“What is it, Erne, are you jealous now?”
That must have been what it sounded like. Erne's grip on the backpack tightened naturally.
“Are you saying this because you’re afraid of losing your few friends?”
When his eyes met with Judith's, who was smiling with a repentant expression as if she had hit the nail on the head, Erne's nerves suddenly let up.
“I won’t take Sir Henry away. I can’t take away the friend Erne has.”
“But doesn’t Miss Harrington have any friends?”
Judith just smiled at the sharp question that hit the nail on the head. Judith realized that talking more about her friend would be like spitting in her own face.
“It’s time to go to the Marquis of Ferney’s residence.”
“Are you beating around the bush?”
“Erne, what are you doing? Let’s go quickly. We’ll be late at this rate, we’ll be late.”
Most of the customers sent messengers to my shop or visited me in person. However, there were some customers who wanted me to visit their home, such as the Marchioness of Ferny.
“I love these rose-colored cherries that smell like roses. I’ll need three boxes to give to my tea party guests.”
Three boxes are ninety candles. As expected, the Marchioness of Ferny. She is very generous. That is why coming to the Marquis of Ferny is not a problem at all.
Moreover, the Marchioness gave me a generous amount of money and, taking pity on me, gave me the remaining food supplies from the mansion, so the time spent going back and forth to the Marchioness's residence was not a waste at all.
“Thank you very much, Ma’am.”
The Marchioness of Ferny, who had her lovely red hair elegantly tied up again today, nodded toward me, who was bending my waist in half, but then hesitated.
Then she frowned and pressed her temples with her hands.
“What’s wrong, Ma’am?”
By the way, the Marchioness's complexion was not very good. The bags under her eyes were also hollow, and she looked quite tired.
“I can’t sleep at all these days. I’ve been having nightmares for days.”
A nervous look crossed the Marchioness's face.
I was always wondering what I could say to comfort my grateful customers who always gave me extra money, and then I came up with this idea.
“Sell me that dream, madam.”
“Are you saying you want to buy my dream, Miss Harrington?”
“Yes, would you like to sell it for a coin?”
When I reached into my pocket and took out a coin, the Marchioness of Perna smiled with interest.
“If I sell my dream, does that dream go to Miss Harrington?”
“Yes, Madam, you can sleep comfortably from today.”
The Marchioness smiled briefly and picked up a coin I had handed her.
“That’s an interesting idea. Buying a dream. Yes. Let’s sell it.”
Frankly, neither the Marchioness nor I thought this would work.
She know it was meant to be flattering, but the Marchioness found it amusing, and I was happy to see the Marchioness give me a generous amount of money, so it was a good thing for both parties.
“Oh, Miss Harrington, the banquet was canceled, so there’s a lot of food and drink left over, so please take some with you.”
“Thank you, Ma’am.”
“May, you go and take care of it.”
As always, I followed May, the Marchioness's personal maid, to the Marquis's kitchen.
“Miss May.”
On the way to the kitchen, I glanced around and slipped a small candle into May's pocket.
“Oh my, this happens all the time.”
Although May said it was okay, she didn't take out the candle from her pocket. I made and maintained connections within the noble family in this way.
Becoming friendly with a dedicated maid could help you win the favor of the master they served, and also allow you to find out in advance about the schedule of big events such as banquets and tea parties.
When planning a banquet, if I visited the mansion to show them my newly made candles, nine times out of ten it resulted in a large order.
What a great gain for a small candle. In addition, May was the servant who provided food and drinks to me on the orders of the Marchioness. The more I looked good to May, the more food I received.
“But these days, banquets are being canceled a lot.”
No family had as many banquets and as many cancellations as the Marquis of Ferny.
The Marchioness's tea parties were rarely canceled, but the Marquis's banquets were often canceled.
“The Marquis is very fickle.”
“Then what do you do with all the leftover food and alcohol? You’re not throwing it all away?”
“No. When the banquet is canceled, the Marquis always goes hunting. I think he takes it with him and eats it then.”
I don't know the details, servants who ask too many questions don't last long in the Marquis's office, May shrugged her shoulders, whining.
