Chapter 35

Translator and Editor: Skye and Einna

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Chapter 35

A single question came across my mind, ‘Does the owner like red and associate the color with information?’ but I didn’t ask carelessly.

It doesn’t matter what color the owner likes.

“If you go straight through here, you’ll see an emerald door. You can go in there.”

I nodded lightly at the old man’s words. I entered the hallway in a strange mood. While the entrance started sliding back into place and the bookshelf closed without a sound.

I started walking down the long hallway. The air was a little stuffy because of the lack of windows, but it wasn’t dark because of the lights fuelled by magic.

As the old man said, an emerald door appeared on the left at the end of the hall.

Now I was a little nervous, but I knocked bravely.

Knock, knock.

Instead of returning the answer, the door opened. The man who opened the door was a young man who looked respectful and amenable.

I was a little surprised because I didn’t think the owner of the information guild would be this young, but I didn’t show it.

Ah, just because he’s here doesn’t necessarily mean he’s the owner.

I felt flustered and blushed at the thought of it belatedly.

“Please come, you may sit here.”

Come to think of it, the old man and this man were very respectful towards me.

No matter how plain-looking a dress I am wearing, I guess they can tell I’m a noblewoman, right?

I sat on the prepared sofa, keeping a calm face.

There was a pot of steaming tea on the round table, as if it was prepared in advance.

The hood, which was covering my head, I pulled even more forward while I delivered my request first and foremost.

“I’d like to know the circumstances of Count Elrand and Baron Castilla in detail.”

Wow… It was that line that I really wanted to say while reading allnovelfulls or webtoons. A noble young lady, who was arrogant and had a thirst for information!

“How much do you want to know?”

“What if I want to know even the number of forks they have?”

Just like I saw in the webtoons I read in the past, I spoke arrogantly. I think he already knows I’m a noble, so it doesn’t really matter, honestly.

“…Then the price will rise.”

Yeah, don’t worry. I thought so, so I brought some money. If I don’t use it at times like this, when would I use it anyway?

I put a pouch of gold on the table that I had prepared in advance.

The intelligence broker immediately confirmed it. He raised his eyes dubiously as if it was more than what he had expected.

“You have a way with money.”

“Well, as long as you get things right it’s a reasonable expense.”

“Of course, we… are the best intelligence guild in the Empire.”

What’s that name? E.B.S.S., or ‘Abyss’? ¹

It seems that it’s short for ‘eye-burning spicy sauce’.

“Then when can I expect results?”

“A week is enough.”

“Okay, then I’ll come back next week.”

“Very well.”

I stood up before the tea finished cooling. I was a bit nervous and thirsty, but I didn’t even entertain the idea of putting the tea in my mouth.

You never know, so I should be careful.

I hurried out to the bookstore by walking back down the red hallway.

Inside the secret hallway, the bookshelf looks and works just like a normal door, so it wasn’t hard to come out all alone.

I nodded slightly to the old man who greeted me politely and walked out of the bookstore.

As I went back to the alleyway I entered from, Doggy stuck his head out.

{ I’m glad nothing happened, Master. }

I looked towards Doggy, who was looking at me with brightly sparkling eyes while he was still in the form of a cute fox. I couldn’t hold back my laughter and chuckled.

Doggy was really getting cuter day by day. He was so cute when you could see him sticking his nose out of the bag.

Then a person suddenly popped out of the next alley. I was busy looking at Doggy, so I couldn’t see him in time and I bumped into him.

“Ack!”

{ Master! }

The surprised Doggy popped out of the bag. He barked fiercely at the man who collided with my body, he was aggressively showing his teeth.

“Ouch…”

“I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

It was a familiar sweet and low voice. My butt hurt a lot, but I checked the face of the man who bumped into me right away.

The man was Noah.

He smiled at me refreshingly, which was not that different from when he was younger.

“Can you get up?”

“……”

Noah reached out to me as I was too surprised to answer back.

“I’m so sorry to have put a beautiful woman through something unpleasant. My name is Noah de Castilla. I’m not a suspicious person, so don’t worry and hold my hand, Young Lady.”

Wait a minute. Noah.

Why are you smiling so brightly at me?

You can’t have that kind of look on your refreshing face towards someone random. I wanted you to be a man who is refreshing as always, but not like this. You should only be like this around your counterpart for the sake of Lucian’s happiness route!

It feels like some dirt was thrown into my eyes!

What the hell are you doing with that cute face?!

I desperately realized the silly expressions that I was making because I was speechless. Then I became too embarrassed.

If the warm, damp tip of the fox’s nose hadn’t pressed against the back of my hand, I would have still been sitting on the ground the whole time.

“Thank you.”

