Could You Perhaps Guide Me to the Second Floor?

Chapter 105

Sophia's expression before the mirror, though it had not become as sunny and dazzling as the sun,

the deep darkness that had weighed down her graceful features had melted away as cleanly as spring snow.

Only Lucius, who had breathed alongside her all her life, could tell—a faint, soft smile.

That tiny curve hung prettily at the corner of Sophia's red lips.

Rustle.

Lucius, looking at the parchment Sophia was holding tightly against her chest, felt a strange curiosity.

'I wonder how he wrote it.'

No matter how much Cassian was the talk of the capital these days, there was no way a person's heart could be so easily swayed by a mere scrap of paper.

And especially not his own younger sister, careful in everything she did.

"Sophia."

"Mm?"

"I'm curious what you wrote to send that your heart has eased. If you don't mind, may I take a look at that letter too?"

At Lucius's gentle request, Sophia nodded slightly, cheeks a little red, and handed him the parchment.

Lucius carefully took the letter and read through it.

[I sincerely apologize for putting Lucius, a member of the Lady's family, in the rude position of pressing you.]

[Because something major happened in my personal affairs last night, I was too preoccupied and committed the rudeness of informing you of my intention to meet with the Lady only yesterday morning. For the disruption this caused to the escort preparations, I would like to ask for your generous understanding.]

[I chose an open place best suited to feeling the warmth of midday. So please don't feel any pressure about conversation; simply come and relax with the aim of enjoying your meal and refreshments.]

"…Ah."

A small exclamation slipped from Lucius's lips as he finished reading the letter.

It was the very model of correctness.

Not a single unnecessary flourish, not a single useless embellishment.

It apologizes plainly where an apology is due and politely asks for understanding where an excuse is needed.

There wasn't a trace of the oily, overdecorated phrases so often plastered all over noble young men's love letters.

Not a single line about your beauty being like the stars in the night sky, or my heart racing at the thought of meeting you, and so on.

'He's remarkably sincere.'

Deep interest settled in Lucius's blue eyes.

Rather, those plain, unadorned sentences conveyed, all at once, a heavy sense of consideration—relieving the pressure of the meeting while fully respecting the other person.

They had perfectly struck the closed-off heart and tastes of his sister, who feared meeting unfamiliar men because of her own flaws.

'How fascinating.'

Returning the parchment, Lucius clicked his tongue inwardly.

'So blood really is different.'

The blood of Count Corinth del Farne, the head of the Intelligence Bureau, who never made a mistake in his work.

Cassian's tongue spat out logic that had a strange power to ensnare people's hearts even when written down.

"How is it, Sophia?"

Lucius looked at his younger sister with a much lighter voice, his expression gentle.

"Now you can prepare for tomorrow with a little more sincerity, can't you?"

Taking back the parchment carefully, Sophia met Lucius's eyes head-on for the first time and gave a small nod.

"Yes. I like it."

With that one answer, Lucius could finally curve his lips into a perfect smile.

* * *

Sizzle, sizzle. Tssss──.

The savory scent of butter softly wrapped around the kitchen air.

"Huuuuah..."

I let out a long yawn and used wooden chopsticks to swirl the egg crepe turning golden in the frying pan into a neat circle.

The fluffy texture of the scramble puffing up was absolute art.

'Since it's my favorite food.'

Yesterday, when Lily had smiled brightly and shouted, "I want to eat the food Lord Cassian likes best!"

I had agonized over it for a long time.

'What do I even like?'

Steak?

No, that would be too heavy to be slicing up and feeding her first thing in the morning.

A luxurious stew?

That would take far too much time just to prepare the ingredients.

In the end, the true soul food that flashed through my mind—the simplest thing that could still fill my mouth with happiness.

'The best is to eat fluffy omurice over well-fried rice.'

'With that Gimcheon feel.'

I plated the fried rice I'd already made by finely chopping meat and vegetables and stir-frying them over high heat, shaping it neatly and beautifully into a round mound.

And over it I slid an egg crepe, soaked through with butter and cooked to a perfect soft center, letting it drape smoothly over the top.

Clack.

After turning off the gas stove and generously circling the omurice with my special tomato sauce,

a breakfast of a quality that could compete with any restaurant was complete.

"Science is the best in the world, just like that."

"Just think—without a gas stove, would this have been possible?"

Of course, it's not really science, but mana.

Anyway.

I brushed off the apron tied around my waist and nodded in satisfaction.

As I transferred it neatly into a pretty insulated lunchbox, I suddenly ran through the day's utterly hellish schedule in my head once more.

'First, dash to the academy lab and feed our Pingdengi breakfast.'

Since I promised yesterday. This is a top-priority mission I absolutely can't skip.

'Watch her eat for a bit, then change clothes on time...'

Then I had to head to the prebooked Grand Asteria restaurant and have an awkward lunch with my twin younger sister, whom I could hardly claim not to recognize by face...

And that was to be done while wearing the complicated attitude and manners my brother had left behind in yesterday's letter.

'Fuck, seriously. What a hell of a grind this is on a weekend morning.'

Outwardly, I kept grumbling nonstop and complaining about how annoying it was,

but my hands were carefully pouring warm corn soup into a small thermos so Lily wouldn't choke while eating.

* * *

Clatter, clatter.

