TDNT 40

Chapter : 40

As expected, finding a new employee wasn’t easy.

Given how urgent it was, Sophie didn’t even hope for someone knowledgeable about medicinal herbs. All she wanted was someone who could help tidy up this place, which had slowly transformed into more of a teahouse than an apothecary.

“You still haven’t hired anyone, Sophie?”

Arabell asked while munching on a cookie. Sophie took a handkerchief from her pocket and gently wiped the chocolate off Arabell’s lips.

Arabell then clung to her like a mischievous child.

“No, not yet. It’s harder than I thought.”

“I could help out, you know. I really like it here…”

“No… that’s okay.”

Sophie firmly turned her down and took a sip of her tea. The more visitors she received, the more regular customers she had.

At first, only young men from the village were drawn to Sophie, but now even employees from the imperial palace were asking her out.

One baron even skipped all the formalities and directly proposed to her.

There were even people who came just to catch a glimpse of her face.

Things were getting out of hand.

“I really need to hire someone soon…”

It was a headache.

How had things gotten this out of control? All she’d done was serve Arthur a cup of medicinal tea. Now her apothecary was being called a teahouse, and business had grown enough that she needed to hire staff.

“You’re right. Sophie, you look really tired. You seem thinner than when I first met you.”

Arabell gently brushed Sophie’s cheek with concern.

“Have you not been eating properly?”

“I haven’t had much time to eat lately.”

“But you told me to always make sure to eat my meals.”

“I didn’t mean to skip meals… it’s just, before I knew it, it was already morning or dawn.”

With the surge in customers, she barely had time to prepare herbal medicine. Each herb required attention at specific times.

While serving tea to her customers, Sophie still had to steam, crush, or extract juices from herbs. On top of that, she had to check the greenhouse temperature or collect dried herbs at dawn. It was overwhelming.

“If I had just one person to clear tables and move tea cups, it’d be so much easier…”

Unfortunately, since her customers were mostly nobles or high-ranking people, finding suitable help was not easy. Arabell, watching Sophie with concern, suddenly spoke up.

“Then Sophie, I’ll send someone from the marquess’ household to help.”

Arabell considered Sophie almost like a mother. And Arabell was a sweet daughter who adored her mother.

Seeing Sophie struggle made Arabell tear up and insist she would send someone.

“There’s someone good in our family! I’ll pay their salary myself, so please take them!”

People who worked for noble houses usually had immense pride. Sophie doubted such a person would want to work in a modest apothecary like hers.

“…No, that won’t be necessary…”

“Sophie. Is it really that hard to run the apothecary? Then should I at least get you a bed so you can rest comfortably?”

“I already have a bed at home…”

Arabell could be a bit of a handful at times, but this was exactly why Sophie kept her around.

Arabell often said such heartfelt things that moved Sophie deeply. She expressed her affection without hesitation.

“Are you planning to give away your entire household to me?”

“I could! If you want, I’ll give it all to you. Whatever you want, Sophie…”

Even the thought was touching. Sophie smiled warmly.

“I mean it! I’m not joking. I can really do all of that for you. Just tell me what you want—I’ll make it happen.”

“Then I’ll save up all my requests and tell you everything at once later.”

Arabell, satisfied with that response, backed off with a smile.

“But Sophie, didn’t you say someone came for an interview last time?”

“Oh…”

Remembering it, Sophie pressed her forehead.

“What happened?”

“It felt more like he came for a dating interview than a job interview.”

“…What?”

“He was trying to woo me.”

The last applicant had looked big and capable—seemingly someone who could handle the heavy lifting required at an apothecary.

But during the interview, he asked Sophie’s age and flirted with her. At the end, he even asked if she had time to meet up later.

“And the person before him looked like a thug.”

There had been another one before that. But a whole group of thuggish-looking men had shown up.

The town guards said they had criminal records for robbery.

They looked around the apothecary with greedy eyes—it was obvious they were scouting the place to rob it.

“Someone else is coming later this afternoon.”

“What kind of person?”

“This time, I’m kind of hopeful…”

Sophie gave a slanted smile.

“They said they used to work at the main branch of the Cébissiner Store.”

“That’s a huge place!”

“Yes. And they worked directly under the shop owner.”

If someone had worked under such a high-ranking manager, then they probably wouldn’t be surprised by the likes of Valentis or Arthur.

