Our Cafe is Open as Usual - Chapter 38

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 38

 

Milena seemed to contemplate for a moment, then nodded her head.

 

“Well, yes, I was curious about it too…”

 

‘Great!’

 

I cheered inwardly and smiled brightly.

 

Then Baron Antonio, who had been reading the mood between us two, quickly chimed in.

 

“In that case, Miss Token, you can use our Viola family’s kitchen right now.”

 

Kitchen?

 

Did he just say kitchen?

 

This is an opportunity I should seize without a moment’s hesitation!

 

I looked at Milena with sparkling eyes.

 

“Oh my, would that really be alright, madam?”

 

“Y-yes, of course.”

 

When I asked innocently, Milena also reluctantly permitted the use of the kitchen.

 

* * *

 

I followed the maid toward the kitchen.

 

‘Ah, what kind of things will be in the kitchen? What drink should I make?’

 

“Hmm.”

 

I even started humming with anticipation.

 

Of course, I have my always-carried ‘drip coffee brewing’ kit (a set bundling ground coffee beans, a tin pot, and a kettle), so I could make coffee…

 

But I was actually quite curious.

 

About how people drink beverages in a world where beverage production has become problematic.

 

Come to think of it, even at the restaurant I went to with Millen, beverages were always one of two things.

 

Water and carbonated water.

 

So the more formal restaurants would add variation by floating lemon in the water.

 

At first, I didn’t find this fact strange.

 

I didn’t even notice that tea wasn’t visible anywhere.

 

But only after hearing Iliyana’s story about the ‘disaster’ could I realize these facts again.

 

This place truly had no beverages except water and carbonated water!

 

So I became even more curious while preparing for the tea party.

 

‘How on earth did nobles enjoy tea parties after the disaster?

 

A tea party without ‘tea’ is impossible… Was there a separate way they enjoyed it?’

 

Well, various curiosities had been piling up. But now, an opportunity arose to gain Milena’s interest while simultaneously learning that method.

 

‘If I miss this opportunity, I wouldn’t be me.’

 

Now, once I enter the Viola family’s kitchen, I’ll be able to find that answer!

 

I started looking around the moment I set foot in the kitchen.

 

“Oh…”

 

The Viola family’s kitchen had a very well-organized feel. It was completely different from Frizia’s cozy kitchen with human touches.

 

Like a restaurant kitchen that would rank in gourmet rankings?

 

It was that clean without a speck of dust, and well-organized.

 

As I was admiring it, someone came and stood next to me.

 

It was a man of similar build to me, dressed in chef’s clothing.

 

“How is it, my kitchen.”

 

“…Are you the head chef here?”

 

“Yes, I’m the head chef here. My name is Hese Brinton. Just call me Hese.”

 

“Ah, I’m Leilah Token. Please feel free to call me casually too.”

 

“Good, Lailah.”

 

Hese immediately extended his hand and smiled brightly. What a spirited personality. I took his hand and smiled warmly.

 

“But Hese, you’re the head chef here? You look young.”

 

“Ha, I wondered when that comment would come. Everyone who sees me says that first. I do look young for my age.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

“If you deny it there, I’ll look ridiculous, Lailah.”

 

“You definitely look young, Hese.”

 

“That’s right, that’s right.”

 

Looking at it this way, he seems to match well with this neat kitchen too?

 

“Our family is famous for cooking, and I’ve been good at cooking since I was very young. So the Baron hired me. He takes very good care of me, so I’m satisfied.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“Yes. Since you came all the way here… you’re in charge of this rose garden tea party, right?”

 

“Yes, I agreed to take charge of preparing it.”

 

As soon as I finished speaking, Hese looked at me with pitying eyes. As if that wasn’t enough, he even patted my shoulder a couple of times.

 

“Work hard. It won’t be easy.”

 

“…I’ll have to work hard. So I have something I want to ask.”

 

“Ask me anything.”

 

“How does the Viola family handle beverages?”

 

“Ah, beverages? We just serve water or carbonated water.”

 

‘Aha.

