These days, Asha’s biggest concern was where to build her independent grand duchy residence in time for her coming-of-age ceremony, which was just a month away.
‘I should have done this earlier.’
It might have been an excuse, but she had been busy setting up her shop. She realized this time how significant it was that the emperor had built the kitchen in the palace. There were mountains of things to choose from, from one to ten. Even with Mariya and Mura helping with the design and choosing the big items, it was still a lot.
Drawer handles, bells to hang on doors, the color of the marble on the countertops, the grout color for the tiles, the leather to cover the chairs, the shape of the chair legs, the spacing of the cake and cookie display stands…
It would be nice if someone could take care of everything from start to finish exactly how she wanted, but that was nearly impossible. She had no choice but to do it herself.
“So… I’m worried if I can find a decent house… Olga, why do you keep avoiding my eyes?”
“Th-that matter might be better discussed with y-your family members, don’t you think?”
Asha, walking with her hands clasped in her gloved hands and blowing into them, frowned and looked into Baroness Saratov’s face. Baroness Saratov was trying to avoid her gaze, rolling her eyes. Asha shrugged.
“I was going to do that. It would have been nice to have done it last year, but I was busy setting up the shop and forgot. Now it feels a bit awkward to bring it up.”
“If it was really… necessary… important… something that absolutely had to happen, someone in the palace would have already mentioned it to you, wouldn’t they?”
“Now that I’m of age, they’ve left my matters to me to handle, I guess.”
“How could they leave the construction of the grand duchy residence to you alone?!”
“That’s why I’m of age now…”
Feeling like she was repeating the same conversation, Asha frowned. Just then, the sound of someone taking a sharp breath as they turned the corner reached where they were.
“Oh? The president of Pasapo Lefkadiya…”
A middle-aged woman in a neat suit with a slightly tired face was walking toward them. As soon as she raised her head and made eye contact with Asha, she raised both hands abruptly.
“I-it’s really a coincidence! Really! I was just passing by because our office is at the end of this street after the meeting! Really! The meeting just ended!”
It happened before Asha could say anything. She was left wide-eyed in surprise, while Baroness Saratov smiled gently beside her.
“Miss Ksenia, you should greet Her Royal Highness first.”
“…!”
Asha offered her hand to the hastily bowing Ksenia, glancing at Baroness Saratov. Baroness Saratov shrugged nonchalantly with a playful smile, as if to say she had nothing to do with it.
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“Is it… Here?”
“How is it? The building is old, so it looks a bit shabby on the outside, but the inside is well-decorated.”
The princess said proudly as he personally unhooked the chain hanging at the entrance. Ksenia Pasapo rolled her eyes in confusion and looked at Olga Byshovets Saratov standing beside her.
Olga had always doted on the princess, yet the princess’s shop was not on a main street but rather in a secluded, old building in an alley, and only the first floor was prepared. Ksenia’s gaze, questioning what was going on, met Olga’s somewhat aggrieved expression. Ksenia cleared her throat.
Originally, Ksenia had planned to just greet and leave quickly, but it was Asha who stopped her. Asha had suggested that since she was preparing to open a pastry shop nearby and had brought some snacks, why not come in.
It would have been nice if she could have declined and left then…
‘That chocolate from last year…’
She suddenly remembered the chocolate with liquor that the pale-faced Fedin Buicker had delivered on behalf of the busy princess. In a situation where she found herself swallowing her saliva, there was no way she could refuse the heir’s smiling invitation.
“Ah…!”
Still, with her long experience of selling liquor, Ksenia could make as many flattering comments as necessary. With that resolve, she stepped into the shop and was wide-eyed at the unexpected wonderland.
The small shop, with only three tables, was charmingly decorated. On each table, made of high-quality dark wood, sat an empty vase the size of an adult’s fist. When the shop opened, each would likely hold a single flower. The display stands for baked goods were made of cream-colored wood, and on the counter sat a delicate ballerina music box.
A small chandelier hanging from the ceiling provided just the right amount of sparkle. The door leading to the kitchen was also a finely crafted, high-quality piece.
“My friends all helped. What do you think?”
The inside felt like a completely different world from the outside. Just as Ksenia was about to say something, the princess beamed and seated her at a table, as if already knowing her thoughts.
“Just sit for a moment. I’ll bring out some tea.”
“Your Highness! Let me do it. Please, sit.”
“I’m just going to check how the kitchen is. Ah! While I’m getting the tea ready, hang the frame over there.”
With that, the royal heir disappeared into the kitchen. Ksenia, unsure of what to do, awkwardly waved her hands and whispered.
“Can you really set up such a shop with your friends? And what’s this about a frame?”
“If the friends are Mura and Mariya Aylau, it’s possible. And the frame is this.”
Baroness Saratov picked up a frame leaning against one wall. When she removed the cloth, the orderly wooden frame displayed all sorts of luxurious buttons spaced evenly.
“Why would Mura and Mariya Aylau… Ah…”
It was already common knowledge in high society that the two artists drew inspiration from the royal Princess Anastasia.
Ksenia had interpreted that as “they will paint many portraits of the royal princess,” but she had never imagined they would help decorate such a small shop.
“Well, be that as it may, why did she open the shop in such an old, shabby building? With her status, she could have gotten a building on the main street as a gift. And more importantly, can such a small building handle it?”
On this point, even Baroness Saratov felt somewhat aggrieved.
