TVEWD 49

Evening had fallen after the apothecary’s doors shut, and a small party was held in the living room of the apothecary shop.

It was a celebration for Isaac and Loren becoming new staff members.

A few dishes Fresa had prepared herself, plus a cake and bread and snacks bought from the village bakery, formed the main menu.

Thanks to the fine wine Isaac had brought, there was no need to prepare alcohol separately.

Sadly, Lycaon and Jed were missing, so only three people attended the modest dinner.

Originally it would have been a gathering of all five to share what they had done and to reminisce.

Fresa felt somehow a touch of disappointment and kept drinking the wine.

“Miss, you are so kind and gentle…” one of them said.

Unlike Fresa, who could hold her liquor, Loren was very weak to alcohol.

She kept saying the wine was delicious, drinking glass after glass without a pause, soon getting drunk, repeating the same words, and finally lying on the sofa and falling asleep.

Fresa barely helped Loren into bed, then returned and sank onto the sofa with a thud.

With Loren, who had been making the most noise, asleep as well, the party became abnormally quiet.

Reese had already gone downstairs to rest, and Isaac had stepped away for a moment to contact the guild.

Even the small silver crystal Isaac had brought emitted a soft banquet music.

Fresa stood there, staring into the air with the wine glass in her hand, when Isaac happened to return.

“Ms. Resa, the Zara hair-growth balm is already sold out. It seems we’ll need to raise the stock. What do you think?”

The stock had barely been sent a couple of days ago, and it was already gone—several times faster than last week.

Fresa nodded, setting the glass down on the table.

“Since we’ve gained two more staff, it should be fine to increase the stock. I’ll do that.”

Isaac sat opposite her and spoke softly.

“Did you know that Miss Resa’s reputation helps the sales? The tale of someone who seemed dead coming back and succeeding always sounds like a novel. Since the Sope Mansion auction, things have been even more chaotic.”

Fresa felt an odd tremor and smiled faintly.

A novel, was it. It was true enough that this world resembled a novel, but Fresa wasn’t the heroine of this story.

Yet this place was a real world where people lived, so in Fresa’s new life she was also a protagonist.

Fresa fell into thought for a moment, then suddenly proposed a new plan.

“Next, I’m thinking of expanding the business into the Empire.”

“Empire? Wouldn’t that be easier through Grand Duke Granadine?”

Isaac, picking up one of the cookies Fresa had baked, looked into Fresa’s eyes and asked.

“Well, yes. I was offered that at first, but I wasn’t sure of myself, so I declined. I asked Mr. Lycaon to take a few samples and show them to the higher-ups.”

Back then, she worried that Lycaon would gain a bad reputation for meddling in a venture with no results.

“But thanks to Mr. Kaide’s help, I’ve gained more confidence. I plan to formally request trades with the Empire’s upper ranks.”

The cookie crumbled in Isaac’s mouth.

He stared at Fresa for a moment, then reached out and grabbed the wine bottle.

And he quietly filled Fresa’s empty glass.

“Not because of me, but you accomplished it yourself, Miss Resa.”

“Are you praising me?”

“…I’m just telling the truth.”

Fresa smiled faintly at the slightly late reply.

“Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Kaide.”

Isaac watched Fresa silently for a long moment, then picked up another cookie.

To shift the awkward mood to something lighter, he spoke up.

“Delicious cookies.”

“I baked them myself. I have good hands, don’t I?”

“…Yes, they’re not bad.”

Eventually, whenever the praise turned toward Fresa again, Isaac seemed to give in and agree.

But for some reason he wouldn’t meet Fresa’s eyes.

‘He seems bashful.’

Isaac found Fresa softer and more naive than he had expected.

He couldn’t imagine how someone like her could have built the guild.

Fresa refilled Isaac’s glass with wine and steered the conversation to other topics. They talked about business, swapped trivial topics, grew quiet again, and the night wore on.

~·~·* . *^.^* . *·~·~

“…Resa, Fres a.”

When had she fallen asleep?

Fresa woke, her eyelids gritty at the sound of a call.

She hadn’t thought she was drunk, but apparently she had dozed off on the sofa.

The room was dim, lit only by soft lights, and from the crystal the quiet music still flowed.

