Volume 10, Chapter 34 – Margaret Branch’s Strategy

In a reception room fifty square meters in area, illuminated by white lights, several young women sat facing each other across a coffee table. Aside from the sounds of their conversation and the crisp clinking of cups and plates, the only other sound in the room was the night breeze blowing the curtains. In Wilfred, even if the entire empire was covered in continuous heavy snow, this place was still full of tropical flair. If one didn’t open the windows at night, the hot and humid weather would make it impossible to sleep.

“So, Sera, the reason you left the Hels Kingdom to set up a branch in Wilfred City wasn’t because Fran assigned you, but to escape suitors?”

Yisi took a small sip of an empire-produced beverage that tasted similar to lemonade and clicked her tongue lightly. She hadn’t tasted this flavor since coming to this world. Savoring it again brought on a wave of nostalgia— if I put this in natural carbonated water, it would probably make a pretty good drink.

Sera, her black hair tied into shoulder-length pigtails, set down her teacup and answered with embarrassment.

“Yes. Even though I made it clear to them that I would never leave Margaret, they just kept clinging to me. It was nice that they brought in revenue for Margaret, but they were always fighting, which troubled the other guests who were trying to enjoy their meals.”

According to Sera, ever since Margaret received the approval of the Hels Kingdom’s royal family and began establishing branches there, the first batch of employees, like Sera, had become “rich” in everyone’s eyes. When Fran and Shinku weren’t at the shop, Sera managed the Margaret headquarters in Celtic City. After a period of adjustment, Sera quickly grew into a competent manager. Coupled with the fact that, unlike Fran, she had no clear romantic partner and had just reached the age for engagement, countless unmarried men began to swarm her, hoping to win her favor.

What was annoying was that, thanks to the wariness she had cultivated during her past life on the streets, Sera quickly discovered that a large portion of these men were trying to get close to her to steal Margaret’s production methods. This made Sera, who already kept her distance from outsiders, even more mistrustful of strangers. In the end, she rejected all her suitors and came to Wilfred City, far from the Hels Kingdom.

At this point, Sera straightened her posture, her face set with determination.

“Besides, I’ve already decided to dedicate my life to Margaret, which took me in. Marriage is not for me.”

“No, no, you can’t just say that…”

Yisi couldn’t help but smile wryly.

Sera was only fifteen or sixteen right now; this decision was far too early for her. Yisi had seen countless people who swore off marriage in their youth, only to become filled with a yearning for it during their young adult years due to hormones. Of course, this included those who were hopelessly infatuated with animated characters but eventually had to bow to reality. When you reach a certain age and see everyone around you has a wife or husband, you naturally start to wonder if you’re being left behind, and then, under societal pressure, you actively get married.

No, that’s not the main point.

Yisi shook her head. The point to focus on was that Sera was actually giving up marriage for Margaret .

“Sera, while you work for Margaret, emotional support is also important, isn’t it? Having a partner doesn’t conflict with working at Margaret.”

“Matters between men and women will distract my energy. Margaret is my emotional support, which is why I decided to dedicate my life to it. Back when I was destitute in Celtic City, it was the Margaret that you established, Miss Yisi, that took me in. It not only provided me with a place to live but also gave me the work I needed to survive. Without Margaret, there would be no Sera today. Miss Yisi, I have… developed feelings for this name.”

As she spoke, Sera stared at Yisi with moist, devoted eyes, making Yisi feel the discomfort of being watched by a python.

This girl isn’t a fetishist, is she? But a fetish should be for an object, not the name ‘Margaret’.

Just as Yisi was about to quietly observe Sera, Sera suddenly leaned forward and grasped Yisi’s hands—her palms were abnormally hot—bringing her face in very close.

“Miss Yisi, you don’t need to persuade me anymore. My heart already belongs to someone.”

For some reason, Yisi felt Sera was abnormally intense right now. She quickly pulled her hands back and nodded.

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“O-Okay.”

This probably wasn’t something she could solve with just a few words, unless she threatened her with, “If you don’t get married, I’ll fire you from Margaret.” But that would be meddling too much.

No, as the secret owner of Margaret, it should be normal for me to care about my employees. Besides, Sera and the others were cast out by their families early on because they are the Fallen. They were only able to finally settle down after I took them in. From a certain perspective, I’m practically their older sister. It’s perfectly reasonable to be concerned about their romantic lives.

Yisi sighed helplessly.

“Haah, fine. We’ll just have Fran teach you, Sera. Honestly.”

Perhaps it was Fran and Shinku’s ambiguous relationship that caused Sera, who was a generation younger, to develop a problematic view of love.

“Ah… ooh.”

Mary, sitting next to Yisi, let out a big yawn. Unconsciously, she had started to lean against Yisi. Nine o’clock at night was Mary’s bedtime.

Yisi smiled and patted Mary’s head. If Laxy were here, she would have already taken Mary to bed, or let Mary use her lap as a pillow.

How enviable.

