"Could I get two Fervian Sweet Rolls to go, please?"
A young lady in her fall uniform asked politely.
Her eyes sparkled as she looked through the glass showcasing, eyeing her dessert of choice.
"Of course!"
Grabbing the two sweet rolls with metal tongs, Emilia carefully placed them into a small paper bag.
"That will be 12 peffings."
Hearing this, the schoolgirl quietly handed 4 ruffled paper bills to Emilia while exchanging ithemfor the small paper bag holding her pastries.
"Thank you, miss!"
"You're very welcome!" Emilia spoke with a smile while seeing her off.
It was a fairly slow day for the Adler Bakery. It had been a few hours past noon, so most of the customers were composed of children and adolescents getting out of school.
Despite this leisure, there were still a few customers who had the time to sit down inside the bakery and enjoy a cup of coffee alongside a small snack.
Among them were elderly citizens who were in search of a quiet place to relax. Some were just looking to enjoy a cup of coffee before heading home.
Regardless of whether or not they made their monthly goals, this atmosphere brought Emilia an abundance of joy. Like her parents, she too enjoyed having customers spend time within the bakery, even if it was just for a few minutes.
Explicit praise from their clientele did not interest her either. So long as each recipe was followed correctly, there would always be a satisfied face to see from both the kitchen and behind the counter.
As Emilia leaned against the counter, the sound of the store's bell signalled her to greet the entering customer.
"Welcome!"
There stood a tall man, about 185 centimetres in height. Although most of his features were sharp, there was a softness in his eyes as he gazed down at the young shop owner. Highlighting his features, he wore a fashionable black trench coat, its buckles hanging loosely at the sides. The stillness of the bakery was such that one could hear the subtle ticking of his wristwatch.
The man looked to be in his late twenties. His slender, yet muscular, build was hidden by his heavy coat. His cleanly styled black hair gave an impression that one would easily assume he was wealthy.
"Hello, miss, I was walking around the block and noticed your bakery, so I thought I'd give it a try."
Perplexed by the man's demeanour, Emilia was at a loss until she regained her composure.
"You won't be disappointed! Feel free to take a look at our showcase! We serve coffee as well," the young lady spoke with exaggerated positivity.
The man bent down slightly to view the selection of baked goods in front of him while deciding on his order.
His eyes carefully observed each selection as he rubbed the bottom of his chin.
"Hmm. In that case, I'll have a chocolate muffin as well as 3 Gaudnarian donut holes. I'll also have a coffee here," he spoke with a calming, yet polite tone.
Emilia smiled and nodded as she began to gather the customer's requests.
As she slid the baked goods onto a small plate, she snuck a few glimpses at the man.
He doesn't look like he's from around here...
The clothing he wore was in stark contrast to that of those who typically lived in these parts of Bauner. Although the Adler bakery was still within the boundaries of Middle Bauner, they were still fairly close to the "lower" parts of the city.
Calculating the cost of each item internally, she provided the total to the customer.
"That will be 24 peffings for the pastries and coffee."
The man dipped into the inner seam pocket of his coat and grabbed his wallet.
Elegantly, he handed Emilia 5 cleanly flattened bills with his black leather glove.
"I'll bring the coffee over to you. Feel free to find a seat that you like. Was there anything you wanted in it?" Emilia asked politely.
"Just 2 sugars and a creamer, please," the man said with a slight smirk.
He then turned over to the small dining area and found a seat where a newspaper had been lying.
The man sat at one of the few tables that were set up for a small company of four and began to read.
It seems like he might be waiting for a few more people…Emilia thought as she thought of potential customers.
Being located in a moderately busy area of the city gave the bakery many opportunities for potential visitors. However, although the street it stood on was fairly populated during the morning and early evening, most citizens preferred to head home quickly. Bauner was a city bustling with trade, business, and the prospect of financial gain; thus, there were few opportunities to sit down and relax. The amount of work one puts into daily life often reflects their socioeconomic position within Gaundnarian society.
Pouring coffee into a ceramic mug, she added 2 sugar cubes and poured a bit of cream.
As she walked toward the gentleman, she gently stirred and placed the drink on the table.
