Chapter 191 : Chapter 191
Chapter 191
Once Bianca and Savo finished preparing the ingredients, such as grilling ham or whisking meringue, Nerjin and Lilac baked cakes, cookies, tarts, and pies.
In the meantime, I started making the drinks. The moment I checked the order slip, my eye twitched.
‘Isn’t one drink per person common sense?’
Did these guys have three stomachs each? Three drinks per person was a bit much! Coffee was something to be savored while enjoying its aroma! Not chugged down!
‘Ah, I forgot.’
These weren't ordinary humans. They were warriors who resonated with mana and trained their bodies. Seeing that even Mary ate for two, Bord could probably eat for ten by himself…
‘The popularity of the Zazara Tea Relaxer is through the roof.’
As it was a recipe I developed with this world's unique ingredients, I felt good seeing it do so well.
‘Two Caramel Macchiatos, three Einspänners, one Café Latte, four Café Mochas, two Peach Iced Teas….’
After receiving the espresso shots, I quickly prepared the drinks by adding steamed milk, chocolate syrup, and so on.
“Here, ah…”
The drinks were all made, but Lilac had already gone out with the cake tray. I had no choice but to place the drinks on a small tray, hold it with my left palm, and go outside myself.
“Woah.”
“This is different…?”
“It’s new, really!”
Yes, how could it not be new? A trash extra villain had turned over a new leaf, suddenly became a Black Knight and the Guardian of the World Tree, and was now carrying coffee in an apron right before their eyes.
‘They’re quick-witted.’
Among those who had ordered drinks after seeing me enter the kitchen, I saw Adela and Luri. I placed their drinks in front of them.
“The Café Mocha you ordered, Lady.”
“Huhu, good. I like the look of this. Could you not serve me every time I come?”
“No, I cannot.”
“Hehe, I love coffee made by Martin~. I’m a regular, isn’t there any service?”
“Service costs money too.”
Next, was it Annette? She was already looking at me with sparkling eyes.
“The Zazara Tea Relaxer you ordered, Lady.”
“Hmm, what to do. I might just become a regular.”
“Please, refrain.”
“I don’t want to.”
“I thought as much.”
Next was Kazaks. Look at him, striking a cool pose and waiting ostentatiously.
“The Zazara Tea Relaxer you ordered, Gentleman.”
“Hmm, good. O Black Knight, no. What should I call you here?”
“Barista, butler. Anything is fine.”
“Indeed, what does a title matter? Whatever it may be, it could not tarnish your shining glory.”
“…”
This prince was definitely off somewhere.
And the last one, of all people, was the protagonist, Gilbert. It had to be you.
The entire protagonist party, excluding Elisha, was looking at me with expectant eyes. Even the blunt Lina was sneaking glances, curious…
“You're ordered…”
I placed the drink in front of Gilbert. I tried to continue speaking, but the words just wouldn't come out. Again, let's try again.
“Yo-Your ordered…”
“You're ordered?”
When Gilbert, his face contorted from trying to hold back his laughter, repeated my words, I was able to muster my courage.
“Here’s the Zazara Tea Relaxer you ordered. Eat it and get the hell out.”
“Puhahaha!”
“Kekeke!”
“Pfft!”
Laughter erupted from all sides. It was well-known that Gilbert and I were rivals. Gilbert smiled brightly. Damn it.
When I turned my head, even Lilac, who was serving dessert, couldn't hold back her laughter, covering her mouth with her hand.
‘Ugh.’
But I didn't know at the time that this was just the beginning.
Luri asked Lilac, who had just placed a well-made strawberry shortcake on the table.
“Lilac! Lilac, have you ever seen Martin shoot a gun?”
“Yes. I’ve seen him a few times.”
Wild Instinct sounded an alarm.
‘Stop!’
What else were you going to say!
“You should have seen Martin shooting at Professor Hectia today. It was so cool!”
“Oh my, really?”
