Chapter 23
Mera scoffed shortly and walked outside.
The news bulletin would say something like this:
[Cafe Kawa: Employee who spilled coffee on a customer not only failed to be trained properly but even drove a noblewoman away!
…In a world where paying for services is the norm, the noblewoman, despite paying, was met with rudeness, forced to abandon her limited-edition dress, and suffered burns on her legs from the hot coffee spilled on her… (excerpt)…
What would you do? At Cafe Kawa, where customers must tiptoe around employees even after paying. According to the Duchess of the South and owner of Cafe Kawa, inside the cafe, employees and customers are equal.
It’s only a difference between those who provide service and those who receive it, with no difference in status or value!
Does that mean even employees picked up from the marketplace and trained are equal to a duchess customer?]**
Of course, the incident caused an uproar.
Some nobles were appalled by the extreme rudeness, while others mocked the Southern Duchess, an outsider, for groveling to win favor with the lower-class Southern people.
But ultimately, the controversy drew even more visitors to Cafe Kawa.
Why?
“Nowadays, what era is it where one belittles someone’s worth because of their social status? Every life has its own value. Though God bestowed me the title of Countess, I intend to use it to protect the people of my domain.”
Whether sincere or not, nobles proclaiming noblesse oblige began visiting to prove their generosity.
In short, Aileen’s cafe became a symbol of ‘generosity.’
Naturally, the incident of chasing Mera out was mentioned even at the royal palace.
As you know, the empress was Mera’s cousin, and although bedridden, Mera’s husband was one of the emperor’s trusted retainers.
The palace was intensely interested in the Southern Duke and Duchess at the center of the scandal.
The ministers were divided in opinion.
“Perhaps the duke’s mind has dulled in old age. Who would have thought he would remarry after losing his virtuous wife? That woman was always troublesome. The palace need not intervene in such petty power struggles, Your Majesty.”
“Still, this concerns noble honor. Lady Mera had every right to be angry. The Southern Duchess should be cautioned.”
Listening quietly, the emperor slowly opened his wrinkled eyes and asked,
“What does the crown prince think?”
Sitting closest on his right, the crown prince answered,
“Why not visit the cafe in person?”
“What?!”
The ministers looked at the crown prince in surprise.
Though the crown prince needed to prove himself to cement his position, no one expected him to cause such a stir.
“Why do you want to visit in person, Eden?”
“Riots have been frequent recently. The north is still at war, refugees are coming down, taxes are rising, and the new salt tax implemented a few days ago has caused much unrest. I think it would be good if, as crown prince, I visited there to calm public sentiment.”
The emperor nodded thoughtfully.
“Very well. Do so.”
Back in his office, the crown prince Eden was asked by his aide,
“Your Highness, will you really visit the cafe?”
“Do I look like someone who speaks idly?”
“Then—”
Knowing what his aide was about to say, Eden smiled faintly.
“Of course, I won’t tell Hilix.”
“What?! You’ll meet him there for sure! How can you go without telling anyone? Especially you, the crown prince!”
“That’s why I must go secretly. Like a covert mission.”
“Even if it’s covert, Hilix will find out. It’s the Southern Duchess’s own cafe. Won’t she tell my husband? She definitely will! And if he finds out late, he’ll be even angrier…?”
The aide shuddered in fear and brushed the goosebumps on his arm.
Eden shrugged, thinking it made sense.
“Maybe it’s payback for marrying me without telling me.”
“What?! That’s childish.”
“What’s childish about it? Sent to find the culprit, but no culprit is found — only love games. I expected to hear from her personally. Is it reasonable to learn about a subordinate’s marriage through a newsletter?”
“You know that’s not true.”
“That remains to be seen. The relationship between a man and a woman is complicated.”
Eden laughed and shrugged again.
But the aide shook his head firmly.
“Hilix is not that kind of man. Even a cold-blooded man like him — who would be charmed by such a scary and cold person?”
The crown prince laughed heartily.
“True, that’s for sure.”
Aileen’s cafe was doing great business.
Without suspecting the upcoming high-profile visitor was the crown prince, Aileen was once again idly twirling a quill like a pen, deep in thought.
Though the cafe drew attention, visitors, and social activity, the South’s revival had not come overnight.
After barely a month since opening the cafe, Aileen decided it was time for her second inspection trip.
“I will create a resort.”
Dalton, Floan’s aide, who was listening, asked,
“A risotto?”
“No, not risotto — a resort.”
The South had an abundance of mountains, fields, rivers, and seas.
It had been her longtime dream.
A brilliant resort nestled between lush forests with a sea view!
Opening a map, she pointed to an area near the second city.
“This area looks perfect for a resort business. You can see both forest and sea here. I want to visit and talk with the villagers directly.”
“Would nobles leave their villas to come all the way down south?”
Most nobles owned mountain or seaside villas.
Spending vacations every year in ancestral estates was routine for them.
So it was unclear whether a resort — or risotto? — would attract enthusiasm like the cafe had.
Floan looked skeptical, but Aileen replied,
“Wouldn’t it be boring to go to the same place over and over every year?”
A single change from a monotonous routine can be meaningful.
Dalton still looked unsure about what effect the Southern Duchess’s resort plan would have.
But Floan seemed ready to support Aileen’s plans.
“We have to attract attention first — maybe start by showcasing a swimsuit fashion here… though I’m not sure if that would work…”
Muttering to herself, Aileen’s plans were a mystery to everyone else.
“Your Highness, are you really going to do this?”
Dalton quietly asked Floan.
Floan looked at his passionate wife amusedly and said,
“Let her do whatever she wants.”
“Really? That’s okay?”
“Why not?”
“…”
“She’s cute.”
“…Sigh.”
Dalton decided not to argue any further.
