Chapter 88
“Right? You know who it is, don’t you?”
“Well, um…”
Oh no. She noticed that I knew the answer. Alexandra pressed me for it, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. When I tried to pull my hand away, she quickly tightened her grip and refused to let go.
“Tell me, Tiana. You know who that young lady is, right? Who is she?”
“Alexandra, could you please let go of my hand first…?”
“Not until you tell me.”
I sighed inwardly at her stubborn reply. My hand had suddenly become a hostage, and for a moment, I debated what to do.
‘I can admit that I know, but I can’t just outright say it’s Angelica.’
Even Rayel hadn’t told her yet. I couldn’t possibly be the one to reveal it first. I felt bad for Alexandra, but I didn’t want to cross that line.
So I gently held the hand that was gripping mine, looked her in the eye, and said,
“You’re right. I know who the young lady is. But I can’t tell you, Alexandra.”
“Why not?”
“Because even His Majesty hasn’t told you yet. I can’t reveal something before he does.”
“But Tiana, you already know before me. How did you find out?”
“Well… it just happened. Being around Lucious all the time, I end up learning a lot of things.”
“Ah… so you learned through Brother Lucious. Makes sense. You’re always together, and if it’s you, I can imagine he’d tell you.”
She nodded in understanding, looking convinced by my hasty excuse. It wasn’t the full truth, but at times like this, I had no choice but to let her believe it.
Relieved that she accepted my words, I exhaled quietly—only for Alexandra to pout.
“I understand, but still, it feels a little unfair. You and Brother Lucious know, but I don’t.”
“Perhaps His Majesty wanted to personally reveal everything to you at the right time. That’s probably why he dropped hints here and there—to let you catch on slowly.”
“You’re right. If he told me directly, I might not have believed him right away. I know that much, but still…”
“You said His Majesty promised to introduce her to you soon, didn’t he? Then you’ll know soon enough. Just wait a little longer.”
“I suppose so. Ugh… fine. Still, it’s frustrating. He acts like he’s being considerate, but it just makes me impatient. I wish he’d just tell me plainly.”
“That’s both His Majesty’s clumsy side and his good side. He and Lucious are so alike in that way.”
Lucious was the same. Overflowing with care and consideration for others, but sometimes completely missing the very thing the other person truly wanted. Rayel, too, wasn’t much different.
Though their personalities were different, moments like this reminded me that they were still brothers, even if half-brothers.
“You’re right,” Alexandra said, nodding thoughtfully. “Brother Lucious is exactly the same. I can’t tell if they’re perceptive or oblivious. They act so capable most of the time, then suddenly miss the obvious.”
“I think it’s half-and-half. Half perceptive, half clueless. Even monkeys fall from trees—so of course they can’t be perfect all the time.”
“Hahaha! That’s true. But isn’t that better?”
“Of course. Too much perfection would be boring.”
If someone was flawless from beginning to end, there’d be no gaps to fill, no warmth to offer. People are more lovable with imperfections—those flaws make them human. And loving someone with those flaws makes the love feel real. What could be more meaningless than a “perfect love”?
She chuckled quietly at my words, then slowly released my hand. I leaned back slightly, relieved to have my “hostage” freed.
Taking a sip of her third cup of tea, Alexandra sighed.
“Anyway, I really am curious who that young lady is. I wish they’d just stop dragging it out and tell me already.”
“If His Majesty is even considering marriage, it might take a little more time. There’s a lot to prepare.”
“That’s true. Whoever she is, if Brother intends to announce marriage, it’ll cause a huge stir.”
“There will be… a lot of talk.”
Especially since there had once been rumors of his engagement to Angelica. If the truth came out, it could spark even greater commotion. Thankfully, Angelica and the Werner family had restored much of their reputation, so I wasn’t too worried—but gossip was inevitable.
People would start suspecting when the connection began, and they’d dig into it relentlessly. Those who loved to chatter would waste no time tearing down Angelica and the Werner family.
‘If Rayel announces it, he’ll need to time it carefully and ensure it gets the most positive reception possible.’
Knowing him, he must already have a plan—one that would both protect Angelica and win public approval of their marriage.