Lilac looked at Luri with eyes full of curiosity. Luri gave a mischievous smile.
“Of cooourse. Everyone here knows it! Your Highness, right?”
“Martin’s marksmanship? Huhu, it goes without saying. Even my eyes could see that Hectia of Platinum Numbering No. 1 was on guard and paying attention at all times.”
Lilac's eyes sparkled in admiration.
“Woooow…!”
‘Stop!’
I felt like I was going to die.
“Right, right. Lilac, you heard that? Martin with a shotgun is as amazing as a swift hound, you know? And his gaze is so sharp! He’s so cool!”
“Mhm! And Martin has good proportions, doesn't he? When he holds his shotgun and takes a proper stance, it's just like a painting. My aesthetic sense acknowledges it.”
“That’s amazing!”
‘Please, just stop!’
It was humiliating. As Annette, the protagonist’s party, and even Prince Kazaks began to praise me, I fled into the kitchen as if running away. Lilac was outside, listening to my story… damn it. Let's not watch any longer.
Their get-together continued for a long time. Saying the drinks and desserts were more delicious than they imagined, they endlessly blossomed into conversation.
Contrary to my wish for them to leave quickly, they finally got up from their seats three hours after sitting down.
“We’ll get going then!”
“See you tomorrow!”
“Good work, everyone!”
After seeing them off on their way home, the café felt empty.
What was truly amazing was that they had eaten all those drinks and desserts in one sitting, leaving the plates and glasses spotlessly clean. I looked at the scene with tired eyes.
“Let's close up shop.”
“Yes!”
Bianca gathered the plates, and Savo swept the floor. While Nerjin washed the dishes, Lilac wiped the tables.
I was about to do something as well when I suddenly looked for the account book.
‘Let's see… they sold a lot.’
To think that 20 people would order enough drinks and desserts for 100. It was sickening.
“Hu, huhuhu…”
I won't forget today’s grudge. No, it was as good as already repaid.
‘I’ll show them the spiciness of caffeine.’
A sinister laugh escaped me as I imagined them lying in bed at night, their eyes wide open. I was a villain, through and through.
And a new business idea just popped into my head.
‘Hmm, making high-calorie emergency rations for mana users wouldn’t be a bad idea.’
Desserts were the most optimized food for that, after all. And I even had two alchemists here. There was no reason I couldn't do it.
Just as I was letting my imagination run wild.
“Hey, Martin.”
When I turned around, the Golden Princess was standing in front of the glass door. The call from Adela, who I thought had already left.
I had an unusual intuition about it, so I couldn't just ignore it.
“Just a moment.”
I excused myself to my colleagues who were cleaning and went outside. A cold wind blew, cooling my warmed body.
“Princess Adela, what is it?”
“This weekend, you must accompany me to the palace. It is your duty as the Black Knight.”
An extension of the Princess Adela and Black Knight event, I supposed.
It had been a while. Since it was revealed that I was the Black Knight, I had rarely attended official functions in that capacity.
“Understood. Is there anything I need to prepare?”
Of course, if it was Adela’s request, I could grant it.
Since she had agreed to let go of her thirst for revenge against the world and fight for good, I had to do at least this much.
“Just bring yourself. I shall come to pick you up in the golden carriage at dawn on that day.”
Princess Adela's expression was the same as usual as she said that. …But a fragment of an emotion she couldn't hide was peeking through.
“…May I hear what is going on?”
“The Emperor is critically ill.”
“…!”
The Emperor. Adela’s biological father. The very person who, with his misguided resentment and values, had once confined Adela and murdered her only knight, Harris, driving her mad.
But he seemed to have come to his senses, even breaking his neutral stance in the succession race to apologize to Adela by giving her a part of the Shadow Knights.
For Adela, he couldn't be anything but an object of love and hate.
‘The Emperor is critically ill.’
But before that, the Emperor was the emperor of the Imperium Empire, which ruled the continent.
