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Chapter : 21
It was obviously impossible for all the restaurant staff to visit this place.
So this time, only Meno, who had retired from work, and two Letiz who had connections with the sisters, were going to visit Tadibna Island.
Time passed quickly, and the promised day arrived.
I was reading a book at the outdoor restaurant of the villa, enjoying the sea breeze, when I began to hear a murmur from afar.
“Eani-nim~!”
I lifted my head from the book, and the youngest, Celine, approached with a slightly excited expression.
“I’ve brought Letiz and Meno!”
Behind her stood two women I had never seen before.
One had orange hair and appeared to be around the sisters’ age; the other was older, with brown skin.
The brown-skinned woman bowed first and showed proper etiquette.
“Thank you for inviting us to the island. My name is Meno.”
“I’m Letiz! It’s an honor to meet you!”
Since both of them had worked in high-end restaurants, they seemed somewhat familiar with proper manners.
I lightly smiled in response to their greetings.
“Thank you for coming, Meno, Letiz. I’m Eani Nasel.”
Meno blinked quickly and then carefully spoke.
“Please speak freely. Letiz and I are commoners.”
“I know.”
Thud.
I closed my book and straightened up.
“But I want to show proper courtesy to the talents I bring in. Doing so makes it easier for us to have meaningful conversations.”
“Ah…”
Meno looked surprised, as if she hadn’t expected such words.
I understood her reaction.
This is a place where the class system still exists openly.
Currently, the empire was in a turbulent era, with various industries booming, middle-class elites rising rapidly, and many wealthy commoners emerging.
Yet, the deeply rooted class system remained, so nobles still considered commoners trivial and far beneath them.
No wonder she’s surprised that I would treat her with respect.
Of course, for those used to the class system, a noble speaking politely might feel uncomfortable or burdensome.
It goes against their conventional sense entirely.
That’s why, from the beginning, I spoke casually with the three sisters and the councilor Birt.
Meno’s situation was slightly different.
This woman has probably experienced countless blows to her self-esteem and repeated setbacks at her previous job.
She had worked her best, yet promotions were always skipped, and even managing to endure it, she ended up leaving due to a pregnancy-related dismissal.
To recruit someone like her into my company, I had to strongly convey that this place was different from her previous workplace.
The first step was to show what kind of boss I am.
A boss who respects her rights without oppressing her based on her social status.
Even in modern times, such people are rare, and here, they must be extremely few.
I wanted to show Meno that I was that rare kind of boss.
Judging by her reaction, even such a small gesture as speaking politely seems to have made a strong impression.
I invited the still-tense Meno and Letiz to sit.
“Please, don’t stand. Sit over here.”
“Th-thank you.”
“Thank you…!”
Meno sat across from me a beat later, followed by Letiz beside her.
I smiled gently at them and whispered to Celine.
“Bring some drinks for the guests.”
“Yes, Eani-nim!”
Celine puffed her chest out proudly and marched confidently toward the inner restaurant.
I tore my eyes away from her and looked back at Meno and Letiz.
“Did you enjoy touring the island?”
Bellin and Celine had already returned to Tadibna Island, but I had given them an additional task.
I asked them to personally guide the guests so they could fully experience the charm of the island.
Thanks to that, Bellin and Celine enthusiastically planned the tour route.
After touring Tadibna Island, Meno and Letiz finally met me at the restaurant.
Meno composed herself and nodded in response to my question.
“It was truly a beautiful island. The white sandy beaches along the coast were especially impressive. Even in the south, which has many beaches, I’ve never seen sand so white and fine.”
“Yes! And the sea was as clear as glass, like a painting! Even in Weina, I haven’t seen such a beautiful sea!”
I smiled contentedly at Meno and Letiz’s comments.
It felt good to have someone appreciate a landscape I cherished as beautiful.
“While you two toured the island, I also reviewed the conversations I had with Bellin. Some things they wanted answered directly by me.”
When I brought up work matters, the two tensed slightly.
Still, Meno, who had more social experience, spoke calmly.
“Yes, we discussed employment terms, but I judged that the finer details needed to be coordinated with Eani-nim.”
“Please speak freely.”
Although Bellin’s report already covered the points, I asked again intentionally.
It helped Meno organize her thoughts and ease her tension.
Meno took a long breath and began asking her questions carefully.
For example:
“You said you plan to build a resort on this island, and according to Bellin, completion seems faster than expected. But I wonder if construction will progress smoothly in such a place, and if the plan is canceled midway, will the employees contracted to work be compensated?”
“Commuting to and from Tadibna Island is also a concern. The island isn’t far from Weina, but we don’t have personal boats. We’ve never had to cross the sea to commute.”
“What we want most is a stable work environment where we can focus on our jobs without being fired due to marriage or pregnancy. Bellin mentioned this, but I wanted confirmation from Eani-nim.”
I listened carefully to Meno’s questions.
Then I sighed softly.
Meno, who had been speaking passionately, paused, looking slightly embarrassed.
“I know. I am asking a lot. But this isn’t just about me—it also concerns the juniors who follow me, so I’ve been quite ambitious.”
“Oh, Meno. My sigh isn’t because of that. So don’t feel intimidated.”
At that moment, Celine arrived with the drinks.
I took a glass with ice, quenched my throat, and spoke slowly.
“First, the issues you mentioned—actually, they’re nothing serious.”
“Excuse me?”
“These can all be resolved with money.”
There could be variables in construction, which might disrupt the schedule.
But the project would never stop entirely.
If it were meant to stop halfway, I wouldn’t have even started it.
Originally, my goal could have been to live comfortably as a moderately wealthy person, cozying up to Duke Seind and his wife or other rich folks.
But that would never have satisfied my ambition.
Other issues like commuting, job stability, etc.
These could be solved by preparing shuttle boats and creating a workplace culture that allows for parental leave.
Most of Meno’s worries could be addressed with money.
For me, problems that money can solve are trivial.
“So don’t worry about such minor issues. That’s my job. Your job is something else.”
“My job…?”
“Of course, the role of head chef.”
Meno gasped.
From the start, I didn’t want Meno as a person, but Meno as a chef to be the head of my restaurant’s kitchen.
I liked that she had survived in unfavorable circumstances and wanted to keep surviving.
Her becoming a mother and her professional abilities were separate matters.
“Above all, I’ve found new ingredients that didn’t exist on this island. I hope you and your juniors develop various and interesting dishes using them.”
“New ingredients?”
I said no more and encouraged her to drink the beverage Celine had brought.
Meno raised the glass with curious eyes and brought it to her lips.
