Dear Ex-Fiancé, I Hope You Regret Everything - Chapter 34

The seasons had turned, and autumn arrived. To be honest, I felt relieved.

The intense summer heat of the southern regions meant that wearing a corset would cause heat rash, and dresses felt heavy.

In the old days, traditional clothing would have been so convenient. But now, few people wore them.

Even though autumn had come and temperatures dropped, Haira, being warm year-round, could still make one sweat during the day.

It seemed the same could be said for the men, as Count Chaudan, after gulping down some cool tea, wiped his sweat and took a breath.

“Lady Iris, the sales at Chocolat Bitter, which had been doing well recently, have started to stagnate.”

“…So, it seems. We even tried setting up a dining area alongside sales, but the effect has been minimal… When we sold decorated orangettes, they were incredibly popular. Ideally, I’d like to keep decorations as limited-time offerings. Hmm… You could say sales have stabilized, but that might be all there is to it.”

“No, to be honest, regarding our trade, we’ve built quite a favorable relationship with Egiana. Looking at Haira as a whole, not just the one Chocolat Bitter store, it’s been very positive. Thanks to you, Lady Iris.”

“That’s good to hear. In any case, when looking toward the future, the country’s profits are what matter.”

“If we’re thinking about Chocolat Bitter, one option is to boldly open a second store.”

“Hmm… Well…”

Certainly, increasing the number of stores would raise operating costs, but it could also lead to increased revenue. It might also serve as an opportunity to gain wider recognition. But if people eventually grow tired of it, both stores could end up in financial trouble.

I want to take action now, but…

(…That’s it!)

“Count Chaudan, are you familiar with candy crafting?”

“Candy, you say… Indeed, in other countries, you often see it at stalls and such. In warm Haira, chocolate and candy never really became widespread. But with creative sales methods like at Chocolat Bitter, it might be possible to overcome that.”

“But sugarcane cultivation is thriving in Haira, right? I think it’s important to focus on domestic producers as well.”

“…However, candy is something children buy at stalls, isn’t it? I’m not sure it fits the image of Chocolat Bitter.”

“Wait a moment, I have something I brought back from Isac. Here! Look at this candy craft! It’s so beautiful I couldn’t bring myself to eat it.”

“This is truly magnificent. I always thought it was just for children, so this is the first time I’ve seen one up close.”

I had secretly brought back the one remaining flower-shaped candy craft, and I would occasionally look at it and remember my homeland.

“If it’s candy crafts like this, I’m sure they’d appeal to young ladies. And of course, to children as well. That means we could aim for impulse purchases.”

“Right!?”

But Count Chaudan crossed his arms and went “Hmm…”

“This requires quite advanced craftsmanship. I wonder if we can produce something similar in Haira…”

“In that case, why not invite the artisan to come here!”

Count Chaudan blinked his eyes rapidly.

✳︎ ✳︎ ✳︎

“Lord Skyford, thank you for your hard work today.”

“Ah, I’m tired. Very tired.”

A pleasant, post-bath fragrance wafted from Lord Skyford, who had changed into his nightclothes.

Plop—he buried his face in my lap.

“Oh my!”

“…But when I see your face, all my fatigue just vanishes.”

“…You’re kind of like a cat.”

“That’s fine by me. You can pamper me all day long.”

His intertwined fingers gently touched my lips. Then, he pierced me with a sharp gaze.

“…Um, are you still angry?”

“Of course, I am.”

Lord Skyford still held a grudge about my conversation with Cain.

“I rejected him from my side. Isn’t that more than enough?”

Lord Skyford sat up abruptly.

“That’s what bothers me! I wanted to protect you!”

“If you did that… What if he forced his way into the mansion? Wouldn’t that be even worse?”

“Well… That’s true, but…”

He mumbled and looked down. This man really had such childish aspects to him.

“Ah, you were thinking I’m like a child just now, weren’t you!”

“Wh-what? N-no, I wasn’t!”

“You’re lying! Iris, you’re terrible at lying.”

He grabbed my arms and pinned me down, causing both of us to sink deep into the bed.

“Eep!”

Still lying on top of me, Lord Skyford didn’t lift his face.

“Lord Skyford? …Um, ah…”

“…Do you dislike me like this?”

As I searched for an answer, it took quite some time, and to my flustered, darting eyes, a kiss descended.

“I didn’t mean to trouble you. I’m sorry. Somehow, I just can’t get it right.”

“Um, may I confess something honestly?”

“What is it? Are you going to say you don’t want to get married after all? That won’t do! I…”

“Whenever Lord Skyford looks at me, my chest aches, and when you say sweet words to me, I feel like I might stop breathing. That means I’m the one who’s being childish.”

While feeling dizzy and spinning, I somehow managed to weave my words together and desperately explain.

“There’s nothing wrong with you, Iris. Casually escorting you, including all these aspects, is a gentleman’s duty.”

“Not at all! Lord Skyford always faces me with such earnestness!”

“E-earnest?”

“It’s just that I’m too inexperienced when it comes to romantic love between men and women, while Lord Skyford is trying so hard!”

“Trying hard…?”

(Huh? What?)

For some reason, I felt like I wasn’t getting through properly. A cold sweat broke out.

“…Pfft… hehehe…! Ahahahaha!! Oh, Iris, you really are amusing.”

“Huh… Um…?”

“The way you try to recover but just keep spinning your wheels and digging yourself deeper is just so adorable.”

“Hey, I’ll get angry, you know?”

I poked his chest with a light tap.

“Ahahahaha!! Okay, okay, my bad! Hehehe…”

“…I’ve thought this for a while, but isn’t your sense of humor a bit too peculiar…”

“Well, when something becomes excessively heartwarming, laughter just wells up. My bad, my bad.”

After wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes with his fingers, he turned to face me properly again.

“This happiness is more than I deserve. It’s thanks to you. …That’s right, I think I’ll have a little drink tonight.”

After he took a sip of brandy and put some chocolate in his mouth, he noticed me watching and asked, “Do you want some too?”

“No, I’m fine. It’s just, I think Lord Skyford looks very manly and wonderful when enjoying alcohol.”

“Is that so?… I’m honestly happy to hear that. Here, you should at least have some chocolate.”

He popped a piece of chocolate into my mouth, and it began to melt slowly.

(It’s quite sweet milk chocolate. That’s right)

“Lord Skyford, I was thinking about introducing candy crafts at Chocolat Bitter. I want to reach out to that candy artisan I met in Isac.”

“…Ah, that artisan. I think he might have realized who I was.”

“Eh? Really!?”

“By the way, he’s probably from Haira.”

I recalled his sun-tanned skin and black hair.

“Then! Depending on negotiations, we could have him make candy crafts in Haira.”

“That might be difficult. He’s probably in Isac for some reason of his own.”

“Ugh……”

“Well, don’t be so discouraged. Why not go and see?”

He drew me close into an embrace. You probably don’t know how much his warm chest comforts me. The kiss that tasted of alcohol had the flavor of an adult reaching for something beyond.