It was definitely rice.

I moved it to a small plate and quickly tasted it.

‘It tastes like rice with no stickiness at all.’

It tastes similar to the rice served at Indian restaurants.

I was confused as to why rice was sitting alone on a Western-style table.

Perbellof approached me.

“That’s not how you eat it. It’s a very special drink, there’s a separate method.”

“A drink, you say?”

This?

“I’ll show you how to make it.”

Perbellof poured an unknown liquid into a glass. Then he added a spoonful of rice and stirred it.

The grains of rice danced in swirls in the milky liquid.

“Like this, you mix it with this sweet water and eat it.”

It was a series of shocks.

I unconsciously accepted the glass he offered.

‘…Sikhye?’

While the manufacturing process was quite shocking, the visual was unmistakably sikhye.

‘This is too strange! It’s suspicious!’

Adding a spoonful of rice to water doesn’t make it sikhye.

As someone who had seen my mother make sikhye when I was young, this was a drink I absolutely couldn’t accept.

“Please, try it.”

“…Ah, yes.”

I couldn’t refuse when offered by someone of the rank of Chief Minister.

I carefully put it to my lips. Comforting myself that it might taste good.

But as soon as I took a sip.

‘If this is called sikhye, it deserves life imprisonment, no, the death penalty.’

It tasted like sugar syrup and half water, half alcohol. With rice grains mixed in.

Perbellof’s smile, which had created a drink insulting to Koreans, began to look different.

Various emotions crossed my mind and several hypotheses swirled in my head.

‘Could he possibly know that I’m a transmigrator?’

He might already know about the country of Korea, and this could be a test to cover that up.

I felt like an alien that had crashed on Earth.

And such aliens get dissected the moment their identity is discovered.

Suddenly, I felt sick to my stomach.

‘If I get angry here….’

Gulp.

I swallowed dry saliva involuntarily.

I immediately took a shot and smiled brightly.

“It’s sweet and delicious! It’s a taste I’ve never had before!”

As if my choice had been correct, Perbellof smiled brightly.

“The drink is unique, isn’t it? It’s called Sweet Rice Juice. The floating bits are made from a very precious crop.”

I froze in surprise at the familiar second foreign language.

Perbellof gazed wistfully at the glass with rice grains floating in it, as if lost in memories, and said.

“Actually, this isn’t its true taste. Only Madam Balut knows how to make it, so we’re preserving it like this for now.”

He continued speaking while making his own drink.

“Originally, it’s incomparably more delicious than this. It has a subtle, soft, and pleasantly sweet taste.”

What the Chief Minister was talking about was clearly sikhye.

I took in the concept of the party along with the pile of rice.

With Kanmoa interiors and sikhye on top of that.

‘Was there another transmigrator besides me?’

That was the only way I could think of it.

While I was standing there in a daze, Louis touched the drink.

“Eileen, can we try that too?”

“…Ah, I don’t think so because this is alcohol. Are you thirsty?”

“I just want to try it because you said it’s delicious.”

“I’ll give you something else. Let’s see, what do we have.”

I pretended to look around the table while watching Perbellof’s reaction.

Thinking I shouldn’t be flustered for now, I was about to pick up a glass of juice when I heard a small voice from below.

“Um, excuse me.”

“…Yes?”

“…This is delicious. You should g-give it to the princes.”

The one who spoke to me was a young girl who looked about five or six years old.

“Ah, hello. I’m… Lapia Rudion.”

The girl, with her brown hair tied up cutely with a red ribbon, was glancing at the twins even as she greeted me.

“Oh, it’s the child we met at that party!”

By party, she seemed to be one of the children from Oloje.

‘I guess not all the kids there were bad.’

I picked up two glasses of the recommended juice and handed them to Lapia.

“Would you like to give these to the princes?”

“…Yes!”

Lapia approached the twins with a blushing smile.

I pointed at the clock while watching the children drink the beverage.

“Would you three like to play together? When the clock hand reaches the hour, let’s meet at the door then.”

“Okay! Got it!”

After sending the children off, I had the mental space to assess the situation.

But Perbellof was still with me.

‘If he’s a donor worthy of such praise… I should be able to get information just by asking the Chief Minister.’

First, I needed to find out about this person called Evelyn Balut.

“The interior is quite unique. Could I hear a bit more about Madam Balut?”

When I showed interest, Perbellof smiled as if he knew something.

“It’s worth your interest. Lady Hallen, you too have the qualifications to become an outstanding believer, even more so than Madam Balut.”

“…Pardon? I’m sorry, but I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

‘I asked for information and he’s spouting such nonsense at length?’

Eventually, Perbellof’s gaze gradually became more blatant.

“Lady Hallen, I hear you own two large businesses.”

