110. Cafe

110. Cafe

“Priscilla.”

“Mmm… Mmm….”

“Prisci-lla.”

“Nom nom….”

The tip of a beastman’s tail is sensitive. In fact, the tip and the root are similarly sensitive, both causing involuntary tension in the body when stimulated.

In that regard, if someone unknown were to put their tail in my mouth and stimulate the tip with their tongue, I would genuinely have the confidence to punch that person.

But the reason I didn’t is, needless to say, because that someone is someone I know.

“Slurp.”

“Ugh.”

… Putting my tail in Priscilla’s mouth instead of cake was definitely not a good choice. Priscilla didn’t stop nibbling on my tail even after her mouth was covered in white tail fur.

From my grooming experience, licking a tail doesn’t have any special taste, so what could be so delicious that she’s eating my tail like a lollipop? I can’t understand.

This world is truly amazing.

But it’s hard to stop her when she likes it so much, so I have no choice. I’ll just consider it as grooming my tail.

The price of a choice must be paid by the one who made it…

“Nngh.”

… That’s how it goes.

I played with Priscilla’s twin buns, which were momentarily distracted by my tail, and then turned my head.

“Ur.”

“…! Mmph, yes?”

Ur, who was nibbling on cookies while squirming with embarrassment, looked at me in surprise as soon as she heard my call.

Perhaps she was very surprised, as she quickly stuffed the cookies she was slowly gnawing on into her mouth. She really looked like a hamster. Hamsters store food like that, probably.

“Won’t you choke if you eat like that?”

“U-Ur does not need such things. Ur can eat without water. You don’t have to bring it.”

“No, that doesn’t seem right….”

Ur, fearing that her share of – strictly speaking, all of it is mine – snacks would be taken away, frantically clutched the food to her chest. Even so, considering her size, she could only hide about two plates, but Ur’s movements were desperate.

She’ll get indigestion if she eats that fast.

“Ur, want some coffee?”

I picked up the coffee that was steaming in front of me. I ordered it because I thought I might need a drink in the middle, but I don’t know its name.

Among the various coffee types, I chose the most familiar name and ordered it, so it’s probably an Americano.

Ur asked back, with her mouth full of food.

“What is coffee?”

“Coffee is….”

I was speechless.

What is coffee?

A dark brown bitter liquid? A stimulant that reduces sleepiness? A caffeine drink?

It was a metaphysical question that couldn’t be easily answered, asking an ontological question.

Good heavens, my ego sword has reached such a high level of questioning! As a master, isn’t this a cause for great joy? If not today, then when should I celebrate!

“… So, what is coffee?”

“….”

“Is Master an idiot?”

“I-it’s possible not to know.”

Whatever the nature of coffee, doesn’t it all become the same once it’s in your mouth? It’s fine as long as you enjoy it.

Feeling awkward for no reason, I drank the entire coffee.

The price of ignorance was bitter.

… Ah, this was supposed to be for Ur.

I couldn’t spit out or drink the coffee that filled my mouth.

Enough to make my cheeks bulge.

Swallowing this much coffee isn’t a problem, but what if Ur asks for something to drink after I swallow it?

Ur would look at me with resentment, choking and sputtering!

I didn’t want to be hated by my sword.

So, I’ll keep the coffee in my mouth for Ur.

“Nom nom.”

However, contrary to my worries, Ur was uninhibited in eating her food. She didn’t seem to get indigestion or choke.

Rather, perhaps gaining confidence from the previous incident, she was now openly putting cookies into her mouth and swallowing them. She looked cute, smiling sheepishly.

How can she eat so fast with such a small mouth? Won’t she get full?

I heard in my past life that women have a separate stomach for dessert, and it seems to be true.

… Since there was no sign of her asking for help, I felt lonely and swallowed the coffee down my throat.

I wanted to feed her with a kiss.

“Ugh?”

As Ur ate diligently, and I secretly snuck snacks, only one cookie remained for Ur.

Ur held the last chocolate chip cookie in her hand and trembled as she looked at the empty plates.

“Mas-ter, all the delicious food is gone…!!”

“Well, we ate it all.”

“That’s impossible!”

It seems Ur was in denial about the fact that all the snacks were gone. Well, it’s hard to believe that we ate all of it, even though we ordered so much. Of course, by my standards, it wasn’t that much food.

A sparkle appeared in Ur’s bright white eyes.

Tears.

