Published: August 15, 2025
Marquis Dario, having been drenched in red wine from head to toe, first took a bath and changed his clothes.
But his eccentric behavior didn’t end there; it only accelerated.
“My sincerest apologies earlier, Lord Cyrus. This time, I have brewed some delicious coffee. Please, everyone, enjoy it.”
Saying this, the marquis poured coffee into cups for everyone.
Among them, Wolfgang, who knew the most about coffee, peered curiously at the marquis’s hands.
“Oh… Lord Dario, you handle this quite skillfully. The way you bring out the aroma is impressive.”
The marquis snorted proudly and puffed out his chest as if boasting.
“Of course. As a Sphain man, whether noble or emperor, one has no right to call himself a man if he can’t brew his own coffee. Each of us has our own preferences for beans and grind.”
“Indeed, these grounds are quite fine. Won’t that make the coffee a bit too strong?”
“Hmph, Sphain coffee is meant to be strong and sweet. We drink less quantity per day because of that.”
“I see, it’s the exact opposite culture from Dilz, where coffee is made weak and consumed like tea. As expected, Lord Dario is very knowledgeable. I’m impressed.”
Praised by the old butler, the marquis seemed pleased, his movements becoming more cheerful. After brewing coffee for everyone, he distributed the cups in front of each person.
A cup was placed in front of me as well. Lord Cyrus, sitting next to me, leaned over halfway and peeked into my cup.
“...Indeed, the color is quite dark. And the aroma is wonderful.”
“Yes, once you’ve tasted Sphain coffee, you can’t go back to Dilz’s weak black water... Lord Cyrus, since I want you to enjoy it fresh, I will serve you last. Everyone else, please have a sip first. Then add sugar according to your preference.”
While saying this, the marquis quietly took something from his pocket. With everyone’s eyes on their coffee, he hovered his hand over Lord Cyrus’s cup.
A small plop of water sound and faint ripples.
Just as I thought “Ah—”, Wolfgang shouted loudly.
“Oh, Lord Dario, look! There’s a tea stalk in my coffee!”
“A tea stalk in coffee!?”
Startled, the marquis turned his body toward Wolfgang. Taking advantage of the moment, Lord Cyrus swapped his coffee cup with the marquis’s. Wolfgang laughed brightly.
“Ah, sorry, it was just a film of coffee oil.”
“How do you mistake an oil film for a tea stalk? Honestly...”
Muttering, the marquis sat back down.
He looked at Lord Cyrus, who was drinking the coffee happily and curiously, then brought the cup to his own lips...
“Salty!!!”
He spat out the coffee with force, staining the delicate lace of his stand-up collar brown.
Marquis Dario Alfonso changed clothes for the second time today.
When he returned to the dining room, Tunic was reaching out to Lord Cyrus’s head.
“Wow, master, there’s a butterfly resting on your hair. How fairy-tale-like!”
“Eh, oh no, where? Get it off, get it off!”
Lord Cyrus hurriedly bent his large frame down, waiting for Tunic to catch the butterfly. His flustered demeanor was hard to imagine from his usual self.
Tunic laughed with great delight.
“Master, are you perhaps afraid of insects?”
“Well... honestly, I’m not good with them. Especially the small ones with lots of legs.”
“Surprising! But you must have seen many like sea lice when sailing, right?”
“Exactly that. Once I saw them swarming under the ship’s hull...”
Lord Cyrus twisted his face a bit at the memory but spoke in a somewhat amused tone.
Nearby, the marquis was pricking up his large ears, listening intently. After absorbing the story, he grinned slyly and stood up.
After briefly wandering around the mansion, he left, carrying a large insect net, crossing a small stream.
……………….
I quietly headed in the opposite direction from the marquis and dug into the soft earth with my hands.
About an hour later.
“Lord Cyrus! By the way, everyone hasn’t been shown to their bedrooms yet! The rooms are ready, so please relax there!”