Did Namei tell you that as well?”
“Yeah. She said she had no one to talk to, so she spilled everything.”
Well, I was grateful to Senior Namei, but also a bit sorry. Separate from her title as a genius mage, she had this homey, lovable vibe with her hobbies, and we clicked on that front, hanging out a lot.
I'd gotten tons of help from her, and in turn, racked up all sorts of misunderstandings. Lucky for me, my fiancée didn't care what I was up to or where. If she'd grilled me over it, I might not have held back the stress—my inherited blonde hair could've gone white from it.
I brewed a fresh warm Americano for Dras, who'd ordered one, then hopped onto the high barstool behind the counter.
“So, were you an academy student too, Manager?”
“Hey now, kingdom girl. In Labyrinth City, prying into folks' pasts is against the unspoken rules.”
“Oh. Really?”
“Yeah. Well, as long as you're not blabbing rumors everywhere, this much is fine. I was a student. Not the fondest memories, though.”
Catching the nuance from my words, Karin started picking up on how I didn't like talking about the past. She scraped a bit of butter with the butter knife and spread it on her bread.
To cheer up Dras, whose face had soured in my stead, I pulled out the shaker and whipped up an Espresso Martini like I'd made before.
Whether she was fascinated by the shaking or trying to change the subject, Karin piped up with something else.
“You do all sorts of stuff, huh.”
“Most of it's off-menu. For regulars, I keep custom ingredients stocked, but for walk-ins, I stick to what's on hand.”
“That tool's something I've never seen before.”
“Looks fancy, but it's just for shaking and mixing. Prepared it in case the cafe tanked and I pivoted to booze, but I hardly use it.”
She watched Dras savor his cocktail sparingly, then asked cautiously.
“Um, would it be okay if I studied here?”
“...Not a hard no, but it's pretty far out, and I chat a lot with regulars, so it might get noisy.”
“Hehe. Thanks to Senior Namei, the bullying stopped, but folks still give me side-eye outside private rooms. It's better with friends, but I can't always stick to them.”
“Aigoo.”
The saying went that a long tail gets stepped on—if she came often, someone suspicious might tail her here. I didn't want that, but hearing her situation softened me up.
I figured I had no choice and gave the okay. She slipped a textbook out of her bag.
“Studying diligently is important.”
“Aren't you a practical combat type, Dras?”
“That's why I suffered. Now that I'm older, I think bending my pride back in the day and studying magic theory would've been smart.”
“Time for study and practice are inversely proportional—opportunity cost, right?”
“Should've studied instead of boozing and whoring around in my youth, yeah?”
“Then yeah, spot on.”
The two chuckled for a bit. I'd be lying if I said I had no regrets about not continuing my academy studies, but as a noble without obligations, I also felt no need to pile on more power than necessary.
Speaking of which, sorry, my little sis. Must be tough with me—the former heir-in-training—turning runaway ninja. But you've got ambitions, so you're good, right?
I pulled out some pre-made chocolates I'd stashed and popped one in my mouth.
“Well, the alchemist and elf might think the same, but it's still impressive how multifaceted the manager is in all sorts of ways. Versatility like that is rare for noble stock.”
“Of course I can paint and play instruments—cultural refinement.”
“Must've been a well-off household.”
“Yeah. Disowned now, though.”
“Hm. Still, multifaceted, leisurely noble family, and with your personality and looks? Must've been popular.”
“No comment.”
“Thought so.”
Fitting for a romance game target, I had a decent face. My sister from my past life called me an illustrator who couldn't draw ugly people, or something—but that was nearly 20 years ago, so the memory was fuzzy.
I chewed and swallowed the chocolate fully. It had just a hint of bitterness since I skimped on the sugar.
“Realized at age eight that popularity with the opposite sex isn't all good.”
“Oho, romance tale incoming.”
“Romance?!”
Our pink-haired friend Karin whipped her eyes from her textbook and shot me a sparkling look.
Too bad it wasn't.
“First met my fiancée at five, debuted in high society at seven. Around that age, even a kid's brain starts absorbing noble rights and duties.”
“Hm.”
“Right?”
“At first, things weren't bad between me and my fiancée. Guess I met her standards for family and looks. But the first ball I attended was the problem—the princess took an interest in me.”
“Whoa, trouble.”
“That bad?”
“Nobles shoulder the kingdom's future. Marriage binds houses and alliances. But there's also vows of loyalty to crown and country. So if the princess shows interest, do you prioritize royal loyalty or stand by your fiancée?”
“No idea.”
“Exactly. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.”
“Like Dras said, it was rough. My fiancée started icing me out, seeing my 'torment' by the princess as betrayal. Over ten years like that, I worried I'd go bald from stress. Wanted to chuck it all and bolt—probably thought it 500 times at least.”
“Getting the princess's favor sounds fine, though?”
“Lucky break was her not being engaged yet, so one less enemy. Everything else sucked. Any rumor I was into something, and she'd barge in, making a mess to 'help.’”
Dras burst out laughing.
Karin shook her pink hair side to side, pondering, then spoke up.
“So despite having a fiancée, you're chummy with the princess and Senior Namei too?”
“...No words.”
“There's more, huh.”
“Maybe?”
“Ugh. Bet your fiancée blamed you every time she got mad.”
Unfair. My fiancée was head over heels for another game target, and I'd done my duties.
Under joint assault from the romance-loving dwarf geezer and these kids, I dodged the grilling by comping free coffees.
I'll get revenge someday.