Although Laxy would let Yisi use her lap as a pillow if she asked, she wasn’t a child like Mary. Asking for a lap pillow from Laxy in front of her companions… even if her companions didn’t say anything, Yisi herself would feel embarrassed.

“Mary-senpai still sleeps as early as ever,” Sera remarked, watching Mary lean on Yisi with an envious look. “Miss Yisi, please rest at Margaret tonight. I’ll have someone prepare a room for you. Kiri, leave the ledger here. Go prepare a room for Miss Yisi.”

At this, Sera first looked at Mary, who was half-leaning on Yisi, then shifted her gaze to Tiffany and Tina on Yisi’s right, and finally to Chloris and Enos, who were sitting on another sofa.

“Er, Miss Yisi, should I prepare a large-bed room, or…? Even though Miss Camilla isn’t here, I think it’s still best to be a little more discreet.”

Hm?

After a moment’s pause, Yisi finally understood.

What has this girl, Sera, misunderstood?

“They are my companions. Not like Camilla—no, it’s very clear between me and Camilla, too. Nothing ambiguous has ever happened. Anyway, we bought a mansion in the North District of Wilfred City. We’ll be resting there tonight. Sera, you don’t need to free up a room for us.”

“Is that so? My deepest apologies. I arbitrarily assumed they had the same relationship with you as Miss Camilla.” Sera placed her right hand lightly on her chest and made a gesture of relief, muttering under her breath so Yisi couldn’t hear, “Thank goodness…”

The waitress behind Sera, named Kiri, started to look at Yisi strangely, forcing Yisi to wave her hands defensively.

“No, no, I’m telling you, my relationship with Camilla is completely normal. Sera, don’t listen to Camilla’s nonsense. These two angels are companions I just met today. The one with pink hair is named Chloris, and the green-haired one is Enos. Although we’ve only just met, angels are trustworthy partners.”

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“Hello. That is all.”

“I… I’m Enos…”

Sera smiled and returned a polite greeting to the two angels, then looked at Tina and Tiffany. Like Mary, both looked half-asleep—Tina, surprisingly, kept a healthy sleep schedule.

“And these two are?”

“The one with the light-green pigtails is named Tiffany. Sera, you must be careful to keep your distance from her. The other one is named Tina. You should keep your distance from her, too, but she’s less dangerous than the one named Tiffany. Just be sure to use polite language and don’t provoke her.”

“The child named Tiffany is dangerous?”

“Yes. If you’re not careful, she’ll eat you. And I mean literally eat you . That girl is actually a Slime that can turn into a human. This must be kept secret.”

Yisi had been startled awake by Tiffany countless times. Although, ever since Laxy started guarding her room, it hadn’t happened again… but that just meant the victim had changed from herself to someone else. Besides Mary, Refina had also been targeted. However, probably due to Tiffany’s tendency to bully the weak and fear the strong, Camilla and Pepe had never been harassed.

Sera swallowed, her gaze toward Tiffany becoming timid.

“I-I understand. Your party is full of strange young ladies, Miss Yisi.”

“Well, in a sense, you’re not wrong. By the way, Sera, are you still short-staffed here? I’d like to introduce a batch of women who urgently need work.”

When Yisi had entered, she observed the tavern. The layout roughly followed the concept she used in the Celtic City tavern, adopting the layout of most restaurants on Earth, focusing on comfort and private space. As for the interior, from the painted walls to the furniture like tables and chairs, everything had a brand-new feel. The branch must have been established very recently.

Her expression growing serious, Sera first ordered Kiri to leave the room and close the door. Only then did she ask in a conspiratorial, low voice.

“Miss Yisi, did you meet any of the Fallen? If they’re homeless, the branch can take in any number of them.”

She must be remembering her own past.

Yisi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She pressed her hand down, signaling Sera not to get too excited.

“They are unemployed maids who used to work in noble houses. There are about ten to fifteen of them. You don’t have to mind me, Sera, just tell me the truth. Can the branch accommodate them?”

“We can, but…” Sera frowned in thought. “With fifteen people, half of them would have to go help unload at the docks. The shop doesn’t need that many waitresses.”

“Unload at the docks?”

Margaret shouldn’t have business in that area.

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“Yes. Handling the production of Margaret at the branch is too risky; the techniques could be stolen. So, Sister Fran separated the production and sale of Margaret wine. Production is handled in Celtic City, and we branches are only responsible for sales. The reason we have to unload at the docks is that Margaret wine is shipped via the waterways and arrives at the port regularly. We have to send people to the port to unload the barrels from the ships.”

“Isn’t that troublesome?”

Nowadays, it wasn’t a big deal if the production technique was known. The raw materials, crafting process, and recipe were the important parts. Take “Shinku Nyan” and “Fran Nyan” for example; those two most popular wines weren’t something others could replicate just by knowing how to distill liquor.

“Sister Fran said this would minimize competitors to the greatest extent. In the empire, even the most common bottle of Margaret wine can sell for one gold coin, which is much higher than in the kingdom. And I heard from Sister Fran recently that she plans to build a brewery in the Duchy of Chloe, near the empire, which will make it more convenient to transport Margaret to the empire.”

