Capitulo 84

Episode 84

Before leaving for the south. I was invited to an unknown meeting.

I left Lily and went alone in an ordinary carriage.

I wore clothes I would not normally wear.

I put on a cream-colored blouse over a calf-length skirt made of purple silk, and over it I wore a jacket made of the same material as the skirt.

Black boots that came up to my ankles were also not something I usually wore.

He’s here.

At the coachman’s words, I stepped down from the carriage.

It was not Berry’s Street where the nobles gathered, but Carlz Street where the middle class and commoners gathered.

It was much busier and livelier than Berry’s.

The signs hung all over the place were so eye-catching that my eyes wandered.

After Aster became emperor, he elevated the ranks that were being shamelessly.

His purchasing power was quite attractive.

I visited Carlz Street with the intention of creating a sub-brand of the Niveia boutique.

«Obviously that was the purpose…»

Filia, who heard this story, rallied people to say that she wanted to participate as well.

The meeting, which was done in a flash, and the time and place of the appointment was quickly decided.

It felt like a small social gathering.

Karina?

As I was walking down the street, I ran into someone in fancy clothes.

It was one of the members of a social group I briefly attended at the academy.

Juliet Witkins, she came from a middle-class, non-aristocratic family.

When Aster was Crown Prince, she was quite arrogant thanks to the financial support of her parents.

The proud woman stood up to Tatiana, who at the time was the queen of the academy.

So what happened?

It was, of course, horribly broken.

And Tatiana approached her, and the two became close friends.

Let’s pretend I didn’t see her.

I’ll pass thinking they’re more or less the same person.

More brazenly than before, I raised my head and passed her.

Wait, it’s Karina Pioneer, right?

She grabbed my arm and turned me around.

I said coldly, shaking her hand.

You saw the wrong person.

Juliet’s gaze followed me all the way.

She kept herself under control for a long time to get Tatiana her position as best friend.

I hated her to the end, and she was one of the people next to Tatiana who criticized me the most.

«If I think about it, Juliet might have been blinded by Tatiana’s bracelet too.»

Anyway, I didn’t want to hide it because she was someone with whom I shared bad memories.

I quickly made my way to the cafe where Filia, Regina and Helen were waiting.

Among the nobility, the teahouse was still going strong, but among the commoners and nobility, a coffee shop was booming.

The coffee shop we went to today was the most popular coffee shop on this street in Carlz.

When I arrived in front of the store, the person waiting for me waved my hand.

Here she is!

It was Filia, who always had a bright expression on her face, and Regina, whose cheeks blushed when she saw me for some reason.

I approached them, waving my hand lightly.

Nice to see them all.

Long time no see. Princess.

After greeting each other, we entered the coffee shop.

The café was the first one after a place where I once met Raymond when I was studying.

Looking at the menu, it was quite authentic.

From creamy coffee to fruit drinks.

«It’s a game made in Korea, so the menu is quite detailed.»

I ordered fruit tea and cake in moderation.

Unlike me, who had eaten a lot in a previous life, Filia and Regina were confused about what to do.

If you like sweets, you can try the coffee here.

Was it because you traveled a lot with the soldiers to catch the beast?

Helen deftly explained the menu.

Helen has been here often?

Coffee goes well in my mouth… Karina is also good at ordering, so it’s not like I’m here for the first time. Have you been here before?

Yes, I knew this environment

In a past life, not in my present life.

«The weird thing is that I have a different personality.»

There was a time when a new menu item came out and it was my hobby to go and try it.

Helen seemed a little excited because there weren’t many coffee drinkers.

After all, it would be hard for a noblewoman to talk like that to soldiers who mostly drank coffee.

So, could we go to another café next time?

Of course. I hope it’s a place recommended by Helen.

Excitedly, Helen started talking about the next cafe to go to.

I also talked to her based on my memories of my previous life.

When did you two start calling each other by name?

Regina, who had been listening to the story silently, opened her eyes and asked.

Um, not too long ago

She looked at Helen with a somewhat resentful expression.

By the way, she couldn’t understand why Regina kept interrupting the meeting.

Wasn’t she ambitious and targeting Aster’s fiancée?

I looked at Filia calling her name over and over again.

