“She said she isn’t leaving…”
Whether it was for him or for other reasons, Irene had made it clear – she wasn’t going anywhere.
The crown prince coughed, avoiding eye contact as if trying to evade memories of his drunken antics.
His face was still flushed.
I smiled, pressing closer to him.
“Do you remember that?”
“What do you mean ‘remember that’?”
“Come on, should I spell it out for you?”
“You…you…! I said that I’ll protect you-”
“Money! You promised me money, remember? You’ve got to follow through!”
“What?”
“Two times the amount Susan offered! Now!”
I barged into the room, determined to hold him to his word.
Once he’d said it, he’d have to find a way to make it happen – trust was everything.
‘I mean, he does still outrank Susan…’
According to the novel, once he won the war, the crown prince would be in quite the high position. And if he invested in me wisely, I wouldn’t regret turning down Susan now.
‘Plus, I’m not ready to quit this job just yet…’
Rosie and Bike were both in need of some help, and I couldn’t leave them behind just to go abroad.
‘Plus, I kind of like it here.’
My original plan had been to take over David’s bakery, anyway, so I resolved to stick to my guns.
While I was at it, I figured I might as well put some effort into fixing up the workshop for Bike.
I was prepared to splurge a little bit to deck out a shed in this quaint, little village.
‘Just watch. I’ll make this bakery my own.’
I dove into revamping and experimenting with recipes I’d perfected back in Seoul, my determination unwavering.
* * *
“…Do we really have to go all out like this?”
“First impressions count.”
The next day, I corralled David, the crown prince, and Bike into the shop.
They stood before me, looking bewildered as if unsure why they were there.
I handed each of them a bright yellow apron, the finest I could find at the market.
The three of them stared down at the aprons, utterly perplexed.
First, I demonstrated by donning one myself.
The yellow aprons boasted delicate white lace trimmings.
On me, it hung down to my ankles, almost resembling a dress.
“Now, let’s all put these on.”
“…Is this…really necessary?” the crown prince frowned, eyeing the apron skeptically.
David and Bike nodded in unison with the crown prince’s sentiment.
“Miss…I have to agree with Joseph…”
“Just put it on!” I insisted firmly.
David was the first to comply, fastening the apron around his neck without hesitation. Despite purchasing the largest size available, it barely reached to the knees on him.
“What are you guys waiting for?”
Bike and the crown prince simply held their aprons, showing no sign of movement.
I snatched the apron from Bike and looped it around his neck. It fit him perfectly, draping just to his knees.
“Put it on.”
“I don’t want to.”
The crown prince stared at me with youthful defiance.
“Then I’ll help you.”
I approached him and deftly fastened the apron around his neck, just as I had with Bike.
Thought it was a bit of a stretch, even when I’d gone up on my tiptoes, to reach behind his neck.
He chuckled at my struggle, finding amusement in my efforts. Frustrated, I reached out and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him closer.
His face hovered just inches from mine.
Without missing a beat, I slipped the apron over his head, eliciting a faint blush from him.
Bike, observing the scene, clapped and cheered.
“Oh…! You were so determined just now! Miss, you’re quite the fighter! So nimble!”
“I know…Irene. Are you really that strong? Joseph’s face is red. Are you choking him?”
“He’s right. You look like you’re choking him. His face is turning purple.”
The crown prince waved them off with his hand. He moved behind them to tie their apron strings.
The tall crown prince’s apron barely grazed his thighs, the strings loosely tied in a single knot.
“Now that we’re all properly attired, let’s learn how to greet our customers.”
“Greet? What kind of greeting would we need to learn?”
“Follow my lead.”
I grinned, my lips curling upward.
I demonstrated the ideal customer service expression, the corners of my smile reaching my eyes as I beamed as brightly as possible.
They stared at my expression, their own faces contorting in confusion.
“Miss… are…are you alright? Your face looks…weird.”
“Bike! Cut it out! Follow me! Smile like this!”
My smile earned another disapproving shake of the crown prince’s head.
“Madness. If customers see your face like that, they’ll run for the hills.”
“Yeah…Irene. You’re at your loveliest when you’re expressionless. Maybe even when you’re pouting a little. It’s more alluring.”
Had I known this would be the outcome, I’d have brought a whip… I crossed my arms, channeling a stern demeanor.
“Do it. Or else, no more baked goods for you. I’ll stick to making soup.”
