Asked

"Forehead..."

"..."

The two people, who were hiding by the kitchen doorway breathing in the fresh air, looked at each other and remained silent for a moment.

An awkward silence hung in the air.

Escoffier looked away first and cleared her throat:

"Ahem, alright, now that no one's bothering us, what is it?"

"There is something, which may be impolite, but I'd like to ask, who made the refreshments at Navia's birthday party?"

"Oh? You can tell that the tea and cake weren't made by the same person. You seem to have a very good eye for food." Escoffier narrowed her eyes slightly, her tail swaying slowly. "The tea wasn't made by me, it was a little girl Claire. Hmm... she looks about your age."

Xingsu's heart tightened, and she immediately stepped forward to ask, "Do you know where she is now?"

Escoffier flicked her tail and said in recollection:

"But unfortunately, she had only been gone a short while. After making the dessert for me, she rushed back to her own dessert shop."

That young girl was very independent and had her own ideas. She had originally been learning to make cakes in the kitchen of the Hotel Debord. She was hardworking, diligent, and kind-hearted. The boss and I both thought highly of her and planned to make her a full-time chef at the hotel when the time was right.

But she stubbornly refused such a good opportunity, insisting on leaving to open her own dessert shop...

My wish is to rent a small shop in Court of Fontaine and make and sell bread, desserts and small cakes every day.

For some reason, a sentence suddenly popped into Xingsu's mind.

"Hmm... Putting everything else aside, this young lady is quite similar to me in this respect. We're both dedicated to perfecting our cooking and have our own aspirations." Escoffier gently wagged her tail, her tone tinged with a hint of helplessness. "But her personality isn't really suited to running a shop on her own. She's too soft-hearted. When she was at the Hotel Debord, she occasionally encountered unreasonable customers, and several times I had to make a special trip to stand up for her and get her out of trouble."

Was she too soft-hearted? Yes, in the end she didn't dare take that step, and that's how it happened...

"If you want to go see her, you can mention my name. Although she no longer works at the Hotel Debord, we're still on good terms. I was thinking of taking this opportunity to promote Navia's birthday party. If someone likes her desserts, then my efforts won't have been in vain."

Clervie's cooking is still as good as ever! It smells so good! I won't be polite!

"... Indeed, I really like her desserts..."

Upon hearing Xingsu's words, Escoffier's tail wagged lightly, and her tone immediately became cheerful:

"Right, right? Your taste is quite good. Perfect timing, her new shop opens tomorrow, the address is..."

"The location isn't too remote, it's easy to spot. There will probably be a lot of customers tomorrow when it opens. If you go early, you might even get to try her special limited-edition desserts... Hey? Don't be in such a hurry to leave!"

Xingsu had no time to listen to Escoffier's remaining words. As soon as she got the address of the dessert shop, she turned around and hurriedly left.

He walked quickly forward, only muttering a name under his breath, "Clervie..."

Escoffier watched his departing figure and was momentarily stunned.

"Hey! I haven't finished yet! And I was talking about Claire..."

"Miss Claire, hello. I'm here today to discuss a business deal. I heard you're planning to open a dessert shop here, and even took out a loan for it, is that right?"

The shop is decorated in an elegant and cozy style. The shelves are neatly arranged with pastry molds and glass sugar jars, the walls are decorated with fresh floral arrangements, and strings of soft bell-shaped potted plants decorate the windows. The soft, warm light gently spreads, and the air is filled with the sweet aroma of butter and baked dough.

A man in a coat pushed open the door and entered. His gaze eventually landed on Claire, who was tidying up the display case. He slowly walked over and started a conversation.

Claire stiffened slightly, her fingertips unconsciously tightening around her apron, her voice tinged with trepidation. "Ah... yes, sir. But please rest assured, once the dessert shop opens smoothly and generates revenue, I will gradually pay off the debt."

"No need to be so nervous. Please rest assured, I'm not here to collect a debt. As I said, I'm just here to discuss a business deal." The man smiled faintly, slowly took a sealed glass bottle from his pocket, and gently placed the bottle on the wooden table.

"As you can see, this drink is called L㏒s. Besides being enjoyed straight, it can also be used as an ingredient in various pastries and desserts. Previously, it circulated only among the upper class, and its unique flavor captivated all who tasted it. I believe that as a pastry chef, you must have a way to popularize this special drink."

Claire's gaze fell on the glass bottle, a strange unease rising within her. She hesitated before speaking, "L㏒s... I've never heard of this ingredient before. But desserts emphasize pure, natural ingredients; using something unfamiliar so rashly, I'm afraid..."

The man interrupted her, enticingly saying, "The opportunity is right in front of you. I believe that desserts made with L㏒s will have an irreplaceable flavor and will surely attract a steady stream of customers. Paying off your debts and keeping this little shop afloat will be a piece of cake for you. Consider this bottle of L㏒s a gift from me; you can taste it and think carefully about how to incorporate it into your desserts."

Claire weighed the options carefully, but ultimately couldn't resist the pressure to keep her small shop afloat and her curiosity about the unknown flavor. She decided to try the ingredients first. She reached out, grasped the glass bottle cap, and slowly unscrewed it, letting out a faint, peculiar aroma.

Bang!

The dessert shop door was suddenly flung open!

With a soft whoosh, a pebble flew through the air and smashed hard against the glass bottle.

Clang--

The glass shattered, and the strangely gleaming L㏒s inside spilled onto the floor, faintly shimmering with an eerie glow.

"Ah!"

Claire gasped in surprise, staring blankly at the liquid on the floor, then hurriedly looked up at the doorway.

Before she could even make out the person's face, a figure had already swiftly arrived.

A strong arm suddenly shot out, gripping the neck of the man who had come to persuade him tightly with one hand, and lifting him up.

The man's feet kicked frantically, his throat was tightly choked, and he had difficulty breathing, only able to make hoarse, hoarse sounds.

"Who sent you to sell L㏒s?!"