Ink & Crown

Chapter 88 – The Gathering

The next twenty minutes passed in a pleasant blur of conversation.

The café still had not officially opened, yet the atmosphere already felt remarkably similar to a celebration.

Groups naturally formed around the room.

Some people spoke with old friends they had not seen in weeks.

Others introduced themselves to faces they only knew by name.

A few simply wandered around the branch while helping themselves to drinks and pastries.

Mira tried three separate times to continue checking preparations.

Each attempt failed.

The first time because Evelis gently reminded her that she had already inspected the service counter twice that morning.

The second time because Lira intercepted her and physically handed her a cup of tea.

The third time because Lucien asked her a question about staffing, only for the conversation to drift elsewhere before she could escape.

By now she was beginning to suspect everyone was deliberately preventing her from working.

Unfortunately, they probably were.

The front door opened once more.

Several conversations paused instinctively. Not because the newcomers entered with any particular fanfare. But because nearly everyone recognized them.

Chancellor Elira Voss stepped inside with the calm confidence of someone entirely accustomed to having rooms react to her presence. Professor Aelric Drovian walked beside her, looking considerably more relaxed.

For a brief moment, the café grew quieter.

Then Aelric glanced around the room. "Either we're very late," he said, "or everyone else arrived absurdly early."

The comment immediately broke the tension.

Lucien walked forward to greet them. "You're right on time."

"I doubt that."

Aelric looked around again. "The event hasn't started and somehow half the city is already here."

"Only half?" Riven asked from somewhere in the room.

Aelric sighed. "I knew you would be here."

"People keep saying that."

"Because it's always true."

That earned a laugh from several nearby tables.

Chancellor Voss approached next.

Her gaze swept through the branch, taking in the seating area, the counters, the service stations, and the growing crowd.

A faint smile appeared. "It turned out well."

Coming from her, the simple praise carried more weight than most speeches.

Mira straightened slightly. "Thank you, Chancellor."

Lucien was about to introduce her when Chancellor Voss looked mildly puzzled. "You were planning to introduce her?"

Lucien blinked. "Yes?"

"I already know who she is."

This time it was Lucien's turn to look surprised. "You do?"

Before the Chancellor could answer, Aelric chuckled.

"Lucien, did you forget your café became one of the most talked-about places on campus for so many days?"

Realization dawned on him. "That viral video."

"Exactly that video," Aelric confirmed.

Mira suddenly looked much more embarrassed.

Voss nodded toward her. "Most people at MICF know exactly who she is."

"That's a little terrifying."

"It should be."

The Chancellor's tone remained perfectly calm, which somehow made it worse.

Aelric laughed. Meanwhile, Mira looked like she wanted to disappear.

Voss noticed immediately. "You handled yourself well."

Mira looked up. "Thank you."

"A lot of people only perform well when things are calm," the Chancellor continued. "Far fewer remain steady when everything starts going wrong."

Mira remembered that day all too clearly. The accusations, the crowd, the uncertainty, the fear that everything Café Ashborne had built might collapse. She had simply done her best. Still, hearing those words from the Chancellor felt surprisingly meaningful.

"Continue doing that," Voss said. "Your staff will follow your example."

Mira nodded. "I will."

Only then did the Chancellor's gaze drift elsewhere. She paused. Then looked again.

Aelric followed her line of sight and both recognized him immediately. Edrin.

The same young man from the video. The one responsible for causing the trouble in the first place. Except now he was standing behind the counter carrying a tray. The contrast was so unexpected that both paused.

Edrin also noticed them and immediately became nervous.

Lucien followed their gaze and understood the source of their confusion. Before either could ask, Mira spoke first. "He works at Café Ashborne now."

That only made them more surprised and Mira briefly explained everything. Not just the sabotage attempt. But what happened afterward. The financial difficulties. The pressure, the apology, and Lucien's decision to give him another chance instead of simply casting him aside.

By the time she finished, both Aelric and the Chancellor were looking at Edrin very differently.

Aelric folded his arms. "That couldn't have been an easy decision."

"No," Lucien admitted.

"It wasn't."

The Chancellor studied him for a moment. Then gave a small nod. "Most people find forgiveness easy in theory."

The room grew slightly quieter. "Far fewer practice it when it actually costs them something."

Lucien scratched the side of his cheek. Now several people were looking at him. Which was considerably more uncomfortable than discussing business.

Aelric noticed immediately and smiled. "You don't seem to enjoy being praised."

"I don't."

"Good."

Lucien blinked.

Aelric looked entirely serious. "People who enjoy it too much become unbearable."

That earned laughter from nearly everyone nearby. Even Chancellor Voss looked mildly amused.

And for the first time since they had noticed him, Edrin finally relaxed. The interaction lasted only a few seconds, but some of the tension Edrin had been carrying visibly eased.

Not everyone received second chances. Receiving one and proving worthy of it were different matters entirely. Fortunately, he seemed determined to do both.

The door opened again before the conversation could continue. This time two familiar figures stepped inside. Mr. Corvan and Miss Elayne.

Unlike the previous arrivals, no hush swept through the room, no one straightened nervously and no one whispered. Yet somehow their arrival drew just as many smiles.

"Now this is a proper celebration."

Mr. Corvan's voice carried through the room before he had fully crossed the doorway.

Miss Elayne shook her head. "You say that every time food is involved."

"And I've been correct every time."

Lucien greeted them personally with a wide smile.

Several newer guests watched with mild curiosity.

Talia noticed it first and she leaned toward Rowan asking. "Who are they?"

Rowan looked at her. "You're asking me?"

Talia blinked. "Yes."

"Then whom should I ask?”

"...Fair point."