Still, perhaps it was too embarrassing to shed tears, so Ur desperately tried not to cry. She closed her eyes tightly, shook her head back and forth, and then looked at the cookie in her hand with a determined expression.

Then, slowly, one bite.

Ur began to gnaw on the cookie with her front teeth, just as she had done before. She seemed to be trying to savor it.

… Does she not know that I can order more food? Even if not too much, I can order more snacks if she wants.

Perhaps due to her background, Ur seemed to lack common sense in many ways. I could teach her common sense, but I felt like teasing Ur right now, so I quietly closed my mouth without saying anything.

“Hmph….”

Despite her desperate struggle to savor it, the small cookie disappeared entirely into Ur’s mouth.

The sweet scent that had filled the surroundings also disappeared, and Ur, showing signs of sadness, licked the remaining crumbs from the empty plate.

At that moment, Priscilla took her mouth off my tail.

Finally!

“It was delicious, Skadi.”

“Tails are not for eating, Priscilla….”

To receive the reward for licking my tail, I grabbed Priscilla’s cheeks and stretched them wide.

Streeeetch.

“Ueeeng.”

After enjoying the softness to my heart’s content, I let Priscilla go. She rubbed her sore cheeks and then picked up the drink in front of her.

It was a strawberry smoothie, ordered before she started licking my tail.

“Sweet smell…!”

And that sweet scent was caught by Ur, who was longing for sweets.

Ur’s eyes, which were looking at the strawberry smoothie in Priscilla’s hand, somehow lacked light. Sensing danger, I grabbed Ur, who was about to lunge, and stopped her.

“Ur, that belongs to Priscilla.”

“But…!”

“Wait.”

I quickly looked around. Ur didn’t seem like she could endure the short time it would take to order a new drink. For now, it would be best to give her something to eat as a temporary measure….

“Claire?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I have that?”

We had all finished our snacks long ago. I had finished my coffee, and Priscilla was drinking the smoothie, so the only thing left was the small coffee cup in front of Claire.

“… If you kiss me later.”

“Of course.”

Isn’t it natural to express gratitude with a kiss?

Anyway, I took the coffee cup. Strangely, the cup was very small, and very dark black coffee was sloshing inside.

It was a bit worrying because it was darker than I expected, but it seemed like there wouldn’t be any major problems. Coffee is coffee, after all.

The amount was too small to feel satisfied, but it should be enough to stop Ur for now.

I commanded Ur.

“Ur, try drinking this.”

“Yes?”

Ur, who expressed her doubt but diligently took the coffee as commanded.

I sat Ur down in my place and headed to the counter to order new drinks.

——

Two strawberry smoothies in hand.

The thick pink liquid sloshed.

“Ur, here’s something delicious… Ur?”

The little white maid had her head buried in the table, her body trembling. Ur was still holding the coffee cup, and it seemed she had only managed to drink about half of it while I was getting the drinks.

“Claire, what’s wrong with Ur?”

“That coffee is very bitter.”

“Is that so…?”

How bitter can coffee be?

Ur seems to have a very childish palate. She can’t drink it just because it’s a little bitter.

“Ur… is a child… not… Uuu….”

“But disliking bitter things and liking sweet things is exactly a child’s palate.”

“No… it is not….”

Ur denied it, trembling. She still held the coffee in her hand.

“Is Ur an adult?”

“Yes, I am an adult….”

“Then you can drink coffee, right?”

Ur’s body twitched violently. Just as I was about to speak, Ur quickly shouted and stopped me.

“W-wait! Ur is a child! A child!!! I’m a baby!!”

“Is that so?”

“So please save me….”

Seeing her eyes filled with tears, it seemed I shouldn’t tease her any further.

I smiled and told Ur to put down the coffee.

Ur, holding the strawberry smoothie, smiled sheepishly with tears still in her eyes and began to drink the smoothie. Her expression changed instantly as she ate something delicious, which was very cute.

“Hey guys, shall we go then?”

I was full from eating so much delicious food. I felt good too. The purpose of coming to the cafe was fully achieved. My tail wagged happily.

I also got a mint something chocolate drink to go for Freya, who was sleeping in the dormitory. I had never tried it, but Claire recommended it as something for Freya.

As we left the cafe, Priscilla exclaimed.

“The midterm exams are just a few days away now! Aren’t you excited?”

“….”

My tail drooped.

It was the time right before the storm, with the midterm exams just a few days away.