Chapter Text
Night shone brilliantly over the Isle of Sages. The stars glimmered so beautifully in the dark sky.
The loud chatter that used to boom through La Bête Douce has now devolved into silence as patrons leave the place feeling satisfied.
It was time to clean up and close up for tonight. There was one small problem, though… 3 customers remain in the café and are refusing to leave.
"Hey."
A beastly young woman around the age of 18 looms over the second prince of Sunset Savanna, Leona Kingscholar, who is currently sleeping in one of her booths. His chest rises and falls rhythmically.
"Get up already."
She was met with a loud snore.
Her blue eyes were narrowed into slits, and her tail was flickering with irritation. Her claws were clutching tightly onto her broom, daring to snap.
"I said… GET UP, YOU LAZY LION!" She yelled with such ferocity that he was up in a second, but he looked more annoyed than angry.
"I'm up. Happy now?" He snarked.
"Shut up and get the hell out of my café! Orientation for the first-years is about to start!" She angrily reminded him.
"Hmm…" Leona playfully thought about attending before smirking at her, saying, "Pass. I'll let Ruggie handle them."
One of her eyebrows twitched. "Are you fucking serious?"
He lets out a frustrating sigh. "You're making such a big deal out of this. It's just gonna be a bunch of brats clamoring to their assigned dorms like excited puppies."
"Well, that's too bad; you shouldn't have become a Housewarden if you didn't want to deal with the responsibilities of being one. Now get out already!"
It's crystal clear that she felt no sympathy for him. Leona lets out another frustrated sigh and finally stands up from the booth, stretching out his body.
"There? Happy now?" Shoving his hands in pockets, he slowly walks to the door.
"I better not see you back here unless it's for a party."
"Whatever you say… freak."
A sharp knife was hurled towards him, narrowly missing his face and lodging itself into the wall. Leona, however, remained unfazed by her action and simply strolled away, a smirk on his face.
The beastly woman calmed herself down and turned to her next victim. The victim sitting in the booth all the way back shrieked.
"Idia Shroud." When she uttered his name in that deep growl, he jolted and leaned back in his chair. It was as if he were trying to evade being discovered.
"W-W-Wait! Hold on! W-We don't have to do this! EEP!"
She stalked over to him and yanked his tablet from his hands.
"G-Give it back!" He leaps up to snatch his tablet from her grasp, but she keeps it elevated, just beyond his reach.
"Not until you get out and attend orientation." She declared.
His eyes grew wide as if she had threatened to erase one of his game files. "No! No way! You're telling me to go outside… AND INTERACT?!"
"Yep." She replied without a hint of hesitation.
He starts to tremble. "A social introvert like me talking to others… I'll die! EEK!"
She picks him up by the back of his hoodie, causing Idia to yelp in shock.
"You're going to get worse if you don't move." She growled and started dragging him to the front door of her establishment.
"Waitwaitwait! I'll seriously die if I go out there! Like… drop dead on the spot!"
Ignoring his desperate cries, she pushes him outside anyway, tossing the tablet into his arms when he sits up.
"You'll live. Now go!"
With a loud bang, she shuts the door, leaving Idia no choice but to drag himself to today's orientation at Night Raven College, whimpering all the way like a forlorn puppy.
"That guy…" She can't help but pity the younger Shroud.
'Must be exhausting trying to get your older brother to touch some grass.'
A loud yawn snaps her out of her thoughts, and she turns around, setting her eyes on her third and final victim, Silver.
"Lady [Name]… Is orientation about to start?"
"Yep. Had a nice nap?"
Silver nods his head, his expression serious as he responds to her, saying, "Indeed. As always, your Bedchamber put me into a deep sleep."
'That's just you every day…' The young woman, [Name], stated.
Silver is a second-year at Night Raven College, residing in the Diasomnia dormitory. He suffers from narcolepsy, which has made him famous among his peers and instructors for dozing off even in the most absurd locations. He was one of [Name]'s first customers, entering her cafe in search of a solution that would help him stay awake. After numerous attempts, she created a beverage that, while not a cure for his narcolepsy, would help him stay awake for a limited duration.
'Speaking of that drink…'
"Would you like the usual before you leave?"
"If you wouldn't mind, Lady [Name]."
She chuckles with a hint of sarcasm. "You must be joking. A customer is a customer. I'd be a lousy owner if I didn't make you all happy."
[Name] confidently makes her way over to the front bar, where her array of ingredients and tools awaits her. Silver follows behind, settling into a seat close to the cash register. He sinks into the cushion, allowing the amber glow from the lamps to bathe his face. This will help him stay awake as she makes his usual drink.
