Prince Cassian remained expressionless. However, he looked at me and nodded seriously.
“You’re offering me a drink.”
“Yes.”
He grabbed the slushie cup in front of him.
I counted numbers in my mind as I watched him.
One, two, three…
I wonder if not just kids but adults would like the taste of my slushie?
But perhaps I looked at him with too much anticipation. Carat looked at me and hurriedly opened his mouth.
“That drink is dangerous!”
“…?”
It’s not dangerous at all.
But Carat soon showed me the empty cup in front of him and continued firmly.
“That thing called slushie… it’s too delicious. It’s like it’s drugged.”
It was made by a devil, but it wasn’t drugged.
I looked once at Carat with a serious face, and then at Prince Cassian, who had a kinder expression.
‘What, is this a joke?’
I was a bit scared because he kept a straight face, but now I get what kind of person Carat is.
Just a grown-up kid! It’s just that his way of speaking is cute.
‘How delicious must it be for him to promote my drink without reservation, even in front of a prince?’
Such a good friend. Touched, I brought my hands together in front of my chest.
“Thanks for the compliment, Carat.”
Carat’s eyebrows twitched as if in protest, going up and down.
In the meantime, Prince Cassian drank a sip of the slushie without any particular suspicion.
“It’s the first time I’m trying this drink.”
“No, it’s not, brother-.”
“…It is the first time.”
“Gosh. The first time, the first meeting, first love!”
Upon hearing Cassian’s firm reply, Axion covered his small mouth with his hand, uttering something incomprehensible.
‘What is he talking about?’
I tilted my head, puzzled, but did not express my question. I didn’t know exactly why, but I had decided to focus on Prince Cassian since it was time for the stationery store’s product PR.
“…I developed it myself, how is it? Refreshing, right?”
I smiled contentedly.
I found it adorable how Axion was catching his breath while listening to the conversation between me and Cassian.
“…Yes, it has a unique taste.”
It seems my slushie didn’t quite hit the mark with him.
Except for the corners of his mouth slightly raised, his expression was exactly the same as usual.
Upon seeing his brother’s expression, Aktion opened his mouth wide and happily squished his plump cheeks with his hands.
Cassian then shot a brief glare at Aktion before asking,
“So, what is your answer to my question, Lady Meldenik Babeloa?”
‘I guess I should hide my ambition to enchant all the children of this empire for now.’
Since he might relay my words to his friend Lennox, it wasn’t wise to openly reveal my ambition.
I looked at him and spoke energetically,
“My dream was simply to open a stationery store.”
“Did you say it was a dream?”
“Yes. As you know, I’ve messed up a lot of businesses in the past…”
Oops, a slip-up.
“No, I mean I’ve failed in many business ventures. And through that, I realized. My true dream isn’t to run such big businesses.”
“Is that so?”
“It’s to find small happiness in running an ordinary business.”
Cassian looked at me intently.
He seemed utterly unconvinced.
But there was no reason to feel anxious. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t on my side.
I continued speaking in a relaxed tone.
“Actually, I wanted to open a stationery store in front of the academy to talk with the kids. I also wanted to create good memories for them.”
This was sincere.
I had hoped that the children graduating from the academy would create memories in my stationery store, just like I did in my childhood.
I wished for them to nurture a small hope of happiness in the harsh society of competition.
‘It’ll make the kids happy, and by the way, it’ll be a jackpot for me too. Becoming the president of the children, that is.’
His gaze reached me.
But it didn’t matter to me whether he believed my words.
I had no intention of making Prince Cassian my perfect ally.
He couldn’t be my ally anyway. All that mattered was that this man had a bit of goodwill towards our stationery store.
I shrugged my shoulders and added to Cassian.
“Your Highness is also welcome anytime.”
He did not answer but stared at me intently, as if trying to gauge the sincerity of my words.
Then, seizing a gap in the conversation, Dominic quietly asked, “Why do you want to invite this person?”
Instead of pointing out Dominic’s rudeness, the prince looked at me.
I answered Dominic, “It’s just that everyone has a childhood. Even good adults need a place to reminisce about their memories.”
That’s limited to good adults, excluding adulterous men and, unquestionably, our family. I concluded my words while looking at Cassian, “So… it wouldn’t hurt for the adults who graduated, to sometimes stop by the stationery store in front of the academy to reminisce.”
