“Excuse me, was there someone other than the young lord in the kitchen? It’s so well made…”

It was not just empty words, it was genuinely elaborate. No, excuse me. Why is the son of the Marquis so good at cooking? The dish was pretty, to begin with, but the decoration was fantastic.

The lid, they say, is vital. The neatly cut bread lid was placed diagonally over the bread container filled with panne, and there was a small amount of salad sprinkled with a fresh dressing on the side.

Moreover, placing everything at just the right distance so as not to disturb the pattern of the dish, it was hard to see it as the work of someone unfamiliar with cooking.

“I’m glad you complimented it. It feels rewarding to have made it.”

How could one not compliment this?

Luna took a seat in astonishment as Antes offered her a chair and then tasted the panne.

“…!”

Oh, this taste…?! Luna’s eyes widened in surprise as she tasted the forkful.

It was good enough to rival Emma. So good that giving up a noble title to open a restaurant seemed reasonable.

“Would you like to be an assistant chef at my mansion?”

Seeing Antes’s talent, Luna seriously tried to recruit him. He was a resource she absolutely had to secure.

“Do I have to specifically be the assistant chef?”

“If you’re aiming for the head chef position, that won’t do. We have Emma, remember.”

It wasn’t that, she simply implied he could cook just fine as it is. But her hint was too subtle to catch on.

Indeed, if someone caught on, it wouldn’t be Luna. She, who had been unable to discern Fersen’s intentions for a long time, should have stopped with these indirect speech tactics.

“Okay, I’ll accept the assistant chef position. How much is the salary?”

“Um, well, as an assistant chef, it should be less than what Emma gets, right?”

“Hmm. Then I’ll have to think about it. The profit from my current job is pretty good.”

“Then, if Guild matters don’t go well, why don’t you come? But I can’t pay more than the head chef.”

“Just do it like that. Since it’s a promise, you can’t refuse later. I’ll make sure to drop by whenever. Oh, and I can make food anytime you want.”

“…Really?”

Can I ask for it tomorrow, the day after, and after that too? Luna, who seemed thrilled, sparkled her eyes.

If she had a tail, she would’ve wagged it fiercely. In response, Antes, securing an excuse to come and go from Luna’s mansion more frequently, suppressed a smile and nodded.

“If you want something, tell me.”

“Then next time, can you make this dish? It’s a bit unusual. I never thought of it, but I believe the young lord can make it.”

Having tasted the unfamiliar but perfectly made panne by Antes, Luna happily began describing various dishes.

Although he was treated purely as a chef, he didn’t mind. Taming people or animals(?) with food was always most effective.

In this way, the awkward atmosphere disappeared, and they enjoyed a pleasant meal together.

“Thank you for everything today.”

Luna expressed her gratitude to Antes, who had not only prepared the meal but also accompanied her home.

There were some points of contention, but she had received help in many ways and felt grateful.

To this, Antes, who escorted Luna so she could easily get off the carriage, replied with a gentle smile.

“Don’t mention it.”

“Then, take care. Have a good night.”

After a tiring day for both, Luna gave a final farewell. As she tried to pull her hand away from Antes’s grip-

“May you also have a good night, my lady.”

After a moment of hesitation, Antes gently kissed the back of Luna’s hand.

“…?!”

Suddenly?! Luna was startled, and Antes responded with a calm face.

“A farewell gesture. Everyone does it. Are you that surprised? Do you dislike me that much?”

Of course, it wasn’t a greeting made by strangers. But he thought they should start doing it now.

Otherwise, it would take fifty years for Luna, who wouldn’t notice even if a hint flew by her like a meteor, to catch on.

Luckily, the ‘everyone does it’ tactic seemed to work.

Recalling the nobles at the party who often kissed hands as greetings, Luna, her cheeks red, wore an awkward expression.

“It’s not that… it’s just surprising since we haven’t done it before.”

“Then, I’ll do it more often, so don’t be so surprised.”

Why did he phrase it like that! Luna tried to object, but before she could, Antes swiftly got onto the carriage.

With a bright smile, he calmly waved from behind the window, leaving Luna speechless.

“…Take care.”

In the end, Luna, overthinking the insignificant event and being overly sensitive, waved to Antes and headed inside the mansion.

Following her, Laura quickly caught up and asked if she had a fun date today. Luna, flustered, hid her blushing cheeks and swiftly disappeared.

Watching this, Antes couldn’t help but laugh softly.

* * *

The jewelry shop’s opening date wasn’t far away, so Luna quickly made plans for Gwell’s visit.