"Let's see…" She scans over her large shelf of ingredients.
Every row was lined with glass jars and bottles housing various coffee beans, tea leaves, spices, flavorings, and syrup bottles. Each one was labeled with somewhat messy, yet legible writing.
She spotted the necessary ingredients and cheered to herself. 'All right! We have the necessary ingredients!'
She grabbed the square jar of coffee beans, a jar of mint, and a bottle of honey. She set them down on the counter next to the stove.
"One hot cup of black magic coming up!"
She headed over to the sink. She switched the faucet from cold to hot and turned it on. Testing the water with one hand, she waited until it warmed up. Once it was hot enough, she grabbed a measuring cup and filled it up to exactly one liter. She turned off the faucet once she had the right amount.
Setting the measuring cup aside, she measured out the coffee beans for a single cup and took them to her coffee grinder. With a satisfying electronic beep, it turned on. She poured the beans in and selected the medium setting for single-cup brewers and pour-overs, letting the machine work its magic.
Opening the lower cabinet, she grabbed a white filter. After closing the cabinet door, she got to work on prepping her coffee maker.
She first poured in the water that was beginning to turn warm and then placed the filter in. She turned on the coffee maker.
'This lets the water warm up properly.'
An electronic beep alerted her that the coffee beans were done, so she grabbed her coffee scoop, poured the beans into the filter, and slammed the lid of the coffee maker shut. She turned it on, and the machine started brewing.
While his drink was brewing, [Name] opened her second upper cabinet and pulled out a single cup. She closed it and placed the cup on the counter. She waited a few minutes for the machine to stop brewing.
Then, a loud ding echoed through the air, letting her know that his drink was ready. With a little excitement, she lifted the lid and grasped the handle of her coffee maker. Carefully, she poured the steaming brew into her cup, and the rich, bold aroma of fresh coffee filled the cafe.
Steam was still coming out from the cup, just the way she likes it. She snatched her bottle of honey and squeezed out a tiny amount so as to not overpower the coffee with too much sweetness. She then grabbed her jar of mint and plucked out a single mint leaf.
"Mint not only helps with indigestion but also helps with stimulating the brain. Primarily the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for attention and memory." The previous owner taught her that fact before he passed.
Instead of crushing the leaf, she gently placed it right in the center of his drink.
"Here you go! One cup of black magic!"
"Thank you, Lady [Name]."
Silver wrapped his fingers around the handle of the coffee cup, lifting it with care up to his lips. He took a sip of the steaming brew, savoring its warmth, and let out a contented sigh.
Though [Name] already knew the answer, the responsibility of a barista includes asking about the customers' opinions about their freshly made drinks.
"How is it?" She asked, a knowing smile gracing her lips.
"Great as always. The mint imparts a refreshing quality without being too overwhelming. It's the same with the honey. You always do well in ensuring that black magic isn't overtly sweet."
"Aw! Thank you for those kind words." [Name] performed a fake bow.
As Silver sipped his drink, he found himself distracted by the chaotic scenery of La Bête Douce. As usual, dirty plates, bowls, cups, and utensils lay scattered across the tables. Chairs needed to be rearranged placed back into their normal spots, and the floor bore the remnants of patrons' shoes, in dire need of a good mopping.
He was well aware that [Name] could handle all of this on her own. After all, she wasn't the owner of this establishment for no reason. However, his concern for her will always be there since she's the only one managing the place.
"Lady [Name]." Silver called out, his voice cutting through the silence.
"What?" She replied, her tone rough and uninviting, and faced away from him.
"Have you considered hiring employees to help you with La Bête Douce?"
While washing her coffee equipment in the sink, she glanced back at him, her eyes locking onto his.
With a casual tone, she replied, "I did think about bringing some newbies on board, but then I remembered how much of a pain in the ass it would be to train them, so I decided against it."
Now considering her personality and how impatient she can be, her response makes sense to the knight in training. But the concern was still there.
"I don't mind helping you."
"Just as long as you manage to stay awake while serving the food, right?" She quipped, turning off her faucet.
"You're right." Silver conceded. "However, black magic does keep me awake, albeit for a limited time." He placed two fingers against his chin in contemplation, pondering, "If I continue drinking…"
[Name] said, giving him a deadpan look, "Downing all those cups of coffee isn't good for you."
[-]
"Once again, thank you for the drink, Lady [Name]." Silver stood up from the bar stool and bowed.
"No problem and… keep the change." She said with a smirk.
He looked shocked. "Are you sure…?"
"For today, it's on the house. Now shoo! Before you're even more late for orientation." [Name] says, waving him off without turning around.