After hurriedly getting breakfast and lunch into Lily,

I dumped the empty dishes into the sink and threw on my outerwear.

Time was fairly tight. Weekend traffic in the capital was no exception, even for carriages.

"Please keep the lab secure."

Holding the doorknob, I said this while glancing softly at Lily, who had stood up from the sofa to see me off.

"If you get hungry, you can finish the omurice left on the table. I put it in a thermos, so it'll still be warm."

At my words, Lily gave a very pretty eye-smile and neatly brought her hands together.

"Yes, I'll do that. Please travel safely, Lord Cassian!"

Creak, click.

After closing the lab door and stepping out into the hallway,

"……."

my feelings were rather strange.

For some reason, the afterglow of that ordinary exchange with Lily just now tickled the back of my neck.

This was clearly just a cramped private lab in the academy's Department of Magic,

but the sensation I felt as I left just now made me think of a real home, as if I were a working father saying goodbye to the youngest daughter staying behind to guard the house.

"Let's not think pointless thoughts and just go earn our keep."

I lightly shook my head and quickened my steps toward the academy's main gate.

* * *

The southern riverside of the capital.

The river wind that hit me the moment I got off the carriage was quite refreshing.

This place couldn't compare to the grand, stiff administrative district around the capital's central plaza, but along the southern riverside there was a fairly neat so-called 'hip neighborhood.'

To put it by comparison, that is.

If the capital's central plaza was like Hongdae or Apgujeong, with all sorts of luxury stores and power players gathered there,

then this southern riverside was more like Mangwon and Seongsu, lined with trendy young nobles and hot spots.

It had a youthful, open, oddly relaxed scent of money.

'The Grand Asteria I'm eating at today is... ah, there it is.'

A place said to be the most famous landmark in this riverside commercial district.

Was it a dining restaurant run by some viscount who loved extravagant spending to an absurd degree, having poured massive capital into a famous chef from the empire's south?

So finding it wasn't hard at all.

Among the quaint, stylish buildings around it,

there was suddenly a ridiculously huge four-story mansion faced entirely in marble, absurdly overkill for a restaurant, slapped right in there.

"This really is the embodiment of capitalism."

I want that, too.

After letting out a small laugh while looking up at that overwhelming facade,

I lightly straightened my clothes and pushed open the majestic glass doors, stepping inside.

Ding.

"Welcome, sir."

As soon as I entered the lobby, a manager in a perfectly tailored tuxedo bowed courteously and deeply.

"Are you the reservation holder? May I have your name?"

The manager asked while opening the thick reservation ledger.

Hmm.

I stroked my chin.

Our meticulous big brother Harun had said he'd made the reservation,

but I wasn't sure whether he'd made it under my name or under the Farne family name.

"Cassian del Farne."

When I answered, the manager's finger skimmed across the very first page of the ledger.

"Yes. Confirmed."

The manager's eyes instantly filled with deep reverence, and his voice grew even more polite.

"We've been expecting you, young master Farne. Please follow me."

The manager took the lead and guided me straight toward the luxurious spiral staircase.

'As expected of our brother. He sorted it out in an extremely precise VIP fashion.'

Judging by the route I was being guided along, it seemed to be heading for the top floor.

I climbed the four flights at an easy pace, then asked the manager's back as he led the way,

"By any chance, could you guide me to the second floor instead?"

At my sudden request, the manager came to a dead stop.

Turning around, he answered with a thoroughly flustered expression.

"Pardon? Ah, the VVIP table you've reserved is only available on the fourth floor."

"I see."

Hmm.

Still, this seems more like the right choice.

"It doesn't matter even if the second floor is fully booked."

"……."

"If you were to swap it with the fourth-floor VVIP seats, the guests on the second floor would probably be even happier. Wouldn't they?"

At my shameless yet reasonable suggestion, the manager's pupils wavered.

But as befits a proper capitalism worker in a romance-fantasy world, that wavering lasted only a moment.

"Of course, I won't be taking a refund for the difference. On the contrary, I'll cover all the extra costs incurred by the table setup and additional service."

A professional smile spread over the manager's face at once.

"Understood. Then—"

The manager bowed respectfully.

"I'll immediately set you up with the brightest, most open riverside-view table on the second floor. Would you mind waiting in the lobby for a moment?"

"Sure. Once my party arrives, please show them straight to that table."

* * *

Murmur, clatter.

A pleasant white noise tickled my ears.

The main dining hall on the second floor.

The seat the manager had hurriedly prepared was exactly perfect for my purpose.

Warm spring sunlight was pouring in through the large front windows.

It was an excellent spot, overlooking the winding southern riverbank at a glance.

More than that.

Even the atmosphere, with stylish noble youths and wealthy merchants at the surrounding tables noisily enjoying their meals,

'This is it, this is it.‘

Leaning against the table, I took a sip of the iced water that had been set out and checked the time.

Ten minutes before the appointment.

That Lucius guy.

He said himself they look exactly the same, so honestly, I can sort of picture it.

Just imagining a face with long hair slapped onto it gave me a slight chill down my spine.

Still, I promised I'd do my part.

Then.

Step, step.

...clack, clack.

Behind the courteous footsteps of the staff member helping guide the way, I could hear a very cautious, light sound of dress shoes.

"Young master Farne. Your party has arrived."

Following the staff member's guidance, I lowered the hand propping up my chin and stood up from my seat.