Chapter 12

Then, he reached out, caught the two strands of her waist ribbon, and tied them into a neat bow with practiced, gentle hands.

 

Everywhere his fingers brushed, goosebumps seemed to ripple across her skin. It felt as though every single cell in her body was waking up and tingling.

 

As soon as the knot was finished, Ricard withdrew his hands as if his work was done. It was Renee herself who felt a strange, inexplicable pang of regret the very instant his fingertips left her.

 

“Finish tidying up and come down to the first floor.”

 

“……Yes. Thank you for your help.”

 

Frozen in place from sheer embarrassment, Renee didn’t know what to do with herself. With his back turned to her, Ricard was just about to step out of the lounge when he paused, holding the doorknob, and glanced back slightly.

 

He hesitated for quite a while, as if he had something to say, before finally opening his mouth.

 

“This time, it was neither mockery nor coercion.”

 

After hesitating for so long, he tossed out a sentence that was excessively simple, then immediately walked out of the lounge.

 

Left utterly alone, Renee was seized by an emotion she had never felt before in her life. Neither mockery nor coercion. Did he go out of his way to show such kindness just because her earlier words had been weighing on his mind?

 

“He really is an impossible man to read.”

 

Calmly straightening her clothes, Renee felt her heart pounding furiously. For reasons unknown to her, a smile kept trying to break through.

 

 

***

 

 

As the first week of the grand opening passed, the cafe drew in more and more customers.

 

Because the space was limited compared to the sheer volume of people, commotions both inside and outside the building became more frequent. Loud arguments broke out over people cutting in line, and a middle-aged couple was even caught on the spot trying to sneak a coffee cup away under their clothes.

 

While the atmosphere among the patrons grew increasingly chaotic, the cafe staff was quite the opposite. From the chefs in the kitchen to the servers on the floor and the security guards monitoring the inside and outside of the building.

 

Everyone was performing their duties with unbelievable calmness and efficiency.

 

“Madam.”

 

It was Tatisha who called out to Renee, who was fully engrossed in preparing drinks. There had to be a reason why Tatisha, who had been darting across the floor all morning like she was performing a frantic dance, lowered her voice to call for her.

 

“Yes, Tatisha. What is it?”

 

A fragrant aroma wafted from the beverage she had just finished making. It was milk tea—black tea blended with cold milk and a bit of sugar—a new menu item they were currently testing and selling at half price.

 

Handing the four completed glasses of milk tea to another floor server, Renee shifted her gaze in the direction Tatisha was subtly nodding toward.

 

The person currently being guided to a table was Frances, the wife of Paul Richmond, whom Renee had seen about five days ago. Today, she was accompanied by two women Renee had never seen before.

 

Judging by how lavishly dressed they all were, they seemed to possess considerable wealth. Based on their clothes and accessories, which had a subtly different taste from those of noblewomen, the other two women were likely from commoner merchant families as well.

 

After settling into their seats and chatting briefly with her companions, Frances walked up to the counter to order herself. Renee gently tapped the shoulder of the employee taking orders, signaling them to step back, and stood at the counter herself.

 

“Oh my goodness! It’s only been a few days since my last visit, and it is such an absolute pleasure to see you again, Duchess Sainer!”

 

Frances greeted her warmly, her bright magenta lips parting wide. For some reason, her curly blonde hair looked even brighter, like a lemon hue, gleaming radiantly under the sunlight.

 

“It is a pleasure to see you too, Madam. It looks like you’ve come with some friends today.”

 

At Renee’s words, Frances turned her head to look back at her companions once, then nodded back at Renee. She then spoke with a bright smile.

 

“I saw on the sign outside the building that a new menu item has been released. Is it a drink made by mixing milk into black tea?”

 

“Yes, that’s correct. Actually, it was a drink we had been researching since before the cafe opened, but finding the right ratio took a bit of time, so we ended up introducing it later than expected. Would you like to try some?”

 

“If a new menu item is out, of course I must try it! I’ll order two glasses of iced milk tea, one hot milk tea, and a chocolate cake to go with them, Lady Sainer.”

 

“Understood. This is your total, Madam.”

 

As Renee showed her the numbers she had just scribbled into the ledger, Frances handed over the exact amount of money, which she had already prepared.

 

“I am sorry, but as you can see, we have even more customers than last time, so you might have to wait a little while.”

 

The moment Renee offered an apologetic expression and asked for her understanding, Frances threw her hands up, waving them dismissively.

 

“Having more time to gossip is actually a good thing. Hohoho!”

 

Watching her burst into a laugh that sounded exactly like the written text ‘hohoho’ made Renee feel as though her own energy was being pleasantly recharged.

 

As they shared a few more words of small talk, the line behind Frances began to lengthen rapidly. Just as Renee was about to wrap up the conversation to return to making drinks, Frances spoke up.

 

“Um, Duchess.”

 

As if she had quickly caught on to the situation, Frances called out to Renee. Her expression and tone were now 180 degrees different—utterly serious.

 

“Yes. Please speak, Madam.”

 

“……To be honest, that lady sitting over there in the green dress is a friend of ten years. She came here with me today because she desperately needs your help.”

 

“If it’s help, what kind of matter are we talking about?”

 

At Renee’s question, Frances glanced around the room. She then whispered with a troubled expression.

 

“It feels difficult to speak about it here. Would it be possible for you to spare us just a brief moment of your time?”

 

“Hmm…….”

 

Renee fell into thought for a moment.

 

Scanning the floor, there weren’t many tables left waiting for their drinks and desserts. The kitchen outside also seemed to be running smoothly enough.

 

“Then I will bring the drinks to your table myself. Let us talk further then.”

 

“What a relief, and thank you so very much, Madam! We will be waiting.”

 

Frances offered her gratitude with a look of sheer relief and turned around. Far across the room, her two companions, who had been constantly eyeing Frances, visibly relaxed.

 

‘What could it be?’

 

What kind of help had brought them all the way here? With a mix of curiosity and concern, Renee began to clear the backlogged orders. Before long, she headed toward their table carrying the three glasses of milk tea Frances’s party had ordered.

 

“Here are the drinks you ordered.”

 

Holding the tray herself, Renee approached Frances’s table with the three beverages.

 

“Heavens, Madam! You came much faster than I expected! The queue of orders looked so long, I thought we would have to wait quite a while.”

 

“I hurried because I wanted to hear your story as soon as possible. However, the dessert will take a little longer, so please bear with us for a bit.”

 

Looking at Renee as she responded with a soft smile, the three women simultaneously wore expressions that were beyond grateful—they looked absolutely humbled.

 

“Two cold milk teas and one hot milk tea. It is our new menu item made by blending milk and sugar into the black tea people commonly drink.”

 

Finishing her brief explanation, Renee began setting down the saucers and glasses in front of the women. Unable to even wait for Renee to finish, they restlessly shifted in their seats and placed their own drinks down themselves. These actions, too, clearly set them apart from noblewomen. As expected, were they also commoners like Frances, whose families ran businesses?

 

Because she had been working in the kitchen the entire time, her sudden direct appearance on the floor began to draw the attention of the surrounding patrons one by one. People stopped their conversations and cast blatant, lingering glances toward her.

 

Having grown quite accustomed to this kind of attention after about a week of operation, Renee calmly placed the empty tray on one side of the table.

 

“I heard you came seeking a favor.”

 

She spoke to Frances as she pulled out a chair and sat down. As she did, she took turns looking at the two women she was meeting for the first time.

 

The woman in the green dress, whom Frances had mentioned, lifted her upper body slightly to show courtesy as she introduced herself to Renee.

 

“I am a long-time friend of Frances here. Colley Welton. The townspeople call me and my husband, Darby, the ‘Red-Sleeved Weltons’. My husband and I run a winemaking business together.”

 

Adding an explanation that their sleeves were always stained with red because they grew, harvested, and fermented the grapes themselves every single day, Colley wrapped her hands around the glass in front of her.

