radicalducati Page 77
Page 77
[Torture Mission: The adorable zombie demon Fim has prepared a "torture" for you. It would be too pitiful for the little devil to refuse. Please endure the maid Fim's torture for at least ten minutes—]
[Warning: This interrogation mission is very tempting; please accept it with caution!]
"catch!"
Mino looked refreshed and energetic.
Chapter 102 Tea Ceremony is the Best? Wrong, all wrong!
The moment Mino saw the mission, she knew that this torture was no longer a temptation as tempting as a meal or two of omelet rice.
It's at least ten meals!!!
It has to be the kind of 'cute omelet rice' served in the most authentic maid cafe, accompanied by the crisp and fragrant "O-curry na-se, go-shu-jin-sa-ma~" and surrounded by adorable and shy maids, with hearts drawn with ketchup!!!
"For the sake of humanity's light and future, I must immediately accept the torture!"
Mino wiped the corner of her mouth with a resolute look in her eyes.
"Hey, hey, hey, were you drooling just now...?"
Artotai had absolute faith in his own eyes.
“No, that’s not true.” Mino turned to Fim and asked, “What kind of… ah, I mean, torture methods have you prepared this time?”
Fim gave a barely perceptible, warm smile, slowly walked to the cart, and took out a tin box wrapped in paper. A faint, herbal scent filled the air, refreshing and invigorating.
"This is... tea leaves?" Mino, whose senses had been amplified by the zombie demon, twitched his eyebrows and keenly recognized the familiar smell.
“Hmm.” Fim nodded, peeling back the layers of paper wrapping to reveal genuine tea leaves in a metal box bearing the “Duty-Free Goods” certification from the Roth Merchant Guild.
Mino recognized it as canned Earl Grey tea, a high-quality tea that was considered excellent even among commoners and occasionally appeared at aristocratic banquets.
"Demon King's Castle, everyone, don't like it, drink tea."
"So, Fim, it's been preserved for a long time."
Fim shared it with Mino as if showing off a treasure.
"Earl Grey tea..." After listening patiently, Mino chuckled and shook her head.
“Fim, you’ve picked the wrong opponent this time. Have you forgotten that I am…”
After a long, self-praising spiel, Mino offered an explanation:
"As a hero of light who frequently attends noble banquets at the royal palace, and who is part of the most popular party in the kingdom, the 'Mino Alliance,' I have tasted countless times not only Earl Grey tea, but also Duke and Grand Duke teas!"
"When it comes to tea tasting, I, a connoisseur who has thoroughly read 'Kur Kingdom Food Weekly - Tea Ceremony Edition,' already possess both rich practical experience and theoretical knowledge!"
Mino confidently raised her chin: "As for why I'm still so focused on tea even though I've lost my sense of taste, do you know why?"
In the corner, Altottai, who had been listening intently, suddenly spoke up out of curiosity:
"Is it because of our lord's pure love for tea?"
“No.” Mino gave a dismissive smile, as if to say, “That’s nothing.”
"It's just because those teas are more expensive—it's not easy to attend a banquet, so of course I have to drink my fill."
"No wonder every nobleman who invited you to a banquet once never spoke to you again!!!!"
Altotai, shocked, raised his sword and cursed, "You really know how to take advantage of others!"
"In short, the art of tea tasting is etched into my DNA," Mino said with a proud expression. "Even if my dormant sense of taste were to be unlocked at this moment, I would never stumble on this kind of common black tea..."
Dilulu——
Steam rose as it poured down the boiling water. Fair, delicate fingertips pressed against the lid of the teapot and poured the water into the teacup, where it gently and thoroughly mingled with the dry tea leaves, creating a harmonious and seamless blend.
A rich and deep fragrance gradually filled the room, completely dispelling the rose scent emanating from Klettina.
Compared to the superficial floral fragrance, the refreshing and unpretentious elegance of the tea stands out at this moment...
"This..." Mino's words gradually caught in her throat, and with a "gulp," she swallowed them heavily with saliva that had been stirred up at some unknown time.
"It smells so good..."
Wisps of visible white fragrance gradually enveloped the nose, drawing attention to the teacup, its amber-colored, crystal-clear surface, and the tea leaves that rose and fell, creating a complex and intricate aroma.
Faced with the honey-scented tea, Mino revealed his bear-like side—
"Hiss... This is absolutely delicious!"
"Hey! My lord!"
Altothai grew impatient: "What happened to your supposed extensive tea-tasting experience? Where's your integrity? Where's your backbone? Stand up a little harder!"
"If this keeps up, you're going to set a world record for two consecutive losses!!!"
The urgent warning snapped Mino back to reality. "That was close!"
He immediately held his breath, took a few steps back with lingering fear, and felt his mouth constantly saliva welling up, just like quenching thirst by looking at plums!
The enticing aroma and vibrant colors were all sending a signal to him, the "Mr. Taste of the Cloud World"—
That was a cup of perfectly brewed black tea, a tea so flawless that it could never exist in this world!
