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Chapter 11: Coffee and bread

The first thing that registered in Lylia’s hazy mind was light.

It was bright, blinding, and annoying.

"Ughhh…" she groaned, rolling over and pressing a pillow to her face. The damn glowing rock hanging from the ceiling was still shining like it owned the place.

Eyes half-shut, she tried to drift back to sleep. Maybe just a little longer.

Five minutes passed.

Ten minutes passed.

No matter how many times she squeezed her eyes shut and curled into a ball, sleep refused to come back.

Finally, she cracked one eye open, blinking groggily. "…Huh?" Her dry voice croaked. "Did… did I really fall asleep?"

Pushing herself upright, she yawned so hard her jaw popped. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands, then stumbled toward the window like a zombie. With one finger, she tugged the curtain open just a little, peeking through the gap.

Outside, the world was painted in dull shades of gray..Not quite dark, not quite bright. It was like the sky couldn’t make up its mind.

The streets below weren’t lively like before. Only a few people were out, bundled in cloaks, walking with quiet steps. 

 

"…Is it… almost morning?" Lylia tilted her head, trying to estimate the time.

But this wasn’t her world anymore. Maybe their days lasted thirty hours. Maybe they had two suns and she just hadn’t noticed yet.

"Or maybe… it’s already afternoon and I’ve been asleep for, like, a whole day,”" she mumbled, lips parting in horror.

Whatever the case, one thing was certain. She has been out cold for way longer than she’d planned.

"Oh well. Hopefully, there’s still food left for me."

Her stomach growled loudly, agreeing with her thoughts.

She placed a hand over her belly, wincing. "Ugh… I’m running on fumes here. Even water would be nice right about now."

Unfortunately, there was none.

So, she reluctantly swallowed a mouthful of her own saliva.

"…Heh. A girl's saliva sure is sweet," she muttered with a crooked grin, amused by her own weirdness.

Shaking her head, she fixed the crumpled bed sheets with lazy swipes, at least making it look somewhat tidy..Just as she was about to leave, she froze.

"Oh, right. My stuff."

She went back for her staff and the book resting on the bedside table.

'Can’t leave a weapon of mass destruction lying around. What if someone trips and accidentally blows up the whole building?' she thought.

With everything in hand, she finally headed downstairs.

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The common room was nearly empty, eerily quiet compared to yesterday. Only the receptionist was there, sitting behind the counter and sipping from a steaming mug.

The moment she noticed Lylia, her face lit up. "Good morning, miss!"

"Morning," Lylia greeted back with a small wave. Her voice was still hoarse from sleep.

"You’re up quite early."

"Well, I did fall asleep early…" Lylia chuckled awkwardly, scratching her cheek. "Accidentally, even. I didn't mean to.”

"Would you like some breakfast?"

"Yes, please," Lylia replied eagerly, then sniffed the air. Her nose twitched. "Wait, is that coffee?"

The receptionist nodded. "Mhmm."

Instantly, Lylia’s craving ignited. "Can I have some too?"

"Of course. With sugar or milk?"

"Nope. None of that. Black, please," Lylia said, puffing her chest proudly.

The receptionist blinked. "Are you sure? It can be quite bitter."

Lylia laughed, leaning against the counter like a self-proclaimed femme fatale. "Don’t worry about me. I actually like my coffee dark, just like my soul."

The receptionist giggled behind her hand. "Well, if you change your mind, don’t be shy to ask for sugar or milk."

"You really don’t have to worry." Lylia gave her a playful wink. "Even though I may look this cute and innocent, I’m a fully-fledged adult. Mature, mysterious, dangerously alluring…"

She fluttered her eyelashes and blew a dramatic flying kiss across the counter.

The receptionist laughed louder this time. "Oh my, do you make a habit of wooing every girl you meet?"

Lylia smirked, leaning closer. "What do you think?"

Still in her flirty, over-the-top persona, she added sweetly, "Now, could I get my breakfast and maybe a glass of water too, pretty please?"

"Right away," the receptionist said with a chuckle, disappearing through a door behind her.

Lylia plopped down at a nearby table, setting her staff against the wall and placing her book neatly on the table.

She tilted her head back, humming to herself.

"…I wonder what the food’s like here. Didn’t even ask, whoops."

Not like she was picky. Unless they served something too exotic, she’d just power through it. It’s not like they’d serve her… poison or anything, right?

Right…?

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The receptionist returned carrying a simple wooden tray. On it was a plate holding a single, chunky piece of bread along with a steaming cup of coffee.

"Here you are," she said warmly, placing it down.

Lylia’s nose twitched again, the rich aroma of coffee making her mouth water.

"…Mhmmm. Smells heavenly."

She poked the bread with her knife, tilting her head. "Uh, what’s this?"

"It’s bread."

"Oh. Right. Obviously." She laughed awkwardly, then sliced off a portion and popped it into her mouth.

The texture was… firm. Very firm.

"…Kinda hard," she muttered, chewing slowly. Still, she’d eaten tougher stuff before. The taste was plain, but not bad. Normal, really.

Her only complaint was that it was dry enough to make her throat ache.

She quickly grabbed the glass of water and chugged it down.

"Phew…" She sighed in relief.

Sure, it was basically tap water, but whatever. If it killed her, she was confident there was probably some spell or priest who could fix it.

After wetting her throat, she dipped the bread into her coffee before taking a bite.

Her eyes widened. "Oh. Ohhh, that’s good," she whispered like she’d discovered a hidden culinary technique.

Finally, she wrapped her hands around the coffee cup and took a slow sip.

The bitter taste bloomed across her tongue, sharp and rich.

It was exactly the way she liked it.

"…Perfection."

She crossed her legs gracefully, raising her pinky finger as she sipped like a high-class noblewoman from an old painting.

Steam curled around her face as she blew gently on the surface, savoring every breath, every taste. In this quiet, empty room, it almost felt like time had stopped.

Her first proper meal in this world.

Her first cup of coffee.

After everything, the confusion, the chaos, the life-or-death panic, and this was peace.

She let out a slow, satisfied exhale.

"…Heh. Not bad."

For this moment, at least, she was the queen of her own little world.

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