We arrived at our destination while chatting happily. The cafe exuded an air of luxury; its exterior was so ornate that it could have easily been mistaken for a high-end boutique.
Had I been alone, the atmosphere might have been overwhelming regardless of my financial situation, but since I had consulted a guidebook beforehand, I wasn't intimidated by its opulence. As soon as we stepped inside, a staff member immediately approached and led us to our table. Their refined manner was exactly what one would expect from such an establishment, reminiscent of a butler or maid in a noble house.
The interior was decorated with numerous houseplants and arrangements of dried roses. Given that the Kingdom of Sinfonia was such a verdant country, the decor felt perfectly appropriate.
"There's so much space between the tables; it feels very open," I remarked. "I assume they limit the number of tables on purpose?"
"Indeed," Illness-san replied in her slow, gentle lilt. "Establishments of this caliber generally prioritize the profit per customer over a high turnover rate. The concept is likely focused on providing high-quality service to a select few."
"I see. It certainly feels like a high-end restaurant."
While chatting, I opened the menu, which was bound in a heavy black-and-gold cover. I noticed right away that no prices were listed. This was clearly the kind of place frequented by people of a rank where cost was no object. Of course, the staff would provide the prices if asked, but the fact that they weren't written down suggested that few customers ever inquired.
Even back in my original world, there were places like this, such as high-end restaurants or sushi shops where items were priced at market value.
"I think I'll have the original tea blend and the rare cheesecake. What about you, Illness-san?"
"Then... I'll have the same black tea as Kaito-sama, along with the fruit tart."
Though I was a bit intimidated by the atmosphere, my finances weren't a concern. I’d already experienced drinking incredibly expensive things like "Glorious Tea," and the reality was that I had plenty of money.
Part of it was thanks to Anima’s incredible management, but the income from Nifty and the accessories made from Magnawell-san’s scales was also quite substantial. Plus, since I never returned to my original world, I still held the rights to the calculator. Whenever my ideas inspired new products, Kuro was diligent about sharing the royalties with me, so I received those payments quite regularly.
In fact, even with the majority of my funds handed over to Anima for investment, my wealth was growing faster than it decreased. I couldn't possibly spend it all. While I didn't want to be wasteful, I realized I should probably be more intentional about visiting high-end places like this.
After a short while, the tea and cake were served. As expected of a high-end cafe, the rare cheesecake was delicious and had a wonderful texture. The original tea blend, while perhaps not quite at the level of the ones made by Ein-san or Jutia-san, was still excellent.
"A tart seems like it would be difficult to eat neatly, but you're so graceful, Illness-san," I noted. "You don't make a sound."
"Using a knife is the easiest way," she explained. "But even without one, if you press the tines of your fork gently into the crust and move it just a little, you can eat it quite cleanly without making a noise."
"I see. That's good to know."
Illness-san’s poise was truly impressive. She handled the tart—which looked difficult to manage given the hardness of the crust—with such refinement that even someone as unversed in etiquette as I was could only look on in admiration.
"However... there is one thing that is a bit disappointing," she added.
"Disappointing? Is the taste not to your liking, or did it not have the fruits you wanted?"
"No, the tart and the tea are both wonderful. Regardless of that, in a high-end place like this, it seems difficult to feed each other. That part is a little disappointing."
"Oh, I see. Yeah, we can't really trade bites in a place like this. Let's do that another time, on a different occasion."
"Hehe, yes. I'm very much looking forward to it."
It made me happy to hear her express a personal desire—a wish to do something "couple-like." Previously, she rarely voiced her own hopes unless prompted. Her newfound willingness to share her thoughts felt like genuine proof that the distance between our hearts was closing.
Serious-senpai: "T-True, it's hard to do lovey-dovey things in a high-end cafe! T-This might have saved me..."
???: "Won't they just flirt after leaving the store...?"