Scenario:Sandalphon - Pursuit for the Perfect Brew

Pursuit for the Perfect Brew

First, Sandalphon tries a brew with strong bitter notes that can rival the sweetness of Beatrix's chocolate. However, this combination creates too big of a conflict between the two tastes. Hoping for a better harmony, next Sandalphon suggests pairing a light-roasted coffee to go with the sweet chocolate, and a darker brew to go with more bitter chocolate.

---

After his talk with Cassius, Sandalphon now finds himself experimenting with coffee to discover the perfect blend to go with Beatrix's chocolate.

The three begin by exchanging ideas on what combinations would work well together.

Sandalphon: For the first brew, I'm thinking of starting off with something simple, where the bitterness and fragrance of the coffee are clear and comprehensible.

Sandalphon: When it comes to dessert and coffee, the classic combination will always be balancing the sweet with bitter. I'd like to go from there.

Beatrix: Aha, the same logic as caramelizing custard!

Beatrix: It's like creating a contrast between the sweet custard and the subtle bitterness of the burnt sugar so there's variation in the taste.

Cassius: So, a clash between immense sweetness and bitterness. I look forward to experiencing this epic encounter myself.

Sandalphon: Then I'll begin the roasting. You need to roast the beans carefully so they retain their fragrance, and then...

Sandalphon: Thanks for waiting. Have a taste and tell me what you think.

Beatrix: Ooh, looks pretty dark... That's gotta be some rich coffee.

Cassius: A jet-black color, as if an endless abyss is opening up from within the cup... And yet, the fragrance is strangely alluring.

Cassius: You mentioned going to buy beans from town—but the beans are not the only thing you've changed.

Sandalphon: No. I added a little extra something to the roasting process to shift the bitter and acidic taste of the coffee.

Sandalphon: In general, there are three levels of roasting: light, medium, and dark. The darker the roast, the more bitter it is.

Sandalphon: The cup I brewed for you earlier was a medium-dark roast. You can think of it as level 2.5.

Cassius: What you called the "city roast."

Sandalphon: Exactly. You remember.
The one I just brewed is very different, however.

Sandalphon: I roasted the beans to their limit, making it even darker than a regular dark roast—in terms of level, you could see it as a 3.9.

Sandalphon: It should have a richness to its taste and fragrance that can contend with the sweetness of Beatrix's chocolate. Give it a try.

Cassius: Understood. Then I shall taste it.

Cassius brings the chocolate and coffee to his mouth one after another, closing his eyes to savor the flavor.

Cassius: Hm, I see. I would say they are an equal match—the coffee exerts a strong presence that rivals the chocolate.

Cassius: However, I do not find it too bitter. It has an extravagant taste and a pleasant fragrance... Data of its taste is processing smoothly.

Sandalphon: Good. Seems choosing a dark roast was the right choice.

Beatrix: Now I'm curious... Can I have a cup? Oh, and feel free to have some chocolate too.

Sandalphon: Thanks. I'll try some.

The three each place a piece of chocolate in their mouths before taking a sip of coffee.

Beatrix: Mmph...

Sandalphon: Ah.

Cassius: What's the matter?

Beatrix: I'm zure it's weawy good coffee. But... I dink the taste's... a wittle too mature for me...

Cassius: Heh...

Beatrix: Hey! Stop waughing! I know what you're dinking—I'm not a kid, okay?

Cassius: Different people have different preferences. It's only natural that some do not enjoy the bitter tastes... However, the fact that you act like a child stands true.

Beatrix: Are you for me or against me! You didn't need to say that last part!

Sandalphon: Hm. It's true this darker kind of roast is an acquired taste.

Sandalphon: It is strong enough to match that of the chocolate, but I'm aware that it can barrage the senses.

Sandalphon: Hmm...

Sandalphon: Sorry, could I ask the both of you to stay for a while longer? I'd like to experiment a little more.

Cassius: I don't mind. What's your goal?

Sandalphon: Let's see... Ideally, I'd like a taste that fits upon the first sip. Rather than a contrast, I want the sweet and bitter notes to enhance each other in a kind of harmony, or...

Cassius: A perfect pairing.

Sandalphon: That's right. That's my goal.

Beatrix: A harmony, huh? So... how are you planning to get there?

Sandalphon: I'm thinking of shifting the taste of the coffee to something sweeter.

Beatrix: Oho. Okay, if you're doing that, then how 'bout I try making a batch of chocolate that's more on the bitter side?

Sandalphon: That would be helpful. Sweet with sweet, bitter with bitter... Any combination we can think of is worth trying.

Cassius: I see—everything is a variable. Sounds good to me.

Sandalphon: Then let's continue with the experiment.

Cassius: Not a problem.

Beatrix: Hehe. You can count on me! I'll go make a lip-smacking batch of bitter chocolate right now!

Beatrix marches enthusiastically to the galley, while Sandalphon begins working on his next prototype for the perfect cup.

