CH 174

『Uu, so tired …』(Arge)

I’m inside the store after closing.

When there’s no more customer, I’m standing next to the table and sigh

I’m okay with helping out because I’m indebted to Satsuki-san but…

I’m not good with pasting a smile on my face to serve guests.

Besides, it’s not good to work dressed in girl clothes.

Frankly speaking, I feel ashamed.

We are cleaning the store after the working hour is over.

What comes into the store from the window is moonlight instead of sunlight.

The moonlight on my body and the cold feel of the table are pleasant.

I just want to sleep as it is.

『Thank you very much~

Alge is helping me out there (wa~a)』(Fumitsuki)

While saying so, Fumitsuki-san gives me a cup of tea with a smile.

When I looked into it, the sweet and bitter smell tickled my nose.

This is probably Cafe Au Lait.

『Yes, any warm drink is welcome (douzo)』(Arge)

『Haa (Yes), a warm drink is coming (doumo)』(Fumitsuki)

As I was prompted, when I take a look at it, the unique aroma of coffee spreads softly.

The feeling on my tongue is: the sweetness of sugar and milk is stronger than the bitter taste of coffee beans.

It’s a fairly sweet distribution, but delicious.

Having sugar really feels great on my tired body.

Fumitsuki-san sat down with the cup of the same thing as mine.

『One cup after labor is really nice…

Even though, I’m not as good as Shino-senpai,』(Fumitsuki)

『Satsuki cafe’s barista isn’t it?』(Arge)

『Yes, she is in charge of drinks.

We can do basic things, but…

Well, I’m not really good at that』(Fumitsuki)

I think the Cafe Au Lait I received is delicious enough, but Fumitsuki-san seems to be unconvinced.

Fumitsuki-san drank the contents of her cup and made a subtle face.

『nku~…u~un

It’s not bad but…』(Fumitsuki)

『It’s delicious』(Arge)

『Thank you. Arge is a good girl.

Well, but I can not help thinking about people’s reaction who aren’t』(Fumitsuki)

I’m not trying to comfort her, it’s really delicious. Well, I’ve never drunk coffee from the person named Shino, so I can’t really compare.

Fumitsuki-san convinced herself to be inferior and talked again.

『Shino-senpai,

It seems that she is an old friend of Onee-sama and Ai-chan…

And she seems to be more of a nomad than Onee-sama.』(Fumitsuki)

Onee-sama is Satsuki-san, and Ai-chan is Iris-san. (Iris is pronoun as Airisu, hence her nickname is Ai-chan)

She is an old acquaintance of the vampires.

In some cases, she might be hundreds of years.

When they talk about having such a long historical relationship, it must be a couple of decades.

『As I recalled, did you say that she went on a journey to look for good coffee beans?』(Arge)

『She usually came back with some unknown souvenirs though.

She has never found so much coffee beans.』(Fumitsuki)

Guessing from the story, she somehow looks like a funny person.

The staff members of this coffee shop are just as funny as they are, so I’m convinced.

『Arge, did you think something rude just now?』(Fumitsuki)

『No, I don’t. It’s true, it’s really true』(Arge)

『That’s fine though …

We are about to have dinner after a while,

Let’s enjoy the drink slowly until then』(Fumitsuki)

『That’s right.

Indeed, today’s meal is fish fry…』(Arge)

*Kachin* (SFX)

A cool little doorbell echoed inside the store.

The working time is only daytime, if the guests come at that time, we will stand up and serve them.

But the store is already closed now,

In other words, we won’t say a welcome but an apology and send them back.

『Ah, I’m sorry.

We are already closed for today…

Eh, Shino-Senpai!?』(Fumitsuki)

When Fumitsuki-san tried to send the guest back, she was suprised and called the name of the person who came in just now.

『I know. Because I’m also working here』(Shino)

The woman came into the store while casually waving hands at Fumitsuki-san

She is nearly 180 cm tall and looks like a butler.

She isn’t like Satsuki, but she acts like the “owner” (EN)

She has short black hair, brown eyes. She seems to be light-hearted and strong-willed.

She was walking in a relaxed mood, playing with the pipe with her right hand.

『Shino-senpai, welcome back… HEY, cigarettes are not good?』(Fumitsuki)

『 Don’t be like that, Fumitsuki.

Isn’t it okay because I don’t light it up yet?』(Shino)

Lightly dismiss Fumitsuki-san’s rebut, Shino-san shook the pipe.

Just like she said, she had no intention to light it.

Then she looked over to my direction.

『Hmm? Did you increase the number of employees of Satsuki Store?』(Shino)

『Ah, that’s wrong. That girl is just helping out』(Fumitsuki)

『First time meeting (Hajimemashite), my name is Argent Vampyr.

It’s rather long so I’m fine with just Arge』(Arge)

『Ah, Arge, isn’t it? Satsuki told me about you before?』(Shino)

It seems that Satsuki-san has talked about me.

Shino-san looked at me as if being convinced

『Well then, once again.

First time meeting. I’m Shino Ichinose, an employee of this store.』(Shino)

『Yes, I heard about you from Satsuki-san』(Arge)

『Mm, it’s good that you catch on quickly.

Best regard (Yoroshiku)』(Shino)

As Shino-san smiled, she held out her hand which doesn’t hold the cigarettes pipe to me.

When I held on her hand, she shook my hand somewhat strong.

In terms of attitude and appearance, she seems to be a male or a tomboy character.

『That’s right, Shino-Senpai.

Did you find the beans that are covered in glasses?』(Fumitsuki)

『No.

But I bought some souvenirs this time too.

Because the luggage is on the back,

I’ll give you later.』(Shino)

『…I can hope to get something useful or cute, right?』(Fumitsuki)

『Is it cute, you ask?

Well, was it okay to give you an object that I got from a mysterious tribe when I stepped foot into a somewhat unexplored land?

It’s cute though,

It makes a strange voice occasionally in the middle of the night』(Shino)

『I don’t need it, or rather throw it away immediately!』(Fumitsuki)

She was a funny person as expected.

After all, this person is an old friend of Satsuki-san.

Shino-san laughed in response to Fumitsuki-san’s reaction, and she took my cup

『Ah, that ……』(Arge)

『What’s the big deal? We are all women.』(Shino)

Shino-san stopped me from talking halfway and swallowed up the contents of the cup in one go.

『Mmm~… Isn’t the temperature control so sweet?』(Shino)

『(Sasuga) As expected, I can’t make the same as Shino-senpai.

Shino-senpai, I will not work in earnest if I can?

I mean, Shino-senpai, can you return to work? I can’t fill in your work properly』(Fumitsuki)

『That’s wrong.

Well then, Arge. As an apology, I will make you another cup.』(Shino)

『Uhm, thank you very much.』(Arge)

*No problem*

Shino-san smiled and went to the back of the store.

As if pulled by the string, Iris-san showed up at the right time.

『Ah, Shino. You come back?』(Iris)

『Ooh, Iris. I’m back. You seem to be fine』(Shino)

『Un, have you been well, Shino?

Can you tell us about your journey again?』(Iris)

『OH. I’ll tell to you after I brew the coffee. Can you call Satsuki, too?

First of all, I meet the mysterious battle tribes and then I meet with the Republic’s Prince…』(Shino)

『Well,

You will eventually connect to the story that you got that object, right?』(Fumitsuki)

It seems like she is looking forward to traveling even more than me, so I’m also looking forward to hearing her tale a bit.

After that, Satsuki-san, Aoba-san, Kuro-san also came and listened to the story of the trip while drinking Shino-san’s coffee.

Her coffee was really delicious and I had an unexpectedly enjoyable evening tea party.