 

Looking closely now, the skin beneath her closely cropped nails was indeed stained a dark, reddish-purple fruit color. Lifting the glass with slightly trembling hands, she gulped down the milk tea as if her throat were parched.

 

“So, what is the favor you require, Mrs. Welton? You may speak comfortably. Though, of course, I cannot give a definitive guarantee that I will grant it.”

 

At Renee’s kind yet firm tone, Colley swallowed hard, looking even more nervous. After hovering her dry lips for a long moment, she finally brought out the main point.

 

“This year marks exactly twenty years since my husband and I started our winemaking business. Over that time, there were periods when business was poor for various reasons, and times when the grape harvest failed so drastically that we couldn’t even manage to make proper wine……. But a situation like this is truly…….”

 

As she spoke, her emotions overwhelmed her, and Colley pressed a hand to her chest, her voice trembling severely. Frances and the other woman, who likely knew her situation well, patted her shoulders comfortingly.

 

“Please tell me what happened, Madam.”

 

“We sell our wine directly and also supply it to nearby shops, Duchess.”

 

“Yes, and?”

 

“Since last winter, people who drank our wine have started coming forward one by one, complaining of incomprehensible medical symptoms.”

 

“What exactly do you mean by incomprehensible symptoms? Could you explain in more detail?”

 

Colley stroked her left chest and took a deep breath. She seemed entirely unable to gather her wits from the shock of the ordeal she and her husband were enduring.

 

“It varies from person to person. Some said breaking out in red hives all over their bodies, others said they couldn’t stop itching to the point of bleeding. There were those whose lips broke out in blisters so badly they couldn’t even eat properly, and some even collapsed from breathing difficulties, barely recovering.”

 

As she continued in a highly agitated voice, tears quickly pooled in Colley’s eyes.

 

“We have absolutely no idea what the cause could be, so it’s truly driving us mad! To make matters worse, since this January, terrible rumors have started circulating that we poisoned the wine, or that we are madmen trying to kill people for no reason! What on earth are we supposed to do, Duchess? Sob……”

 

Ultimately, Colley buried her face in both hands and began to weep, her shoulders shaking.

 

The surrounding customers, who had been secretly eavesdropping on her story, began to whisper among themselves in hushed voices.

 

“Did you hear that? The Welton couple… that woman must be Colley Welton.”

 

“I heard their monthly revenue alone was……, right? I was so curious about the taste that I tried to buy a bottle, but the waiting list was so long I failed.”

 

“But what did she just say?”

 

“You know, there was a rumor going around that people who drank their wine fell ill from an unknown cause. It seems that wasn’t just a rumor, it was actually true.”

 

“Oh my, how horrific! Doesn’t that mean that couple almost killed people?”

 

The chatter floating over was more than enough to pierce Colley’s heart deeper. However, unlike Renee, who found it incredibly bothersome, Colley herself showed no particular reaction, as if she were already used to this kind of treatment.

 

Renee tried her best to block out the surrounding noise and focused entirely on what she had heard from Colley, turning the words over in her mind.

 

In the middle of doing so, an enlightened expression crossed her face, and she looked toward Frances.

 

“If that is the case, the reason you came to find me is……”

 

Even though Renee trailed off without finishing her sentence, Frances nodded as if she understood perfectly.

 

“That is correct, Lady Sainer. I remember what you told us, including Lady Valond, during our last visit. You mentioned that ever since you were young, you would suddenly realize facts that no one else knew, and that the secret thoughts hidden in other people’s hearts would sometimes sound as vivid to you as spoken words.”

 

Renee wore a troubled expression as she watched Frances recite her own words down to the exact syllable. Frances continued, completely undeterred.

 

“In fact, you knew the exact words Lady Valond’s mother had left behind for her—and her alone in the entire world. And you also knew the fact that my husband and I had bickered over the wallpaper color when we were setting up our newlyweds’ home. You knew all of it, Lady Sainer.”

 

As Frances finished speaking, Colley slowly lifted her face from her hands. She then gazed at Renee with a tear-stained face.

 

She had likely heard the story from Frances already, but she must have been half-doubting it. Even so, she had come here grasping at straws.

 

Colley spoke, her voice still carrying the aftershocks of her weeping.

 

“Our revenue has plummeted to a fraction of what it was, and the shopkeepers we’ve traded with for nearly ten years are turning us away one by one, saying they can no longer accept our supplies. But more than anything else, what tears my husband and me apart is……”

 

Closing her eyes tightly before opening them again with a miserable look, Colley wore an immensely sorrowful expression.

 

“It’s the fear that we might no longer be able to continue this work that we love so dearly. The people who drank the wine we crafted fell sick or even walked to the brink of death before barely returning, yet we don’t even comprehend the reason why.”

 

Her desperate emotions felt as though they were being fully transmitted. The fear of potentially being unable to continue the work one loves—could there be a pain greater than that?

 

“My husband ended up collapsing and is bedridden, wasting away. He is so heartbroken that he won’t even touch food, growing thinner by the day……”

 

Truthfully, Renee deeply regretted the words she had spoken to Meg Valond’s group. It was only natural. Nothing good would come of rumors spreading that she possessed the ability to divine other people’s secrets.

 

And the moment Frances passed that fact on to her friend, it marked the beginning of the exact situation Renee had feared would unfold.

 

Passing one person’s secret to another might seem difficult, but the moment two or three people know it, spreading it across an entire town or the whole kingdom becomes unbelievably effortless.

 

Yet, facing Colley’s tearful, anguished face as she pleaded in agony, Renee felt her heart soften. No, to be precise, she was feeling that pain acutely, as if it were her own.

 

If she couldn’t resolve it using sentences or settings from the original novel as clues, she wanted to help her through any other means possible.

 

‘Colley Welton. The Red-Sleeved Welton couple. Winemaking business…….’

 

Renee carefully retraced the pieces of the story she had heard from Colley. However, nothing specific came to mind.

 

Unlike Meg Valond, Frances Richmond, and Sadina Haksen, Colley was an extra who didn’t even appear in the forefront of the original novel.

 

‘What should I do? I want to help her somehow.’

 

With a distressed look, Renee placed her own hands over Colley’s. She tried to convey her comfort by patting those cold hands, but a clever solution to help her eluded her mind.

 

Just then, Frances spoke up with a smile, as if attempting to lift the heavy atmosphere even a little.

 

“The people living in Golden Beach Town are about to lose their characteristic zest and leisure. The old saying that all of that was thanks to the Welton couple’s excellent wine wasn’t just a baseless rumor; it was true to some extent.”

 

Even as she smiled, Frances couldn’t entirely hide her profound regret.

 

Meanwhile, listening to her words, Renee was suddenly plunged into an intense sense of deja vu.

 

‘Wait. Golden Beach Town?’

 

Like a thin beam of light, a single line of thought flashed through her mind.

 

“Is the place where you live Golden Beach Town, Mrs. Welton?”

 

At Renee’s question, Colley nodded weakly.

 

“Yes. It is the cradle where my husband and I built our home and live, and it is also the place where we have opened our shop and done business for over twenty years……”

 

“Madam.”

 

Cutting her off urgently before Colley could even finish her sentence, Renee’s eyes gleamed brightly.

 

“Would you be willing to guide me to your place of business after the cafe closes today?”

 

 

***

 

 

As the closing hour approached, Renee found herself stretching her neck to check outside the window more and more frequently. The garden, now shrouded in darkness, was still bustling with customers lingering in small groups to chat.

 

After finishing the dishes, Renee organized the ledgers and spoke briefly with Brad. During that time, the staff members systematically wrapped up cleaning the floor and kitchen and changed out of their uniforms.

 

Through the retreating figures of the employees heading home with light steps across the garden, Frances’s bright yellow head came into view.

 

Arm in arm with Colley, she was walking slowly through the garden, talking about something. They had kept their promise to return by the cafe’s closing time after having dinner at the plaza.

 

Seeing only the two of them, it appeared that the remaining woman from the trio who had visited the cafe in the afternoon had gone home.

