The Black Bridge Gathering and Oolred
The day after they moved in.
Once he had walked the finished restaurant and the potion shop from end to end, Blow Deblique could finally feel it in his bones: opening day was almost upon them. Starting today, he meant to set the dishes planned for the post-opening menu in front of customers one by one and watch how they took them.
First on the list was the ham-and-cheese Melo-style sandwich she had packed for him the last time he was stuck in the hospital.
Every morning, just before the doors opened, the same three first-years came early and loitered out front. Blow and Jane had taken to calling them the Freshman Trio, and today they were pacing the inn's front again, right on schedule. The moment Blow opened the door and set out a wooden board, their eyes went wide and they hurried over, voices bright with excitement.
"Boss! You're selling sandwiches now too?"
"Yes. If the reaction's good today, I'm thinking of keeping them on the menu even before we open. It's cold out, so eat inside."
"Thank you!! But, um... how much?"
"It's a promotional period, so three pennies."
"Whoa, that's cheap! Then today, give us that instead of the potatoes!"
"All three of you?"
"Yes!"
They answered in one voice, settled at a table inside, and before long a sandwich arrived that was a pleasure just to look at: lightly toasted bread packed with cheese, ham, and lettuce.
"It smells amazing!!"
"I wanna eat it right now!!"
Melo and Blow watched them with a thread of nerves. It was the first time they had put the thing in front of customers.
A moment later the girl who took the first bite went round-eyed and sang out, bright as anything.
"Is it because the bread's warm? It's so soft!"
"Right? Walk into any other bakery on this street and your morning's ruined before it starts."
"The ham and cheese are good too. Boss, this is seriously the best!"
"If you like it that much, I'm starting to feel confident."
Blow let out a breath of relief and nodded to Melo. Another remark was already flying her way.
"Chef Melo! It's really delicious."
They shot her a thumbs-up. Melo broke into a shy smile, bent at the waist, and returned the thanks.
"Thank youuu!"
The ease lasted only a moment. Orders for the sandwich began to pile in, and no wonder: the three of them were doing sterling work as living advertisements. Blow had even drawn the curtains so anyone passing outside could see them clearly. While he was explaining the sandwich to one customer after another, one of the trio came over and asked, careful about it.
"Boss! Once you open, how much are you thinking of charging for this?"
"I'm thinking about five pennies."
"R-really?"
"Too expensive? If I go any lower, the quality of the bread..."
"N-no! I asked because I thought it was cheap! Breakfast at the student cafeteria is two silver, you know."
The other two behind her nodded along with great enthusiasm. Red hair, blue hair, yellow hair. Before he knew it, Blow was thinking they looked like a traffic light. He shrugged and added, almost as an afterthought:
"This is a secret, but once we open, the potatoes will come in different sizes too. Three pennies, five, and seven."
"The portions won't get smaller or anything, will they..."
"Of course not."
"Thank goodness!"
At his answer, all three faces brightened at once.
"We can take turns with potatoes and sandwiches."
"Or order one seven-penny potato and a sandwich and split them."
"True! Boss, see you tomorrow morning!"
"Yep. Take care!"
Even after the Traffic-Light Trio had gone, nearly every customer who tried the sandwich had nothing but praise for it. With that, selling potatoes and sandwiches for breakfast was settled.
After the morning rush, Blow and Jane ran through a quick round of feedback.
"Young Master, couldn't we charge a little more for the sandwich?"
"No. This price is about right."
"Hmm..."
"Go past it and people will decide breakfast is too expensive. What we actually need is a cheaper item. Once we start using sugar, I'm thinking of dusting a little on bread, toasting it, and selling that."
"Like toast?"
"Yeah. The goal is to have them walk into the potion shop on the way to class with a sandwich, a potato, or a piece of bread already in hand."
"Oh, so that was your thinking? The breakfast menu is bait, then."
Blow nodded at that.
"Right. Breakfast stays like that for now. Are you setting up the carbonated-water experiment?"
"Yes. I was just about to start. I finished setting up my equipment last night, and Linne says she'll have all of hers brought over today and tomorrow."
