I arrived a few hours early to prepare for our first day of business.

I didn’t expect anyone to be here yet.

“Get out of the way! Do you even know which noble family my lady belongs to?”

“Do you think your lady is the only noble here?”

“One punch and I’ll send you flying, you lowlife!”

Our café is not meant for commoners.

So, I wouldn’t expect people speaking so coarsely out in the open to be our customers.

The noble ladies themselves would never stand in line like this. That would be unbecoming of their status.

So, they must have sent their servants in their place.

Once the doors open, noble ladies from various families will be pouring in.

“Antonio, have you finished cleaning up the café and getting everything ready?”

Antonio, the only dashing middle-aged man here and our deputy manager.

Normally, he carries a subtle smile and has a relaxed, gentlemanly demeanor.

But maybe the unexpectedly large crowd is getting to him.

He was smiling, but the corners of his mouth were twitching a bit.

“As you instructed, the café has been thoroughly cleaned, and we’ve prepared an ample supply of cakes and tea leaves. However, I’m afraid we might not be able to handle this many customers with our current staff.”

I had anticipated a crowd for the grand opening.

So, we hired more staff than we needed for the café’s size and stocked up on plenty of supplies—enough to make even Antonio anxious.

But at this rate, we might run out of ingredients before the end of the day.

Maybe even faster if people start taking cakes to go.

“Tell the kitchen to put more hands on baking. While not everyone can handle the whipped cream and decorating, anyone should be able to help with the dough.”

Spreading whipped cream evenly isn’t exactly difficult.

It’s just not something a novice can pick up in an instant.

On the other hand, anyone can manage the dough as long as the measurements are correct.

“Also, pick someone who can write, and set up a temporary stall outside to start taking orders for those wanting to take their cakes to go.”

Of the servants waiting out there, probably half, maybe two-thirds, are here to buy cakes to take back home or to a tea party.

“Spread out the crowd and, since it’s not open yet, hire some porters to help with deliveries.”

While the noble ladies themselves aren’t waiting, it’s also not ideal to keep their servants waiting too long.

“And give those waiting out there a glass of water—or better yet, some warm soup. It’s late autumn, and they must be cold and hungry from waiting since the morning.”

Serving dozens of bowls of soup would be a considerable expense.

But if it buys goodwill, it’s a cheap price to pay.

And the profit from the patrons buying cakes and tea will more than cover this cost.

“Oh, thank heavens, I was freezing out here!”

The faces of those who received the soup lit up with smiles.

They’d go home and spread stories about how kind the Medici family’s second son is, even to servants.

“We’re about to open!”

With that announcement, noble ladies, elegantly dressed, appeared from all sides.

They switched places with their servants and filed into the café.

“This place has such an atmosphere.”

“It’s relaxing here. I like it.”

The ladies looked around with gleaming eyes.

The tables and chairs, the handpicked staff, the pretty cakes and cookies...

Everything was meticulously tailored to appeal to a feminine sensibility.

“Unlike tea parties at home, we can talk freely here. It’s so nice.”

“Yeah, at tea parties, you’re forced to pretend to be friendly with women you don’t even like.”

I designed this café to be a place where people could come with friends, free from political obligations.

If it becomes a place for women to gather and chat, like a salon...

Then maybe men will start coming here for personal conversations too.

“Young master, we’ve sold out all 120 cakes.”

Even if most of our revenue comes from takeout, 120 cakes?

And we’ve only been open for two hours.

“Also, look over there.”

Unlike the serene, elegant atmosphere inside the café, the takeout counter was utter chaos.

“Our Lady of the Vietta family is hosting a tea party in two hours! Hurry up and give us our cakes!”

“Do you think Vietta is the only family in line? Wait your turn!”

“Our family is in a hurry too!”

While the ladies waiting inside are elegantly queued up, the servants outside don’t have to worry about appearances.

If we’re this popular on the first day, then if we catch on as a trend... I could be rolling in wealth with just this café.

“What should we do?”

“Everyone, inside and outside, is a valuable customer. However, the ladies inside are our top priority, so make sure to reserve enough cakes for them.”

It’s acceptable to make the servants outside wait if there’s a valid reason.

Noble family servants are like employees of major corporations.

But the ladies inside are like the CEOs’ daughters.

If we run out of supplies for them, our reputation could plummet.

“What about the male nobles outside?”

This café is strictly designed to cater to women’s tastes.

Why are men even here?