Rubbing her eyes, Fresa looked toward the direction of the voice.

A familiar person knelt on one knee and gazed at Fresa.

“Mr. Lycaon?”

“You must have drunk a lot. It’s cold here; what will you do if you fall asleep like this?”

Lycaon smiled and spoke in a low tone.

Perhaps because of the dark atmosphere, he looked a bit more sullen than usual—a tired, weary face, as if it were the first time they had met.

Feeling sorry for him, Fresa instinctively reached out and gently cupped his face in her hand and asked,

“Are you alright?”

Lycaon did not answer. He covered the soft hand that rested on his cheek with a big, cool palm.

Then he pressed his cheek to the palm, like a small animal seeking warmth.

Fresa still believed he was obviously drunk, but she stayed quiet and let him do as he wished.

The two of them stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment without a word.

Only after Lycaon’s palm over Fresa’s hand grew somewhat warm did he move his lips first.

“Fresa.”

“Yes, Mr. Lycaon.”

“Would you please dance with me?”

As he spoke, he gathered the hands they shared and drew them down, as if inviting the most noble person in the world to dance.

Fresa felt a bit self-conscious, but she didn’t mind dancing with Lycaon.

It felt like now was the moment it had to happen, so she nodded immediately.

“Of course.”

As soon as Fresa agreed, Lycaon rose with his hips half-bent, then gently drew Fresa up so she could stand.

They moved to the center of the living room and began a slow dance to the music.

It was a relief that Isaac hadn’t turned off the crystal as he left; after all, they needed the accompaniment to dance.

If there hadn’t been any music to begin with, Lycaon might not have asked for a dance.

Worried he might slip, Fresa matched her steps carefully with him.

Their dance flowed naturally, as if they’d danced together for a long time.

Fresa spun lightly in place and returned to Lycaon’s embrace, watching his expression.

Lycaon wore a slight smile but still looked uneasy somewhere.

“In the Empire… what happened there?”

“Hmm.”

Lycaon didn’t give a blunt no.

Well, if nothing had happened, he wouldn’t be wearing that look.

Fresa swallowed hard and waited for his answer.

She was curious, but she didn’t want to press him.

Lycaon spoke after a small sigh.

“We have to return to the Empire.”

“Ah.”

Fresa was a little surprised and stepped on Lycaon’s foot.

The music from the crystal stopped at that moment, and everything fell silent.

Lycaon pressed her hand, holding it firmly, and spoke in a playful tone.

“Why that expression? Are you disappointed?”

“…Not really. It’s just sudden.”

It was indeed sudden.

She had expected someone might leave someday, but facing it up close felt strange.

A mix of disappointment, longing, and emotions difficult to name rose in her throat.

They fell into a longer silence as they pondered what to say.

“We’ll come back. It won’t take that long.”

Lycaon looked directly at Fresa with calm, unwavering eyes.

“Don’t do anything reckless just because I’m gone. Take care, Resa.”

Why did it sound almost like a final farewell?

Fresa wasn’t going to stop seeing Lycaon, but her heart sank at that moment.

Lycaon had been by her side since she fled here.

The thought that someone like him would leave so suddenly didn’t feel real.

There had been times he was away for days, but this was the first time he said he would go back.

“Resa.”

When Fresa could not say anything and merely pressed her lips together, Lycaon stepped closer, then reached out and gently stroked Fresa’s face with his thumb in a private, close whisper.

“When I return, there is something I want to tell you. So please wait for me.”

The emotion—too big to confine in a little box—poured out through Lycaon’s earnest voice and stirred Fresa deeply.

Fresa looked up at him in silence, then smiled softly.

“Of course. But you must come back not too late. I’m not very good at waiting.”

“I promise. I will come back not too late.”

Lycaon gave a gentle, sincere oath and let go, stepping back and standing tall to face Fresa one last time before turning away and leaving the mansion.

Fresa watched his back disappear until it was completely out of sight.

~·~·* . *^.^* . *·~·~

Hey there, It’s Green Rose 😉

Since I human I might have make some mistakes while translating so please if you find them let me know here in the comments or in the Discord group so I can correct them and be careful in the future so they do not repeat.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

~~~Next Chapter~~~

Next chapter will be released Tomorrow.

See you then!!