Chapter 303 Cafe Latte And Bitter Heartbreak
Rihito noticed that the kids eating pancakes were having a unique and lively time. He had accidentally talked for a long time with Amelia, who came just as Sara was leaving, about the development of a new medicine.
'Her body should be recovering, but if they keep having so much fun, she might run out of energy.'
Feeling worried, Rihito quickly walked over to Sara and the others.
"Hey! Are the pancakes really that good?"
"They're fluffy and drenched in maple syrup, so they're definitely delicious!"
"Wow, they have maple syrup here too?"
"There are lots of sugar maples in the Aklar Mountains. Pochi brought us some maple water."
"That's great! I love sweet things too. I had bees brought to the botanical garden... oh, it's called the Secret Garden now, right?"
"I know! They've been a big help to us."
"Haha. Honey is really tasty."
"Seriously, why does Rihito only make such amateur comments? It's not just honey; there's beeswax, royal jelly, propolis... it's a treasure trove of things we can sell! You know Amelia is making cosmetics, right?"
"Uh, yeah. You're really putting the pressure on me."
"Of course! We need to keep getting along with the bees."
Sara stood up and walked over to Rihito.
"By the way, don't you want some coffee?"
"I really want some!"
"I still have beans from the Crown Prince of Roisen."
"Miss Sara, please bless me with some!"
"Since it's made with magic, it might taste like espresso. Is that okay?"
"No problem! I think I'll probably like it."
"If that's the case, I'll make an espresso maker. I miss coffee too."
"If I can get the beans regularly, I could make it."
"Hmm. What should I do, Chloe? Rihito just threw a tough question at me."
Sara suddenly spoke to Chloe.
"Hey, why are you asking me out of the blue?"
"Do you fell like you're treated as a future queen with respect?"
"At least wait until we get engaged. And why is it a tough question?"
"It's about the coffee beans Rihito wants. I got some from the Silt Merchant Guild, which they offered to Roisen."
"Again, the Silt Merchant Guild!?"
"Well, they are a big merchant guild in the Coastal Union. I don't know where they import from, but they probably have their own routes. My alchemist is really into this too!"
While talking with Chloe, Sara quickly used magic to brew coffee and poured it into a magic-made instant mug. She gently offered it to Rihito, keeping it black.
"It has a strange aroma."
"This is a drink made from the seeds inside a fruit called coffee cherry. It's quite different from regular tea, and it's bitter, so if you're not used to it, you might not find it tasty."
Sara prepared a demitasse cup for Chloe and poured a little coffee into it before handing it over.
"Ugh, it's bitter! Is this poison!?"
"Well, that's how it is."
"I can't understand how anyone would drink this."
Sara filled a glass with water and handed it to Chloe.
"Hey, Maria. Do we have any milk?"
"Yes, we do."
"Sorry, but could you bring me a little? Oh, and please bring some sugar too."
"Understood."
After a short wait, Maria came back with a large pitcher filled with milk. She also brought a bag full of sugar.
"Is this much really necessary?"
"Well, everyone seemed really interested, so I thought it might be needed, milady."
When Sara looked around as she pointed it out, everyone there was staring at Sara's hands.
"Um, so it seems like everyone is curious about the coffee?"
Then, not just the kids, but even Thomas and Jane nodded silently. Rihito watched with a grin.
"Um, like I said earlier, it's bitter on its own. Once you get used to it and become an expert, you can enjoy the bitterness, aroma, acidity, and richness, but for beginners, I recommend drinking it with lots of milk and sugar."
Sara prepared cups for everyone, poured the coffee, and then added frothed milk on top, finishing with a heart-shaped latte art. Of course, making the frothed milk was magic too. She had practiced a little during her Sarasa days, but her lack of artistic skill meant she could only make hearts and leaves.
"Wow, that's cute. You can make patterns!"
"That's just for fun. You don't have to make patterns if you don't want to. Feel free to add sugar and try it."
Maria quickly served the café lattes that Sara made. Since Sara was also making some for the maids, she made sure to save one for herself.
"Sara, don't I get a café latte?"
"Rihito, you're drinking a lot of espresso, aren't you?"
"Yeah, seeing it after a long time makes me want some."
"I still haven't found vanilla, so caramel macchiato might be tough."
"But you can make caramel syrup, right?"
"Isn't it normal to use vanilla syrup?"
While Rihito was chatting with the knowledge from his past life, the others took a sip of their café lattes and added sugar to suit their tastes.
"Can I ask everyone for their thoughts?"
