In that terrible silence, filled with only whimpers and sobs, Bubble-30 stopped its work and handed Russell a glass of iced coffee liqueur.
Because the temperature had already been reduced with ice cubes, the outside of the glass did not immediately fog up with condensation. The drink also lacked the thick and dense layer of foam, and the flavors of caramel and cocoa were submerged into the liqueur, lacking the overflow of rich and sweet aroma typical of hot liqueur.
Russell first stuck out his tongue to lightly touch the surface of the drink, testing its temperature and sweetness.
The unexpected coldness and bitterness made him involuntarily widen his eyes. This was followed by the stinging sensation of the strong alcohol.
Russell had thought it would at least be sweet. At the very least, it should have been some kind of low-alcohol drink that only provided a hint of alcohol flavor.