Welcome to the Café of the Dark Guild’s Successor - Chapter 83

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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This is a café run by the Dark Guild’s heir.
Chapter 83
“You can’t see it. Even by my mother’s words — she believed in love more than anyone — love is fleeting and meaningless.”
“I can see it. Right here, right now, I’m here with you, Your Highness.”
“What?”
“Even if it’s fleeting and meaningless, you remained. Without our parents’ love, how could we exist? It’s not meaningless.”
If I didn’t believe in love, I wouldn’t have sacrificed myself to protect Seniel. I would have tried to survive alone.
For me, love is family.
“I see.”
Bittler’s expression had grown complicated.
He seemed lost in thought, so I waited in silence.
Then suddenly I heard Bittler’s voice near my ear. Very close.
“Are you asleep?”
I startled awake, my eyes flying open.
Wait—when did I close them?
“Did I fall asleep?”
“Fall asleep? You were snoring away, disrespectful to sleep itself.”
Worse, my face had been resting against Bittler’s shoulder.
I felt thoroughly embarrassed, but I didn’t show it. I straightened myself up smoothly, correcting my posture.
“Things have been confusing lately. Feelings I didn’t believe in came surging up unexpectedly.”
……
“If you believe it, I’ll try to believe it too.”
He seemed to have been turning over my words the whole time.
I didn’t know what he meant exactly, but his voice carried considerable weight.
“Understood. I’ll head to bed now.”
“Sleep well.”
We exchanged brief farewells, and I entered my room and closed the door.
I found myself thinking about Bittler outside and stirred a little, but soon fell into deep sleep.
***
The next morning.
The savory aroma seeping through the closed door woke me early.
I stretched and opened the door to find Bittler standing at the counter, pouring coffee.
“What are you doing?”
“You’re up? I thought I’d prepare breakfast.”
The bedding had already been folded away and tucked back into a bag, and his face and clothes were freshly washed.
He’d moved with such efficiency that his shirt, despite having several buttons undone, bore not a single wrinkle.
“I didn’t know when you’d wake, so I made mine first. You’d like some, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes, please.”
Bittler took out another cup, added coffee grounds, and poured in water.
It was my first time waking to the aroma of coffee, and the feeling was quite pleasant.
While we waited for the coffee, Bittler fried some eggs in a pan.
“Did you get these from the chicken coop?”
“That’s right.”
“That’s strange. Armstrong is picky about people. I have to be the one to collect the eggs…”
“The coop was empty.”
“Ah, you were lucky then.”
I nodded and moved to the cupboard beside Bittler.
I took out the Raspberry Jam I’d received from a customer and spread it generously on the bread Bittler had bought the day before.
We finished our simple breakfast of bread, coffee, and fried eggs, then sat across from each other at the table.
“This is delicious.”
“Right? It goes well with the coffee.”
The taste was satisfying even on a second try, and I resolved to try making jam myself.
I’d never imagined sharing a morning like this with Bittler, waking together.
It felt strange, yet unexpectedly comfortable.
The morning light suddenly poured down over Bittler as he bit into his bread and sipped his coffee leisurely.
“Is there something on my face?”
“Pardon?”
“You keep staring.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You.”
It seemed I’d been sneaking glances without realizing it.
Ever since yesterday, my eyes kept drifting to his face.
I sipped my coffee and widened my eyes a bit.
“You sat there on purpose, didn’t you?”
“The sunlight is good there.”
Bittler pulled the corners of his mouth up in a smile.
As I admired the way he seemed to absorb the light, our eyes met again.
I shoved the last of my bread into my mouth and brushed the crumbs from my hands as I asked.
“What time is the appointment?”
“Noon.”
“That’s still a while away.”
“I’ll do some Training before then.”
“All right. I’ll tidy up the shop.”
Our plates emptied at about the same time.
Bittler stood, picking up the empty plates and coffee cups. Beyond preparing breakfast, he even handled all the cleanup perfectly.
As he washed the dishes, Bittler grabbed his sword and left first.
I soon went out to the yard and changed the Sign.
[Closed]
It was a Sign written in large red ink so no customer would miss it.
I went to the chicken coop and fed Armstrong, then caught the cat wandering around the yard and brought it inside.
“I need to close the curtains too.”
I drew double curtains on every window so no one outside could see in.
I cleared away the small decorations on the tables and, just to be safe, lit candles.
“This should be enough.”
After finishing my preparations, I washed and changed my clothes.
Some time later, Bittler returned from his Training. His face was so fresh and dry there was no sign he’d been sweating at all, which seemed strange.
“Did you wash outside?”
“There was a spring.”
“…But didn’t you say you can’t even sleep outside because you might catch a cold?”
“Did you want me to wash here?”
Bittler laughed mischievously.
