I Became a Barista in Another World! Volume 1: New Beginnings [Completed]

Cup 5: The First Brew

The Legendary Hibiscus Stag was immolated in a glorious blaze, burning to a crisp instantly. A cool wind blew away its ashes, leaving only a pile of antlers and a stray hoof. Ryu stood with his mouth agape, marveling at the spectacle.

"Oh! We're still alive, nya! G-guess you're pretty lucky, huh, Ryu?" Aurora said apprehensively.

Ryu sighed, flopping to the floor. He was overcome with fatigue. Now that he could relax for a moment, the physicality of the day's events had finally caught up with his body. I really need to get some exercise in. Sylfie stood over him carrying a satchel with what appeared to be the antlers she had collected. She tossed the hoof into Ryu's lap.

"That's your cut."

Ryu raised an eyebrow. He sat up, hesitantly biting the hoof when Sylfie wasn't watching, spitting to the side when she looked up from her satchel.

"Gross!" Aurora chimed.

"Oh, shut it, will you?"

He checked his Knowledge Base. Sure enough, there was an entry for the item.

[Hoof of the Hibiscus Stag: This item has a moderate chance of dropping when defeating the Legendary Hibiscus Stag. It has long been believed to possess potent medical benefits when ground into a fine powder. This item is also used as a key ingredient in Spicy Hoof Curry, a southeastern delicacy in Cerulia]

Another tab appeared underneath the item's description.

[Recommendation for the item usage: Sell to an accredited apothecary for 66,000 Cacao Nibs or a licensed restaurant for 100,000 Cacao Nibs.]

"You know, for monster drops you don't have to put it in your mouth right? Just coming into contact with the item should do the trick," Sylfie mentioned.

Ryu turned red. She had seen him bite the hoof.

"T-thanks for saving us," he mumbled, trying to change the subject.

Sylfie shrugged. "Don't mention it. You were of use to me. Night will fall soon. I'd suggest finding a safe place to camp."

Ryu and Aurora exchanged a glance. Sylfie's eyes twitched as they laid before her, prostrating themselves at her feet.

"Please take us with you," they said in unison.

Sylfie ground her teeth in frustration. "Absolutely not! I'm sorry, but we had a temporary truce that's all. The stag is dead—you've repaid your debt, so we can go our separate ways," she huffed, picking up her equipment.

"She's walking away! Quick, Ryu! Seduce her, nya!"

"Wha—? I can't do that!"

Aurora poked her head. "No, wrong word. Impress her, nya! With your coffee brewing skills!"

Sylfie's head snapped a hundred and eighty degrees. She bolted towards him, stopping just inches from his face, her eyes burning with intrigue.

"Can you really make coffee?" she asked him.

"Y-yeah, I can make coffee—"

A fire was lit at their feet as Sylfie settled down on the grass, resting her belongings against the nearby trunk of a worn tree. She poured water from a thermos into a kettle, bringing it to a boil over the flame. Sylfie motioned for them to sit as she procured a sealed container filled with roasted coffee beans.

Ryu watched her patiently as she placed the beans in a grinder. It seemed to run on some sort of internal battery, or perhaps magic—there were no outlets out here, after all. Now that Ryu thought about it, did this world have electricity? Or even more pressingly, plumbing?