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Chapter 02
The Atelier Raid Incident
“Did you get drunk again and tumble down the stairs?!”
“M-me?”
Ian’s eyes sharpened.
“I don’t make mistakes like that anymore.”
“Do you really think you can fool me?”
“Fool you? Who’s fooling who…”
“You don’t have to be embarrassed in front of me. Everyone has one—or no, maybe two—dark moments in their past.”
Ian was quick-witted. Nothing good would come from letting the conversation drag on. Adeline took half a step back.
“Think whatever you want.”
“You’re embarrassed, aren’t you?”
Ian let out a small chuckle. Stepping closer, he reached out. His large hand gently fixed Adeline’s messy, sticking-out hair.
“Still… I’m relieved.”
“…?”
“I’m sure now that you had fun while you were out.”
“……”
“You’re even showing me this disheveled side of yourself.”
“……”
“You look more of a mess than I’ve ever seen… but also more beautiful.”
Phew. I wondered what he was going to say.
Relieved inwardly, Adeline curled her lips into a smile.
“What do you mean, a mess? I’m always perfect. And back up a little when you talk.”
Pretending to stay calm, she lightly pushed Ian’s shoulder away and slowly looked around the room.
No matter how many times she saw it, her beloved Blueciel Atelier always brought a satisfied smile to her face.
Jingle. Jingle. Jingle.
At that moment, the clear sound of the bell rang out urgently.
“Welco—”
“…!”
Before the greeting could finish, rough-looking knights stormed in with hurried footsteps.
Their expressions looked grim, as if they were marching onto a battlefield.
Sensing danger, Ian whispered:
“Boss, look at their faces. They look like they came to attend a funeral.”
Maybe this was exactly what people meant by a bolt from the blue.
They definitely don’t look like a group here for coffee.
Adeline frowned at the unpleasant visitors.
It happened in an instant.
The knights turned her precious atelier upside down.
“Search every corner!”
“Eek!”
Some customers fled in panic.
The commotion attracted passersby, who began gathering outside.
“Oh my goodness, what on earth is happening?”
If she stayed silent, her business would be ruined.
Adeline clenched her fist.
“Excuse me. You clearly aren’t ordinary customers—what exactly are you doing?”
The knights swept accessories, bracelets, fans, perfume, candles, soap, and cookies from the display stands into sacks.
Shelves and tables broke in the process.
One knight suddenly stopped and approached Adeline.
Ian tried to step in, but Adeline moved first.
“Uninvited guests aren’t welcome. Leave my shop immediately.”
“That won’t be possible.”
“Can’t you see you’ve frightened my valued customers?”
The gray-haired knight merely gestured behind him.
Within moments, not a single customer remained inside Blueciel Atelier.
“Take everything! Leave nothing behind!”
One knight firmly shut the door and pulled the curtains closed.
Everything in the atelier was disappearing into sacks.
“Excuse me! I’m calling the guards right now!”
“The guards won’t come.”
“…What?”
“Or rather—they wouldn’t dare.”
“What did you say?”
“As I said, the city guards will never come.”
“A mere knight dares disregard public authority?”
The knight pulled out a badge and shouted loudly:
“This is by order of His Grace, the Grand Duke of Blackwood!”
The emblem bore the symbol of Blackwood—a black lion entwined with rose vines.
Adeline pushed aside the hand holding the badge.
Grand Duke or not.
No one had the right to erase years of effort built through missed meals and sleepless nights.
“That arrogant man—ugh!”
Ian quickly covered her mouth and whispered:
“Boss, hold back for now.”
“Mmph!”
“There’s nothing to gain from clashing with the House of Blackwood.”
“Mmph!”
“Let’s go quietly first and talk—ugh!”
Ian felt pain shoot through his shin.
Adeline had kicked him with her heel.
She understood what Ian meant.
But what reason was there to suddenly destroy her business like this?
That petty man… Is this because of what happened back then?
If he’d returned from war, shouldn’t he just accept honors and get married?
Why come back only to wreck someone else’s shop?
“Excuse me!”
“This bracelet!”
Adeline and the knight shouted at the same time.
The knight glared sharply and held up a bracelet.
“We know this was made in this shop.”
“Oh? That bracelet is incredibly popular right now. I guess you don’t keep up with trends.”
It was a bracelet crafted with jewels worthy of being remembered in history.
Something only Adeline could make.
Something priceless.
“We know it was made here.”
“So what if it was?”
“You will come with us to the House of Blackwood immediately.”
“And why exactly would I?”
The knight stared at her intensely.
Adeline didn’t look away.
Then two other knights grabbed her arms tightly.
“Let go! Ian, call the guards right now! And you lot are guilty of obstructing business—mmph!”
“Boss—mmph!”
One knight covered Adeline’s mouth.
Others restrained Ian.
The remaining employees were tied up as well.
“Adeline Frensha. You’re the owner here, correct?”
“You must come with us.”
“That is… unless you’d like to see others get hurt because of you.”
Adeline looked around.
Threatening her was one thing.
But harming her employees was unacceptable.
“If you cooperate quietly, we’ll treat you kindly.”
And what exactly am I supposed to trust about that?
After struggling briefly, Adeline bit the knight’s hand hard.
The knight yanked it away in pain.
“Stop acting like uncivilized barbarians.”
“And another thing.”
The knights’ eyes followed the direction of her fingertips.
“Don’t touch my employees.”
“That’s not a request.”
“It’s an order.”
A radiant light flickered from her slender hand.
The Blackwood knights exchanged glances and stepped back.
“Why don’t we settle this peacefully?”
“……”
“I’m not an uncultured person like some people.”
“I prefer civilized methods.”
“……”
“What? Still not feeling cooperative?”
The knights kept watching her hand nervously.
The light surrounding her fingertips grew brighter.
Eventually, they raised both hands.
Looks like none of the knights here can use mana.
No elite knights or valuable mages would be sent for something as trivial as wrecking a small atelier.
After assessing the situation, Adeline strode toward the knight holding her bracelet.
“I have no idea what someone so important wants with me.”
“But after causing this much chaos, I suppose I should grant an audience.”
She snatched the bracelet from him.
“And the thing you’re holding?”
“That’s the most expensive item here.”
“……”
“Move.”
Using magic, she pushed the stunned knight aside.
Then Adeline walked out of the atelier with dignified steps.
It was a viciously unpleasant summer day.
***
The Blackwood Estate – Reception Room
Sitting on a sofa, Adeline glared sharply at Joseph, the family butler.
“Miss Frensha, would you like a cup of tea?”
Frensha.
Adeline’s fake surname.
Since she never revealed her real family name, endless rumors followed her throughout her academy days.
Some said she was the daughter of a wealthy courtesan.
Others claimed she was the illegitimate child of a rich noble.
“Butler, I’ll decline your kindness.”
“Isn’t that a kindness too precious to refuse?”
“Could you tell the owner of this house to come out?”
“My master will arrive shortly.”
Joseph smiled warmly.
Adeline forced a smile.
“Please tell him to come out immediately.”
“He’ll be here shortly.”
“I’d prefer now.”
“He’ll be here shortly.”
“I feel like I’ve heard that hundreds of times.”
“My goodness. Have I talked that much?”
This sly old butler! How many times has he repeated the same thing?
“Perhaps because I’m in the company of someone as beautiful as Miss Frensha, I lost track of time.”
“Oh dear, how embarrassing of this old man.”
“I hope you’ll forgive me.”
The smooth-talking butler gracefully poured cool flower tea into an empty cup.
His movements were practiced and precise.
But Adeline wasn’t grateful in the slightest.
Should I just flip the table over?