“Tiana, can’t you at least give me a little hint about who she is?”
“Alexandra…”
“Even just a tiny clue is fine! I’ll figure it out on my own.”
“No.”
Any clue I gave would make it too obvious right away. As much as I wished I could, it was impossible.
Alexandra scooted closer to me, playfully pleading, but I firmly shook my head and finished the rest of my tea.
A few days after meeting Alexandra, I received delightful news.
“Your Grace, the preparations for the grand opening of Café Roland’s capital branch are finally complete.”
“Really?”
It had been a month since our last meeting when Baron Evitt came to the ducal house with the report. The construction was finished, and after another week of preparations, everything was ready for the official opening.
I clapped my hands and smiled brightly at him, sharing in his joy.
“You’ve worked hard. I’m sorry I couldn’t give it more attention. It must have been difficult for you.”
“Not at all, Your Grace. You carefully planned everything from the start. I only followed through.”
“Still, I should have at least visited once while you were preparing…”
“You were unwell. There was nothing to be done. And everything was completed according to your vision. The decorators you introduced did excellent work. Ah, and we successfully finalized the contract with the Werner family and received the goods without issue. Lady Angelica herself paid close attention to every detail.”
“Did she? I knew she would. That’s such a relief.”
Angelica was nothing if not responsible. Even without me asking, I knew she would handle things perfectly. Of course, it was a beneficial deal for both her and the Werner family, but she had also been genuinely excited about the café’s new capital branch. I would have to thank her properly later.
“I’d like to invite Lady Werner to the opening ceremony as well. Would that be alright?”
“Of course. It would be an honor if she came. If you have other guests in mind, please give me the list—I’d like to prepare special invitations for the occasion.”
“Oh my, that’s a wonderful idea. A special day deserves special invitations. Since it’s the first official opening of the capital branch, the guests should be carefully chosen. I’ll make you a list.”
The café was larger than most, but seating was still limited. I had already planned to narrow down the invitees carefully. It seemed Baron Evitt had the same thought.
“I plan to begin the ceremony at 9 o’clock, in line with the café’s opening hours. But I’ll stagger the guests to ensure everyone is entertained.”
“That’s a good plan. Since it’s a café, dividing into morning and afternoon groups will give guests plenty of time to enjoy themselves.”
“Yes, understood. And since it’s the grand opening, I intend to debut our new menu items.”
“You mean that blue rose flower tea? So it’s finally complete?”
“Yes. Thanks to that girl, Rina. She grew such high-quality flowers that we were able to create an excellent product.”
“I’m glad. Those flowers are precious to her, so please take good care of them. Cherish them, but also make the most of them for the future.”
That was both Rina’s wish and mine.
Baron Evitt’s face softened for a moment, then brightened as he nodded firmly.
“Of course. I’ll do everything in my power.”
“Thank you.”
Seeing his sincere response reassured me. If it was him, I could entrust Rina’s flowers without worry. His deep love for them, his knowledge, and his skill made him the perfect guardian.
After finalizing the remaining details with Baron Evitt, the long-awaited opening day arrived.
That morning, Lucious and I arrived early at Café Roland’s capital branch.
“So this is the place.”
“Wow…”
Stepping down from the carriage, we looked up at the splendid building. It stood proudly in the busiest district, glass-walled and unmissable.
“It looks amazing. Even better than I imagined.”
“Yes. It’s clearly different from other cafés.”
Except for the corner walls, the entire building was made of glass, giving it an openness no other café had. Since most patrons would be nobles, privacy was ensured by making the glass slightly opaque—one couldn’t see faces clearly unless looking very closely.
To enhance the atmosphere, long vines decorated the windows, serving as both natural ornamentation and added security.
All of this was the result of careful planning between me and Baron Evitt. Thankfully, the outcome was more than satisfactory.
“The exterior is wonderful. I can see the effort you and Baron Evitt put into this. I’m curious about the inside now.”
“Right? Let’s go in, Lucious.”
Smiling at the simple wooden sign placed out front, I took Lucious’s hand and opened the door. It was just past eight in the morning, and I expected Baron Evitt to already be there.
But when we stepped inside, the café was completely empty.
