#849 Demon Capital – New Café Circumstances

As the lively spirit of spring grew more robust, I made a trip to the Demon Kingdom.

I visited a certain café there.

It was a café I had whimsically established once upon a time. Though I had entrusted it to a reliable person and hadn’t visited in a while, I felt it was my duty to check in after such a gap.

I was also eager to catch up with Mr. Gray Silva, the café’s barista.

As I opened the door with a jingle, the barista, with his silver-gray hair, greeted me with a sophisticated smile.

“Welcome.”

Long time no see.

My apologies for dropping by more often.

Mr. Gray Silva, a former mercenary of the human race, now a master barista, has a career most enviable. 

His every move is so cool it’s captivating.

The café had a calm atmosphere. The sparsely filled seats actually made the space more relaxed, perfect for enjoying a coffee... 

...Wait a minute.

“Doesn’t it seem a bit empty here?”

“Really? It’s usually like this these days.”

Is that so?!

I remember when it first opened, it was bustling every day, with lines even outside!

Well, it was an otherworldly café with rare and exotic offerings, so a huge turnout was expected.

When this café started, the introduction of coffee, a novelty from another world, caused a stir. 

Trendsetters from all over the Demon Capital flocked here.

Usually, the various projects I produced without much forethought continued to be wildly popular, driving the economy. 

Considering that, this level of business seems... somewhat disappointing...?!

“You think? I still think we get a decent number of customers.”

Currently, half the seats are filled, hm?

Thanks to that, the café’s serene and hidden gem-like quality is preserved. From a concept standpoint, it seems right, but still, it’s a bit sad not to be packed to the brim, isn’t it?

“Getting too greedy isn’t good. It was the same during the war. Winning too much often heralded bad omens, usually a trap by the enemy, or it meant unforeseen strains in our own ranks that could lead to serious injuries.”

Wise words from Mr. Gray Silva!

Maybe he’s right, but I can’t help wanting a full house. Perhaps my senses have been skewed by wielding too much modern knowledge.

“Sure, it was dizzyingly busy right after opening, but I’d rather not have that chaos again. That kind of franticness is better suited for the battlefield.”

“Exactly, coffee should be savored in this kind of tranquility,” a customer, Belphgamilia, one of the Heavenly Four of the Demon King’s Army, said.

Is he shirking his duties again?

“Coffee is not just tasted with the tongue! It’s about the aroma, the sound of grinding beans, boiling water, and pouring into the cup! You have to enjoy it with all your senses to be a true coffee aficionado! And for that, a café needs to be quiet and soothing, almost redemptive!!!”

“Understood, but please get back to your work.”

You’re probably swamped with unfinished tasks.

Mamoru has to shoulder all that burden, so once you’re done with your coffee, go back and do what you need to do!!!

And ironically, your passionate speech is disrupting the café’s peace!!!

“The recent downturn in customers is probably due to the increase in competition.”

“Really?”

Putting the troublesome customer aside...

I listened as Mr. Gray Silva analyzed the business situation.

“A new source of coffee beans was discovered, right? With massive imports, almost anyone can start a coffee shop now. That led to a surge in new cafés throughout the Demon Capital.”

With more competition, the profits are spread thinner.

The population of the Demon Capital, the potential customers, hasn’t changed. When multiple people vie for a piece of the same pie, naturally, everyone gets a smaller share.

“Trading companies, guilds... There are many in this town who can plan a business. When those types get serious about entering the market, a small operation like mine can’t compete,” he says with a tone of resignation.

Not challenging an unwinnable battle. Such a dignified attitude reflects his veteran status, but...

...Wait.

The coffee beans I painstakingly cultivated on my farm should be unmatched by any ordinary product.

And yet, we’re losing customers to other shops?

“Heh... it seems these multiple establishments have been getting quite creative. What do you think, having seen it for yourself? Nowadays, the Demon Capital is a battleground of coffee shops. Each one is trying to survive with its own unique doctrine. It’s quite fascinating to observe, isn’t it?”

...Hmm.

As someone who has backed this café, it seems I have a duty to see how it fares.

Now that it’s come to this, I should take a look at the numerous coffee shops that have sprung up in the capital. A sort of reconnaissance mission!

But first, I need to finish the coffee I ordered here!

“I think I’ll have another cup.”

Get back to work already, Belphgamillia!!!

***

I’m wandering around the Demon Capital.

I can’t help but notice how much the streets have changed...

Well, I usually live on a farm and rarely visit this place, but even I can tell that there’s more life here than before.

The whole city is bustling, and there are several new shops with fresh designs. 

In the distance, I can see the Sun Tower and children clutching god figurines as they run about.

Could it be... this remarkable development in the Demon Capital is because of me?

No, surely not...!

When I finally reached the address that Mr. Gray Silva gave me, there it was – a coffee shop.

“Wow, it’s huge...!”

This coffee shop is completely unfamiliar to me. 

And it’s massive.

It looks big enough to accommodate a hundred customers at once, dwarfing the café that I had a hand in producing with Mr. Gray Silva.

It has a popular, mass-appeal vibe to it.

I can’t just stand here and stare at the exterior. 

Time for some enemy reconnaissance...

“How many people, sir?”

“Just me.”

What?

Is there a problem?

Is it so wrong to have coffee alone?!

Ahem. I’m sorry.

“Please choose from this menu.”

“Um, I’ll have a hot coffee and...”

Then, my eye catches the meal menu. 

I hadn’t had anything besides coffee at Mr. Gray Silva's place, and I was starting to feel hungry as the day wore on.

“...I’ll take this sandwich set.”

“Got it!”

The waitress takes my order and heads back, probably to pass it on to the kitchen, where they’ll cook up whatever’s been ordered.

While waiting for the food, I start to ponder.

“A meal menu, huh...”

Come to think of it, Mr. Gray Silva’s café did seem a bit weak in that department.

We focused on making the coffee stand out, but perhaps that strategy is backfiring now that we’re in a competitive phase.

Relying solely on coffee to attract customers surely has its limits. 

I’ll have to give it some thought when I get back.

...As I ponder this, time passes, and it seems my order is ready.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Here’s your hot coffee and...”

With a clink of ceramic, a perfectly ordinary cup of coffee is placed before me.

And next...

“Here is your sandwich set.”

Thunk!

An unusually loud sound as the basket is placed on the table.

This is the sandwich set...?!

“It’s huge...!”

The assortment of sandwiches served is three times larger than what I imagined. 

And there’s so much of it.

Three... four, five, six, seven, eight... nine sandwiches?

Each one is as big as if made from an entire loaf of bread.

“Excuse me... how many people is this for?”

“It’s normally for one, sir.”

This?! For one?!

Could it be that coffee shops are primarily focused on food in this other world?!