“Darling, want some tea? I just got some new ones in, and they are incredibly sweet and delicious.”

The proprietor shook a blue teapot with a loud, gaudy pattern, making it jingle.

It was remarkable enough that he kept finding things that looked like a witch’s magic lamp, but the fact that he actually intended to brew something in it and drink it was equally astonishing.

‘You will die of heavy metal poisoning first.’

Irena scoffed.

“I am never drinking tea you brew again, not ever. If you drink that stuff every day, you will die. Do you understand? Do you want to die young from diabetes and its complications?”

The memory of that dreadfully sweet tea surfaced, and Irena’s voice sharpened on its own.

“D, darling…… are you worried about me?”

“Hardly. I am worried about my own pocket.”

“Hmm.”

The proprietor poured the hot tea into a cup with an elegant hand and added a heaping spoonful of sugar.

Then another spoonful, two, three……

Irena could not bear to watch any longer and turned her head away.

‘What a strange person.’

His speech was syrupy and his tastes were bizarre, a pervert in every sense, and yet the way he stirred the spoon looked terribly refined, which was truly……

‘Suspicious, but let us not ask. It reeks of trouble.’

Irena let her eyes go unfocused. Her daily life was already noisy and exhausting enough. She had absolutely no curiosity about the suspicious origins of this peculiar man.

Instead, she began unpacking her backpack one item at a time.

“This is the medicine you specially ordered last time. A confession inducer, or more precisely, one that creates a state of peaceful mind so that the person feels it is perfectly fine to say anything. The name is <All-Together>, ten thousand ecroh per bottle.”

The medicine bottles, dear as children to her, were placed on the table one by one.

Sleeping agents, mental weakeners, rash inducers, hair growth remedies, hair removal remedies, acute healing medicines.

It was something she did every time, but as always, she did not forget to explain each one in meticulous detail.

This was the part she loved most. Before she knew it, stars had gathered in Irena’s eyes, like a child explaining a model engine they had worked hard to build over the holidays.

The proprietor, who had been watching without interrupting, spoke in a voice laced with amusement.

“You know, Oliver darling. Want to marry me?”

“What?”

“Then I could support you generously so you can make the medicines you love for the rest of your life until you are sick of it.”

“……”

“Are you the type who only believes in marrying for love? If so, I am even more confident. What do you say, want to give it a go with me?”

Irena was dumbfounded.

The nerve of someone who spoke of a lifelong vow as though haggling over dinner was one thing, but she was even more exasperated at herself for being momentarily swayed by it.

‘Why is he doing this again……’

Irena’s eyes narrowed into triangles. The fact that she had been swayed at all was itself his scheme.

She had been fooled by that seemingly careless manner and ended up accepting an excessive order in their last transaction. Thanks to that, she had pushed through experiments while her body was overworked, and it had not been long since she had come face to face with the grim reaper.

“No matter what tricks you pull, I will not knock off even a single ecroh.”

“……”

“……”

“Hmph, not working.”

The proprietor dropped his shoulders in exaggerated defeat. Then he added in a sulky voice,

“Everything about you is great, but you are so expensive.”

Irena quietly let out a sigh. So it was a joke again this time, as expected.

The proprietor, who had observed that shift keenly, curled the corner of his lips behind his mask.

‘How endearing.’

His genius apothecary had the wariness of a wild raccoon.

Of course, it was the proprietor himself who had planted that wariness, but at times like these, when she turned that edge even on him, it seemed as though the distance between them would never close.

‘There is plenty of time, after all.’

If he were going to grow impatient, he should have done so four years ago.

The proprietor had absolutely no intention of ruining this relationship. A strange and casual presence, but ultimately the only person who could be of help. That was the relationship the proprietor wanted with Oliver.

‘Or should I say, the Lady of Walterburg?’

The proprietor’s eyes curved dangerously. Concealing a fierce possessiveness deep within, he continued.

“I was going to marry you and work you like a slave at a bargain price for the rest of your life…… Tell me if you change your mind. I may not know much else, but I do have plenty of money.”

“No thank you, marry you of all things. I do not have time for such……”

‘Next time, let us share something deeper and more intense than that. Miss Irena Walterburg.’

Out of nowhere, a voice tinged with laughter rang in her ear. The red eyes that had sparkled with mischief came to mind along with it.