"A brave soul who hasn't tasted this cup of black tea is destined for a rather disastrous life!!!"
Mino stared intently at the black tea in Fim's hand, and murmured in awe.
"What the hell is 'Gusheng'? Don't presume to represent all heroes! The value of the word 'hero' is visibly decreasing!"
The blade of Altottai's sword was sharp and pointed.
His previous owner was also a gourmet who had traveled all over the continent, and a serious tea enthusiast. At this moment, it suddenly remembered the firm words left by its owner after tasting countless court and folk black teas:
"The most delicious black tea must be brewed by a maid! The most authentic and perfect black tea!!!"
At that moment, he looked up at the sky and sighed three times, saying with some regret:
"It's a pity I'll never have the chance to see such black tea again..."
And now, Altottai has seen it.
The most perfect black tea was placed in front of the most gullible hero—this scene is simply... utterly hopeless!!!
Artotai was so exhausted that he was somewhat incoherent, and could only resort to moralistic rhetoric:
"My lord, don't forget, these demons are torturing the location of the marriage contract between the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings! The demons' hearts are known to all!!!"
"They've stopped pretending; they're determined to break the dragon clan's crucial pact and cut off a major ally of the human race!!!"
"Take one more step, and you'll truly be a traitorous hero!!!"
Mino, whose finger had already touched the handle of the teacup, shuddered.
As if tempted by the devil, she walked up to the demon Fim with a blank expression.
Fortunately, Altottai's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over his head. Mino shuddered, took a few steps back with a look of horror in his eyes, and began to breathe with difficulty.
In this cell filled with the aroma of tea, even taking a breath is such a difficult form of torture!
"Thank goodness..." Mino touched his back, which was already soaked with cold sweat and had lost a lot of salt.
Mino murmured with lingering fear:
"Speaking of salt loss, this is when you need a cup of sweet tea..."
"My Lord!!!"
"Damn it! The topic has gone off-topic again!!!" Mino bit her tongue, finally regaining consciousness amidst the intense pain. A smile gradually appeared on her pale, contorted face:
"However... this ordeal is still my victory!"
He glanced at the countdown timer in the taskbar [4:59], five minutes had already passed.
Although only five minutes had passed, they were the most difficult five minutes!
Mino watched the black tea gradually lose its heat. She knew that the appeal of black tea would gradually diminish as time and temperature cooled down!
Upon realizing this, Altotai immediately perked up, his sword leaping into the air: "Ha! I knew it, my master wouldn't give up so easily!"
At this moment, Artotai resembled a remonstrating minister who had painstakingly advised a tyrannical ruler and finally reaped some rewards. Overwhelmed by an unprecedented sense of accomplishment, he turned arrogant with his sword drawn and then bowed, letting out a loud, maniacal laugh:
"You despicable demon, now you're helpless, aren't you?! Your perfectly crafted black tea will have no effect whatsoever before my lord!"
Extremely cautious in making a hindsight prediction, Altottai exclaimed with enthusiasm:
"In this world, there is no black tea that my lord would give away for free!!!"
"black tea?"
Fim stopped brewing the tea and made a questioning sound.
Immediately afterwards, she picked up the cooling teacup and deftly poured it down!
"No—!" Mino's eyes widened, and she was about to show a look of heartache at the waste, but her eyes paused in confusion.
The black tea cup is tilted, and strands of amber-colored, transparent tea flow down, passing through a delicate sieve that leaves the tea leaves that have lost their flavor on the surface, while the remaining pure tea flows down into a slender, cylindrical glass.
“No, that’s not right…” Mino’s lips trembled slightly as she murmured incredulously, “She’s not making black tea—”
Staring wide-eyed at the small display stand fully exposed in the cart, Mino had an absurd possibility pop into his mind, but he quickly and vehemently rejected it, unwilling to let it come true, until—
Fim pulled out a bottle of 100% pure milk that bore the label of "duty-free imported goods" specially certified by the Roth Chamber of Commerce.
"This, this is..."
Mino's expression wavered more than ever before.
The pre-warmed milk, still slightly steaming, was popped open, revealing the pure white, silky milk that poured out, blending perfectly with the amber-colored black tea...
The sweet and mellow aroma, as if undergoing some kind of chemical reaction, instantly surged in intensity and entered Mino's nose.
But that wasn't all. Mino swallowed hard... and looked at the small condiment station on Fim's cart.
The art of tea tasting, etched into DNA, allows the body to move without hesitation.
As if she had practiced countless times, Mino's fingers clearly and unmistakably conveyed a silent message, precisely and firmly selecting the condiments!
A spoonful of pale purple, creamy substance, as smooth as taro, sank to the bottom of the cup, while a handful of soft, bouncy black pearls, like jelly, soaked into the tea.
Next, a hollow, slender tube was inserted into it.
An unprecedented beverage has appeared in this world...