Please Don’t Come To The Villainess’ Stationery Store! - Chapter 51

“Honestly, although Duke Hesman is Duke Hesman, the most suspicious is most definitely Princess Meldenique.”

Rasmus fell back on the sofa without any facial expression.

Isaac closed his eyes and was lost in thought.

‘Princess Meldenique.’

Strangely, Meldenqiue, who was making cotton candy, came to his mind.

‘She was smiling.‘

She only seemed to have that face when she was with little children. He couldn’t remember any other face. He didn’t even know what her hair looked like.

He could only think of the face she had that looked like she couldn’t resist how adorable Henry is.

“This is bad.”

Strangely enough, he kept thinking about her. He didn’t think it was a good sign at all.

To change his thoughts, he opened Carat’s letter.

[Tower Lord, have you been well?

It’s nothing other than about the ‘Mel’ who I promised to introduce you to. She’s looking for an escort to a ball!

Is it possible for the Tower Lord to escort her?

The Tower Lord’s status is the Lord of the tower, but His Majesty has given you a title!

I think it would be great if the two of you get along.

-Carat]

It was a letter that made Carat’s heart race.

Normally, he wouldn’t play along. But Isaac picked up his pen as he narrowed his eyebrows.

‘Meldenique Vaveloa and Duke Hesman could bump into each other.’

I’ll be able to determine who the real thief is and what Duke Hesman is dreaming of.

‘We’ll have to catch the thief soon.’

To be clear, he wasn’t going to protect Meldenique.

[I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon. On my way.]

The pen scratched the paper and made a squeaky sound. It was a simple reply.

He stamped his seal with the name ‘Isaac Mathieu Reinhold.’

“I’ll be back.”

“Yes?”

“This time, to catch the real thief.”

He tilted his head to one side. A quite languid and disheveled face.

“You, you, you can’t reveal your identity right away, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Just in case you don’t know. Our wizards are 100% sure that Meldenique is the culprit, okay?”

Rasmus spoke bluntly.

Isaac shrugged his shoulders and raised his pen again.

“I know. I won’t identify myself.”

For the time being.

He was mistaken for Henry’s father anyway.

But for some reason, he didn’t want to tell that to Rasmus.

***

My stationery store was going viral because Hildegart and Lenox didn’t interfere.

There were many unique children customers, of different background, from Maltend Academy.

Although most of them visited expecting the limited edition cotton candy, they all still left touched.

But there were some who didn’t. A straw-colored girl with freckles arrived today was so.

Just about seven years old, she entered the stationery store and arrogantly spoke.

“Hng! I was wondering how great it is, but… it isn’t nice.”

“What brings you here?”

“What are you looking for, kid.”

The child, who was trying to shake up the stationery store while browsing, soon opened his eyes wide when she saw Dominique behind my back.

“Huuk?”

After looking at me, the little young lady’s eyes went blurry.

I was strangely used to that avoidance, and I was strangely familiar with that wheat-colored hair and brown eyes with a bit of venom.

‘Did I see her at a banquet? Is she a daughter of one of Hildegart’s people?’

“H-hng. This isn’t good, Princess.”

The small, coy face, which opened its eyes, was cute.

I was wondering if I should surprise her with some of the stationery store products, but the child approached Dominique.

“You’re quite handsome, commoner!”

Dominique had a dim expression, but he squatted down and met the child’s eye level.

“I know.”

“Really? Then give me your recommendations!”

Dominique nodded as if it was too bothersome to hear that he was handsome, so he faithfully did what the child asked for.

“Beer candy, paint candy, and a pencil case. What do you think?”

The child opened her mouth wide and exclaimed at Dominique.

“…Okay! You have a really handsome voice.”

“……?”

Well, it’s a good thing the child was seduced, even if it was by Dominique’s face.

I approached the counter and received the child’s payment.

“A million bekrels?”

The child tutted and handed me a million bekrels again.

“The rest is service. Give that commoner more money. That handsome face is too skinny.”

Too skinny?

No. Dominique’s sharp face was moderately chubby.

‘…It sounds like a grandmother’s soul is trapped in a child’s body.’

However, I answered sincerely as a president who faithfully adhered to customer satisfaction services.

“Yes, Miss.”

“I’ll come back. Feed the commoner well.”

I waved at the child.

‘There are many different types of customers.’

Today’s management of the diverse stationery store was over.

Dominique spoke softly, looking at the child’s back.

“Give me a raise.”

I heard that hiring handsome part-timers would increase sales.

“Yeah. I’ll really give you a raise.”

I felt like there really was going to be a surplus in the stationery store for the first time this month.

“Come to think of it, it’s time for Carat to come, isn’t it?”

“Ah, with that escort person. Right?”

“Yeah. He asked to meet at the tea shop in front.”

Earlier, Carat smiled and said to meet at the teahouse in front of the Academy this afternoon.

There was only one teahouse near the academy that deserved that location. It was a place called ‘Iro’s Cafe’, run by the vice chairman of the merchant association.

But it was weird.

‘I’m sure it’s the normal time for it to be noisy from people enjoying tea right now…’

Entering the cafe, I was flustered to see the emptiness.

“I saw you coming, so I emptied all the seats.”

The vice chairman of the merchant association spoke with twinkling eyes.

“Thank you. I’ll use it well.”

I gave him a big smile with my thanks. There was no particular reason to refuse, and the fewer the people who recognized me, the better.

I sat in the middle of the teahouse they led to me. I had the most famous afternoon tea set from this shop along with a nice mille feuille.

I sipped the tea as it was the promised time.

And then, I saw Carat brightly entering the tea house.

And the man who followed after him was…

I opened my eyes wide when I saw the man who was entering the teahouse.

‘Oh my, I thought It’d be someone I never met before, but we’ve met before.’

A black haired man with soft, tan skin. He was so handsome that he was extraordinary.

‘He’s very handsome today too…’

As he approached the table, I immediately extended my hand and greeted him.

“Henry’s father!”

“Cough!”

In the middle, Carat suddenly made a noise.

“Yes, I’m Henry’s guardian, Mathieu.”

Henry’s guardian. But, I can’t go to a ball with a married man, can I?

“Yes. Nice to meet you, Henry’s father. But, are you my partner?”

I tilted my head in wonder.

“…Henry’s guardian.”

Henry’s father quickly corrected his title.

‘Isn’t that the same thing?’

Well, since he’s a young man, he may not like the title of father.

I nodded at him, fixing the appellation.

“Yes, Henry’s guardian.”