Chapter 352: Nearing Completion
“The one in my tower is an Earth Folk craftsman. He’ll be heading back to the Northern Lands once the renovations are done,” I replied while sipping my tea.
“Earth Folk… It’s miraculous enough to have even one in a territory of this size, but there are clearly multiple… What’s going on inside?” Soleil said, furrowing his brow slightly as he settled into the chair that Faramia had prepared.
“They’re currently working, so it would be a nuisance to interrupt them. I’ll show you once it’s finished. Do you have some free time in three days?” I had heard that the work would likely be completed by tomorrow evening. I still needed to prepare the banquet dishes and the barrels of alcohol.
I paused for a moment, partly as a precaution in case the completion was delayed, and also because I wanted to take it easy the day after the banquet.
“I’ll make time!”
“In three days, the last visitor will be Lady Rosa. At four in the evening, a banquet is not preferred,” Faramia informed Soleil, who nodded in response. That was quite a name for a guest; it sounded like something out of an opera.
“Is night alright?”
“That’s fine.”
“Faramia, please arrange for some effective stomach medicine by then.”
“Yes, understood.”
Hey, isn’t that preparation a bit excessive?
Soleil had initially gone to Naruadeid, but as the island began to take shape, it seemed that most of his business partners preferred to come to him rather than be summoned. It made managing his time much easier.
“I don’t intend to ask about the transportation methods for materials or people at this point, but I definitely want a picture frame or a chair… no, an office desk!”
I had sparked Soleil’s desire for possessions!
“If you want it, just ask.”
“It’s not for me, you know? It’s for you. My office has enough impact with the windows.”
“My…?”
Would it be placed next to Soleil’s desk?
“I decided to create an office because the audience chamber would likely be unwelcome. It’s strange that the main building doesn’t have a room for you, the Lord. It will end up being a room that won’t be used, but—if asking for a desk is impossible, a throne would suffice?”
“I’ll take the office desk, please.”
I found myself answering without thinking.
Soleil’s desires were usually tied to business rather than personal greed, and this time it seemed to be in his capacity as a magistrate. It felt wasteful since I had no plans to use the office desk.
“That should be about it. Auro, please capture Kiel.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Wha—what?!”
Did Auro not question my orders? He immediately restrained Kiel without hesitation.
“Here’s this week’s portion, and this is for storage in case someone can’t make it. Please manage it well.”
I arranged the sweets on the desk.
For immediate consumption, there were apricot cupcakes, not the fluffy kind, but more like tarts. The thick, orange apricots’ tartness paired perfectly with the moderate sweetness of the dough.
For those who preferred savory, there were German potato cake-style treats, loaded with bacon.
Additionally, I prepared stollen filled with dried fruits and nuts for those who couldn’t make it. One was coated in a generous layer of powdered sugar, while the other was finished with butter and liquor, without any coating. It wasn’t Christmas, so it didn’t have to be white.
“Yes, I’ll take care of it.”
Kiel was grumbling at Soleil’s words.
Naturally, Soleil couldn’t match Kiel’s strength, but Kiel couldn’t touch what Soleil had taken charge of. If anything went missing, it would fall on Soleil’s shoulders.
Initially, Faramia had been the one to receive items from Soleil immediately, but now Soleil was the one putting them away in the cupboard.
For now, with the items stored away, Faramia and Auro, who held the key, would also bear responsibility until Kiel switched to the protective side.
The rule was that whoever prevented someone from sneaking a treat could eat the portion of the one trying to sneak it. It seemed that the roles of offense and defense could change midway, which was quite chaotic. Of course, there were also those who pretended to aim for the sweets but actually went for the vegetables. Kiel, it seemed, was strictly after the sweets.
“My lord, regarding the alley house you requested, the interior has been completed. Would you like to take a look?”
“I’ll see it.”
And so, we moved to the town. The number of residents had increased, but at this hour, most were busy with work. The tourist crowd was thin, so the alleys weren’t congested.
However, there were still people around, like craftsmen sewing or making shoes, sitting in the narrow gaps between houses and waterways.
We navigated through the narrow alley to a building that was meant to be a restaurant facing a small plaza. The entrance was tucked away in the shadow of the stairs leading down to the plaza, giving it a hidden, cozy atmosphere. I planned to have them serve dishes made with the island’s vegetables, ones I was familiar with.
Next, I needed to find a chef who wasn’t averse to raw ingredients. It was a small establishment, with a visible kitchen and five customer seats on the first floor. The second floor had two rooms for employees and a storage area. There was an entrance at the top of the slope that led directly from the street, so it was a bit of a mystery whether it could truly be called a second floor. The storage and ingredient deliveries would be on the second floor.
On the first floor, there was a small room for me. I had them install a pizza oven and a work counter, planning to whip up something whenever I felt like it. It would be takeout only, with a window for handing off orders. Essentially, even if there were many customers, it would still serve as my eating space. I was looking forward to enjoying other people’s cooking.
Later, I learned what happened when the cooking fireplace blazed in the cramped shop. It would be fine if it was as warm as Kanum, but the island was hot!!!