All the currents of the continent moved through him. The continent's direction was decided by his single word.
“My audience is late Sunday evening. …Will you accompany me?”
“I will.”
It meant it was something I absolutely could not refuse.
***
There was little progress in the search for the Star Maiden.
Nerjin, Bianca, Savo, and Lilac all said they couldn't find any related information. My subsequent visit to the Elidore family was equally fruitless.
‘They seem busy.’
It was strange seeing the servants running around here and there. As for what they were busy with, well, it was obvious.
“It’s this weekend, right, Cadet Luri?”
“Huh? Oh! You mean the succession ceremony? That’s right!”
When Luri turned around, her dark pink twintails swayed. Her pink eyes sparkled.
“Once we become the Elidore Ducal Family, there will be even more to do!”
“What do you want to do?”
I had tried to meet Arnold, but unfortunately, he wasn't there. It meant the general manager was busy enough to be away from the bank.
Instead, I was hearing about the status of the Star Maiden search from Luri and being guided to the Star Child's room.
“Hmm, first of all! The library!”
“The library.”
“Yup! The Imperial Library has security clearances, so the accessible areas expand depending on your title! With the authority of a ducal family, I’ll be able to check almost all the books!”
The Imperial Library. An interesting place. I wanted to go too, if I got the chance.
“I’ll be able to learn a lot more there. And I’ll be able to help Martin, too.”
“Me?”
Luri nodded her head. Her twintails nodded as well.
“Yup! If I learn more and become stronger. I’ll be a help to Martin, right? So Martin, you have to come to the succession ceremony if you can, okay?”
“You don’t have to do that just for me…”
“I don't want to. I’m going to be a help to Martin~.”
The reason Luri was acting like this? There was no need to ask further. It wasn't the first or second time I'd heard it.
“Because I like Martin!”
“Thank you.”
I couldn't ignore these feelings forever. I needed to draw a clear line.
Whether she knew of my complicated feelings or not, Luri smiled innocently. She pointed to her head with her finger, tilted her head to the side, cutely.
“Martin, want to go out with Luri?”
“…”
I was the one who had struggled to even apologize to Elisha. Could I… trample on the heart of a girl I had ignored for so long, so late in the game?
“Cadet Luri, I…”
“Whoa, is that you, Martin?”
The door burst open, and the Star Child walked out.
“Ah, Grandpa! You couldn’t have come out 10 seconds later!”
“Eh? What?”
“Ah, I don't know!”
Luri stomped her way back into the room. The Star Child shook his head like a very old man.
“This is why they say there’s no point in raising a granddaughter like a precious jewel. Sigh, when you’re old, you should just die.”
But the Star Child’s age, as he said that, was…
“Haven’t you been alive for over 300 years?”
“It’s just an expression.”
Then the Star Child frowned.
“Hey, but you should be thanking me. Didn’t I get you out of an awkward situation?”
“Yes, well. Thank you.”
“A grudging thank you is better than none, you punk. So, what’s up?”
I asked about the search for the Star Maiden, but of course, the Star Child had no results either.
“It’s like a backlash from the revelation about the Star Maiden. I can’t sense her.”
“You received that revelation twice, but it’s not been helpful.”
“Ahem, you punk. I saw the fall of the Cosmos Empire in a revelation. If it weren't for the revelation, the Peacemaker would never have been born.”
“Still, no matter how I think about it…”
Even though he had foreseen the Demon Lord's terror and the Duke's betrayal, he couldn't do anything about it, and though he knew of the Star Maiden's existence, he couldn't find her. Wasn't it more trouble than it was worth?
But the Star Child, as if his button had been pushed.
“Hah, honestly! Hey! Back in my day, huh?! When adults spoke, huh?! Talking back? We couldn't even imagine such a thing, I tell you! How dare you, while an adult is speaking! Huh?! When I was young! When adults passed by, we couldn't even step on their shadows! You hear me?!”