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Chapter 20:
Three Breads. For Small Business Owners, a Side Job is Standard (5)
The kitchen felt more familiar to Ellie than any other space.
However, ever since Ellie had started spending so much time there, the head chef and the other cooks had only given her a small corner of the kitchen, without speaking a single word to her.
She made eye contact with a cook who had been lingering at a distance, hesitant to approach the knight commander and the girl who had arrived with him.
Ellie offered a tentative smile and nodded in greeting.
There was no custom in this world to bow or nod when greeting someone, but perhaps because of memories from her previous life, she automatically moved her head first.
Encouraged by that, the head chef took a step closer.
“Miss, um…”
“Please call me Ellie. I run a small bakery!”
“Oh, are you from JMT Bakery?”
“Uh, how do you know that?”
Ellie’s eyes widened. The head chef raised his voice.
“Oh my, it’s run by such a young girl?”
“Ugh… my eardrums…”
“Oh, sorry! Did I startle you? My voice is a bit loud.”
“I-it’s fine.”
Ellie was nineteen this year, turning twenty in a few months, but her chubby cheeks made her appear younger at first glance.
Up close, her features were defined, and her deep blue eyes were striking, but most people focused on her plump figure and didn’t notice.
“So the commander really loves that bakery, huh? Did you come here on a business trip?”
“No, not really. I started a side business.”
“I heard their bread sells like hotcakes.”
“Well, that’s how it goes with new shops. Even if it sells, there’s not much profit.”
Her quiet words drew a hint of sympathy from the chef.
The struggles of a small business owner were all too real.
Even when sales go well, worries never cease.
“Hang in there… life’s long, you know…”
“Yes…”
The heavy pat on her shoulder felt warm, and for some reason, her nose tingled.
Thinking back, this was the first time she had met someone without bread as a medium.
Someone in a place that wasn’t her bakery, her personal sanctuary, was looking at her and speaking to her directly.
Strangely, it made her very happy.
‘Was I lonely?’
Perhaps she had longed for someone to talk to her without any purpose.
Being in the kitchen might have made it feel even more special.
She recalled the kitchen of the MacClure mansion, where no one spoke to her and her presence was practically invisible.
Although she didn’t like the whispering and the dismissive glances behind her back, there was no need to resent them.
It was all because of the Duke of MacClure’s warnings.
If they had shown pity for the “pig princess,” they would have lost their jobs. They had no choice.
The Duke must be thrilled right now, feeling as if he could fly.
‘Annoying brat.’
With his troublesome daughter gone without a trace, he was probably busy preparing to officially add Ireine to the family tree.
‘Has Ireine left home?’
Since Ellie, who might have thrown her out, was gone, Ireine had to reject the Duke’s affection herself and leave. Perhaps she was already meeting a candidate for her husband and building a connection.
Ellie suddenly felt curious about the MacClure mansion’s current state.
It had been nearly three months since she ran away.
And yet, nothing had happened.
Realizing just how insignificant and powerless her existence had been was not a pleasant experience, even if she had expected it.
“Oh, is this the bread from JMT Bakery?”
“Looks delicious… but it must be for the commander, right?”
The baguette sandwich was almost too simple to even call a dish.
Once Ellie said what ingredients she needed, the cooks brought them, and in just a few minutes, it was done.
The problem was the eager looks of the cooks.
Their eyes were full of expectation, which made her feel a bit pressured.
Ellie paused, then spoke.
She had felt joy just from talking to someone outside her shop, and a desire to do something for them bubbled up. She found herself a little amused and slightly sad.
“Shall I make something simple for you to eat?”
“That would be wonderful! It’s just before lunch too!”
“You haven’t eaten yet today?!”
“We have to prepare lunch and then clean up. Only at this time can we eat. So, what do you need?”
“Do you have flour?”
“We don’t use it much, but yes.”
Ellie wrapped the finished baguette sandwiches in paper and placed them in a basket to the side. Several pairs of eyes followed the basket.
“What do you usually eat?”
