We welcome Princess Deborah at Epsilon with open arms.
'What is that?!'
I felt embarrassed when I saw a banner the size of a door hanging next to the bulletin board.
"It's amazing, right?"
Someone, suddenly, jumped out from behind the banner and explained.
'O my God! You startled me.'
"The fifth Princess directly instructed me to hang this welcome message. She must have wanted to brag about it to Omicron."
Thierry Orgo smiled, his dark eyes shining.
'His dark eyes fits well with his messy, curly black hair, although his frivolous character outshines his gorgeous looks.'
"You make my heart palpitate when you look at me so coldly, Princess Deborah. After all, I'm a bit of a soft-hearted person."
Thierry Orgo, pretend to shuddered while he soothed his chest, not scared at all
"Unfortunately, I couldn't introduce myself properly at the ball, so I will do it now. I am Thierry Orgo."
Unlike his older brother, Diera Orgo, he, Thierry Orgo, was not a sincere person.
"I am Deborah Seymour."
When he heard my cold reply, he scratched the nape of his neck.
"You are cold just as the rumors say. If you were just a little bit more gentle, you would be very popular, since you are pretty."
"And you are just as thoughtless as the rumors say."
"Hahaha, I have no way to refute that."
While we were talking a man, with a gigantic stature, approached us from afar giving off a murderous intend.
"You punk! I finally caught you!"
Thierry Orgo looked at me embarrassed.
"It's a shame, we were avout to have an interesting conversation, but it seems that an uninvited guest has appeared. I need to get going now, if you are bored come to the Frat house, you will always find me in the music room."
"Hey, you damn con artist! You said that if I bet on the sixth horse I would definitely hit the jackpot! But you, you actually bet on the third horse?"
"Don't you know that the conditions of a racehorse can change any time? Do you not know how to adapt in this kind of situation?"
"This bastard speaks without a filter!
How dare he lie to me straight in the face, without any conscience!"
Thierry Orgo quickly understood what was going to happen and ran away.
'Beting on horses. How did such a person managed to get into Epsilon?
Is this really the great and prestigious club I heard about? I hope this isn't a fake, a pseudo-club, maybe, with the same name as Epsilon?!!'
I swallowed hard, putting my doubts aside, and then headed towards the carriage to go to Maisond.
Yesterday evening, I received a note from the Blancia Master, with the message that he found a delicious cake, wich means that he found a good real estate for sale.
As soon as I set foot in Maisond, were I becamed a regular, the manager guided me to a seat and I looked through the menu.
'Why can't I find it? Did they take it out?'
I flipped through the menu confused, and called the manager.
"Why isn't the coffee in the menu anymore?"
"I apologize my Lady, that drink didn't sell at all, so we had to removed it from the menu."
'That means that the coffee beans won't be imported anymore!'
So, I quickly went to meet the Blancia Master.
"Oo, you arrived just in time. A building in front of the east gate Plaza was put for sale."
As soon as I sat down, the Blancia Master handed me a document with the information about the location and the price of the real estate on sale.
'The price is decent, the location is good and the building is large enough, but what is more important is that it is a three-story building with a basement.'
"The price is cheaper than I expected."
"Because it is located in the east gate. It would costs more than double to get such a building in the west gate."
"It must be because of the Goddess fountain, right?"
'Landmarks also play an important role when you decide the location of your business.'
"I discovered something interesting when I put my subordinates to count the people passing through the east gate's Plaza, for a week. The population number did not differ much from the west gate, it's just the real estate prices that are different."
"The west gate's Plaza is overrated because of the Goddess fountain, that is why the east gate property is undervalued."
"Yes, exactly Princess."
The Blancia Master grinned.
"Then we should hurry and buy this building. By the way, how did the donation go?"
"We received permission for the cafe and the renovation, and thanks to our donation we also received tax deduction on our income for one year."
'How is everything going so smoothly?
