Menu no.30 - Much Bitter, but Perfect!

I gently placed a glass of coffee in front of Hugo.

Steam rose slowly from the surface, carrying a faintly sweet aroma mixed with something deeper—nutty, slightly bitter, with a strange warmth lingering beneath it.

“Oh?” Hugo tilted the glass, examining it closely. “Hmm… the color’s a bit different.”

“It’s a new menu, sir,” I said, unable to hide my smile. “Alisa helped me choose some of the additional ingredients.”

At that, Hugo glanced sideways.

Alisa was arranging several trays of food nearby, her movements smooth and practiced. When she noticed his gaze, she flashed him a confident thumbs-up.

Hugo chuckled. “If Alisa’s involved, then I’ve got nothing to worry about.”

He took a single sip.

Then he froze.

“…Hoh.”

Without saying another word, he lifted the glass again—and drank. And drank. And drank. In a matter of seconds, the cup was completely empty.

He stared at it for a moment, as if betrayed by its lack of contents.

“Incredible… absolutely incredible, Daiki!” Hugo slammed the empty glass onto the counter. “Delicious! What’s the name of this coffee?”

“This is a cappuccino, sir.”

I smiled, feeling absurdly proud.

“Well then,” Hugo said, pushing the glass toward me, “make me another one!”

“Coming right up!”

I turned to prepare a second cup. But just as I finished pouring and slid it across the counter—

A hand shot out like lightning.

The glass vanished.

Before I could react, Raiza had already lifted it to her lips.

She drank it all in one go.

“…Huh?”

The entire counter went silent.

Raiza slammed the empty glass down, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and looked straight at me.

“Mikaaaa~~~ more.”

Her cheeks were bright red.

Very red.

“B-Bluergh.”

“…Eh?”

Arumi rushed over immediately, clamping a hand over Raiza’s mouth just in time.

“Raiza-sama! Stop talking! Just—stop!”

Before I could process what was happening—

WHAM.

Pain exploded at the back of my head.

“HEY!”

I turned around, clutching my skull, only to see Alisa holding an empty serving tray.

“Daiki,” she said calmly, though her eyes were absolutely not calm, “what did you do to Raiza-san?”

“Eh?! N-Nothing! I swear! I didn’t do anything!”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not!”

At that moment, Kazuha suddenly appeared between us, pointing dramatically at the counter.

“Oiii! Mika! W-What the hell was that?!”

“What?! What did I do now?!”

“That cappuccino!” Kazuha shouted. “That was supposed to be mine!”

“Why?!”

“I was saving my stomach space for it!”

“That’s not how coffee works!”

Meanwhile, Raiza began swaying dangerously in her chair.

“Ahhh… why did we lose~~~” she groaned, words slurring badly. “Stupid… icy… flying… lizards…”

“R-Raiza-san?!” I gasped.

She suddenly leaned forward.

Too fast.

Too late.

“Blegh—!”

The cappuccino she had just consumed came right back up.

Directly onto my apron.

“…”

“…”

“Whoa,” someone muttered. “Raiza-san puked.”

I slowly looked down at my apron.

Soaked.

Ruined.

Warm.

“…I see.”

I lifted my head.

And finally noticed.

The guild.

They were all drunk.

Hugo was laughing loudly at absolutely nothing, his arm slung around another adventurer’s shoulders. Several parties were slumped over tables, cups scattered everywhere. Someone was singing terribly off-key in the corner. Another was crying while hugging a loaf of bread.

“…Alisa,” I said slowly, dread creeping into my voice. “What exactly did you put into the cappuccino?”

She looked away.

“…A little something.”

“A little something what?”

“Fermented cream.”

“…Fermented how?”

“…Very.”

I stared at her.

“You made alcoholic cappuccino?!”

“It’s called innovation.”

“That’s not innovation—that’s a war crime!”

Raiza groaned again, her head dropping onto the table with a loud thud.

“Mikaaaa…” she mumbled. “Why’s the floor spinning…”

“That’s the table.”

“Same thing…”

Arumi sighed deeply. “This is why I said we should label it.”

“You said it would ruin the surprise!” Alisa shot back.

“THIS is the surprise!”

Kazuha grabbed a cup and sniffed it suspiciously.

“…Wait. This smells amazing.”

“Don’t you dare,” I warned.

Too late.

He drank it.

“…Oh no.”

Five seconds later, Kazuha slammed the cup down.

“Ohhh this is dangerous.”

“Yes,” I said flatly. “That’s the point.”

The guild descended further into chaos.

Somewhere, Hugo was now giving an impassioned speech about bravery, coffee, and why dragons should learn proper table manners. Asuna was attempting to stack empty cups into a tower. Tiara had fallen asleep face-first into her plate.

And Raiza…

Raiza was clinging to my sleeve.

“Mika,” she muttered softly, eyes half-lidded. “Next time… we’ll win.”

“…Yeah,” I said quietly. “We will.”

Her grip loosened, and she slumped against the table, finally asleep.

I looked around the guild once more.

Exhausted adventurers.

Broken spirits.

And one disastrously successful cup of cappuccino.

Maybe… this was exactly what they needed.

Not victory.

Not answers.

Just warmth.

And a place to fall apart safely.

I sighed, took off my ruined apron, and smiled faintly.

“…Next time,” I muttered, “I’m writing a warning label.”