121. Straight Hits Hard, Straight Rachel!
When the scones first appeared at the banquet, the members of the Cat Lovers Club table stared at the scones placed before them, tilting their heads in confusion as they spoke to Yulia.
“Princess Yulia! Scones? They seem rather ordinary after all.”
“Oh my, but the jam is so colorful and luxurious from the start?”
“I think scones are good too!”
Scones.
A bread, yet with a unique texture like a biscuit that leaves your mouth dry as you eat it. It naturally leads you to pair them with jam, cream, tea, or coffee, making them the most beloved bread for afternoon tea.
The moment the scones appeared, most tables were already ordering their first round of tea as if they had been waiting for it.
Everything about their honest reactions had been calculated into Blow’s plans, so Yulia smiled with relaxed ease.
“I put all my effort into the main course, but I can’t spare any for the dessert.”
“That’s exactly right! The pizza was absolutely delicious!”
“That’s right, that’s right! The Empire should have a pizza place open as soon as possible!”
Even at the end, a smoke screen to slightly lower everyone’s expectations.
Throughout the meal, Rachel had been gulping down water in quick, thirsty swallows.
“Princess! Why are you drinking so much water?”
“Night is long, isn’t it, Renerit Hersi?”
“There’s Ropert Rose here too!”
“It’s too light for my taste.”
“Oh my, if Rosalyn hears that she’ll be heartbroken. I think it’s perfect for me!”
While saying this, Renerit downed a full glass of Ropert Rose instead.
Rachel told her story in a dry tone.
“Well, it seems like there are two camps—one that likes it and one that doesn’t. I’m closer to the latter.”
“Really? What about you, Princess Skadi? Does it suit your palate?”
“I think it’s decent enough? The taste is a bit hard to drink.”
Rachel stared at her face, then let out a light laugh at Skadi’s serious answer.
“I’ve been watching you since last time. You’re a total alcoholic, Princess Skadi Hetaya.”
“Haha, not at all.”
Skadi answered vaguely, and Hervena’s eyes narrowed as she watched her.
“...That’s definitely not true.”
While Skadi avoided their gazes with an embarrassed expression, Renerit Hersi picked up the scone in front of her, humming a cheerful tune.
“Let’s try the Capol scones!”
Unlike her bright demeanor, Rachel’s face had hardened, and she let out a soft sigh.
After the salad, the main dish had been ribeye steak and pizza.
Of course, every single dish had been delicious, but the dryness in her mouth and the churning in her stomach from the saltiness could not be erased.
And now there were scones on top of it all.
Without even putting one in her mouth, her mouth already felt parched.
“I was told it would be more than I imagined. Did Blow prepare coffee or tea that would pair with this?”
But instead of disappointment, Rachel recalled the Pilsner Paulos he had treated her to yesterday and let out a soft laugh.
“Well, no matter how many times you surprise people, it’s not good for the heart. This time I decided to take it easy, and that’s not a bad idea.”
While Rachel arbitrarily decided this and was about to dip the scone generously into the jam,
staff members were carrying out numerous glasses piled on trays.
And Rachel’s eyes caught the bubbles rising in the carbonated water, perfectly capturing the color of the lighting.
“Look at that?”
While Rachel muttered this to herself, Blow had already stepped onto the stage in front of the magic circle and began speaking.
“I hope everyone enjoyed the main course. At this point where everyone is enjoying dessert, Blow Deblique would like to present one of the beverages I planned for you all.”
By now everyone was sparkling with interest as they looked at the carbonated water before them, and Blow added in a relaxed tone.
“We added extra carbonation to Roten’s sparkling water, along with lemon flavor and sugar. The name of the beverage is...”
Blow had spent some time thinking about this.
Calling it cola would be too obvious, and calling it cider would be tricky because people in this world tended to think of cider as apple juice.
“Straight. A straight, stretching kind of taste. Straight! Please try it.”
Before the words had even finished falling, Rachel had already snatched up the glass, her eyes stolen by the excitement.
The intense, sharp first taste left a sweet, soft aftertaste.
Along with it, the carbonation’s knights smashed through the thick barrier of scones and pizza that had been piled in her mouth and throat, delivering an enormous refreshing sensation.
Only then did Rachel remember the words Blow had said in their last communication—that the beverage he had prepared hit hard, just like her.