“Miss, is this correct?”
Bike beamed eagerly at my firm instructions. Despite his tough exterior, his enthusiasm was endearing.
“And now, we need to learn our greeting.”
“Can we not just say hello?”
“No, we need to be consistent with our greetings.”
“A script?”
“Good morning! Welcome to David’s bakery~ Feel free to browse around and let me know if you need anything!”
I bellowed in a booming voice, loud enough to echo throughout the shop.
The three men’s faces dropped simultaneously.
“…Irene…! What kind of place were you working at before?”
“Miss! This is exploitation! We should report this!”
I shook my head adamantly once more.
“If you don’t do it, we won’t be able to establish our brand, got it?”
“I can see the makings of an assistant manager.”
“Joseph, follow my lead. We both need to rake in the cash, right? Time to start saving.”
Joseph coughed, while David and Bike looked on, wide-eyed.
“Now, once you’ve got it memorized, you’ll breeze through it.”
Just then, the shop door swung open. Seizing the opportunity, I flashed a winning smile and exclaimed:
“Good morning! Welcome to David’s bakery~ Feel free to browse around and let me know if you need anything!”
“Um…uh…alright…”
A man, appearing to be in his mid-40s, stepped inside the shop.
He looked around with a perplexed expression at my enthusiastic greeting. He seemed almost robotic.
“Irene… what a handful.”
“Mr. David, we must be thorough in our service.”
“This is quite the spectacle… So peculiar.”
“Do as I say, and soon all the shops will follow suit.”
I believed that the efficiency and polish of a franchise would resonate universally.
I reckoned people responded best to optimized appearances.
Since hospitality was still a foreign concept here, it was imperative to instill it before any competitors got the grand idea themselves.
“Oh…I’m not here to shop at the moment…I’d like to place an order, actually.”
The man surveyed the bakery mechanically before approaching us tentatively.
I beamed at the word “order,” my eyes sparkling with anticipation.
With each grin, the trio’s expressions grew more strained.
“Oh, is that so? What would you like to order?”
“Yes. The bread I had from a restaurant nearby was excellent, but I heard that it was actually baked here. So I thought I’d place an order here…”
‘Ha…this is it…’
I rejoiced inwardly. I knew that if our bread tasted as good as I hoped, word would spread like wildfire.
With a dash of butter, I had transformed the shop’s bread into something truly irresistible.
“Yes, how many loaves would you like?”
“I think two loaves of the dinner bread should suffice…though, I heard there are other varieties besides dinner bread, is that correct?”
“Yes. If you provide me with some details, I can prepare a selection to suit your tastes.”
“It’s for a small gathering. But it’s also an occasion for important decision-making.”
“Yes, I’ll prepare accordingly. Are you from out of town?”
“That’s correct. Well…”
The man began, his tone measured as he stroked his chin.
“It’s a rather momentous occasion. The decision we’ll be making may carry significant weight.”
“Yes, please take your time with such an important decision. Shall we include two loaves of a sweeter variety?”
“That sounds delightful.”
I seized the opening, delving into a small sales pitch.
“We also offer delivery services. Baked goods can be difficult to transport due to their fragility, but our highly skilled delivery personnel ensure it arrives fresh and intact!”
David and Joseph shook their heads at my elaborate lie. The only one who seemed impressed was Bike.
“Hmm…I see.”
“Where should we deliver it to?”
“Oh, I’m from the Sunflower Summit. You can deliver it to the summit.”
“The Sunflower Summit?”
“Yes. We deal in flowers – importing, exporting, you name it.”
“…I believe I’ve heard of it.”
‘The Sunflower Summit.’
I glanced at the crown prince, noticing his sudden stiffness.
‘They’re reaching out to him…? Here…?’
The flower trade was merely a front.
They also dealt in weapons – swords, armor, the works.
Their taking interest in us was a clear indication they were gearing up for war.
‘The crown prince’s strategy would benefit from bringing the Sunflower Summit to his side…’
The Summit wielded considerable financial clout, rivaling even the Seiren manor in terms of wealth.
If he could secure their support, along with their capital and weaponry, they’d be a formidable ally in the impending conflict with the Archduke.
“When shall we make our delivery…?”
“In a week’s time.”
“Can I have a sample of the order ready for you tomorrow?”
“What?”
*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･:.｡..｡.:･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*
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