Please Fall in Love with Me! – A Villainess on Her Second Loop, using 'Seduction' to Avoid Ruin! - Chapter 3.4

She placed the coffee beans into the manual grinder and began to turn the handle.

“Coffee…? I don’t drink it often,” Siegvard admitted.

“Is it because of its strong, awakening bitterness?”

As she asked while grinding the beans, Siegvard’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

“Yes, exactly. Coffee is bitter, isn’t it?”

“Not inherently. Coffee beans themselves don’t actually contain bitterness—it’s something that develops through the roasting process.”

In fact, green coffee, brewed from unroasted beans, had no bitterness at all.

“Really? I had no idea.”

“Yes. The degree of roasting determines the level of bitterness. Light roasts have a milder taste, while dark roasts bring out a stronger bitterness. That means bitterness isn’t an inherent trait of coffee—it can be adjusted or even eliminated entirely.”

“I see.”

“These beans, for instance, are lightly roasted.”

As soon as she finished grinding, she opened the container, and the rich aroma of freshly ground coffee filled the air.

“…! This scent… It’s sweet, almost floral… Is this really the fragrance of coffee?”

“Yes.”

She couldn’t quite remember what this variety was called in this world, but in terms of quality, it was among the best—comparable to high-grade Guatemalan coffee.

It carried a delicate, floral sweetness, reminiscent of orchids.

After Claude brought over freshly boiled water, she carefully adjusted its temperature—this time using a properly crafted nel drip instead of the makeshift filter she had used before.

Golden drops of coffee fell into the small pot, releasing an exquisite aroma that spread throughout the room.

“Ah… what a wonderful scent… It’s incredibly soothing…”

Siegvard took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he let the fragrance wash over him.

It wasn’t just his imagination—scientific studies in 21st-century Japan had proven that the scent of coffee stimulated alpha waves in the brain, which were associated with relaxation.

Of course, not all coffee had this effect, and the aroma wasn’t the only factor at play. But now wasn’t the time for a technical lecture.

What mattered was that coffee’s calming properties were scientifically validated.

With all the steps complete, she carefully poured the freshly brewed, aromatic amber liquid into a coffee cup.

Siegvard, who had been silently watching the entire process, let out a quiet sigh of admiration.

“You’re quite skilled at making coffee.”

“Eh?”

“There was no hesitation in your movements—not even for a moment. It was seamless.”

“Ah… I suppose so.”

For her, coffee wasn’t just a drink—it was a ritual, a means of relaxation.

Back in her corporate days, coffee and otome games had been her only solace.

“A duke’s daughter, and yet…”

“…!”

She stiffened at his words.

Was he implying that this was unbecoming for a noble lady?

That her actions were too common, too improper?

It was true that serving tea at a tea party was considered an elegant custom for noblewomen, but coffee was an entirely different matter…

What should she say?

How should she respond?

Seeing the sudden loss of color in her face, Siegvard quickly waved his hands, clearly flustered.

“Ah! I didn’t mean anything by it! It’s just… unusual for a noble lady to personally prepare something like this, so I was simply surprised. I apologize if I offended you.”

“N-No… it’s alright…”

As long as he hadn’t been disappointed in her, that was all that mattered.

For a moment, fear had completely frozen her in place.

Still trembling slightly, she carefully placed the coffee cup in front of him.

“…I’ll have a taste, then.”

Looking somewhat remorseful, Siegvard brought the cup to his lips—only for his eyes to widen in astonishment the very next moment.

“…! This is delicious! It’s not overwhelmingly bitter… In fact, it’s almost sweet? And there’s a crisp, fruity brightness… This is coffee?”

“Yes. This is coffee.”

Following his lead, she took a sip herself.

Yes—perfect. She had brewed it exceptionally well.

“I’ve never had coffee like this before. It’s not bitter, it’s sweet, full of fruit-like flavors… and the aroma is incredible… Ahh, it’s so soothing…”

“I’m glad you like it.”

Internally, she made a triumphant fist pump.

This was going well!

“In that case, if you don’t mind, I’d like to offer you a small gift.”

At her cue, Claude silently stepped forward, placing a small box on the table.

Inside were three small sachets—the exact shade of Siegvard’s amethyst eyes.

“This is…?”

“Scent sachets. Each contains a blend of whole coffee beans, freshly ground coffee, and beeswax infused with extracted coffee oil.”

Coffee’s fragrance tended to fade quickly, but she had put a lot of effort into this. It should last for at least a month.

“You can tuck it into your pillow or simply inhale the scent directly in bed. When the nerves are on edge, it can be difficult to fall asleep. Before that happens, why not try focusing on deep relaxation? Scent can be incredibly effective for that.”

The moment she said this, Siegvard stiffened.

His entire body jolted slightly as he stared at her in shock.

“…How… do you know that…?”