NOVEL NEXT Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Grand Opening
Chapter 21: Grand Opening
First, let’s try brewing a cup to see how it goes. If the aroma spreads, it might also serve as advertising.
“Kuro, can I ask you to brew some drip coffee? Let’s try it together.”
“Gyagya gyagya!”
As we start brewing, the pleasant scent of coffee begins to fill the air. While foot traffic is low in this area, it’s not nonexistent. Passersby glance over here from time to time. Even the workers at surrounding stalls seem curious. But they don’t come closer.
Maybe I should try calling out to attract customers. Since I’ve never done this kind of business before, I’m not sure how to behave properly. For now, I’ll just keep smiling.
“Gyagya?”
Kuro looks at me with a curious expression. We sit together for a while, sipping our coffee absentmindedly. But still, no one approaches.
—This might not work after all. It hasn’t even been 30 minutes since we started, and I already feel like giving up. Is it this tough when customers don’t come?
Still, I’ll endure a little longer.
“Excuse me?”
While braiding Kuro’s hair and escaping reality, I’m suddenly addressed.
“Ah, yes! Welcome!”
“You’ve been smelling good. What’s this you’re selling?”
A young craftsman-like man asks while pointing at the sign.
Finally, our first customer!
“This is coffee, a drink to enjoy the bitterness and aroma. And this is chocolate, a sweet and bitter treat. If the bitterness is too strong, adding milk will mellow the taste.”
“Hmm, it’s bitter, huh? Smells nice though. I’ll pass, though. Bitter isn’t my thing. Sorry.”
“Ah… That’s too bad, but it can’t be helped. If you see someone who might like it, feel free to recommend us.”
“Okay, then.”
Even when told about enjoying bitterness, it might not be easy to grasp the concept. Maybe I made a strategic mistake right away. Perhaps I should have opted for something more approachable. I should have just focused on café au lait.
(Note :”Café au lait” is a French term that translates to “coffee with milk” in English. It refers to a beverage made by combining brewed coffee with hot milk in approximately equal parts.)
“Hey, can I get a cup of that?”
“Huh? Oh, sure. I’ll make it now. Just a moment.”
The shopkeeper next door, who sells sundries and accessories, unexpectedly speaks up. She’s a slender woman in her thirties with fair skin and black hair. She’s sitting, adorned with accessories all over her body, looking somewhat sleepy. Unlike us, she seems to have sporadic customers, but mostly she looks as bored as I do.
“Is the bitterness okay for you?”
“I’d rather not have it too bitter, but if it doesn’t suit me, can I get some milk added?”
“Of course. Do you want to drink it at your place?”
“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ve been thinking for a while, but it smells really nice. Looking forward to it.”
“Here you go. If you’re done, I’ll come to pick up the cup.”
Saying that, I deliver the cup and saucer to the neighboring stall. After smelling the coffee, the woman carefully takes a sip, as if confirming the taste.
“Hmm, it’s bitter… but it has a peculiar flavor… Surprisingly, it might catch on.”
“Oh, that’s great to hear! Honestly, I thought we were done for, but maybe we’ll sell some after all?”
“Yeah, it might be a bit tricky to sell, but adding a little milk might help. Can I get some?”
“Sure thing. By the way, I’m Bonus. As you can see, I’m a newbie starting a stall today. Nice to meet you, senior.”
“I’m Melanie. I sell my own accessories and daily goods here. Nice to meet you too.”
As she says that, she takes a sip of her coffee. Maybe this will be acceptable to other people too.
“Feel free to try the chocolate too.”
“Let’s see… Oh, sweet! This is delicious! Wow, this is amazing. I see, with this set, it’s quite easy to accept. It’s well thought out, isn’t it?”
“When you add milk to the coffee, it becomes easier to drink, right?”
“Yeah, it’s good. This… this is good!”
As she spoke, she also tasted the second piece of chocolate. The way people perceive sweets is completely different. Sugar is indeed the best.
“Do you only sell this chocolate?”
“For now, I can’t get too much of it. It might be difficult for a while.”
“That’s a shame. If you could get a lot of it, you could easily build a fortune, couldn’t you?”
“Well, there are no such easy stories in the world.”
Handling sweets does require careful attention. If not careful, it could easily attract unwanted attention.
“Excuse me, can I have one too?”
“Oh, sure! Welcome!”
“Can I get one too?”
Perhaps having seen the exchange, someone approached. Quickly preparing two cups and placing them on the counter with chocolate, they were already someone behind, observing. In a simple manner, everything seemed to suddenly go smoothly.
“We adjust the bitterness with milk, so if you want, just let me know.”
“Mm… it’s a strange taste. Oh, when you drink it with this chocolate, it’s amazing!”
“Oh, this is delicious. It’s not bitter at all with the milk.”
“Wow, looks interesting. Give me one too.”
Perhaps due to the time of day, people were coming one after another, like attracting each other. Grateful to Melanie. I’ll bring some chocolate as a gift later. Managing with just Kuro, before I knew it, it was almost noon. The crowd had finally dispersed, and it was time to go and meet the mercenaries. I put the remaining pieces of chocolate I made for myself on a plate and went to Melanie’s stall.
“Melanie! Here you go. Thanks to you, people kept coming one after another.”
“Thank you! Since it’s a gift, I’ll accept it. The taste is undeniable, and I thought it was just a matter of time anyway. Oh, it’s so sweet!”
While Melanie usually had sleepy eyes, her eyes opened wide just as she ate the chocolate. Come to think of it, is it okay with the caffeine affecting her like this? Well, I should tell her not to give it to small children.
“I’m going to pick up a few people now, but can you keep an eye on things for me?”
“Oh, sure. But don’t leave any money or valuables behind.”
“Thanks! I’ll be right back!”