The Other World Dining Hall (WN) Chapter 34

Ice Cream Soda

One day, at the corner of Sand country, a pair of man and woman was walking side by side.

[I think older brother is somewhat a late bloomer.]

Wearing magic cloaks and producing slight cold air to protect themselves from the merciless heat of the sun, Lana the princess of the Sand Country told that to her older brother Sharif.

[If, if you say so. The other party is the princess of Eastern Continent you know.

There're preparations needed to leave the homeland and getting married at the Sand Country of Western Continent.

That is why I first set up emissaries to set up trade alliance with the empire.]

Against Lana's brother… in the Sand Country, there were few people who did not mince their words and were able to speak pointedly to him, so Sharif gave his excuses to Lana.

[That's not the problem. It's you yourself. I don't think you have the spirit to win that woman's heart.

To start with, you establish connection with the other country, and as a proof that the ties were genuine, you take the princess of that country as his bride.

Indeed, it is a sound logic; it's not a bad story if the Empire's royal bloodline could get connected with the bloodline of the country's royalty.

Anyway, it wouldn't be a story of a marriage if her sickness is not healed.

However as you know, unfortunately the national powers between both countries are too different. Even though our country is influential in the Western Continent, the Empire is one of the superpowers in the Eastern continent.

If your beautiful maiden said no, probably your willfulness will pa.s.s.

That's why you should get close to her before her illness got healed.]

While enjoying her conversation with her brother whose wisdom was different from other n.o.ble girls of her age and the mediator of harem, Lana spun her words as if to remind him.

For the royalty, the circ.u.mstances of the country were top priority; especially the marriage of the crown prince born from the legal wife, the intention of the person himself was irrelevant.

However if the intention was neglected, the marriage would be unfortunate for each sides.

That was why they should make efforts to love and be loved.

So far, there were so many women being presented to Sharif, but there was something definitely missing as none of them could attract him.

Lana knew about that.

Lana was different from Sharif who was a child of the legal wife… the princess was the child of a concubine who was originally a court magician when the king fell in love at first sight with her.

The Sand Country which emphasized in magic was excellent in terms of magical prowess, and it was a country where people were able to succeed disregarding their gender as long as they had sufficient magical knowledge.

While Lana's mother was a lower n.o.bility, she was one of the two that was permitted to work as court magicians because they possessed excellent magic skill and talent among their generations. She eventually won the king's heart and gave birth to Lana, truly a person who was successful in life.

That mother sometimes served as a court teacher who taught magical knowledge to her daughter and Sharif.

Their relations.h.i.+p was not love between man and woman. Even though they had different mothers, they learned from the same teacher so they got along with each other.

[Well… oops, it seems we have arrived.]

When he tried to form his words, they had arrived at their destination.

A black door with a picture of a cat drawn on it located at the sandy ocean.

It was the place the two of them were aiming for, floating in the hot weather like fireworks.

[Well, let's get inside.]

[Ok. The desert during the day is too hot.]

The two opened the door.

The sound of bell echoed and cold air leaked out.

[Fuu… well, this is nice.]

Feeling the breeze, Lana reflexively sighed and went through the door with her older brother.

[Welcome.]

[h.e.l.lo. I'll be in your a.s.sistance.]

Inside the door was a room as cold as the night, Lana greeted the owner femininely.

Lana who was skilled in interactions knew that with her rounded feminine body and clear facial features, she looked pretty if she acted femininely.

[Well then… onii-sama1, this place is free.]

[A, aa… tha, that is right.]

She stopped her older brother from sitting at his usual un.o.btrusive seat at the corner and called him to seat at the table beside his crush's usual seat.

[Excuse me.]

He walked elegantly between the customers and went to his seat.

[Welcome. Here's the menu. Well then, please take your time.]

[Ee, thank you.]

While receiving the menu, iced water and hot towel from the demon waitress wearing a costume of another world, she cheerfully said her thanks.

[Well, you're still looking at her, huh.]

After sending the waitress away, Lana talked to Sharif, returning to the way she talked before without taking her eyes away from her menu.

[Aa… that is so.]

Sharif replied in a practiced manner while the two of them perused the drinks section of the menu.

[Well, Lana? Have you decided?]

[Please wait a little more… u~mu.]

Unlike Lana who was a little troubled in choosing her order, Sharif decided to order his usual.

Though Lana being Lana had generally decided what to order.

Lana's favourite drink when she came to this restaurant.

(Well, today's ice cream soda… what to choose.)

Ice cream soda.

That was Lana's preferred drink, a dessert.

However, this was the kind of trouble every time she came.

(For the soda… ginger ale, cola, orange, grape… no, of course its melon soda.)

She inspected each selection while thinking of the soda that was included in the cla.s.sification that had unique stimulus that stung the throat.

When ordering ice cream soda in this restaurant, one could choose the soda and the ice cream.

In what combination should she order it.

Every time she visited, Lana was always troubled by it.

(Today… fumu. Let's go with soft ice cream.)

After her little pondering, she decided to order melon soda with soft ice cream.

Among other patterns, it's a combination that she often ordered.

[I have decided, older brother.]

[I see… excuse me! I wish to order!]

In response to his sister's decision, Sharif called the waitress loudly.

[Ye~s! Are you ready to order?]

