Count Mars said he had dropped by briefly upon hearing that Seraphie would be visiting the shop.
“My youngest is blessed with good people. Thanks to that, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Countess today.”
“I won’t bother mentioning who she got her fine taste from since it’s obvious.”
“Haha! You’re quite eloquent too!” Count Mars laughed heartily, but then his tone shifted to one of humility. “She was so stubborn about wanting her own shop from a young age. It gave me a headache just thinking about it.”
“How adorable…”
“Luckily, she’s matured and will marry a fine man from a good family, so there’s no greater fortune for me as a father.”
“…”
“So, before she gets married, she should enjoy herself as much as she can. Just start the fire again.”
“I wasn’t the one who started the fire.”
“Of course not.”
Seraphie gave a soft smile. “Count Mars, you’re quite an impressive father.”
Are all fathers around here like this?
* * *
After exchanging pleasantries, Count Mars left soon after.
“Give my regards to Lady Felicia.”
“Alright, Father,” Lunie replied, waving until the carriage was out of sight.
Once the carriage had disappeared completely, Lunie let out a long sigh, releasing the tension she’d been holding in. “Haah…” Almost collapsing onto the floor, she stood there, bent over for a while. When she finally looked up, her face was filled with exhaustion. “Sorry for showing you such an embarrassing side of me.”
“No need to be embarrassed.”
Seraphie had heard that same apology recently from Bia.
“We both know who should be embarrassed here.”
“…”
“Can we go inside now?”
“…Ah, of course!” Lunie showed Seraphie around her shop. “I cater to unmarried women from affluent families, so the items I sell are…”
The shop’s interior was cute and charming, with cheerful wallpaper, well-placed furniture, and items perfectly suited to Lunie’s target audience. Seraphie was secretly impressed. Count Mars had dismissed his daughter’s business as mere ‘play,’ but Lunie’s eyes sparkled like gems as she explained how she managed the shop. Lunie was serious about her business.
“If I may say so carefully,” Seraphie prefaced, seeking permission before speaking her mind, “your father’s judgment isn’t great.”
Lunie blinked in surprise, then let out a small chuckle. “Goodness.” She shook her head with a weary smile. “You’re the first to say that since Carl.”
“What about Lady Felicia?”
“Peni was the first to say it.”
Lunie looked around her beloved shop, into which she had poured her heart and soul, as she spun slowly in place.
“…I’m the youngest,” she said in a tired voice. “I have two older brothers, and they’re the ones competing for the inheritance.”
“Lunie, you’re not—”
“I already told you. I’m the youngest.”
By the time Lunie was born, the succession structure had already been decided. It was far too dangerous for young Lunie to get involved, and she had no desire to inherit the family title.
As the unambitious youngest, she was naturally doted on. But her dream didn’t fit the role of the ‘beloved youngest.’
“I’ve always been interested in business. I can’t help it, can I? It was because I grew up watching my family run businesses.”
While other children her age were playing with popular toys, Lunie had been jotting down numbers in her notebook, enjoying her own business games. She didn’t have grand ambitions to inherit the family estate. She just wanted one small shop—something of her own where she could prove her skills.
“To be honest, I think I’m talented.”
This shop had originally been a neglected property owned by the Mars family. It wasn’t even in a busy area, but Count Mars had given it to her as a gesture of goodwill. And the ‘beloved youngest’ had proven herself by turning it into a success.
“At first, he said I could have it.” Lunie ground her teeth, her fists trembling with frustration. “But then he suddenly changed his mind.”
The count had brought up the ownership of the property, reminding her that the building legally belonged to the Mars family. He’d said they would sell the shop when she got married to help cover her dowry.
“Dowry, my foot.” Lunie snorted. “I honestly think the fire that happened was caused by my family.”
“What?” Seraphie, who had been listening seriously, was taken aback.
“You know about the fire a few months ago that damaged the exterior of my shop, right?”
“Uh, not really…” Seraphie answered vaguely, but she quickly realized what Lunie was implying. “You suspect… your family?”
Lunie nodded gravely, understanding Seraphie’s words.
“Do you know what they said when I told them about the fire?”
“…”
“They said it was good timing.”
Not a single word of comfort for her shock. Instead, her family had urged her to stop playing around and focus on her bridal education.
“That’s when I began to suspect them.”
Lunie was certain now that someone in her family had committed the arson to take her shop away. Once the idea took hold, everyone in her family seemed suspicious.
