I Don’t Want to Be a Lady

Diring-

a woman who opened the glass door with a beautiful arch pattern entered and asked the man approaching her. “How is it today?”

“It’s just as good as usual.”

The woman took off her deeply pressed hat and looked around the interior of her cafe with satisfaction. Customers looked at the various desserts decorated in the show window, and others exclaimed in admiration at the cute table settings. There was a long line of customers outside the cafe. It was truly a success.

The woman, seeing the inside was full with no empty seats, smiled pleasantly and continued her steps.

“Ah, by the way, there is a guest in the office.”

“Guess? Is it Countess?”

“No. it was my first time meeting him, but he said he knew the Boss well, so I brought him to the office.”

The woman, who had just climbed to the stairs to the upper floor, paused and turned her head as she nervously responded. “Hey, Marcus. How many times do I have to tell you not to be fooled by such trivial words?”

As her shop became famous, she was so tired of people clinging to her like leeches that smelled blood. Not only nobles but also employees who had worked together for a while, owners and employees of stores she occasionally visited, and even in-laws of her friends’ cousins.

Although it had quieted down a bit since she had beaten with her heel the madman who demanded the menu and ridiculed her for coming up with a business beyond her means on the subject of commoner, the leeches were still looking for an opportunity.

The woman opened the door roughly, intending to take her heel and beat them with that.

“Young Master Navier?” exclaimed by the woman, surprised at the sight of a man lying languidly on the red velvet sofa.

The man, who was lying comfortably like it was his own house, turned his head slowly and opened his mouth. “It’s been a long time, Madrenne.”

Madrenne sat on the sofa opposite him and asked with an expression of incomprehension. “What are you doing here?”

Her joy was short-lived. Since the main goal of those who came to her was money, her thoughts naturally turned to that direction.

Navier slowly got up, stretched his legs, and casually walked to the balcony. Seeing him acting like her master, Madrenne chuckled and followed him out to the balcony.

“Ah~ Hmm. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the sun?’

“So what are Lord Night Guest doing at the cafe in broad daylight?”

“Lord Night Guest…”

Navier repeated softly and laughed. Madrenne shook her head and fiercely resisted his handsomeness that could captivate many women. They said something that looks good and tastes delicious only applies to dessert.

Though she belittled him as a lord night guest, he was someone he could never belittle. Everything that happened in the dark corners of the empire had to be seen as something Navier knew and did. It’s only been two months since he created an information guild called Violet and took control of the underworld.

She thought he was a lazy, handsome guy, but… he was the only human who exceeded her expectations. Anyway, that’s it.

“What brings you here?”

“Madrenne, I heard you’re making some money these days.”

Madrenne hardened her face coldly and quietly removed her left heel.

“What’s wrong with your expression? Are you going to beat me with that heel?” Navier asked, pretending to cover his forehead.

It happened inside this office, and it must have been hard for that person to go and complain that he ran away after being beaten by a woman’s heel, right?

Madrenne thought.

“Shock therapy is necessary for insane humans.”

“Oh my. I need to talk properly before I get a hole in my forehead. I’m here to make a business proposal, Madrenne.”

Madrenne still picked up her heel.

Navier burst into laughter when he saw her like that. “

! Madrenne, calm down. Calm down.

~ It’s been a while since I laughed like this.”

Navier laughed out loud and looked down, leaning on the balcony railing. A woman looked up to see what was happening at his laughter that came out of nowhere. When Navier and her eyes met, her face immediately blushed, and she quickly walked away.

Navier was familiar with such reactions from women. Then he suddenly realized that Madrenne’s attitude wasn’t the same as before, so he looked at her with a puzzled look on his face. “Madrenne, I guess you don’t like me the way you used to anymore?”

With his lazy disposition and perfectly downturned eyes, Navier had a decadent beauty that suited him well. He lowered his eyelids, making an expression like a puppy in the rain. However, Madrenne was still angry when she saw his face.

“Really?”

When Navier asked in disbelief, Madrenne replied. “I may not believe in religion, but I have my own belief.”

Navier’s eyes rose upward. “What?

! Did you really mean it? Madrenne?”

It was unclear whether Navier’s reaction was admiration or mockery of the idea that Madrenne falling in love is such a remarkable thing.

“I never thought the day would come when you would become serious with a man.”

At Navier’s words, Madrenne turned her head coyly and scolded him. “Because I know how to see a real man.”

“That’s disappointing. Are you saying I’m not a real man?”

“I mean, you’re not a real man to me.”

Madrenne’s natural sense and long experience as a maid gave her the ability to see people properly.

Navier was admired by many women due to his natural good looks and his status as the successor of the count. Still, he was a lazy and boring man in everything he did. He was also a womanizer who didn’t stop any women from approaching him. 