“Don’t discriminate—serve them. But inform them that they need to order at least a slice of cake and a cup of tea.”

While the Tosca Empire has some medieval European elements...

It doesn’t enforce strict gender separation like in Joseon, so having men and women mixed in the same space isn’t an issue.

The young noblemen who entered were dressed to impress.

“I heard this place is all the rage among women, so I thought I’d check it out. Not bad.”

“Let’s have some tea and chat a bit.”

“Well, we could discuss swordsmanship...”

They’re trying to look disinterested in women, but I can see their eyes darting towards them.

They’re sending silent signals to their friends by nudging them with their fingers.

Their tone betrays a bit of nervousness, as if preparing for a big move.

It’s obvious what they’re here for.

The typical shy guys, trying to work up the nerve to approach women they fancy.

It’s not uncommon for such exchanges to lead to marriages at ballrooms, after all.

“Excuse me, I’d like to place an order.”

Everyone’s busy, and no one’s available to help her right now.

“Yes, milady. How can I assist you?”

The noblewoman smiled warmly when she saw me.

“Fabio, isn’t it? The cake at your brother’s baronial inauguration was delightful.”

“I’m honored that such a beautiful lady enjoyed it.”

“I’ll take one strawberry cake, please.”

I brought out a custom-made wooden case.

It’s not exactly a luxurious box, but it has an elegant feel with our Medici family crest engraved on it.

Like the “Made in Korea” stamp, branding the cakes with our crest helps establish them as a premium product.

Nobles, who take pride in showing off, will surely want these cakes from Café Medici, the leader of this new trend.

The box prominently showcases its authenticity.

Eventually, there may be copycats using our boxes...

But this is still a profitable strategy.

“Here you are, milady.”

“Thank you.”

“Please come again.”

As soon as she left, one of the young men made his move.

“Excuse me, but would you like to have a cup of tea with me?”

He stammered a bit, blushing as red as an apple.

But whatever he said seemed to work, as the two soon sat together, chatting away.

By the end of the day, quite a few patrons had ended up on impromptu dates.

Café Medici had quickly become a sanctuary for those seeking genuine encounters.

The café had swiftly become the talk of the social scene, thriving in its role.

“Reckoning is complete.”

Business went far better than expected.

I could probably expect a decent profit, but let’s see how much we made.

“Our total revenue: 7 gold coins, 8 silver coins, and 72 copper coins. Total: 78 pounds, 72 pennies. Total expenses: 1 gold coin, 9 silver coins, and 95 copper coins, 19 pounds, 95 pennies.”

Daily revenue around 6 gold coins.

Considering the initial loan of this building and 50 gold coins from my father, it might not seem like much.

But 6 gold coins are about a year and a half of income for a city commoner.

The wealth disparity here is far greater than in 21st-century Korea, but still, to earn that much in a single day...

“Hurrah! Hurrah!”

I was the only one cheering, but I didn’t feel embarrassed.

With steady earnings like this, I could live quite comfortably.

“Congratulations, young master.”

“Thank you, Antonio.”

“This was all thanks to your efforts.”

I did all the planning.

But without their hard work, it would have been a meaningless pipe dream.

“It was your hard work that made this possible. Thank you.”

To succeed, you must reward your subordinates for their contributions.

That way, they’ll work even harder...

And stand by you in times of danger.

“Antonio, other staff members get a daily wage of 3 coppers and 3 pennies.”

Antonio, as the deputy, earns twice as much as regular staff.

Compared to my earnings, it might seem stingy.

But in this line of work, a daily wage of 1 penny and a copper coin is typical.

3 pennies is like a full-time position at a major corporation in Korea.

“Today, since it’s our first day, and you’ve all done so well, I’ll double your wages. Thanks for your hard work, and I look forward to more.”

Everyone cheered.

After all, regardless of the café’s earnings, their own pay is what matters most.

“Line up, everyone.”

The only reason I’m personally handing out wages is simple.

Since I’m paying, I want them to feel a bit more grateful.

Those who received their unexpected wages bowed deeply and repeatedly.

“Thank you, young master. Really, thank you!”

“I’ll always share my joy with you when there’s good news. Treat this place as your own and work hard. Good job today, everyone. Tomorrow, same time. Antonio, post a notice for more bakers, and send a letter for extra carts before you leave.”

Our café flourished with all of us working as one...

Until just two weeks later, an unexpected trouble arrived.

“Who’s the bastard who reported Café Medici to the church as a den of debauchery?”