The next day starts with quite a bit of excitement in the morning. On one hand there is Sour Cream and her by now familiar morning routine. That isn't the exciting part. On the other hand though, there are the adventurers heading out to get rid of these feral Pixies. That isn't something that happens every morning and, to be honest, I'm quite glad it doesn't. This once is enough as far as I'm concerned.

There are four groups in total, taking part in this mission in addition to Ser Tadeusz and his squire.

The first to drop by are Tamara, Odolan and Danuta, who still is giddy about her new staff. They get some of my last lesser healing potions. I'm glad they take precautions. And I'm glad they have managed to earn enough money to afford the potions.

Odolan carries a big amphora in his backpack. It is surrounded by lots of padding to make sure it doesn't break. The smell alone is enough to give me a good idea about the contents. Oil. Plant oil, most likely.

He isn't the last one I see carrying such a container either. Next up are Lotar, Feliks and Rafal. Among this trio it is Rafal, the bard, of all people who carries this heavy load. Probably to keep the other two unburdened, so they can take care of any attacking feral Pixies. It is Rafal who gets some stamina potions for himself as well. Understandable, considering his heavy backpack.

The third group consists of the female paladin and the male warrior who usually are accompanied by the pregnant archer. There is nothing to be seen of the latter today though. Instead Dario, the halfling druid, accompanies them today. He is the one carrying the amphora with the oil in this group. In a way I'm glad the archer isn't with them today. An archer wouldn't be a good match against the little, nimble fliers anyway. They get two mana potions. One for Dario and the other for the paladin, who I learn is called Zofia.

The last group is made up of the knight, his squire, wearing chainmail including a chain hauberk today, and two of the most seasoned adventurers to be found around here. One is Bogomil, Danuta's father. The other is Nuutti, the pointy eared, elf berserker. Between these two and the knight this group probably has more combat experience than all the others together. Everyone in this group gets a stamina potion for good measure. The squire will need hers more likely than any of the others as she is burdened down not with one but two amphorae of oil.

On any other day I would be elated about all these sales. Not today though. The knight and elder Jaromir apparently came to an agreement regarding my potions. These will count as my yearly militia contribution. On one hand it is good to have that taken care of. On the other hand I cry a little tear for every coin that walks back out instead of landing in my strong box.

Well, at least I don't have to worry about anything going bad on the shelves anymore. I have to see the silver lining! Not all is bad! And of course, I'll be able to gather herbs by myself more safely afterwards as well!

I wish them all the best luck and a safe return as they set off.

Once they are all gone it gets pretty quiet though. Sure, there are still the farmers and other villagers about, but somehow, even if I can't say how exactly, it still seems terribly quiet.

Well ,it is quiet right until a certain pregnant archer shows up at my shop not long after. She waves cheerfully, a quest note in hand, as she enters the shop.

“Hello again! I'm here because of the mana mill quest!”

I chuckle, even as I motion for her to follow me to the backroom. Her cheerfulness is almost contagious.

“Here it is. Since it is still early I suggest you take it out front though. That way you can enjoy some sun while you work the mill. And remember, crank that handle slow and steady. Everyone who has come by so far to do this quest sang some fun songs to keep the rhythm. I guess it helps against the boredom as well. It really isn't a very exciting quest after all.”

She tilts her head slightly as I mention the songs.

“Oh? What songs?”

“The misadventures of Ksawery the catfolk adventurer would be an option. Or maybe some tunes from the miller's wife.”

She laughs out loud as I mention these two examples.

“I see. I see. I don't know much from either, but I think I can hit a tune that should match.”

I nod and turn to leave.

“I'll be inside, in the backroom. Just let me know when you are done or if anything comes up.”

She in turn makes herself comfortable on the bench and gets to work as well.

Before I reach my destination in the backroom I can already hear the characteristic sound of the mill and the first tunes of the song she picked. It is another I'm vaguely familiar with, the capricious trout. It certainly is a song that matches the rhythm of the others and it is quite cheerful as well. Or rather most versions I know are cheerful, as the fishermen never catch the trout in those.

