Chapter 19 : Black Coffee

After putting everything into the storage room, Schiller laid out the three magic tomes on the desk.
The method for using a magic tome was simple: one just needed to use magic to read the “text” in the book.

Low-tier magic tomes could only be passively used by people, while high-tier and even mysterious-grade magic tomes would actively seize a person’s mind.

A magic tome would guide the user’s magical power to circulate within their body according to the specific paths recorded in the book. Of course, those whose minds were seized would likely not have an easy time. If they failed to read it successfully, there were even precedents of becoming a vegetable or falling into madness.

“Phew…” Schiller swallowed, spreading his magical power over the three books.

Before this, he had already taken a magic amplification potion, the purpose of which was to ensure the process was foolproof.

“!” A massive torrent of knowledge washed over his mind, and his magical power surged uncontrollably.

An imprint of a certain skill formed in his mind. Finally, when everything settled, he opened his eyes.

The status in the mirror had changed.

Skills: [Hohenzollern-style Swordsmanship – Intermediate], [Physical Combat – LV1], [Body Enhancement LV1], [Flash Step LV1], [Stealth LV1]

“Oh, oh! So the level… still hasn’t changed?” Schiller looked at the disappointing level.

It seemed the number of skills didn’t affect the level.

Ultimately, Schiller’s foundation was too poor.

“At this point, I’ll just have to keep chugging potions.”

However, he had anticipated this and had prepared a large number of supplements in advance.

Today was the day of his breakthrough!

He stood up, pulled out various supplements from his pockets, and then, with an exceptional demeanor, poured them into his mouth.

“Ugh, so, so bitter…” He furrowed his brows; the taste, like swill, lingered stubbornly in his mouth.

‘At a time like this, if only there was something to wash away the taste.’

A knock came from the door.

“Oh, oh! Aileen, you’ve come at just the right time!”

“Please come in.”

Aileen gently pushed the door open, slowly pulling a trolley, and walked in front of him.

“Yes, Young Master, your coffee.”

“Coffee? This late at night?” Schiller looked at Aileen with a puzzled expression.

“Yes, only coffee today.”

“Only coffee?”

“The cellar key is lost. I was going to make black tea, but Lady Celia said coffee was better.”

In reality, in the empire, coffee was considered a commoner’s hobby; black tea was the symbol of nobility.

“Oh, Celia, then…” That’s right, in fact, Schiller was more accustomed to the taste of coffee than black tea.

‘Should I say she truly is his personal maid?’ He dismissed his doubts.

Aileen bowed, then exited the room.

As he was about to savor the hard-earned deliciousness, he suddenly felt his body enveloped by a fierce flame. The burning sensation made him feel hot all over.

“This is it!” The lower half of his body reacted involuntarily.

“I didn’t hear that breaking through levels would…” He sat down clumsily, grabbing a pillow to hide the bulging part.

In reality, this was likely a side effect of the supplement—an aphrodisiac. Schiller finally understood what those merchants’ lewd smiles meant when he was purchasing it.

In the original work, the protagonist probably didn’t react because of her gender.

And having drunk a massive amount of supplements in one go, he had reached a point of no return, where the arrow had left the bow.

“Oh no, I definitely can’t be seen like this…” Fortunately, it was already close to night, so no one should come.

‘Perhaps I should relieve myself now…’

Since coming to this world, he had been constantly surrounded by beautiful girls. Perhaps he had accumulated a lot of suppressed desires.

A knock sounded again.

“Uh, Aileen? This isn’t a good time…”

Outside the door stood a pure white elf bathed in moonlight—Sheryl, wearing her nightgown, had pushed the door open.

‘Dammit, bad, terrible.’

Her cheeks were slightly flushed, her fingertips nervously twisting the hem of her nightdress, and her eyes were not looking at Schiller but darting around.

“I, I came, but not for you! It’s just that I happened to have some free time…”

Thump, thump, his heart pounded, calling out for release.

Schiller was in a very dangerous situation; a slight stimulation could make him lose his rationality.