“……”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but it sounds cool… Mel!”
Axion said. He already believed everything I was saying. I smiled at Axion.
While we were talking, Cassian quietly said, “It’s different from the rumors.”
“Rumors are naturally exaggerated.”
“That’s right, when I was absent once, there was a rumor that I grew horns on my butt… Please scold me, big brother!”
Axion added, looking a bit sullen.
Then, Cassian stroked his younger brother’s head and smiled slightly, saying, “I’ll believe it. However, Meldeinek. You must be careful.”
It seemed he was not persuaded by my heartfelt words.
After all, how could he be convinced by the words of a woman who always causes trouble?
I shrugged my shoulders and retorted.
“Really?”
However, I failed to win him over, my thoughts seemed to have missed the mark.
Cassian calmly opened his mouth towards me and said,
“There are many who are wary of you and consider you an enemy. You won’t be able to live as just an ordinary stationery store owner.”
Was it a gesture of goodwill or a warning?
I tried to read his facial expression, but it was difficult. After all, the prince had a poker face.
So, I decided to respond simply.
“Do you also consider me an enemy, Your Highness?”
The method to deal with someone who has set boundaries with everyone seems simple. It’s to converse directly.
After my words, he slightly furrowed his brows before answering.
“Not yet.”
That statement must have been sincere. Looking at him, I smiled broadly.
“Then, that’s fine.”
“Right! They’re not enemies, but rather, uhh……”
Cassian, his ears turning red, hastily covered his brother’s mouth.
No, it was supposed to be a serious scouting, but it becomes a comedy with Axion joining.
“Ha-ha, I don’t plan to just take it lying down either.”
Whether it’s Lennox, Hildegard, the Duke of Babeloa , or Sheria……
Seeing me like that, he momentarily let out a snicker, then his face turned serious again.
‘I can smile comfortably, but if I smile in front of me, do they think it shows weakness?’
I glanced at a small clock I had placed inside the stationery store.
Since it’s almost time to eat, maybe it’s better to start wrapping things up.
“It’s time for us to part ways now.”
As I said this to Cassian, I glanced at Dominic.
He seemed displeased, but he appeared to be considering my words seriously.
Deciding to leave the pensive Dominic alone, I decided to add a bonus for the departing guests.
‘Finally! The moment I have been waiting for has arrived.’
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I dedicated my whole self to playing with the children in anticipation of this time.
I bit my lip through the gap between my teeth to calm my excitement.
Carat looked at me with even more suspicion.
“Axion, Carat.”
Regardless, I called out to Axion and Carat first.
‘As the official first customers of the stationery store, I should give them plenty of gifts.’
I handed each of them a beautifully wrapped bundle of beer-shaped candies with a triumphant smile.
“Share it with your friends.”
“Okay! I’ll promote it to my friends! Huh?”
“…This looks unique. Is it, beer?”
“Yes. Beer-shaped candy. Don’t worry; it doesn’t contain a single drop of real alcohol.”
“How can I believe that!”
Distrust filled Carat’s eyes.
I hummed a tune and then spoke.
“A white stick topped with yellow candy, and above that, a jelly that looks like frothy white bubbles. It’s just sweet candy!”
The white jelly on top was soft, and the yellow candy below was hard.
“The soft jelly has a sour taste, and the yellow candy is sweet. Sour and sweet, right?”
Upon seeing my playful smile, the boy’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Why does Mel have so many fascinating things? Could it be, could it be!”
I tensed up a bit. I hadn’t fully developed my talent for alchemy yet, and it wouldn’t do for rumors to start.
“An angel?”
I chuckled and shook my head vigorously.
Axion looked at me with an innocent face.
I grinned broadly at the adorable prince.
‘He’s just so lovable anyway.’
“There’s an interesting magic inside the candy.”
“Magic?”
“Malt, magic in beer candy…!”
While stroking the hair of Carat and Axion, who each had their own unique charm, with both hands, I laughed joyfully.
Carat gulped down his saliva as he looked at the beer candy in his hand.
‘I can tell you’re excited, Carat.’
Beer candy is indeed an instant hit with children who want to seem grown-up. I smirked inwardly.
“Be sure to try it, you understand? Do a lot of promoting too.”
I winked at the boys.