"It's a flavor I've never tasted before, so it's kind of strange. But I think it's delicious."
"Definitely a first-time flavor. I'd like to try the milk-free version that Mr. Rihito is drinking."
Scott and Thomas, who drank it without sugar, seemed to like it relatively well.
"I don't really get it. But I still think it's bitter even with milk."
"I'm wondering if I can drink it if I add a lot of sugar."
"I might not like it even with milk because it's still bitter."
Blaze, Christopher, and Chloe seemed to struggle a bit with the bitterness.
"Well, it's a matter of personal taste. Just like how people have different likes and dislikes for tea."
"I didn't think the Elma brandy I secretly drank was good either. Will I understand it when I grow up?"
"Chloe, did you sneak a drink?"
"Well, all the adults rave about it. I was curious."
"I get how you feel, but you shouldn't drink alcohol until you're an adult. Rihito, can you explain the risks to them?"
Rihito, being asked, turned to the kids and began to explain.
"Hmm. I understand. Drinking alcohol during your growth period, which means when your body is still developing, can have more negative effects than it does for adults. The chance of suddenly collapsing from drinking too much is much higher for you than for adults. If someone like Lady Chloe drinks alcohol during puberty, it can stop a woman's monthly cycle, and for men, it can lead to dysfunction. Drinking at a younger age can also affect brain development."
"Wait, isn't that basically poison?!"
"Well... from a pharmacist's point of view, alcohol is kind of like a poison. If you drink too much, you can die, and many people shorten their lives because of alcohol. Drinking in moderation is probably fine, but it's best to avoid binge drinking. If you ask me, Mister Thomas's age is still like a child's, so it would be better if you didn't drink too much."
"Oh, I don't really drink much to begin with."
Thomas has had many experiences where he was almost forced to drink alcohol mixed with aphrodisiacs, so he doesn't drink much in public. He only takes a small sip during toasts.
"I think that's a good habit. I'm terrible at it, though."
"Rihito, that's not convincing at all! And your tone in the second half is too casual!"
Rihito smiled and finished his espresso.
"Well, I mean. Mister Thomas, you're 19, right? I'm the same age, but even Sara seems cute at that age, right? Your skin is all shiny too."
"Uh, yeah, but still. Our skin is just as shiny, right?"
"Milady Sara. Do you ever think I'm cute?"
"...Ah, yes, Mister Thomas. Sometimes I think about it. From my past life's perspective, you seem like a cute little boy. I mean, you are a teacher, but you're just as cute as Scott and Blaze."
At Sara's words, Thomas slumped his shoulders in disappointment. Until now, Thomas had often received admiring looks from women, but he had never been called cute. He didn't think he was being arrogant, but he understood that he had good looks that both he and others recognized, and he had never fallen behind in his studies or work. He had to change jobs and move because of his bad luck with women, but he understood that it was just "bad luck."
"Wait, Sara. Mister Thomas is really down right now."
"Huh, why?"
"Some guys really don't like being called cute."
"I've heard that a lot, but isn't it normal for everyone to be called cute when they're kids? It's a compliment, after all."
"Ahhh, that's why you shouldn't say the final blow!"
Looking visibly upset, Thomas stared at Sara and Rihito and muttered softly.
"To Milady Sara, I'm just a child, huh..."
"Ah, no... It's just that there are moments when I see you that way, but I don't always think you're childish. Besides, I don't really understand what it means to be an adult either. I didn't mean to be rude. I'm sorry."
Sara hurriedly tried to backtrack, but it didn't help at all.
"Sara, in your past life, were you the type to be told, 'You're strong, so you'll be fine on your own' and then get dumped?"
"Ah, I can't deny that. But guys who say things like that usually have already cheated and are with someone else, you know? I don't want you to blame it on me."
"Well, that's true."
"Then there's the type who says, 'Work is more important than you,' and just dumps you. Oh, sometimes it's a mix of both."
"Wow, I totally get it."
This is how Thomas experienced his first heartbreak. Despite trying various approaches, he was completely ignored and even seen as a child by Sara. He never thought he would be viewed at the same level as his students.
Of course, he understood that Sara was special, but he thought of her as a young girl who didn't really understand what love was. He figured that since she was still young, it was okay, and he believed that as she grew up, she would start to notice him. He had that much confidence in his charm as a man. However, from the conversation between Sara and Rihito, he realized that Sara's emotional maturity was clearly higher, and she wasn't ignorant about love.
Meanwhile, Jane and the maids, who were watching this unfold, were thinking the same thing.
'It seems like this will be a valuable experience for Mister Thomas.'
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