"Young master Gian, a letter from Lady Cladeu arrived for you this morning." Aaron said after entering his young master's room.
"I see. You can put the letter first on my table. Aaron, how are the sales of the tea shops?"
"The tea shops are doing great, young master. The customers are greatly curious about the new products, especially cold drinks. Amelia is asking if we can put more supply of ingredients in the shops."
"Alright. Tell Butler Del to arrange the preparation of it. As for you, I want you to continue making the daily reports of our sales so I can monitor what are the preferred products of our customers."
"I understand."
"Take a break first, Aaron. I will call you later if I have more instruction for you."
"Thank you, young master."
When Aaron left his room, Gian gets the paper knife and carefully opens the letter he received from Shannen. The letter says that she will be back two days before his birthday and their engagement. She does not need to go back too early because all the things she needs were already prepared by Gian. Even the carriage Shannen will use on their engagement is already prepared. All she needed to do is to have a rest after she comes back and attends the party as his partner.
It's been three weeks since Gian started the plans for his tea shops. There is a lot of important things that had happened during these weeks. First, the renovation and changes in his shops. His nameless tea shops finally got an official name. It was carved on a board made from the highest quality of wood and the letters are painted using gold yellow paint.
'Russel's Hidden Lair'
That was the name Russel gave as a name for the shops. At first, Gian was against it. What kind of name was that? You are calling it a 'hidden' place but it was built in a place full of people? And Russel's? Gian is the rightful owner of those shops.
But in the end, Gian approved of it. Not because of his promise to let Russel choose a name for his shops, but because of his plausible reasonings. Russel said he wanted to make his shops more lively and attractive by creating a new gimmick that will surely attract the customers. Russel suggested making a forest theme on his shops instead of doing the common styles and interiors of tea shops in their kingdom.
After explaining the details, Gian dismissed his first idea and made a lot of arrangements for Russel's idea. He ordered the best gardeners to put a lot of flowers around the shops and decorate the walls with small vines and thin branches. He also asked a professional to make tables and comfortable chairs made from strong tree branches. They also placed scented candles inside which makes the place more relaxing and comfortable.
After a week of continuous renovation, the intriguing and mysterious forest-themed tea shops were finally open. The unusual interior designs of these shops piqued the interests and curiosity of people. Not only that, but the discounted and bundled promos attracted not only the nobles but also the commoners. With their interesting and delicious menu together with the unique style of these shops, the number of their sales was tripled in just one week.
Second, Gian received news that Viscountess Beckie left the Cladeu mansion to have a vacation in the southern border. Gian knew that Viscountess Beckie treasures her reputation in the noble society. There is nothing wrong with having a vacation to reduce some stress. But having a vacation this month will put a strain on her reputation. Why did she leave knowing that her step-daughter is having her engagement party this coming weekend? It is very suspicious of Gian.
And lastly...
"Dude, stop staring into space and move your hands! Quick!"
"Russel, it has been two hours since I started writing. I want to take a break too."
"No! You can take a break later, but my ideas cannot wait any longer! Be quick, start moving your hand!"
"I still have to write a reply to Shannen."
"Shannen's letter can wait. But my ideas cannot wait anymore. Write it now before I change the ending!"
"Russel..."
"What are you waiting for?! Go! Stop dilly-dallying now and move faster!"
Gian lets out a huge sigh. Who would have thought that a day will come where Gian can see Russel being this pro-active. Russel has been acting like this ever since he asked a small favor from him this morning.
"You wanted me to help the good nobles by telling them the future?" Russel asked.
"Yes. I am thinking of writing a prediction letter."
"Prediction letter?"
Gian is thinking of this idea before. He cannot just easily reveal all the things that will happen in the future. After changing the dreadful fate of Shannen and that little princess, Gian also wants to help the other people who will meet a bad ending in their life. And he will use his future knowledge in order to do this.
Gian knew the secrets of each noble in this kingdom. After quietly living as a commoner in four decades, Gian gained a lot of information and knowledge. Not only that, but he also learned the inner secrets of different families in the noble society. That is because there is a specific place near the slums where someone can sell a piece of important information before.
There is a shabby-looking building in the slums called 'The Prosperity Motel'. It was a former motel where travelers from different places can rest. But after two decades, the original owner of that motel died. After his death, the motel was forced to shut down and the building was left unattended.
After a few years, the old motel was bought by a traveling merchant. He transformed the old motel as a public bar for commoners. It looks like a normal bar from the outside. But the truth is, it is not a bar but a place where people gathered to sell or exchange information.
And Gian was highly familiar with this bar. That is because he was the one who supplies ink for the traveling merchant who owned the bar. The merchant pitied him when he saw that Gian cannot properly sell his inks in the marketplace. He told Gian to personally deliver the ink on his bar and he will pay him properly. After that, Gian will go to the bar every three days to deliver the ink he personally made.
Whether he was interested or not, Gian can hear the information being exchanged in the bar. Gian has a good and sharp memory so all the information he heard in the bar was easily stored in his head. And now that he was back in the past, this was the first time Gian became thankful for being smart.
"But I am hesitating to do it." Gian said. "My idea sounds ridiculous."
"Of course it is ridiculous! If you received a letter saying you will die, are you going to believe it?"
"So how can I give them a warning?"
"Bro, they are just strangers. Why do you want to help them?"
"If there is someone who is going to die and you are the only one who can save him, what will you do?" Gian asked instead of answering his question.
"Of course I will help him."
"And there is the answer to your question."
Gian is not a saint. He is only a human who can also commit a mistake. But Gian cannot turn a blind eye if he knows that someone is going to die especially if it is only him who can prevent that from happening.
"Hmm..."
"What if we convey it through a story."
"Huh?"
"What if I try to make a story which is very similar to what will happen to them in the future?"
Gian falls in his deep thoughts. This idea sounds good for him. Maybe he can write a similar story plot from what will happen to them in the future to send them a warning. As for the characters, Gian will not use their real name but instead, use their initials.
"Russel, what do you–"
"Let's do that!" Russel energetically said.
"But I have no talent in making a story."
Gian is not good at making a story. He can only write short poems or book reports.
"Me! Me! Me!!!"
"You?"
"Yes!" Russel said. "I can write a story! I told you, didn't I? I am a writer! So writing a story is my forte!"
"...Really?"
Gian thought that Russel was only bluffing when he said that he was a writer before. But it seems like Russel was actually telling him the truth.
"Of course! Dude, let's do that! Give me the details and I will do the rest! After that, you will write all the things I am going to say in the paper!"
"Are you sure that you wanted to do it?"
"Of course! I am one hundred one percent sure!"
Gian was still hesitating to do this. But he was willing to try this idea. And so, he told the pen all the details and the name of the noble Gian chose to help. It does not take Russel an hour to create a good plot so he asked Gian to get a paper and a quill to write the things he will say.
And after two and a half hours of writing, Gian can finally take a rest from writing.