Place Your Order Carefully
While walking through NOA's streets, an exotic herbal scent brushed past my nose.
Without thinking, I turned my head and spotted a small cafe.
Isn't this...?
Monastir Blend Specialty Shop
Oh, Master. Is this dessert made with Romarin herbs, by any chance?
And if you dip it lightly in this Lemaine cream, then take a sip of this Mortblum tea...
It was the same cafe where Tyria looked so lively and cheerful after leaving the hospital.
...Looks like I came in without realizing it.
Remembering how much she had enjoyed her tea here, I found myself entering without realizing it.
Welcome. What would you like?
Recalling that moment, I tried to order the same combination Tyria had eaten back then.
...Oh. Are you sure? That's rather unusual...
Ah, it should still be fine. Some guests do have very unique tastes.
It seemed Tyria's preferences might fall into that category.
Thinking lightly of it that way, I waited. And before long, my order arrived.
Th-this is...
Here is your Lemaine tea, along with pudding made with Romarin cream and Mortblum.
...Please, enjoy.
Mm.
They say people with refined tastes are reliable judges, after all.
The pairing of slightly bitter sauce with sweet dessert worked surprisingly well, and the floral aroma of the blend that followed was pleasant too.
Just as I took a sip of tea thinking I might come back here again sometime...
*Ding*
Welcome back. I've been waiting.
Tyria.
Pffft!
She had clearly enjoyed tea here that day after her discharge, but I hadn't expected her to come this often.
Running into her at a place I'd only stopped by once...
Frozen mid-sip after spitting out my tea, I looked up to see Tyria staring back at me with equal surprise.
...Hey, you...
Then, frowning slightly as if irritated, she began walking toward me.
Wh-what...?
What exactly are you eating right now?
The day after she left the hospital, I happened to see her enjoying this cafe's menu looking completely recovered...
She had looked like she was enjoying it so much that I got curious and tried it myself, and just as I was about to explain that—
You...
Startled by the sudden reprimand, I ended up apologizing before I could even explain.
How could you order something like that?!
...Huh?
Seriously. What kind of person eats in that combination?!
Who told you to eat it like that? This is an insult to Monastir baking—
I just followed what I saw you eating...
...
When did I ever eat something like this...?
Looking genuinely baffled, Tyria leaned closer to inspect my tray.
The whole combination is wrong...
You start with Lemaine cream, not Romarin. It's Romarin pudding, not Mortblum pudding. And the tea should be Mortblum, not Lemaine.
And the owner... She didn't say anything when you ordered this?
She only mentioned that I had a peculiar taste...
At my answer, Tyria pressed her hand to her forehead as if getting a headache.
*Sigh...* Could you get that thing out of my sight? I'll order something for you.
It's not a waste at all.
Not compared to what you're about to try now.
Here. This is the Monastir Beginner Tea Set. Even newcomers can appreciate it.
First, take a bite of the goat cheese cake dipped in Lemaine sauce. Then follow it with a sip of honey tea to reset your palate.
You came all the way here and started mixing things randomly without even knowing the basics?
If you're going to eat it, at least do it the right way.
Then what about the item next to that one...?
That's what I usually order. It's probably what you saw me having the other day.
Haha. Since Tyria orders that combination every time she visits, I just call it the Tyria Tea Set.
...
The Tyria Tea Set... I see.
...Just eat.
Still pouting slightly, Tyria picked up her fork and began tasting what she ordered.
I followed along and tried my portion of the Monastir Beginner Tea Set as well...
...
...This is incredible...!
The dish I ordered incorrectly earlier was decent enough, but this was on an entirely different level.
The soft goat cheese melted in my mouth while the bright Lemaine sauce enhanced the flavor, and the honey tea gently refreshed my palate.
Hehe. See? I told you it was good.
Resting her chin in her hand while watching me eat, Tyria finally smiled in satisfaction at my reaction.
More or less.
This is the kind of food I grew up eating.
Compared to that, the food in NOA barely brings out the ingredients' flavor. Everything tastes the same and it's absurdly expensive on top of that.
There's no way I could be satisfied with food like that.
I think I can understand why now...
...
As I kept eating without pause, completely absorbed in the flavors, Tyria glanced at me from the side.
...Hmm. I'm coming here again on my next day off.
You should clear your schedule for that day too.
Next time, I'll introduce you to a Standard-Level Dessert.
With that, Tyria quietly resumed eating as well.
*Yawn...*
After several exhausting days of training, I was lying on my bed enjoying a peaceful rest day, when...
*Knock knock*
Are you awake?
Tyria?
Get ready and come out. Let's go.
...Where are we going?
Didn't I say I'd let you try the Standard-Level Dessert on your next day off?
...
I didn't expected her casual remark back then to be serious.
Just like I said before, today we're moving on to the next step of gustatory delights.
...But since Tyria seemed unusually excited, I decided to keep that thought to myself.