So I left the Marquis of Ferny's residence today with daily bread and a bottle of wine.
“Are you going hunting in this weather?”
I looked up at the sky, which seemed ready to rain at any moment. The weather in the empire was entering autumn.
Autumn here was a series of rainy days with chilly mornings and evenings.
“What are you muttering to yourself?”
Erne, who had been waiting in front of the Marquis of Ferny's residence in case the followers approached me, approached me with Gold in tow.
“I wonder if they should go hunting in this weather.”
“Normally I don’t go. When it rains, even the animals hide.”
So hunting is just an excuse and you're just drinking and having fun outside?
Good fortune. I, envious of the Marquis's fortune, climbed onto Gold with Erne's help.
“Oh, I brought you some good alcohol.”
Erne's eyes narrowed as he discovered the bottle of wine in my basket. In the past, Erne would grumble that he wouldn't drink the alcohol I had received, but now he was completely accustomed to free alcohol.
“Oh, Erne, it’s raining.”
“It might pour down soon.”
Erne jumped onto the horse and pulled the reins. The raindrops that had been falling one or two at a time had turned into heavy raindrops by the time we reached the mansion.
“The bread must be soggy. Come in quickly... huh?”
I, who was about to enter the back door of the mansion while shaking off my damp robe, stopped when I saw a man standing in front of the back door in the rain.
"Tan?"
“Miss Harrington, Sir Erne.”
Tan, who was soaking wet, tried to raise the corners of his lips.
I seemed to have a vague idea why he had come to see me. Usually, people who have to laugh like that come to complain.
“So, the tent you were staying in and everything was destroyed?”
As I had expected, Tan came to ask a favor. Tan and his group had been kicked out of the tent they were living in and had nowhere to go.
There was no way the land would have an owner, but the people living in the nearby villages all chased after him and made a fuss about telling him to leave, so there was nothing he could do.
“There was a thief in the village, and they said it was our doing, and told us to get out...”
Tents were broken, and some people were injured while trying to stop them. In the meantime, it started to rain heavily, and at night, the temperature dropped sharply.
“Even if I try to go to the inn, they won’t let me.”
Even if you went to the Shartins in good shape, no place would accept you, but if you went in beggarly form, there was no place that would accept you. And they didn't even have money to stay in a guesthouse for all of them.
So Tan shamelessly came to see me.
“Please take just one, no, two. They need to relax and rest a few days ago, but they have nowhere to go.”
There was a pregnant woman and a newborn baby who had just given birth. Going around every night to find a place to sleep was too much for the already weak pregnant woman and newborn baby.
“What about other people?”
“They’ll stay at the apothecary for now.”
“Isn’t it so cramped that three people can’t even sleep there?”
When Erne asked, Tan nodded bitterly. But they had to avoid the rain for now, so the old man and the child were staying at the pharmacy, even if they had to sleep while sitting down.
'It reminds me of when I was little.'
The day Yu-jin and the rest of her family found out that her father's business had failed in my previous life and that he had run away first, we were left on the streets.
It wasn't a metaphor, it was real. I suddenly remembered the days when I slept on a park bench, carrying a backpack filled with clothes and using the blanket I barely managed to bring as a blanket.
Seriously, I had forgotten about it.
“How about three days, no, even just two days?”
"Yes."
The answer came from Erne.
“This place is full of empty rooms. If you have nowhere to go, stay here.”
Hey, you? I blinked in bewilderment. Tan's story was pitiful. I was about to give permission.
The mansion was full of empty rooms, and since it still had the stigma of being a cursed mansion, no one came near it, so what would be the big deal if we were given a place to stay for a few days?
However, when bringing a guest into your home, isn't it proper to first ask for the consent of the person living with you?
“I’m fine, so please take care of the godmother and the children.”
“I told you there are a lot of empty rooms here. Bring them all.”
Erne readily gave his consent and turned his head to look at me. Then, all of a sudden, he clicked his tongue.
“Tsk tsk.”
“What, what is it?”
“There are plenty of rooms here, so use it nicely, Miss Harrington.”