Irena furrowed her brow and shook her head. Why on earth would that man come to mind here.

“Darling, I am a little hurt if you are thinking of another man.”

“I, I am not a man!”

“……It seems that is actually true?”

The proprietor’s easy-going voice dropped a tone.

But Irena, flustered at having been caught, did not notice the change.

“Stop talking nonsense and give me the rachichi. About twenty berries like last time should cover the price roughly.”

“Hmm……”

In that instant, something thick and lingering flickered briefly in the eyes hidden beneath the mask, but he concealed it skillfully and shrugged.

“Well, all right.”

The proprietor took a small box out from inside his coat.

Then, in a voice smooth as hardened wax, he whispered.

“Shall I give you one piece of free information?”

“……Do not play games.”

Free information, of all things. He was fundamentally clean when it came to transactions, and in four years, he had never once given information for free, not even as a joke.

A lunatic jellyfish of a person who pursued the same gender on the grounds of finding their face appealing, and yet he was razor-sharp when it came to business.

“What do you think came out through the back gate of the imperial palace not long ago?”

“How would I……”

“A body.”

The proprietor lowered his eyes behind the mask and tilted his head.

“A maid who did odd jobs, apparently. What was her name, Apple? Sia? Hmm, it is right on the tip of my tongue.”

“……”

“Ah, I remember now.”

The proprietor raised a finger playfully and leaned his body forward abruptly.

Before she could pull back, his face was close.

Close enough to see that his eyes were sky blue. He smiled coldly.

“Sara Johnson.”

Irena’s cheek stiffened for a moment. A cruel light passed through the proprietor’s eyes.

“Someone you know?”

‘Just as you identified, the culprit was a kitchen maid, Sara Johnson.’

“……No. Do I look like someone with enough free time to fraternize with imperial palace maids?”

Irena growled.

“Well, if it has nothing to do with you, that is a relief. But if it does…… I wonder what would happen?”

The proprietor’s playful gaze started at her head and slid downward. At the end of it were Irena’s feet.

Two steps. No matter how close they acted, it was a distance that had not closed in four years. And a distance that would never close.

She had absolutely no intention of growing any closer to him than this.

“Stop probing needlessly. I do not care what has put you in a foul mood, but I am not the only one who needs this transaction.”

Irena was curious about nothing. Especially not things beyond what she could afford to pay for.

There was no such thing as goodwill without a price. If you did not pay now, life would take it back someday with exactly that much interest added. Irena’s life had always been as unforgiving with its accounting as a strict banker.

“Hand over the medicine.”

“Hmm……”

The proprietor looked down at Irena’s outstretched palm and let out a small laugh.

“I suppose that is how it would be without Oliver darling.”

The strangely stiff atmosphere dissolved in an instant.

Thinking that breathing somehow felt considerably easier than before, Irena furrowed her brow.

“Aah, what a shame. Such an iron wall…… Should I just go ahead and take off my mask? Surely the reason you are not falling for it is because you cannot see this face, right?”

“Do you genuinely think that is the problem?”

“Is it not……?”

“Stop eating so many sweets. That is why your personality is so twisted.”

When she snapped at him irritably, the proprietor laughed out loud.

The low laughter was as clear and bright as sunlight glittering on waves.

“Ahahaha. Your personality really is something else.”

Stealing the very words she should have said, the proprietor flicked the small box toward her. Irena snatched it out of the air and turned around without another glance.

‘I need to get back quickly. If I stay any longer, either he ends up getting beaten to a pulp, or I lose my patience and do it myself. One of the two will happen.’

She strode toward the door and reached for the handle when a hand suddenly shot out from behind her.

“Oliver.”

A terribly low voice rang right beside her ear.

“Did I ever mention that I am a jealous man?”

She had not even sensed his presence, yet somehow he had already closed in. Irena’s startled body stiffened.

“I am an information broker by trade, and no matter how I think about it, it seems I am the one at a loss here. Should I not collect what is owed to me?”

It was pure, arbitrary caprice. He had been saying whatever he pleased, and now he wanted to collect payment.

As she normally would, Irena tried to retort immediately.

“……”

But she could not. She could not even breathe properly. If she opened her mouth, it felt as though her pounding heart would leap up her throat and burst out.

The proprietor’s hand slowly crossed over to Irena’s waist.