IDTRAFTML 40

~Chapter 40~

“Would you like coffee? Or tea?”

I held down the corners of my mouth that kept wanting to rise and asked our precious guest, Lillian.

Startled, Lillian—who had been glancing around awkwardly—looked up at me.

“I-I’ll have tea.”

Her face flushed for some reason, and her voice shrank to a whisper.

Tch. Today’s roast turned out great.

I’d secretly hoped she would choose coffee, but I went to prepare tea instead.

“It’s Lapsang black tea.”

When it had steeped just right, I poured it into a cup, set it before Lillian, and sat across from her.

She carefully lifted the cup to her lips.

“Mm—!”

After a single sip, she flinched and set the cup down.

“Oh! What’s wrong? Is it not to your taste?”

“It’s not that… It’s just more bitter than I expected…”

“I’m sorry. I must’ve added too many leaves. Shall I make a new one?”

I’d measured the amount, using the recipe Sophia wrote for me, but the bitterness still wouldn’t settle. Brewing tea was still hard for me.

“No, it’s fine. But… the things we say here will really be kept secret, right?”

Lillian looked around with wary eyes and whispered.

No need to worry about that.

I took out a document I’d prepared in advance.

“Of course. This is a non-disclosure agreement. If I ever leak anything from our session, I must pay one hundred times the counseling fee in compensation. Emotional damages are separate, too.”

“In that case, I feel safe. Please just call me Lillian.”

“Then please call me Amelie.”

Only then did her stiff posture loosen; her face relaxed.
I activated the “worry” icon and checked above her head.

Oho. Maybe I should lay some groundwork.

“Should I try guessing what’s troubling you?”

“Huh?”

“I can see worries with my eyes. Lillian… I think you came with a matter of love.”

“Gasp! How did you know?”

Lillian, half-doubting, slapped a hand over her mouth in shock.

What an adorable reaction.

It was tempting to tease her more, but I didn’t want to be mistaken for a witch, so I stopped.

“Can you really see worries?”

“Oh—just joking. Most clients your age come with love problems.”

“Ah. I thought you were serious.”

“Of course not. So, what exactly is the problem? A one-sided love? An engagement?”

‘From your vibe, I’m guessing a crush, right?’

I asked out of courtesy, but with her shyness and reserved manner, a crush seemed likely.
Lillian hesitated, unable to answer right away.

“Um… It was a one-sided love, but… there are two.”

“Sorry? What do you mean, two?”

“The people I like. I like two people at the same time. And I like them exactly the same.”

…What kind of situation was this?

I was baffled by a type of worry I’d never heard before.
Like two people equally? I’d never even liked anyone; was that possible?

Despite the mismatch between her timid image and this bold problem, Lillian waited calmly for my response.

“Uh… so… you’re in one enormous one-sided love?”

When you don’t know what to say, start with empathy.

“Actually, it isn’t one-sided anymore. Recently, both of them confessed to me.”

“Wow.”

I couldn’t help admiring.
My first client was apparently a legend with a 100% success rate at ending a crush.

“That’s why I’m troubled… In the Viennder Empire, you can marry only one person.”

“You mean…”

If polygyny were allowed, she wouldn’t be worrying?

Contrary to her demure looks, Lillian had the guts of someone who could keep multiple men in line.
My interest tipped over into a burst of dopamine.

“Ahem. So Lillian, you’re trying to decide whose confession to accept?”

“Yes. If I liked one of them even a little more, I wouldn’t be agonizing like this…”

“I understand, but… surely you don’t love them in exactly the same way?”

“I wish that were true.”

Hmm.

Since she genuinely seemed tormented, I decided it was time to check the affection scores.
I winked at her and opened the list.

System
You can see your Affection!
o((>ω< ))o

1. Robin Disafier
   ♥ Affection 72.3%

System

1. William Extran
   ♥ Affection 72.3%

‘Wow. Can the scores really be that identical?’

Down to the decimal point—it was exactly as she said. I was stunned.

“I believe you, Lillian. You really do love them the same.”

“Thank you for believing me. So… what should I do, Amelie? I honestly don’t know who to choose.”

“Isn’t one of them closer to your ideal type?”

“William’s face is my type, and Robin’s personality matches my ideal.”

“That’s tough.”

I could tell her to pick either looks or personality, but that kind of advice wouldn’t help Lillian much.

Which meant… time for an irrational method.

“Alright! Let’s do a latte reading.”

“Latte… reading?”

“Yes. We’ll divine which man suits you better using a latte.”

“Amelie, you can do fortune-telling?”

Her eyes suddenly lit up.

She must have been really desperate.

I hurried to bring the materials so I could give her a clear answer.

“Do we need coffee for latte reading?”

“Yes. A ‘latte’ is coffee mixed with warm milk—smooth and gentle to drink.”

“I didn’t know such a drink existed.”

“It’s trendy in other countries, but I don’t think it’s reached the Viennder Empire yet.”

While I gave her a quick explanation, I brewed coffee and poured warmed milk into a pump frother.
There were no espresso machines or steamers here, so I had to make steamed milk with this custom manual frother.

“From now on, I’ll draw on each cup. As I pour, you should think about one person at a time.”

“Okay, I understand.”

“Who do you want to start with? And can you tell me their full names?”

“Yes. Um… let’s start with Robin Disafier.”

With Lillian watching in fascination, I slowly poured milk into the mug of coffee and began the latte art, repeating the man’s name in my head.

“Oh my! You really can draw pictures on coffee?”

I drew a rosetta (leaf) pattern first, and Lillian reacted like a child seeing a magic trick.

I smiled like it was easy, but in truth, I was on edge—checking whether the leaf was warped, the symmetry balanced, all the little signs that might hint at the couple’s compatibility.

Time for the most important heart.

Carefully, I let the remaining milk flow, and at last, a small heart settled atop the rosetta.

I set the finished latte down. Lillian looked between me and the mug, eyes brimming with curiosity.

“How does it look?”

“Hmm.”

Ugh… ambiguous.

I wanted to answer at once, but something held me back.

“It’s better if I see your compatibility with the other man as well. What was his name again?”

“William Extran.”

“Got it.”

This time, it couldn’t be ambiguous.

I poured the steamed milk into the second mug, praying for a clear result.

“Is it… done?”

When I finished the art and set it down, Lillian watched me tensely.

I didn’t rush. I waited for the pattern to settle.

“…There it is!”

“The result appeared.”