It is such a refreshing shock. I always had to work alone whenever there was a group project.
Because I was such a pushover the group members only badmouthed me on kakao talk and barely responded to my messages. For whom did I do all that work, alone?'
"Princess, now that we have a building, it's important to think about what we want to sell and how to promote them."
I stopped reminiscing about my awful past and took a paper out of my bag.
"I have put together a list with the things I thought would suit for the menu."
The Blancia Master looked at my list with interest but then frowned.
"Everything seems fine, but the cofee...how about you remove it from the menu."
"Why? I think that the coffee is the best item on the menu."
"Why?"
"After I had coffee at Maisond, my sleep time decreased and my concentration increased. Coffee allowed me to develop the improved formula more faster."
In order to convince the Blancia Master about the effectiveness of coffee, every time I went to Maisond, I drank a cup of their bitter and tasteless coffee on purpose.
'It was very hard work for my taste buds, that coffee was terrible.'
"Seriously?"
"Yes. If you don't belive me, check with your employee's. They will tell you that I always drink a cup of coffee when I visit Maisond. That drink has a great effect on the mind."
"If it is so effective in enhancing ones concentration, it would be better to distribute it at an herbal medicine store. Neither the color or the taste is appealing at all to customers, Princess."
"Hmm...How do you make the coffee at Maisond?"
"They crush the coffee beans, put them in a filter and then pour hot water over it, to brew the coffe. Why?"
"I heard from your clerk that it is a drink made from roasted beans, but... Do you buy ready-processed coffee beans?"
"Yes. A merchant in the Duchy of Ferdin sends us freshly roasted beans. The price between roasted coffee beans and unroasted coffee beans is not that big, so I chosed to buy roasted coffee beans to save some time."
'I knew it! It must be that the coffee beans sent are poorly roasted or that Maisond employee's failed to store them properly. The coffe didn't taste fresh and the smell was horrible.
I know for certain that coffee beans are the most delicious in the first two weeks after their roasted. So we should...'
"Why didn't you import fresh unroasted coffee beans and then roasted them at Maisond?"
"The process of roasting the coffee beans takes a long time and honestly it's cumbersome."
'The Blancia Master looks confused, he most likely doesn't understand why I am so admant about adding coffee to the menu.
Since only the tea culture flourished in the Empire, he must think that there is no room for a drink from a small Duchy that is disregarded in the Empire and called a savage tribe.
But I really, really want to sell it. Because I REALLY want to drink an Iced Americano...how can I give up on this devil's drink that I once indulged daily? It is IMPOSSIBLE to get rid of?
I made this menu according to my taste. I can, somehow, live without having ramen and chicken feet, but I don't have the confidence to live the rest of my life, happily, without my coffee.'
"Master, when you hire the kitchen staff, introduce them to me. I will involve myself, directly, in the process of preparing the roasted coffee beans."
"You are very ambitious, Princess."
"Of course. Master I am the one who improved an ancient formula. Do you think that I can't prepare a good tasting cup of coffee! Just leave it to me."
Because I was insisting so much, the Blancia Master seemed to be tempted to see what I would do this time.
"I should try it to, as an experiment. If I drink about three cups, will it work properly?"
"Who knows. You should drink it first, Master."
...
"And this is the main building of the Frat House."
Isidor, was introducing Epsilon's facilities to me, with a tired face and dark eyebags. His always perfect face looked haggard today.
'It seems that even he can look like this. The more I look, the more amazed I am.'
"Sir. Isidor, you look tired today."
The fifth Princess, who was standing next to me with her hands behind her back, said.
"Yes... I haven't had a good night sleep for a few days."
"Why? Are you worried about something?"
"No. It's not something like that."
"Sir. Isidor, you have to balance your life style better. It is common knowledge that lack of sleep is harmful to ones skin. You must never forget that you are the Flower of this Empire and the face of Epsilon!"
When Isidor heard the fifth Princess remark, his expression darkened.
