TN: No Shiro Buta Reijou today since I"m translating this. This is such a breath of fresh air compared to Merrill.
Coffee Float Once Again Under the deep blue cloudless sky and the burning hot sunlight, the golden dessert extended over the horizon.
When he saw it, Sharif realized that he was back.
(How strange. To think that this sight is so precious.)
The light of the sun that was too strong illuminating the heavens and the desert that was too vast from a human"s standpoint.
They were abominations in the Sand Country. Regardless, after not seeing them for more than half a year, those sights were mysteriously precious to him.
Sharif learned about it for the first time.
(It was a long, long journey.)
In order to fulfill his objective, he had not regretted his journey after obtaining his father king"s permission. However, Sharif had never left his birth country before.
After departing from the seaside port, the ship which was surrounded by the salty sea experienced a storm that almost made it sink, and when it was attacked by monsters, he had to swing his sword in order to fight for his life.
During the afternoons and nights of Empire, the travel on horseback through the cold wilderness was tough, but it was a fresh and invaluable experience, and he could endure it if it was a journey for her.
In the city made of stones from the road to the buildings that he had arrived at the end of his journey, he was quite surprised seeing the demon tribe who were supposed to be social outcasts living normally. The days he had spent in the Empire full of culture that couldn"t be found in the Sand Country would surely be remembered in his whole lifetime.
…However, he had only noticed it when he came back. He had always wanted to return back to the familiar Sand Country.
(I see. This is nostalgia… surely Adelheid will feel the same way. For her, the Empire is her birth country.)
He thought of such a thing and that"s why he was relieved that his father and the road he himself had chosen were not mistakes.
The "gift of friendship" for the Empire would surely be useful.
[…So this is the Sand Country.]
While he was immersed in such feelings, the voice of a man who stepped on the sand behind him was of a different language from the one used by the people of his country.
[Yes, this is my birth country.]
Sharif turned, answering the man behind him.
Unlike the people here, the human who was surrounded by strange-looking demon guards had pale skin; he was a man on the prime of his life.
Cladded to his body, reflecting the sun rays, was an equipment that shouldn"t be used in the scorching desert, an armor.
It seemed to be a hidden treasure left behind by the elves, which was as light as a feather when adorned, and could protect the wearer even from the breath of a dragon that could reduce a human into ashes, let alone the desert sun that could turn a human as dry as a dead tree.
There was only one man who wore the "offering" that originally was a treasure of a small country with a certain history, even in the wide continent.
[Your Majesty Emperor Wolfgang, the truth of this country, have you acknowledged it?]
The Empire"s second emperor, Wolfgang. The successor of the bloodline of the founding emperor Wilheim coolly nodded with an air of dignity.
[Umu, Sharif-dono. The treasure you have brought, the techniques of the Sand Country that allowed one to freely manipulate magic. You have certainly showed it.]
Saying that, Wolfgang looked behind… he saw the golden sandy sea stretching far and wide just as reported by the messenger he had sent earlier, he was confident that this was definitely the Sand Country.
A pair of magic tools that was connected to each other and enabled transference magic.
That was the "gift of friendship" brought to the Empire from the Sand Country.
It was particularly valuable among the treasures of the Sand Country, and it was said that there was only one pair in the country.
Therefore, the crown prince himself was the person in charge of transporting it.
The crown prince from the faraway land had said so during the audience seat.
[I see. I am convinced that this is the Sand Country. It is a tremendous sight.]
A sight that was unlike of this world, it was so desolate making the wastelands of the Empire where only slight gra.s.ses could grow seemed like a rich land instead.
From the state of affairs, Wolfgang thought that it was impossible to send his soldiers to a.s.sault this land, and he had an intuition that even if he attacked, there would be no meaning.
He thought about the magic techniques of the people of the Sand Country that made it possible for people to make their livelihood in such a land, and he considered the convenience of being able to cross to another continent easily without having to go through a dangerous trip by ship.
[…Very well. Your country and mine will be friends.]
The conclusion came quickly.
He didn"t know what would happen in the future, but the present friendship was useful.
[My daughter will be coming back to the castle soon. In that case, let me introduce her to you then.]
Wolfgang then said the words that the young man in front of him had desired.
[…Yes!]
To those words, Sharif answered with a smile.
A few days later.
Sharif went through the road he used to go back and forth the desert alone.
As usual, the sun"s burning light shone down from the heaven.
(Aa, that"s right. The desert is such a land.)
To that feeling, Sharif felt amused and headed to his destination.
He was alone that day. His younger sister was not with him… as a condition of not taking her with him, she wanted a takeaway of ice cream.
(Aa, this too hasn"t changed… no, it has a little bit.)
On the usual black door with the cat picture, the plate that he was familiar with… he confirmed that "Otherworld Restaurant Nekoya" was written there.
Indeed, it was a long half a year.
While thinking so, he opened the door as usual.
"Chirinchirin", while hearing the bell sound he had not heard for a long time, Sharif went through the door.
Coming to view, the bright room contained several customers, the waitresses were busily moving around in the room.
He realized that he had returned to a sight that became familiar before he went on his journey.
