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

Cup 13: A 'Quiet' First Day

He frowned, realizing that he had slept in the dirt and grime brought in from outside, making a note to wash his sheets after work. The shower was hot and refreshing, bringing him back to his senses. His sluggishness left him and he felt rejuvenated again, ready for his first day on the job.

Sylfie handed him a fresh pair of clothes, turning around as he changed and then they were off. As they hurried down to breakfast, Ryu noticed she was wearing an outfit different from her usual attire. She wore a pair of tight-fitting pants and a snug black top with the café's logo: a purple flower on a white cup with steam rising out of it.

"What?" Sylfie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"N-nothing. The uniform suits you," Ryu replied.

Sylfie blinked. "Thanks."

Breakfast was well underway by the time they reached the main floor. The wait staff had already seated themselves, chatting idly and exchanging pleasantries as they enjoyed fresh pastries from the bakery across the street.

"Mia, the baker, makes these bright and early for us," Hazel explained. "So, she gets free coffee whenever she comes in, got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," Ryu replied.

They grabbed a few pastries and a hot cup of coffee each from a nearby table and took a seat next to their coworkers. They were friendly and polite, but what struck Ryu as odd was that they seemed full of energy. They were happy to be there. At Java Roast, Ryu would have been lucky to get a word out of any of his coworkers; every person there was preoccupied with their own miserable existence.

Sylfie nudged Aurora awake, placing a small saucer of Taurus Milk in front of her. The little cat yawned sleepily, lapping at the milk with her eyes half-closed.

Ryu inspected his coffee. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, and it didn't have a purple hue like the espresso Hazel had made. He took a sip, smiling as a familiar flavor enveloped his tongue. It was a simple pour-over, like the one he had made for Sylfie in Kodama Forest, the name of which he had finally learned while drinking with Jörm. At least I know how to make this.

[06:30] arrived shortly, prompting everyone to get to their stations.

"Since you're still [Level 1] I'll just have you make the pour-overs for now. You won't need any spells for it," Hazel instructed. "Sylfie will be watching you, so if you feel like letting her try making a cup, do so at your discretion. Oh, and get changed into a proper Coffee Brewer's outfit. You should have one from the [Level 1 Bonus]."

Ryu nodded, donning the [Brewer's Attire] he had acquired from reaching [Level 1]. It reminded him of a bartender's uniform: a vest over a white button-up and a tie. He rolled up his sleeves, grinning. Today was going to be a cakewalk.

Then, the first patrons started rolling in. Many ordered a specialty coffee from Hazel, though a few came to Ryu for a simple brew, making small talk with him and Sylfie. Maybe it was because there was a new face in the café, or maybe this was the usual order, but there was a sudden shift in patrons swarming Ryu's station around midday.

Sylfie and Aurora hid behind him as he fought valiantly against the horde of customers, furiously churning out brew after brew. By the end of the day, he was slumped over the counter, run ragged by the amount of orders he had received.

"What was that?!" he complained.

"We'll need to increase your level before you're able to learn any new brews so I figured offering a free cup from our newest Coffee Brewer would do the trick," Hazel chuckled.

"You're evil," Ryu groaned.

He checked his statistics, invoking [Insight].

[Coffee Brewer card for beginners. This card certifies that the carrier in question is a novice in coffee brewery]

[Current level: 3]

"[Level 3]!" Ryu whistled.

"It takes one hundred cups of coffee to reach [Level 2] and about a thousand to reach [Level 3]," Hazel explained.

"A t-thousand?! Those customers—they're insatiable!" Sylfie shook.

"M-monsters," Aurora agreed.

"You could say the same about Ryu for matching their orders," Hazel pointed out.

Ryu looked over his newly acquired skills and bonuses, eager to see what he had earned this time.

[Skill Acquired: Petrify]

[Skill Acquired: Nullify]

[Level 2 Bonus: Coffee Food Infusion]

[Level 3 Bonus: Coffee Jelly Recipe]

"Oh! Coffee jelly! I love this stuff! We used to have it back home!" Ryu exclaimed. "I could whip up a batch right now. Do we have any agar?"

Hazel shook her head. "We ran out a few days ago. I was going to make a request about that, actually. This'll be a good opportunity for you to learn about sourcing ingredients. You'll need to go to the Slime Forest to get agar for coffee jelly."

Ryu and Aurora exchanged a glance. The Slime Forest; what was supposed to be their first stop on this adventure, ended up being skipped over altogether. They would finally get a chance to explore the Wildlands again, this time in the correct order.

"You'll be safe for the most part. It's an easy area to explore. Plus, Sylfie's with you," Hazel remarked. "I don't think I really need to warn you about this, but just so you're aware, the Slime Forest shares a border with Demonia's Lair. The border is divided by a sheer rock face, though, so unless you're extremely unlucky, you won't need to worry about running into any high-level monsters that have crossed into the area."

"Don't worry, Gramma Hazel!" Aurora exclaimed. "We're the luckiest adventurers out there, nya! No monster's gonna sneak up on us!"