~Chapter 48~
Adele was a character from the original story.
She had brown hair and bright green eyes, and she was a kind person—a supporting character who helped the heroine.
The heroine even helped Adele get together with the person she liked.
As a result, Adele became the heroine’s friend and later helped her gain the name of “Shiraka” despite having no connections in the church.
This was because Adele’s father was a high-ranking priest.
‘If Adele ends up marrying Baron Florence’s son, who will help the heroine?’
Riden wanted to stay out of it.
But just the thought of facing Baroness Florence again made her clench her eyes shut.
‘Do I really have to go there myself?’
Trying to avoid attention yet still be effective, Riden thought hard.
Maybe… she could trust the instincts of mothers with daughters?
It wouldn’t be hard to give them a hint that made them think twice.
Then an idea popped into her head.
‘An anonymous letter!’
*
The café renovation was going smoothly.
“Ugh.”
Riden gagged while eating bread, prompting Glen to rush in.
He came back with a large glass bowl and held it under her chin.
“Don’t hold it in, my lady! Just throw up!”
“N-No, I’m fine. I’m fine, really.”
She had just forced down a chunk of bread while plugging her nose.
Riden looked at the test samples in front of her.
They were test versions of vanilla cream bread with different ratios of orange in them, each with a bite mark where she’d tasted them.
“Thanks, Glen. Today’s the last day.”
She was sure these desserts were great, but she still wanted to do her best before reopening.
For the past few days, she and the shop owner had been baking and tasting desserts nonstop.
To the point of almost throwing up.
“It’s really the last day, right? You’ve been skipping meals because you lost your appetite from tasting too many sweets.”
“Yes, this is it. The reopening is the day after tomorrow—I’ve got to lock in a final decision. Tell Madame Madeleine to go with number one.”
Madame Madeleine was the café owner.
She happened to walk out just then and heard Riden.
“Number one, young lady?”
“Yes, ma’am! They were all great, but number one was the best!”
“Oh my~ You say that after gagging.”
“That was from eating too much, not because it was bad!”
Looking a bit wronged, Riden replied. The woman brought her a warm coffee.
“Perfect timing.”
The coffee soothed her upset stomach.
“Feeling better?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“No, thank you. You’re saving my dying shop. Oh—and about the packaging, like this, right?”
The woman brought over stacks of flat boxes and began folding them along the pre-creased lines.
Though it was her first time, it was easy to fold.
Soon, bright yellow and orange packaging boxes were ready.
“Yes, exactly. Pack all desserts in these. At the end, place them in those paper bags for customers to carry easily.”
They had also renamed the shop for the relaunch: Sunset Cream.
Since their signature dessert used orange-infused vanilla cream, yellow and orange were chosen as the brand colors.
There was just one small issue…
‘The paper bags are too plain.’
Riden, used to the vibrant modern designs of her past life, found the local print quality a little lacking.
The colors were too soft, not bold or eye-catching.
‘Maybe I should add something—like a drawing?’
She still had time, so she’d think it over later.
Right now, she had something more urgent to deal with.
Riden stood up.
‘Let’s return the diary before I get caught with it.’
Just then, a shadow lurking in the alley disappeared.
*
“Is she coming? She’s coming now? Not yet?”
On a small terrace attached to the duchess’s room, Samantha kept glancing toward the mansion’s entrance and bombarding her maid.
“She hasn’t arrived yet, madam.”
Samantha sipped tea from her table.
Waiting made her thirsty.
“Madam~~~”
A servant ran to the front gate calling for her.
“She’s visible!”
Samantha stood and noted the servant’s position.
‘So from there, the third floor is visible. Good.’
“Can you see my expression? What face am I making right now?”
“Yes, madam! You’re frowning very gracefully!”
‘Perfect. Let’s hope the girl has decent eyesight.’
Now that she’d checked the angle, she just had to wait.
Samantha picked up her teacup again.
‘She’d better have read that diary.’
As the duchess’s mansion came into view, Riden held the diary tightly in her arms, wrapped in a book cover.
“We’re almost there, miss,” the coachman said.
It hadn’t been long since her last visit, but she had to return the diary.
‘She didn’t seem to write daily, but… what if she notices it’s gone?’
It wasn’t stolen—it was tucked in with the gifts—but still, Riden felt uneasy holding onto it.
Better to return it before the duchess realized it was missing.
As the carriage door opened, a familiar blond man reached out his hand.
“My lord!”
“Welcome, young lady. Was your trip comfortable?”
As he helped her down, Riden whispered:
“No. It was uncomfortable.”
“Because you’re carrying someone else’s diary?”
“Yes.”
Merrick chuckled softly at her furrowed brow.
“You didn’t even steal it. No need to feel guilty.”
“Hehe… yeah.”
‘True, I didn’t steal it… but I did read it all. That’s probably why I feel guilty.’
Riden wondered how she could discreetly return the duchess’s diary. Then she thought of Merrick.
‘If I ask him, he’ll help without questioning or making a scene.’
Otherwise, she’d have to sneak into the duchess’s room, which could go horribly wrong.
Just then, as Merrick gently escorted her, he suddenly stopped mid-step.
They weren’t even inside the mansion yet.
“Wow, the weather’s so refreshing today.”
It really was.
Riden inhaled deeply, catching the scent of flowers in the breeze.
“You’re right. It’s such a lovely day.”
“Perfect for enjoying the sun.”
“Yes…”
(silence)
Merrick stood there smiling, completely still.
‘What’s going on?’
The weather was nice, sure, but it wasn’t unusually nice.
As Riden stood holding the book, Merrick spoke again.
“My lady, would you look at the sky with me? You’re the kind of person who sees a different sky even when it’s the same one. Will you tell me what you see today?”
“Like the daisy petal clouds I told you about?”
“Exactly! Like that day.”
‘You always say such lovely things, Count.’
Feeling oddly happy, Riden lifted her head.
“Today’s sky… oh, it looks like a bride’s veil!”
“Oh?”
“Do you see it?”
She pointed to a part of the sky, and Merrick followed her finger.
“The clouds are thin and translucent—like a bridal veil, right?”
“Indeed. You’re right. I never noticed before… Your eyes are truly unique. Could you find another cloud for me?”
‘Does he have a new hobby of watching the sky?’
It was 2 p.m., the sun was bright, and her eyes stung looking up—but Merrick was so sweet.
‘My eyes hurt, but I’ll try!’
She squinted hard, scanning the sky—
“Oh, look… the duchess is out.”
On the terrace, the duchess sat sipping her tea.
“Ah, Mother…”
Merrick’s face instantly fell.
“My lord?”
“Could you tell me what kind of expression she has right now? I feel too sad to look…”
‘What… is going on?’
Riden nodded and squinted at the duchess’s face.
What kind of expression did she have…?