Madrenne wasn’t clumsy enough to give such a man her heart. Above all, she knew her place well.

“Congratulations, Madrenne. You finally have a human heart.”

Madrenne glared at his words. “Do you think there is anyone as humane as me?”

“Hmm. I don’t know? Since when have humans calculated everything and put money ahead of emotions?”

“From the beginning. A person governed by emotions and instincts is an animal.”

Madrenne, a commoner, knew very well that reason and discernment were the only shields and weapons that could protect her. The world wasn’t gentle enough to put your fate based on momentary emotions.

“Oh my… Madrenne.” Navier opened his mouth with a serious face as if to give Madrenne a very important fact. “All men are beasts.”

“…”

Even Madrenne, who logically accepted Navier’s words, found it difficult to refute this statement. She murmured. “Sir Dale is different.”

“Well, Sir Dale. Right. That guy is really clean. I’ve only met two men with clean pasts so far. Duke Kaien and Sir Dale. Those two.”

“Look at that. Sir Dale is different.”

As Madrenne lifted her chin and defended Dale with a proud face, Navier somehow wanted to tease her.

“By the way, Madrenne, I’m a little worried.”

“What?”

“It’s been over a year since you followed Sir Dale, right? Usually, men won’t hold out that much against the lady who says they like you. Of course, you’re not that cute type, but you’re not so bad that someone would reject you for over a year.”

“What do you want to say?”

Madrenne visited Dale’s house three times a week. It was her daily routine to provide him with food that she cooked herself and ask him when he was going to come over.

“His tastes may be different from those of an ordinary man.”

“Then, are you saying that he likes men?”

In response to Madrenne’s sharp question, Navier responded naturally, leaning back against his upper body. “Let’s talk after you put down your heel, Madrenne.”

“Are you saying he doesn’t accept me because he likes men? Is it real? Did you investigate it using Violet?”

“Hmm. Well…”

That’s not like that… Although he did some background research on people around Arianne, but mainly Arianne was the focus. So, Dale’s relationship with Madrenne wasn’t the subject of consideration. If he spoke the truth, he’d be risking getting hit on the forehead with that sharp hell.

“That’s why! Right! I already expect it! How can he not like me if that’s not his preference!”

“Huh?”

Madrenne, who believed what he said, kept shaking her head. “There’s nothing I can’t do. Because that problem will not be resolved through my efforts.”

“No. It’s not like that.”

He needed to tell her before it got too big, right?

“Hey, Madrenne.”

“Anyway, what is your business proposal?”

As her most troublesome issue in recent times was resolved (?), Madrenne calmed herself, put her heel back to her feet, and asked.

“Huh? Ah, you want to listen to it?”

“Is there any need to turn down something about making money? I have plenty of free time anyway.”

She had been busy visiting Dale’s house three times a week, but now she could empty it.

“Yes. You already know that I run an information guild, right?”

“Hmm? Information guild? Wasn’t it a gang in the underworld?”

“…Hey.”

“Just kidding.”

Navier laughed.

How can she be so similar to Arianne? Maybe it was because she reminded him of someone he cared about the most, but he didn’t feel bad about it.

“I hear your cafe is popular with customers.”

At Navier’s words, Madrenne replied as if it were no big deal. “My cafe is not like a grand salon for nobles.”

Madrenne recalled that for more than 10 years, she had lived as a maid. Commoners, including workers, were unable to use the capital’s famous bakeries and dessert houses. To be precise, they couldn’t seat her. The only thing those stores provided was takeaway. Even more, you could only do that if you were ordered by your master to buy it.

Even though she wanted to do small luxuries for herself with the money she saved by pleasing others, Madrenne was dissatisfied with the situation where she had to sell it with the name of a noble whom she served rather than her own name. When she received a large severance pay from Arianne, she opened her cafe as if waiting for it.

“When nobles come, they can’t have tea in the same place with commoners, so either prepare a separate place for them or kick them out.”

In response to the demand from the nobles, Madrenne summarized the situation in one sentence.

“So, I said Duke Kaien and Countess Proud were also being treated like this without complaining about anything.”

“Oh. R-really?”

Duke Kaien and Countess Proud are treated like this without complaining, so how can they demand more? In the end, Madrenne’s dessert cafe became an attraction that only nobles who had the courage to sit together with commoners could use.

“They say servants know everything that happens in a noble family.”

“That’s obvious. Servants know even the smallest habits that the nobles themselves don’t know.”

Is it only a habit? The servant is someone noble who will openly reveal their true self to, which they wanted to hide from others. It means that nobles only see servants as tools, not people.

“That’s why.”

Navier fixed his gaze and asked as if he would not miss any of Madrenne’s reactions after hearing his proposal.

“I’d like to make your cafe as the base of our guild. What do you think about it?”