I Didn’t Lull You to Sleep Only for You to Be Obsessed With Me - Chapter 43

RP: Haebaragi_syk

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Chapter 22.2

“No, I mean, it looks delicious…”

“I guess you’ve never heard me say I don’t eat dessert?”

She had never heard him say that. Still, like the typical cool male protagonists, she had speculated that Claude, too, might not like sweet food.

‘But this dish…!’

Feeling that he might just throw away the cake if it continued like this, April added a detailed explanation.

“Still, please have at least one bite. It’s a cake developed by our cafe’s baker. Besides, you’re an investor of the cafe so you should know what our desserts taste like.”

Claude reacted differently this time.

“Baker? That’s the first time I’ve heard of that as well.”

“Yes. I hired a baker because I don’t think I can manage desserts on my own once the cafe is open.”

Despite her initial confidence, April asked this question cautiously.

“…Is it okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s because I hired a baker without consulting with the Duke.”

“I don’t know why you keep caring about my opinion. The cafe is yours, and what you do with it has nothing to do with me.”

“That’s a relief. So, will you try it?”

Regardless of the fact that she asked with a deliberate smile, Claude only pretended to see her charming smile and replied.

“Well, I’ll give it a taste.”

“That’s… thank you.”

‘…Should I say something like ‘Your grace is most immeasurable, Your Highness’?

April pursed her lips at the thought before she regained her composure and placed the dessert fork next to the plate.

“By the way, Duke, do you prefer coffee with acidity or something with a strong bitter taste?”

“Why are you asking that?”

There was a hint of wariness in his voice, albeit faint.

Well, it was natural since high-ranking nobles tend to be conscious about their personal information. Nonetheless, did he really need to react like this over something so minor? While thinking that the world of the nobles was indeed difficult to understand, she gently chided him.

“Don’t be so wary. I’m just asking about your preferences.”

It seemed that she had become somewhat accustomed to Claude. April noticed that she could brush off even sharp comments like that casually.

‘…Though it doesn’t seem like he’s genuinely angry.’

Lloyd had mentioned that Claude seemed strangely finite to her.

Even though she hadn’t seen him very much, he certainly seemed to be softening his attitude towards her and Asher. Perhaps that was why she felt like she could speak her mind, even if she felt intimidated by him. Every time she did, Lloyd and the butler would exchange surprised glances, but since Claude didn’t say anything, it was probably fine.

“Coffee is a matter of taste. While we may have to drink it out of necessity, I wanted to make it according to your preferences if possible.”

“Is that possible?”

“Yes, it is possible, and that’s what makes the world of coffee so fascinating.”

April winked one eye slightly as she sensed curiosity from Claude despite his initial wariness as he got up from his seat and approached her.

“How is that possible? Aren’t all coffees more or less the same in taste?”

“The first cup of coffee you brew will be acidic, and the further it goes, the acidity decreases and bitterness comes out. If you like acidity, you extract it less, and if you like bitterness, you extract it more. That way, you can adjust the taste to some extent.”

Then, she placed the filter in the dripper and wet the filter with warm water. It was a process to remove the scent of the paper.

For someone less sensitive to taste, this step could be skipped, though Claude was more sensitive to his senses than anyone else. So, she thought it would be better to remove the scent of the paper for a cleaner coffee flavor.

After that, she filled it with pre-ground coffee beans.

“So, Duke, what do you prefer?”

Given his personality, she didn’t expect him to respond. However, just out of courtesy, she asked again, but to her surprise, he answered obediently.

“I prefer bitterness over acidity.”

It was the answer she had expected.

“I had a feeling it would be that way. Then, I should be the one to try the first extraction since I enjoy a little acidity.”

As she held the kettle with her right hand, April poured a little water into the center of the coffee grounds and then drew small circles. As a result, the flat coffee began to swell gradually, and at the same time, a fragrant coffee aroma wafted.

“Coffee beans that have just been roasted still have gas in them, so they swell like this. It’s fun to watch.”

While she stopped pouring the water for a moment, she gave a brief explanation to Claude, who was staring at the dripper.

It was the process of blooming the coffee.

Although there was no need for an explanation, his glare at her made her feel uncomfortable, so she kept babbling.

“And when you’re blooming the coffee, the coffee shouldn’t be extracted.”
[ T/N: To explain this further if anyone’s curious, when blooming the coffee, you should ensure that it isn’t being extracted at that moment. Blooming is a process in coffee preparation where hot water is added to the coffee grounds to release trapped gases and prepare them for proper extraction. During this step, the goal isn’t to extract the coffee but to allow it to swell or release gases. ]

“Is that even possible?”

“That’s where the technique comes in.”

April replied, her face beaming with pride.

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