NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2065: Date Plan Execution ⑧
After a brief exchange of greetings, Canalis-san placed a glass teacup in front of both Jutia-san and me.
The teacup was crafted by Nebula and Illness-san, who recently started producing glassware. It had a refreshing, beautiful look, and even with tea in it, it made for a picturesque scene.
[……My oh my…… Could this be iced tea?]
[Yes, that’s correct. We’re planning to start selling it when it gets a bit warmer. We've prepared a lineup of tea leaves specifically for iced tea, and this is one of them. These tea leaves are easy to brew with cold water, and the one we’re serving now is characterized by its mellow sweetness.]
[I see, I see…… Iced tea sounds great. It has a different flavor profile from regular tea, and this looks delicious too!]
The new tea that Canalis-san prepared is part of a line specifically for iced tea. So far, there are plans to release five varieties simultaneously. When I last heard, it was scheduled for release in about three months…… Though it's hard to tell due to the stable climate of Symphonia Kingdom, it’s set to launch around the summertime.
Canalis-san arranged a few tea snacks on the table, gave a slight bow, and exited the room. Jutia-san, with sparkling eyes, looked at me with a clear sense of impatience…… which made me smile as I opened my mouth to speak.
[Well then, shall we go ahead and drink?]
[Unn, unn, I couldn't wait any longer! Now then, now then, let's take a sip——— !? Wow! Even though it’s iced tea, the aroma and flavor are so clear and distinct!]
[Is it normal for iced tea to have less flavor and aroma than regular tea?][Yes, that’s right. Generally, our taste perception is dulled with cold things. For example, for example, imagine a cold juice; it tastes delicious when it’s cold, but when it warms up, it suddenly feels overly sweet. It’s the same with cold drinks———– chilling them tends to mute the flavors.]
Now that she mentioned it, I did have similar experiences. Cola is a good example. When it warms up, it tastes overly sweet and isn’t as enjoyable.
It seems that the overly sweet taste is actually its true flavor, and that cold temperatures blur the sweetness so it doesn’t seem overpowering……
[It also affects the aroma too———– most scents are dispersed through heat, so cold drinks tend to have a weaker fragrance but…… this iced tea is completely different. It’s really amazing!]
[I see…… But, for example, if this tea warms up, would it also end up tasting too sweet?]
[That's the impressive part. You see, you see, just now, I tried altering the temperature with magic after taking a sip…… and even when it’s warm, the flavor hardly changed at all. I think these tea leaves might be specially adjusted to retain flavor even when chilled. Incredible, really incredible! I always feel such fresh surprises, and it moves me so much!]
[Ahaha, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it that much.]
[Unn, unn, I'm really glad to have met you, Kaito. Ohh, sorry, sorry, that sounded a bit like I’m only interested in the treats, didn’t it? But even setting aside the tea, I truly feel lucky to have met you. It’s fun being with you, and I really like your kind heart.]
[……Thank you. I’m happy to hear you feel that way.]
Even knowing it’s purely friendly affection, it’s hard not to feel a bit flustered when someone beams at you with such a bright smile and says they like you.
In any case, I’m truly glad Jutia-san feels that way, and I enjoy talking to her as well———– she’s cheerful, kind, and just fun to be around.
[Shall we try some of the tea snacks, too? Knowing Canalis-san, I’m sure she’s prepared something to complement this iced tea.]
[Good idea, good idea. Since cold drinks don’t wash away oil as easily in the mouth, I bet she’s chosen snacks that don’t contain any of that. I’m really looking forward to these too!]
Talking about her favorite tea, Jutia-san is even more talkative than usual, and with her petite appearance, she looks incredibly cute.
But, hmm? Arehh? Are those little wooden horns on her head…… somehow looking longer? Or is that just my imagination?
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [……This is just my guess, but that's probably similar to when flowers bloom on Lillywood’s head, or when Lillie’s flower deepens in color———– a kind of sign that they’re really happy…… If that's the case, when it comes to love, she also changes quite a bit……]