Silver looked unsure of himself until he placed his hand against his chest in a manner reminiscent of a knight, pledging to her, "I'll find a way to repay your kindness, Lady [Name]."
"Yeah, yeah…" The beast didn't seem bothered at all and just went to grab her cleaning supplies.
As she went over to the extra door where she stored her supplies, she heard the front doors of her cafe quietly closed. When she determined she was all alone now, she dropped her cool and collected mask and started blushing.
"Stupid handsome knight… flashing a smile like that… Who the hell does he think he is? Royalty or something?" [Name] scowled, her ears flickering and tail wagging.
'Never mind that now! I need to get cleaning…'
Despite her best efforts to erase it from her memory, the image of his drowsy smile—one that accompanied his praise for the way she prepared his drink—remained etched in her mind. Even as she busied herself tidying the place up, the notion of time seemed to elude her. The sound of the clock ticking? Insignificant.
Cleaning the cafe went on for two hours. When [Name] was done, she did a look over of the entire area. The tables and chairs were wiped clean. Plates, bowls, cups, and utensils were washed and placed back into the cabinets for use tomorrow. The floor was clean of all dirt. Ingredients were put back into their rightful areas.
Yep! The cafe looked brand new! Just as she likes it!
"Now all I need to do is flip the sign close and then I can head home!" [Name] exclaimed to herself, dreaming of sleeping in that warm bed of hers.
Her phone started to vibrate, snapping her out of those nice, peaceful thoughts. She pulled the device out of her pants pocket and checked her contact.
"It's a text from Cater…"
She checked her messages and viewed his text.
Cater Diamond
(/∇＼*)｡o○♡ Hey Boss! I made a new post about the freshies from both NRC and RSA! Figured it would make for good promotion! CHECK IT OUT! (/∇＼*)｡o○♡
Cater Diamond. A third-year at Night Raven College, residing in Heartslabyul dorm. He obsessed with social media and is on Magicam 24/7. He keeps up with the latest trends and gossip among famous celebrities.
'He's also my social media manager.'
Cater actually wanted to be the official social media manager of La Bête Douce. As a loyal customer since his freshmen year, back when the previous owner was still around, he felt a strong desire to help assist with the cafe's rebranding after [Name] took over following the owner's passing. He also stayed because the pay was good.
"Let see what the post says…"
In a flash, [Name] logged into Magicam with her email and password. She was instantly directed to La Bête Douce's account, which is mostly managed by Cater. Magicam has this cool feature that lets two people run one account. Since she's not the best at using social media, she just lets Cater take the lead on it. At the very top, just as he said in his text message, a new post was added:
💎🍩💛𝐻𝐸𝒴, 𝐵𝐸𝒜𝒰𝒯𝐼𝐹𝒰𝐿 𝐹𝑅𝐸𝒮𝐻𝐼𝐸𝒮 𝐹𝑅𝒪𝑀 𝒩𝐼𝒢𝐻𝒯 𝑅𝒜𝒱𝐸𝒩 𝒞𝒪𝐿𝐿𝐸𝒢𝐸 𝒜𝒩𝒟 𝑅𝒪𝒴𝒜𝐿 𝒮𝒲𝒪𝑅𝒟 𝒜𝒞𝒜𝒟𝐸𝑀𝒴! 𝐹𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝒶𝓁𝓁, 𝒞𝑜𝓃𝑔𝓇𝒶𝓉𝓊𝓁𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝑜𝓃 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝑒𝓃𝓇𝑜𝓁𝓁𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓈𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒾𝒻𝓊𝓁 𝓂𝒶𝑔𝒾𝒸 𝓈𝒸𝒽𝑜𝑜𝓁𝓈! 𝒞𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝑒𝒶𝓈𝓎 𝓁𝑒𝓉 𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝓎𝑜𝓊! 𝐵𝒰𝒯 𝒩𝐸𝒱𝐸𝑅 𝑀𝐼𝒩𝒟 𝒯𝐻𝒜𝒯! 𝒯𝐻𝐼𝒮 𝐼𝒮 𝒜 𝒮𝒫𝐸𝒞𝐼𝒜𝐿 𝒜𝒩𝒩𝒪𝒰𝒩𝒞𝐸𝑀𝐸𝒩𝒯! 