[Aa, I'll have coffee float. Make the coffee stronger and sweeter.]

[I want ice cream soda with melon soda and soft ice cream.]

Sharif and Lana placed their order nearly at the same time.

[Ok! Please wait a moment!]

Nodding, the waitress retreated to the kitchen to inform the owner of the order.

And then, it was delivered shortly.

[Thank you for waiting! Your orders of coffee float and ice cream soda.]

With a light sound, she placed the drinks that were served in beautiful gla.s.s cups on the table.

(Umu. It's beautiful as always.)

Lana thought that the contrast between the bright green soda inside the transparent cup reminiscent of the palace courtyard with the ice cream as pure white as salt was beautiful.

[Well then, please enjoy.]

The waitress went away to pick up orders from other customers and Lana started on her ice cream soda as soon as possible.

(The first bite is ice cream only.)

Lana started to drink her ice cream soda according to the way she decided.

First of all, she used her spoon to scoop out the soft smooth mountain and carried it to her mouth.

(Un. This soft ice cream is as good as always.)

With the cold sweet taste spreading momentarily inside her mouth, Lana smiled satisfactorily.

The "ice creams" she received from Sharif had different varieties and were all interesting and delicious, but soft ice cream was even more delicious.

Soft ice creams had smoothness and softness that were not found in normal ice creams.

A soft, sweet and cold soft ice cream made of dairy.

Because of its softness, it was easy to melt therefore it couldn't be eaten unless she visited this restaurant and she couldn't bring it home even though she used the strange other world ice that was colder than ordinary ice and did not leave any water when it melted.

Therefore, she decided to bring ice cream back home and ate soft ice cream at the restaurant.

That was Lana's usual option.

(Umu, umu… next is soda.)

After enjoying a spoonful of soda, Lana started on her soda.

She sucked the soda from the cup with the straw.

What spread inside her mouth next was the freshness of soda with its stinging sensation.

Unlike soft ice cream, she could taste the exciting sweetness that had fruit flavor.

(Aa, it's delicious as usual… to not understand the quality of this flavor, that brother of mine sure has a loser disposition.)

While rolling the melon soda inside her mouth, she observed her brother who was enjoying his coffee float.

It seemed that her brother was no good at drinking beverages containing this "carbonic acid".

So to say, he did not like the stinging feeling inside the mouth.

At first, he was interested in ice cream soda when Lana ordered it the first time she visited the restaurant. But after he tried it, he never ordered it ever again.

However, carbonic acid was very tasty to Lana, so Sharif's warning was ignored.

(From my point of view, the mixed flavor of sweet and bitter in caffa is not compatible.)

On the other hand, Lana disliked the traditional caffa drink of Sand Country.

She did not care for that bitterness anyhow.

It's the same for the caffa called "coffee" in the other world, and Lana never ordered his favourite coffee float.

(Well then… next is soon.)

And after she finished enjoying soft ice cream and melon soda, Lana started to fully enjoy ice cream soda.

She scooped soft ice cream and brought it to her mouth, and then she immediately sucked the melon soda.

The smooth sweetness of soft ice cream and the exciting sweetness of melon soda.

When these two mixed together, they created harmony.

(Un. This taste.)

This taste is the real pleasure of ice cream soda.

Lana was satisfied with the taste and entered the final phase.

(After all, this is the last one.)

Then, she put a hand on the precious taste of ice cream soda.

She spread ice cream over melon soda, and then she brought the mixture to her mouth.

The taste of soft ice cream sticking to the melon soda.

And when both taste mixed, the taste of chaos.

(Ice cream soda is fully enjoyed in these 3 steps.)

Lana finished her ice cream soda and put down her spoon with a satisfied smile.

'Chirinchirin', almost at the same time, the door opened.

When Sharif who was watching the door as he enjoyed his coffee float stretched his body to see who came inside, Lana knew who it was that just entered.

[Welcome!]

[Ee, kon'nichiwa, Aletta-san.]

It was low manner to treat common person politely while having n.o.ble stature.

That was the person that Sharif had a crush on, the Empire princess Adelheid entered the restaurant and noticed Lana and co.

[Lana-san. Gokigen uruwashuu2]

Seeing the smiling face of her close friend of similar age, Adelheid greeted her.

[Gokigen uruwashuu. Hey, you too, brother.]

[U, umu… that, err. You seem to be in fine health today.]

Lana greeted back with a soft smile and urged her brother.

…For the time being, since he was able to say that, she could say that he made progress.

[Why don't you join our seat if you don't mind? We can talk about the Empire.]

[Ee, very well. Well then, excuse me.]

Her expression lightened by Lana's words who became her friend in this restaurant. Sharif's tension increased when Adelheid sat opposite of him.

[Today I'll have chocolate parfait…]

[Then I'll have cola float… nii-sama, are you alright?]

[A, aa… don't worry. My body has cooled down so I'll order Viennese coffee.]

(Geez, if half of his usual dignity can be shown, he could seduce her already.)

She smiled wryly at her nervous older brother.

(Maa, I think it's a lot of progress already since they could somewhat talk together.)

While thinking that, Lana chatted with Adelheid… her prospective future sister-in-law.

TN: I like seeing Sharif besotted with Adelheid. I think it’s cute when a boy fell in love with a girl. XD