“Haah, this is crazy.”
While Rachel’s eyes were slightly opened by the refreshing sensation that even reached her nose, the entire banquet hall was swept up in the carbonated water.
“Waaah!!”
“It’s tingling!”
“Princess! Please bring me one more pizza!”
“I want more scones! More scones!”
The Cat Club members were waving their hands at Yulia like baby birds chirping at their mother.
In comparison, the noble ladies at the other tables were all speaking in surprised tones.
“Is this a digestive aid? It feels like all the things I’ve been holding in are finally coming down.”
“Really, my mouth is completely dry now.”
“It has real staying power. The meal composition is perfect.”
Blow Deblique, monitoring all these reactions, let out a sigh of relief.
At that moment, Rachel Campbell gestured to him.
“So this is it? It hits hard like me?”
“Yes, we injected as much carbonation as possible for that purpose. How is it? Does it suit your palate?”
Rachel’s expression asked what was so obvious, and then she whispered in a slightly more serious tone.
“Blow Deblique, I have a proposal for you right now.”
“Please speak.”
“Could you add my name after the name of this beverage?”
“Yes?”
“I mean, could you name the beverage Straight Rachel?”
“Even if it’s Rachel, that’s a bit much.”
The name would become too long, and if sales were low, she might have to discontinue the beverage named after her.
While Blow hesitated for a moment, Rachel added first.
“These days, nobles are branding themselves. That’s why this hotel isn’t called Edfolk Capol.”
“Ah, I am aware of that fact as well.”
“I really like this beverage. I will support you both materially and spiritually.”
“How do you mean?”
“If you do that, I will personally promote it in the Empire so that it can be seen by as many people as possible.”
A walking advertisement.
Blow recalled the music sites, airlines, and car companies that used to stick to soccer players’ jerseys in his Earth days, then scratched his head.
“There are no photos yet in this world. Would it be effective?”
While he was calculating in his mind, Rachel, whose body was already warm, opened her mouth again.
“If you do that, I will even consider investing a large sum in your company.”
“That much?”
“That’s all. Don’t you see the expressions on the other tables?”
Hearing voices from all around, Blow suppressed his excitement and added.
“First, I think we should consult with Princess Yulia.”
“All right.”
“And my opinion is this. Why don’t we keep this Straight as is, and when a new beverage based on this one comes out, name it separately?”
“Then the money I give you will be reduced by that much?”
“I think that would be better. If it’s Straight Rachel, make the beverage have an orange tint. Add some orange flavor too.”
Like a fantasy.
And Rachel, whose heart had been stolen by those words just now, slammed the table loudly.
“Damn it! I should have made the contract with you first!”
“Oh my! Princess Rachel is cursing in the meeting!”
Renerit giggled with delight at the sight, and Blow smiled victoriously while running his hand through his hair.
By that time, Yulia had approached their table.
“What is it, Princess Rachel Campbell?”
While Yulia looked puzzled, Blow briefly summarized the discussion they had just had, and Yulia’s face lit up with a bright smile.
“Oh my, what a wonderful story! Princess Rachel.”
“......”
“Then it would be a very good thing. Princess Rachel is already the Empire’s hero. A win-win for both sides would be ideal! It would give you a cool image, and we would gain promotion!”
“Haah.”
Rachel looked at Blow with regret no matter how she thought about it.
Yulia, seeing this, stepped in front of Blow and spoke with high spirits.
“You’re late, Princess Rachel Campbell!”
“Yes, I admit it again.”
“And because Prince-nim went to Roten with me, this delicious Straight could be created!”
“Yes, I know, I know. I need to soothe my bitter stomach with Straight.”
◆
“Blow-kun did it again.”
At Julbert’s table.
Julbert Mertios had already downed his third glass of carbonated water, and the Ropert Rose that had originally been placed in the center had been pushed to the corner of the table.
“He really knows how to serve exactly what’s needed at the right time, doesn’t he, Prince Blow Deblique?”
“Rachel agrees with that!”
“Really? My throat is dry.”
Yelichi spoke dryly, and Julbert smiled at her and asked.
“Still, isn’t one glass worth drinking?”
“That’s true. It does loosen my stomach a bit. It’s not bad to drink as medicine.”
