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Volume 2, Chapter 12: Someone came to visit.

The next day, Zeke went to Risa’s house to visit.

Because of her carefree and easy going demeanor, it was easy to forget that Risa was nobility. He deeply understood how far away she was from him upon seeing the large mansion where she lived. The stone path stretching towards the front door from the gate, the vibrant blossoms signaling summer on the bushes to the left and right of the path, the clean, green lawn stretching as far as the eye could see.

Zeke took a deep breath and knocked on the door with the metal door knocker.

Soon, the door opened to reveal the maid who came by yesterday to inform them that Risa had collapsed. He told her he was here to visit, and she quickly let him into the guest room. She told him to wait here, so he gave the gift he brought to the maid.

Thinking it uncouth of him to come empty handed, Zeke had prepared some citrus jelly. After all, one could easily eat jelly despite having no appetite for food, he thought. His six year old sister exclaimed it was delicious after taste testing, so he could vouch for the flavor.

Zeke told the maid to keep it chilled in the fridge, and she happily took it away.

After a while, a maid older than the previous one entered and led him to Risa’s room.

He felt imprudent intruding on the room of the girl he liked, but Zeke quickly forced his feelings down and followed the maid in.

Risa sat upright on the bed, her back against the bedpost, and welcomed Zeke with a smile.

“Thank you for coming, Zeke.”

Zeke was a little relieved to see her doing better than he thought despite her pale face.

“I’m sorry I’m meeting you like this.”

Risa said embarrassingly as she pulled up the covers a bit to cover herself. Instead of the usual café uniform, she wore pajamas with her long raven locks falling down her back. Zeke stopped himself from staring and asked after her health.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m much better than yesterday! My fever has gone down, too. The doctor said I collapsed from fatigue and lack of sleep. I would say the bump on my head from falling hurts more, though.”

Risa laughed, half joking.

“You all tried your best to keep the café open yesterday, right? I’m sorry to have caused you so much trouble. I think I’ll temporarily close the café for around a week starting tomorrow. It would be good for you and Helena to stretch your wings a bit, too.”

Risa said with a smile, but it was very obvious to Zeke that her smile didn’t reach her eyes.

He had a bad feeling about this. If he agreed to this, it felt as if she would leave to somewhere far, far away… As if to confirm his suspicions, she would not look at him. The room filled with awkward silence.

Zeke watched Risa idly straighten the wrinkles on her covers and opened his mouth to speak.

“While you aren’t there, Miss Risa, I will protect the café.”

Risa looked up as his serious voice resounded through the room.

“Don’t worry about us and concentrate on getting better.”

Zeke’s blue eyes silently burned with determination.

Overwhelmed, Risa simply nodded. Zeke left the mansion.

_______________________________________________________________

Zeke went to the royal kitchen at the back of the palace, where once Risa commuted to offer her aid. The chefs were busy preparing for the evening meal. Amongst them was the head chef who noticed Zeke and beelined towards him.

“Head chef.”

“Who? …Ah, if I remember correctly, you’re from Lady Risa’s place… Zeke, was it? Why are you here?”

Head Chef McKinnies stared at Zeke, taken aback by his sudden appearance.

In response, Zeke bowed his head down towards him.

“I came to ask a favor. Would you please lend one of the chefs here to me?”

“What?”

“Miss Risa collapsed yesterday.”

The head chef’s eyes seemed to pop out of his head at those words. The other chefs around them also stopped their movements and stared at Zeke in disbelief.

“Lady Risa?! Is she all right?!”

“Yes. It was from fatigue and lack of sleep.”

“Phew… That’s a relief. So because she’s at home recovering, the café is short of hands on deck, eh?”

“Yes.”

McKinnies sighed and folded his arms.

“Hmmm. I’d really love to help, but you need someone capable right now, right? If I let a rookie go with you, he’ll only be a burden…”

“Head chef, I’ll go. Seriously, please let me go.”

One chef piped up from behind Zeke. Judging from his voice, Zeke knew that the chef was Keith Deringale. The tall man who pulled his brown hair back in a low ponytail was one year older than Zeke and the sous chef in the royal kitchen. Zeke couldn’t bring himself to like him.

Most people let their guard down upon witnessing Keith’s smile and his silver tongue. However, Zeke felt the underlying ice behind Keith’s facade, and felt very suspicious of him.

“Keith, eh… Well, I guess you’ll be helpful.”

Said the head chef, and Zeke clicked his tongue in secret, no longer able to ask for someone else. Regardless of how he felt about Keith, he respected Keith’s culinary skills. Keith had much more experience than Zeke after all. If anything, Keith’s position as sous chef when he was only in his thirties was ample proof of his skill.

There was no better helper for the café.

Swallowing his distaste for the man, Zeke bowed to Keith.

“We’ll be in your care, then”

“Just so you know, this is for Lady Risa.”

Despite being irritated by Keith’s reply, Zeke still told Keith logistics such as opening time and his contact information before leaving the kitchen.