No, when did I say no?
That must have been what it sounded like. Erne's grip on the backpack tightened naturally.
“Are you saying this because you’re afraid of losing your few friends?”
When his eyes met with Judith's, who was smiling with a repentant expression as if she had hit the nail on the head, Erne's nerves suddenly let up.
“I won’t take Sir Henry away. I can’t take away the friend Erne has.”
“But doesn’t Miss Harrington have any friends?”
Judith just smiled at the sharp question that hit the nail on the head. Judith realized that talking more about her friend would be like spitting in her own face.
“It’s time to go to the Marquis of Ferney’s residence.”
“Are you beating around the bush?”
“Erne, what are you doing? Let’s go quickly. We’ll be late at this rate, we’ll be late.”
***
Most of the customers sent messengers to my shop or visited me in person. However, there were some customers who wanted me to visit their home, such as the Marchioness of Ferny.
“I love these rose-colored cherries that smell like roses. I’ll need three boxes to give to my tea party guests.”
Three boxes are ninety candles. As expected, the Marchioness of Ferny. She is very generous. That is why coming to the Marquis of Ferny is not a problem at all.
Moreover, the Marchioness gave me a generous amount of money and, taking pity on me, gave me the remaining food supplies from the mansion, so the time spent going back and forth to the Marchioness's residence was not a waste at all.
“Thank you very much, Ma’am.”
The Marchioness of Ferny, who had her lovely red hair elegantly tied up again today, nodded toward me, who was bending my waist in half, but then hesitated.
Then she frowned and pressed her temples with her hands.
“What’s wrong, Ma’am?”
By the way, the Marchioness's complexion was not very good. The bags under her eyes were also hollow, and she looked quite tired.
“I can’t sleep at all these days. I’ve been having nightmares for days.”
A nervous look crossed the Marchioness's face.
I was always wondering what I could say to comfort my grateful customers who always gave me extra money, and then I came up with this idea.
“Sell me that dream, madam.”
“Are you saying you want to buy my dream, Miss Harrington?”
“Yes, would you like to sell it for a coin?”
When I reached into my pocket and took out a coin, the Marchioness of Perna smiled with interest.
“If I sell my dream, does that dream go to Miss Harrington?”
“Yes, Madam, you can sleep comfortably from today.”
The Marchioness smiled briefly and picked up a coin I had handed her.
“That’s an interesting idea. Buying a dream. Yes. Let’s sell it.”
Frankly, neither the Marchioness nor I thought this would work.
She know it was meant to be flattering, but the Marchioness found it amusing, and I was happy to see the Marchioness give me a generous amount of money, so it was a good thing for both parties.
“Oh, Miss Harrington, the banquet was canceled, so there’s a lot of food and drink left over, so please take some with you.”
“Thank you, Ma’am.”
“May, you go and take care of it.”
As always, I followed May, the Marchioness's personal maid, to the Marquis's kitchen.
“Miss May.”
On the way to the kitchen, I glanced around and slipped a small candle into May's pocket.
“Oh my, this happens all the time.”
Although May said it was okay, she didn't take out the candle from her pocket. I made and maintained connections within the noble family in this way.
Becoming friendly with a dedicated maid could help you win the favor of the master they served, and also allow you to find out in advance about the schedule of big events such as banquets and tea parties.
When planning a banquet, if I visited the mansion to show them my newly made candles, nine times out of ten it resulted in a large order.
What a great gain for a small candle. In addition, May was the servant who provided food and drinks to me on the orders of the Marchioness. The more I looked good to May, the more food I received.
“But these days, banquets are being canceled a lot.”
No family had as many banquets and as many cancellations as the Marquis of Ferny.
The Marchioness's tea parties were rarely canceled, but the Marquis's banquets were often canceled.
“The Marquis is very fickle.”
“Then what do you do with all the leftover food and alcohol? You’re not throwing it all away?”
“No. When the banquet is canceled, the Marquis always goes hunting. I think he takes it with him and eats it then.”
I don't know the details, servants who ask too many questions don't last long in the Marquis's office, May shrugged her shoulders, whining.
