Chapter 74

It was early, before the staff had all arrived, when I visited the guild, approximately two weeks after the Hunting Festival.

 

“There’s a lot of work.”

 

I quickly started checking the documents piled on my office desk. Indeed, being at the mansion was insufficient for monitoring the guild’s overall situation, as there were documents I hadn’t seen.

 

“Haa…”

 

As I sighed and checked the documents, I heard footsteps coming up to the second floor, and the office door opened.

 

“Vice Guild Leader!”

 

Kenny’s face was flushed, clearly from rushing up the stairs.

 

“Kenny, how have you been?”

 

“Are you feeling better? I was terribly worried.”

 

Kenny looked me over as he asked.

 

Since the healer had confirmed that my health had recovered, everything was fine. Kenny must have been extremely worried about me since I collapsed and lost contact.

 

“Of course, I’m fine.”

 

“Are you starting work today?”

 

“Yes. I have urgent matters to deal with quickly.”

 

I took out the documents I had kept in my arms. They were the letters and papers Kenny had sent me while I was at the mansion.

 

“What happened with this?”

 

“Ah…”

 

Kenny sighed, looking deflated. I frowned as I looked at the document.

 

“It’s exactly as you see.”

 

Before the Hunting Festival, the Baimery Guild had planned a transaction with another guild to expand its new product manufacturing rights.

 

Since the weather was getting colder and the demand for thick fabric increased, we aimed to produce wool fabric. The guild we scouted passed through the Pearching Kingdom, which had a high wool output, so we expected a smooth transaction.

 

The Pearching Kingdom had fields where many sheep were raised, and unlike the Empire, which was entering autumn and winter, the climate there was entering spring and summer, making it the season for shearing the sheep’s thick wool.

 

However, the document stated that the transaction had fallen through.

 

[We sincerely apologize to the Baimery Guild. The transaction you previously requested will not be possible.]

 

“What is the reason, exactly?”

 

The precise reason for the refusal was not written, which was why Kenny had urgently sought me out.

 

“Well, after making inquiries, I found out that the trading guild currently cannot enter the Imperial Capital.”

 

“They can’t enter?”

 

Kenny nodded. I blinked my eyes in disbelief at the unbelievable news.

 

“They’re not just making excuses about not being able to enter because they don’t want to trade with us, right? They genuinely can’t enter…?”

 

“They said it’s completely impossible to use the pass to enter the Empire.”

 

“What kind of…”

 

“I asked if the expiration date had ended, but the only answer they got was, ‘You can no longer enter the Empire.'”

 

“No way.”

 

If the trade had fallen through because they no longer wanted to trade, it would have been a believable story.

 

That guild brought in not only non-Imperial food related things but also high-value agricultural products like sugar.

 

Since it was a guild that had smoothly sold goods within the Empire for a long time, the news that they couldn’t enter the Empire was hard to believe.

 

“What should we do?”

 

Seeing Kenny’s heavy expression, this was clearly a real situation.

 

“To think it would be this difficult to get wool…”

 

I quickly racked my brain to come up with a proper countermeasure.

 

The fastest way would be for me to establish a trade with another foreign guild and return. But I couldn’t leave the guild right now. The distance to the area where we wanted to establish trade was also far, so asking my father wasn’t an option.

 

‘It will be a long time before father can visit the guild.’

 

Since he was spending several months establishing a branch in the Shutra Kingdom, I had to protect the guild headquarters.

 

‘But if things continue like this, we’ll become obsolete.’

 

The demand for our current fabrics was starting to dwindle, and more customers were asking about new products.

 

‘I should have watched some dessert YouTube channels.’

 

I even thought about creating desserts using tea, the guild’s main product, but although I was confident in eating back in the past, I didn’t know the recipes.

 

I was filled with regret. Just then, an idea flashed through my mind. I quickly stood up from my chair and said to Kenny,

 

“Kenny, I’m going to the warehouse, so please guide the customers if they come.”

 

“The warehouse…?”

 

“Yes! I had a good idea in the warehouse last time. I think I might get another good idea if I go there.”

 

Last time, I went to the warehouse, saw the strange items my father had traded for, and got a new idea.

 

‘Good!’

 

Hoping it would happen again, I went down to the warehouse.

 

 

***

 

 

There was one unknown box in the warehouse. Last time I checked inside the warehouse, I opened it but quickly closed it, disgusted by the chaotic mix of contents. Today was the day to check the items inside it.

 

“Hup.”

 

I rolled up my long sleeves and forcefully opened the box. As soon as I opened it, items covered in thick dust came into view.

 

I started digging through the dusty items. As I touched the items, dust rose up and tickled my nose.