 

“Then I will consider reinforcing the staff for the dessert section.”

 

Brad concluded the conversation, making dense notes in his booklet. Renee, whose attention had been briefly stolen by the window, nodded her head.

 

“Yes. Since making desserts takes far more time than preparing drinks, it often happens that the desserts come out only after the customers have nearly finished their beverages.”

 

“When these are foods that truly shine when enjoyed together with a drink, it’s a massive issue if the two cannot be tasted at the same time.”

 

“Exactly. Especially black coffee and chocolate cake—they are a pair that must never be separated.”

 

“Hahaha. You always eat like a bird during meals, Madam, yet you certainly have a discerning palate when it comes to taste.”

 

Brad gave a genial laugh and closed his notebook.

 

‘Originally, I lived a life where I skipped meals and sustained myself on iced lattes. Though thanks to that, I lived with chronic gastritis.’

 

Answering internally, Renee offered a bright smile to Brad.

 

“Then let’s discuss the recruitment method in more detail later, and shall we call it a night for today? You worked hard, Brad.”

 

“Let’s do that. Those two ladies over there have been craning their necks, monitoring your movements for a while now.”

 

Brad gestured with his eyes toward the garden, wrinkling his nose playfully. Sure enough, Frances and Colley had been peering inside the cafe throughout their stroll through the garden, waiting for Renee.

 

Tucking their chairs in side by side, the two quickly changed their clothes. Brad stepped out first, followed by Renee and Adonis, who exited the cafe and locked the door behind them.

 

“Madam!”

 

Frances and Colley, who had been waiting for her like meerkats with their heads perked up, brightened instantly and ran over.

 

“The weather is quite chilly; I was worried you might have been waiting too long.”

 

At Renee’s gentle concern, the two shook their heads simultaneously like twins. Just as Colley was about to say something, a massive golden carriage approached the garden from the back courtyard.

 

It was Ricard’s carriage. The two women, who didn’t know who the owner was, looked toward Renee in unison.

 

“It is the carriage of Duke Sainer. Due to unavoidable circumstances, we have agreed to head home together for the time being.”

 

The moment Renee’s explanation ended, Frances covered her mouth with one hand. Her eyes widened enormously in sheer surprise.

 

“Oh my! How deeply affectionate……!”

 

“Pardon?”

 

Renee asked back, almost like a dry cough.

 

“Even though he must be incredibly busy, he is a husband who takes responsibility for his wife’s journey home. Contrary to the rumors, Duke Sainer is an unbelievably attentive man!”

 

While Frances clasped her hands together in admiration, the carriage came to a halt in the garden. The two women’s gazes snapped toward the vehicle.

 

The door opened from the inside, and subsequently, Ricard leapt lightly down from the carriage.

 

Today, he wore a pale grey dress shirt paired with a subtly patterned charcoal setup suit. The outer coat slung over his arm was slightly creased, perhaps because he had taken it off inside the carriage.

 

Watching Ricard stride forward with his long legs, she felt strangely embarrassed to meet his eyes. It might have been due to Frances’s clueless comment about him being an affectionate husband taking responsibility for his wife’s commute.

 

“I am highly curious as to what those rumors entail.”

 

The target of Ricard’s very first remark was Frances, not Renee. Frances looked thoroughly flustered, as if she hadn’t quite understood his words.

 

“Because I happened to overhear you saying ‘contrary to the rumors, you are an attentive man’.”

 

“D-Duke! T-That is……!”

 

“I’ve never had a hobby of eavesdropping on women’s backtalk, but you shouted it quite robustly.”

 

Her entire body flushing bright red, Frances broke out into a continuous cold sweat, utterly at a loss. Colley, too, stamped her feet in tandem, shifting her eyes back and forth between Ricard and Renee.

 

In contrast to the two who were utterly terrified at the realization that they had committed a discourtesy, Ricard maintained a completely nonchalant expression.

 

Looking down at the two women with his arms loosely crossed, he didn’t particularly seem angry. If anything, he looked more amused by teasing them.

 

Of course, the ultimate target of his mischievous teasing would be his wife, not these two unknown women. By now, Ricard’s playful malice was quite visible to Renee’s eyes, but it was bound to look different to others.

 

In reality, the faces of the two women were rapidly turning pale.

 

“That’s enough.”

 

Renee lightly nudged Ricard’s chest. Looking slightly surprised by his wife’s uncharacteristically affectionate gesture, Ricard let out a feigned cough.

 

“Let’s leave the idle chatter at that and head home. I have a mountain of work waiting for me back at the castle.”

 

At Ricard’s prompting, Renee’s expression quickly turned troubled.

 

“Um, Your Grace. I am sorry, but could you perhaps head home first today? I have a place I must urgently visit with these ladies.”

 

“A place women alone must visit at this hour of the night.”

 

Ricard raised one eyebrow. He then spoke with a slight frown.

 

“I heard a tavern catering exclusively to female patrons just opened in the back alleys of Pomphritz Square. Apparently, madmen with roses tucked behind one ear pour drinks with their shirts off.”

 

“Heavens! There is such a place?”

 

Renee asked back in a loud voice, almost shouting. She had never written such a setting into the novel. It seemed that regardless of the era, human thoughts were remarkably similar.

 

Meanwhile, Ricard, who had thrown out a light jest, turned entirely serious at Renee’s unexpectedly fierce reaction. With blatant suspicion written across his face, he narrowed his eyes and scanned his wife up and down.

 

“You like it that much?”

 

“Like it? I was merely shocked that such a place exists!”

 

“Hmm.”

 

“Uh? It’s true! Do you honestly think I would boldly take this face of mine to a tavern like that? Word would spread across the entire kingdom before sunrise.”

 

“It sounds to me like you might go if you hid your face.”

 

“How on earth does it sound like that!”

 

“Wait. Why are you getting so worked up? Please don’t make me recall the proposition that a strong denial equals an affirmation.”

 

“Stop teasing me!”

 

“Does this look like teasing to you?”

 

“Lord Sainer!”

 

Ultimately, Renee let out a sharp yell, her face turning entirely crimson. The two of them were engaged in a dead serious and fierce battle, but to Frances, Colley, and Adonis, it looked like nothing more than a lover’s quarrel between a married couple.

 

The one who stepped in to mediate the situation instead of the two women, who were merely walking on eggshells wondering what to do, was Adonis.

 

“Your Grace. Lady Sainer apparently needs to travel to Golden Beach Town with these two noble ladies. I will accompany her using the carriage she rode to work this morning, so you may head home first, Your Grace.”

 

“No.”

 

Responding in a firm tone, Ricard shook his head and added.

 

“We shall all go together in my carriage. I must personally monitor my wife to ensure she doesn’t stray into other paths.”

 

Renee let out a hollow laugh. With a completely expressionless face, Ricard looked at the two women and spoke.

 

“Would my accompaniment pose a problem?”

 

Glancing at each other to exchange looks for a brief second, Frances and Colley shook their heads wildly in unison, as if they had practiced it.

 

‘He really is a textbook case of someone who answers his own questions. As if they could possibly say it poses a problem.’

 

Renee quietly pouted her lips.

 

Satisfied, Ricard nodded his head and turned toward the carriage. Then, before taking a step, he abruptly tossed the coat he had been carrying on his forearm directly at Renee.

 

Catching the garment instinctively as she reached out, Renee stared blankly at her husband’s back, utterly dumbfounded.

 

“Put it on. It’s cold.”

 

Without so much as looking back, Ricard spoke stiffly, like a robot.

 

Renee was left in a daze, merely fingering his coat, but Frances and Colley once again held each other’s hands, their faces completely overcome with emotion.

 

 

***

 

 

Today was February 15th. In the Kingdom of Hebaron, there was a custom of holding grand prayers at temples across the realm to honor the gods on every day ending in the digit ‘5’.

 

It was for this very reason that Renee had designated the 5th, 15th, and 25th of every month as holidays while preparing to launch the cafe.

