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The carriage traveled down a sun-drenched street to a nearby colorful boulevard.
The streets were crowded on a quiet afternoon.
It was hard to get past them while riding inside the carriage.
“It’s a beautiful day, why don’t we get out and walk?”
“Sure.”
The two got out of the carriage and walked down the street.
The street trees along the road cooled the heat with their fresh green leaves.
Their destination— The general store, was in the center of a busy street.
While they were walking through the colorful shops, Einz suddenly grabbed her arm.
“Erin.”
He leaned in close, with his voice low and quiet,
“I think there are people following us.”
Erin said nothing.
She kept close to Einz as they walked slowly.
Erin moved closer to him, as if she was leaning on him, and then casually wrapped her arms around his.
She could feel him stiffen in embarrassment at her sudden action.
Then Erin whispered quietly.
“How long do you think they’ve been following us?”
“Since we entered this street.”
“How many people?”
“Two, I think, but that changed halfway through.”
They laughed as if making small talk and continued down the street.
The street was still crowded in broad daylight.
“Hmmm.”
‘Are people still following me even at a place like this?’
Erin already had a person in mind.
It was annoying, and she didn’t think it was necessary.
“It’s okay, let it go.”
There was no way anything dangerous was going to happen to her on such a crowded street, especially in broad daylight, and besides, she had Einz by her side now.
The two walked down the street in silence for a while, until they eventually saw a tall building a few blocks ahead.
It was the largest general store in the capital, the Liberty General Store.
“I’ve never been here before.”
Liberty General Store opened on this street two years ago.
True to its sign ‘General Store’, it sold all kinds of goods, from herbs to precious metals.
The four-story building was very ornate.
The high-end costume shops Erin had visited with Calix before had been lavish, but this place was more ornate and sophisticated.
‘I wonder who could run a shop this big.’
It was run by the Liberty family, which had grown rapidly in recent years, but it was not known exactly who the owner of that family was.
But Erin suspected it was probably owned by a fabulously wealthy high noble who was secretly investing in it.
“Welcome, my lady. May I help you with something?”
A well-dressed employee asked, after he saw her wandering through the room full of spices and dry goods.
Erin pulled out a glass vial of flower petals from her pocket.
“Do you have this flower available? I heard it’s called Jasmine.”
“Oh, it’s from our store indeed. It’s a spice imported from the South.”
‘Oh, so was this spice bought from here?’
But the employee also added with an embarrassed smile,
“… But I’m sorry, that spice is currently out of stock.”
“Out of stock?”
“The recent imports from the South are in high demand.”
Even with the peace agreement, the Artheons in the southern part of the continent were still enemies of the Empire, so goods from the south were not readily available in the Empire.
In such a situation, the sudden influx of exotic imports into the capital in the aftermath of the last war must have piqued people’s curiosity.
What’s more, this flower was so fragrant that it was sure to sell out as soon as it arrived.
“What am I supposed to do then? If I can’t find it here, there’s a good chance that it won’t be found anywhere else.”
After sensing Erin’s panic, an employee came over and said cautiously.
“If you order it separately, we might be able to get it for you.”
Erin’s brow furrowed after she heard his words.
‘How can I get it if trade with the south is blocked? Are they selling smuggled goods?’
She didn’t want to buy such a thing, but she was curious and asked,
“How long will it take? I need to get it as soon as possible.”
“The fastest we could get it, should be around a month..”
The countess’s tea party was three weeks away, and I had to get the ingredients in advance.
She also needed time to develop the dessert.
‘Waiting more than a month would be unreasonable. Besides, I don’t like the idea of buying smuggled goods.’
Erin gave up and turned away.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to go through all that trouble.”
Just as she was about to give up and turn around, she spotted some clear glass vials in a display case, there were— dried flower petals for brewing fragrant flower tea.
‘I better get some dried flowers for tea. I didn’t want to come all this way and go home empty-handed.’
There were candied mauve violets and white acacias on one side of the store, as well as pickled roses with pale pink petals.
There were colorful fruit jams, chestnut pastes, and everything in between.
Erin picked out some tea leaves and a few other ingredients.
While she went to pay the bill, Einz, who was beside her, asked anxiously.
“What are you going to do about the countess’ request?”
“Well… I might have to go to the spice shop on Bay Yard Street.”
Bay Yard Street is located in the slums.
This is the same street where Erin was attacked when she went to buy apricot jam and chocolate for Lady Caterina’s cake order before.
It was dark and dangerous in the slums, but the shops on Bay Yard Street often had rare items that you couldn’t find in the shops on the brighter streets, so she thought she could check it out.
‘The sun hasn’t set yet, and I have Einz, so it can’t be dangerous.’
If it’s not in one of the big stores, it might be in a spice shop in a back alley, but she might have to look everywhere.
Erin was walking away when a familiar voice called out to her.
“Erin?”
She turned around to see a familiar dark-haired handsome man standing there.
It was Calix.
⚘
‘When you see someone you know on the street, you’re supposed to be happy and friendly.’
Even if you’re not, it’s still polite to at least pretend to be friendly.
But there was an uncomfortable silence between the three of them for a while.
“Wow, it’s such a coincidence to see Erin in a place like this!”
Calix said, while stepping closer with a smile as bright as the afternoon sun.
Erin’s mouth gaped open and she stared at him.
With so many shops in the vast capital, what are the odds of running into the only Archduke in the empire?
And it had to be in this shop, at this time of day, and in this place…
Isn’t it about as likely as running into the Emperor while walking down the street?
After remaining silent, Einz bowed respectfully.
“Your Highness.” He said.
“Captain Levnin, Right?”
“Yes.”
“Pleased to meet you. I’ve always wanted to meet you.”
Calix said with an amicable smile.
Einz, who had been listening to him, replied in a low voice.
“I met you at the palace a month ago.”
“Oh, did we? I’m sorry. I must not have remembered.”
Calix added, while smiling sheepishly, as if he were truly sorry.
“I often forget people I meet, unless it’s someone truly important.”
“…..”
The atmosphere was getting even more dire.
“What’s wrong with you two?”
Erin glanced back and forth between the sullen Einz and the smiling Calix.
‘Did these two have a fight?’
Einz had never mentioned Calix before.
Neither did Calix.
Erin didn’t even know they’d ever met.
She hadn’t realized they were so awkward together.
“Erin, what are you doing here, buying ingredients?”
“Yes, but I didn’t find what I was looking for, so I’m going to another store.”
“And where are you going to go?”
“Bay Yard Street—”
After Calix heard it he suddenly exclaimed,
“That’s great. Come with me. I have something important to tell you.”
“Something important?”
“Yes. I’ll tell you on the way. It’s not something I can tell you in a place like this.”
“But I have company.”
Erin looked back at Einz and then to Calix,
“Would you mind coming to the shop for dinner instead?”
She’d already agreed to go with Einz, and she felt bad that he’d come all this way with her, just for her to abandon him.
“Erin, don’t worry about me. I’ll just come to you tomorrow.”
Einz took Erin’s hand and reassured her that it was okay, which made her feel even more sorry for him.
Erin apologized to him again.
“Einz, I’m sorry. Please come to the shop tomorrow then…”
“Yes. I’ll be there.”
After saying goodbye to Einz, Erin climbed into Calix’s carriage, which was waiting outside the store door.
“Your Highness.”
Erin looked back at Calix while the carriage slowly pulled away.
“Eh?”
“Are you spying on me?”
Calix smiled, with his delicate eyes crinkling slightly.
“No. Absolutely not.”