𝐹𝑒𝑒𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒽𝓊𝓃𝑔𝓇𝓎 𝒶𝒻𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒶 𝓁𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝓃𝑔, 𝓉𝒾𝓇𝑒𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒 𝒿𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓃𝑒𝓎 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒? 𝒲𝐸𝐿𝐿, 𝒴𝒪𝒰'𝑅𝐸 𝐼𝒩 𝐿𝒰𝒞𝒦! 𝒞𝒪𝑀𝐸 𝒪𝒩 𝒟𝒪𝒲𝒩 𝒯𝒪 𝐿𝒜 𝐵𝐸𝒯𝐸 𝒟𝒪𝒰𝒞𝐸 𝒲𝐻𝐸𝑅𝐸 𝒴𝒪𝒰 𝒞𝒜𝒩 𝐹𝐸𝒜𝒮𝒯 𝒪𝒩 𝒲𝒜𝑅𝑀, 𝒟𝐸𝐿𝐼𝒞𝐼𝒪𝒰𝒮 𝑀𝐸𝒜𝐿! 𝒪𝑅 𝒯𝒲𝒪! 𝐹𝑒𝑒𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉𝓎 𝒾𝓃𝓈𝓉𝑒𝒶𝒹? 𝒯𝐻𝐸𝒩 𝒢𝐸𝒯 𝒴𝒪𝒰𝑅𝒮𝐸𝐿𝐹 𝒜 𝒟𝑅𝐼𝒩𝒦! 𝒪𝓊𝓇 𝒹𝓇𝒾𝓃𝓀 𝓈𝑒𝓁𝑒𝒸𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃 𝒾𝓈 𝒪𝒰𝒯 𝒪𝐹 𝒯𝐻𝐼𝒮 𝒲𝒪𝑅𝐿𝒟 (𝐿𝒾𝓉𝑒𝓇𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓎, 𝓁𝑜𝓁). 𝐸𝒱𝐸𝑅𝒴𝒪𝒩𝐸 𝐼𝒮 𝒲𝐸𝐿𝒞𝒪𝑀𝐸𝒟! 𝒥𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓉 𝒶 𝒻𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉... 𝑜𝓇 𝒯𝐻𝐸 𝒪𝒲𝒩𝐸𝑅 𝒲𝐼𝐿𝐿 𝒦𝐼𝒞𝒦 𝒴𝒪𝒰 𝒪𝒰𝒯!💛🍩💎
ლζ*♡ε♡*ζლ O P E N F R O M 6 A . M . T O 1 1 P . M . ლζ*♡ε♡*ζლ
The post garnered 100,000 views in just five minutes and it keeps going up. Comments were pouring from new and old customers. The newcomers were exactly the audience the post was aimed at, excited to grab a meal after a long trip from home to school. [Name] was clearly impressed. To her, Cater's infatuation with social media might nearly qualify as an addiction yet, she can't help but acknowledge that he actually knows how to do his job.
And damn does he do it well.
Just as [Name] was about to put her phone away, she felt another vibration. The contact of the person calling flew down.
"Kalim? What does he want?"
Kalim is a second-year and the dorm leader of Scarabia. He's not a bad person. If anything, he's a ball of sunshine navigating Night Raven College with a bunch of villains and scheming assholes.
'But he's incredibly naive about the world around him…' The beast bemoaned.
She tapped the call button and pressed the phone against her ear, waiting for him to pick up.
"Good evening, [Name]!" The chipper voice Kalim greets her.
Oh, how she wanted to smile and return the greeting, but alas, the exhaustion of the day had claimed both her body and spirit.
"Hey, Kalim. What's up?" [Name] inquired, her eyes threatening to droop.
"Are you okay? You sound rougher than usual." He remarked, concern evident in his voice.
"Oh, the usual. I had to kick out a nearly deceased lion, a NEET, and I whipped up Silver's favorite drink so he can stay conscious during orientation," she said, her voice dripping with enthusiasm.
"Sounds like you had a rough day." Kalim emphasized with her. "You should go home and get some rest."
"I will… soon… soo what's up? Why'd you call me? You need something?"
"Oh, yeah!" He perks right back up into being happy again. "I saw what Cater just posted. If you don't mind, can I reserve La Bête Douce tomorrow at seven? I wanna treat the freshmen of my dorm to a buffet!"
"Go ahead but just make sure you or Jamil cover the entire cost." [Name] replied, crossing her arms.
"You should know me better than that, [Name]!" Kalim laughs. "I'd never skip out on paying you!"
"Yeah… sometimes you like to pay a little bit too much though…" Her ears flopped down as she sighed.
Meanwhile, Kalim seemed confused. "I don't get what you're saying, but I think it's a good thing! Oh! I gotta go! Jamil's telling me that orientation is about to start! I can't wait to see who's in my dorm! I hope they're all nice! Bye!"
He immediately hangs up on her, and she hasn't even processes most of what he said. All she got is that Scarabia is hosting a buffet at her cafe tomorrow at seven.
"Guess I better head home now and get some sleep. It's going to be a busy day tomorrow."
She turned the sign on the front door to "Closed" and locked up for the night.