Outstanding believer. Donor’s party. The intentionally connected business talk pointed to only one thing.

‘This bastard, he’s trying to extort money from me right now.’

It meant the temple wanted wealthy donors.

“If you walk with the Goddess of Light, Lady Hallen, you will shine even brighter.”

It was so blatant that I wasn’t even angry.

I drawled as if I didn’t understand.

“Hmm, I wonder. Shouldn’t you first show me something worth believing in?”

Rather than urging for donations, it would have been better to ask to buy information.

Perbellof’s eyes narrowed.

After a moment’s pause, he opened his mouth.

“Marchioness Sylvia Ailid would know in detail. She was her close friend.”

There was still a person alive who knew Madam Balut in her lifetime.

His information was quite satisfactory.

“Alright. I’ll think about the donation matter.”

Just that much, which was helpful to me.

“It’s already this late. I should go find the princes.”

“…May the blessing of the goddess be with you.”

With those words tinged with a smile, Perbellof disappeared into the crowd.

‘What is all this about.’

So, sikhye and this person called Evelyn Balut.

And lastly, the words Perbellof left behind.

It was overwhelming to think about it all at once.

‘And then there’s this person called Evelyn Balut.’

A room cafe and Kanmoa. And a woman who made sikhye on top of that.

It was clear that someone had transmigrated into this book before me.

‘I’ve never thought about something like this.’

Thinking that there was another transmigrator besides me, I felt more confused than glad.

A supporting character who didn’t even appear in the book. Moreover, deceased.

‘Let’s get out of here first.’

It would be better to think again after that.

I checked the clock hand once more before heading to the entrance.

Evan and Lapia were standing side by side there.

“Did you have fun?”

“Yes.”

Only Evan answered, but Lapia blushed.

It seemed this little lady had feelings for Evan.

“Miss Lapia, come visit the duke’s mansion sometime.”

“Can I really?”

“Of course, you’re the princes’ friend, aren’t you?”

When I winked at her, Lapia smiled as if she owned the world.

“I’ll definitely come! Th-then I’ll be going now!”

“Okay, take care.”

They’ve even dropped formalities in the meantime. I really liked the fast progress.

I was watching Lapia’s retreating figure fondly.

But Louis was nowhere to be seen.

“Evan, where’s Louis?”

“Ah. There.”

Evan pointed to the curtain.

Then Louis emerged from behind the curtain connected to the balcony.

“Louis? What were you doing there?”

“I met a friend! I have two friends now?”

If it was Lapia, she just left, so did he make friends with another child?

“Are we leaving now?”

“Yes.”

“That’s too bad. But we can meet again!”

Louis seemed to have really enjoyed the party, repeating how regretful he was even as we left.

We returned to the corridor where we had parted with Kashar.

It seemed that more things were entangled than I had thought.

As I was staring ahead with complicated eyes, it was then.

“Eileen.”

“Ah, you’re here.”

I greeted Kashar while checking the priest behind him. His face was pale.

‘Looks like there was some problem.’

Only Kashar seemed fine, that is.

‘There’s been too much going on.’

Seeing him, my tension suddenly melted away.

I ended up leaning my face against Kashar’s chest.

“I’m a bit tired.”

Perhaps because I had taken a mental hit, my body really felt weary.

“Let’s go back then.”

As I lowered my eyes, Kashar embraced me and left the corridor.

Numerous gazes pierced my back. It felt like becoming the owner of a mad dog.

‘Well, at least we’re making one solid rumor before we leave.’

It’s not fake anymore, but real now.

I got into the waiting carriage.

Kashar followed after helping the children up.

It was fully night, and the light leaking from the temple was bright.

I couldn’t take my eyes off it, as if entranced.

“Ah, right. The festival…”

I had forgotten that the children’s purpose was the festival.

I must have looked surprised because Evan shook his head.

“It’s okay.”

“Why? I want to go!”

“The festival period continues until this week, so shall we come back tomorrow?”

I really didn’t have the confidence to play with the children today.

“We’re going out again tomorrow? Great!”

I was grateful that Louis agreed so readily.

‘Sylvia Ailid, she said.’

Madam Balut’s close friend, that is.

If I could find her, I might be able to find a clue.

Even about the dream connected to the mart that made me transmigrate to this world.

Suddenly, this thought occurred to me.

“Kashar, have you ever eaten or seen food similar to what I make?”

“…Well. Why suddenly?”

He gave me a look, resting his chin on his hand.

‘Oh no.’

What am I saying to someone who has lost his sense of taste.

I belatedly shook my head.

“It’s nothing. I was just curious.”

“Eileen, I’m sleepy.”

Louis tightly hugged my arm.

I soothed the child who was about to fall asleep.

“Sleep well. I’ll wake you when we arrive.”

“Mmm…”

The carriage fell into silence.