Volume 1 Chapter 7 Head Court Magician Ciel Vermilion
Is that a customer?
It must be a customer.
After all, he's sitting at the counter. I didn't feel his presence, but he must be a customer.
Since my shop only has me as the staff, sometimes I don't notice customers when I'm in the kitchen.
That's why I put a bell at the entrance, and when it opens, it makes a pretty loud sound.
But it didn't make a sound, did it?
Maybe it's because I was so focused on Mr. Lucian's realistic sausage.
"W-welcome... What would you like to order?"
I said while holding Mr. Lucian's realistic sausage in both hands.
For now, it's finished, so I need to put it in the refrigerated storage that uses ice magic stones.
It would lose its freshness.
"You're not answering my question. What happened with Lucian?"
The man said again.
I don't know him. Is he a passionate fan of Mr. Lucian?
Mr. Lucian is a celebrity, after all. I knew he was popular with women, but it seems he's popular with men too.
He's good-looking, at least. Inside, he's like a berserker who only thinks about fighting.
The man sitting at the counter is wearing a black robe made of high-quality fabric, and the uniform under it has gold trimming, looking very expensive.
I feel like I've seen that outfit somewhere.
The man stood up. I watched nervously, wondering what he was going to do, and he walked right into the kitchen.
He might be a creep.
What should I do?
I'm alone in the shop with a creep...!
"W-w-what are you doing... If a customer comes into the kitchen, it's a problem..."
As I said while panting, the man smiled gently with his beautiful face.
Yeah. His face is beautiful.
It's beautiful, just like Mr. Lucian.
His shiny, silky silver hair has long bangs.
Some strands at the tips are gathered together, with something like jewels attached to them.
He also has jeweled earrings in both ears, which are quite dazzling.
But even more dazzling than those jewels are his deep red eyes, similar to rubies.
Those red eyes are staring straight at me.
What a handsome pervert.
"That's a sausage, right?"
"Yes... this is a sausage."
After exchanging a conversation like a beginner language class, I took a step back.
For now, I need to explain. If he asks me questions, something terrible might happen.
Something terrible, but what exactly?
He doesn't look too violent, but he might actually be violent.
In this place, the South District of Arsubania, where the lower-class people live, there are quite a few gentle-looking but violent guys.
"Um, do you want to eat the sausage? This was just made, and the original sausage was small, but Mr. Lucian said it should be bigger, so I made a new one based on his advice."
"I see. What do you mean by realistic?"
Wow. This guy is listening to all my mumblings.
Even though he had been sitting at the counter the whole time, I didn't notice at all.
It's not that he has a weak presence.
On the contrary, he has such a strong presence, being a dazzling guy.
"Everyone says Mr. Lucian's size is realistic. So, it must be realistic, I guess. I'm not really sure, but I think it is...!"
"...realistic."
The guy said that quietly, crossing his arms and tilting his head slightly.
His shiny silver hair swayed gently. The jewels he wore sparkled too.
Those jewels look expensive.
He must be rich. It's sad to be bothered by a handsome, rich weirdo in the morning.
"Ugh..."
"Why are you crying?"
"Because I'm scared...! Customers shouldn't come into the kitchen..."
"Even if you say it's not allowed, there's nothing blocking the path from the counter to the kitchen. It's easier to talk if I get closer. I wanted to see your face better."
"Ugh..."
I let out a weird sound.
The handsome, rich weirdo isn't someone I know, and I'm not attractive enough for someone to want to see my face better.
After all, I'm a worthless person, even less valuable than a fried egg person.
My looks are──maybe normal.
I'm not that tall, my hair is black, and my chest, my chest is big. Yeah. My chest is big.
But it's not useful at all.
Even with a big chest, my engagement was broken off.
I might have a bigger chest than Francois, but so what?
"I'm sorry if I scared you. You were calling out a name of someone I know, so I got curious. I can't help but pursue things that interest me until the end."
"Ah, I see..."
I moved Mr. Lucian's realistic sausage, which I had been holding tightly in both hands, onto a big plate for now.
Because if it gets warmed up by body heat, it won't be good. Since I made it with care, I want to serve it deliciously.
"I apologize for the delay, I'm Ciel Vermilion. I'm a mage."
"...Um, that outfit, it's the outfit of a court mage, right?"
"As expected, you know well. Since you're the daughter of the Rest priest family, it's only natural for you to know. By the way, I serve as the head court mage."
"You're the most important person among the Saintwise, right..."
Mr. Lucian is the captain of the Holy Knights' Leonsroar, but this guy is the top person leading the court mage group, Saintwise.
When I was still engaged to Sir Stefan, I saw Mr. Lucian a few times at the castle parties and ceremony venues, doing security and patrols.
But I don't know much about Ciel.
By the way, the reason I call Sir Lucian just Mr. Lucian is that when I first called him Sir Lucian, he said, "Titles like 'Sir' don't suit me. Just call me Lucian. Since we're close with Lydia, there's no need to be formal," so I had no choice.
There's nothing special between Mr. Lucian and me, but we're recognized as close.
Mr. Lucian is like that with everyone, though. His sense of distance is strange.
Anyway, I understood that Sir Ciel and Mr. Lucian know each other.
Since Mr. Lucian leads the royal knight group and Ciel leads the royal mage group, they probably meet and talk quite often.
"I'm not really concerned about my identity, but I should at least introduce myself. I'm not here to scare you or make you cry."
If he were here to scare or make someone cry, that would be completely weird.
No one does that. It's just not normal.
"So, um, did you come to eat? Shall I make food...?"
Forget the small talk; I just want to cook.
I'll make the food, so could you please eat quickly and go home? Sir Ciel is so dazzling that a child who came for lunch might end up crying.
"Well, Ms. Lydia..."
"You know my name...?"
I haven't introduced myself.
"Yes. The missing eldest daughter of the Rest family, Lydia Rest. I know about you because Lucian has been spreading the word."
"Mr. Lucian...!"
I'm not hiding my identity, but I have a really bad feeling about this.
Especially about the part where he's been spreading the word.
"...They say your cooking has a mysterious power. Could you please help me?"
Sir Ciel said this with a very serious expression.
He held my hand a bit forcefully. My hand was sticky because she had been holding Mr. Lucian's realistic sausage.
I felt my consciousness fade for a moment.
All I can do is make delicious food; I'm not here to help people.
Especially, there's nothing I can do to help the head court mage.
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