“She said a shop too big would be hard to manage, so there was no other way. It wasn’t like I wanted to get a small place. She said she’d only spend this much budget on the shop.”
Baroness Saratov said, holding her thumb and forefinger almost together. Ksenia looked bewildered. That’s what everyone says. Not big, not small, not burdensome.
It was their job to interpret that. Was Olga Byshovets Saratov really that naive?
“You could have just bought a big building and told the princess it only cost that much. How have you run a business so far?”
“If you lie, she’ll see right through it.”
“What? Getting caught in a lie is the core of good lobbying!”
Even if you give an expensive bribe and say ‘it’s nothing,’ the other party must recognize it’s a valuable item for the lobbying to be effective!
“If she wanted a big shop, she would have said so. Let’s hang the frame quickly, Miss Ksenia.”
Ksenia alternately looked at the shop’s interior and Baroness Saratov with a bewildered expression. After the incident—when she had tried to buy the royal princess’s brewing recipe—she had suggested sharing a drink to clear the air, only to be dragged to the ends of hell by Olga Byshovets Saratov.
It was the first time in her life that Ksenia had lost a drinking game. She didn’t touch a drop of alcohol for more than a month afterward.
But now, that drinker was speaking naively, as if quoting from a sincere scripture used in some temple.
Saying that lies would get caught or that the princess would have chosen a big place if she wanted one…
“And where did you get this frame full of expensive buttons?”
Upon closer inspection, there were a few limited edition buttons from the famous seamster, Joel Alman, which were no longer in production and priceless.
“The princess made it herself.”
“It’s beautiful. I genuinely thought it was beautiful. I was just curious about how something so precious was made.”
“She said she collected buttons in case she lacked capital to open the shop. Her friends helped too.”
“Friends…”
Kseniya decided not to think deeply about the princess’ friends anymore.
“But there was more money saved than she thought, so she made it separately to keep it as a memory.”
“Saved money? Of course! She must have enough to buy a hundred buildings like this!”
Ksenia whispered. As the creator of the Phoebe powder, the amount of money earned over the past ten years would be enormous. Yet, with that money, she opened such a small, pretty shop in a secluded spot!
‘Pretty, but with such a small shop, daily sales would be nothing.’
Even Baroness Saratov couldn’t hide her troubled expression about that part.
“That… the remaining money is for her retirement.”
“Re… what?”
As Ksenia made a stunned expression, she heard the sound of the kitchen door opening.
“When did you two become so close? The tea was brewed at the palace, so there’s not much, but let’s share.”
As the princess appeared with a tray of teacups, a teapot, and baked goods, the two women hurriedly ran to take the tray.
“Ahem. When I saw Miss Ksenia before, I suggested we have a drink. Though Miss Ksenia was a bit disrespectful to Your Highness, she apologized… Since then, we’ve been getting along like sisters. Both of us are in business, after all.”
Baroness Saratov said slyly, looking at Ksenia. Ksenia quickly nodded in agreement.
“Yes, yes. While having drinks… together.”
“Well, since Ksenia is the president of Pasapo Wine, it must have been perfect to have a drink while talking.”
The princess smiled brightly. Ksenia didn’t mention to the princess that she had exchanged one bottle of Shaslings wine brought by Baroness Saratov for 78 bottles of 50-year-old Pasapo wine. Nor did she mention that those 78 bottles were the entire stock of 50-year-old wine left in her office. And she certainly didn’t mention how she had cried with every sip of that Shaslings wine.
“I’ve been thinking. Do you think anyone lives upstairs? I didn’t see anyone during the construction.”
“Uh… are you planning to buy the whole building?”
“I just thought, what if I make my grand duchy residence on the second floor of this building for convenience? What do you think?”
Ksenia covered her mouth with a small teacup to avoid biting her tongue. Olga, who had to answer, swallowed hard.
“I… I… I think it would be best to discuss it with your family first.”
“I need to have an opinion to discuss it.”
“Sometimes it’s helpful to hear the elders’ opinions first!”
“Olga is an elder too.”
“N-not me, the elders of the family! The bigger elders!”
Ksenia couldn’t enjoy seeing Baroness Saratov, who had once treated her harshly, now being pushed around like a meek lamb.
She couldn’t tell how much of the princess’s talk about making the second floor of this old, shabby three-story building her grand duchy residence was serious.
“And right now, isn’t your coming-of-age ceremony more important than the grand duchy residence? Maybe you should focus on the immediate task first…”
“That’s true. I haven’t decided on a partner or a dress yet. I’ve been busy fixing up the shop. But at least the shop turned out pretty.”
The excitement on the princess’s face was solely directed at this small shop.
“Miss Ksenia, you promised to send Pasapo wine as a gift for the coming-of-age ceremony, right? Right?”
“Of course! I promised, so it’s only natural. I’ve already set aside the wine to send to the palace.”
Ksenia quickly answered. She had been waiting for the only chance to improve her relationship with the princess without having to compete with Baroness Saratov. The princess smiled brightly at Ksenia’s words.
“Already? I’ll drink half and save the other half to make chocolates. Like Pasapo-Bonbons?”
Ksenia thought that if the princess made and sold such things, this small shop might be so packed with people that it could collapse. But she didn’t say it out loud and instead put one of the small shell-shaped baked goods made by the princess into her mouth, thinking how lucky she was to be able to buy these in the future.
