Menu No. 18 - Everyone Excited!

The guild hall was unusually noisy this morning—noisy in the “someone announced free food” kind of way. A crowd had formed around the announcement board, all pointing at the same parchment like it was some divine prophecy descending from the heavens.

“Is this real?”
“RAIZA is opening an expedition slot?”
“For ANY party?”
“Bro, pinch me. No seriously, someone pinch me.”

Meanwhile, the notorious troublemakers—those guys who fight over who stole whose spoon—grumbled like gremlins deprived of snacks.
They hated order, discipline, and anything involving Raiza. In other words: they hated everything productive.

Me?
I was polishing cups and trying not to fall asleep while taste-testing my fourth failed coffee experiment. Today’s attempt tasted like someone brewed sadness with a hint of burnt anxiety.

As I poured tea behind the bar, a soft voice called my name.

“Good afternoon, Daiki.”

I nearly dropped the teapot.
“Oh—Sister Arietta?! Welcome. Uh . . . you startled me slightly.”

Slightly.
Only slightly.
(Okay, maybe a medium amount.)

She rarely visited the guild, so seeing her here felt like spotting a rare legendary drop.

“I came to deliver the potions Lady Raiza requested,” she said kindly. “And… to try the coffee you mentioned last time.”

Before I could respond, Alisa slid into view like a judgmental side character who knows everything.

“Give her something strong,” she advised. “She can drink anything. Literally anything.”

Sister Arietta smiled sweetly.
“I once finished twelve bottles of vodka in a night.”

“ . . . Twelve?”
I squeaked.

“In one sitting,” Alisa clarified.

Right.
So the Sister had a digestive system forged by the gods.
Good to know.

“I have the perfect blend in mind,” I said. “But I’m missing the press needed for proper extraction.”

“Oh!” Sister Arietta brightened. “There’s an unused press stored in the Richtoffen Sanctuary warehouse. I can lend it to you.”

My eyes sparkled.
“Really?! Alisa, can I—”

“Go,” Alisa nodded. “Gustav and Erina are helping today.”

Before leaving, I gave Erina a crash-course on V60 brewing.
Her hands shook like she was defusing a bomb, but she eventually managed a pour that didn’t look like a crime against coffee.

“You’ll get it,” I assured her.

“I’m… doing it?” she whispered dramatically.

“You’re doing it.”

And with that, Sister Arietta and I headed out.

We didn’t even make it past the front doors before we ran into Raiza’s party returning from the dungeon.

Raiza stood at the front, sword resting on her shoulder like it weighed nothing.
Rowan waved gently.
Lysette bowed so low she might as well mop the floor with her forehead.
Joan bowed too, but in a “I must look polite or I’ll combust” kind of way.

“Sister Arietta,” Raiza greeted. “A pleasant surprise.”

“Ara ara~ Raiza-san. How was the expedition?”

“Smooth,” Raiza replied. “Kazuha’s information was flawless. Surprisingly flawless.”

(Translation: Kazuha didn’t mess up anything today. A miracle.)

Rowan stepped forward.
“Miranda is well in the capital. I meant to visit and inform you, but… well… time.”

Sister Arietta smiled. “I’m relieved.”

Lysette lifted her head.
“Are you heading somewhere, Sister? Do you require an escort?”

“Aah, I’m returning to the Sanctuary of Richtoffen. And Raiza, the potions you ordered are with Alisa.”

Raiza nodded respectfully.

Everything seemed normal.
Until.

I noticed Joan staring at me.
Intensely.
Suspiciously.

Not admiringly.
Not curiously.
More like she was trying to figure out whether I had the qualifications to breathe the same air as Raiza.

Then Joan stepped forward.

“Sister Arietta… perhaps I should escort you. It would be safer than letting… ordinary individuals accompany you.”

She glanced at me when she said “ordinary.”
Excuse me.
I brew life-saving beverages on a daily basis. I am a valuable ordinary.

“Oh no, Joan,” Sister Arietta said cheerfully. “Daiki is escorting me. He needs to borrow something from the Sanctuary.”

“Borrow? Wait . . . you’re lending sacred equipment to a commoner?”

“It’s not sacred,” Sister Arietta laughed. “Just an old wine press.”

Joan’s jaw dropped a full inch.
A whole inch.
She looked personally offended by the existence of a wine press.

With everything clarified, Sister Arietta and I began walking.

We managed three steps.

Just three.

Before Raiza called out:

“Wait.”

We turned.
Raiza approached us with calm, dignified footsteps—the kind that make dramatic music start playing even when there’s no orchestra around.

“If possible . . . I would like to accompany you to the Sanctuary. I haven't had a chance to visit my ancestors' graves. I want to pray and ask for blessings.” Raiza said.

Sister Arietta bowed gracefully.
“With pleasure, Raiza-san. Shall we go?”

And just like that, our party consisted of:

– A cheerful cleric with the liver of a dragon
– A legendary knight whose presence caused everyone nearby to posture straighter
– And me
. . . just trying to borrow a coffee tool.

But hey.
Too late to back out now.

We walked toward the Sanctuary, the sun shining brightly above us, Raiza’s armor glinting just enough to make passersby gasp, and Sister Arietta humming like this was just another casual stroll.

Meanwhile, Joan stared at us from the guild entrance with an expression that clearly said:

“If anything happens to Raiza, I will throw Daiki into a volcano.”

Great.Fantastic.Wonderful.