She said it was her first time in a café and looked around with wide eyes.

The menu is already here, miss.

Come on, let’s go eat.

Helen ordered espresso and Filia ordered Irish coffee.

And Regina ordered the same peach drink as me.

Regina drank the pink drink through a straw and her eyes sparkled.

Very tasty!

Regina was not the kind of person I thought she was. She thought she was only brilliant at politics, but she was, cheerful and straightforward.

I was glad it went into Miss Regina’s mouth.

Regina blushed, looked me straight in the face, clenched her fists and said:

I also want to be friends with the princess and call her by name.

* * *

Regina was soaked with boredom.

So far, her life had been perfect.

Life at the academy was going smoothly, but somehow there was no joy.

Even though she got first place at graduation, her greed was not easily assuaged.

She could not believe that a talented person like her could become someone’s wife and not be able to use this ability.

«Will this thirst be quenched if I rise to the highest position?»

Regina vaguely thought about that and set her sights on the next target.

The emperor she happened to see was different from the young men she had met.

He was different from the students who had just become adults and were wandering around trying to say a word to a woman.

He was mature, elegant, gentle and kind.

If he is such a man.

Then Regina sought the position of empress.

But the emperor she longed for was an illusion.

He was insensitive and hard, and he was an iron-clad man who would not give up his heart.

The Aster that Regina had idealized, was who only existed in front of Karina.

It was curious at first.

The person who knocked down that man with iron walls.

What kind of person he was.

Years after graduation, rumors of Karina still circulated around the academy.

A self-centered woman and who lost all her lovers to her friend.

«The princess I saw was different.»

Rather, it even gave her a breakthrough.

He wanted to know more, and he wanted to get to know her.

However, there is an age difference and, above all, the first impression was not good.

The worst thing is to look like a rival in love.

He tried to escape that image, but to lose such a player.

When she revealed her feelings to Filia, she looked a little pathetic, but thanks to her, she also joined her in this place.

I also want to be friends with the princess and call her by her name.

Seeing the princess with a surprised expression on her face, she seemed to have moved on alone.

* * *

Regina looked at me and lowered her head in silence.

If Miss Regina feels comfortable with that, then she can do it.

Does she really mean it?

Of course.

Looking at Regina with sparkling eyes and raising her head, Karina burst out laughing.

How would I feel if I had a younger sister?

Gr, thank you, Karina-sama.

The title was a little weird, but I decided to let her do whatever she wanted.

Don’t talk like that only to them. I’m here too.

Miss Filia can also call me whatever she likes.

Filia smiled slightly at my words.

Unlike Regina, she seemed uncomfortable in such a radical relationship.

It didn’t matter.

It was important that she was my ally.

By the way, how do you like the coffee here?

All three gave their respective opinions to my question.

Helen, a coffee lover, said it wasn’t bad and Filia, who had tried coffee for the first time, praised it.

Regina, a non-coffee drinker, thought the taste would be reminiscent of street food.

Mmm…

But why did you suddenly come to the café?

I was thinking of opening a boutique on this Carlz Street.

Here?

Filia looked surprised.

Won’t it be difficult? I thought there would be a lot of consumers in this place.

As you can see, the noble class is fiercely looking up now. Their purchasing power and ability will be remarkable in the future.

Regina nodded and asked something else.

So why did you come here?

The spa services are for VIPs. It is a space created by nobles because they are reluctant to expose their bare skin in front of others.

The result was a great success.

Spa reservations were already several months behind schedule, and even latecomers were booming.

However, it was questionable whether it would appeal to the class that is not afraid of exposure.

It would be a pleasant experience, of course, but I wasn’t sure if it would trigger a continued purchase.

It was so unfamiliar to me, I felt I was going to feel a bit of resentment.

So I’m thinking of setting up a more family-friendly cafe in the Carlz district. Of course, I plan to upgrade the ingredients and hire a celebrity pastry chef.

I’m used to coffee shops, so I think it would be good because the barrier to entry is low.

Philia’s eyes sparkled, I could see she was interested too.

I looked at her and smiled.

«So I came here with the idea of meeting the president and proposing a collaboration. What do you think, Miss Philia?