Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Flower of the North Sea (5)
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Erzebet was so tense that sweat beaded on her palms—this was the first time in her life she'd ever stepped into a man's private room.
If it had been an invitation to a gathering or a formal reception by a lord overseeing an entire city, she might have brushed it off as nothing. But this was different.
Even within Pharenchia Academy, the canteen held the most mysteries. And this was the deeply personal space of a highly suspicious man.
It felt like she'd suddenly closed in on the secrets of Louis that she'd always been curious about.
"Take off your shoes before you go in."
"Pardon? My shoes?"
"It might not be what you're used to, but this is how I Liv."
To the right of the counter where canteen business was handled, a circular staircase with a steep incline led upward. At the top was a door in front of a space about half a pyeong in size.
While Louis fumbled for his key, Erzebet cautiously slipped off her shoes.
She briefly worried if her feet might smell.
Click!
"Come on in. This is the only place where we can talk alone."
When he opened the door, the second floor of the canteen unfolded before her—a space that exuded a thoroughly unfamiliar atmosphere.
Contrary to her expectations, it wasn't dirty at all. It was impeccably clean.
However, Erzebet had no memory of ever seeing an interior so angular yet simple, giving off such a cold impression.
Not the typical wooden flooring with carpet, but glossy square marble tiles.
In one corner of what appeared to be the living room stood a black rectangular metal block. Opposite it was a low, long sofa.
A long glass light fixture clung to the ceiling, but it was off—likely decorative.
Beyond that, there were many furnishings that were hard to call simple crafts.
A long rubber cord twisted and capped with metal protruded from a corner, and there was a square block panel that looked like a squashed typewriter.
"Wait a moment. I'll bring some tea."
With that, Louis left the kitchen area untouched and stepped into the small washroom right next to the door.
Erzebet sat awkwardly on the sofa, glancing around uncomfortably, when she finally realized what the sense of incongruity in this place was.
'This place... isn't made for living in.'
The furniture, the unfamiliar cooking utensils in the kitchen, the decorative items whose purposes she couldn't guess—they all looked untouched by daily life.
It was like a display for viewing or reminiscing—a museum of memories.
Unlike the first floor, where huge glass windows on three sides flooded the space with light, the windows in this clearly primary living area—Louis's space—were limited to just one, right in front of the entrance where they'd come in.
Outside, there was no view of Pharenchia's buildings—only sky and trees.
As if trying to hide that this was inside the academy.
'How could anyone Liv in a place like this... for years, no less.'
There were no workshops in Pharenchia—or anywhere in Penheim Kingdom—that made furniture or houses like this.
Even as she sank into the impossibly soft sofa, Erzebet's body stiffened.
The atmosphere of the space itself choked her. She could feel the emotions of its creator radiating through everything.
Like an oil painting marred by unfinished, smudged brushstrokes, every item painstakingly recreated from fragments of memory was crude beyond measure.
The metal finishes, the rough wood cuts, the discolored melted glass.
At best, they were bizarre sculptures cobbled together by a blacksmith apprentice mixing scrap iron for fun.
Even without understanding their original purposes, the desperate feelings with which he'd lived here and decorated the room came through clearly.
"Here. It's the same as what they sell downstairs at the cafe, so it should be decent enough."
"......"
"It's not tap water."
Louis brought tea and snacks.
Even seeing him sit casually on the floor without a care didn't prompt her to point out any breach of etiquette.
His usual somewhat flippant, irritating demeanor was there, but beneath those black eyes lay an endless abyss.
"So, what is it you want to say?"
"Well......"
Originally, she'd planned to threaten him not to touch Piy carelessly.
And on top of that, to tell him to keep Adella at arm's length. If the other nobles saw her smiling so brightly only around him, it would seriously block her marriage prospects.
"Piy—."
"Why does this thing keep clinging to me? Shoo, go away."
But after seeing this house, seeing him Liv so nonchalantly in such a space, pity and sympathy welled up from the depths of her heart.
Getting worked up over something as trivial as petting a bird suddenly felt absurd.
Maybe I can just endure a little—
If it gives him even a sliver of peace, like the rest he gets in the carriage while I nap.
With a much softer attitude, Erzebet took a sip of the tea from her cup. As the warm liquid flowed down her throat, her mind eased.
"Do you ventilate the place?"
"Pardon?"
"Open the windows during sunny hours. Leave a water bowl out too, since Piy might come by."
Now she saw it—this man had zero domestic skills. And yet he handled Piy every day, like a spoiled child begging to keep a pet.
"I'll have feed sent over via servant. Don't give it weird bread from the cafe. It'll ruin its habits."
"Wait... what is this even about......"
"And clean more often. Put some plants in here. It's so drab, I can't even sit long."
Having strayed far from her original intent but said her piece up to that point, Erzebet rose gracefully from her seat.
"And—"
But there was one thing she absolutely couldn't forgive, no matter how much she held back, so she added it.
"Don't grope her chest like a pervert. Even if Piy likes it, that's forbidden."
After the princess left, I looked at the vibrant parrot she'd dumped on me and thought.
'Am I being played or what?'
Nothing else made sense.
She'd dropped Adella off at the canteen before, and now she was telling me to take care of her own pet bird's food and water. Ridiculous.
