“Ah, yes. Here it is.”

Darren carefully placed the bag he was carrying on the ground. Cookus’s eyes gleamed with curiosity as he effortlessly lowered the substantial bag, even though it seemed heavy. It was the first time Cookus had seen a face nearby. Despite being quite tall and strong, Darren wondered why he had never seen him before.

“I want to sell carrots I personally grew. How much is the stall usage fee?”

“20 pennies per day.”

Darren was surprised by Cookus’s blunt response.

“What? Is it that expensive?”

He was only spreading and selling goods on the ground, with just a small wooden signboard saying ‘Moonlight Guild’ given by the guild. Darren thought it was too much for the amount.

“If it’s expensive, go somewhere else.”

Cookus passed by Darren, clicking his tongue. Darren hesitated for a moment but grabbed his arm as if there was no other choice. What touched his palm was flesh, but it felt as solid as touching a steel plate.

Moreover, the man’s arm was thicker than Darren’s thigh. Darren reluctantly lowered his rolled-up sleeves. It was because his own forearm felt as thin as a finger in front of him.

Glancing to the side, Bryn, the owner, was staring wide-eyed at Cookus’s muscles.

“No, thank you. I’ll buy it.”

There seemed to be a reason Mila had pointed out the Moonlight Guild.

The closer to the square, the higher the status of the customers who came, and the farther away, the more shops were for commoners.
There are noble shops that are reluctant to have commoners passing by in front of their stores, so commoners often purposely detour around the outskirts of the square to reach the desired shops.

In Conpanyo Square, roads stretched in four directions, each lined with different types of shops.

To the north, there were stores selling agricultural tools and weapons, as well as a blacksmith. To the west, various clothing stores were abundant.

The closer to the square, the more upscale the clothing stores, and the farther away, there were shops mainly dealing with old clothes or cheap fabrics.

Darren and Bryn set up their business today in the southern street that extended out. The southern street, also known as Fruit Street, was a place where various fruits and diverse agricultural products from various regions were traded.

Jack took care of the guidance. The name of the little kid who warmly welcomed them when they entered the guild earlier was Jack.

“Just go a little further that way.”

Jack frequently looked back to make sure the two were following. Darren held the permit he received from the Moonlight Guild leader in his hand.

“Master, what should we do with all these cold pies here?”

The maid who came to clean the emperor’s room asked, looking at the pie placed on the table.

“Pie?”
The Grand Eunuch had never heard of anyone bringing a pie to the emperor’s room. Even the head chef he had met a while ago had inquired about the emperor’s morning condition but had not mentioned anything about a pie.

It was when the maid was about to pick up the pie.

“Wait!”

The Grand Eunuch urgently called out, causing the maid to turn her head in surprise.

“Why… are you doing this?”

The maid tensed up, fearing she might have made a mistake. Fortunately, the Grand Eunuch’s gaze was fixed on the pie, not her. Relieved, the maid took a step back.

“Don’t touch it. It might be poisoned.”

“What?”

Harmon’s serious gaze shifted uneasily to the now cold pie. The Grand Eunuch carefully took out a silver needle that he always carried with him, prepared for such situations.

Slowly, with the utmost silence, Harmon inserted the silver needle into the pie. The maids in the room stopped breathing, staring at him.

Harmon pulled out the silver needle as cautiously as when he inserted it. It sparkled with a silver light just like before.

“Sigh.”

Relieved sighs echoed from all around.

“What are you doing over there?”
Having just finished his morning bath, Kai looked at the gathering of Harmon and the maids around the table and asked. Harmon, with a relieved expression, picked up the pie and handed it to the maid, saying,

“Food that the head chef did not prepare was placed on the table. Fortunately, it is not poisoned.”

The maid’s eyes, receiving the pie from the Grand Eunuch, momentarily sparkled. It didn’t matter if the emperor discarded it; they could eat it without any concerns.

Moreover, the pie looked quite delicious, and despite being cold, it emitted a wonderful smell that made one’s mouth water.

It was when the maid was about to leave after organizing the cold pie and discarded items.

“Put that down and leave.”

“Yes?”

Thinking she had misheard, the maid asked with widened eyes.

Realizing she dared to look directly at the emperor, she urgently bowed. Because of that, the carrot pie placed on the tray fell to the floor with a thud!

“What are you doing? Hurry and clean it up.”

Harmon scolded the maid for her absurd mistake in front of the emperor. The maid hastily picked up the crumpled pie from the floor, and another maid quickly wiped the soiled carpet.