“Mostly meat. We get bread from a bakery every few days. Flour is only used for soups sometimes.”
That made sense.
This world, especially this country, was very meat-centric. Bread was probably mostly discarded.
“What region is the flour from?”
“From the Yan Empire.”
“No, which province in the Empire?”
“Hmm, let me see… Hey, bring the purchase ledger.”
Soon, a cook came to the head chef.
“It’s from the Gamen province. Isn’t that in the northwest?”
The cook seemed puzzled as to why she asked.
Strong flour and weak flour were different varieties.
Ellie had tried each region’s flour through trial and error, noting differences in protein content and usage, and categorized them.
Thanks to the Duke’s wealth, she could buy flour by region and make bread and pastries.
She was thankful to the Duke, at least a tiny bit.
‘If it’s Gamen flour, it must be weak flour.’
Since there was no time to ferment, she couldn’t make leavened bread. Ellie quickly scanned the ingredients in the kitchen.
As the cooks confidently said, meat was abundant.
From familiar meats like beef, pork, and chicken to unidentifiable monster meat, there was a variety.
‘This is the perfect opportunity!’
As Ban entered the reception room of the Knights’ headquarters, a sweet scent reached his nose.
‘A floral fragrance?’
Unlike artificial scents, it was fresh.
As he stepped further inside, the person sitting by the sunlit window looked up in surprise.
A stunning beauty with golden hair like a crown, clear white skin, a slender face, a long neck like a deer, and blue eyes.
Her delicate and fragile beauty demanded attention.
Ban was slightly surprised.
‘The eye color is the same.’
The same hue and depth as Ellie’s.
If a hint of displeasure were added, her gaze would perfectly match Ellie’s.
Ban smiled unconsciously.
Ellie couldn’t hide her intense dislike of Ban at all. The fact that she tried, and failed, was amusing.
Being genuinely disliked made her feel at ease.
As long as she honestly said she hated him, he could be calm.
“You said you were looking for me?”
“Yes, Commander. I’m sorry for coming without an appointment… but this was my only option.”
“And who might you be?”
Ban asked politely, keeping a neutral expression. A knight must be courteous to a lady.
“I’m Ireine. I live in the MacClure household.”
“Ah.”
Ireine didn’t introduce herself as ‘Ireine MacClure.’
Otherwise, Ban might have corrected her. It was unfortunate.
Unlike Ellie, the Duke’s illegitimate child had no resemblance except for eye color.
Ellie’s clean and modest clothing contrasted with Ireine’s clearly custom-made, fashionable dress.
Her necklace, earrings, and gloves were carefully chosen to accentuate her beauty.
It was a clear sign of the Duke’s affection.
“Because of the MacClure name, the deputy commander couldn’t refuse, I see. But this behavior is unacceptable. If you have business with the Knights, you must formally contact us to schedule a visit.”
“I was desperate. I need to find someone, someone very important.”
Ireine clasped her hands together, her eyes glistening with tears. Her emotion was captivating.
Normally, someone would rush to wipe her tears, but Ban cut her off coldly.
“The Osori Knights are not a detective agency, young lady.”
“My father’s reach can’t be trusted. He interfered with everything.”
“……”
“I have to find that person. I can’t sleep, worrying where they might be… Winter is coming soon.”
“They must be someone close to you.”
Ban, understanding roughly who she meant, said with a subtle tone.
“Yes. Someone very close, closer than anyone else.”
“……”
“It’s been almost three months. I waited, hoping they would return soon, but now… Something must have happened. My father could have done anything… Please, I’ll do whatever I can, just find them!”
“I understand why you came to me.”
“…I heard the Osori Knights also patrol the city.”
“And I am a member of the Cronin family.”
“……”
To what extent had the Duke informed his illegitimate child?
Ban changed his expression and smiled gently.
“You said it’s been almost three months since they disappeared without a trace.”
“Yes…”
Her face brightened at his kind smile. But at Ban’s next words, her expression crumpled.
“Perhaps that person ran away silently simply because they didn’t like you?”
