As I stepped into the bank entrance, the staff standing by the door struck something out in front of me. When I received it, it was a number tag.

He must have realized that it was my first time here because he gave an explanation when I looked at the tag.

“If the number written in the tag is called, please go to the counter.”

“Thank you.”

There wasn’t a system like this in the country bank. Again, the capital of the Empire is different.

While waiting in a soft chair, the number in front of me was called. Before it was my turn, I tried to take out my bankbook, but my hands slipped and it fell.

“Whew….”

It was when I almost reached to pick it up.

Tuk.

“Oh, I’m going crazy.”

I kicked it by mistake. I stared blankly at the bankbook that was slithering down the smooth floor.

What a fool.

When I rose from the chair, licking my tongue, a man who was coming out of the counter after finished his business picked up my bankbook and handed it to me.

“Here you are.”

“Oh, thank you….”

The man looked a little surprised at my bankbook. Then he moved his gaze to my face.

“Miss Riana?”

“Yes, it’s my name.”

The front of the bankbook has a name on it. I almost forgot it’s Riana, not Adriana.

“Is something wrong?”

“This is disrespectful act to a Lady, I should have introduced myself first. I’m from the Magnolia.”

“….yes?”

“I was wearing a mask at the time, so it’s no wonder you don’t recognize me.”

“Ah! The masked man!”

A thought barely came to mind about the masked man who was being commissioned in the basement of Magnolia Trade. It was that kind of face. And it was dark there, so his hair looked like white, but now I see it was close to ash pink.

He didn’t look very old, but I couldn’t guess his age due to the mature atmosphere around him.

I could feel the heat rising on my face as I watched the beautiful man with a dangerous atmosphere filled with composure.

“Customer number 194, please come this way.”

“It’s my turn. Thank you for picking it up. Then, goodbye.”

194 was my number. I bowed slightly, and headed to the counter following the staff’s instruction.

***

After the business was finished, I came out of the counter looking into the numbers on my bankbook. The numbers were nearly recorded in special ink to prevent forgery.

“Hmm…”

With the ruby’s price, the amount was sufficient and I could pay the teacher’s salary right away. I’m not short of money right now, but how long will I be able to hold on?

The magic stone has no cross vein. I don’t know the principles that arises, but it is known that only one can be extracted from one place. That’s why it’s more valuable and expensive.

I still don’t know how much profit will come from the sale of the magic stone, and the great the teacher is, the higher the salary. I’d better think about how to raise more money. Maybe there’s more to ask to the Magnolia.

I still have some jewelry left, but I have to dress up, so I should keep it….

“Miss Riana.”

“Ah, you haven’t gone yet?”

The masked man was still in the bank.

“It’s a fate that we met like this. You’re an important client, so I thought I’d treat you to a meal.”

Right, when I think about it, my father often used to eat with his business partner. I’m an important client who gave him the information about the magic stone, then it would be okay for me to accept his offer.

“Okay, lets do that.”

“Thank you for your precious time. I know a good restaurant nearby, I’ll escort you.”

The restaurant we arrived at was a seafood restaurant.

Seafood is very expensive because the capital is located in the inner city. Even though I’m an important client, can I get this?

“Are we really going here?”

“Do you hate seafood?”

“No, it’s not like that … but … the price….”

As I lingered and talked about the price, the masked man smiled softly.

“Never mind. It’s because of my sincerity.”

Did he get a lot of incentives for the magic stone? How much did you get for this luxurious food?

Still, I felt guilty to get something like this from someone who worked on his salary when I was a Duke’s daughter.

In order not to let me walk away easily, the masked man strode into the restaurant first.

“What are you doing not coming on?”

“…I’m coming!”

At first, the restaurant caught my eye from the interior.

The restaurant on the street that I went to a while ago had a lot of seats, but this place was where the tables were spaced apart. There were no furniture, decorations, or anything less luxurious.

Well, it was natural considering the social position of the visitors.

….wait, the guests visiting here?”

“Welcome. Do you have a reservation?”

“No.”

“We have economy class seats and rooms available. Where can I take you?”

“To a window seat with a good outlook—”

“Room!”

When I stepped in and shouted, the waiter and the masked man looked at me in surprise.

However, I was in a hurry. I can’t risk meeting someone I know while eating here.

Things may get bigger than it actually is if there is a rumor that the great daughter of House Crescente was eating at an expensive restaurant alone with a man.

The thought of what Marianne and Sharon would say made me dizzy.

“I’ll guide you.” The waiter quickly managed his expression and guided us to the room.

