The Story Is Not Over Yet

fairy tale book she had read as a child, Azela took his hand and got into the carriage without realizing it.
He climbed after her, the carriage started without hesitation.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll find out.”

Zagnac tapped his fingers in a steady rhythm as if excited.
He didn’t say anything about her crying.
Of course, there was no question like, “Are you okay?”

She didn’t know if he simply didn’t care, but she moved her gaze out of the window, feeling gratitude for him, as she felt it was a consideration so she wouldn’t embarrass herself.

Many people were busy moving.
Everyone was smiling broadly, and the streets were lively… Unlike her.

“We’re here.
Let’s get off.”

Shortly thereafter, the carriage came to a halt.

When she got off the carriage along Zagnac, what she saw in front of them was a beautifully decorated bakery.

“…Why are… we here?”

Azela, who did not understand why she had come here, asked carefully.
Nonetheless, he didn’t answer and strode towards the inside of the store with bold steps.

There were several people lined up outside the store, although Zagnac went inside as if he didn’t care about the order.
The people in line only bowed their heads to say hello as if they were not dissatisfied with his behavior.

Staring at him for a moment, Azela reluctantly followed him.

As she entered the shop, the smell of filled bread and the smell of sweet dessert pricked her nostrils.
When the patissier came out of the kitchen with a bunch of freshly baked bread and found Zagnac, he frowned.

“Duke Ferial, are you here again?”

Even though he spoke politely, it was not a welcoming voice.
The patissier, who emphasized ‘again,’ sighed deeply and placed the bread he was holding on the table without displaying it.

“Benja, I’m here again.
Though rest assured.
I am not here today to enjoy the taste alone.”

Zagnac, who was gazing at the cakes on display, looked at the patissier and shouted warmly.
Then, he smiled, pointing to Azela behind him.

As he sighed, the patissier followed his fingers and found her before uttering gladly with a smile on his face.

“Welcome to Lachata Bakery!”

“Nice, nice to meet you.”

“I will buy everything here!”

As soon as she barely finished her words, Zagnac opened his arms wide and shouted loudly with a happy face.
While Azela was startled by his words, the patissier muttered, ‘Yes, yes,’ as if he was familiar with it and glared at him lightly.

He said with a smirk at the gaze.

“Benja.
Ordinary merchants should like it when I say, ‘I’ll buy them all.’ You hate it, though.”

“As I said then, I’m not running a shop to make money.
My goal is to make the customers who eat my bread and desserts happy.
I want more people to eat it.
However, every time the Duke comes like this, he says he buys everything, I have to close the business that day!”

“But then, you make money in the end… The end result is a happy complaint!”

Azela, who saw the name ‘Benjamin’ written on the patissier’s nameplate, carefully sat down on the chair, listening to their conversation.

Benjamin seemed to have pride and confidence in his work.
Nonetheless, he, unable to refuse the customer’s request, eventually went back to the kitchen to pack all the bread, and Zagnac sat down opposite Azela with a satisfied face.

“Are you here to buy this?”

“Yes, right.
Food made by humans who work with pride gives it a special taste.”

He muttered, picking up the bread that Benjamin had placed on the table.
Zagnac cut the croissant in half and handed the larger one to Azela.

The freshly baked bread smelled sweet.

“I’m fine.”

“Eat.
I came here for you today.”

“…Me?”

“I heard that ‘appetite’ is one of the most important human needs.
Besides, eating something sweet and delicious makes you feel good.
There are so many people who live with regrets in life just for that alone.
For example, people who said, ‘I will never die before I eat this.’”

At his words, she took the bread.

Come to think of it, she couldn’t remember how long it had been since she bought and ate bread in a bakery like this.

Azela, who had been looking at the hot bread in her hand, raised her head again and glanced at Zagnac as he was already eating the bread.

“Then, you came here to make me have regrets for life, right?”

“Correct.”