Our Cafe is Open as Usual - Chapter 40

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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 40

 

Since that day, I visited the Viola Baron’s Estate every single day.

 

From the guests’ tastes to the desserts being prepared, and even how everything was decorated.

 

There were far too many things I needed to understand.

 

So I hadn’t even been able to visit the temple until now. I had contacted Parhan, but he seemed busy too and didn’t reply.

 

If even one of us had been free, we could have at least made an appointment, but since we were both busy… my visit to Dael Temple kept getting pushed back.

 

It seemed I would only be able to visit the temple after the Rose Garden tea party was over.

 

Since nothing urgent was happening right now, I decided to postpone going to the temple.

 

It was wiser to spend that time coming up with even one more good idea.

 

I racked my brain to the maximum, thinking up ideas.

 

But.

 

“…This isn’t it!”

 

Like an old man smashing pottery he didn’t like, I was shouting “No!” several times a day.

 

This was already the fourth day of that.

 

I was moving frantically again today. Today especially, I had to finish the Viola Baron’s work by morning.

 

Because it was time I needed to show my face at the cafe.

 

No matter how faithfully and well Ninbuki was doing the work, it wasn’t good for the owner to be away from the shop for this long.

 

I needed to understand these small details – how the cafe was running, whether many people were coming – so I could respond immediately when problems arose.

 

Also.

 

“Iliyana… Are you really leaving?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Iliyana’s promised part-time work schedule was also coming to an end. Today was her last day of work.

 

I wanted to ask her to stay until the tea party, but Iliyana’s face had been getting paler as time passed… I couldn’t even bring it up.

 

Anyway.

 

Since it was also Iliyana’s last day of work, I had to move busily today to throw her a farewell party.

 

I holed up in the Viola Family’s Kitchen again today and started my research.

 

First, I would try making some kind of ade.

 

Sparkling water and high-quality fruits. With just these, I should be able to make a refreshing and delicious ade.

 

But ade alone felt a bit lacking.

 

‘Everyone would have tried something like this before.’

 

So I wanted to prepare something different. I needed something that would make everyone go “This is my first time!” in surprise.

 

It wasn’t limited to just drinks either – I was trying a wide range from desserts to sandwiches.

 

Still, I thought it would be good to have at least one familiar drink, so I decided to prepare ade for now.

 

I took out the fruit syrups I had made one by one. Then Hese quietly approached from the side.

 

“Hey, how did you make this so well? When I try to make it, everything spoils.”

 

“Didn’t you add a little sugar?”

 

“Hey, I’m a head chef. I don’t do stuff like that.”

 

“Then maybe you’re lacking sincerity?”

 

“What?”

 

Hese and I had become close enough to speak casually. We were even similar in age, so I was treating him like I’d made a friend my own age.

 

Hese brought over clean tongs and took out a piece of lemon from the lemon syrup to eat.

 

“The ratio is perfect too. Not too sweet or too sour… Want to learn cooking under me? I’ll treat you well.”

 

“I’m already going crazy with my current work.”

 

“That was an invitation for when that fails.”

 

“…Hese. Go mind your own business.”

 

“Okay, I’ll shut up and stay put.”

 

Hese had even picked up my way of speaking. It was a side effect of being stuck together the longest every day.

 

At times like this, he was exactly like an annoying younger brother. Even though he was more professional than anyone when working.

 

Still, it was convenient to have him nearby to ask about this and that.

 

The title of head chef wasn’t just for show – Hese had extensive knowledge about ingredients.

 

For example, he even knew about the plum syrup placed next to the lemon syrup.

 

Even though this was inside a game, I knew plums originated from China, so how did he know about this?

 

Hese was even the one who recommended plums to me.

 

“You’re looking for fruit to make into syrup? Then how about… plums? A merchant I know imports plums too.”

 

How he even imported those was also questionable.

 

Anyway, plums would be unfamiliar ingredients here, so it would make a good attempt.

 

So I got plums in bulk through Hese. I wanted to buy directly from the merchant, but… the merchant refused, saying it wasn’t time yet, so I had no choice but to leave it to Hese.

 

All the plums I got that way became plum syrup.

 

‘I just need to make that into ade and I’m done.’

 

Plum ade with its distinctive fragrance, sweet yet tart flavor. Honestly, I thought there would be no dislikes.

 

‘It’s good for digestion too!’

