TOPWL 153

At the call, Yudit turned around. It was the child who had been fidgeting with the magic stone, clearly wanting to keep it. Among the commoners, the child’s blond hair and blue eyes stood out. Clenching his small fists, the child took a deep breath and shouted at the top of his lungs,

“See you tomorrow!”

His voice carried on the wind. Yudit gave a soft smile and waved.

“Alright. See you tomorrow.”

The child’s face lit up as if someone had flipped a switch. He kept waving until Yudit disappeared inside.

⸻

After finishing his work at the school and returning home, Yudit stopped by the kitchen to order more cookies and happened to run into Selena. She was seated at one end of the kitchen, grinding something, when her eyes met Yudit’s. Thud. The bright red fruit in her hand rolled to the ground. Her cheeks turned as red as the fallen fruit.

“Y-Your Highness…”

Yudit lowered his head, picked up the fruit, and handed it to her.

“Are you feeling any better?”

“Eek!”

Selena clutched her face with both hands like she’d just heard something scandalous. Peeking at Yudit through her fingers, she asked in a timid voice,

“Did you… see me that day?”

“Mm.”

“I knew it… Oh no…”

Selena dropped onto the stool beside her, her face filled with anxiety.

“I’m sorry…”

“For what?”

“I begged you to let me be your aide, and then I caused a mess the moment I got here… I wouldn’t blame you if you told me to go back…”

She looked utterly downcast.

“So, what exactly happened that day?”

“Well…”

During the carriage ride with Yudit, Selena had realized he was looking for a way to make money. Wanting to help, she’d brainstormed some ideas. The best one, she thought, was to invent a new juice recipe using local fruits and vegetables. She bought ingredients from the market and began experimenting. Eventually, she came up with a recipe that was a hit—three fruits, one vegetable, and a bit of fruit syrup gifted by the kitchen. Everyone who tasted it was full of praise.

Attracted by the commotion, other servants peeked into the kitchen and joined the impromptu tasting event that continued late into the night. Everyone had a good time.

But there was one thing they had overlooked—the so-called “fruit syrup” had fermented over time and become a sweet but potent alcohol. Unaware, the servants had happily gulped it down, becoming thoroughly drunk. Selena and the head chef, sipping along with everyone else, were no exception. Even Yvonne, who’d snuck in for a midnight snack, became another casualty of the “fruit wine.” The night ended in chaos, and the next morning, they all woke up with pounding headaches.

“I-I’m so sorry… The head chef told me it was just fruit syrup, so I didn’t even think it could’ve fermented into wine…”

“Hmm…”

Yudit gave a faint smile as he looked at the crestfallen Selena. He probably should say something—after all, she had managed to get all the staff drunk. But it had clearly been an accident, and she was already beating herself up over it, so he didn’t feel like scolding her.

“It’s alright. It’s not like you meant to. But maybe from now on… let’s avoid getting others drunk, hmm?”

“I promise! It’ll never happen again!”

From the determined look on her face, it seemed she truly meant it.

“Alright. I believe you.”

“Th-thank you…”

“But was it really that tasty?”

“Well… I think it actually was.”

“Now I’m curious what it tastes like.”

At that, Selena hesitated briefly, then spoke up.

“W-would you like to try it?”

“You made it again?”

“Well, I adjusted the recipe. I made sure to use only proper fruit syrup this time—no fermentation. It’s not quite as rich, but it’s fresh and light. Would you like a glass?”

“Then I’ll take you up on that.”

At his response, Selena quickly ran inside and returned with a glass of the drink. The first sip was refreshingly tart and sweet—it was genuinely delicious. Yudit had only meant to try a little, but before he knew it, the glass was nearly empty.

“This is really incredible.”

“Thank you. It’s actually similar to a recipe I used back in the capital. But using the local fruit gives it a slightly different flavor, which I really like.”

“Do you plan to sell this recipe too?”

“Mm, I think so. Since it’s made from local specialties, it’ll help stimulate the economy too. The only issue is sourcing the fruit syrup in bulk, but there was a bumper crop last year, so that should be fine.”

It seemed Selena had managed to look into quite a lot in a short amount of time. Yudit had thought she’d simply been recovering from a hangover, but she’d somehow come this far in planning already. He felt both grateful and a little sorry.

“You’ve worked hard, Selena.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Honestly, this is just the beginning. The capital had plenty of fruit because of the warm climate, but it’s much colder here, so we’re more limited. I’ll probably have to come up with a few more recipes and open a shop.”

“A juice shop, you mean?”

“Yes.”

“Could you explain in more detail how it would be run?”

At Yudit’s question, Selena began to calmly explain. The shop would be based on the recipes she’d developed, mixing drinks on-site as needed.

“Would importing fruit from the capital not work?”

“It’s possible, but the cost efficiency just isn’t there. In the summer, the fruit might spoil in transit.”

“Hmm. It’s not like you can dry it and distribute it like tea leaves… that would be tough.”

“Exactly. Dried fruit does exist, but you can’t really make juice from it.”

Even as she said that, Selena began muttering “dried fruit, dried fruit” under her breath, tapping her fingers as if thinking it over.

“Selling bottled juice, like wine, would be difficult too, wouldn’t it?”

“Sorry?”

“I was thinking of bottling juice and selling it. But it might ferment during distribution, which would be a problem.”

Just then, a spark flashed in Selena’s eyes.

“It might be possible.”

“Pardon?”

“The fruit syrup—what we used to make the juice—is still juice at its core. As long as we strictly follow the expiration period, we could potentially make and sell it as bottled juice. Goodness, I was so stuck on the idea that fruit juice had to be made from fresh fruit that I didn’t even think of this! Your Highness!”

Selena was so excited she began hopping in place, barely able to contain herself.

“I’m glad I could help.”

“This is more than just helpful. This could be revolutionary! Thank you, Your Highness! There’s something I want to research right away—would it be alright if I stepped out for a bit?”

“Go ahead.”

With Yudit’s permission, Selena ran off like a delighted nine-year-old. After she rounded the corner and disappeared, Yudit, who had stepped out with her, turned toward the darkness and spoke.

“You can come out now.”

At his words, a figure flinched and slowly emerged. It was Yvonne, who looked sheepish as she met Yudit’s gaze.

“How long have you known?”

“Since earlier. Did you come because you were hungry?”

“…Yes.”

“Dinner’s not quite ready yet. Want to join me?”

“No, I’d rather eat in my room. Feels more comfortable.”

Even with her curt refusal, Yudit didn’t give up.

“Mm. Then would you spare me a bit of time?”

“How much?”

“About ten minutes should do.”

“If it’s just that much, sure.”

After receiving their food, they headed toward Yvonne’s room, which came up first. They decided to talk there. After briefly checking with Shane, Yudit stepped inside.

“What is it? Is there a problem with the publication?”

“No, not exactly. It’s a related question, though.”

Yvonne blinked nervously.

“Yvonne, are you planning to publish the book under your real name?”

“…Pardon?”

She looked startled, and Yudit scratched the back of his neck before continuing.

“Well, I met the kids today. I asked why they weren’t coming to school, and one kid said there is no in learning as a girl. She said it herself.”

And she hadn’t been the only one. Many of the children had said similar things—that there was no need to learn much, just help out around the house and marry a good husband. If even in a major northern city they thought this way, it would be even worse in small towns and rural areas.

“So, you want to use a woman’s name so they’ll see it’s possible—even for girls?”

Yvonne’s voice was edged with sarcasm, but Yudit didn’t react. He just looked at her steadily, as if waiting for her thoughts.

“Yes. That’s what I hope. Not just that girl—I want many girls to see you and begin to dream.”