[Meru Café, Counter]
"Um… Tenma-san!"
The café owner, already past fifty, looked at the blonde girl in front of him with some hesitation.
"Huh? What is it?"
Gabriel leaned against the counter with both hands braced on it. Hearing the owner's voice, she turned her head back in confusion.
Faced with her puzzled gaze, the owner hesitated for a moment before saying, "When you're serving customers, could you be a bit more polite?"
"Huh? I am being polite!"
Gabriel looked at the owner, not understanding.
Owner: "..."
"Ahem, well, Marina, come here for a moment!"
After coughing twice, the owner waved at another idle maid. She responded and walked over.
"Is something wrong, Manager?"
"Could you demonstrate for Gabriel how to serve customers?"
"Oh… okay!"
The round-faced maid glanced at Gabriel. When Gabriel's gaze swept over her, she quickly nodded.
"For example, when a customer enters."
The owner began describing the scenario.
The round-faced maid immediately bowed, then straightened up and showed a sweet smile. "Welcome back, Master!"
"When taking an order."
"What would you like, Master?"
"When the customer needs other services."
"..."
After the round-faced girl finished demonstrating, the owner let out a breath and turned to Gabriel with a smile. "Tenma-san, do you understand now?"
"Huh? That's so troublesome."
Gabriel sighed with a face full of disgust.
Owner: "..."
Well, maybe it's because Tenma-san is a foreigner and doesn't understand Japanese maid culture.
The owner comforted himself internally, looking at Gabriel with hopeful eyes.
Ever since he encountered those premium coffee beans in Brazil during his trading company days, he had fallen deeply in love with coffee. After resigning, he immediately returned to Japan and opened this café.
From selecting the beans to roasting, grinding, and brewing, he handled every step himself, constantly pursuing the most perfect cup of coffee. More than twenty years had passed.
However, since over a decade ago, as a new era began, young people gradually lost interest in traditional coffee. The café's business declined day by day.
So, for survival, he transformed the traditional café into a maid café.
Sure enough, after the change, business revived instantly. Although most customers no longer understood coffee, he still continued to provide the best possible coffee.
And in his heart, there was always one regret.
He still remembered the first time he entered a café. Gentle, elegant music echoed through the space, and a blonde server spoke fluent English as she asked for his order…
Deep down, he had always hoped to recreate that scene, but had never succeeded.
Until last weekend, when he saw a glimmer of hope.
Tenma Gabriel White.
What a perfectly authentic English name, and that flawless blonde hair. Wasn't this exactly the blonde server he had been waiting for?!
Although instead of a random dumb blonde he got a beautiful girl, it actually suited the café's theme even better. It was just that… Tenma-san did not seem very accustomed to things in Japan yet.
"Tenma-san!"
At that moment, the most perfect maid in his shop, Nana-chan, suddenly walked over.
"Huh? What is it?"
Gabriel, who had been idly zoning out, looked up at Minami Kotori and even let out a yawn.
"Customer at table eighteen specifically requested you."
Minami Kotori spoke carefully, her gaze toward Gabriel full of sympathy.
"Why would they request me? Seriously!"
Gabriel looked annoyed. It was supposed to be someone else's turn before hers. Did she really have to work again already?
Unlike Gabriel, the owner said excitedly, "Tenma-san, quickly put what you just learned into practice!"
Gabriel sighed at that.
Manager, why are you here? If you weren't here, I could have refused.
"Fine, I'll go."
Picking up her notepad, Gabriel stood up reluctantly.
...
"What would you like… Master!"
Damn it, this is so embarrassing!
Holding the notepad, a trace of shame and irritation flashed across Gabriel's face. The pen in her hand was almost piercing through the paper.
No one spoke.
Gabriel frowned and looked at Gokou Ruri, only to find her signaling toward the person beside her.
Because of the corner seat, Gabriel could only see Gokou Ruri clearly. The person sitting with their back to her only revealed a small portion of their face.
She asked again, "What would you like, Master!"
Still, there was only silence. Just as she was about to ask again, the person with their back to her suddenly couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.
"Pfft… pffhaha!"
Hm?!
Gabriel's expression changed. That voice couldn't be…
She stepped forward and looked, her gaze freezing as her entire face instantly flushed bright red.
It really is this guy!
Seeing Gabriel standing there in a daze, Sato found it amusing and waved with a grin.
"Hello there, little maid!"
Gabriel's face was completely red from embarrassment and anger. She glared at Sato's smiling face, wishing she could punch it right off.
Why is this guy here?!
He saw all of that just now, didn't he?!
And those two "Master"s…
Gabriel took two deep breaths to calm herself. At the same time, the redness on her face quickly faded, replaced by a dark expression.
This guy saw something he shouldn't have again. Maybe she should just grant him destruction.
Watching Gabriel's expression gradually collapse, Sato began to feel a bad premonition. He looked at her warily and said, "It's just seeing you in a maid outfit. It's not that big of a deal, right?"
Gabriel looked down at him, her expression twisted as she let out a low, sinister laugh like a demon. "Human, how about I grant you destruction?"
Chop.sfx
Sato expressionlessly chopped her on the head.
"Wake up. I heard from Vigne-san that even your angel halo has been corrupted by laziness!"
"Ugh…"
Gabriel clutched her head in pain and said angrily, "That bigmouth Vigne!"