Chapter 18
In the early part of Volume 1, the gardener revived the derelict garden.
In the middle of Volume 1, the duchess successfully hosted a tea party in the lush, blooming garden.
‘This story flow seems off.’
In the last episode of Volume 1, the duchess rewarded the gardener with a special meat party for his excellent work.
Puzzled, I flipped through Volume 2, which showed the brawny gardener proudly displaying his perfect topiary skills. It even hints at him entering a topiary competition.
Was this supposed to be a gardening book? False advertising with that title?
‘Well, the duchess does seem like an excellent employer…’
Feeling let down, I closed the book and got up. After reading about someone working so diligently, I felt oddly melancholic about having to go to work myself.
“Still, I should get up. Ugh…”
The cocktail bar has been getting more customers recently.
“Did you come because of the posters, by any chance?”
I asked hopefully, right after putting up meticulously made posters everywhere.
“No? A friend recommended this place.”
Turned out they all came by word-of-mouth recommendations from others.
‘A hidden gem that will disappear if only I know about it,’ they said, but it seems everyone’s been actively spreading the word.
‘It really was frighteningly true.’
The customers kept saying the cocktails were delicious, but there were too few customers.
‘They’re more passionate about this place than I am.’
In fact, the recent half-price discount was their suggestion too.
“Still, it remains quiet for now.”
Why did I used to come in 30 minutes early to prepare the snacks?
It was because there were that many customers visiting.
Nowadays, there would be no one even if I came 30 minutes late.
‘I should enjoy this leisure.’
I whistled as I got dressed in my bartender’s uniform and stood behind the bar counter.
Even after casually having a gin and tonic, there were no customers, so I stacked the empty glasses neatly.
‘Gotta be careful, don’t want them breaking!’
I surveyed the tower of stacked glasses with satisfaction. It would be nice to host a champagne party in this mood, but…
‘Who am I having a champagne party for with no customers?’
Since I finished stacking, I should start cleaning up. Just as I finished with the glasses, the door opened.
“Welcome.”
This customer had a bow slung across his back. He definitely gave off a hunter vibe.
Ignoring my greeting, he plopped down on an empty seat.
‘Ah, this isn’t a good sign.’
The man scanned the surroundings suspiciously before bluntly staring at me.
“You’ve got a lot of bottles on display. Seems like you’ve collected every kind of booze. Is this place competing on quantity?”
As expected, the man spoke in a mocking tone.
‘Why the hostility right off the bat?’
Hiding my thoughts, I calmly responded.
“Our establishment prides itself on variety. All those bottles are ingredients for making cocktails. We strive to create the perfect drink tailored to each customer’s taste.”
“Those bottles are ingredients? For making booze?”
“Yes, by mixing various—”
“Mixing liquor? That just makes it spoil faster!”
The man suddenly raised his voice.
“That’s simply our establishment’s policy.”
“You don’t know how to drink liquor properly. Who would consume such a mishmash!”
“Whether it’s a mishmash or not, you’d have to try it to know, right?”
Regardless of his huffing, I calmly responded.
“Fine. Since you’re so confident….. bring me a drink that’s rich yet sweet, emotional yet fragrant, and unique.”
“Yes! Order received.”
It was an outrageous order, but I nodded as I mulled over the details in my head.
Seeming displeased with my composed demeanor, the man furrowed his brow.
“One more thing to add.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“It’s awfully cold today. I want to drink something warm.”
The man gave a cruel smile. It felt more like an attack than an order.
<Notice> Quest Triggered!
Maximum Irritation! A customer who wants to take his frustration out on anyone has appeared.
Fulfill his difficult order.
Reward: 300 coins, 100 Reputation
Will you accept the quest?
[Y] [N]
Every other day, there was a troublesome customer.
But this was nothing I couldn’t handle.
“Understood.”
I smiled faintly as I selected Y.
Just wait.
I’ll serve a drink so delicious, it’ll make you regret picking this fight.
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The man, Ephesus, was filled with recent grievances.
A momentary mistake had sent his life spiraling downward.
Where did it all go wrong?
When he, who loved baking, ended up following the family trade as a hunter instead?
Or when the queen ordered him to kill the princess?
Or perhaps when he couldn’t bring himself to kill the beautiful princess and let her go?
Snow White, with skin as pale as snow, full red lips, and raven black hair, was so breathtakingly beautiful that she drew both admiration and envy.
Maybe her beauty was the root cause of everything.
Regardless, Ephesus released Snow White, believing it was the right choice at the time. But it ultimately incurred the queen’s wrath, turning him into a fugitive.
