“Ominous. Indeed ominous!”

It was always known from experience that sad premonitions are never wrong.

And now I was unable to rejoice at the fact that my premonition had come true.

50 sticks of butter sounded heavy just thinking about it, but I had no choice but to agree with a smile.

Everyone was busy starting to prepare their assigned dishes.

Robert looked at me with pitiful eyes, but he was in no position to help me as he had to knead an enormous amount of bread dough.

I just headed outside aimlessly with a rattan basket dangling on my shoulder.

“Where am I?”

I had not only been given the tremendous task of buying 50 sticks of butter, but I had also managed to get thoroughly lost.

I let out a deep sigh. Sweat was trickling down my back.

The maid’s skirt felt even more stifling today.

I put the basket down on the ground and took a deep breath, filling my chest as much as I could.

‘Let’s first go to a bustling place.’

I didn’t have much time left to just sit around because I was lost.

I had to hurry. I needed to deliver the butter to the chief chef before the princess arrived.

Thinking thoughts like ‘What could 50 sticks of butter be used for?’, I kept walking, and the once quiet street gradually became crowded with people.

It was noon, when the sun was at its highest.

On the bustling street, tents with red stripes were spread out here and there.

The stalls under the tents were lined with such a dizzying variety of items.

“It’s sweltering, so hot!”

“Oh my, indeed. The weather is even hotter today, we might as well close everything except the ice cream business.”

Merchants wearing straw hats could be seen lamenting in the hot weather.

“Buy flowers, flowers!”

A little flower seller running around with bright red roses could also be seen.

“Wow…”

Captivated by the lively market scene, I forgot all about the errand I was on and stood there in a daze.

Being around nobles every day and then coming to the market to observe the lives of commoners was quite different.

If the daily life of nobles was like a gentle watercolor painting in pastel tones, the daily life of commoners was like a vividly colored picture drawn freely with jagged lines.

Though it might not be everything that meets the eye, their smiles were not artificial.

Both irritation and happiness were fully visible on their faces.

I might have been caught up in that atmosphere.

I entered the market with light steps, as if I had never been lost and frustrated.

Looking around properly, the market was truly filled with all kinds of vegetables, meat, various magical items, and snacks.

It was difficult to go straight to the grocery store where butter would be sold.

“Have some cool cherry juice before you go!”

“Wow, cherry juice?”

After having a glass of cherry juice with ice cubes floating in it, I felt like coming to the market alone was really a good decision.

How much time had passed like that?

As I was busy exploring the market, I thought it was about time to buy the butter.

Barely restraining my feet that were being pulled as if by a magnet to other places, I entered a grocery store.

“Welcome!”

A warm-looking middle-aged woman greeted me brightly.

“What do you need?”

“Um, can I buy 50 sticks of butter?”

“50 sticks of butter?”

The woman’s eyes widened, perhaps because the number was larger than expected. Then, after closely examining my outfit, she nodded as if understanding.

“Ah, are you perhaps a maid from the Delgado ducal family?”

“Yes, that’s right. How did you know?”

“Oh, well, there are hardly any maids who can buy so much butter, which is more expensive than margarine. Most maids who order this much butter are usually from the Delgado family.”

The woman laughed, shaking her plump body, adding, ‘Well, the Delgado family’s wealth is quite famous, after all.’

Being a maid of the Delgado family, it might not be so bad?

According to the woman, doesn’t that mean other families use margarine instead of butter?

I couldn’t remember seeing the chief chef using anything but the highest quality ingredients.

“They’re also my long-time regular customers. Our grocery store deals in top-quality butter. Anyway, please wait a moment. 50 sticks of butter, I’ll go to the warehouse and bring more.”

Not long after, the woman came back with a box that looked quite heavy.

She placed the box on the counter with a thud and opened the lid.

It was packed full of butter.

“This butter is made from freshly squeezed milk, so the chief chef should be pleased with it?”

The Delgado kitchen really seemed to be a regular customer of this grocery store.

They even knew about the chief chef.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t even asked where to buy butter, but it seemed I had entered just the right place.

After finishing the payment, I bowed my head in greeting and lifted the box with a grunt.

The box was as heavy as it looked.

“I really brought this rattan basket for nothing.”

Trying to carry the box while having the basket on my shoulder made me out of breath.

I could feel sweat trickling down the side of my forehead and my cheeks heating up.

I shouldn’t have come out, I really shouldn’t have!

Of course, it had the effect of not thinking about Ariana and Dietrich.

But for that effect to come at the cost of my muscle pain!

In the meantime, an old man selling strange items on a mat called out to me.

“Young lady. Please buy just one of these.”

The old man was wearing tattered rags.