"Good. If we're going to run the school experiments too, that's the better way."
"Only because you allowed it, Young Master. I like that I get to use Linne's tools as well."
One of Linne's requests, now that she was a full employee, had been permission to keep her assignment equipment on the third floor of the potion shop. Blow had meant to use the third floor as a laboratory anyway, so he had granted it with good grace, and Linne had bowed to him again and again, grateful that her trips back and forth had grown so much shorter.
"Let's talk to Senior Yulia about the carbonated-water supply together with Cunsai's business. I'll get you a few syrups. Try adding one."
"Yes."
"Bring the carbonation up a little and add some lemon syrup. It'll be good."
"Yes. I'll adjust the concentration until it sits right."
"The potion-shop stock needs to start coming in from tomorrow, all right? If it feels too tight, you can drop the booth."
"Yes. Please look over the list once before lunch."
The two of them were deep in it when Melo, who had settled beside them at some point, asked him carefully:
"Young Master, what should we cook for dinner?"
"Ah, I was about to bring that up. Let's take the curry powder out of Red and Yellow, push the sweetness up a little, and try selling that."
"Whaaat!? Why??"
Red and Yellow had been one of the dishes that decided her coming to Caipol, and she was fond of the menu itself. The corners of Melo's mouth drooped. Blow shook his head at her as if there were nothing to be done.
"The curry powder's too expensive."
"Hiiing..."
Something occurred to Jane then, and she turned to Blow.
"It might be worth asking Cunsai about the curry powder."
"Right, I should. Aside from the sugar, I need to know how far he can go."
"I'll write it down separately."
"Anyway, for the time being Red and Yellow is going to have to be only the red."
Melo had gone glum at that. Blow stroked her hair gently, and her face eased a little. Jane, watching with a smile, asked once more to be sure.
"So you mean pan-fried sausage with only the tomato sauce?"
"Yeah. It'll still be good. How about the name Oolred?"
The moment she heard it, Jane's mouth went flat.
"Not All-Red. Oolred?"
"Yeah."
"And... what's the reason?"
Blow avoided the two pairs of eyes fixed on him and murmured, as if reciting:
"...It means the tomato's going to embrace every sausage in the world."
"I have absolutely no idea what context that's supposed to have..."
"I'll explain later."
He let it slide right past them. Just then Megan, who had been tidying the hall, came over and offered a suggestion in her usual calm voice.
"If a guest wants the curry powder, what about adding it on request?"
"Hm... Would there be any demand?"
"I don't think there'd be none. Nobles stop by from time to time, like Lady Yulia."
Blow caught the sparkle in Melo's eyes, and Jane's nod.
"Then we'll do it that way. One dusting of powder, and we'll have to charge twice the price of an Oolred..."
"Megan! Thank you!!"
Megan only shrugged at Melo's bright smile, as if it were nothing. With the evening special settled as well, Blow stretched his arms overhead to work the stiffness out and asked Jane:
"So what else is there to do?"
"As I said earlier, please check the prices and quantities for the potion-shop goods. Later there's the booth meeting with Cunsai, and this evening you need to take food to Senior Yulia. After that you should speak with Teacher Mnevoir. Oh, and since you're going by the school, how about contacting the monastery today?"
"Senior Yulia got pushed to tomorrow."
"Ah, that's right. Senior Maxim came by earlier."
"Mm... That's an absurd amount of work."
He was sorting the priorities one by one when a knock sounded at the inn door.
Outside stood a woman with her hair neatly swept back and her clothes impeccably cut, posture ramrod straight, giving off a presence that was anything but ordinary. Megan went out to receive her and came back speaking low.
"Young Master, she says she's from House Campbell."
"Campbell...? It won't be Greig, so it must be Lady Rachel?"
"Now that you mention it... at last week's dinner, didn't Her Ladyship say she would stop by this week?"
Jane blinked as she said it. Blow, who very much did not want to believe her, shook his head hard.
"No!"
"It is very much a yes, Young Master..."
"Fine. I remember too."