"Tch, looks like you've been abandoned."
"Piy—."
"Anyway, why is your owner so soulless? She didn't even compliment this awesome house once."
"Piy—."
I pressed down firmly on the sofa where she'd been sitting moments ago.
This ultimate softness. I'd put so much effort into making it feel like a mattress.
People in this world must have slightly different aesthetics from Earthlings.
Maybe because they were used to ornate Renaissance and Baroque architecture, neither Liv nor Erzebet seemed impressed by my house.
And on top of that, telling me to open windows and clean.
"Who does she think she is, my mom?"
Utterly incomprehensible woman.
Spring rain fell. Low stratus clouds brought light showers that mingled with the evening sunset, glowing in a beautiful violet hue.
The cafe had a fair number of students today as well.
As the drizzle began, some waited for servants, others bought umbrellas from the canteen.
A few pairs who didn't look like just friends gazed at the sky with small gasps, then hurried hand-in-hand back to the dorms.
Rainy days usually meant slow business, but surprisingly, there were plenty of customers.
The prime location right in the academy's center helped, as did the upscale interior and Adella's presence.
This was a solid establishment.
But while I'd breathed a sigh of relief, Adella's expression grew darker by the day.
"Um... Teacher."
"Yeah?"
"Are you free this evening?"
I had no idea why. Lately, Adella was quite popular among the students.
She'd even gotten invitations from some nobles who knew she hadn't debuted in society yet.
Erzebet had praised her changes every time she visited me, saying how different she was now.
Yet whenever I was with the princess, Adella would look utterly dejected, staring over here repeatedly.
"What's up?"
"I just... have something I want to say."
"Can't it be now?"
"I want to say it when we're alone."
Maybe asking for a raise?
I nodded nonchalantly.
"Alright, stick around after closing."
"Okay."
Watching her bow her head and walk away, I realized I'd been treating her like a kid.
I hadn't thought much of stealing kisses to infuse karma, but whatever.
No point dwelling now.
True to my word, a few hours later, as the last customer drinking coffee opened an umbrella and left, Adella—apron off—approached.
"So, what is it?"
"Well......"
As she fidgeted with her lips, about to speak, the door burst open and someone entered.
An unexpected guest with a face as dark as her black umbrella.
"Luhillen Viscount?"
"Canteen owner. Mind if we talk for a moment?"
I jumped to suspicions again. Was Darling unhappy about me opening the cafe?
After all, Gourmond, the other cafe in Pharenchia Academy, was hers—direct competition.
Darling strode in, scanned the room, and nodded at Adella.
"I need to speak with the canteen owner. Step out for a bit."
"Pardon? But......"
"Is it important?"
She nodded at my question. Suspicious, but she wasn't demanding I hand over the canteen or shut down the cafe, so probably not that.
No choice—I sent Adella ahead.
"I'll lend you an umbrella. Head home first today."
"Teacher......"
"We'll talk tomorrow. Okay?"
"Y-Yes......"
She hung her head and left the shop. Darling watched her vanish from sight, then sat down.
She pulled out a necklace and tapped the central red gem three times.
Mana instantly spread through the air, enveloping us both.
"What is this?"
"An artifact with soundproofing and invisibility magic."
She went this far? My curiosity about her visit deepened.
"What happened?"
"You could say that."
Darling pressed her small forehead, then informed me of the headache.
"Haa... Canteen owner."
"Yes."
"Do you have a personal friendship with the Chairman?"
"Well... you could say so. Sort of."
"I see. Take a look at this."
She handed me a map. Of all Penheim Kingdom regions.
Darling pointed to one spot— a city in the Frank region, further north than Thessalon.
"The Chairman went on an expedition gambling trip, lost everything, racked up debt, and now she's stuck there."
"Pardon?"
"It's a trading city called Alsace, where the fairly famous Martinica Merchant Group runs an underground auction house."
"......She went that far to gamble and got caught?"
"Exactly. No money to leave, and if this continues, all of Lehel's tangible and intangible assets will be collateral to that merchant group."
Like Merak Magic Tower or the Pharenchia Chairman position, for instance.
Absurd. Wasn't she enjoying life too much?
"What will you do?"
"First, Luhillen Merchant Group pays up and secures her release. Then bill the Chairman separately later. She doesn't want other factions encroaching on Pharenchia."
Fair enough. Even if the Chairman was like that, she was one of the grand dukes.
The reason she sat at the top of Pharenchia Academy was simply that Lehel Darad was the only one who could maintain political neutrality amid noble infighting.
What family would dare boss around the Reincarnation Duke? No one but me.
"So why come to me?"
"Come with me."
Darling extended her white-gloved hand.
"No suitable escorts for heading north. And negotiations in Alsace are unpredictable."
"......What about Pharenchia's forces? The academy has guards."
"Not knights—how useful are they? Haven't properly held a spear in nearly a decade. Besides, moving troops to another city isn't done outside wartime."
"You won't mess with the canteen while I'm gone?"
"I'm going too—what nonsense would I pull? Plus, won't you leave Lady Roshiar behind like last time?"
She knew about that too.
"Compensation will be generous."
Hesitant, but I nodded in the end.
"When do we leave?"
"The sooner, the better."
"Then......"
After finishing my talk with Adella.
"Let's depart tomorrow night."