Eldarion Empire’s capital, the largest shopping street.

Especially wellknown as a dessert street, Artrange Street was bustling with crowds, leaving no room to feel the autumn chill.

Following the crowd, a building with a sign featuring a redhaired child painted on it comes into view. This place was Fosette Peperon.

A famous dessert shop on this ancient street with a long history of 200 years.

Looking at the shop from a distance were a blackhaired mother and daughter, Lucia and Nia.

“…What a long line.”

As Lucia muttered tiredly, the child gripping her hand nodded in agreement.

From the entrance of the dessert shop, the line of people, along with children, stretched endlessly, making it daunting to even approach.

For good reason, today was the day before the outing organized by the Eldarion Academy’s affiliated kindergarten.

Choosing snacks on the day before the outing was one of the rare occasions for children who usually eat only what’s given.

Perhaps that’s why, despite the tiresome wait, most children were filled with anticipation, their eyes sparkling.

And their mothers felt the same enthusiasm for different reasons.

In the current time, when the only pride they could take home were the snacks, the mothers were particularly cautious.

Lucia pondered.

Like other mothers, she had come to the most popular shop, Ivan’s, for her child, but she had not anticipated so many people.

And seeing her child, who was still not used to the crowded street, she thought standing in line for a long time would be quite torturous.

“Nia, shall we rest a bit?”

Lucia headed towards a quieter café alley with her visibly stiffened child.

Walking through the more secluded alleys, it occurred to her that there was a reason these places were less populated.

Either the places were too shabby to enter, or they were filled with suspicious buildings whose entrances were hard to discern.

However, were there hidden gems among these rundown alleys?

In such an alley, a much richer and nuttier scent of wheat wafted through the air than at any upscale bakery.

A closer look revealed that between the numerous small windows of the old houses, they were cooling cookies.

Nia, lifting her heels to locate the source of the aroma.

Picking up Nia, the now taller child mumbled as she looked at the cookies inside the window.

“…Apple pie! Butter cookies…! Madeleine!”

“Oh, you know them well.”

“Yes! Ate them at snack time! Those are, pound cake and walnut pie! …Ivan!”

“…?”

Ivan?

Lucia was delighted with her child’s words, then a little startled by the unexpected comment.

And it was real.

On the tip of the child’s finger was Ivan, his face amusingly pressed against the glass window.

The boy soon ran out, tumbling.

From a wall with only windows, it was unclear where he had come from, but he appeared running from the small alley.

“It’s Nia!”

“Ivan…!”

Children grabbing hands, twirling around as if they were soulmates brought together by coincidence.

“Ivan, why are you here?”

“Nia’s mom! Ivan is working here! Right here!”

Having become comfortable with Lucia from frequent visits to the lodging, Ivan was jumping up and down in joy.

Following the child into a narrow alley connected, a large metal door that would fit a warehouse appeared.

Through a small additional door on that large door went Ivan.

Crouching to follow, a mix of glorious scents enveloped them.

Freshly baked cookies, the sweet smell of caramel, even the scent of mashed fruits.

Each sweet scent came from different directions, blending into one.

Around them, the shabby little houses were connected to a single yard, appearing like a small village from a fairy tale.

‘What exactly is this place…?’

Just as Lucia pondered, a raspy voice of an old man came from nearby.

“Ivan! Ivan, where are you?”

“Grandpa! I’m here!”

“You rascal, you went outside again?”
He was a whitehaired old man of short stature, much like Ivana.

The grizzled elder looked at Lucia and Nia, his brow furrowed as if unimpressed.

“Who are you?”

“Lower class! Ivana’s friend, Nia!”

“Excuse me, I am Lucia, a fellow parent from the same kindergarten.”

He lifted his arched eyebrows as if slightly interested, then immediately fixed the mother and daughter with a stern gaze.

“That black hair, the last person I recall seeing it on was Count Kerban Cluer.”

He was Gilliana’s father, known as a stubborn and despotic dessert master, Baron Olive.

He had once been the royal dessert chef and had a rough idea of who she was, but Lucia did not respond to this.

“So, you’re a friend of our granddaughter?”

“……!”

Nia was so startled by the old man’s sudden scowl that she hid behind her mother.

He clicked his tongue at this.

“Tsk tsk, such a timid child. Well, if you came here to avoid the line, you might as well leave! We don’t do business in the workshop, even if you’re a friend of my granddaughter.”

Whether his irate demeanor was his true nature or not, she understood why he disliked outsiders.