Regarding the coffee sample that Kuro gave me, I inquired about Ozma-san’s availability via hummingbird and found out that I’ll be going to Ozma-san’s house tomorrow.
It seems that Ozma-san’s house is in a different location from Megiddo-san’s residence, and it was planned for me to teleport to Megiddo-san’s residence, where Ozma-san would pick me up.
Ozma-san aside, as for someone who might like coffee, Shea-san comes to mind, but are there others as well?
[……Why don’t you just ask me?]
[Well, that feels a bit like cheating…… No, guess it’s too late for that now huh…… Do I have any acquaintances who like coffee other than Ozma-san, Elise-san, and Shea-san? Oh, by the way, does Shea-san even like coffee?]Since I was relaxing at Alice’s general store, it seemed like Alice read my mind and told me.
Well, it’s true that Alice is the best source for information. She probably knows my acquaintances’ hobbies and preferences almost perfectly, even those I might not be aware of.
[Just as Kaito predicted, Shea-san likes coffee. Also, here’s a list I’ve prepared. The names at the top are the ones who like coffee the most. The ones at the bottom prefer coffee over tea but they don’t particularly mind much whichever. People who drink coffee regularly are around this part of the list.]
[Your support is too perfect.]
The list Alice handed me had names of my acquaintances who like coffee, including those I hadn’t noticed. It was exactly the information I needed. I suppose it’s as to be expected of her, her preparation is so thorough that she must have anticipated this in advance.
As I was thinking about this, Alice started grinding the sample coffee beans with a coffee grinder. The sound of the beans being ground and the faint aroma of coffee were delightful.
[Kuro had already brought some brewed coffee, so this is the first time I’ve seen it being hand-ground like this.][Well, if you don’t have any particular preferences, buying pre-ground coffee is fine. However, freshly ground coffee has a better aroma, so if you’re going to put in the effort, grinding it yourself is better. Finding the right grind setting for your taste is also a good idea.]
[Grind setting?]
[Different grinders have different mechanisms, but for this coffee grinder, you can adjust the grind by moving the adjustment screw up or down under the handle. Generally, moving it up makes it coarser, and moving it down makes it finer.]
[Heehhh~~]
While explaining, Alice finished hand-grinding the coffee and placed a tool with a transparent flask-like container on the counter.
[This is…… a siphon, right?]
[That’s right. Well, coffee made with a siphon tends to taste better.]
[Unn? What’s this cloth-like thing?]
[This is a Nel filter, a cloth filter. It makes coffee with fewer impurities and a smooth mouthfeel, and most people use a Nel filter with a siphon. You set the filter in this funnel and insert it into the siphon’s flask to extract the coffee. However, it’s not very beginner-friendly because if you over-extract, the bitterness can become too strong.]
[Heehhh……. there are so many different coffee-making tools huh.]
[Yes, there are various methods like AeroPress, Ibrik, Percolator…… Each has different compatibility with beans…… but well, ultimately, as long as it tastes good, it’s all that matters. Here you go.]
Alice, while giving a slight wry smile, handed me a cup of coffee she brewed. Taking a sip…… it was delicious. It perfectly matched my taste, and it was the best coffee I’ve had recently.
[……It’s incredibly delicious. It feels like it perfectly suits my taste.]
[Given your taste preferences, a slightly coarser grind with a clean flavor is probably what you’d enjoy. Among Kuro’s new products, using a slightly coarser grind for these beans would make them taste great. I’ll also nonchalantly serve some castellas that pair well with coffee as a snack. Oh my, as expected of the Transcendental Beauty Alice-chan, the ideal girlfriend with flawless mindfulness!]
[Yes, yes.]
[Isn’t your response too sloppy!? Please compliment me properly!]
[……So says someone who gets embarrassed when I properly give my response…… Well, it’s true that Alice is incredibly considerate, always helping out, fun to be with, cute, and definitely the best girlfriend.]
[……Ahh~~ Umm…… I’d also feel troubled if you compliment me too much…… L- Let’s keep it in moderation……]
[It’s because you’re like that that I’m being lighthearted about it……]
Reacting as I thought she would, Alice, who looks away bashfully when directly praised, is so incredibly adorable that it makes me chuckle.
Thinking it might be fun to give her some unexpected compliments in the future, I enjoyed the delicious coffee Alice made.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [She may be made fun of for how embarrassed she easily gets, but if you think about her actual specs, she really is flawless……]
