36
It’s been a month since he returned from the palace.
Yaquel is busy as usual with errands and nominated customers. But it is his happiness to be of help to the shop more than anything, and he is full of a sense of fulfillment everyday.
If there was one change during those days, it would probably be that his arm muscles were stronger than before. The reason for this was that when he went on a business trip to the palace, which he was called once a week, Alton and Hylm told him that it was a labor charge separate from the price, and he was forced to bring back so much high-quality meat and sweets that he could not hold with both hands. Looking at the amount that is clearly not for Yaquel alone, it seems their apology and appreciation are also included in it.
Yaquel was thankful for the father and son’s sentiments, and it will also make everyone happy, so he decided to obediently accept the presents.
Of course, a carriage from the Royal Family was also prepared for him, but as it’s from the Royal Family, it can’t stop right in front of the shop so he was getting on and off of it by the mountain road away from public eyes.
That day, when Yaquel, who had returned from the palace, arrived in front of the shop, it was already dark and business had already begun. Yaquel rushes to help, carrying the luggage he received and heading to the kitchen.
Yaquel, who found the head chef, placed his luggage on the carrier and called out to him.
“Sligh-san.”
“Oh, Yaquel? Welcome back, you came from the palace, right?”
“Yes, I’ve just returned.”
Sligh, who was stirring a large pot, looked at Yaquel and was shocked by the jute bags placed on the load-carrying tray that entered his sight. Sligh stopped the fire, walked over and opened the bags.
“Uwoooh! There are even three bags of it! That’s amazing! Did you receive it from His Majesty again?”
“Yes, he said that it’s for everyone to eat together.”
“Why thanks for that. We can also save on our food expenses. Let’s see, we have myshal meat, and in this bag is… eh eeeeh~! This, isn’t this roonran!!”
Sligh picked up a grass that’s about 20cm long and deeply inhaled.
“Is it something great?”
“It’s not just on the level of great! It’s a legendary herb that can only be harvested in a part of the Yuniv Region in the south.”
“Ohh, so it’s such a valuable ingredient, is it delicious?”
“Yes, of course. Here, taste it.”
Sligh gave a piece of the roonran leaf that he tore off to Yaquel, who smelled it for a bit then put it in his mouth.
“Woaah! It’s delicious!”
“Right?”
The sweetness spread inside his mouth the moment he but down on it, and it also has a faint fruity flavor. Its texture is crisp and easy to eat.
“If this is simmered with meat, you will exclaim from how delicious it is. In all my life, I’ve only eaten it twice. That’s how precious this ingredient is.”
Yaquel didn’t really understand the value of this roonran, Sligh, who has been a chef for over 10 years, is this excited. It’s probably a very incredible ingredient.
Was it really okay to accept such an amazing ingredient?
Even if Yaquel didn’t know, he was self-reflecting a little for accepting it that easily.
“Okay! Tomorrow’s main dish will be myshal meat simmered with roonran!”
However, he was able to see Sligh’s happy face with glittering eyes and, imagining the happy faces of the guests and everyone in the shop while eating the food, he decided to positively face it, thinking that he was glad to have received it.
After handing over the ingredients to Sligh, Yaquel headed to Retana’s office to ask her if there’s any work for him. Then, he saw a man standing on the porch of the shop while looking at the courtyard. He looks like a customer based on his clothes.
“Dear customer, is something the matter?”
The gentleman in his early thirties noticed Yaquel and turned around.
“It’s nothing, I just find the courtyard illuminated by the moonlight beautiful.”
I just fell in love with it. He gently looked at it.
“Thank you.”
“Are you in charge of taking care of the courtyard? Are you a gardener?”
“No, I’m not someone that great. I’m doing it as an amateur.”
“I see. But it’s well taken care of.”
“Thank you.”
The man looked out over the courtyard again while stroking his goatee.
“Dear customer, who do you want to nominate?”
“Oh, I chose Lulu but she has a preceding customer so I’m killing my time like this while waiting.”
“I see…”
The time a prost*tute spends with a nominating customer is one hour at the earliest, and one night at the longest. In Yaquel’s case, it’s generally 3 hours with Eunick, from morning to evening with Alton and Hylm, and a night with Guinn as well as Sajis.
The amount of time varies but this man will wait for at least an hour, if not then who knows how long he’ll have to wait for Lulu.
“If you don’t mind, should I call another prost*tute?”
There were several women in the waiting room that he saw when he was heading this way. If he remembers correctly, there must have been a young courtesan who resembled Lulu in stature. If he’s okay with her, the man doesn’t have to waste time and the woman benefits too, killing two birds with one stone.
However, at Yaquel’s suggestion, the man touches his beard again as if thinking about something.
“…No, I’ll refrain, after all.”
“I see…”
“I’m sorry… I’m a coward, you see, I can’t easily hang out with female prost*tutes easily…”
The man laughed in resignation.
Most of Hana-Hana’s customers are originally commoners. There are some who come here because the popular shops are full and they’re refused entry, and those who had difficulty entering the shops that have showy and high thresholds are a lot. The point is that there are many men who are not used to playing around.
Those men couldn’t casually change other women just because the previous ones don’t meet their standards. Some among those men ended up falling for the prost*tutes the nominated, there are also those who wanted to try playing with other prost*tutes but were unable to do so.
“No, that is proof of Dear Customer’s kindness.”
“I’m just pathetic.”
“Not at all.”
Yaquel wanted to take care of this gentleman somehow but he can’t possibly say, How about I’ll be your partner? Besides, thinking that he doesn’t want the man who calls himself a coward to show a much more lonesome expression than now, Yaquel
“If you don’t mind, may I join you?”
pulled a soft cloth over the edge of the porch, drank tea with the man until Lulu came, and talked quietly while looking at the courtyard illuminated by the moonlight.