 

Of course, this was merely a pretext she put forward; her true motive was simply to secure days off. In a place like this with no concept of holidays, it was painfully obvious that working like a dog every single day would be the perfect recipe for dying of overwork.

 

Since she had opened the cafe in early spring, just as early February was transitioning into the middle of the month, today marked her very first holiday.

 

“Haaahaooom─.”

 

Having slept in until noon for the first time in a while, Renee stretched lazily, letting out a massive yawn. She extended both arms fully to shake off the grogginess and was about to pull back the duvet when her door burst open with a resounding bang.

 

It was Bonnie who came rushing in, her footsteps thumping loudly. With her hair woven into twin braids today as usual, she spoke in a booming voice.

 

“Madam! You have a visitor. To be honest, they’ve been waiting in the drawing room since before the sun even rose, but since you wouldn’t wake up at all, I came to get you.”

 

Renee combed through her disheveled hair with her fingers as she asked.

 

“Who is it?”

 

“They asked me to convey that they are the Welton couple from Golden Beach Town.”

 

Renee’s hand froze mid-air.

 

Five days ago this evening. Accompanied by Frances, Colley, Ricard, and Adonis, she had paid a visit to Golden Beach Town.

 

 

***

 

 

On the way to the drawing room where the Welton couple was reportedly waiting. Clamorous voices began to echo from the moment she was only halfway down the long corridor of the Great Chamber.

 

“Why is it so noisy? Bonnie. Is something going on by any chance?”

 

When Renee inquired, Bonnie, who was trailing behind her, tilted her head sideways and remarked.

 

“Hmm. Come to think of it, I wonder? There shouldn’t be any special schedule today other than the lunch His Grace is having with the officials in the Main Hall at noon……?”

 

Bonnie trailed off, rolling her eyes. She tried to recall once more if there were any events scheduled in the Great Chamber, but shrugged her shoulders as if there truly were none.

 

“Is that so? It sounds like the noise is coming from the drawing room, though.”

 

“Is it?”

 

At Renee’s words, Bonnie quickly scurried a good distance ahead of her, craned her neck to inspect the direction of the drawing room, and then abruptly spun back around.

 

“I think you’re right, Madam! The drawing room door is slightly ajar, and I can hear people’s voices through the gap.”

 

Renee wore a look of surprise at Bonnie’s words.

 

“The Welton couple didn’t visit alone?”

 

“I’m not entirely sure either. I wasn’t the one who greeted the guests directly; the Dowager Grand Duchess passed the word along to Head Maid Anna. She said the Welton couple from Golden Beach Town had come to the castle to see you.”

 

By the Dowager Grand Duchess, she meant Melda. Upon hearing the full story from Bonnie, Renee hurried her steps.

 

This was because an abrupt wave of curiosity mixed with doubt had washed over her. It was a rare occurrence for Melda, the Duke’s mother, to receive guests in person.

 

Come to think of it, this entire situation—where she had hurriedly finished preparing to greet guests and was rushing toward the drawing room—was completely anomalous. Visitors to the castle were required to state their identity and the purpose of their visit at least a day in advance and obtain approval before they could step inside.

 

Just then, the only person who could answer her questions, Melda, happened to step out of the drawing room. While cheerfully conveying something to her personal maid, she spotted Renee and beamed even more radiantly.

 

“My child!”

 

Calling out to Renee in a loud voice, Melda walked briskly down the corridor. It was a stark contrast to her usual calm and elegant demeanor.

 

“Mother.”

 

Wearing an immensely delighted expression, like a child reunited with a mother she hadn’t seen in ages, Renee tightly clasped Melda’s two hands. Melda returned the gesture, pulling Renee’s body toward her and enveloping her in a firm embrace.

 

“Living in the same place, how can it be this difficult to see your face? Hmm?”

 

Just as her tender words suggested, it had truly been a long time since they had looked upon each other. Reflecting on it, this was the first time they were sitting down to converse face-to-face since the cafe had opened.

 

This was because she had been enduring a downright murderous schedule ever since. Even after returning to the castle post-closing, she would discuss cafe operations or develop new menu items with Brad and the other staff members before collapsing into a dead sleep.

 

By the next day, she would frantically prepare and head out to work before the morning sun even rose, repeating the cycle so endlessly that there hadn’t been a spare moment to exchange simple pleasantries with Melda.

 

“I am so sorry. I should have sought you out first and requested a tea time. You must have been incredibly curious about how the cafe was coming along as well.”

 

“Don’t be sorry. I’ve been hearing reports about the cafe’s business every single day since the grand opening. Who is doing what exceptionally well, and who isn’t.”

 

Speaking with a rather mischievous smile, Melda added with a somewhat serious expression.

 

“At any rate, my child. You were told, right? The guests have been waiting for you for quite some time.”

 

Linking her arm through Renee’s, Melda guided her toward the drawing room. The pace of Melda’s steps, which carried a subtle urge, felt laced with a peculiar excitement rather than mere urgency.

 

“I only heard that the Welton couple was waiting. Are there more guests?”

 

“Yes. Members of the Golden Beach Town Merchants Association along with the residents—roughly thirty guests are all waiting together.”

 

“Pardon? Thirty people?”

 

Renee asked in astonishment. Melda nodded her head and gripped the right handle of the large drawing room door.

 

Bonnie took hold of the opposite handle, and subsequently, the double doors swung open. The moment Renee stepped inside, everyone’s gaze converged on her, and the bustling noise vanished in an instant.

 

The sight inside the drawing room was truly a spectacle. Despite the immense scale of the space, it was packed to the brim with people.

 

Roughly ten men sat shoulder-to-shoulder in a row on a large, ivory velvet sofa, and dozens of teacups that looked as though they had been emptied long ago were piled high atop a square table.

 

The women and some of the men, who had been engaging in small talk while examining the paintings and ornaments adorning the drawing room walls, seemed to stop mid-sentence upon Renee’s entrance.

 

What caught Renee’s attention more than anything else was a massive pile of boxes stacked high against the right wall of the drawing room.

 

Judging by the brand name ‘Welton’s Winery’ engraved onto the surface of the luxurious wooden crates, they appeared to contain dozens of wine bottles. The remaining boxes were wrapped in expensive-looking fabrics; though their contents remained a mystery, one could easily surmise that every single one held something precious.

 

“Duchess! We have arrived!”

 

Renee’s hands were grasped by Colley, who rushed over, her face bright with delight. Standing behind her, her husband, Darby Welton, offered a deep bow with a complexion that looked unbelievably brighter than it had five days ago.

 

“It is a pleasure to see you, Mrs. Welton. And Mr. Welton. But who are all these people with you, and what are these large crates for?”

 

Renee asked, casting her gaze back and forth between the Welton couple and the crowd behind them with an utterly bewildered expression.

 

“Thanks to the Duchess, we have all returned from the brink of death.”

 

Stepping forward as if he had been waiting for this exact moment, Darby repeatedly bowed his head to express his gratitude.

 

“Pardon? What do you mean by that…….”

 

As Renee trailed off, entirely at a loss, Colley squeezed her hands firmly once more and replied.

 

“Five days ago, right after you visited our winery to inspect it, you immediately pointed out that there seemed to be an issue with the wooden barrels.”

 

Renee nodded at Colley’s words.

 

Five days ago. The moment she heard from Colley, who had visited the cafe, that she lived in Golden Beach Town, an episode from the original novel had flashed through Renee’s mind.

 

Golden Beach Town appeared midway through the original novel as a city that gave Ricard a massive headache due to the spread of an unknown disease. The cause of the illness—which even a gathering of the realm’s finest physicians and mages specializing in healing arts utterly failed to uncover—was, hilariously, the seeds of a rare tree species that had crossed over the sea from some unknown continent.

 

Because it grew several times faster than native species and possessed thick, sturdy trunks, the residents thoughtlessly chopped down the newly grown trees to use for firewood and daily necessities. However, the wood carried a fatal toxicity, and the people, oblivious to this, withered away and died without ever discovering the cause.

