The Other World Dining Hall (WN) Chapter 74

Coffee Jelly

The ruthless sun that casted the light of death across the dessert had left the earth.

When the area was steeped in the twilight of night, Aleph, a magician who lived for many years in the oasis town of Sand Country, heavily got up and stretched his body.

[…Light.]

He held out his left hand and called out a ma.s.s of orange light that hovered on the palm of his hand.

[Umu, I slept well.]

While stroking his messy beard that one would hardly say was neatly trimmed, he murmured and went to fetch his sandals.

The magical light that lit various parts of the city showed the usual town merchants and desert lizards walking under the light.

The merchants and government officials of the Empire of the Eastern Continent (it seemed to be a country that equaled with the Kingdom though it was just about 50 years old) recently started to visit the town and was surprised to see the "night view" very much, although it was normal for commoners of the Sand Country to memorize the chanting of one or two simple magic even if they couldn't read.

[Well, I'm hungry…]

Drifting among the stalls while stroking his empty belly, his nose was attracted to the smell of cooked fish.

When he thought about it, he had not eaten anything after he ate the thin bread he bought this morning.

[…Oo, today's Satur's day if I remember correctly.]

With his hunger, Aleph noticed that and hurried to that place.

He went through the crowd and entered one of the vacant houses in the city.

Nothing lived there for several years, a sad vacant house.

The ceiling had collapsed and a black door was illuminated by the moonlight that spilled in from the hole.

(Umu, it's as powerful as usual.)

A few years ago, Aleph who was a magician with enough knowledge to be called a wiseman found this door after he noticed the strange magical power leaking out of the vacant house.

Originating from the ancient time when the great desert of Sand Country was created, this door that held the magic of elves.

When he first found the flow of magical power, he came through the door due to his curiosity.

'Chirinchirin', he went through the door while feeling hungry.

Spreading beyond the door was a bright restaurant in a different world than the city illuminated with magical lights.

Several people in the restaurant… according to Aleph's knowledge, a wide range of the customers came from Eastern Continent as well as monsters from all over the world enjoying their food.

While watching them, Aleph sat on an appropriate seat.

[Welcome. Here are your water and towel.]

Immediately, a demon waitress of Eastern Continent brought clear water that was valuable at the desert and towel soaked in hot water.

[Aa, thank you. I would like to order immediately please. Today's set menu with bread. Espresso for before meal and coffee jelly after the meal.]

He ordered as usual.

Bread, soup and daily set, otherworld style Kaffa (which was called coffee for some reason) and dessert of hardened Kaffa.

These three items were Aleph's usual order.

[Yes, please wait a moment. For now, I'll serve your espresso right away.]

[Aa, please.]

Aleph nodded satisfactorily to confirm the waitress.

At first, she was awkward with each of the customers, but thanks to her firm effort, she was able to polish her customer service.

Shortly afterwards, his Kaffa was served.

[Thank you for waiting. Here's your espresso.]

A white cup with handle placed on a small white plate.

The cup was full of jet-black Kaffa with a fragrant scent.

(Umu, it's a good scent. They're using fine beans.)

After enjoying the fragrance, he took the sugar jar and opened the lid.

The white sugar heaped on the silver spoon dropped into the smooth black Kaffa and he mixed it using the small spoon served with the drink.

He did not put in milk; he just lifted the cup and sipped it little by little.

A strong Kaffa scent, its acidity and bitter taste along with sweet sugar were mixed in the cup.

(This "strong" Kaffa can only be drunk in this store after all.)

To that taste, Aleph's cheeks loosened a little.

Just like other men of Sand Country, Aleph loved Kaffa.

That intense aroma and taste, when he drunk it, there's a good feeling caressing his head.

As he did not like liquor since it made his movement dull, when he wanted a drink that did not moisturize his throat, he always chose Kaffa.

This otherworld Espresso Kaffa had a strong taste.

(It's not just the beans that are good. I wonder what special way they did to make this.)

In the otherworld, there were various ways to enjoy Kaffa.

Ordinarily, the method to make Kaffa was to put powdered roasted Kaffa into a cloth bag and boiled it in hot water (the Sand Country was also familiar with mixing it with milk of domesticated animals). It was a way to drink cold beverage other than water drawn out from the well but there was no way to Kaffa strong enough as this espresso.

