Welcome to the Café of the Dark Guild’s Successor - Chapter 10

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

A café run by the heir to the Dark Guild.
Episode 10
I was entranced by the aroma and slipped into the restaurant, finding a seat in the empty outdoor section.
The owner spotted me and approached with a menu.
“What can I get for you?”
“What’s that?”
“It’s our restaurant’s specialty. Noodles stir-fried with meat and loads of garlic.”
“I’ll have that.”
While I watched others devour their meals with gusto, my own hunger only intensified.
The time seemed to stretch endlessly before, moments later, the owner returned with a steaming bowl of noodles, wisps of steam rising from it.
“That looks delicious.”
I pushed aside thoughts of the shop incident and focused entirely on the food before me.
Until now, I’d always eaten with restraint, carefully watching what I consumed—eating at a restaurant was a first for me.
I was twirling noodles around my fork, ready to pop them into my mouth, when a shadow suddenly fell across the table.
“Pardon me. We need to conduct an inspection.”
Irritation flared at having my meal interrupted, and I frowned as I looked up.
“An inspection?”
“Yes. We received a report.”
“We’re Palace Guards assigned to the Imperial Palace.”
Two young men in knightly armor flanked me on either side, effectively trapping me.
A bad feeling gnawed at me, so I quickly shoved the fork into my mouth.
The savory, umami-rich taste that bloomed across my tongue sent a genuine wave of wonder through me.
“…This is delicious.”
I was struck by shock that such a flavor could exist in this world.
‘Is all restaurant food like this?’
The thought that I’d lived my whole life without knowing this taste made me want to cry.
Yet even though I longed to savor the flavor more deeply, the Palace Guards standing before me made that impossible.
“We heard that at the Clothing Room earlier, you showed a Brooch of the Black Eagle Knight Order and then fled the scene.”
It was the Brooch again.
Unable to contain myself, I twirled more noodles on my fork and chewed while speaking.
“I didn’t flee. I just didn’t want the hassle, so I left.”
“May we see the Brooch?”
For the first time, I thought of the sword I’d left at the guild and had to suppress the urge to strike both men on the back of the neck and silence them.
Since causing a scene would help no one, I quickly displayed the Brooch so I could finish eating.
The Palace Guards examined it carefully, then nodded.
“This is genuine. And it’s Seniel’s Brooch, no less. You’re certain you didn’t steal it?”
“I received it directly from Seniel.”
“Then what is your relationship with Seniel?”
According to my current Identity Certificate, Seniel and I are complete strangers.
It’s believed that Seniel has no older sister, so if I claimed to be one, things would only get more complicated.
In a situation like this, there was only one way to answer.
“…A friend.”
At my response, suspicion flickered across the Palace Guards’ faces.
“May we see your Identity Certificate?”
“I forgot to bring it.”
“Then could we go to your residence and verify it?”
“My home is far away. It’s not in the Capital—it’s in the provinces. I’m just staying at my friend’s place for now.”
My confident answer made one of the guards frown, but I genuinely couldn’t show them my certificate.
I couldn’t risk using the forged Identity Certificate I’d created for undercover work related to Seniel’s matters.
After exchanging troubled looks, the Palace Guards whispered to each other briefly before turning back to me.
“It seems this is the only way to verify. Come with us to the Imperial Palace for direct confirmation.”
I had no particular schedule, and Seniel would likely be at the Imperial Palace anyway, so I had no real objection.
In fact, entering the Imperial Palace—normally so difficult to access—so easily seemed like an excellent opportunity to scout the grounds. I found myself quite intrigued.
The real problem was my barely-touched meal.
Unable to tear my eyes from the food, I asked hopefully.
“Could I finish eating first?”
“Our shift change is coming up soon.”
“We have a backlog of other duties. We need to handle this quickly and move on.”
Their firm answer left no room for negotiation, and my energy deflated.
Once more, the sword I’d left at the guild came to mind, and I shook my head.
“Leaving it behind was the right call.”
If I’d brought it, I might well have subdued the Palace Guards standing before me—a joy I’d rarely felt in so long would have been interrupted.
“What did you just say?”
“Nothing. Lead the way.”
***
The interior of the Imperial Palace, which I was seeing for the first time, was far more magnificent and sprawling than I’d imagined.
Tall buildings crowded every direction, each constructed in a different architectural style.
If I hadn’t been detained by the Palace Guards, I would have explored every corner, mapping out the Palace’s layout and passages. It was a shame.
