#853 The Merchants’ Coffee Talk

I am Shax, a demon merchant.

I’m energetically contributing to developing our race and the Demon Kingdom through commerce like any other day.

The hottest project we’re currently tackling is a coffee shop.

The Demon Isle has recently seen a resurgence in interaction with the Demon Kingdom.

The highlight of its local products turned out to be coffee beans.

Roast them until pitch black, grind them into powder, mix with hot water, and voila – a bitter, black, and invigorating beverage when drunk.

Its acceptance was smooth, thanks to Lord Saint, who pioneered and introduced it to the market.

Other merchants and I eagerly jumped on this new venture, setting up numerous coffee shops throughout the capital.

It’s truly the era of the grand coffee shop boom.

“If you want to make a quick fortune, open a coffee shop,” they say.

As the head of the foremost commercial guild in the Demon Kingdom, I couldn’t miss out on such a lucrative opportunity.

The unexplored realm of coffee shop management brimmed with endless possibilities, allowing room for adventurous experiments.

We weren’t confined to established market rules.

Being able to incorporate whatever exciting or fun ideas I came up with felt exhilarating.

It reminded me of my younger days, naïve and full of grand dreams.

Even Samijrah, the head of the Izakaya Guild, felt the same. We reminisced about our early days, competing with each other with various innovative ideas.

For months, we passionately continued our businesses, oblivious to our age...

But the peak came sooner than expected.

One reason was the limited variety of products.

The novelty of coffee, an exotic import from the Demon Isle, initially gave a business advantage.

But new things wear out their welcome quickly.

And when everyone jumps on the bandwagon, that novelty fades even faster.

To avoid being left behind by the trends, I racked my brain for new ideas, particularly in the realm of coffee preparation. But developing new methods for brewing coffee isn’t a simple task, and I found myself repeating failures one after another.

Another concern was the presence of Lounge Ares, the very first coffee shop.

Run by the human Gray Silva, who sourced his coffee beans not just from the Demon Isle but from elsewhere too, the quality was on another level.

Naturally, his primary source was that famed farm.

Everything Lord Saint’s farm produced was top-notch, perhaps even surpassing that.

The coffee beans from the Demon Isle couldn’t compare to those from the farm.

In fact, the coffee served at Gray Silva’s cafe remained the undisputed best, and I often found myself there, despite running my own shop…

Admitting defeat was bitter... 

Yet the coffee was delicious!

Amidst this frustration and realization of our limits...

A ray of hope shined through. 

Unexpectedly, it was Gray Silva who reached out.

While enjoying my usual afternoon coffee break at his cafe, he made a curious proposition.

“I’ve got something interesting to show you, care to take a look?”

Samijrah, who happened to be sharing the table, was invited too. 

It seemed like something any coffee shop owner would find intriguing.

Joining my long-time rival Samijrah wasn’t ideal, but I couldn’t pass up a potentially lucrative opportunity. 

Though secretly, I hoped to outdo him...

And then, Gray Silva led us to the back of his shop to reveal...

A kettle?

“A kettle?”

No.

This is different.

This mysterious shape, this aura that expands creativity.

It’s evoking a sense of déjà vu.

I’ve seen things like this many times before!

“Yes, this is Lord Saint’s creation.”

I knew it!!! 

Anything Lord Saint crafted surely possessed functions we’d never seen before, just like the sausage maker!

“Put coffee and water in here, then heat it up.”

“Interesting.”

“And the steam quickly extracts the coffee, ready to serve.”

“Ohhhhhhhhhh!”

The coffee produced was, as usual, pitch black. 

It was a small amount, and when I tried it...

“It’s so bitter!!!”

Unbelievably bitter! 

Yet intensely flavorful.

To extract such rich coffee...!

“It’s a brewing method that uses steam for rapid extraction, resulting in a much richer flavor than usual. I’m just repeating what Lord Saint said, though.”

“How intriguing…! But is it really okay to share such a marvelous thing with us? Surely, it’s destined to be the highlight of your shop?”

You might call it the ace up your sleeve.

“No big deal. Lord Saint himself said that new things are best when shared.”

Lord Saint...!

How merciful!

Thanks to you, the civilization of the Demon Capital is advancing rapidly!!!

If this exceptionally rich coffee hits the market, it will revolutionize the coffee shop industry!

Undoubtedly, it’ll add a variety of new ideas to our already exhaustive menu repertoire.

We are truly entering a new coffee era!!!

“Let’s all brainstorm what new coffee creations we can make with this espresso!”

Bam!

Under Gray Silva’s lead, the gathering became a brainstorming session for new products!

Was that his intention?

Just when I thought he was generously sharing, he was cleverly utilizing the wisdom of these great merchants!

“Hmm, but it’s bitter... too bitter…!”

Samijrah, who came along, seemed to dislike the bitterness, constantly adding heaps of sugar.

Hmph, how tasteless…

Doesn’t he understand that coffee’s essence lies in its bitterness?

“But isn’t this too bitter?! Most customers at the shop prefer it with milk and sugar, so much so that it’s almost a standard menu item!”

“That’s café au lait. And when you add milk to espresso, it’s called a café latte.”

Café latte?!

What a classy name!

Let’s add it to the menu right away! The impact of a product starts with its name!!!

Of course, we’ll include plain espresso as well!

But we need something more impactful…

“…How about this? When someone orders a large size, we’ll call it ‘Doppio’!”

“Doppio?!”

“D-d-d-doppio?! What does Doppio mean?!”

I have no idea! But the term just suddenly popped into my head! 

Espresso’s large size should be called Doppio, not Grande!

Doppio!!!

Just shouting ‘Doppio’ seems like it could increase the number of customers to a million.

“Nghhhhh…! If Shax keeps popping out new product ideas, I can’t be outdone…!” 

“Is ‘Doppio’ really a new product idea?”

Samijrah, have you finally realized my overflowing sense as the head of our trade guild?

This is the dignity that comes with the position.

“Hah, you’re too naïve, Shax. Did you think I had no ace up my sleeve?”

“What?”

“I’ve heard something before, a completely new coffee menu item, accidentally mentioned by Lord Saint in a conversation.”

What?!

You’re imparting such crucial information to us?!

“Even in casual conversations, I don’t miss important details! That’s the keenness I’ve developed as the master of the Izakaya Guild! Sensing profit opportunities is the essence of being a merchant!!!”

Wh-What kind of coffee idea did Lord Saint reveal…?!

“Want to hear it? In that case, I’ll tell you!!!”

“Are we still talking about espresso?”

“The new coffee menu item that Lord Saint accidentally mentioned is… Vienna coffee!!!”

***

Later, Samida Coffee Shop started selling Vienna Coffee, which literally had a Vienna sausage thrown into the coffee. However, the sales were underwhelming. 

According to Lord Saint, Vienna Coffee wasn’t supposed to be like that.

So, what exactly is Vienna Coffee?

While pondering this, my shop’s Caramel Macchiato became a sensational best-seller.

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this'll be the last update for the year as ill be busy with irl stuff until jan 3 ish when i get access to my PC again. thank you for another year! hope to see you in 2024 as well :)