Before either could speculate further, Lira appeared beside them carrying a tray.

"I can answer that."

Both turned toward her.

Lira glanced across the room toward Mr. Corvan and Miss Elayne. "They're probably the longest-serving regulars at Café Ashborne."

"Regulars?" Talia asked.

Lira nodded. "Most customers know who they are."

Then after a brief pause, she added, "Though calling them customers doesn't feel entirely accurate anymore."

That caught their attention.

"What do you mean?" Rowan asked.

Lira smiled faintly. "They've been coming to the café for years." Long before the crowds, before the reviews, long before Café Ashborne became known throughout the area.

"They were here when business was good."

Her eyes drifted briefly toward Lucien. "And they were still here when business wasn't."

Talia listened quietly.

Lira continued. "When the café struggled, they never stopped showing up."

There was no exaggeration in her voice, and no dramatics, only the simple truth.

"They supported the café when very few people did."

Both Talia and Rowan found themselves looking toward the elderly pair again.

The image felt different now. Not simply customers but people who had stayed. People who had remained loyal when there was no reason to expect anything in return.

Lira's smile widened slightly. "And during the sabotage incident, they were among the first people who stood up for us."

Rowan nodded slowly as the understanding dawned. "So, they're basically family."

Lira thought about it. Then looked toward Lucien, Mr. Corvan and Miss Elayne.

"They're not family."

A small pause followed. "But they're about as close as someone can get."

For some reason, that description felt far more meaningful than the word itself.

When they looked back toward Mr. Corvan and Miss Elayne again, both seemed somehow more important than before.

Miss Elayne eventually noticed Mira. "There she is."

Mira smiled. "You made it."

"Of course we did."

Mr. Corvan nodded vigorously. "We wouldn't miss this."

His gaze swept across the branch. Then toward the windows overlooking the campus. Then back toward the counters.

A grin slowly spread across his face as he talked to Lucien. "You know, I remember when there were days your family worried whether enough customers would even show up."

The room grew a little quieter. Not uncomfortable. Just attentive.

Mr. Corvan continued. "Now look at this."

Lucien followed his gaze around the café looking at the staff, all the guests, the new branch and about the future.

For a moment, nobody said anything.

Then Riven raised a hand. "I'd like everyone to know I always believed in them."

"You discovered the café after it became popular," Seliora said immediately.

Riven lowered his hand. "Details."

Laughter spread through the room. Even Chancellor Voss looked amused.

The atmosphere relaxed once more. The gathering no longer felt like separate groups meeting for the first time.

The conversations were beginning to overlap. People introduced themselves. Names became familiar. Stories were exchanged. Connections formed naturally. Exactly as Lucien had hoped.

Then the front door opened again.

A tall man stepped inside carrying himself with the easy confidence of someone accustomed to solving practical problems. Rynel Cavor.

The Marilon logistics guild logistics liaison paused just inside the entrance.

His eyes moved across the branch once evaluating, calculating, assessing and Kaelen noticed him immediately.

Lucien noticed Kaelen noticing but neither said anything.

A few seconds later both men had somehow found each other.

"Thoughts?" Kaelen asked.

"Good location."

Rynel nodded. "Delivery access is excellent."

Kaelen pointed toward the rear service entrance. "That was one of the reasons we selected it."

The conversation immediately shifted into logistics and neither seemed interested in discussing anything else.

Lucien shook his head.

Dorian glanced over. "They found each other."

"They did."

"Should we be concerned?"

Lucien considered the question. "Only if they start drawing diagrams."

Unfortunately, both men were already reaching for their slates.

Dorian sighed. "Too late."

Another round of laughter followed.

Meanwhile, with Lucien occupied greeting new arrivals, Evelis quietly stepped in to help connect some of the guests who had never met before.

She guided Chancellor Voss and Professor Aelric toward one of the nearby tables.

"I don't believe you've met everyone yet."

Aelric glanced around. "At this point, I'm not sure Lucien has either."

Evelis laughed softly before beginning the introductions.

She started with Gareth and Theo.

"This is Gareth Rendon and his son Theo. They oversee operations at Stone & Quill Press."

Recognition immediately appeared on Aelric's face. "The press that printed Sherlock Holmes."

Gareth nodded. "The same one."

Both the Chancellor and Aelric smiled.

"Then we owe you our thanks," Aelric said.

Gareth blinked. "My thanks?"

"For giving a new author, a chance."

The Chancellor nodded in agreement. "Many established presses would have been reluctant."

Gareth opened his mouth. Then closed it again. For a moment, he looked strangely conflicted.

Fortunately, Evelis continued before he needed to answer. "And this is Taren Halvek, Rowan, and Talia. They recently joined Crownspire Publishing."

The three exchanged greetings politely.

The Chancellor smiled. "Then I should thank you as well."

Taren looked slightly confused. "For what?"

"For supporting Lucien."

The answer came so naturally that nobody interrupted.

"He has accomplished a great deal in a very short time," Voss continued. "But he's still young."

Aelric nodded. "Very young."

"Please continue supporting him."

"And if he makes mistakes," Aelric added, "try not to hold them against him too much."

Several people nearby suddenly became very interested in not making eye contact with each other.

The Chancellor continued completely unaware. "Success arrives quickly for some people."

"It can also become overwhelming."

Taren glanced toward Gareth.

Gareth glanced toward Theo.

Theo immediately looked away.

Rowan lowered his head and Talia pressed her lips together.

Slowly, everyone nearby began realizing the source of the misunderstanding.

Neither the Chancellor nor Aelric knew. At all.

They didn't know who owned Crownspire Publishing. They didn't know who had acquired Stone & Quill.