 

Noble families aren’t any different.’

 

I nodded slightly.

 

‘Then the tea party mission should pass without major problems. Just properly preparing coffee or tea would be revolutionary for these people!’

 

However, Hese soon brought up something else.

 

“But high-ranking noble families like marquis or duke houses are probably drinking coffee or tea. Well… wine or beverages that require more work can only be enjoyed in the royal court.”

 

This was another fact I didn’t know.

 

‘I thought everyone in Jenen Kingdom couldn’t enjoy tea and alcohol… but that wasn’t it?’

 

When puzzlement filled my face, Hese smiled mischievously. He had an expression of wondering whether to tell me what he knew or not.

 

My eyebrows were already forming a frown. When I pressured him with an expression to answer quickly, he laughed and told me.

 

“Importing extremely small quantities is apparently okay.”

 

“Imports are okay?”

 

“It’s more like deception. If you smuggle in extremely small quantities disguised as dried leaves or roasted powder, it’s fine. Well, this is also quite difficult, so unless you’re a high-ranking noble with money rotting away, you can’t do it.

 

Our Baron Antonio also tried it and the money he lost was no joke.

 

Even if you barely manage to get it, you have to consume it all within a day. Otherwise it all rots, and tea and coffee bean imports don’t always succeed either.”

 

He spoke rapidly as if rapping. Still, thanks to his easy-to-understand explanation, I could grasp it easily.

 

‘So high-ranking nobles are barely managing to drink it once in a while.

 

Everyone was finding their own ways quite well.’

 

I was nodding lightly when another curiosity came to mind and I opened my mouth.

 

“Then what about the royal court?”

 

If drinking frequency increases as status rises, what about the royal court standing at the pinnacle of the class system?

 

Ultimately, I’d need to captivate even the royal court to achieve what this game wants. So I needed to gather as much information as possible to prepare something.

 

Since I happened to meet someone full of information, I wanted to ask as much as possible.

 

At my question, Hese paused for a moment then shrugged his shoulders.

 

“Lailah, do you know how much money the royal court has poured into Dael Temple? The gods should at least allow that much.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“Well, thanks to their generous donations, they can apparently produce beverages within the royal palace. Even the royal guards make and drink them among themselves. My father works in the royal palace, so I’m quite knowledgeable in this area.”

 

Come to think of it, Valter and Lev, to whom I first served coffee, were also royal guards.

 

So maybe that’s why they didn’t react much when I served them coffee. Or maybe they thought it was because the disaster didn’t reach the outskirts of the capital.

 

Well, anyway.

 

‘So the royal court is still drinking them.

 

The difficulty increases as you go higher up.’

 

I nodded lightly.

 

‘I should ask Antonio later about the scale of this tea party I’m in charge of and who will be coming here.’

 

After confirming that, it seemed I’d need to make detailed plans. I had planned to prepare roughly and fill in the rest as I went.

 

I asked Hese about various things and familiarized myself with the kitchen.

 

In particular, Hese told me in detail about the Viola Family’s preferences.

 

He said they liked sweet things more than I thought. He also said they preferred bitter things over sour ones.

 

Then he showed me the cooking utensils that remained in the kitchen.

 

“I thought there’d be a use for them someday, so I organized them all neatly on one side. We don’t have tea or coffee beans… but we do have milk and fruits, so take and use whatever you need.”

 

“Really?”

 

“You can use anything. If you’re going to prepare for that tea party, you’d better get familiar with this kitchen quickly, don’t you think?”

 

“I understand, Hese.”

 

He winked and returned to his position.

 

It was because the time to prepare dinner was gradually approaching.

 

Considering that meals in This Place took a long time to prepare, it wasn’t early at all.

 

Hese began to oversee the entire kitchen. A head chef is indeed a head chef.

 

I lightly slapped my face with my palm.

 

“I need to hurry up too.”

 

Too much time had been delayed asking about this and that. If I didn’t make it quickly and serve it, the favorability I had worked so hard to build up would drop steadily.

 

After psyching myself up a bit, I moved quickly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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