The corner of the man’s mouth twisted.

“I appreciate the explanation, but I didn’t come all this way just to drink a mere cup of coffee.”

“Then, what is it?”

There was something unsettling in the man’s voice. Fortunately, since we were in a busy area, he wouldn’t harm me openly, but responding incorrectly might still cause trouble. The man let out an airy laugh.

“Your face says you can’t even guess.”

I stared blankly at him.

‘I wish he’d stop with the cryptic talk and get to the point.’

But the man continued to make puzzling statements.

“Do you have any idea how much buzz your café is creating in the capital’s social circles?”

“My café is quite popular, yes. I’d be a fool not to know that.”

I answered calmly.

“So rumors may have spread to the capital’s social circles, but I don’t think it’s causing the level of buzz you’re suggesting.”

“Hm. You clearly have no idea.”

The man was now openly mocking me.

“These days, whenever people gather, regardless of age or gender, they talk about this café. They even want to visit and try it themselves. And you say it’s not creating a buzz?”

I blinked. To that extent?

I couldn’t tell if he was teasing me or trying to scam me.

“No matter how many servants you send to deliver it, they can’t match the taste and texture of something freshly made.”

“I appreciate the compliment, but…”

The corner of the man’s mouth twitched.

“If you hear this as a compliment, you must be dumber than you look, Miss Aria.”

I looked at him directly. Both addressing me by my first name and calling me dull were rude behaviors.

“Are you trying to pick a fight?”

“A fight?”

The man burst into laughter. But his face showed no trace of genuine amusement.

“No.”

He paused for a moment.

“I came to propose a business partnership.”

“…A business partnership?”

I couldn’t believe my ears even after asking directly.

“Yes. When two or more people participate in a joint business, they call each other business partners.”

“I know what it means.”

I answered sharply.

“What I don’t understand is why I would enter into a joint business with someone I don’t even know. Besides, you appear to be a nobleman, so I don’t see why you’d want to collaborate with a small café like mine.”

The man’s lips hardened.

“You must know the three most important things for human survival, Miss Aria? The most important among them is food. After reading an article about this café’s excellent food, I thought: Ah, this is the person…”

“A café doesn’t sell food that’s essential for survival.”

His eyes narrowed. Throughout our exchange, the man had not revealed his identity.

‘What is this, some kind of scammer?’

Despite these thoughts, there was only one reason I continued to engage with him: he might be a high-ranking nobleman. I didn’t want to cause a conflict with a noble that might harm Theodore Baniche and Elodie.

“Hmph.”

The man sighed, completely dumbfounded.

“Do I look like someone who would be interested in merely ordinary and boring meals? This is disappointing.”

“Then, what is it?”

“My introduction is overdue.”

He removed his hat and made a slight bow.

“I am Marquis George Cavodin.”

Marquis Cavodin. My blood ran cold. Theodore Baniche’s explanation echoed vividly in my ears.

“The problem is that those people… have been insulting Elodie. Continuously. Since the child came to me. “

‘He must know that I’m raising Elodie.’

I spoke with a stiff voice.

“It seems you didn’t propose a joint business because of my excellence.”

Perhaps, had it not been for the Duke’s explanation, I might have been completely taken in. Marquis Cavodin was the operator of the capital’s largest trading company. While called a trading company, virtually all retail and wholesale merchants in the capital were connected to the Cavodin family in some way.

One fortunate thing was that he didn’t have much presence in the novel. I only vaguely remembered his name and role, with no recollection of him causing any significant incidents.

‘Besides, he probably hasn’t reached that position yet.’

The Marquis looked even younger than Theodore. He likely had just recently taken control of the Cavodin trading company.

“If you think you can use me to approach Duke Baniche’s family or Lady Baniche, you are quite mistaken.”

The Marquis’s eyes narrowed.

“Miss Bertin is more suspicious than she appears.”

“Is it suspicion or fact?”

I glared at the Marquis.

“Your daughter applied to be Elodie’s tutor. Now you’ve come to find me.”

“Listen, Miss Bertin.”

The Marquis whispered in a low voice.

“If I wanted to approach them, I wouldn’t use such complicated methods. A joint business requires me to invest substantial money too. Do you think I would go to such lengths to approach a ducal family that has already lost its influence in the capital?”

I tried to remain confident, but his piercing gaze made me shrink involuntarily.

“The menu items you’ve developed are all extraordinary. That’s what I liked.”

A gloved hand caressed my chin. Unlike Theodore Baniche, who always approached me carefully when in his right mind, this was a movement without any hesitation. After being frozen in shock for the first few seconds, I quickly swatted his hand away. Though his hand must have stung quite a bit, Marquis Cavodin continued speaking with an unperturbed face.

“The capital is the place where trends pass the fastest in the Empire. If you wear the same clothes you wore last year, you’ll likely face criticism in social circles.”

I was just thinking that having so much money must allow one to discard barely worn clothes…

“Food isn’t much different. Unlike this place, which is satisfied with a single menu, to survive in the capital, you need to release new menu items every season and make at least one successful.”

“You could easily imitate these foods.”

“The food, yes.”

Marquis Cavodin agreed.

“But not the ideas. Besides, I have a feeling that Miss Aria’s unique ideas won’t be limited to mere beverages and desserts.”

“……”

I swallowed dryly. I was so nervous that my tightly clenched fists were damp with cold sweat. How much did this person know?

‘Could he possibly know that I’m not really Aria Bertin…?’

I shook my head internally. That’s impossible. He’s likely approaching me because I’ve developed such unique menu items, thinking he might extract other ideas from me. Putting pressure on the Baniche ducal family would be a bonus.

“I know you’re struggling with staff shortages. Running such a renowned café must make finding employees challenging. I can easily solve that for you.”

Is he trying to impress me by offering to find a few employees?

Even without considering the relationship with the Baniche ducal family, this was a proposal that should be rejected without a second thought. But just as I was about to open my mouth to refuse, Marquis Cavodin smiled faintly and took out a small memo from his pocket.

“Look.”

I tried to ignore him completely, but as if enchanted by his confident gesture, I ended up looking at the memo.

‘…!’

And the effect was profound.

My mouth fell open without my realizing it. Because what was written on the memo was nothing other than the address of ‘Shepherd Lockhard.’

“So you did know.”

“…Yes.”

Since there was no point in denying it now, I nodded. Who is Shepherd Lockhard, you ask?

A so-called jack-of-all-trades. A person skilled in magic, acting, singing, pantomime, and more—there was nothing he couldn’t do. A celebrity so popular that even imperial family members competed to invite him. Someone who could make thousands of people cry or laugh within ten minutes.

If such a prominent figure worked as an employee at the café, showcasing his talents, “Café Aria” would undoubtedly become the most famous establishment in the Empire. At that moment, I realized.

‘He doesn’t want to collaborate with me just for a simple café. He wants to create a groundbreaking entertainment venue that would be unique in this world.’

As much as I hated to admit it, it was a tempting proposal.