 

When you’ve eaten greasy food and gulp down water mixed with plum syrup… Ah. You can feel an indescribable refreshment.

 

‘Well, plum is confirmed for now, but the ratio is the problem.’

 

I was stuck on ade because I was trying to figure out that ratio right now.

 

I sighed and mixed three spoonfuls of lemon syrup into sparkling water. Then I immediately took a sip.

 

“Hmm…”

 

The lemon syrup itself wasn’t very sweet, so three spoonfuls seemed insufficient. I immediately added one more spoonful.

 

Then this time it was too sweet.

 

‘This is driving me crazy.’

 

Just repeating this process over and over was making me feel like I’d go insane, but it also made me stubborn.

 

‘I’m definitely going to find the right ratio!’

 

While I was struggling with ratios for a long time, Hese brought something over.

 

“Hey hey, do you know what this is? The merchant selling those plums told me to show you this too, so I brought it.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“I’ve never seen this before? It looks interesting.”

 

I turned my head to check what Hese was holding out. Then I jumped up.

 

“Take me to the merchant who gave you this right now!

 

Hurry!”

 

* * *

 

Yonggari Cafe was crowded with people again today.

 

It had been a week since opening.

 

It was about time for the opening buzz to die down. Even so, many people still visited Yonggari Cafe.

 

It was because of new rumors that had formed around Yonggari Cafe, which was already surrounded by numerous rumors.

 

“I heard the owner here works with nobles?”

 

“That’s right! We need to try it quickly before then. I heard it’s going to disappear.”

 

“I heard differently though? I heard they’ll soon only accept nobles as customers?”

 

These were rumors that started after Antonio Viola Baron’s visit.

 

As Lailah got involved with nobles, people who had been putting it off saying “I’ll go later” started appearing at the cafe one by one.

 

They grumbled but still enjoyed the cafe.

 

Thanks to this, Iliyana’s work increased even more. Even if they weren’t exactly problem customers, the customers wouldn’t give up their seats because of the mindset “it’ll be hard to come next time.”

 

The customers wouldn’t leave, but there were customers lining up outside.

 

‘If it weren’t for Frizia’s request, I would have quit long ago…’

 

Still, since today was the last day, Iliyana endured and served the customers.

 

Fortunately, she had Hyu and Ninbuki who worked well.

 

Without even these, she might have abandoned Frizia’s request.

 

The sun was setting and the sky was beginning to darken.

 

Soon it would be time to get off work, and she wouldn’t have to come to this damn cafe anymore.

 

Iliyana smiled faintly and pushed through the rest.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

“Iliyana, were you working well?”

 

Frizia, who had gone on a short trip with Rumi, stopped by the cafe with Rumi. Seeing a face she hadn’t seen in a while, Iliyana welcomed her joyfully.

 

“Lady Frizia! You came here instead of going straight to the shop? Did you come to see me?”

 

“Ah, that’s part of it, but I have something to give to Lailah.”

 

“…What?”

 

“More importantly, I don’t see Lailah around?”

 

Not knowing her feelings, Frizia only talked about Lailah.

 

Iliyana bit her lip slightly. Even so, she answered dutifully.

 

“She’ll be here soon. She said she’d finish her work in the morning and come, but it seems she’s running a bit late. Lady Frizia, would you like to sit and wait?”

 

“Mm, sure. While I’m at it, Iliyana, I can watch you work too.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

She felt like she’d been pushed to the back. Iliyana pressed her lips tightly together as she handed the order slip to Ninbuki.

 

Soon Lailah arrived at the cafe. She looked quite frazzled.

 

‘Normally I wouldn’t even talk to her… but now Lady Frizia and Rumi are here too.’

 

Iliyana spoke to Lailah.

 

“Lailah? Lady Frizia is here.”

 

“Oh, really? Just a moment, I have something to organize quickly!”

 

Lailah, who had been moving around busily in a fluster, went straight up to the 2nd floor.

 

“Ah…”

 

Iliyana’s face hardened.

 

She checked the time. Then immediately looked around the hall. Except for Frizia and Rumi, there were no customers.

 

She immediately untied the apron that was tied around her waist, threw it down, and slipped out of the cafe without anyone noticing.

 

It was an impulsive action.

 

And some time later, inside the cafe.

 

“Iliyana! Thank you for working so hard all this time!”

 

“You worked hard all this time!”

 

…Huh?

 

Lailah and Frizia looked at the empty counter area and were completely dumbfounded.

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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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