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Once I reach the workbench I get busy as well. First I measure some coffee beans out from the bag into a bowl. Not too many though, as I only want to experiment today.

Then I get a pan with a lid and start a fire in the fireplace. I snap my fingers as I remember the effect the crystal on my staff can have at higher settings. It is too late now though. The fire is already crackling. I'll have to try and light it with the staff another time.

I make sure none of the beans are moldy. Once I'm satisfied I put them in the pan and the lid on top. They need some heat from all sides after all. I have to make sure they don't burn either though. Thus I spend the next little while at the fire, swirling the pan about to move the beans inside.

I check on the beans occasionally and, once their smell and color seem right, I quickly pour them from the hot pan back into the cool bowl. I don't extinguish the fire yet though. Instead I put a kettle with water on to boil.

I take a deep breath as I return my attention to the beans. The aroma! The smell alone is already enough to invigorate me.

Now I have no time to waste. The beans land in one of my mortars and I start smashing and grinding them with the pestle until the resulting mass has the right consistency. Not too fine but no big pieces either. The amount is a little too much for a single cup, even if I were to intend to make it extra strong, thus I get two cups instead.

By now the water is ready as well. I put the ground coffee into the cups and start pouring the water over it at a slow, measured pace. Not too much at once.

At this point a voice from behind startles me. It is the pregnant archer.

“Ooooh! What is this? This isn't a stamina potion, right? But it invigorates me just the same!”

I chuckle as I keep pouring the water.

“Are you done already?”

She nods and puts the mill on the workbench besides me.

I take a moment to check on the drawer with the ground up, crystallized mana. It is almost full. Good enough for me today.

“Just a moment. I'll stamp your paperwork right away. I need to finish this first.”

She nods, puts the quest papers on the workbench next to the mill and keeps watching me brew coffee in silence. Well, she is silent for a little while at least. That doesn't last though.

“I'm Elzbieta by the way. You know, since I think we never properly introduced ourselves.”

I smile and grab a cup marked as sugar from the shelve above. It actually contains sugar. It is brown sugar and it is mostly big crystals.

“I'm Valeria. This used to be my grandma's shop until… you know.”

She nods silently and resumes watching me, as I crush some of the sugar in the same mortar until it is fine enough. At this point she pipes up again.

“Say, would you mind if I try a little from this concoction of yours?”

I snort in amusement.

“It isn't a concoction. At least not yet. It is coffee. I'm not quite done preparing it yet though. I'm not entirely sure it is the right kind of drink for a pregnant woman either. We never got to test that at the academy.”

She shrugs.

“No day like today? To do the testing. Right?”

I scrunch up my face at that suggestion, but don't stop my preparations either. I add the sugar to the cups and stir a little. Then comes the finishing touch. The enchanting dust. I add just a little, a tiny knife tip, to each cup.

Elzbieta's eyebrow's rise a little at that, but she doesn't comment.

I just grin.

“That adds a little extra kick. It makes the drink a little prickly as well.”

As I talk I stir the contents of both cups a little more. As I stop, she reaches for one of the cups and I stop her.

“Careful. It is still hot. Give the ground coffee some time to sink to the bottom as well. It doesn't taste that great. I wish I knew a way to prepare it without the grindings in the cup. Oh, and drink it in small sips. Stop if it provokes any adverse reactions.”

She nods and I'm almost afraid that she tuned me out halfway through, when she suddenly provides an actual insightful comment.

“A sieve. A metal one maybe if the coffee isn't ground too fine. Or maybe a silk bag? Like for tea?”

Hmm, the latter might actually work. I nod my thanks to her and grab one of the cups. I carefully blow across the surface and Elzbieta takes a deep breath as some more of the tantalizing aroma is blown her way. Then I take a small first sip and wide smile spreads across my face. It could do with a little more sugar, but otherwise it is just right! The taste, the prickly sensation, the way my pulse quickens a little, it is all exactly right.

My guest picks up the other cup and takes a little sip as well. Unlike me she has no clue what to expect. Her eyes grow wide like saucers. She sounds a little shaky, but the look on her face suggests that the surprise is a pleasant one.

“Oh! Oh my! That certainly is something else!”