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

Cup 19: Above the Clouds

The trip to Kopi City was a rather unusual one. Ryu and Sylfie had commissioned the standard carriage to take them further into the Kaffa Kingdom, following a dirt road past the vast stretches of farmland near Cacao Town.

Ryu stared outside at the fields of tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. He spotted a dairy farm along the way, miles of open fields dotted with Tauruses, peacefully grazing as a soft breeze cut through the summer heat. He sighed wistfully. The thought of owning a house and a plot of land out here, languidly spending his days on his front porch, was alluring.

"This would be a nice place to have a picnic—open a bottle of wine and just enjoy the weather. We could make a day out of it with the rest of the staff. Maybe we could invite the guild members as well," Ryu suggested.

"It does seem like a nice spot to take a breather, and there's a lake nearby so we can cool off," Sylfie agreed.

She adjusted her sunhat as a gust of wind blew it back. They had shed their work clothes and donned outfits more suited for the weather: shorts, sandals, and sunglasses. Ryu had on an unbuttoned aloha shirt while Sylfie wore a thin blouse.

Aurora meanwhile could not change her clothes. Besides shaving her fur, there wasn't much she could do except lay on an ice pack and complain about the humid conditions.

Sylfie's legs shook as they approached the center of the kingdom. She could barely contain her excitement. Ryu didn't see what all the fuss was about. He assumed it would be the standard fare; the city atmosphere always seemed to be juxtaposed against the feel of a small town.

Most MMOs and fantasy games had this sort of set piece that made it 'iconic'. In World of Glory, it had been the Radiant City, home of the game's most powerful race in terms of lore.

Ryu assumed that the presence of the royal family was what made it special. Perhaps they would see a few houses and buildings and an intricately crafted castle in the center. It wasn't all that special in his mind. He had seen it hundreds of times before.

Still, he couldn't deny that he too felt excited about the day trip, if not just to see what the people of the kingdom's capital were like and to meet more adventurers, preferably a male water mage or two.

There was one more reason Ryu was excited about the prospect of visiting the capital: Hazel had made mention of suppliers setting up camp there. Perhaps he could meet with them and grow his own network of connections.

The carriage stopped at an enormous river blocking their path. The atmosphere was quite serene here. Lush greenery surrounded the area. A waterfall poured into the river from the side, creating mist. The sun's rays refracted off of the water particles, creating a rainbow. Ryu raised an eyebrow as Sylfie jumped out of the vehicle and paid the driver the fare.

"Hey! The trip isn't complete!" Ryu pointed out.

"This is as far as the carriage can take us," Sylfie explained.

"So, how are we supposed to cross this? You don't suggest we swim?"

Sylfie shook her head. "Doppo will take us the rest of the way."

"Doppo?"

Sylfie faced the river, cupping both hands around her mouth. She emitted a strange low noise reverberating from the core of her stomach.

"Bwoooooooo!"

"Bwoooooooo!" something bellowed back from the river.

Ryu narrowed his eyes, squinting at the dark blue water. A small silhouette appeared. It grew larger by the second, causing him to step back, scrambling away from the river's edge.