Even Noah, who looked like he had really changed a lot, appeared in front of me. I was rather curious about him, but he shouldn’t be ignored anymore.

Holding my hand, Noah lifted me up and once again apologized politely.

“I’d like to say my greetings to you once again. My name is Noah, a self-reliant heir of Baron Castilla. May I ask the name of the Young Lady?”

It was a polite introduction with good manners, but I was reluctant to say my name.

For now, I met the informant secretly at a time when I put in a lot of effort and avoided the Duke’s eyes, so somehow I was reluctant to speak.

“I didn’t see properly either. But please let me help collect the apples.”

“Hm, if the Young Lady is uncomfortable, I’ll let you off the hook.”

As soon as I went on, I said, “Just think of it as bumping into and asking for a name from a flying bird. Noah.”

“Instead, I’d like to offer you tea as an apology, what do you say?”

“Kyung, kyung! (What are you saying, you brainless punk!)”

Doggy who is in my arms flailed violently. It was fortunate that I could only understand what Doggy said.

I also thought Noah’s proposal was burdensome, but I needed to figure something out first.

After quietly covering the fox’s snout, I made sure to readjust my robe’s hood to confirm I was still hidden.

“I would love to but it seems there is nowhere available to get some…”

“There’s a place I know very well. It’s a good restaurant, but it’s not well known.”

Noah grinned and reached out his hand. When I saw his smile, it reminded me of the first time I met him. At the time, I thought he was a very refreshing man.

Seven years is a long time.

I think that’s why.

Struggling to push the suspiciousness aside, I put my hand in Noah’s hand.

There was a small cafe not far from the information store. I sat in the corner with Noah and ordered tea.

I think I’ve seen a lot of familiar stuff when we are ordering.

“If you drink the tea you get from here, you’ll probably struggle to find something else as good. The owner has an amazing skill for making tea. He is so good. Even if I want to have my servant learn from him, he’s such an upright man that I have to come here to taste it.”

Ohh, so that’s why he’s in such a secluded place.

I almost misunderstood you, Noah.

I thought you were here to meet the informant.

That’s why he was at the corner of an alley dealing with information trading.

There is nothing really around the bookstore, and the temperature dropped considerably after just a short conversation in the info guild so I was glad for the warmth in the restaurant.

My cold fingertips relaxed due to the room’s moderate temperature, which was not too hot or lukewarm.

When I sipped on the tea, it was really delicious. This Darjeeling tea I ordered here is much better than the one made by Amber.

In a strange mood, I looked into the tea cup filled with clear amber liquid.

Even though I only took a sip, I could smell the distinct scent of the leaves. As I was savoring the taste, Noah sitting in front of me burst into a deep explanation of the flavor.

He also ordered Darjeeling First Flush like me.

“Its smoky scent is deep today as well. It’s very good.”

He definitely drank the same thing as me but he evaluated the taste strangely.

I wondered for a moment, but I felt that the taste of black tea is not something to analyze so deeply.

“Young Lord, it looks like you are well versed in black tea.”

I opened my mouth abruptly. I wanted to check if he really is Noah or not.

“I usually drink a lot of tea. Normally, I drink ten cups a day, haha!”

“…Is that so.”

Ten cups a day, isn’t that too much Noah?

“I especially like the first flush of the Darjeeling tea at this café. It feels very savory. Darjeeling tea is also a tea that has a savory taste to it.”

I can’t say I’m well versed in tea because it’s only been ten and a half years since I’ve possessed this body, but I can’t believe I now describe Darjeeling as old-fashioned.

Darjeeling is a black tea with a strong fruity scent that is nicknamed the “champagne of black tea.”

But I can’t believe that it’s this good.

If he’s really good at tasting the nuances of tea, can he really detect the other hidden flavors?

Thinking to himself, Noah winked at me while he was across the table.

Yes, to be exact, rather than winking, the expression “flutter” is more appropriate.

In addition, he raised his glass and whispered, while sticking it out in front of me.

The clear tone of voice was still good to hear, but the words that came out using that tone were a little foreign to my ears.

“Cheers to the beautiful eyes of the Young Lady.”

No matter how much I think about it, he had a very similar manner to an old man’s gesture and tone.

At that time, Doggy that was sitting on my lap sighed with a small snout and said,

“Ha-ang (Master, are you going to keep talking to him?)”

No, Doggy.

He’s not supposed to be like this. What should I say… Why was he acting like a middle-aged uncle?

——

qc/n:*it’s not actually ‘abyss’ in the Korean text, it was 눈타메소, a literal abbreviation of the words for eye-burning spicy sauce, and e.b.s.s. just happened to sound like ‘abyss’.it’s just a happy coincidence to call the black sauce that burned the trash booger king’s eyes as ‘abyss’ lmao doesn’t it sound nice?

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