Stella's Gift

Aside from a few nobles who disdained coming to West City to buy salt just to save a few copper coins, practically all the commoners and merchants in the city came to Nalant's little shop.

As for dried salted fish and Brown Sugar Black Bread, though they were not selling as explosively as salt, their sales were still fairly good.

After carefully giving several servants in charge of the shop a few instructions and handing them the letters home Vivian had written on behalf of their families, Nalant headed straight for the manor's little shop near the square.

When he arrived at the manor's little shop, there was still a crowd queued outside. Though it was not as bustling as during the grand celebration, it was not far off.

The shop's main fare had now changed. Shaved ice and ice cream were no longer its focus; instead, it now specialized in cream cakes and White Sugar white bread.

The reason was simple: autumn had arrived, and as the weather gradually turned cooler, sales of cold treats had steadily declined.

After checking things over for a while, giving the servants another round of instructions, and leaving behind the letters home, Nalant finally headed back out of the city.

He had originally wanted to visit Naxia and the other girls, but unfortunately, the Noble Academy went on break every year during the autumn levy.

This was because nobles had to march off to war at this time, and they might even bring their eldest sons—their heirs—with them. Thus, they would have their second sons or daughters remain behind to guard the castle and ensure nothing went wrong in their territories.

The Noble Academy's holiday was meant to make it easier for such second sons and daughters to return home and watch over