“Please don’t look around so much. It draws suspicion.”
I’d been observing so intently that the guard gave me a gentle warning before leading me to the Guard Post near the main gate.
“Fortunately, Seniel is currently at the Palace, so we sent someone to fetch him, but if you’re truly a friend, why can’t you prove it?”
I met the suspicious guard’s gaze steadily and spoke calmly.
“You said to let him verify it directly.”
“If you’re found to be lying, you could face severe punishment. If you come clean now, we can take that into account.”
“Ah, yes.”
I brushed off the guard’s threats and leaned against the railing of the Guard Post.
From the elevated vantage point, the entire Imperial Palace spread out before me in a single sweeping vista.
I smiled to myself as I carefully committed the Palace’s layout and passages to memory.
Just then, I heard the sound of footsteps climbing the stairs.
“Seniel?”
I turned around expectantly, but instead of Seniel, an unfamiliar man emerged.
He wore no sword, and his attire was striking—a white robe that fell to his ankles. The silver-framed glasses covering half his face were particularly distinctive.
From his apparent high rank, the Palace Guards who’d brought me suddenly stiffened and offered him a formal greeting.
“Good day, sir! I’m Jayden, of the 3rd Knight Order, currently on duty.”
“Tom, of the 4th Knight Order. Sir Kayan.”
“You’re working hard.”
The man turned his gaze to me, his eyes glinting with interest as he smiled faintly.
“What’s the situation?”
“Well, we received a report that someone had stolen Seniel’s Brooch, so we apprehended this person. However, the lady claims that Seniel gave it to her directly. Since we couldn’t identify her, we brought her here.”
“She had Seniel’s Brooch?”
The man called Kayan snapped his fingers sharply and approached me, studying me intently.
When our eyes met directly, green irises brilliant with interest flashed intensely behind his silver-framed glasses.
He bent slightly toward me and asked in a low, whispered voice.
“Are you perhaps Seniel’s older sister?”
“…And you are?”
“So it’s confirmed.”
Wondering how he’d figured it out, I saw the man smile gently as he observed my guarded expression.
“Pleased to meet you. Come with me. I’ll take you to Seniel.”
The man seemed kind enough, but he was as much a stranger to me as any of the Palace Guards.
I made a reluctant face and shook my head.
“Seniel will come if I wait. I’ll just stay here.”
“It will take a long time. The Imperial Palace is remarkably slow with its procedures. And besides…”
The man lowered his voice further.
“You haven’t revealed that you’re Seniel’s family. Isn’t that a difficult situation?”
His perceptiveness in grasping all of this so quickly was almost frightening.
While I still wasn’t sure I could trust this man, I decided that someone who knew about Seniel’s family was better than the Palace Guards.
“…Then I’ll impose on you.”
The man smiled and turned to address the Palace Guards.
“I know this person well. She’s not someone who would steal a Brooch. You can go now.”
“Excuse me? But without an Identity Certificate, and surely we should still confirm with Seniel…”
The flustered Palace Guards tried to protest, but they fell silent at the man’s next words.
“Jayden. Tom. You know who I am, don’t you? Do you really think I’m lying?”
“N-no, sir.”
“We misunderstood. Please, go ahead. We apologize.”
The guards swallowed hard enough that I could see their Adam’s apples bob, bowing deeply.
The man who offered me his hand appeared mild-mannered on the surface, but he seemed sharp and cold beneath.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes.”
As we left the Guard Post, the man turned to me and introduced himself.
“My apologies for the late introduction. I’m Kayan Avedrian, assigned to the Imperial Research Institute.”
“I’m Rosia.”
The man was indeed a noble, and from a lineage so prominent that even I recognized it.
“How did you know I’m Seniel’s older sister?”
“Seniel is not the kind of person to lose a Brooch or have it stolen from him.”
Kayan guided me naturally down the passage as he continued.
“I thought about who Seniel would be close enough to give a Brooch to, and when I saw eyes that resembled his so closely, it came to me. Of course, that was only possible because I already knew that Seniel had an older sister.”
“It sounds like you and Seniel are quite close, judging by his willingness to discuss me.”
“I’d like to think so, though I can’t speak for Seniel’s feelings.”
His tone carried a hint of wistfulness.
‘Could this man also be interested in Seniel…?’
I shook my head, wondering just how far Seniel’s popularity extended.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————