A chill ran down his spine. He heaved a sigh and stepped outside.
The neatly dressed servant of House Campbell bowed and held out a black envelope.
"Young Master Blow Deblique, Lady Rachel Campbell bid me deliver this, along with a message."
"What is it?"
"My lady wishes for communication magic. Immediately."
"Immediately? I'll contact her in a little while, once I'm at the school."
"Ah—would it be on account of the communication magic?"
"Right. I have business at the school later, so I figured I could do it then."
The servant waited until he had finished, summoned a magic circle at once, and said:
"Once the connection is made, you may begin."
"...You're a communications mage?"
"I am."
The answer had barely landed before Rachel's cheerful voice came through from the far side of the circle.
"Blow Deblique!! You been well!!"
"Yes, my lady, thanks to your concern. Have you been well yourself?"
"Me? Not especially? Truth is, everyone nearly died just now."
"...You, my lady?"
"As if. I meant my lovely classmates and juniors. Haha!"
For some reason, hoofbeats and shouts came through the circle in snatches.
"My lady? Are you all right?"
"Yeaaah. Communication magic tastes best on horseback, anyway. This expedition isn't easy. The monsters are vicious."
"Good thing I never even considered knight academy."
"Still, the cutting's got a nice feel to it."
"Please be careful. You never know."
"Huh? Did you just worry about me?"
There was nothing but mischief in Rachel's voice. Blow let out a short laugh and answered her.
"Well... you never know, do you?"
"I'm a little thrilled, though?"
"Mm... That is quite a problem. Anyway, then... may I ask what this is about?"
"From your point of view, I've got one very unhappy piece of news and one very happy piece. Which do you want first?"
"I'll hear the unhappy news first."
"Thanks to this damned expedition dragging on, I can't make it to Caipol this week."
Blow fought to haul the corners of his mouth back down from their ascent and spoke as if he were disappointed.
"I'm reeeally sorry to hear that, my lady."
"...You little brat. You don't look sorry in the slightest."
"I am sin-cere, my lady."
"You're dead. Next time I see you."
"At that level, didn't you just want to kill me anyway?"
"I have to avenge my little brother, don't I?"
"Hmm... Yes. Shall we hear the happy news, then?"
"You got an envelope, didn't you?"
"Ah, would you mean the black envelope I received from this servant dressed in black?"
"Yeah. Open it."
Blow opened the envelope as told. Jane, her interest caught, had come to stand behind him. Inside, beneath the seal of House Campbell, he found what he found, and his face had no choice but to harden at once.
"An invitation to the Black Bridge Gathering?"
The fine stationery was packed with the particulars of that gathering of academy nobles, the one that had come up only briefly at the dinner after his duel with Greig. He was busy enough to drop dead, and now there was one more thing to worry about, so the annoyance was bottomless. Mindful that a servant of House Campbell was standing right in front of him, he forced the corners of his mouth up anyway.
From the circle, over the sound of a horse striking the ground, Rachel's bright voice came again.
"See you then. I'm the one hosting this time, you know? I'm holding it in Caipol, like I said. Don't come, and I'll kick in that inn of yours with my knights. Got it?"
"The date... it's the last week of November?"
"Yeah. I'm going to Caipol anyway, so I'll do the Black Bridge Gathering and watch that grand match of yours while I'm at it, right? Will Lady Yulia win? Or that purple-haired right hand of yours?"
"So what you said back then wasn't empty talk."
"I'm a woman who does what she says. Hold on a second."
Then came the sound of a horse setting its hooves to the earth.
Kweeeek—
All at once a monster's howl tore through the communication magic. The two of them were struck dumb. The servant didn't so much as blink. A little later Rachel's voice came through again.
"Hey, Blow Deblique! You listening?"
"...Yes. Go ahead."
"This is where I introduce you, isn't it? Skadi too, for that matter."
"Unfortunately, that is my understanding."
"I'd like you or Skadi to prepare something fun."
"Something fun?"
"Yeah. Something to look at is fine, something to listen to is fine. It's a gathering. There ought to be something to talk about, no?"