Of course, this time wasn’t simply about meeting and viewing the artwork. It was more about promoting it.

“Young lady Luna!”

“It’s been a while. Thank you for the invitation.”

“I heard about the hospital. It seems you’ve done something significant.”

Luna expressed her gratitude through her eyes to Rosemary, who clung to her arm saying she missed her so much over time. Thanks to her, Luna was able to invite ladies from their group.

“It must have been tiring coming all this way. Let’s sit, have some tea, and chat slowly.”

Since Gwell hadn’t arrived yet, Luna led the ladies to the outdoor terrace.

She could have called in advance, but doing so would have revealed her intentions too early.

With the scent of roses carried by the wind, the five ladies, including Luna, slowly enjoyed their refreshments. As they were having a casual conversation and eating cookies that Emma had worked hard to bake, Gwell arrived at the right moment.

“Actually, I had an appointment with a craftsman from my jewelry shop this afternoon, but I think I gave him the wrong time. He arrived too early.”

When Luna looked quite troubled and asked the ladies for understanding, Rosemary, who already knew the situation, quickly spoke the line she had prepared.

“A jeweler? Are you talking about the big jewelry shop you’re establishing in the downtown? The one that handles high-quality diamonds from the newly discovered diamond mine?”

The details couldn’t be clearer. Although it was obvious they had prepared this, the words ‘jewelry shop’ and ‘newly discovered diamond mine’ captivated the ladies, and they asked Luna with wide eyes.

“Really? Was the big building across from the boutique  Lady Luna’s jewelry shop?”

“You discovered a diamond mine? Really, you found a diamond mine?”

“Oh, yes. That’s how it turned out. I was planning to invite the ladies of our group once everything was ready, but you found out early. Today, I’ve only requested samples, so I’ll formally show you next time.”

The ladies challenged Luna, asking what she meant by that.

“Oh my God, how can this be? God truly blesses you, Lady Luna…!”

“Can we see it together?”

“Yes, let’s see it. You said you were going to show us soon anyway.”

After a moment of hesitation, Luna nodded as if she had no choice.

“Okay, then. But today, I’ve only requested samples, so please don’t speak ill of them if they don’t meet your expectations, okay?”

“Of course.”

The ladies urged Luna, and she instructed the servant to let Gwell in.

“…Oh, long time no see. I, I am Gwell.”

Gwell, who thought he was only meeting Luna, was taken aback by the radiant presence of the five noble ladies and wiped the sweat from his forehead before politely greeting them.

“He’s a very skilled craftsman.”

As Luna introduced him with a bright smile, the ladies without hesitation looked at Gwell with hopeful eyes.

Gwell, regretting not dressing better, opened his large bag and displayed his craft.

“This is the necklace and the set you mentioned. I crafted them using the diamonds and gold you provided.”

What he brought wasn’t just a sample. It was jewelry that Luna would grandly unveil at the opening ceremony.

The ladies were astounded by the jewelry Gwell had crafted with such passion. How could there be such beautiful craftsmanship in the world?

Also they couldn’t help but be amazed that all of this came from Luna’s mine.

One of the ladies suddenly took interest in Luna’s ring that caught her eye.

“Is that ring also crafted by Gwell? It feels similar, with the same delicate touch.”

As if it was natural, all eyes were fixed on Luna’s hand.

It went well with any outfit and was comfortable, so Luna kept wearing it, but it seems she couldn’t fool the noble ladies’ eyes.

“Oh, yes. It wasn’t something I specifically asked for; it was a gift.”

When she added that explanation, Rosemary widened her eyes, asking:

“The artisan gave you a gift?”

No, an unexpected guess had appeared here? It seemed like she had completely misunderstood, so Luna quickly corrected her:

“No, no. Lord Antes gave it to me as a simple gift.”

Unfortunately, that answer only led to more misunderstandings.

“…He casually gifted you a ring?”

“Oh, yes. It felt like a sample.”

Guys, don’t be weird. Antes said it was a friendship ring.

“No way, a proposal… Did you get proposed to?”

“What?!”

Luna couldn’t help but shout out in surprise. A proposal, that was unexpected.

“No! It was just a small gift. And because of its beautiful design, Lord Antes also had one made for himself.”

So, when Luna made an excuse, saying that it was just because the ring was pretty, the young girls were speechless and their eyes widened.

In the meantime, Rosemary’s face turned pale, almost as if she was about to faint.

“…Are you saying that because you don’t want to show off?”