CHAPTER 35
A banquet for me?
The Emperor had never even celebrated his birthday before.
“No, Your Majesty, a banquet? I didn’t return after accomplishing something grand…”
The Emperor raised a hand, cutting him off.
“You’re still young, Kyle. You can’t even read my intentions.”
“Pardon? What do you mean…?”
“Outwardly, it’ll be a celebration—but I’ll be inviting young ladies who seem well-suited to you. You just need to pick the one you like.”
The Emperor clapped his hands together and laughed heartily.
It was a side of him Kyle had never seen before—almost disturbing.
“I can’t wait to see which noble lady will win the heart of the Empire’s most handsome man, Grand Duke Kyle.”
Kyle forced himself not to grimace, cursing inwardly the entire time.
Thankfully, knowing the Emperor’s temperament, he wouldn’t throw the banquet right away.
But if the nobles take the initiative…
As the Emperor silently studied Kyle, he suddenly spoke again.
“Your hair’s gotten redder. It really does feel like I’m facing Emperor Luber, just like they say.”
At that moment, a sharp flash of jealousy passed through the Emperor’s eyes.
“I’ve got a headache.”
He rang a bell, and a waiting attendant rushed in to assist him.
“We’ll speak of the banquet another time. I’m too tired today.”
The Emperor closed his eyes and leaned on the attendant. Kyle promptly exited the study.
At the same time Kyle was leaving the Emperor’s study, the once-bustling Kuna tavern was beginning to quiet down.
Marsha emerged from the kitchen, removing her oil-stained apron.
“We’re heading out now, Boss.”
“Good work. See you tomorrow.”
Marsha stepped outside and waved off her departing employees.
When she returned inside, she met eyes with Harfa, who had been staring at her intently.
He waited this long?
As Ice Kuna grew more popular, so did the people who bothered Marsha.
Many wanted to talk business with her.
From Harfa’s eager gaze, she could tell he was likely the same.
Marsha had no interest in partnerships or expansion. Those people annoyed her.
She had even kicked some out in frustration, but they kept coming.
So she decided to fight persistence with persistence.
Her strategy: make them wait endlessly.
All she had to do was stay too “busy” to talk.
And since Kuna was always busy anyway, she didn’t even have to pretend.
Still, not many stick around this late on the first day.
Even from afar, she could see a pile of pewter mugs stacked on the table.
The older man—clearly a knight—was so drunk he swayed with his eyes closed.
A serious drinker… but didn’t they come to talk business? Did I misjudge them?
Marsha crossed her arms and observed.
The young noble who’d approached her looked fine, but the knight was completely out.
Thud!
A loud bang shook the oak table.
The few remaining patrons turned at once.
Alfred had just slammed his head onto the table.
That must’ve hurt. He’s completely unconscious.
Harfa panicked and shook Alfred vigorously.
“Lord Kiyor, wake up! What are you doing? We need to go back. I—I can’t carry you!”
As Alfred began to snore, Harfa looked like he might cry.
He grabbed Alfred’s graying hair with both hands and tugged.
What in the world…?
Marsha chuckled watching the scene.
“This man’s going to sleep soundly till morning. Shall I call you a carriage?”
In that moment, Marsha looked like a savior descending from heaven.
“Is that even possible at this hour?”
In the North, it was unthinkable to find transportation once it got dark.
“You really aren’t from around here. This is the capital—you can take carriages all night long.”
Harfa bowed repeatedly in gratitude.
As Marsha said, a carriage arrived quickly. The problem now was how to move the limp Alfred.
“Step aside, sir.”
Marsha shoved the struggling Harfa aside, propped Alfred up, and loaded him into the carriage.
“Th-thank you…”
The small, skinny Harfa couldn’t possibly lift a grown, drunk knight.
Still… needing help from a woman…
Harfa was too embarrassed to look Marsha in the eye.
But he had to say what he came for.
