"Welcome to Lilith's Patisserie!"
While Shien was still staring blankly, the person who seemed to be the owner had already come up to him, wearing a practiced smile.
However, the owner kept glancing at the little girl holding Shien's hand, her eyes filled with indescribable affection.
The little girl noticed none of this and merely pointed at the pastries displayed in the window.
"I want that, that, that, and that!"
The girl had practically ordered every dessert in the display case.
"Um..."
The affection in the owner's eyes immediately turned into awkwardness.
Just as Shien thought she was troubled because the desserts were display items, not for sale, or because they had ordered too much, the owner spoke.
"I'm sorry, but the products in our shop are high-end goods exclusively for nobles. Not only are they expensive, but proof of noble status is also required. May I ask whether you two...?"
The owner spoke in a probing tone.
"You have to be a noble to buy them?"
Even Shien was surprised.
"Yes." The owner replied with another practiced smile. "The goods in our shop are made with extremely high-grade ingredients. Those ingredients can even be used to make Magic Potions, and they themselves have magical effects when consumed, such as restoring energy or relieving fatigue. They can only be made with the assistance of specialized Magic Items. The ingredients are also delivered by merchant caravans from all over the world, so not only are they expensive, they are also exclusive to nobles. Ordinary commoners need a noble's letter of recommendation or token if they wish to buy them."
What a ridiculous hassle. No wonder this shop was located in the noble district.
If Shien had been alone, he would probably have turned around and left by now.
But the little