“I see.”

I must have missed that when Fran submitted her report. It’s best to leave the operations entirely to Fran.

Just as she was thinking this, a knock suddenly came from the door. Yisi glanced at the Omniscient Map, and her expression became complicated.

It’s Adonis.

◇

After getting out of the carriage with her subjects, Adonis went straight inside the Margaret branch.

The bright magic lights, combined with the spacious and comfortable environment, made Adonis feel a little surprised. This tavern’s layout was different from any she had ever seen. It was neither dirty nor crowded. Taverns in the empire, in order to cram in more customers, usually arranged the seating extremely tightly. If one person sneezed, the neighboring table would also suffer. Adonis had visited one once and never wanted to go again. But here, not only was the spacing between seats just right, but the booths were also separated by human-height wooden partitions. It would surely be quite comfortable to dine here. To put it another way, if she frequently invited Cardinal Yisi here, she could definitely make her think she was a person of taste. Adonis couldn’t help but have this thought.

Although the position of Emperor was extremely noble, royalty was also divided into royalty with taste and royalty without. The former made people feel refreshed, like a spring breeze, while the latter gave the impression of a mud puddle that one wouldn’t want to get near. She had to do everything possible to make Cardinal Yisi think she was the former.

“Is no one here?”

Frowning slightly, Adonis scanned the tavern’s interior. For some reason, apart from a woman who had just walked down the stairs, there wasn’t a single person here. And this woman, upon seeing Adonis, revealed a startled expression, as if she had suddenly remembered something. She quickly ran up to Adonis, bowing her head apologetically.

“A-Are you the guest who booked the entire place for today?”

“I am the guest who made the reservation for today. Where is your manager?”

Normally, her guard would be the one to say such things, but she was in a good mood right now and didn’t fuss over etiquette.

“Er, esteemed guest, Miss Sera is currently entertaining important guests. If you have any needs, please just let us know. Please, have a seat over here.”

“Wait. I don’t mean to make things difficult for you, but I want to buy the most expensive wine here, and while you’re at it, an order of every dish on the menu.”

It would be far too embarrassing to invite Cardinal Yisi here for a meal, only to order a lot of questionable-tasting dishes. Tasting them beforehand was crucial. Of course, that was all premised on one’s financial situation allowing it.

“Your Majesty, ordering one of every dish will make those around you question your taste.”

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“That’s why I had Schumann book the whole place. If no one sees, naturally, no one will know.” Waving dismissively at Bradley, who was admonishing her, Adonis continued to press Kiri, who had just come from the reception room. “So? Can you make that decision?”

“Well… The food is not a problem, but the most expensive Margaret has already been taken by Miss Sera to the reception room for her guests. We can only offer you the next-best Margaret.”

“Tsk.”

As the Emperor of the Norta Empire, if she gave someone second-rate wine, it would make them think she looked down on them. If it were a very close subject, a simple explanation would suffice. But the other party was her future sister-in-law—she was provisionally thinking of her as such—and she couldn’t be negligent, no matter what. Adonis clicked her tongue.

“Take me to see this Miss Sera.”

“My deepest apologies, esteemed guest, but Miss Sera gave specific instructions not to be disturbed.”

“And what if I said I am the Emperor of the Norta Empire, Gloria XVII?”

As she spoke, Adonis had Schumann, the city lord, step forward. Kiri didn’t recognize the Emperor, but she certainly knew Schumann, the city lord of Wilfred. Anyone who dared to call themselves “Emperor” in front of Lord Schumann could only be the Emperor. Kiri’s eyes instantly went wide, her mouth falling open.

“Ah…”

Adonis waved her hand, annoyed, and stepped forward to cover Kiri’s mouth, who was just about to shout “Your Majesty!”

“Shh, keep your voice down. I don’t intend to disturb you. I’m just here to pick something up and taste the food. Do not shout my identity. That is an order from Gloria XVII, understand?”

“I-I understand. I’ll go ask Miss Sera right now.”

“No, wait.” Adonis stopped Kiri before she could turn and leave, stroking her chin thoughtfully. “Since this ‘Miss Sera’ told you not to disturb her, you’ll definitely get in trouble if you go now. It’s better if I go with you. I’ll speak to this Miss Sera personally. Schumann, you stay here. Bradley and Carl, you come with me.”

“Yes.”

With today’s arrangements, there shouldn’t be any problem inviting Cardinal Yisi tomorrow, right? She had to increase Yisi’s goodwill toward her as quickly as possible. Thinking that this was the first step she was about to take, Adonis couldn’t help but feel a mixture of nervousness and excitement. She subconsciously hugged her shoulders and fidgeted.

Noticing this strange behavior, Bradley’s expression turned odd.

“Your Majesty, what’s wrong?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. Let’s go. Follow this waitress.”

“Yes.”

There is definitely something wrong with His Majesty. As events unfolded, Bradley finally realized this.