 

And the very first to utilize that wood was Welton’s Winery. Starting a year prior, the Welton couple had chopped down the trees to craft the wooden barrels used to store and ferment their wine, and issues had begun arising all over the place starting this winter when they began selling the wine fermented that way.

 

“We had meticulously checked whether there was an issue with the grapes, the sugar, or even the water. Even so, we couldn’t find a single clue for months. Who could have ever imagined that the wooden barrels were the problem!”

 

The moment Colley finished speaking, a man standing in the back stepped forward to add his piece.

 

“In truth, because the way people collapsed after drinking the Welton couple’s wine was so starkly visible, it became the talk of the entire town. However, my wife, who doesn’t touch a drop of alcohol, had also been suffering and dying from a disease for the past two months, where red hives erupted across her entire body and she couldn’t breathe properly, Duchess.”

 

The man distorted his expression as if the mere thought was horrifying, and continued.

 

“We visited every renowned physician to no avail, leaving us entirely helpless. To think that the cause of the illness was the laundry tub we used at home……! My wife used to fill that tub with water every single day to personally wash towels, clothes, and dishcloths.”

 

As soon as his words concluded, the gathered crowd all began to chime in one after another. There were those who had received direct help, like the man who discovered the cause of his wife’s illness thanks to her, and there were those who had tagged along simply because they wanted to meet her in person after hearing this astonishing news.

 

A middle-aged man, who had been waiting his turn with relative composure, took a step toward Renee and spoke.

 

“Duchess, it is an honor to meet you. I am Jordan, the representative of the Golden Beach Town Merchants Association. Everyone’s expressions of gratitude have caused this to drag on excessively, but the reason we have taken the liberty of rushing to seek an audience with you like this is……”

 

“What is all this commotion about?”

 

The person who cut Jordan off and made an entrance was Ricard. It appeared that even though the drawing room doors had been shut, the clamor of voices had leaked all the way out into the corridor.

 

Judging by the dozen or so high-ranking officials standing behind him, it seemed they were just on their way out after wrapping up breakfast in the Main Hall.

 

At Ricard’s sudden appearance, the gathered crowd gasped in unison and bowed low to greet him. After exchanging a brief nod with Melda, Ricard looked toward Renee.

 

“What reason could there possibly be for the representative of the Golden Beach Town Merchants Association and my wife to hold a secret rendezvous behind my back?”

 

A secret rendezvous. Renee jumped up to refute Ricard’s bizarre choice of words.

 

“Hold on a moment, Duke. Calling it a secret rendezvous in such an incredibly exposed location is a bit much.”

 

“The area beneath the candlestick is always the darkest, after all. So. What is the reason for this large crowd visiting my castle without my knowledge?”

 

“I exceptionally granted them entry since they urgently requested an audience.”

 

The one who answered in place of Renee, who was struggling to discern whether Ricard was joking or not, was Melda. The gazes of Ricard and the officials converged on Melda.

 

“Hmm.”

 

Ricard narrowed his eyes and raised an eyebrow as if it were unexpected. He then questioned Melda.

 

“If my mother, rather than my wife, made an exception, it must have been a considerably important matter.”

 

He added.

 

“After all, Mother is not one to act rashly out of emotion.”

 

Listening to Ricard, a vein throbbed on Renee’s forehead.

 

‘What. Did he just say that for my benefit? Is he implying that I am emotional and rash?!’

 

In fairness, reflecting on it, it wasn’t entirely wrong. Most of the behavior she had shown him thus far had fit that description.

 

‘Honestly, he never misses an opportunity to be sarcastic. And in front of all these people, no less.’

 

As her face flushed, Renee unexpectedly felt her gaze drawn particularly toward one individual among the numerous officials standing behind Ricard.

 

Galael Haksen. Scanning the visitors filling the drawing room with his slit-like eyes, he seemed somewhat on edge for some reason.

 

Unlike Renee, Melda maintained her serene smile throughout and replied to Ricard.

 

“All of these guests here have traveled from Golden Beach Town, Lord Sainer.”

 

Indicating the guests with both arms, she gestured toward the Welton couple and said.

 

“Would you care to introduce yourselves? You might as well explain the reason for your visit directly.”

 

The husband, Darby Welton, hurriedly nodded his head. He then bowed to Ricard with a deeply humbled expression.

 

“I am Darby Welton, the proprietor of Welton’s Winery, and this is my wife, Colley Welton.”

 

Finishing his introduction in a slightly trembling voice, he began to explain the full story. From the ordeal of people collapsing with mysterious symptoms after drinking their couple’s wine, to his wife Colley seeking out Renee’s cafe, and finally to the conclusion where Renee instantly uncovered the cause, allowing all the town’s residents to receive help.

 

Throughout his lengthy tale, Ricard listened with an intensely serious countenance. The officials behind him did the same.

 

“We simply could not forgo conveying our gratitude, which is why we took the liberty of dropping by so abruptly.”

 

Concluding his speech, Darby pointed toward the pile of crates stacked high on one side of the drawing room.

 

“It is a small token of our appreciation. Our couple brought a crate of the longest-aged wine from our cellars, and the other residents have each brought items they prepared to offer you.”

 

The gazes of Ricard and the officials shifted toward the pile of boxes. Looking at the items that appeared highly expensive at a glance, someone even let out a brief exclamation of admiration.

 

Meanwhile, Jordan, who had introduced himself as the representative of the Golden Beach Town Merchants Association, watched the atmosphere carefully before stepping forward once Darby finished speaking. He was the one whose words had been cut short by Ricard’s sudden arrival.

 

“Your Grace. In addition to those goods, our Merchants Association has prepared a donation to express our heartfelt gratitude.”

 

“A donation?”

 

Ricard questioned back, scanning Jordan up and down. He nodded and took another step forward.

 

“Yes. We received word that the banquet scheduled for mid-February has been postponed and will now be held in early March. Considering the grand scale of the banquets you hold annually at Sainer Castle, the preparations must be monumental, and you’ve newly launched a business on top of that……. Though it is modest, we prepared this with the desire to offer even a small amount of assistance.”

 

Pulling a bundle of money wrapped in red velvet fabric from the inner pocket of his coat, Jordan dropped to one knee and presented the donation to Ricard. His posture was so reverent it mirrored an offering of valuables to a sovereign as a sign of fealty.

 

Even at a glance, the thick appearance made it easy to gauge that the amount of the donation was substantial. Ricard once again wore a slightly startled expression, as if it were entirely unexpected.

 

Melda, Renee, and the officials were equally surprised. While it wasn’t unheard of for citizens of the kingdom to make voluntary donations, it was strictly a practice confined to the nobility.

 

Furthermore, rather than being acts born of pure intentions, they were more frequently bribes seeking favors, meaning the donor’s house and name were subtly emphasized.

 

Thus, a donation offered by anonymous residents who repeatedly bowed their knees to express gratitude was highly exceptional.

 

After a moment of silence, Ricard let out a chuckle.

 

“To think you would even offer assistance out of concern for the royal finances—I am honored.”

 

While his tone could easily sound sarcastic, Renee could now somewhat discern the genuine sincerity hidden beneath her husband’s twisted way of speaking.

 

He appeared to be at least slightly moved by the donation his nameless citizens had united to present.

 

“What am I to do with this pocket change? I wonder if it can buy even a few gold candlesticks to place atop the banquet tables.”

 

He was subtly teasing the citizens gathered before him, who were wearing entirely tense expressions. Naturally, oblivious to his true intent, the expressions of the people shifted as if alternating between heaven and hell with his every word.

 

“That is enough mischievous joking; please accept the donation, Lord Sainer. It weighs on my mind to think the extended hand might be left embarrassed.”

 

Once again, it was Melda who stepped in to settle the situation. At her smooth yet firm words, Ricard readily nodded and accepted the donation Jordan held out.

 

“I shall put it to good use.”

 

“It is an honor that you have accepted it, Your Grace! And…… thank you truly from the bottom of my heart, Duchess.”