Buried in his newspaper, the man's eyes traced each line intently.
His eyelashes are fairly long… Emilia thought as she stole another glance at the man while delivering his coffee.
"Thank you," the man said with a smile as he put down his reading material.
Gesturing a sign of humility, Emilia retreated behind the counter once more, awaiting the next customer. At that moment, Ernst had come out from the kitchen to take note of what pastries needed to be restocked. Signalling her brother over, Emilia began to whisper, "Look at that man over there, he doesn't look like he's from around here."
Although the city of Bauner was composed of people from many different nations and ethnicities, the man's features still stood out compared to those of the average civilian.
"Perhaps he's Fervian?" Ernst said while showing more care for the task he had come out for.
"Probably? It's not every day we see one so refined, though."
Fervians tended to be taller than those from Eidenshire or Gaudner. While their haicolour was largely similar, most Fervians—men and women alike—seemed to tower over people from nations beyond their own.
"Why are you so interested in him? Do you like him?" Ernst said frivolously, seeing an opportunity to tease his sister. He put his notepad down and began to sneer at his usual victim.
"Nice try," Emilia said with her signature look of disgust.
Although she had swayed away from her brother's comment, she could not refute the evident attractiveness that man had.
With the exception of her brother, it was rare to see men with soft features.
Most men in Bauner had a rough look to them, being worn down by everyday life.
Whether it be their wives or work, there was the common joke of these men losing their hair over constant stress from either one.
Ring ring ring
As the siblings engaged in their ritualistic bickering, three figures dressed in long trench coats of monochrome shade entered the bakery. Among them were two women and one man, all of whom were dressed in a manner that gave off the same professional atmosphere as the man who had entered a few minutes ago.
"I wonder where he'd gone," murmured a woman with dark, flowing hair.
"Perhaps he got lost?" a man not too much taller than Ernst added in.
As they scanned their surroundings, they saw a few elderly gentlemen enjoying their coffee at tables that accommodated two people.
The smell of freshly made bread and sweets lingered in the air as they looked to the back of the room.
Seeing another man leisurely reading a newspaper with a mug in hand, the dark brunette-haired lady signalled to her colleagues familiar-lookingking figure.
Closing in on the table, the three sat at the man's table and began to chat.
Although their conversation was incomprehensible, the two siblings could vaguely make out the scenario they were watching.
Ernst imagined how the man was trying to escape his afternoon work, leaving the rest for his colleagues to finish up as he went off to fool around. On the other hand, while Emilia had her own guesses, she was more interested in increasing the potential sales for that day.
The ladies removed their coats to get in a more comfortable position, while the man who had just entered lazily hung his head over the seat of his chair in an exaggerated fashion.
Just as expected… Emilia thought boastfully.
"Do you mind helping out a bit with this one?" Emilia asked Ernst, who was still present.
"Sure."
After conversing for a bit longer, the two women got up and approached the counter to order.
The tapping of heeled leather boots could be heard throughout the small room as the two figures made their way to Emilia.
"What can I get you?" Emilia asked in the same positive tone she uses for every customer.
In front of her was the lady with brunette hair. She was a bit shorter than Ernst, who was still fairly tall for a woman among the three core nations. Her long eyelashes complemented her slender eyes, giving her a serious look to her facial structure. Her dress pants and white button-down shirt highlighted her figure, showing off a build that many women would be envious of.
"Wow! These look great!" exclaimed the beautiful woman with brunette hair.
"I think I'll have 3 Gaudnarian donut holes and 3 macarons, please."
Hearing this, Ernst grabbed a plate and began to load it with the customer's order.
"Anything to drink?" Emilia added in hopes of making an upsell.
"A cup of coffee, please – two shots of cream and two sugar cubes as well," the lady said.
Today makes up for last week's sales! Emilia thought as she hid her true feelings.
As Emilia began to move away from the customer to prepare her coffee, the beautiful woman began to speak again.
"Oh, sorry, there are a few more things."
The more the merrier~
The lady turned to her companion beside her and began to speak fairly quietly to the point that neither Emilia nor Ernst could hear them.