I shook my head seriously.
“Not at all.”
“Then next time I’ll wash inside.”
Pretending not to hear my objection, he smoothly put on the jacket he’d draped over the chair yesterday, layering it over his shirt.
Then he rummaged through his bag and pulled out something round.
“I forgot to give you this, but it’s yours.”
“What is it?”
I took it, and the shape looked very familiar.
“A Communication Stone. I’ve never seen one before. I managed to get it with great difficulty from the black market.”
Having recently received a Communication Stone from Sophia, I asked with an amused smile.
“It’s a pair, then?”
“It is.”
“Where is the other one?”
“In my room.”
……?
“Since you became my betrothed, it’s the first time I’ve seen you, so I thought I’d get you a gift… Or rather, there will likely be times we need to contact each other regarding the betrothal. Um.”
As I looked at him with an expression asking why we needed to share a pair, Bittler quickly added an explanation, as if making excuses.
“I understand.”
It seemed he wanted to say he’d brought it as a gift, but why couldn’t he just say it was a gift?
I took the Communication Stone into my room and set it down beside Sophia’s.
“Now I have two of these precious things.”
Fortunately, they were different sizes, so they weren’t hard to tell apart.
I wrapped them carefully in cloth and went back outside, checking the wall clock. About twenty minutes remained until noon.
‘Finally.’
As the appointed time drew near, Bittler paced around the shop. His expression showed some tension.
“You’re not masking your face?”
“The foundation of an alliance is trust. I’ll reveal myself as the Guild Master.”
I thought Ade would prefer to keep it hidden, but this was unexpected.
Shortly after,
I felt presences approaching the shop.
They were approaching openly and brazenly, not trying to hide, so Bittler noticed too and gazed toward the door.
‘Raily and Obelia, and… Andrew. He brought them.’
It seemed he’d brought people who knew me well.
“Stay behind me. So I can protect you no matter what happens.”
Bittler spoke seriously and seated me in a corner of the shop, hidden away.
I wanted to see up close, but I had no choice but to quietly step back.
The door opened with a creak.
People from Raven’s side entered, their faces covered with masks.
The person at the front was Raily, but since we’d agreed to act like we didn’t know each other, we didn’t even make eye contact.
Soon two of Bittler’s knights arrived as well, making the numbers even at three-on-three.
Bittler and Raily faced each other across a table.
They stared at each other and the tension crackled between them. A palpable unease filled the shop.
Since they hadn’t yet formed an alliance, it wouldn’t be strange if someone attacked and a fight broke out right then.
There were guilds that lured others to meetings under the pretense of alliances only to stab them in the back.
‘But we’re not that kind.’
I swallowed, waiting for someone to speak first.
It was Bittler who extended his hand first.
“I’m the Guild Master of Ade. Also the Second Prince of the current Empire.”
He spoke naturally and in casual tone, introducing himself openly without reservation.
“I’m the Guild Master of Raven. I already knew.”
Raily responded in a measured voice, clasping his hand.
They exchanged a brief handshake and both sat in chairs. Those who’d come with them each stepped back and stood behind.
“Did you know about me?”
“Raven’s information network is fast.”
“…I see.”
“That’s why we hesitated over the alliance. A dark guild with a prince as its master — it didn’t inspire confidence.”
“You must know well what my existence means to the Imperial Palace. Ade has no connection to the royal family.”
“How are we supposed to believe that?”
“Ade’s goal is to bring down the current Empress.”
……
Bittler was being far too honest.
No matter how much he wanted an alliance with Raven, showing all his cards from the start without knowing what kind of guild they were seemed reckless.
‘What if Raven betrays us after hearing that…’
Of course, Raily, who’d already learned everything from me, nodded silently without the slightest change in expression.
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. The core of today’s alliance is the map, after all.”
Raily removed his mask, revealing his face, and stared coldly at Bittler.
“What ratio were you thinking?”
“Even split. Five to five.”
“We’re the ones who found the map. Six to four, or the deal is off.”
After a brief back-and-forth, Bittler accepted the ratio without complaint.
Even though it was a favorable ratio for us, he didn’t quibble, which meant he’d been prepared to give in from the start.
“Agreed.”
With the ratio settled, they immediately reviewed the Contracts each side had brought.
The costs of finding and excavating the Majeongseok, transporting it, processing it, and everything involved in selling it to the market.
All related expenses were detailed in the documents.
“I’ve reviewed it. It’s clean.”
“We’re not playing games here. Soon both Raven and our Ade will gain funds beyond imagination.”
Bittler signed both copies of the Contract with confidence.
And finally, he stamped the Seal on the documents to be submitted to the Guild Association.
It was to publicly announce to other guilds that this was an official alliance, as Ade had requested.

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