Pursuit for the Perfect Brew: Scene 2

While Sandalphon is brewing the light roast, Cassius asks him the reason for his passionate interest in coffee. After some hesitation, Sandalphon responds that it is because his first taste of coffee was so unforgettable. Beatrix returns to the cafe with a bitter chocolate she's made—however, it turns out to be still much too sweet. With Sandalphon and Cassius's help, Beatrix tries again and finally completes the bitter chocolate she had hoped to make.

---

Sandalphon: Next, try this one.

Cassius: Hm... I can taste the contrast of this one compared to the one before. Fascinating.

Cassius: The liquid is translucent, with a shade closer to that of tea. I can also smell a fruit-like tartness from it.

Sandalphon: Yes, it's a light roast, distinguished by its minimal bitterness and elevated acidity.

Sandalphon: I suppressed the bitter taste of the coffee itself as much as I could. You can adjust the sweetness to your liking with sugar and milk.

Cassius: Understood. I will try it as is before adding anything.

In the same way as the previous cup, Cassius takes a bite of chocolate before taking a sip of the freshly brewed coffee.

Cassius: Hm... I see. The acidic taste supersedes the bitterness of the coffee, producing a different and more refreshing flavor.

Cassius: I will proceed to the next step of the test and apply sugar to the cup. Sweet with sweet—I am curious as to how this combination will turn out.

Cassius adjusts the coffee with milk and sugar over and over again, tasting it each time.

Cassius: A most profound flavor... The coffee is soft and malleable, taking everything into itself.

Sandalphon: I see. I'm glad you seem to appreciate it.

Cassius: It piques my curiosity, and makes me want to try various ways of balancing the taste.

Cassius: Even if I were to put in a highly concentrated amount of sugar, it may still be suitable for drinking...

Cassius: But... if I add that much sugar, the drink may cease to be coffee and become a different delicacy entirely. Or perhaps...

Sandalphon: Heh.

Cassius: Hm?

Sandalphon: Nothing. Feel free to add as much as you like until you are satisfied.

Cassius: Very well.

Sandalphon: Let me know if you have any requests. I will do my best to adhere to them.

Cassius: Hm. In that case, I have one thing I would like to ask.

Sandalphon: What is it?

Cassius: From what I heard about you, I was under the impression that you are a quiet type of person. But right now, to me, you appear to have quite the passionate personality.

Sandalphon: Hm.

Cassius: You pay extraordinary attention to detail, and are not afraid of difficult challenges. I am interested in knowing what gave you this kind of passion.

Sandalphon: Interesting question.

Cassius: ...?

Sandalphon: Let's see... How should I put it?

Sandalphon: ...

Sandalphon: You could say that it all started when I tasted my first cup of coffee. Even to this date, it is unforgettable.

Cassius: Was it that delicious?

Sandalphon: No... I'd like to avoid exaggeration, but... at the very least, I was at a loss for words.

Sandalphon: Still, if it weren't for that cup of coffee, I'd...

Sandalphon: ...

Cassius: ...

Cassius: If you never had that cup, you never would have awakened to your current passion for coffee. Is that right?

Sandalphon: Yes, let's put it that way.

Cassius: I see. By the way, may I put in a request for another cup?

Sandalphon: Certainly.

The conversation settles into silence. Cassius patiently waits as Sandalphon brews a fresh cup of coffee for him.

Beatrix: Hey! Sorry I took so long!

Beatrix: I don't usually make bitter chocolate, so it took me longer than I thought...

Cassius: It's okay. I wanted another cup of coffee, so the timing is just right.

Sandalphon: I'll get to making it then.

Soon, a cup of dark roast and some bitter chocolate are placed in front of Cassius.

Cassius: I had a taste of dark-roasted coffee earlier, but Beatrix's new chocolate remains an unknown variable to me. I cannot imagine what it tastes like.

Cassius: However, that is an easy problem to solve. I shall give it a try.

The moment Cassius puts the chocolate in his mouth, he freezes.

Cassius: What... is this?

Beatrix: H-huh? Are you okay? Wait... Did I make it too bitter?

Cassius: The contrary. This is unbelievably sweet... Unbelievably.

Beatrix: Wha? You're kidding me! You even said it twice!

Cassius: Try it yourself.

Beatrix pops a piece of chocolate in her mouth as told.

Beatrix: Ooh, you're right! It's so sweet! Mmm, this is so good... I knew I had it in me.

Beatrix: That's weird though. I already made this batch a lot less sweet than the usual ones...

Cassius: You have a habit of subconsciously sweetening your recipes to the point where everything you make may as well be a dessert.

Cassius: Could that habit be rearing its sugary head?

Beatrix: Ohh... Ahaha. I did it again, didn't I? I really meant to make something different, but I guess I couldn't help myself...

Beatrix: Sorry! I'll make another batch!

Sandalphon: It's all right. Sorry to make you go along with this experiment. I can help you with the chocolate.

Beatrix: Okay, then how about you supervise while I make the new batch to make sure I don't do the same thing again?

Sandalphon: That's easy. What are you going to do, Cassius?

Cassius: I'll go too. I'm interested to see how Beatrix plans on making her bitter chocolate.