And seeing Sheryl’s alluring expression… he tightly pinched his own body.

However, as a human, there were things one absolutely could not do, mistakes one absolutely could not make.

Once that boundary was crossed, perhaps there would be no turning back.

“Lil, what is it?”

His voice was hoarse, the result of his desperate attempt to maintain sanity.

Otherwise, he might have lunged at her at any moment.

Sheryl showed a puzzled expression and gracefully approached Schiller, who was sitting by the bed.

“? Didn’t you call me here… Wait, your face is so red.”

In Sheryl’s eyes, Schiller’s face was flushed, and he was clutching the pillow in pain.

“Are you okay? Let me see!”

Sheryl placed her hand on Schiller’s forehead; the cold touch temporarily eased the heat in his heart.

Sheryl’s hair carried the scent of flowers, as if purifying his vulgarity.

“Hmm… not very hot either.” She withdrew her hand, revealing a relieved smile.

‘I feel like her tsundere level seems to be…’

“No, I absolutely cannot yield!” Schiller gritted his teeth, “Hmph!” He punched himself hard. This punch finally temporarily quelled the fire. The sharp pain temporarily quelled the raging flames, but it also made his vision go dark.

“That…” Sheryl’s voice held a hint of anticipation, “I want to… practice one more time!”

“Practice?” Although the dark desires were temporarily suppressed, they would likely relapse sooner or later. He hoped to send Sheryl away as quickly as possible.

“Etiquette practice… is that not allowed?” Sheryl’s silvery-gray eyes sparkled.

“Of course, of course, Lil, you can practice as many times as you want.” Schiller said with a smile.

Having just heard Sheryl’s tragic background, he couldn’t refuse her no matter what.

Moreover, Sheryl still had the expression of a lost child.

“Then, right here. Oh, there’s a cup of black tea ready.” Schiller pointed to the coffee.

“Let’s practice aristocratic tea-drinking.”

“Tea? Where?” She blinked.

“…” Schiller averted his face.

“You mean… that pitch-black thing is black tea?” Her tone was full of suspicion.

‘Damn it, she’s not suspecting me of drugging her, is she?’

‘While favorability shouldn’t be too high, lowering it is definitely a no-go!’

“That is…” Schiller tried to explain, but was interrupted by Sheryl.

Then, she gave him a speechless look and poked Schiller’s side.

“Even I know what coffee is, you know,” she said with a proud expression. She lifted her chin slightly, with a touch of playful arrogance, then chuckled softly, “However, since Schiller says it’s tea, then let’s just pretend it’s tea.”

‘Is it, is it that problem?’

Sheryl took the coffee without the slightest suspicion, sipping it elegantly in the manner of a noble.

During the process, she frowned several times, perhaps unaccustomed to the bitterness of coffee. She looked at Schiller with a puzzled gaze, but didn’t stop, still trying to maintain her elegance.

‘Oh, oh! How touching. To think that the beast-like Sheryl would now also learn noble etiquette…’

“Lil, you’ve truly grown up.” He said this without any particular reason.

“!”

Sheryl’s hand holding the coffee stopped. She placed the cup back on the tray, stopping her movements like a wind-up doll.

“?” Schiller looked at Sheryl in confusion.

She lifted her head, her silvery-gray eyes gazing directly into Schiller’s, her expression more serious than he had ever seen:

“Schiller… are you my family?”

“Family? Hmm, you can consider me family.”

Schiller had originally planned this, but perhaps his words were too hasty.

Sheryl’s body suddenly swayed, and she softly collapsed towards the ground!

Schiller quickly caught her.

“Fa-family, phew, hehe.” Sheryl in his arms had a flushed face, like someone who had drunk too much, uttering satisfied and muddled dream-talk. The next second, she fell into a deep sleep in Schiller’s arms.

“Is this coffee from another world… Why is it making me drowsy then?”

…

Outside the door, Celia carefully picked the lock, a meaningful curve on her lips, then disappeared into the depths.