Olivier was quite curious about his newest costumer. While delivering Emmanuel a cup of coffee, he inquired some more:
"So, how did you discover this place for the first time?"
"I wouldn't really say I discovered the Café of Dreams. Moreso, I was invited. You see. When I was young, we were really poor. One day I wished for someone to help my family and when I woke up the next day, this card was lying there on my stomach."
As he explained this, Emmanuell retrieved a card from his pockets. It looked like the one Benjamin showed Olivier earlier, but it was secured in a hard plastic cover.
"I was young, but I wasn't stupid back then. The streets taught me to trust no one. And yet I decided to try my luck. Looking back, I feel like the card guided my thoughts. I found the address it pointed to, and that's when I stepped into the Café of Dreams for the first time.
Back then the café was bustling with all kinds of… creatures. I didn't dare to be conspicuous. I hid in a corner and listened quietly, gathering information. Ah! Thank you!"
Emmanuel stopped his story as Olivier handed him a cup of coffee. The customer stared at the mysterious brown liquid with a reminiscent smile like meeting an old lover again before taking the first sip. Yet his face immediately scrunched. He flinched and shuddered.
"Boss! Don't you have any sweetener? This is unbearable. How can you sell this…"
Emmanuel was just about to go on a rant, but then his eyes fell on Olivier's indifferent face. The young boss overlapped with the mysterious appearance of the old boss in his mind. It was as if he suddenly remembered something terrifying and Emmanuel shut up on the spot.
Olivier didn't know what his customer was thinking about. He lightly shook his head, indicating that he didn't have any sweetener.
"Haha, not that important. Not that important. I always wanted to try black coffee anyways."
Emmanuel waved his hand and continued drinking his coffee, forcing himself to show a pleased expression. For a few seconds only Emmanuel's slurping could be heard as he poured the coffee down his throat without enjoyment. As he put the cup back down, his eyes lit up. Despite the bad taste, the familiar comfortable feeling was still there. A warm stream ran through his body, revitalizing like nothing else.
"Haa! That's it! That's the feeling I missed for such a long time!"
Olivier observed from the side. Emmanuel had an expression as if he entered another world full of bliss. It lasted a few seconds before the man returned to reality. Olivier saw his chance, urging Emmanuel:
"Customer. Don't you want to continue your story?"
Emmanuel was almost about to say yes when a crafty smile appeared on his face:
"Oh, of course boss. I could continue my story. But I need something from you first…"
"Oh? Do you want another cup of coffee?"
"Ha! Never! I know the tricks of this place. Another cup of coffee will only have the cost without any of the benefit. No, what I need from you are the Green Beans of Hexalthu. The more the better!"
"Well, there is no need to make a deal. I will naturally sell you what I have."
"Nonono. Not sell. This is an exchange, alright?"
A frown found its way on Olivier's face. He felt like he was being taken advantage of. However, it was his bad luck that he found himself in this disadvantaged situation where information was valuable.
On the other hand, was knowing more about the past of this place that valuable? Just as Olivier pondered whether to agree or not, Emmanuel suddenly froze in place. He felt as if a knife was placed at his throat. He rigidly moved his head and came eye to eye with the black cat.
Immediately the entire world seemed to change. Red tentacles grew from the walls, binding Emmanuels limps. He had no chance to resist. His mind was trapped in his body, unable to give commands. From a shadow on the ceiling a large black claw emerged, slowly moving closer and closer to his throat.
"I TELL! I TELL! DON'T…"
Instantly the world returned to normal as if the earlier scene had never existed. Emmanuel was drenched in sweat and his eyes reflected pure horror. Olivier could tell that something terrifying must have just happened to his customer. He glanced towards the black cat, only to see her leisurely grooming her fur.
Just by looking at Emmanuel, Olivier also felt a chill run down his back. He walked back to the counter, grabbed a few napkins and handed them to his costumer.
"T… thank you… boss."
Emmanuel wiped the sweat away. Watching him, Olivier was amazed how quickly the man regained his composure. Perhaps this was an ability gained after living for more than ninety years. Or this was not the first time he had been warned by the black cat. Anyways, Emmanuel soon continued to talk:
"I'm sorry boss. I will naturally tell you my story without getting something in exchange. Haha. So, where were we… oh, right. The first time I came here. Well, I said I gathered information, but this is not really true. I couldn't understand anyone else. They were all speaking a different language…"
As Emmanuel mentioned this fact, Olivier suddenly felt as if he was hit by lightning. To him it sounded as if Emmanuel was speaking Olivier's mother tongue. But Emmanuel came from Indel City, a place Olivier never heard of before. It was impossible for them to speak the same language.
"…So, I just sat there for a while before the boss suddenly stood in front of me. He asked what I wanted, and I blurted out my wish for help. Therefore, the boss suggested the Green Beans to me. I was young back then, so lifespan sounded irrelevant. Of course I paid.
Afterwards I left the café and went back home. I wasn't sure how to use the coffee. But one day I heard about this amazing child composer, and I came up with an idea. I became a painter! The meditative state induced by the green beans gave me the inspiration I needed. Even without refined technique my paintings soon got attention. I became more and more famous and when I was eighteen, I finished the first painting worth more than ten million dourus!
Well, from then on, my life was a blast. I came to the café every three days and lived the life of a celebrated painter. Unfortunately even with all the money I couldn't save my mother, who died when I was not even forty years old. That day I also used the green beans and mysteriously came to realize something. It was that my lifespan had increased through drinking your coffee.
I understood that it would look suspicious if I didn't age. Thus, I faked my suicide and took on a new identity. My second life was pretty much the same as the first. After a while I faked another death and became Emmanuel Verou. I thought I could keep going like this forever, but one day when I wanted to visit the café it had disappeared!
Can you imagine my shock?! Please, boss. You have to promise me! Don't suddenly leave me! I need you! I am currently living in poverty again. I need to get out of it!"
Olivier took a deep breath as he arranged his thoughts. Emmanuel presented a lot of information to him. But one question was burning on his tongue:
"You said the café disappeared suddenly? Do you know what happened to the old boss?"
"No, no. The old boss was always mysterious. I never dared to inquire about his matters."
"Alright…"
Olivier fell silent. He glanced at the black cat, but the feline didn't seem inclined to clear his doubts. Olivier had no chance to shelf the issue for now as Emmanuel asked again:
"So, boss. Barista! Please, can you sell me some green beans? Please! I need them."
"Sure."
Olivier went back to the counter. He opened the drawer and retrieved three packages of Green Beans of Hexalthu. Emmanuel had been following him and his eyes lit up as he saw the packages.
"Yes, that's it! Great! Boss, give me everything you have."
"This is all I have."
"Really? The old boss always kept a large stock."
"Hmm, do you know where he got his beans from?"
"Yes! This I do know! It was basically the only time I have ever seen the boss smile when he talked about his farm!"
Olivier was taken aback, repeating in bafflement:
"Farm?"
"Yes, yes. The boss sometimes mentioned that he had a large farm outside where he got all his products from. Unfortunately, no one ever saw the farm as far as I know. If a customer left through the door they were always transported back where they came from. Honestly, I don't even know where we are right now."
"Well, I don't know either…"