Probably, because people around him teased him for the title Flower of the year.
"Princess, aren't you going to your class?"
"I can skip a a day or two."
"I'm only telling you this, because I feel like you arr skipping classes every day.
The Crown Prince is not the only person concerned that you will be the first person, in the Royal family, that is going to be expelled from the Academy."
The fifth Princess only fluttered her fan and pretended that she didn't hear him.
Isidor, seemed glad that the fifth Princess didn't talk anymore, and then led me to a large building with an old fashioned blue roof.
"This building is used by Epsilon for Academic Conferences and various other gatherings, and the one on the left is an annex used only by the ladies."
The prestigious Epsilon club, has a huge building called the Frat House near the Academy, and other building's used for different purposes, even a separate salon for men and women.
'I can't believe they own a building in the most expensive part of the district, only to be used as a social club. The nobles here are rich beyond measure.
But I am really lucky, the Frat House is near the cafe I will open.
I can visit the caffe often to see how business is going and then spend my time, here, in the lounge.'
"In this room on the left, is a library built with the support of our seniors, and that room over there is currently being decorated with various, donated, works of art. It will be used as a art exhibition."
The supports that the proeminent clubs, in the Academy, were receiving from the inside as well from the outside was great.
'They resemble the elite schools in Korea.
If I couldn't get into one of the top four clubs, as a Seymour, I would have been pretty much ignored by everyone in the social world.
Even Deborah knew that, so she didn't join any club last year and waited for Omicron to accept new members this year.'
I looked around deep in thoughts.
"There are a lot of spaces for activities and hobbies and also a Magic laboratory and a room for meetings, so feel free to use everything as you please, if you are interested in anything."
I looked around the beautiful rooms lined with famous paintings and sculptures, while I listened to Isidor's affectionate voice.
'I can use everything for free?! I mean that...this club has the best facilities.'
"Ohhh! I almost forgot, in Epsilon we have various, smal clubs, if you are interested in any, please apply."
"Lady Deborah!"
At that moment the fifth Princess, who was covering her mouth with a fan, suddenly called out my name with a fierce voice.
"Yes? Princess."
"Join the mana research club and have an in-depth discussion with me, about magic formulas."
'So, this is the reason you skipped class.
But I can say for sure that researching magic is not a waste of time.
Even though I am not mana sensitive, I am VERY interested in making money using the mana's limitless possibility of use.'
"Alright, Princess."
The fifth Princess, yellow eyes filled with uninhibited emotion, when she heard my reply.
'She can become a VIP customer at my caffe. A Royal is going to bring in a lot of customers, there is really nothing bad about getting closer to her.'
"My Princess, it's already three o'clock, if you don't leave now you will be late."
'Her number of attendance days must be at a really dangerous level, if her maid has such a worried face.
Even Deborah didn't get close to being expelled.
First Thierry Orgo and now the fifth Princess. Epsilon has really weird members, not what I was expecting. Or is it just me being suspicious because I am to cautious?'
"Ahem, Ahem. It is unfortunate, but sadly I have to go now."
Then she looked at me and started to wiggle her hands nervously.
"What is the matter, Princess?"
"Well, since we now belong to the same club...why don't we shake hands?"
"Sure."
As we lightly shaked our hands, the fifth Princess smiled happy.
"See you again soon, Lady Deborah!"
She waved her hands several times, like an idiot, and then ran towards the Department of Magic.
Isidor looked silently, at the back of the fifth Princess getting smaller and smaller, and then whispered something.
"Something annoying is going to happened again."
"What?"
"Nothing, let's go for a walk, I have something important to tell you."
"Sir. Isidor you look very tired today, but you still have the energy to go on a walk only to tell me something."
"I still have enough strength to walk and talk."
The silence between us, as we walked, was a bit awkward, so I opened my mouth to start a conversation.
"I gave the book, that you won at the auction to my father, as a gift. He liked it very much. So thank you. "
"I'm glad that it was useful to you somehow."