A uneasy feeling brushed Jane, and she shook her head, but Blow seemed to have decided already.
"Let's make it something to drink."
"Oh? What is it? You know those people aren't easy to satisfy. Hiring some decent musician or bringing a painting would come cheaper."
"It's fine."
"Now I'm interested. What is it?"
"If I tell you, it won't be any fun. To put it simply, it will probably taste sharp and refreshing."
"Oho? Like sparkling wine?"
"Similar. In any case, a drink that suits you very well, my lady."
Instead of an answer, the monsters' screams came through again, and then Rachel's voice followed.
"So you mean I've got that sharp, prickly sort of personality?"
"No. I meant that you're refreshingly straightforward."
"...You really are dead, Blow Deblique. Anyway, nothing else to say?"
"No. I'll contact you later."
"Right. Get in touch around next week."
And the communication circle vanished. The mage who had come from House Campbell bowed at once and turned to go. Jane, who had been listening in silence behind him, asked, just in case.
"Young Master? You don't mean the carbonated water, do you? The sharp, refreshing thing you mentioned—that's Pilsner Paulos, right?"
"What are you talking about? Of course I meant the carbonated water you're going to make."
The moment she heard it, Jane puffed her cheeks and her mouth went flat.
"It isn't even finished! How could you say that?"
"People always work harder once a deadline shows up! I'll help too."
"No, thank you."
"If it flops, we'll just take Paulos, like you said. We only need a small batch, and it's Caipol, so moving it will be easy."
"......"
Jane's eyes had narrowed, and what they took in were Blow's, doing nothing but sparkle.
"If it goes well, I'll buy you a present."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Promise."
She gazed quietly at those childlike eyes, smiled as if she had no choice, and then nodded readily.
"I'll do my very best."
"Good. If it doesn't work, we just do what Lady Rachel said, so don't worry too much."
"Yes."
"Let's go check the list of things to bring into the potion shop."
"I organized it ahead yesterday."
With that, Jane started for the inn. Blow slipped the Black Bridge invitation into his coat and followed her inside.
That night, with most of the day's work behind him, Blow was in Mnevoir's laboratory.
"So you heard the general picture from Hervena?"
"Yes, I did."
"Well, no harm in it. For the context, you ought to look over the minutes. One moment."
She rummaged through the documents in front of her and knocked back the coffee that had been sitting there. Dark circles had sunk all the way to her cheekbones, and her eyelids covered more than half her eyes. Blow spoke as if the sight worried him.
"Teacher, you look terribly tired."
"No. I've been exercising lately, so I feel quite clear-headed. Slept a lot yesterday, too."
"How many hours?"
"About two?"
Blow had nothing left to say. He could only keep his mouth shut.
A little later she handed him the minutes. Most of it was what Hervena had already told him, and he read down quickly, until his eyes stopped dead on the name Lisleia.
"...Is this person one of the Six Great Imperial Mages?"
"Yes. Why, nervous?"
"No. This is the one who uses water-attribute magic, correct?"
"Correct. The one who established the system of the water attribute. Why?"
"I'd heard the name a few times before I entered the academy."
"From whom?"
"From White Flame."
At that name, Mnevoir's eyes wavered for an instant. Then she let out a thin sigh.
"So that's it. Well, you and Hervena are from the same region."
"Back then, while mentioning water-attribute magic, I remember something along the lines of there being nothing in the world that can't be burned."
"You mean the talk about attributes not mattering all that much?"
"Yes. That attributes are what they are, but the quality of the magic and the mana matters more."
Mnevoir looked at him quietly for a moment, then spoke in a calm voice.
"I'm only saying this because I worry too much, but you must never say that to my master. Understood?"
"I have at least that much sense."
"Sorry, but my memory is good. Your old self is still vivid to me, Blow Deblique."
Embarrassed, Blow scratched his head.
"I apologize for that, Teacher."
"Anyway. I should start with the most important thing."
"Which is?"
"A reply came from the imperial palace yesterday."
"How did it turn out?"
Mnevoir let the silence hang, swallowed a sigh, and opened her mouth.