[Welcome! It"s been a long time, please take a seat.]
[Aa.]
Noticing Sharif"s arrival, the demon waitress guided him to his seat, he then looked around.
(…How nostalgic.)
While he confirmed that the one he was looking for was not in the store, he remembered that feeling.
That"s right. He could only wait like this until he came here together with his sister.
It had been a few years since then. The current Sharif was no longer the young man who could only think about the person he yearned for.
[…Coffee float with ice cream. Make the Kaffa strong and sweet.]
[Yes, certainly.]
Thinking that way, he ordered his usual choice that he had become accustomed to now.
He saw the waitress telling the owner about his order and he then drank the water infused with fruit brought by the waitress.
(Umu, delicious.)
The cold water penetrated his body that just went through the hot desert and moisturized his throat.
For six months, he was away from the desert and crossed the ocean; it seemed that he became weaker to heat while he lived in the cold Empire.
Because of that, the cold water with ice floating in it seemed sweeter than ever before.
(…I"m looking forward to it.)
Water was already this delicious. The Kaffa of another world that he would be drinking for the first time in half a year would surely be even more delicious.
Thinking so, even waiting was fun.
He sat silently on his chair, waiting in the room which was neither hot nor cold. He waited while thinking of that person.
It was a nostalgic but fun time.
[Thank you for waiting. Here is your coffee float.]
Seeing the coffee float delivered to him, Sharif"s face loosened.
A crystal clear gla.s.s cup filled with black Kaffa and floating ice.
And a yellowish white ice cream ball placed on top.
The coffee float he first saw in half a year showed its usual appearance to Sharif.
(Aa, this is it after all.)
It was the same as always.
(Delicious… this is the otherworld style.)
He was deeply satisfied with the taste of sourness, bitterness and sweetness of Kaffa spreading in his first sip.
The taste after a long absence, returning to his birth country, he remembered when he mentioned this way of serving Kaffa in royal court for the first time.
At first, the taste of Kaffa that Sharif drank during the intervals of his trip was not that good.
It should have been the best of Kaffa beans available in the Sand Country, but whether the beans had deteriorated or the water was different…
It tasted different from the Kaffa he drank in his birth country.
(My attendants must have gone through a lot of hardships.)
The fact that the taste of Kaffa familiar to the people of the Sand country was deteriorating had been a problem for a long time.
They tried changing the water, adding sugar and flavouring, listened to the story from a n.o.bleman of Sand Country who had headed to the Empire before for negotiations, and somehow managed to prepare a delicious cup of Kaffa.
Because of their efforts, the Kaffa they drank in the Empire became delicious.
However, it was a fact that it was different from the Kaffa served in the Sand Country, so inwardly he was a little dissatisfied.
That was why the usual Kaffa served in his birth country felt abundantly delicious.
And after the journey, Sharif"s tongue after he had drunk a variety of Kaffa captured the taste of otherworld Kaffa sharply.
Compared to the cold Kaffa of Sand Country, this one had weak bitterness and strong acidity. The sweetness was quite weak… but it was delicious.
It was different from the one in the Sand Country, but the taste was familiar too.
(Okay, next is…)
After enjoying the Kaffa, Sharif picked up a silver spoon placed beside the gla.s.s cup and went for the ice cream.
After he repeatedly ate it, he found out how to enjoy coffee float.
He scooped up the part of ice cream which was melting while he enjoyed the Kaffa and carried it to his mouth.
The ice cream melted softly on his tongue, leaving the scent and sweet flavor of milk.
The part that had melted, the part that had not melted that much, after enjoying the exquisite softness, he further scooped up the part that had not melted yet into his mouth.
This time it stayed longer in his mouth as it was colder, and while enjoying his tongue being chilled by the melting ice cream, he sipped the Kaffa.
The sweet and cold aftertaste was nice.
(Well, let"s sink it now.)
When the ice cream was reduced to less than half, he turned it over and sunk it.
He stirred it, while tasting the ice cream remaining on the ice cubes, the ice cream had completely melted and dissolved in the black Kaffa.
He made sure that the black Kaffa and the white ice cream had mixed and became a brown shade before drinking.
The ice cream added sweetness to the Kaffa and gave it a soft flavor different from how it was previously.
If the taste of the previous Kaffa was relished by his throat, this thick flavour was enjoyed by his stomach.
(Umu, this is certainly coffee float.)
He was deeply satisfied by its taste.
It had been half a year, but he enjoyed the taste that was the same as before.
It was such a time.
"Chirinchirin", the sound of bell announced the arrival of customer, and Sharif reflexively looked towards that direction.
Standing there was a young woman with flowing silver hair… the person who Sharif loved.
The woman took notice of Sharif inside the restaurant… she then smiled at him.
Just that alone struck Sharif"s heart like an alarm bell, he felt that the sweetness of Kaffa was also increased.
(As I thought, when Adelheid is present, the taste of Kaffa is even more delicious…)
Well, what to do… while thinking if he should invite her, he drank the remaining Kaffa.
TN: And that"s it. Please inform me the next time the author updates this story again (if they update it that is).