 

“I wish I had a mask. Ugh…”

 

I sniffled and rubbed my nose. I took out a handkerchief from my pocket and blew my nose. I hadn’t checked the trace, but the handkerchief must have turned pitch black. I left the handkerchief far away and diligently searched inside the box. A moment later, I slumped onto the box, feeling disheartened.

 

“There isn’t a single item that seems helpful.”

 

A large number of seemingly useless items appeared, such as corroded scrap metal pieces and pottery that looked like it belonged to the Stone Age.

 

“What should I do?”

 

There were no items that could be used to create new goods for the guild, like dye for coloring fabric. All I was left with was a dusty, itchy nose. Just as I was looking at the items placed on the floor.

 

“Young Lady! No, Vice Guild Leader!”

 

The door to the warehouse opened, and Kenny’s frantic face appeared.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“You, you need to come up quickly!”

 

“Okay!”

 

It seemed like a very urgent matter that couldn’t be explained. I quickly went up to the first floor and slowly blinked my eyes when I saw the person greeting me.

 

“His Highness, the Crown Prince…?”

 

I understood why Kenny had called me so urgently. The Crown Prince had come to visit the guild.

 

Hearing my call, Ivailo set down the item he was holding and smiled brightly at me.

 

“Have you been well, Lady Lilithia?”

 

“I’ve been well. But, Your Highness, what brings you here…”

 

“Well, since Lady Lilithia did not accept my gift and did not reply to my letter, I came to see you in person.”

 

I remembered the letter that was included in the gift he sent to the mansion last time. It was about wearing the dress and accessories for our next meeting.

 

‘I completely forgot.’

 

Since no further contact had come, I thought I had successfully distanced myself from the Crown Prince. I hadn’t expected him to come directly here.

 

“It’s my first visit to the guild, and it’s nice. Lady Lilithia seems to put a lot of care into it.”

 

“Yes.”

 

The Crown Prince smiled brightly and said, “May I purchase some items?”

 

“Then, why don’t we talk in the office…? Some people might recognize Your Highness…”

 

Ivailo narrowed his eyes, curved the corners of his mouth, and smiled.

 

“It seems Lady Lilithia is the only one who worries about me. But I am fine.”

 

After that, I followed Ivailo, who walked ahead. Ivailo slowly examined the inside of the guild with an intrigued look.

 

Unlike before, when the interior of the guild was a mix of various things, it was now neatly divided into several categories. The Crown Prince first came to the counter where various teas were placed and said to me,

 

“This black tea looks a little different from the one you introduced last time.”

 

“The black tea I showed you last time was roasted black tea. This black tea here is a product made with dried fruits included in the tea bag so you can enjoy the aroma of black tea along with the fresh scent and taste of the fruit.”

 

Ivailo opened his eyes curiously and pointed at the black tea package with his finger.

 

“I would like to purchase it. Will you prepare it for me?”

 

“You are purchasing it…?”

 

“Yes.”

 

I nodded with a suspicious look and told Kenny to pack the item. Ivailo slowly approached another area. He stood near the fabric section, fiddling with his chin as he examined the fabric.

 

“I haven’t seen this fabric before.”

 

“It’s a good fabric for making outerwear.”

 

“I feel like having a garment made from this fabric. I would appreciate it if you would reserve it for me.”

 

I immediately told Kenny the items the Crown Prince wanted to purchase, and Kenny kept going between the warehouse and the first floor.

 

Ivailo made a regretful expression and said to me,

 

“It seems I have viewed all the items, unfortunately.”

 

Since our guild was on the smaller side, his tour of the guild’s inventory quickly came to an end. Soon, Ivailo gestured out the window.

 

“I have something I brought to give to the Lady. Will you accept it?”

 

At his gesture, his secretary, who had brown hair, entered carrying a bouquet of roses and handed the flowers to me. Startled, I received the flowers, assuming an awkward posture.

 

“It was a gift delivered to the Imperial Palace, but seeing these flowers made me think of Lady Lilithia.”

 

The roses were blooming so luxuriantly that I felt a sense of incongruity.

 

‘Roses are summer flowers…?’

 

The current season in the Empire was autumn. It was not the season to see summer flowers like roses. As I looked at the roses in bewilderment, Ivailo said to me, “I especially wanted to give the Lady flowers that would never wither, so I had a preservation spell cast on them.”

 

The world of magic was certainly different. But eternal, unfading flowers?

 

Just as I was looking at the flowers. I heard another gaze and sound.

 

Turning my head, I saw a few ladies whispering inside the guild, and even common Imperial citizens looking through the windows outside.

 

“Surely a marriage proposal?”

 

With my good hearing, I could hear the nobles’ voices. I tried to deny it, but Ivailo added, “The language of the rose is passionate love, isn’t it? I wanted to share that joy with the Lady.”

 

The bouquet of flowers was suddenly snatched from my hands, and everyone gasped.

 

“Regrettably, she cannot share that joy with you, brother.”