Chapter 41

## After the Rain

**After the Rain** is the forty-first chapter of the Oushitsu Kyoushi Heine manga.

## Summary

Licht panics, wondering if his identity has been found out by the Café Owner, but the owner actually guesses that he is a young gentleman from a well-to-do family, since it sounded like he had servants at home, he travels around in a carriage, and his father, who he had met before, seemed uncommonly refined. Both Licht and Heine think that he's not technically wrong, and go along with it.

After finishing dinner, the owner shows Licht and Heine to the guest room, where Licht is shocked to learn that he'll have to sleep on the floor, as there is only one bed and he has to let his "little brother" Heine sleep on it. After he leaves, Heine apologizes to Licht for getting the bed, as Licht cries about having to sleep on the floor. Heine offers to switch with him, and Licht accepts after half-heartedly resisting, but then cries about the bed and the floor feeling the same. Heine scolds him for acting as spoiled as Leonhard, and says that he feels much more at home on a commoner's bed than the palace's. Licht decides to go back to the floor, prompting Heine to remark that it would be quite the challenge for Licht, who was brought up in a palace, to be able to understand the lives of commoners and use that knowledge to his advantage. Licht says that he will be able to adapt to it, but when he looks over to Heine, he is shocked to find him already asleep, thinking to himself that Heine seems more comfortable living the commoner life than living in the palace.

Licht tries to go to sleep, but the sound of the rain keeps him awake. He decides to go down to the café kitchen to fetch a glass of water. As he goes down the darkened stairs, he becomes afraid, since he's used to having guards patrolling in the night and lit candles. He hears humming in the kitchen, and is surprised to see the owner there, wiping the cups. The owner gestures for him to come over and explains that it is his nightly routine to clean the café's cups. He then asks Licht to try a new kind of coffee he's considering for the café. Licht asks him if it isn't troublesome to always think of the café all the time, teasing him for still being single and doing all of these menial tasks. The owner replies that it wasn't so bad, since his works brings joy to the customers, and that he enjoys his work. He enjoys making coffee, chatting with the customers, and polishing the cups every night, as they make him feel happy. He admits that there can sometimes be hardships, but that he would never give up his café, since there is nothing better than doing what he loves. As Licht watches him work, he thinks about how different the owner is from his father, who does his job because it is his duty and responsibility, not because it is fun. Licht thinks that the owner looked cool when he talked about his job, and that he had no idea there were grown-ups who lived like that.

The next day, the carriage arrives for Heine and Licht to return to the palace. Licht keeps yawning, prompting Heine to ask if he is already tired of the commoner life. Licht responds that he is starting to realize he doesn't know much about commoners, and will have to study more. Heine approves of him studying moreーsince he believes that he still does not know anything from just a single nightーso that he could nurture that advantage and make him a worthy candidate for king. Licht seemed dumbfounded by that, and had to be prompted by Heine to agree with him. As the carriage leaves, Licht seems to have a conflicted look on his face.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Café Owner
* Licht von Glanzreich
* Heine Wittgenstein
* Viktor von Glanzreich (mentioned)