It could be said that Aleph visited the restaurant for its wide variety of Kaffa.

And he finished his enjoyable espresso.

[Sorry to keep you waiting. Today's daily set is a.s.sortment of croquettes and deep-fried shrimps.]

[Aa, thanks.]

His order arrived and Aleph picked up the cutleries.

And when his food was finished and his belly filled with soft white bread and soup.

[Excuse me, please serve the dessert now.]

He asked for the after meal dessert from the pa.s.sing by waitress.

[Ye~s, please wait a moment.]

As she said so, the girl went back to the kitchen for a while.

[Thank you for waiting. Here's your coffee jelly.]

She served it to Aleph.

[Umu, thanks.]

Aleph looked at the food in front of him.

Wide gla.s.s cup filled with square-shaped black confection.

It's a bad way to say that it looked like a slime sliced finely into Aleph's favourite dessert.

(Well, my belly is satisfied. It's time to enjoy this.)

He stroked his full belly and picked up a spoon.

To eat something truly delicious, one's belly must be filled.

That was Aleph's commitment.

Hunger made everything delicious. Even hardened bread and cool Kaffa tasted good when hungry. {TN: it means hot coffee that had already cooled down.}

That's why he must eat this when his belly was full.

When one ate not to fill his belly but to enjoy the taste, delicious food was truly delicious.

(First off, one by one.)

After a glimpse to the small pot filled with cream beside the cup, he ate without pouring it.

He scooped up a small square and ate it.

(Umu, delicious.)

The taste of Kaffa with its unique texture and slight sweetness was different from the normal drink.

It's cold though not as cold as ice cream.

He chewed it and enjoyed the flavor in his mouth for a while before swallowing it.

The jelly that entertained his tongue went through his throat into his stomach.

(Umu. I wonder how they make this.)

He wondered about it every time.

Aleph did not know how to make this jelly confection.

There were various ways to make it besides Kaffa like a mix of various fruit juices and eggs.

It might be similar to how a soup made during the evening from a lot of fishes that was fished from the oasis would solidify by morning when the sun rose.

While thinking such, he took another bite.

(Umu. But well, I can taste this here, so it's okay.)

With his belly filled, he enjoyed the slick texture with his tongue.

There's considerable time to research this anyway, and even if he managed to create this, he couldn't expect to replicate the taste.

He could leave magic to magicians and food to the chefs.

While thinking so, he moved to the next phase of eating.

(Next is this.)

He lifted the small jug of "fresh cream" which was milk with reduced moisture and increased fat.

When he poured the fresh cream onto the jelly, it left white streaks on the jet-black jelly.

(Ok, this is complete.)

He finished pouring all the fresh cream.

Clear black jelly, thick white cream and brown colour from mixing the two.

This state of three mixed colours was the completed form of coffee jelly.

Then he used his spoon to eat the jelly with cream.

(Umu, it's creamier now.)

He was deeply satisfied with the taste.

Coffee jelly was completed by adding thick white cream to the jelly of hardened Kaffa.

The taste of refres.h.i.+ng Kaffa added flavor to the milk, but at the beginning they were completely incompatible and he was able to taste their distinct flavor separately.

At first, he could strongly taste the milk, then the flavor of Kaffa beneath it, and when they're mixed lastly, it became the taste of otherworld café au lait.

It was wonderful for this coffee jelly to exhibit three flavours in just one bite.

(Umu, just cream is enough for coffee jelly. In coffee jelly parfait, there's too many extra things.)

It was complicated but not too complicated; it was a careful balance between cream and Kaffa.

That was the supreme taste for Aleph.

Aleph ate the coffee jelly steadily to confirm this.

There was no more coffee jelly, so he drank the brown sauce that came when coffee jelly and fresh cream were mixed together, and sighed satisfactorily.

(Umu, I'm satisfied.)

His tongue still remembered the taste of coffee jelly and his belly was full of happiness.

Before such happiness went away, he would go home and sleep.

[Owner! I leave the money on the table!]

While saying so, Aleph got up and placed today's fee.

[Yes, please come again.]

The owner knew what to do and lightly smiled at Aleph.

[Umu, let's meet again in a couple of days.]

Aleph also smiled at the owner and replied.

TN: He’s going to sleep again even though he just woke up from his nap before his meal? Just how many times a day is he going to sleep?