 

Maintaining his kneeling posture, Jordan bowed his head toward Ricard before turning to convey his gratitude to Renee.

 

With that, the people gathered at the back of the drawing room all began to chime in one by one. Every single one of them offered words of heartfelt gratitude to Renee.

 

Renee felt entirely out of her depth, unsure of how to handle the situation. Yet slowly, she felt herself being soaked by the sincerity pouring down on her like a warm rain.

 

Though she felt embarrassed because the reward returned seemed far too immense compared to the help she had provided, the sense of pride was greater. Even if it was a fact she could uncover with her eyes closed simply because she was the original author.

 

Just then, a group of servants entered the drawing room. Judging by the way Melda acknowledged them, it must have been what she instructed her personal maid to do moments ago.

 

“These goods will be transferred to their respective departments after undergoing an inspection, Lord Sainer.”

 

At Melda’s words, Ricard gave a single nod of his head. As Melda gestured to the servants, they moved in perfect unison, beginning to carry the large crates out of the drawing room.

 

“Since everyone seems to have much to say to the Duchess, we shall take our leave now.”

 

Employing an utterly hypocritical honorific after a long while, Ricard looked toward Renee. When Renee offered a slightly embarrassed smile, he shrugged his shoulders.

 

Beginning with the official standing furthest back, the dozen or so grown men filed out of the drawing room. Just before exiting the drawing room last, Ricard turned back once more, gazing intently at his wife.

 

Sensing his gaze in the middle of her conversation with the people, Renee turned around. Their eyes met for a brief moment.

 

‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen that kind of expression on him before…….’

 

Before she could fully decipher the emotion manifested on his face, he closed the door and vanished from her sight.

 

The lingering image of Ricard’s eyes felt, for some reason, as though they had been smiling slightly.

 

 

***

 

 

This was an accident.

 

Yes. There could be no better word to describe this situation.

 

On the morning she returned to work after enjoying her very first holiday since the grand opening. Even when she sensed an atmosphere somehow different from usual among the customers lining the garden as always, she had assumed it was merely her imagination.

 

Right up until she heard the remark tacked on by the very first customer after completing her order with a somewhat gloomy face.

 

“A cup of hot black coffee and a glass of cold latte, please. Um, and…… is it true that the Duchess possesses miraculous powers and can instantly resolve any problem?”

 

“P-Pardon?”

 

The young maid taking the order turned around sharply to look at Renee, who was tying her apron right beside her with a thoroughly bewildered face. Renee had frozen completely mid-knot, holding her waist ribbon.

 

The first customer was a woman with light brown hair heavily laced with grey tied low; her under-eyes were dark as if she barely slept, and there was no color in her lips.

 

Craning her neck to peer inside the counter, she seemed to instantly discover which of the seven employees preparing to open for business in their respective areas was Renee.

 

“Lady Sainer!”

 

The moment she spotted Renee standing frozen with her apron strings in hand, she wailed at the top of her lungs and threw herself flat across the counter.

 

“Please, right my grievance! I spend every single night in tears!”

 

Pounding the counter repeatedly with both hands, the woman began to weep loudly. At the sudden commotion, the floor staff as well as the chefs in the inner kitchen all stared at her with startled faces.

 

Renee hurriedly rushed out of the kitchen area. She then gently wrapped her arms around the woman’s shoulders, speaking in a soft, soothing voice.

 

“I don’t know what kind of circumstances you are facing, but please don’t cry and try telling me slowly, shall we?”

 

The woman nodded her head with a tear-stained face. Renee guided her toward a windowside table.

 

The customers lined up behind the woman all turned their heads in unison to watch the two, as if they had rehearsed it. Yet, why was it? The expressions watching them were all strangely off.

 

Far from carrying the excitement or curiosity of wanting to taste coffee, their faces were overcast, as though there were a misfortune at home. Midst all that, their eyes shone desperately.

 

This was, how should she put it…….

 

‘The expressions look exactly like people who have sought out a powerful shaman, not a cafe!’

 

 

***

 

 

Late February, when the winter chill was gradually dissipating and the energy of spring was becoming distinct. The Sainer Cafe was prospering day by day, drawing packed crowds.

 

“Customer at table 3. Here are the two iced lattes and the wild berry cake you ordered.”

 

Placing the two coffees and the cake onto the table in sequence, the floor server added while looking at their notepad.

 

“You mentioned that the dog you’ve raised for ten years has been completely drained of energy lately and barely eats.”

 

One of the two customers nodded frantically, her eyes gleaming with desperation.

 

“Yes─! When will we be able to see the Duchess?”

 

“Mm, consultations have been backed up since the morning, so it looks like it will take quite a while. We will call you when it’s your turn.”

 

At the server’s remark that it would take time, the other customers listening intently from surrounding tables let out sighs of disappointment.

 

Meanwhile, Renee was sitting across from a customer at a rather special table. It was set up on one side of the spacious hall with a partition erected around it, designated as a space for consultations with the patrons who sought her out.

 

“Chris Vale. You’ve come from Redwood Town, and since inheriting your father’s paper business last year, you’ve been running the shop, but the paper has been rotting away for unknown reasons.”

 

As Renee read aloud the consultation details she had jotted down in advance, the young man sitting across from her, Chris, nodded his head vehemently.

 

“Yes, Madam. I manufacture and store the paper in the exact same manner my late father taught me during his lifetime, but I have absolutely no inkling as to what the problem is!”

 

Chris raised his voice with a flushed face, looking as though he were driven utterly mad by frustration.

 

“Hmm…….”

 

Renee let out a groaning sound and cast her eyes upward as if recalling something. Watching her, Chris wore a thoroughly tense expression.

 

“If it’s Redwood Town, it merely appears as the hometown of the murderer Chubby Mason; there didn’t seem to be any episode related to Mr. Vale’s paper business at all.”

 

“……Pardon?”

 

At Renee’s bizarre response, Chris questioned back with a face that indicated he couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Renee continued, completely unbothered.

 

“This is honestly driving me insane, Mr. Vale.”

 

At the aggressive language she failed to refine, Chris, who was listening, as well as Renee herself, flinched in surprise.

 

She was truly on the verge of losing her sanity from this abrupt ‘consultation rush’ that had been persisting for nearly ten days now.

 

The root of the evil was the rumor regarding the case of the Welton couple from Golden Beach Town, following Meg Valond and the noble ladies, which had spread like wildfire in an instant. Customers harboring tribulations from all corners of the kingdom had begun flocking to the cafe.

 

The contents of their worries were incredibly diverse, too.

 

‘Worries related to business are the decent ones. A cat raised in the kitchen is missing, someone’s head is so itchy they can’t sleep. Even, what? A husband refusing intimacy. Why on earth are they telling me that!’

 

Initially, she had intended to deal with the incoming patrons one by one and politely send them away. While she had resolved the previous two incidents by utilizing the novel’s contents, it was impossible to know the answers to all these trivial worries.

 

Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to coldly drive away customers who clasped her hands while shedding fat tears or prostrated themselves at her feet, begging for her help.

 

And what was a bigger problem was this.

 

“It’s not an episode that appears in the original story, and as I mentioned, it’s driving me out of my mind in various ways, but still, Mr. Vale. What exactly did your late father instruct you regarding the paper storage method during his lifetime?”

 

“Nothing special was passed down other than drying the paper thoroughly on sunny days. To be honest, um……. During my father’s lifetime, I was a good-for-nothing who spent every day out drinking and carousing. Father must have surely told me the secret technique, but I must have let it enter one ear and exit the other. What an unfilial and pathetic wretch I am─!”

 

Chris clutched his hair with both hands, bursting with frustration. Looking at him as tears welled in his eyes, Renee spoke with a calm expression.

 

“There’s no way a dehumidifier exists here. I just need to call to mind an object that serves the same function.”

 

“Dehu, mi, what did you say, Madam? I didn’t quite catch that……”

 

“If it’s an object that functions to absorb moisture, hmm……. How about trying to place charcoal here and there where you store the paper?”

 

“Charcoal?!”

