Chapter 79.1

Chapter 79: That time when I had various things made for coffee

TL: kizen

ED: Filip/Gecko

Since we now have the means to get the coffee beans, Ill start moving in earnest to turn it into a source of income .

The first thing we need would be a coffee grinder . The millstone I used before seemed to be a good substitute so Ill have Sharlet-san-san make some for me . I can just use my magic to make something similar but the people who will be working on-site wont so Ill just have one be made .

Sharlet-san . I have a request

He stopped chiseling a stone then looked at me .

What? Ill just say this but I cant cut those stones as cleanly as you do

No, thats not why Im here . I want you to make a stone mortar, 2 of them

As I said that, I used my hands to demonstrate the size . I need something thats about 30 centimeters .

Its not going to be a problem but it will take a bit of time

Its alright . Ill leave it to you

Now well be able to grind the coffee . The only things left that need to be taken care of are the extraction method and milk . Ill try to recall the things I could use in this world as an alternative .

We dont have any filters so I was thinking of using a cloth or cotton as a substitute when brewing but Im not really sure if its hygienic to use it as is so I decided to go to Pietro our blacksmith .

He was in the middle of hammering a glowing red hot iron so I waited for the moment he took a breather to call out to him .

Pietro-san, I have a request

Pietro-san took a drink of water before replying to me .

What is it this time? Did your shovel or crowbar get damaged?

Are they all talking about me behind my back? Why do you already know what weapons I use?

No, thats not it . I want you to make something like those cups we use to scoop up water but smaller

After saying that, I took out a piece of paper and started drawing the approximate shape .

I dont know what youre going to use it for but Ill make it just like how you described . What about the material?

In the meantime, just use copper

Gotcha

Ill leave it to you

Thats right, Im thinking of making Turkish coffee . You put the ground beans and water inside the container then heat it . Once it boils and the foam is about to overflow, remove the container from the heat, discard the froth then pour it into a cup . After that, you wait for a while for the beans to sink then you slowly drink it .

At least I think it goes like that . Im not sure though . By doing that, the beans would stick at the bottom of the cup so it would solve both the hygiene and filter problem since we wont have to use a filter in the first place .

The milk problem has already been resolved too, to some extent . Im thinking of using soy milk . It seems like itll be a good alternative based on those coffee or tea-flavored soy milk in packets Ive drank a few times before . So the problem with the milks solved as long as soy milk can be made .

Apart from that, we also have magnesium chloride from concentrated saltwater thats the byproduct of the salt-making process so maybe well be able to make tofu .

In my previous life, there was also something called Edamame Tofu . Since edamame is just immature soybeans, it might be possible to make it using the beans that I found . With that in mind, Ive decided to try it out .

As for how to make soy milk, I think you wash the beans then soak them in plenty of water a day before but I wonder what the next part of the process is? Do you boil them? Mash them? Or perhaps you just process them as is?

At any rate, soy milk and soy pulp are produced after the beans get squeezed . If the soy pulp products become popular on the island, we can also sell them at the store but if not, well just use them as food for the livestock . If we use them to make soy pulp doughnuts, wouldnt it be a popular snack in the store? We could also sell tofu if we also get a lot of soy milk . I wonder if well be able to start operating with this?

In the meantime, once we get the materials sorted, Ill gather the couples who were already together before they became slaves and send them to the town so that they can be trained .

I was grinding coffee beans with my personal grindstone at home when I heard a knock on the door .

Its done

As he said that, Pietro-san presented to me something that looked pretty much the same as the one I drew .

I took the finished product then I tried putting water in it to make sure there were no leaks .

What are you going to use it for?

We might be able to make money with this . Its a tool used to brew the new tea we have . Well, it might not suit your tastes but why not give it a try?

sure

I had him sit on a chair while I made the coffee .

I put in the coffee beans that I just grounded, as well as some sugar into the pot . As for water, I used hot water made with magic instead in order to save time . After that, I created fire from my fingertip to heat it . Once it boiled, I discarded the foam then poured the coffee into a cup . I repeated that process twice .

Here you go

I put the cup in front of him as I said that .

Pietro-san checked the smell first before slowly taking a sip .

Then, he started swirling it in his mouth before swallowing .

It sure is bitter . Smells great though . I prefer it a bit sweeter

Is that so? Why dont you try adding sugar to it?

Alright

As he said that, he added 3 cubes of sugar, stirred it, then waited for the grounded coffee beans to sink before drinking it . It seems like hes a sweet-tooth . 1

Its easier to drink like this

Theres something called soy milk thats made by grinding beans and squeezing out the juice . It might be easier to drink if you add that

Do you not have any?

It needs to be prepared a day before so I dont have any right now . To be honest, it would be better to use cows milk but there arent any cows on the island . And besides, its not exactly something safe to drink unless its fresh so I dont have any

I see

He took another sip of coffee after saying that .

Its not a problem if you end up drinking the beans as well but its not exactly a pleasant thing to swallow so it would be best if you dont finish all of it . Just leave a bit behind

Sure

After saying that, he put down the cup then suddenly asked me if I was the Demon Lord .

Eh?

Its no use hiding it

Im not exactly trying to hide it since itll eventually get found out anyway

I see . Ive been here for a few days but youre a pretty nice guy compared to what the rumors about the Demon Lord that have been circling around before say . Everyone here says the same thing too . When I first heard about it, I thought of going home but I guess its not that bad here

Sorry for not telling you . I mean, Id get killed if I call myself that in town after all

Thats true . Thanks for the drink . I think its good but its hard to drink without sugar . Im going back to work

He left after saying that .

I dont plan on hiding my identity but I cant just go around town calling myself a Demon Lord as expected . Well, things ended up working out for me since I left an unexpectedly favorable impression on the islanders . At any rate, I still need to deal with the millstone and soy milk . Should I also try looking around for a place where well manufacture the product?

Sharlet-san, how are things going?

Huh? Is this about that thing you asked me to make? Its still not done you know?

No, I was just wondering when it will be done . I still have other preparations to make so it would be great if youd inform me a day before its completed

Is that so? Ill need about two more days I guess . Its unexpectedly hard to get the grinding part right

As he said that, he showed me his work so far . It does seem like something hard to get right . Itll end up being useless if done wrong after all . They need to be close, but not close enough that theyll touch and since its stone, its difficult to fix once you make a mistake . Stone lasts a long time but is heavy and hard to work with, yet its advantage over something like wood is that it doesnt rot .

Is that all?

Yes . Let me know if theres anything you need . Ill do my best to help you out with it

That reminds me Ive already marked it out so could you cut the stone that I got from the quarry? Im asking you since Ive never seen anyone be able to cut a stone that cleanly before after all . Ill be able to do more if the cut is that neat

I understand . Is that all?

Yeah, thats it . As for the millstone, sorry but it will take at least two days

Understood . Please just make sure you dont get injured making it

Yeah

Hmm two days huh? Well, I should stock up on soybeans while waiting I guess .