“…No way.” Seraphie’s eyes narrowed. “So this whole meeting…”
“Exactly.” Lunie grabbed Seraphie’s hands, smiling brightly. “Let’s catch the arsonist!” Even so, she kept her voice low, not wanting to alarm the customers in her shop.
“But you’ll be eating delicious food with your friends, wearing pretty pajamas, and chatting all night long!”
Marine’s innocent words floated into Seraphie’s mind at that moment.
* * *
The pajama party with the three ladies took place at the Felicia estate—at least, that’s what their families believed. In reality, the meeting was happening in the attic of Lunie’s shop.
The attic was so small that the three girls could barely move. Even standing on tiptoes, their heads would touch the ceiling, and the room was cluttered with various odds and ends.
Since they were staking out to catch the arsonist, they couldn’t even light a candle and had to rely on the moonlight streaming in through the window. The only consolation was that the attic had been cleaned during the recent renovations, so there was no dust or bugs.
“Is the arsonist really going to show up tonight?”
“They’ll definitely come! If they don’t, I’ll change my last name!”
“What if we fail to catch the arsonist and the shop burns down again?”
“Then we’ll all be roasted alive.”
“I should’ve written my will.”
Listening to the banter between Peonia and Lunie, Seraphie’s heart sank. I want to go home… A warm bed, delicious food, a beautiful garden, and a sturdy house to shelter her from the wind and rain. People say you only realize the value of a home when you leave it, and thanks to this stakeout, Seraphie was now fully appreciating how perfect and precious her estate was.
“Don’t you think so, Sera?” Lunie sought Seraphie’s validation for her suspicions.
“Lu, you’re putting the countess in a tough spot…”
“But it does seem somewhat plausible.”
Peonia and Lunie both stared at Seraphie in disbelief at her agreement. Lunie, especially, was so moved that she covered her mouth with both hands, tears welling in her eyes.
“I knew it. Sera was on my side all along! I could tell from the moment we first met!”
Lunie then stuck her tongue out at Peonia, who pinched her annoying friend’s tongue and wiped her saliva on Lunie’s nightgown.
“If someone in Lunie’s family is behind this, they probably waited until she wasn’t home to set the fire.”
Even if they tried to move in secret, it would be hard to hide suspicious behavior in the same house.
“Besides, Lady Felicia—”
“Peni.” Peonia interrupted. “Call me Peni.”
“…”
“It feels like I’m being left out when only Lu’s name is used.”
Is she serious? Seraphie barely suppressed her shock. She glanced at Lunie for help, but Lunie was no help at all.
“That’s right! Friends shouldn’t leave anyone out!” Lunie chimed in, even dropping formalities and making things more casual. She seemed to be enjoying the situation a little too much.
Outnumbered, Seraphie had no choice but to adapt.
“…Since your family thinks you’re staying over Peni’s estate, they might shift the blame to Lunie, saying you’re neglecting the management of your shop.”
“Not Lunie, call me Lu!”
“…Lu then.”
Both women nodded in satisfaction at the corrected name. Meanwhile, Seraphie struggled to hide her growing discomfort.
“Sera is definitely right about this.”
Before they knew it, even Peonia had started calling Seraphie by a nickname. Seraphie just decided to let it go at this point.
“So, what’s the plan to catch them?”
“Thanks to Sera’s help.” Lunie tapped the box behind her with her foot. “I set a trap.”
Lunie praised Seraphie, though the compliment felt strange. For Seraphie, it was the first time she had received such a backhanded compliment, and it oddly felt refreshing.
“…So, that’s the end of Lu’s consultation, right?” Peonia turned to Seraphie with a sharp look, signaling that it was now Seraphie’s turn to be the focus.
For a brief moment, Seraphie was reminded of how Orkis would lecture her. But unlike Orkis, Peonia’s gaze made her feel like she’d be signing her own death warrant if she said the wrong thing.
“Did you know about Lord Trips?”
“…Who? That name sounds familiar.”
“It’s the crown prince’s name.” Lunie scolded her for not knowing.
“…That name really doesn’t suit him.”
“I agree, but that’s not the point right now, isn’t it?”
As Seraphie was thinking she should really start memorizing characters’ names properly, Peonia brought up what had happened during the tea party.
“It was definitely suspicious.”
Lunie also gave her a skeptical look. At the tea party, Seraphie seemed like she knew something.
“I’m very observant,” Seraphie said. “When the white magician was mentioned, Peni’s expression changed, so I suspected something.”
“How did you know the white magician was a woman?”
“The crown prince couldn’t be interested in all genders, right?”
Peonia and Lunie both scrunched up their faces, shocked by Seraphie’s broad-mindedness.
But at that moment…
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