 

“Yes. The issue is likely trapping the moisture, and charcoal would probably be the most effective. Though I’ll need to think on it a bit more.”

 

Chris, who had worn a half-doubting expression immediately upon hearing the suggestion to try charcoal, suddenly brightened with a look of realization.

 

“Come to think of it, I believe my father did mention an object that absorbs moisture once, Madam! What was it……. Was it some kind of wood?……. I don’t recall it clearly, but I think I wrote it down somewhere.”

 

“I see. That is a relief, Mr. Vale.”

 

“I must go check immediately! Thank you, thank you truly, Duchess!”

 

Chris, who pushed his chair back with a clatter and stood up, repeatedly bowed his waist to convey his gratitude. Watching him look so moved he was practically on the verge of bursting into tears, the surrounding customers waiting their turn all lowered their voices to whisper.

 

Customers flocking to the cafe holding worries that didn’t appear in the original novel. This situation where she couldn’t bear to cast them aside and was accepting them as they came.

 

A grander problem than that was the fact that she could generally resolve the worries they brought. And easily, at that!

 

‘To prevent something from rotting, you use a dehumidifier, but since there is no dehumidifier here, you use an object with a similar function instead.’

 

How simple and clear was that.

 

Aside from that man, Chris Vale, who was currently crossing the hall toward the door with a moved face, the problems the people here racked their brains over were not terribly difficult from Renee’s perspective.

 

“Duchess! Thank you once more! Truly, you are as sharp and miraculous as the rumors say! I respect you, and it is an honor, Lady Sainer!”

 

Conveying his final farewell in a ringing voice, Chris rushed out of the cafe. The customers packed full inside the hall all looked at Renee simultaneously with expressions that added certainty to their hope.

 

Gazing at the countless pairs of eyes gleaming with desperation, Renee pulled up the corners of her lips with an expression that was neither crying nor smiling. She then called out in a rather loud voice.

 

“Customer at table 7─. It is your turn, so please bring your drink and come sit before me.”

 

 

***

 

 

Late afternoon. Renee took a brief moment out of her schedule to head out to the plaza with Adonis and Tatisha.

 

Their purpose was to purchase items for the upcoming banquet. Since she had started her own business, the banquet preparations had exceptionally fallen under Melda’s purview, but Renee had volunteered to help anyway, feeling she couldn’t simply wash her hands of it entirely.

 

“We are going to look at flowers, candlesticks, and tableware today, correct, Madam?”

 

“Yes, Tatisha. Since it’s a banquet to pray for prosperity, we decided to display flowers throughout the entire venue. The flowers handled by just one or two shops probably won’t be enough.”

 

“One or two? Even if we were to buy out every single flower shop in Pomfritz Plaza, we wouldn’t even be able to decorate a fraction of the banquet hall.”

 

At Tatisha’s words, Renee offered a slight smile in lieu of a reply.

 

Through the carriage window, the afternoon scenery of Pomfritz Plaza rolled past like a painting. Under the bright sunlight, merchants and pedestrians mingled, walking along the streets with cheerful strides.

 

Sitting on her left, Tatisha’s head suddenly dropped as she began to doze off, nodding off repeatedly. Renee gently supported her head and let it rest against her shoulder.

 

Suddenly, Adonis, who was sitting across from her, caught Renee’s eye. He, too, was fighting to keep his eyes open, his face looking thoroughly exhausted.

 

It was no wonder they were fatigued, given the relentless workload day after day. Furthermore, with the cafe turning into a counseling center over the past few days, it had become common practice to operate past closing hours, meaning all the employees were likely exhausted enough to sleep standing up.

 

“Get some shut-eye for a moment, Adonis.”

 

“I am fine.”

 

Declining Renee’s consideration with a characteristically firm tone that came as no surprise, Adonis pushed his glasses up his nose.

 

“How about leaving right at closing time today? Even when the other employees usually head home, you’ve been staying behind at the cafe because of me.”

 

Renee added, her face filled with apology.

 

“I’m no better than a terrible boss who makes their subordinates work overtime every single day. Even if it’s my own business, the employee welfare is absolutely abysmal.”

 

As she spoke, a sudden sense of grievance welled up within her.

 

“Honestly, Lord Sainer is something else, too. It’s been nearly a month since the cafe opened, and nothing even remotely dangerous has happened so far. Yet he stubbornly keeps you attached to my side as if to monitor me. I want to let you rest, but I can’t even do that, so I feel ashamed to face the staff.”

 

Renee’s voice trailed off as her shoulders slumped. Adonis, who had been listening to her without a change in expression, opened his mouth to speak.

 

“I believe it is only natural for the Grand Duke to worry about you, Madam.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because the two of you are a married couple, after all.”

 

Adonis replied in a tone that suggested he was stating the obvious. After a brief silence, Renee nodded with an accepting expression.

 

“Come to think of it, you’re right. The Grand Duke even accompanies me on the commute home every day…….”

 

She was gradually growing accustomed to the commute back with Ricard. Of course, it was a quiet time where each of them rested their tired eyes without much conversation, though.

 

Turning her head back toward the window, something caught Renee’s eye.

 

“Uh……?”

 

The entrance of an alley thick with trees and bushes. It was an incredibly familiar path.

 

‘I feel like I’ve been here before.’

 

While Renee traced back her memories, a man completely draped in a dark navy robe abruptly emerged from between the trees. He then vanished from sight in short order, walking toward somewhere with refined yet brisk steps.

 

Renee tilted her head, lost in thought. The carriage was moving toward its destination at a steady pace.

 

Just then, Renee perked up, her face brightening with sudden realization.

 

“Traveler J!”

 

Tatisha woke up with a start. Renee shouted toward the coachman.

 

“Please stop the carriage for a moment!”

 

 

***

 

 

Revisiting Traveler J’s shop after such a long time, the place remained exactly as it had been before, without the slightest change.

 

The moment she stepped inside, Lecto Brown recognized her and bounced forward like a ball, beaming with an utterly delighted face. His black woolen attire was identical to before, and his orange hair had grown slightly longer since then.

 

“What brings you here, Madam! It is an immense pleasure to see you again like this.”

 

“It’s wonderful to see you too, Lecto. Have you been well?”

 

Lecto looked deeply moved that she remembered his name.

 

Renee lightly pressed her lips to the back of his hand as he knelt on one knee, asking after him in a warm tone. Lecto scratched his head and gave a sheepish laugh.

 

“Of course, Madam. As you can see, this place remains exactly the same, without a single change.”

 

Indicating the dim shop with both arms, he added with a soft chuckle.

 

“As if time has stood still.”

 

“…….”

 

Hearing his words, it truly felt that way. The moment one opened the door and stepped inside, a peculiar atmosphere flowed as if time had indeed frozen.

 

Perhaps it was because the sound and light from the outside were almost completely blocked, giving the impression of an entirely different world. Was running a shop in a place like this also part of Traveler J’s intention?

 

Since he was a character who didn’t exist in the original novel, she had been incredibly curious about his true identity. It was rather surprising that she had completely forgotten about it due to her busy schedule.

 

“By the way, what brings you to our shop again, Madam? Your name wasn’t on the reservation list.”

 

“Ah. I didn’t come for any specific business; I just happened to drop by while passing through the area.”

 

“I see. I heard the news early on that you had opened a cafe, Madam. I’ve been so curious about what kind of place it is, but I haven’t been able to visit even once.”

 

Lecto’s eyebrows knitted together in a sad expression. To him, as his voice trailed off dejectedly, Renee said,

 

“You should have made some time to come take a look. I would have recognized you instantly and welcomed you warmly.”

 

“The cafe’s operating hours overlap almost perfectly with my working hours. When the cafe opens, I also open this shop, and I only head home after the cafe finishes its business, Madam.”

 

“Can’t you step out even for a short while?”

 

At Renee’s question, Lecto nodded a couple of times.