His feet, standing on the scorching ground baking under the hot sun, were bare.

My steps stopped involuntarily at his pitiful voice.

“Come and take a look. How about this?”

Seeing my interest, the old man handed me a faded pendant necklace.

I put down the box on the ground and took the pendant, caught off guard.

Troubled, I hesitated for a moment before pressing the protruding button on the side of the pendant.

Then the pendant’s lid opened.

I expected there might be a picture drawn inside.

But the inside of the pendant was empty. I closed the lid with a slightly disappointed heart.

However, seeing the old man looking up at me with sparkling eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to put the pendant back down.

The old man’s cheeks were hollow as if he hadn’t eaten a meal.

After hesitating for a moment, I asked while rummaging through my skirt pocket.

“How much is this pendant?”

“Just give me 1 copper.”

1 copper wouldn’t even be enough to buy rye bread.

I took out a 5 copper coin from my pocket and handed it to him.

“Here you go.”

“No, young lady. Why are you giving so much?”

“Because I like this pendant.”

“This pendant?”

The old man’s voice, which had been hoarse until now, seemed to become a bit clearer.

Of course, it might just be my imagination from being tired in the heat.

I looked at the old man, taking my eyes off the pendant, but I couldn’t see anything particularly different.

The old man’s cloudy yellow eyes settled calmly.

“It seems the young lady has an eye for things.”

“Really?”

Actually, I was buying it because my back was soaked with sweat and I wanted to hurry back to the mansion.

Hearing that I had good taste made the ordinary gold pendant seem special.

I carefully put the pendant in my pocket.

It was an unexpected expense, but I liked it.

I had wanted to wear a necklace on my already bare neck.

It would be perfect to wear around!

“Grandfather, I hope you sell a lot.”

It was really time to go back now.

If I was any later, I might get scolded by the chief chef. I picked up the box I had put on the ground with vigor.

Although I had gotten lost on the way to the market, the way back was easier than expected.

It was manageable to walk, except for the fact that it was quite far from the market to the Delgado mansion.

Even after arriving at the entrance of the mansion, I would have to walk for at least another 15 minutes before the kitchen would be in sight.

“Oh my, it’s so heavy I’m dying!”

By the time I was passing through the mansion garden, complaints burst out involuntarily.

As I was groaning and moving the butter, I saw a familiar figure standing at one end of the garden lined with ornamental trees.

Long, beautiful blue hair waving like waves.

A woman with a pure impression wearing a flowing white dress that covered her feet.

“Huh…?”

I stopped in my tracks.

It was Princess Ariana. I wasn’t surprised because I had heard the news that she would be visiting the Delgado mansion.

However, the reason I couldn’t take my eyes off was.

Because of Dietrich, who was holding Ariana’s waist.

Ariana, who had written elegant words on pure white paper, smiled brightly as she handed the paper to her nanny.

Clatter, clatter.

In the carriage heading to the Delgado family.

Ariana Jeneger recalled a memory from long ago.

The first empress of Chronotia.

It was an ambition from a time full of dreams and without worries. A dream from a time when she couldn’t even imagine falling to the bottom like this.

“Your Highness, we have arrived.”

Ariana swallowed as she saw the overwhelming view of the Delgado mansion that appeared as soon as she got off.

As expected, the Delgado family was a family comparable to, or perhaps even greater than, the imperial family.

As she entered the entrance, a butler with a mustache was waiting to greet her.

Next to him was Duchess Leriana, with her blonde hair tied up in a bun.

The butler who saw Ariana placed his hand on his chest and gave a polite greeting.

The duchess also greeted her with a bright smile.

“Princess Ariana. Welcome to the Delgado mansion.”

“Hello, Duchess. Thank you for welcoming me despite my sudden visit.”

“It is our honor that you have come. Shall we have tea together first?”

The duchess spoke as if she would guide her to the reception room right away.

However, Ariana shook her head slightly and said carefully.

“Um, Duchess. I was wondering if I could make a request?”

“Of course.”

The duchess nodded gracefully.

“I would like to speak with Young Master Dietrich Delgado alone first. I have something to discuss with him privately.”

“Ah, with Dietrich…”

The duchess’s face froze coldly for a moment, but soon returned to normal as if nothing had happened.

“Of course. By all means. Butler, would you please relay this news to Dietrich?”

“Yes, Madam.”

After finishing her words, the duchess left, hiding her displeased expression.

Only after the butler and the duchess had disappeared could Ariana look around.

The antique decorations visible here and there and the paintings showcasing aesthetic sense.

The Delgado mansion was as beautiful as the family’s reputation.

But more beautiful than anything else.

“Princess Ariana Jeneger.”

Was that man coming down the stairs.