Her companion was not too tall, sitting at a height that was slightly taller than Emilia. Her hair was silver that seemed to glisten against the room's lighting. Compared to the woman beside her, she had an innocent look to her face despite displaying a bored expression.
Her pupils held a beautiful silver that would put the finest of jewelry to shame. Composed in perfect harmony, these doll-like features were something that many women would agonize over recreating through mere makeup. Her outfit was similar to that of her brunette-haired companion. However, she wore a silver necklace to signify her devotion to one of the three gods.
An Iscalvian… Ernst thought as he observed from behind the counter.
Although Iscalvia had become an abandoned nation, its surviving people still thrived across the eastern continent.
Many Iscalvians were distinguishable through their notable silver hair. However, this trait was not present in everyone who had Iscalvian blood. This recessive trait was noted to appear randomly among the people of Iscalvia regardless of a mother's and father's physical appearance. Some people would go their whole lives without knowing their biological heritage.
In many nations, noticeable hair would be praised by many. Unfortunately, some dislike Iscalvians for the very same reasons, especially in the nation of Fervia. Some were even cruel enough to relate them to the beasts that now inhabit their former land. Even with many neighbouring citizens having once been immigrants, prejudice mainly targeting descendants of Iscalvia could not be helped. Ernst and Emilia, who had only heard of their existence, were especially surprised while hosting one as their customer.
After a few seconds, the lady with dark brunette hair began to order once more.
"Could I also get a chocolate chip muffin…and by any chance, do you guys serve hot chocolate?"
Slightly distracted by her beauty, Emilia responded, "Yes, we do. It may take a few minutes if that's alright?"
Looking back at her companion, the two ladies nodded at each other.
"That's fine," the lady said with a polite smile.
"Anything else you would like?" Emilia asked, ensuring that the two customers were satisfied with their order.
"No, that will be all."
The mature woman ended up paying 64 peffings. Along with the silver-haired girl, the two headed back to the table where their other companions were sitting.
"We'll have the hot chocolate delivered to you shortly," Emilia said while receiving confirmation from her customer. She then entered the kitchen to prepare the customer's beverage.
Watching her sister leave for the back of the store, Ernst grabbed a plate and grabbed the last few donut holes that had been left out of display. He had noticed them while coming out to complete his initial task.
The young man began to walk toward where the four customers had been sitting.
"These will go to waste if no one eats them. Please take them."
He said while interjecting into the group's conversation.
"We'll gladly take them!" the mature woman said. She gracefully moved the plate toward the silver-haired girl who had seemingly been eyeing the dessert at the moment Ernst had arrived.
As he politely nodded his head to signal his exit, he caught the foreign man showing a smile of gratitude. In his vision was also the care-free man leaning his back against his chair with a hat put over his face.
Ernst had also locked eyes with the young Iscalvian girl, whom he had already been carefully observing since she had entered the bakery.
In order to break any unnecessary awkwardness, the two broke their eye contact and put their focus elsewhere with a relaxed attitude.
Her hair is pretty…Lamenting his own previous experiences with discrimination, Ernst could not help but imagine what potential pains the young lady had gone through. The young man shared a special sympathy for those who were met with similar struggles. However, these were all based on the assumption that the lady had been mistreated in the first place.
He then turned away and disappeared back into the kitchen. Passing him was his sister, who had readied the young lady's hot chocolate.
"There you are," Emilia said while she placed the mug of hot chocolate in front of the young Iscalvian girl. Completing the customer's request, she heard the entrance bell ring once more, forcing her back to the front counter.
…
"Why did you disappear, Lev?"
"I was merely craving some sweets. It's been a while since we were able to relax. We've just arrived in Bauner, and it wouldn't hurt to settle down before heading back to work," the handsome man replied.
A face of defeat emerged on the lady as she took a sip from her mug.
"It seems that our Leva is enjoying her hot cocoa," the man said, taking a glance at the young lady sitting beside him.
With an emotionless expression, the silver-haired lady elegantly rubbed her mouth with a napkin, ignoring the comment.
The man leaning back on his seat had seemingly fallen asleep, yet his companions did not dare disturb him.
"Yes… We'll take some time to relax before work.
"We've done more than enough yesterday after all."
The four customers continued to enjoy their time at the Adler Bakery.