 

“Yes. Since I never know when customers might arrive, I cannot leave the shop unattended. Furthermore, the patrons who seek out our shop usually come secretly while hiding their identities, or they arrive with urgent and heartbreaking circumstances. Therefore, I prefer to keep my post so they don’t have to wait in anxiety.”

 

As Lecto finished his explanation, Renee nodded deeply with a somewhat moved expression. Suddenly, she recalled the time she had sought out this place to escape from Ricard.

 

“That makes sense. After all, I received Lecto’s help back then as well.”

 

Lecto smiled with a knowing face.

 

“To be precise, you received Traveler J’s help, not mine, Madam. I am merely Traveler J’s proxy.”

 

Watching Lecto chuckle while playfully crinkling his nose, Renee recalled the scene she had witnessed a moment ago.

 

“Say, Lecto. Speaking of which, may I ask you something?”

 

“By all means, Madam.”

 

“Actually, while passing by the road just now, I saw a man draped in a dark navy robe. I only caught a fleeting glimpse through the carriage window, but it somehow drew my attention. Realizing later on, I remembered that this was the location of Traveler J’s shop.”

 

Pausing for a moment, Renee swallowed hard. Clearing her throat, she carefully continued her words.

 

“It might sound absurd, but I blindly came searching here on the off chance that the person I briefly saw might have been Traveler J.”

 

As she finished speaking, Lecto cast his gaze downward and offered a faint smile.

 

“Yes. It makes sense.”

 

“What does?”

 

“Everything. The circumstances that led you back to this place, your curiosity regarding Traveler J’s identity, and even your expression when you just stepped through the door.”

 

“What was my expression like?”

 

“You looked somewhat pitiful, as if you were desperately longing to know something.”

 

At Lecto’s honest answer, Renee dropped her head and let out a small laugh.

 

“I can’t go into detail, but I am indeed very curious about who Traveler J is.”

 

“I truly wish to help you, Madam, but unfortunately, the only person in this world who knows Traveler J’s identity is Traveler J himself.”

 

Seeing Lecto, who didn’t seem to be lying at all, Renee nodded deeply in acceptance.

 

Even though Renee hadn’t explicitly asked to confirm, Lecto added as if he knew exactly what she wanted to verify.

 

“I am not certain who the man in the navy robe you saw was. The only patrons who visited this shop today were a young girl early this morning, a white-haired noblewoman, a curly-haired young man, and Lady Sainer. Those four are all.”

 

“I see. Thank you for making time for me despite being busy, Lecto.”

 

“Not at all, Madam. I only feel apologetic for not being able to resolve your curiosity.”

 

Renee glanced at the clock to check the time. Lecto, quick on the uptake, spoke up.

 

“I would love to treat you to a cup of tea, but since you are now running a business yourself, I would only be taking up your time, wouldn’t I?”

 

Renee smiled with a face that was both apologetic and grateful.

 

“These days, I’ve been keeping the cafe open well past closing hours, so please feel free to drop by anytime, Lecto.”

 

“Oh, really? I’ve heard rumors that business is incredibly prosperous, so it seems you’ve decided to extend the operating hours due to the large crowd of customers.”

 

“Well, that’s roughly correct.”

 

‘Though it’s becoming more of a counseling center than a cafe,’ adding the thought internally, Renee smiled.

 

Lecto promised multiple times to visit the cafe, opening the double doors with both hands. Adonis, who had been waiting outside the shop, approached her.

 

“Shall we go, Madam?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Waving her hand to Lecto, who had walked out past the door to see her off, Renee walked with Adonis toward the entrance of the path where the carriage stood.

 

“Adonis. You must keep your promise. It’s only for this once, alright?”

 

At Renee’s earnest plea, Adonis let out a small groan and nodded his head as if he had no choice.

 

“While I have failed to properly execute the missions entrusted to me by the Grand Duke before, this is truly the first time I am intentionally going against them.”

 

“Right. I know that recording my every move is the mission the Grand Duke assigned to you. You can write down everything else. Just leave out the part about me visiting this place today.”

 

“It’s a disaster because I have a strong intuition that even if I leave out everything else that happened this week, I must record the fact that you visited this place. On top of that, you wouldn’t even let me step inside, held a secret conversation with the shopkeeper, and even begged me to keep all of this a secret from the Grand Duke.”

 

Strolling along the winding path lush with trees, Adonis rattled off the accurate facts without a single hitch, sounding like a theatrical actor reciting designated lines. It would have been better if he had just flat out snapped at her instead.

 

“Adonis. I didn’t know before, but you have a tendency to describe situations in a very suspicious manner. A secret conversation? You make it sound like I’m plotting something.”

 

“Description is a task for painters or poets. I merely observe and record the situation exactly as it is.”

 

“……How is it that every single person hired by Ricard is so incredibly smooth-tongued? Every time I see it, it goes beyond admirable and borders on exasperating.”

 

“It is a pity that you find it exasperating. After all, I wish to maintain an amicable relationship with the wife whom my master, Grand Duke Sainer, treasures.”

 

Adonis spoke in a flat tone as if mentioning something obvious, but Renee froze all by herself.

 

‘Treasures? Ricard treasures me?’

 

Following the last time, Adonis seemed firmly convinced of that fact. Though she had absolutely no idea why he thought so.

 

The end of the path came into view ahead. Before boarding the carriage, Renee caught his eye once more, seeking reconfirmation.

 

Adonis let out a short sigh. He then nodded his head once in understanding.

 

With a satisfied smile, Renee spoke toward the coachman.

 

“Our schedule has been delayed a bit. We must hurry to the first flower shop.”

 

 

***

 

 

After securing agreements with a total of three flower shops and purchasing beautiful gold candlesticks and crystal ornaments, Renee finally returned to the cafe late in the afternoon.

 

Because customers wishing for consultations had been holding their ground in her absence, the cafe was quite literally on the verge of bursting.

 

Hurriedly changing from her outdoor attire into her uniform, Renee resumed the consultations. While there were quite a few worries she couldn’t resolve, the customers wiped away tears and bowed their heads repeatedly in gratitude, stating that their hearts felt much lighter simply because she listened to their stories with sincerity.

 

After spending a period of time that felt akin to a war, it was a late evening that once again stretched two hours past closing. Sending off the last customer, Renee stretched with a groan.

 

Since she had sent the other employees home, the only ones left were herself and Adonis, who stood in front of the counter. Renee spoke to Adonis, who stood rigidly upright without showing any sign of the exhaustion covering his face.

 

“You worked hard again today, Adonis. Go ahead to the carriage first; I’ll change my clothes and head down shortly.”

 

“Understood. Take your time.”

 

Today was a day when Ricard had vacated the castle for a three-day, two-night itinerary, meaning they couldn’t commute home together. Changing her clothes in the staff breakroom and heading down, Renee newly realized that the day of the banquet was truly just around the corner.

 

Subsequently, what crossed her mind was, naturally, the ‘Banquet Hall Poisoning Incident’. She remembered the name of the culprit who would attempt to kill Ricard by spiking his glass with poison.

 

She also knew the process of how he would slip the poison into Ricard’s glass, how Ricard’s Chief of Staff, Balma Tenez, would be falsely accused, and how the castle would be turned completely upside down to locate the culprit after it was revealed that he wasn’t the real perpetrator.

 

The issue lay in how to prevent that incident in advance.

 

‘I haven’t even explained how I caught Chubby Mason yet, so if I do something to arouse Ricard’s suspicion once more, there’s no telling what will happen then. But I can’t just sit idly by knowing an accident is going to occur either…….’

 

Her head felt like it was going to explode. Her steps feeling as heavy as her heart, Renee turned off the final light in the hall and was about to turn toward the door.

 

Tatap─.

 

Amidst the darkness where she couldn’t even discern what lay ahead, an incredibly faint sound of footsteps echoed. Following that, the entrance door, which had been left slightly ajar, clicked shut.

 

“……!”

 

Her entire body froze rigid. Goosebumps rippled down her spine.

 

Inside this dark, massive cafe building, she was not alone. Someone had clearly slipped inside while her back was turned.