Chapter 41

Surveying the usual cluttered desk, Eleonora sighed softly.

The sky outside the window was already dim, and the weight of a day’s work pressed heavily on Eleonora’s shoulders.

On the large desk made from a single piece of water ash, there were her well-used quill pen and inkwell, as well as a stack of parchment.

All of these were of high quality, but not for the sake of luxury.

Given the heavy use in her work, using anything less would be counterproductive. As the master of a guild that managed a third of the old capital’s water transport, Eleonora had many decisions to make.

And then, the pile of letters.

For this guild, which had risen to prominence through strong connections with the Eastern Kingdom and the Northern Three Provinces, the letters written by Eleonora herself were a powerful weapon and a lifeline.

Her beautiful appearance and alluring aura only added to the rumors that she left all the work to her subordinates. While she found this perception to be a gross misunderstanding, there were reasons for it.

The calluses on her fingers and the dozens of letters she had to write daily were due to her mother’s reckless management.

This guild, passed down through the female line, had expanded rapidly during her mother’s tenure.

By poaching talented members from the declining Reinhold guild, it quickly became the second-largest in the old capital.

All of this was due to the charm of a woman.

Even from her daughter Eleonora’s perspective, her mother was exceptionally beautiful and had a precise understanding of the value of her beauty.

To expand, she relied on her charm, and to maintain it, she had to use it skillfully.

This is why Eleonora grew up disliking men.

She wasn’t trying to act in a way that would be obvious to others.

While she cultivated the image of being fond of men, in reality, only a handful of men had ever held her hand.

She had a keen interest in beauty.

She didn’t want to be inferior to her mother as a woman. She wanted to be more beautiful than her mother but not use it in the same way. This was Eleonora’s aesthetic.

That was all.

During the day, it was work. Even her hobbies were work.

But recently, Eleonora had a secret pleasure.

“Welcome!”

“...Thank you.”

With a slight nod in response to the usual warm greeting, Eleonora sat down at the counter without hesitation.

The warm towel from Shinobu felt incredibly soothing on her tired hands.

Enjoying the sensation of blood flowing back into her stiff palms, Eleonora scanned the menu.

While the lager at this place was indeed delicious, Eleonora had recently taken to ordering the reishu.

The cold, clear taste seemed to wash away the worries of her profession along with the flavors of the food.

“I’ll have this Dewazakura. And something delicious to eat, please.”

“Would you like it grilled or boiled?”

“Let’s go with grilled.”

After placing her order with Shinobu, who brought the kinpira gobo, a beautiful glass was soon delivered. Unlike the triaueznam, which was poured and served, the reishu was poured right in front of the customer.

The cool sound of the liquid filling the glass was strangely satisfying to watch.

She took a sip of the Dewazakura to moisten her mouth.

This brand had a wonderful aroma. Enjoying its refined taste, she picked up her chopsticks and started on the kinpira gobo.

The crisp texture and the sharp, spicy flavor that enhanced the taste.

She took another sip of the reishu. The soy sauce flavor from the kinpira gobo flowed through her mouth, leaving a clean aftertaste.

Initially, Eleonora used a knife and fork to eat, but she realized that using chopsticks was more “beautiful” in this setting, so she now tries to use them as much as possible.

In the restaurant, the usual guard duo was drinking lager with tempura, discussing something serious.

Since the issues with the Northern Three Provinces were resolved, the old capital had been peaceful.

They seemed to be talking about some witch-related matter, but Eleonora had no idea what they were referring to.

She didn’t think highly of the bearded one of the pair.

This man, Nicholas, had a certain aura that was typical of those who were good at seducing women.

He wasn’t necessarily an enemy of women; in fact, he seemed to be kind to them.

However, Eleonora had a slight aversion to him, perhaps out of fear that he might see through her shy nature.

“Here you are, Eleonora. Saury.”

“Saury, huh.”

Shinobu brought a grilled, long fish.

It resembled a spearfish but had a slightly thicker body.

The well-oiled flesh had a beautiful golden-brown color, and the aroma was enticing.

“This is the first catch of the season, but this year’s saury is particularly rich and delicious.”

“It should go well with the reishu.”

Nodding at Shinobu’s words, Eleonora’s eyes were already fixed on the saury.

It looked delicious.

She drizzled some soy sauce over the white peak of grated daikon and swallowed hard.

When she picked up her chopsticks, the skin made a satisfying crackling sound, revealing the flesh inside.

She eagerly tore off a piece and carefully brought it to her mouth.

It was good. Very good.

The strong flavor of the fish and the rich, oily taste.

She chewed it a few times, then took a sip of the Dewazakura.

It was irresistible.

Next, she added some grated daikon and took another bite.

The refreshing taste of the daikon, which gently washed away the rich flavor of the fish, was exquisite.

A brownish part appeared from the white flesh.

Was this the saury’s innards? She felt a moment of unease, but she knew that the Nob wouldn’t cut corners. If it was served, it was meant to be eaten.

With this in mind, Eleonora tentatively extended her chopsticks.

She took a bite.

It was bitter.

Reflexively, she took a sip of the Dewazakura.

At that moment, something strange happened.

It was bitter, but it was delicious.

Eleonora, who had never been fond of bitter flavors, found that she could eat this part of the saury. It might even go well with the reishu.

The elegant taste of the reishu and the saury’s innards.

This unusual harmony captivated Eleonora.

“Did you enjoy the saury’s innards?”

Shinobu provided another warm towel to wipe her fingers, which had become greasy from the saury.

“Are the saury’s innards called ‘wata’?”

“Yes. We usually remove them from other fish, but the saury’s innards are delicious. They go well with cold sake, don’t they?”

“Yes, they are very delicious.”

They looked unappealing and tasted bitter.

Yet, this bitterness complemented the cold sake beautifully.

Eleonora felt as if she had made a fascinating discovery as she continued to eat the saury.

It was a delicious fish, but it was challenging to eat.

By the time she was done, the saury on the plate was a sorry sight.

There was still a little reishu left. Just as she was considering ordering another dish, Eleonora was called from behind.

“Oh, what a waste. There’s still more to eat.”