"But, how did you know that the book was written by the sixth head of the Seymour family?"
"I saw that the content was written in reverses, and as far as I know, the only person that did that, was the sixth head of the Seymour family."
"I understand."
After his answer I didn't know what else to say so we just walked in silence, side by side along a road lined with jacaranda trees.
A strong wind blew from the front and as the trees swayed the lavender flowers flew down like snow.
Isidor snatched a flower from the air and handed it to me.
"For you, Princess."
He behaved cunning, like a fox, and looked at me with a swet smile.
"This is my gift to you, since I becamed the Flower of the year, thanks to you.
You, Princess, are the only woman in the world who could think of dressing her partner in a pink outfit."
"I only suggested it because I thought it would look good on you. I would never force someone who doesn't look good in pink, to wear it.
You must know that my eyes are very delicate and precious."
"Hahaha, I understand now Princess. I feel very flattered."
Isidor gave me a gorgeous smile and put the flower in my palm.
It is because of Isidor that I succeeded in reselling the pink diamond at a high price, so I felt a little embarrassed at his remark, and fiddled with the flower.
"Since you accepted it, you can't return it, Princess. "
"What do you mean by that?"
"The prize that the Flower of the year has, choosing a chaperone. I don't need one, it makes more sense to give it to you, Princess, since you are the one who made me the Flower of the year. Right?"
'Whaaat!! Oh my God! Did I just hit the jackpot?!'
I swallowed a shriek of joy.
'Isidor, how can you just give me the
special privilege, like that?
Can I really select a noble lady with a high reputation as a chaperone? And force her her to make my debut for this.
How do I use this great card, to make the most of it?'
"Sir. Isidor, are you sure? Because I don't refuse precious things that people give me, especially something like this."
"I like that you are honest, Princess. I don't like when people refuse gifts or reject them, even though they like them."
'Exactly, now that I think about it...Why does he keep acting so noisy towards me? And why does he give me so many things?
Don't tell me!!...Is he a pushover?!! Or, since I am not acting like a pushover in this world... he is standing in for me?!!!
No, No, No...It can't be, my imagination is running wild.'
I shook my head.
'Even so, there is still something suspicious about him. It is just to hard to belive that Isidor is just a nice and kind person, without a reason.
He handles people to well, and seems kind o sly sometimes. '
"I will accept it, gladly. I think that it will be useful sometime in the future."
I thanked Isidor for the gift while I was playing with the flower.
"Alright Princess, and in return, I will have this."
Then a large white gloved hand came closer to me, and silently took a flower that had fallen on my shoulder.
In the moment his hand softly brushed my shoulder, my heart stopped beating. Because of a thought, that suddenly, passed through my head.
'This friendly favors that Isidor does for me, the reason he is nosy and the gifts...Could it be?
Noooooo! There is no way! Right? He couldn't posibly like...ME?!
No! Impossible!
I should'n let this go over my head, after all I am not a narcissist like Philap.'
"We should continue our walk."
I walked quickly because I felt ashamed of the thought that just came to my mind.
"Princess, slow down. You are faster than a marching soldier."
Isidor followed me while holding the flower he took from me, in his hand.
I tried to erase the assumption I just made, from my mind, as fast as possible.
'Get a hold of yourself! I am a villainess, that is supposed to have a tragic end.
And, honestly, there is absolutely no reason for Isidor to like me. I have no memory of Deborah being nice to him, and above all, I have a very bad reputation.
The maids that followed Deborah exaggerated the rumors about her, making her more evil than she actually was.
It is more reasonable to think that Isidor wants to achieve something, through me.'
Doubts and suspicious filled my mind, especially about Isidor.
I walked even faster, while trying to drive out of my mind the innocent smile and the mesmerizing sensation that lingered on my neck where his fingertips lightly touched me.
'Think of something else...Right, there is not much time left until my cafe is going to open.'
...............................