“Haah…”
Ephesus let out a deep sigh. He barely escaped the queen’s clutches, but didn’t know when he might be pursued again.
And here he was, witnessing someone leisurely mixing drinks in a place as serene as a clean room.
Anger welled up in him, prompting that unreasonable order—the situation he now found himself in.
Then, a rich aroma wafted into Ephesus’s nose. His eyes shot wide open.
“Hey!”
“Yes?”
The bartender stopped what she was doing and looked at him, her face calm as if asking why he had called.
“Yes, a savory yet sweet, emotional yet fragrant and unique warm drink, correct?”
“Then why are you mashing butter?”
Befitting someone who once dreamed of being a baker, Ephesus recognized the ingredients just from the aroma and was dumbfounded. The bartender was vigorously mashing something into the butter.
“Are you trying to make bread?”
“The butter is for richness.”
“In a drink? Butter?”
“Yes. And milk too.”
The bartender smiled brightly as she pointed to a pot. Just as she said, milk was bubbling away, steaming in the pot.
Ephesus was flabbergasted.
“I guess all those liquor bottles are just for show…”
“The drink includes rum. Dark rum, to be precise.”
“Oh, so you are planning to bake. With dark rum, you must be making canelé, right?”
Ephesus mocked.
Rum is a spirit distilled from sugarcane. If not aged, it’s white rum. If aged briefly in oak barrels, it’s gold rum. And if aged for a long time, it’s dark rum. The longer it ages, the deeper the flavor and the higher the price.
‘She probably picked it because it’s expensive and doesn’t know any better.’
Tsk. Ephesus clicked his tongue. Wasting expensive dark rum by playing around with butter and milk.
With his arms crossed, Ephesus watched the bartender mix the dark rum with milk and butter.
After thoroughly combining the drink, the bartender poured it into a glass and finally garnished it with a cinnamon stick before presenting it to Ephesus.
“The cocktail I’ve prepared is a ‘Hot Buttered Rum’. Since you wanted richness, I made the classic version with milk instead of water.”
“Hmph. But the butter is floating separately?”
“That’s intentional, to create a floating layer.”
Heh. Ephesus let out a derisive chuckle as he lifted the glass.
He had a keen sense of taste and smell. He planned to take a sip and immediately call out the absurdity of such a strange concoction…
‘Fragrant.’
Ephesus’s eyes suddenly widened.
As the glass neared, a faint spiced aroma wafted out. This scent reminded him of the tea his mother used to brew whenever he caught a cold as a child.
‘Come to think of it, I have been feeling under the weather today…’
Ephesus, now feeling a bit nostalgic, took a sip of the Hot Buttered Rum.
The initial taste of rich butter was pleasantly savory. Combined with the sweetness of the sugar, it was like having a butter candy.
Taking a deeper sip, the rum’s robust notes mingled smoothly with the warmth of the buttered milk.
The warm milk, enhanced by the alcohol, seemed to melt away the chill in his body.
“Adding butter to alcohol is certainly unique.”
Ephesus muttered involuntarily.
The milk and butter could have been overly rich, but the spices reined it in nicely.
“Cloves?”
“Yes. I added a bit of clove while mashing the butter.”
“Just like baking, there are many ingredients in this buttered rum too.”
Ephesus savored each sip of the Hot Buttered Rum, regretting how quickly the cocktail diminished.
‘It feels like being filled with the rich aroma of rum and butter.’
Ephesus found himself licking his lips in disappointment as he reached the bottom of the glass.
Surprisingly, this young bartender had perfectly met his complex and seemingly impossible order for a ‘savory yet sweet, emotional yet fragrant and unique warm drink.’
“Did you open this tavern because you wanted to?”
“Hmm, not exactly a tavern I opened out of desire, but…”
The bartender trailed off in thought before shrugging.
“Well, I did want to become a bartender. I guess you could say I’m satisfied with the end result. I just really love cocktails.”
“I envy you. A life that flows according to your wishes. If life were that simple, it would be worth living.”
The mocking words slipped out, something Ephesus would normally have swallowed.
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⋆｡‧˚ʚ Translator Note ɞ˚‧｡⋆
Hot Buttered Rum is a warm and comforting cocktail, perfect for cold weather. This traditional American drink dates back to colonial times. It is made by mixing rum with hot water, a pat of butter, sweeteners like brown sugar or honey, and a variety of spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Some recipes also include vanilla or a splash of apple cider for added flavor.
Hot Buttered Rum is often enjoyed during the holiday season or on chilly evenings, offering a rich, warming, and flavorful beverage that evokes a sense of coziness and tradition.
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Thank you for reading! ♡
