Alpheo sipped leisurely on his cup of warm honeyed milk, savoring the soothing sweetness that had long become his customary morning indulgence. The rich, creamy warmth rolled over his tongue, chasing away the lingering haze of sleep and replacing it with a quiet clarity.
He missed coffee—missed it terribly, in fact. The rich, bold aroma, the comforting warmth, and the invigorating bite of the first sip had been a cherished part of his mornings once. Yet, no matter how hard he tried to fill that void, it lingered like a stubborn ache.
Alpheo had spared no effort in his attempts to find even a trace of the plant that produced such beans , sending word to merchants, explorers, and herbalists far and wide. He scoured the markets for any whispers of its existence, combed through ancient records for clues.