After pouring us water, he told us to ring a bell to call him when we’ve decided the menu and left the room.

The menu was full of appetizing seafood dishes. Thinking of it, I remember the lobster I ate when I was 9 years old was very delicious. Shall I have lobster?

“I’ll have steamed lobster with thinned pepper sauce.”

“Are you sure? It says it’s really spicy here.”

“When will I ever come to a place like this again? Since I’m here, I’ll try something unique.”

“Now that you’re here, wouldn’t it be better to taste the safe menu….”

I shook my head. I can buy the safe menu, but this one is a bit too much for my money, so I have to eat it at times like this.

The masked man chose grilled clams with fresh olive oil and salmon steak with lemon sauce.

We rang the bell to order the dishes from the waiter. While waiting the dishes to come out, our conversation began.

“You’re so handsome, why are you hiding your face with a mask? Oh, did any of your female clients make a big fuss?”

“No, it’s not that it’s never been done, but it’s not just because of that.”

“I understand … well, rest assured! I’m a person who can distinguish between public and private matters!”

“….That’s a relief.”

Contrary to his word, the face in front of me looked a little bit wobbly.

Right, he’s not even wearing a mask right now, but I keep calling him the masked man.

“What should I call you?”

“Uh … please call me Ken.”

“Alright. Can I say Mr. Ken?”

“As you please.”

I asked Mr. Ken what he had been worried about a little earlier.

“Still, is it okay for Mr. Ken to be away this long?”

“I’m working outside today.”

“Can you come out to work outside and start slacking off like this?”

“Don’t worry. I’m quite capable. This degree of laziness won’t affect my work.”

Mr. Ken smiled in confidence.

It looked so cool that my heart fluttered for a moment.

“Oh, speaking of that, Miss Riana’s request was disrupted. It’s not the time for me to show off. I apologize for the delay in ruby’s disposition.”

“No need. I heard the employee had an unexpected accident, what happened?”

“The first buyer to appear was a fraud. He tried to pay in fake gold, so I caught him and handed him over to the security guard.”

Huk! That could have been a big trouble. Thank God, my ruby….

“You can tell it was a fake gold.”

“That’s right, once I hold it in my hand, I knew it right away. Not only me, but every executive who’s been working for a long time at Magnolia knows how to do it. They’re veterans.”

“That means you’re an executive, too, Mr. Ken?”

“….Well.”

Mr. Ken smiled vaguely. Is he saying that he’s an executive?

That’s when I heard a loud noise.

“Here’s your order.”

The waiter pushed the serving cart into the room. Steamed lobster was placed in front of me. The red-sauce lobster smelled spicy. It’s going to be a lot spicier than I thought.

“….Thank you for the meal.”

I picked up a fork and knife, swallowed my saliva with tension. The smell and color are like this, would it be okay to eat?

With useless expectations, I cut the meat of the lobster with a knife and put it into my mouth.

“….Are you alright, Miss Riana?”

Mr. Ken asked carefully as he watched me drinking water without words.

No, it is … it’s not okay.

After calming my mouth with water and salad, I tried again just in case and only regretted it.

I rang the bell to ask for more water. It seemed that the waiter was expecting this to happen as he was waiting in advance.

Even the parts with no sauce were spicy enough to make my tongue tingle, but it was still better than the saucy part.

Mr. Ken pushed a plate to me as I was trying to cut off the lobster so the sauce wouldn’t get on me. It was a salmon steak plate.

“You can have this.”

“What? But Mr. Ken….”

“I have this, too.”

Ken, as if it were no big deal, took a fork and put the grilled clams in his mouth. Was it because he ordered two dishes? My face ached with apologies.

“I’m truly sorry. Because of me….”

“I’ve been busy since morning, so this is my first meal. I was hungry, that’s why I asked for two plates, but it’s a little too much to eat.”

“Yeah?”

“So I’d like Miss Riana to help me.”

He said that it was not a big deal, but it wasn’t hard to understand that he’s being considerate of me right now. I thanked him, cut the salmon steak in half and put it on my plate.

After finishing the meal, I asked Ken while tasting the fruit and tea served as dessert.

“I have a request, can I tell you now?”

“Say it.”

“I want you to get me a teacher. The one who teach aristocracy.”

“You mean a governess?”

“No, I don’t want them to come home. I wish I could take classes at their house or another place.”

“I understand. I’ll look for it.”

“And … Umh … the better the teacher is, the more money you’ll have to pay, right?”

“That’s true, but it won’t be too much of a burden for most aristocrats.”

“…”

It’s because I’m the one who has to pay. Huhu.