“I came from a domain beneath the Adfort Mountains in the North to talk with you about Ice Kuna.”
“The North… from the mountains? Goodness, you came all this way over a drink?”
From his accent and the unique pattern on his clothes, Marsha could tell he was telling the truth.
“Thank you again for tonight. I’m sorry for the trouble. If it’s alright, could we speak again sometime?”
A young noble—gentle, almost fragile-looking.
His pale skin clearly showed he was from the sunless North.
Those eyes… they remind me of when I first met Lady Everett.
Marsha gave a wide grin.
“Sure, let’s do that. But just so you know—I didn’t make Ice Kuna.”
“What do you mean? I heard your father developed it and you kept making it.”
“That’s right. I made Kuna, but Ice Kuna was created by someone else. So if we’re going to talk about it, that person should be there too.”
“Of course. Actually, would it be alright if I brought someone else as well? They were supposed to join me today but couldn’t make it.”
“That’s fine. More people, more to talk about. Then… come back to Kuna tomorrow afternoon.”
“Tomorrow?”
“It’s our day off. We can talk comfortably then.”
Harfa could tell from Marsha’s gaze—she was starting to warm up to him.
Maybe this could work out after all.
He nodded eagerly.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, ma’am.”
Marsha gave a wave and went back into the tavern.
“Ugh, the smell. The carriage is going to reek of booze. Tch. Where to?” grumbled the driver as Alfred snored like thunder.
“Show some respect. This is Sir Alfred Kiyor of the enemy knight order. Take us to his estate.”
Harfa’s tone and expression changed instantly.
The sweet smile he’d shown Marsha vanished without a trace.
“Ah… y-yes, sir!”
The night wind was still chilly, and sweat trickled down the driver’s back.
Did I say something wrong? he worried silently.
On Kuna’s day off.
Everett was enjoying a late breakfast at the estate.
“Miss, are you taking a break today? Or heading to the library?”
“I’m thinking of visiting the temple.”
“The temple? Ah…”
Daisy nodded knowingly.
“You’re curious about the Saintess’s foresight, too, aren’t you?”
News about the Saintess had spread quickly across the capital after being first mentioned at Naz Salon.
Most of the buzz focused on her beauty—second was her rumored clairvoyance.
“They say she uses Arcana—the same kind Lady Anish used.”
Everett was chewing freshly cut meat and didn’t respond.
“But Miss, isn’t Arcana kind of like the tarot cards you use?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never actually seen Arcana. Have you?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Then how do you know they’re similar?”
“People say they’re square cards with pictures. She draws one and tells fortunes based on the image.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Everett hadn’t stopped thinking about the Saintess since hearing of her.
She wasn’t afraid to face her.
She planned to leave the capital the moment the Saintess appeared anyway.
But it was all happening sooner than expected.
She’d just started a new business with all the groundwork she’d laid.
She was even considering selling Ice Kuna in other regions soon.
Things were just starting to get fun… I don’t want to end it like this.
Everett felt greedy.
Surely she could push just a little further.
After all, in the original story, she was a mere extra with little impact.
Yesterday afternoon, she recalled the eerie prophecy of the fortune-teller she’d met in the plaza.
She had rushed back to find her—but the tent and the woman had vanished.
There wasn’t even a trace the tent had ever been there—it looked like the space had been empty for a long time.
Was that fortune-teller just a hallucination?
But the memory of bumping into Kyle right after was far too vivid.
So Everett made up her mind—to confront it head-on.
At the plaza, Everett arrived with Daisy.
She looked up at the pointed white spire of the temple.
So that’s where Angelus, the heroine of The Saintess’s Arcana, is.
Her eyes were more determined than ever.
As they approached the temple, murmurs and commotion reached their ears.
“Why is it so noisy? Are that many people visiting the temple?”
Daisy went ahead to check and quickly returned.
“Miss… I don’t think we’ll be able to get inside.”