The three move to the galley, where Beatrix proceeds to take on the challenge of making her chocolate bitter as Sandalphon and Cassius watch over her.

Beatrix: Hmm, something's missing... Sugar...

Sandalphon: Wait. You already put in sugar earlier—I saw you do it.

Beatrix: Crap, that was close! Nice save, Sandalphon! My hand just reached for the sugar on instinct!

Cassius: It doesn't seem wise to leave the sugar close by. I will ingest—I mean, store it away for now.

The watchful gazes of Sandalphon and Cassius prove effective as the bitter chocolate slowly comes closer to completion.

Beatrix: Heheh, it's done! Here, give it a try just in case, Cassius! I'm pretty sure it's okay this time though. Pretty sure...

Cassius: Understood.

Cassius: Mm. No problem. The sweetness is mild, enhancing the elegant taste and fragrance of the cacao.

Sandalphon: Now all we need to do is pair it with the perfect cup of coffee.

Cassius: I'm looking forward to it.

Pursuit for the Perfect Brew: Scene 3

After some effort and fine-tuning, the darker brew and bitter chocolate finally come together in perfect harmony. As Cassius enjoys this ideal pairing, Sandalphon pours a lighter brew for Beatrix to enjoy with her fruit chocolate. Through this experience, Sandalphon finds himself realizing the importance in the art of both coffee brewing and getting to know others.

---

Bitter chocolate in hand, the three return to the cafe.

Sandalphon makes a fresh brew and puts a new cup of coffee together with the chocolate in front of Cassius.

Cassius: Let's try this again.

Beatrix: I-I'm getting kinda nervous...

Sandalphon: Me too...

Cassius: Here I go.

Cassius picks up a piece of the bitter chocolate, putting it in his mouth and savoring it before taking a sip of coffee.

Beatrix: Well? How... How is it?

Cassius: ...

Beatrix: Cassius? Hello? Caaassius!

Sandalphon: ...!

Cassius: This...

Sandalphon: ...?

Cassius: Yes... This is it. This is what I was looking for.

Sandalphon: ...!
Really?

Cassius: The richness of both the coffee and the chocolate has increased, intensifying the flavors of both.

Cassius: The ebb and flow of the coffee's acidity and the chocolate's tinge of sweetness creates a complex texture in my mouth.

Cassius: Data processing for this new flavor took a while, more so than when I had my first taste of coffee.

Cassius: To put it simply... you can say this has exceeded my expectations.

Beatrix: Oh, heck yeah! Now that's a level of compliment you don't get from Cassius every day!

Sandalphon: I'll give it a try too.

Sandalphon brews himself a cup of coffee before tasting it together with the bitter chocolate.

Sandalphon: You're right... This pairing truly goes beyond expectations.

Sandalphon: The taste of the chocolate brings out the slight bitter and sour notes of the coffee, which wouldn't have been noticeable on its own.

They continue to fine-tune the flavors...

And it seems they've finally achieved the ideal pairing of coffee and chocolate they were looking for.

After that, Cassius stays in the cafe for a while, taking his time to savor the coffee and chocolate.

Cassius: Whew...
No matter how much I partake in these, I don't seem to grow tired of them. I feel I can consume an infinite amount.

Beatrix: Haha, you sure seem happy! Somehow that makes me happy too.

Beatrix: Bitter stuff isn't my jam, so I don't really know how to appreciate the flavor of coffee.

Cassius: Then give it another try. If you don't experience the taste, you will never be able to comprehend the difference between good and bad.

Beatrix: Yeah, you're right, but...

Beatrix: Oh, fine! I know, I know—I shouldn't decide whether I like something or not without trying it first!

Beatrix: Okay... Okay! Just watch, Cassius! I'm gonna drink this!

Sandalphon: Wait. If you drink something you don't want to, it's only natural that you won't like it.

Sandalphon: If you're going to try some coffee, I'll make something more suitable for your tastes.

After some time, Sandalphon brings over a light-roast.

Sandalphon: The bitter notes in this one are minimal. It's the roast I concocted while you were making your chocolate.

Beatrix: Ooh, it smells kind of like flavored tea! I didn't know coffee could smell like this.

Beatrix: I know! What if I...

Beatrix flies out the door, soon returning with something in hand.

Sandalphon: More chocolate? There's still some here.

Beatrix: Nah, this one's got bits of fruit in it! I thought since the flavors might be similar, it could go well with the coffee!

Beatrix takes a bite of her chocolate, then cautiously raises the cup of coffee to her lips, taking a sip.

Beatrix: Yeah... Yeah, this could work! It's still a teeny bit bitter, but I can do this!

Beatrix: I think I understand why some people like coffee now—this is nice! Heheh, I'm gonna tell Zeta how I actually enjoyed my first cup of coffee!

Sandalphon: I'm glad you found a coffee to your liking.

Sandalphon: (I guess different people really do have different preferences... though that's only to be expected.)

Sandalphon: (There's more than meets the eye... to both coffee and people.)

Through this rendezvous of coffee and chocolate, Sandalphon is reminded once again of the importance in knowing the depth behind the art of both coffee-brewing and understanding others.