So I left the Marquis of Ferny's residence today with daily bread and a bottle of wine.
“Are you going hunting in this weather?”
I looked up at the sky, which seemed ready to rain at any moment. The weather in the empire was entering autumn.
Autumn here was a series of rainy days with chilly mornings and evenings.
“What are you muttering to yourself?”
Erne, who had been waiting in front of the Marquis of Ferny's residence in case the followers approached me, approached me with Gold in tow.
“I wonder if they should go hunting in this weather.”
“Normally I don’t go. When it rains, even the animals hide.”
So hunting is just an excuse and you're just drinking and having fun outside?
Good fortune. I, envious of the Marquis's fortune, climbed onto Gold with Erne's help.
“Oh, I brought you some good alcohol.”
Erne's eyes narrowed as he discovered the bottle of wine in my basket. In the past, Erne would grumble that he wouldn't drink the alcohol I had received, but now he was completely accustomed to free alcohol.
“Oh, Erne, it’s raining.”
“It might pour down soon.”
Erne jumped onto the horse and pulled the reins. The raindrops that had been falling one or two at a time had turned into heavy raindrops by the time we reached the mansion.
“The bread must be soggy. Come in quickly... huh?”
I, who was about to enter the back door of the mansion while shaking off my damp robe, stopped when I saw a man standing in front of the back door in the rain.
"Tan?"
“Miss Harrington, Sir Erne.”
Tan, who was soaking wet, tried to raise the corners of his lips.
I seemed to have a vague idea why he had come to see me. Usually, people who have to laugh like that come to complain.
***
“So, the tent you were staying in and everything was destroyed?”
As I had expected, Tan came to ask a favor. Tan and his group had been kicked out of the tent they were living in and had nowhere to go.
There was no way the land would have an owner, but the people living in the nearby villages all chased after him and made a fuss about telling him to leave, so there was nothing he could do.
“There was a thief in the village, and they said it was our doing, and told us to get out...”
Tents were broken, and some people were injured while trying to stop them. In the meantime, it started to rain heavily, and at night, the temperature dropped sharply.
“Even if I try to go to the inn, they won’t let me.”
Even if you went to the Shartins in good shape, no place would accept you, but if you went in beggarly form, there was no place that would accept you. And they didn't even have money to stay in a guesthouse for all of them.
So Tan shamelessly came to see me.
“Please take just one, no, two. They need to relax and rest a few days ago, but they have nowhere to go.”
There was a pregnant woman and a newborn baby who had just given birth. Going around every night to find a place to sleep was too much for the already weak pregnant woman and newborn baby.
“What about other people?”
“They’ll stay at the apothecary for now.”
“Isn’t it so cramped that three people can’t even sleep there?”
When Erne asked, Tan nodded bitterly. But they had to avoid the rain for now, so the old man and the child were staying at the pharmacy, even if they had to sleep while sitting down.
'It reminds me of when I was little.'
The day Yu-jin and the rest of her family found out that her father's business had failed in my previous life and that he had run away first, we were left on the streets.
It wasn't a metaphor, it was real. I suddenly remembered the days when I slept on a park bench, carrying a backpack filled with clothes and using the blanket I barely managed to bring as a blanket.
Seriously, I had forgotten about it.
“How about three days, no, even just two days?”
"Yes."
The answer came from Erne.
“This place is full of empty rooms. If you have nowhere to go, stay here.”
Hey, you? I blinked in bewilderment. Tan's story was pitiful. I was about to give permission.
The mansion was full of empty rooms, and since it still had the stigma of being a cursed mansion, no one came near it, so what would be the big deal if we were given a place to stay for a few days?
However, when bringing a guest into your home, isn't it proper to first ask for the consent of the person living with you?
“I’m fine, so please take care of the godmother and the children.”
“I told you there are a lot of empty rooms here. Bring them all.”
Erne readily gave his consent and turned his head to look at me. Then, all of a sudden, he clicked his tongue.
“Tsk tsk.”
“What, what is it?”
“There are plenty of rooms here, so use it nicely, Miss Harrington.”
No, when did I say no?
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