Opening the living room window, cool early morning air enters the room.
The curtains fluttered.
“Beautiful morning.”
It feels good to wake up early.
All the more so if you’re wide awake and don’t feel sleepy at all.
I was probably able to wake up at a good moment in my sleep cycle.
Was this thanks to the delicious food and drink? I’ve been full of energy right from the morning.
“Since it’s rare, shall I have breakfast outside today?”
The weather looked fine today and I had a little time to spare from waking up early.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to discover a new cafe for morning breakfast.
Having decided that, I got ready and left the apartment.
The area around my apartment was not crowded because it was early in the morning, but as I arrived at the central district, I could see a number of people.
Leading equipment and general stores were not yet open, but restaurants and stalls in the street market were busily bringing in their foods and getting ready to open.
On one side, the second floor of a private house, there was a woman looking down at the street with a sleepy face, and an uncle was watering flower pots on his balcony.
I like this somewhat relaxed atmosphere, different from my usual commuting time.
And it’s very easy to walk around because it’s not yet bustling.
Looking over stores that I usually passed by, I slowly moved my feet forward.
There are a number of cafes along the central district, but all of them are stores I’ve been to before. It’d be boring to go to the same places.
If possible, I wanted to go somewhere different today.
The cafes on the main street have large menus and are spacious, but unfortunately, I don’t like them because of the large amount of people inside.
That being so, I would like to go to a laidback place where I can spend a quiet moment.
The Royal Capital is a very large city with many streets spreading out like a net, and even though I’ve lived here for many years, it’s hard to say that I’ve got a good grasp of every single nook and cranny.
Therefore, when I have time like this, I take the initiative to look around places I normally don’t visit. This kind of small curiosity can lead to encounters with wonderful shops.
As I was walking down a random street I’d never been before, I came to a quiet residential area.
……As expected, there’d only be private homes in this area.
From what I could see around me, I didn’t see any place that looked like a store.
So I decided to turn back and search for another place.
Looking around with this in mind, I saw what looked like a cafe made of bricks, hidden among the houses.
Peering through the window, I saw that it was a snug and cosy store.
And the furniture in the shop was exceptional.
Everything from large furniture such as cupboards, sideboards, tables, and chairs to small items such as shelves, frames, and cutlery boxes were in an antique style.
It may seem cramped and old-fashioned compared to the stores on the main street, but a space has been created where customers can relax and feel at home.
“I didn’t know such a cafe existed.”
At first glance, there seems to be almost no one in the store.
After all, being located in such a secluded area, it’s probably not well known by the public.
Confirming that the store was not too crowded, I decided to quickly enter.
I push open the slightly heavy wooden door and it closes with a loud creaking sound.
“……Welcome. Please sit as you would like.”
When I entered the store, I see a man in his forties wearing a black formal, long-sleeved shirt and a short dark brown apron at the counter.
He was probably the owner of this cafe. An owner who fits perfectly with the classy atmosphere of this store.
After being received by his calm voice, I sat down in one of the chairs at the end of the store.
Although the chairs felt old, their comfort was outstanding. I couldn’t detect any imbalance or lean.
This table is probably made of mahogany. The reddish hue and lustre of the wood surface are beautiful.
You can perceive a texture that only antique furniture can have after many years of ageing.
This is definitely a sign that the owner here takes good care of his furniture. There’s a big difference between tasteful ageing and the stains from daily use, such as finger marks.
I continued to admire the furniture and accessories around my seat for a while.
Then I picked up the menu that was placed beside me.
It turns out this cafe also offers a morning set.
Toast, salad, hard-boiled egg, and a drink of your choice for 300 soros. A very reasonable price.
I decided on the morning set without hesitation, and while I was wondering what drink to choose, I heard a gurgling sound and suddenly smelled a nostalgic aroma.
“……This scent?”
A complex aroma with distinctive bitterness, sourness, and a hint of sweetness……. It was the scent of a drink I often drank at cafes in my previous life.
I approached the counter and saw the owner was turning a handle on a large box as though to grind something.
“Owner, could that possibly be coffee?”
I inadvertently asked, and the owner’s eyes widened.
“You know of coffee?”
“Yeah, I’ve had it before a long time ago.”
There are coffee beans in this world, but they are not widely distributed and are only consumed in certain regions.
I, too, have had the chance to try grinding and drinking the small amount of coffee beans that happened to come to the Royal Capital by myself. But compared to the taste of coffee from my previous life, it fell short.
“Same with me. A long time ago, when I was travelling, I was given the opportunity to drink it and I just couldn’t forget the taste from that time, so I’m making it as a hobby while opening a cafe.”
“Isn’t that a nice hobby?”
While operating a small cafe, to pursue what you like.
That’s also a wonderful way to live your life.
“Thank you very much. Unfortunately, the response from my customers has not been that great, so I’m still constantly working on it.”
“Well, there are few people who can immediately appreciate the goodness of coffee.”
In this country, coffee beans don’t come in very often, and in the first place, there’s no culture of drinking and enjoying coffee.
It would be difficult to have an unfamiliar drink and be able to instantly grasp what was so delicious about it.
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