99.

 

My name here was Aria.

Having purchased the identity of a commoner, I had no family name.

But just being free from the name Lepherian made me feel like I could fly—it was such a relief.

Mr. Tom winked at me.

“The green apples that are in season now are incredibly sweet. What do you think?”

“Green apples?”

“Yes, indeed. You should always eat seasonal fruits and vegetables. It’s good for your health…”

As Tom began his long-winded lecture, I half-listened while glancing at the green apples.

Just as he said, they were shiny and looked quite delicious.

‘Perhaps I should bake an apple pie?’

Since leaving the boarding school, I had picked up several new hobbies, one of which was cooking.

In the beginning, I was so clumsy that I burned pots black and had to throw away entire batches of ingredients.

But lately, I’d become competent enough to make food that was at least edible.

“Sure, I’ll take some. I’m thinking of baking an apple pie, so please pack them up for me.”

“Oh, if it’s for our Miss Aria, I’ll make sure to give you the best ones!”

Mr. Tom happily took my basket and filled it with the apples.

A short while later, he handed back a rather heavy basket.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

As I took the basket, I glanced down at my hands.

Back when I was the administrator of the boarding school, my fingers had been smooth and unblemished. But now, running a coffee house had left my fingers with scars from burns and calluses.

But I…

‘I like these hands much better.’

I smiled faintly and bid Mr. Tom farewell.

“See you again.”

“Thank you, Miss Aria!”

I turned and continued on my way.

Come to think of it, it had already been three years since I left the boarding school.

In the early days after my escape, I often suffered from nightmares and sleepless nights. But now, the events at the boarding school felt like a distant memory.

“Get your newspaper here!”

Just then, a newsboy was shouting loudly.

“Could I have a newspaper?”

“Here you go. Thank you!”

I handed him a coin and took a copy of the newspaper.

Since my escape, I had developed a habit of reading the newspaper thoroughly, mainly to keep track of the male leads.

‘Well, nothing noteworthy today either.’

After scanning the front page, I folded the newspaper and tucked it into my basket.

‘The male leads… they’ve been doing quite well these days.’

For the first three months after my escape, there had been an endless stream of sensational headlines.

When Lucian returned to the Kalleid ducal house, he exposed the existence of the boarding school to the Imperial family, which caused quite a stir.

Of course, it was only natural.

The Duke of Kalleid.

 

Marquis Offenheir.

It’s rare for two of the Empire’s most prominent noble families to clash, so when they did, it caught everyone’s attention.

Even the Imperial family, unable to withstand the intense protests from the Kalleid family, publicly criticized Dante. But Dante didn’t even bat an eye.

While tension continued to simmer between the two families, news suddenly broke that Viscount Craig’s family had gone completely bankrupt.

The Kalleid ducal family had exerted pressure on all fronts, affecting not only Viscount Craig but also other families associated with him.

The family members were scattered, and the Viscount himself committed suicide.

…It was just three months after Lucian had reclaimed the Kalleid ducal family.

‘Lucian.’

Every time I thought of that name, guilt that I couldn’t shake off left a bitter taste in my mouth.

It felt as though Lucian had become yet another ruthless male lead in this world.

And that I had somehow contributed to it…

‘Well, it’s a useless thought.’

I tried to brush away the thought.

No matter how sensational the events, they couldn’t stand against the passage of time.

The boarding school scandal, which had once stirred up the world, eventually quieted down.

Despite the bad press surrounding the boarding school, Dante continued to thrive.

And Benedict, I heard, had made a huge profit from the Palasso business I left behind.

‘Even I use Palasso in my cooking, so…’

For three years, I had kept an eye on the three male leads out of habit.

But now, it seemed like it was time to let them go.

‘Maybe I can finally write to Brigitte.’

Until now, I hadn’t contacted Brigitte out of fear that my location might be discovered by the male leads.

But it had been three years.

There didn’t seem to be any need to be wary of them anymore.

“…It’s peaceful.”

As I looked at the lively market scene, I suddenly murmured softly.

A life where I was no longer swayed by anyone.

It was very satisfying.

But then…

[Darling.]

I stiffened for a moment.

[You promised… no matter what happened, you wouldn’t leave my side.]

Those dark, brooding red eyes.

[Please, just for today, stay with me. Okay?]

The suppressed, desperate voice that clung to me.

[I love you.]

And finally, the confession of love.

Suddenly, I bit my lip consciously.

‘Stop it.’

The sharp pain quickly dispelled the illusion that had gripped me.

I took a short, deep breath to calm myself.

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

‘Really, it’s time to stop dwelling on these feelings.’

Instead of wasting time on such thoughts, it would be much more productive to start preparing for the opening of the coffee house.

I shook my head and turned away.

* * *

Ruben.

That was the name of the village where I had settled.

It was a small village located on the western outskirts of the Empire, a typical rural area.

The reason I chose this village was quite simple.

Even the extensive distribution network of the Schmaikel Trading Company hadn’t reached this remote place yet.

‘Though I worry because there are so many small shops that deal with Schmaikel…’

Still, I wanted to avoid any place even remotely connected to Benedict.

In the distance, I could see the coffee house I ran.

It was a one-story building with white walls and a red roof, accompanied by a small garden the size of a hand.

In the flower bed next to the wall, red begonias were beginning to bloom.

I opened the back door and stepped inside.

Under the large window where sunlight streamed in, golden dust particles danced in the air.

There were lace coasters that I had knitted by hand, tablecloths that I had personally chosen.

And the long counter that I wiped down every day to keep it free of dust.

Everything was familiar.

“…Ha.”

I let out a long sigh.

This was a space where I didn’t need to be on edge, where I didn’t need to worry about anyone’s opinion.

A space where I could truly be the owner.

It felt peaceful.

‘Alright.’

I put on my apron and rolled up my sleeves.

A little while later, the sweet scent of apples simmering in sugar filled the coffee house.

* * *

*Ding!*

The sound of a clear bell rang out.

“Welcome!”

I quickly stood up from where I had been cooling the freshly baked apple pie.

The first customer of the day was an elderly lady.

She was someone I was personally grateful to, as she had helped me in various ways when I first settled in the village.

“Oh, Mrs. Anna, you’re here?”

I smiled warmly.

“Have you had lunch?”

“Of course. It’s already well past one o’clock; I’ve certainly had lunch.”

Mrs. Anna playfully scolded me as she answered.

“Have you eaten, Miss Aria? You shouldn’t skip meals just because you live alone. It’s bad for your health.”

“Thank you for worrying about me. I actually just had a slice of apple pie today.”

“Apple pie?”

Mrs. Anna’s eyes widened for a moment, then she smiled softly.

“Ah, so that’s why it smells so delicious in here.”

“Would you like to have a slice too?”

“Why, thank you. I’d love that.”

Mrs. Anna took a seat.

I placed a large slice of apple pie on a plate and served it with a cup of coffee.

She cut a big piece of the pie with her fork and brought it to her mouth.

Unconsciously, I watched her with a slightly anxious expression.

“How… how does it taste?”

At my question, Mrs. Anna slowly chewed and swallowed the pie before smiling warmly.

“It’s delicious.”

“Oh, I’m so relieved.”

I sighed with relief.

Though cooking had become a hobby for me, and I had gotten the hang of making food that was “good enough,” there was still a vast difference between “good enough” and “delicious.”

At first, I always ate at the inn’s restaurant, but that quickly grew old.

So, like a thirsty person digging a well, I learned to cook.

And, well, it turned out to be quite enjoyable after all.

“Is it really alright for me to keep getting free food like this?”

“It’s fine. I can’t eat it all by myself anyway.”

I shrugged lightly.