They’d probably be meticulous in their work too. Personally, Sophie had high hopes for this candidate.

But…

“…”

“…”

Carol, the applicant from Cébissiner Store, was indeed meticulous and competent—just as Sophie had hoped.

But there was one problem: it was Carol’s first time meeting nobles.

Even though nobles and royalty frequently visited the apothecary, it wasn’t common for ordinary people to interact with them.

“Here is your ordered Hedeliah and Santerphique tea.”

Carol, brimming with nervous energy, tried to act with the elegance of a maid from a noble household. But she was awkward, and her exaggerated behavior led to frequent mistakes.

She was especially terrified of Valentis. While handing him a teacup, she nearly spilled the tea out of fear—Valentis did have a naturally intimidating appearance.

“Carol, just relax. You don’t have to be so formal.”

“No! I’m a professional. I want to match their standards as much as possible.”

Carol was driven by pride and ambition. She hoped that if she impressed the nobles here, they might take her into their household someday.

But she was so clumsy about it.

“There’s really no need to go that far…”

Up until now, Sophie had treated all her customers—Valentis and Arthur included—casually and comfortably.

Nothing bad had ever happened because of it.

But Carol seemed to think of this place as a high-class tea salon for nobility, not an apothecary.

“This is an apothecary, Carol.”

“I don’t get it either, Sophie.”

Carol grabbed Sophie’s hand with genuine concern in her voice.

“Why are you still insisting this is an apothecary? Why not take this opportunity to turn it into a tea house? Who knows! Maybe a noble will recognize our talent and take us to the capital!”

Sophie had stayed here because she didn’t want that.

“No. This place is and always will be an apothecary.”

“We could redecorate! Make it fancy! And maybe start selling desserts too?”

“Carol. That’s enough.”

Despite her awkwardness, Carol was already full of vanity and ambition.

It was problematic if even her staff thought of this place as a tea house rather than a medicinal shop.

“I serve medicinal tea because I’m a herbalist, not to run a tea business.”

“I really don’t understand you! I’m saying this for your own good.”

“Are you really doing it for me?”

Sophie asked. Carol pressed her lips tightly together.

“Because from my perspective, it doesn’t feel that way. You’re trying to force me, a trained herbalist, into being a tea house owner.”

Even Valentis and Arthur treated her as a herbalist, not a tea seller. They respected her for that, which allowed her to keep working here.

But Carol didn’t respect Sophie’s profession—instead, she only pushed her own ambitions and opinions.

“I don’t want even my staff thinking this is a tea house.”

“I really can’t understand you!”

Carol shouted.

“You! You’re making a huge mistake. Who throws away such a golden opportunity?”

“Well, I’d rather be a fool who lives peacefully and happily.”

Sophie smiled gently.

“And I’d rather not be someone who pushes for things she’s not qualified for.”

When Sophie called her out for trying to teach and push her own agenda, Carol reacted as if deeply insulted and stormed out of the apothecary.

As soon as she left, Sophie felt exhausted. The customers were already tiring enough—but now even the staff seemed hell-bent on giving her trouble.

Maybe I should just work alone forever.

After Carol, a few more applicants came—but they were either greedy like her, afraid of the nobles, or tried flirting with Sophie.

Exhausted, Sophie seriously considered giving up on hiring anyone. So when the next applicant arrived, she didn’t expect much.

“My name’s Dylan…”

Of course, Dylan showed up when Sophie was at her busiest.

“I’m sorry. I’m a bit busy right now… could you wait a moment?”

“Of course.”

The young man named Dylan had a kind face and a gentle appearance.

“Sophie! Do you have any airef?”

At the sound of a customer’s voice, Sophie rushed out.

‘Huh?’

Dylan had already taken out the airef from the special storage.

“Do you know how to identify herbs?”

“Yes, a little.”

Dylan nodded.

“You looked busy, so I thought I’d help. Was that inappropriate?”

“It’s fine.”

Slightly surprised, Sophie packaged the airef. Meanwhile, Dylan started wiping tables and helping customers as if it were nothing.

Even while dealing with nobles, he didn’t gawk or act nervously. He just quietly did his work.

His actions were clean, and he worked efficiently. Sophie liked him immediately.

“You seemed busy… I thought if I wanted to be interviewed, I should lend a hand.”

Dylan smiled awkwardly.

“No need for an interview.”

“Sorry?”

“Your name was Dylan, right?”

You’re hired.