“Earlier you said you didn’t like Blow much.”
“I don’t like Yulia or that Blow’s lackey? And what does my preference for carbonated water have to do with my preference for Blow?”
“Isn’t that what you just said?”
“Hmph, how can they be the same if the words are different?”
While Julbert’s words dripped with sarcasm, Yelichi answered with the corners of her mouth lifted.
Soon Julbert’s gaze turned to Rosalyn sitting across from him.
“What do you think? Rosalyn? Bering?”
“......”
Rosalyn, who had seen the Ropert Rose being pushed aside at their table several times, had no energy left to answer.
Everyone was talking only about Straight as if her drink had never existed.
And Rosalyn herself was in the position of selling something to someone’s mouth.
Rosalyn knew better than anyone else how perfectly designed this meal from start to dessert had been, and how she had fallen to Blow Deblique.
“They said second place would be fine in front, but now they’re being so domineering...”
Some, like Yelichi, complained that the carbonation was too strong and made their throats tingle, but the real problem was that an overwhelming support base had already been created.
“This is really, really! Delicious!”
“Rachel President has already had her third glass.”
“Oh, Rachel President has already had her third!”
The students of the Serdia Imperial Knight Academy led by Rachel, and those of the Capol Knight Academy.
The table where younger princesses who liked sweet and stimulating flavors mostly sat had run out of carbonated water so quickly that the staff were practically pushing tables together.
Expressions of awe at every new sip.
The speed at which the beverage was being consumed, the reactions of the people, and the staff’s footsteps.
These were things Rosalyn could not find in her own Ropert Rose, so she could not bear to look at the other tables.
“I wonder if Prince Blow is going to say something.”
Blow stepped back onto the stage, and applause and cheers erupted.
Rosalyn could only lift her head weakly to look at him.
While Blow swept his gaze over the applauding audience and raised his hand in response, he spoke again in front of the magic circle.
“I’m glad everyone seems to like it. I was afraid you might be scared. Or maybe you thought it wasn’t good.”
Contrary to his words, his relaxed tone created a gap that made the audience burst into laughter.
Blow’s gaze, which had been sweeping over everyone, stopped for a moment on the Rosalyn who had lifted her head.
Rosalyn, trembling with defeat, met his eyes and felt her heart sink.
“When Princess Rosalyn introduced her own drink, she said this. A drink that allows you to drink with the person you love for a long time.”
No...
“I was moved by that story. I believe that sharing food and enjoying drinks together is a noble ritual of sharing experiences with others.”
Don’t...
“This Straight is no different. Because it is a drink that doesn’t get you drunk even if you drink it, it will be a beverage you can enjoy for a very long time, perhaps all night.”
“For a beautiful night when you don’t want to be defeated by intoxication or fall asleep. When you want to see the person you love more clearly. Please find Straight. Thank you.”
She had been robbed of it just now.
Even the catchphrase she had decided after countless meetings—‘a drink to drink with the person you love for a long time’—had been taken by Blow Deblique.
Rosalyn’s body trembled as she realized it. Her brother Bering, who was watching her, spoke to her with a worried expression.
“Ros-”
“Shut up.....”
Rosalyn could not hold it in and pushed her chair back, running out of the room.
And Yelichi, watching her retreating back, let out a hollow laugh and shook her head.
“A princess from the ducal family showing her emotions like that.”
“Yelichi, enough.”
While warning her with flashing eyes, Bering lowered his voice.
Yelichi shot back that he couldn’t say such things and folded her arms inward.
Bering said nothing more to her and, along with his butler Elton, followed Rosalyn’s back out of the banquet hall.
◆
“Ugh... I’m irritated, I’m irritated....”
Rosalyn had come out to the garden outside the moonlit banquet hall and was sitting on the steps leading to the garden, wiping away her flowing tears. Behind her, Elton and Bering stood with gloomy expressions.
“I’m really irritated....”
“Miss...”
“It’s over, everything.”
“No, sales are still left...”
“How important is the first time!”
“Miss...”
While rubbing her eyes vigorously, Rosalyn’s makeup had completely smudged, making her look more pitiful than ever.
At that moment, Elton and Bering, who could not find the right words to say, were just letting out sighs.
From behind, a voice filled with nothing but hatred reached her ears.
“Where were you going? Found you here.”