Dear Ex-Fiancé, I Hope You Regret Everything - Chapter 36

Even though my innocence had been proven, I thought – who would buy candy made by a man known as a former murderer?

When Lady Iris proposed, “Let’s publish Rannai’s autobiography!” I was completely taken aback. What did that have to do with selling candy?

More importantly, “I don’t know anything about writing fancy words!”

That was the undeniable truth. Not a speck of lie in it. I couldn’t even write a proper letter. So, I resisted many times in my own small way. But Lady Iris would always say,

“Don’t worry!! We have a great author-sensei to help us!!”

And that’s how I was introduced to His Highness Crown Prince Skyford. Why the Crown Prince? I wondered, but apparently he had publishing experience.

Even so, I felt awkward about having someone of royal stature teaching writing to a commoner like me, so I firmly declined. But for some reason, His Highness became suddenly enthusiastic.

He tutored me strictly day and night, and somehow we managed to get it published, but

(I came here to make candy…?)

That thought never disappeared.

However, thanks to Lord Skyford’s connections, when we actually published it, people’s reactions began changing to support.

It was like watching Othello pieces neatly flip from black to white.

“A reprint!? Rannai! How dare you outsell me!”

Lord Skyford came rushing in with a panicked expression, and it seemed my autobiography was becoming incredibly popular at an astonishing rate.

And so, fully prepared, we began selling candy art at Chocolat Bitter.

The candy art, now famous thanks to the autobiography, sold out rapidly.

I hear that Haira recently has been focusing not only on exports but also imports. Perhaps because we use Haira-grown sugarcane, the hibiscus and tropical fish candies sold well as souvenirs among traders.

Thus word spread from mouth to mouth, and Chocolat Bitter happily opened its second store.

So that’s why I was invited to today’s opening celebration party, but since this is my first time in such a setting, I’m completely unsettled.

Or rather, I feel completely out of place.

(What should I do…)

People keep coming up to me one after another, and I try to be pleasant, but perhaps my commoner’s speech grates on their ears – everyone makes strange faces and leaves.

Watching me like this, Fonmi, a maid serving Lady Iris, quietly approached and said,

“…Your button is misaligned.”

“Eh!? Ah!”

“Hide behind me, please fix it.”

As I furtively adjusted my button, I realized – so that’s why everyone was giving me those strange looks.

My long life on the run had made me overly sensitive to people’s gazes.

“…Sorry, Ms. Fonmi. You saved me.”

“Not at all, please don’t mention it.”

“Have you been with Lady Iris for long?”

“No, only a few months.”

“Huh, is that so. Your mistress is quite unusual, isn’t she?”

“Yes, very much so.”

“Did something happen with you too?”

“When Lady Iris first arrived, I really didn’t want to serve her, so I gave her a hard time.”

“…You’ve got guts. I don’t know much, but that kind of thing wouldn’t just end with a whipping, right?”

“That’s right! And yet, Lady Iris kept me by her side! Unbelievable! We were both being stubborn, I suppose.”

“Hahaha! You and Lady Iris are two of a kind!”

“But one time, Lady Iris knocked a cup from a certain lady’s hand as she was about to drink. It was poisoned. She knocked it down based solely on my one comment that ‘it’s more bubbly than the other champagne.'”

“…Wow, Ms. Fonmi, you’re really trusted.”

“Yes, I’m fortunate.”

“You’ve got a good mistress.”

Though we haven’t met many times, I felt like I connected with this maid.

“Oh my! Rannai, Fonmi, what were you talking about?”

Lady Iris, having finished greeting the guests, suddenly appeared.

Fonmi’s smiling face immediately straightened.

“About you, Lady Iris.”

“Eh! About me!? Fonmi, you weren’t saying anything bad, were you!?”

“Now, I wonder.”

“Fonmi!!”

Fonmi glanced sideways at me and gave a quick wink.

Watching their exchange, I murmured to the hometown breeze,

“Haira is going to keep getting better and better. I want to see it through to the end.”