"your highness, someone is here for you."
"let him in." Amourora put the list of servants down and sat upright. 'it must be Baxter.'
He came yesterday to ask for a cooperation in the chocolate chip cookies. He said he couldn't not share such delicious treats with others, and wanted to sell them in his friend's café. Since the recipe wasn't his, he promised to share a third of the profits with her, and vowed not to let it leak, taking the extra measures of baking the treats himself and sending them to Sunflower Towers Café each day. He swore to buy the ingredients with his own money and not let his side business interfere with his actual work. He even said that if she's not okay with it, he will cancel the whole idea, but he already sent a few batches to his friends.
Sunflower Towers is a place frequented by nobles, and sending the cookies instead of the recipe will make the snack more desirable. Most nobles are wealthy, and to express that, they not only wish to buy something expensive, but hard to obtain as well. Therefore the demand for the cookies will rise, and so will its prices. When Baxter gave out the cookies to his 'friends', they must have displayed them on Sunflower Tower as samples. That would explain how Canary's Corner knew of it.
Amourora guessed he was in desperate need of money. Baxter looked like a simple person, and she found it unlikely that he would think of all of that. She decided to trust him. She also couldn't decline an extra source of income, especially since she was in desperate need of money. Even if he offered to give her less than ten percent of the overall profits, she would still take it. She never expected him to share the money in the first place.
She was still a child, wouldn't it be easier to cheat her? He could always buy her a new doll as a thank you gift to wash away the guilt later. He didn't seem like he was doing it to gain connections, either.
That's another reason why she chose to trust him. He's truthful and honest, but still keeps some things to himself.
Baxter didn't only bake the best raspberry tarts to ever exist, but he was also an honest person with a strong passion for cooking and baking. Despite living in the imperial palace for years, he never learned to be cunning and exploitative. He barely learned proper etiquette as he scarcely made any contact with people outside of work.
As a result, he didn't know how to behave in front of the imperial children. Last time, he treated them like normal children and focused his attention on the cookies. This time, he sat down in the chair and drank tea with the princess, oblivious to how impolite he was acting.
Fortunately, she sent the other maids early, or else they would never have allowed it.
"your highness!"
His smile expressed good news and calmed her heart. She was worried if nobles thought it too expensive and refused to buy it.
"calm down, you are too loud. "
"yes, yes !" he breathed deeply for a moment. "lots of people liked the cookies! And after a newspaper wrote about it, even more people wanted to try it!"
"really? That's good!"
"it is indeed! Your highness, it will be auctioned!"
"auctioned?" she never heard of food being auctioned. Herbs, yes, but never snacks. Even at a crisis, the prices of food would soar, but auction...?
"yes !"he realized he was still talking with a child and explained, "your highness, you see, the food is good, and a lot of people like it...however, only a small amount is sold, so people have to pay more if they want it."
"well, that's good, Baxter!" she didn't feel bad for bilking wealthy aristocrats. She felt like Robin hood! Sell it as high as you can, then I will buy a dress full of pearls!"
" ha ha ha !" Baxter could only laugh at her innocent thinking. He didn't think it sounded snobbish, instead, he wished he could be like that. Young, rich, and carefree, not worrying about work or tomorrow. He, on the other hand, wakes up in the middle of the night to bake until morning, just so he could pay off his brother's debts and raise his daughter's dowry.
His daughter isn't married yet, but that's because her dowry is too low. He wished her a hardworking man that will cherish her. He didn't want someone like him, who would be too busy to spend time with his family, nor one that's too idle and depends on his parents for money. But such man is hard to find!
He can't lower his standards more than that, but he wanted his daughter to live a good life. She is already twenty, and even if he can provide for her for as long as possible, men will think she is too old to marry. Moreover, his daughter is outgoing, and maybe a little reckless. She even once said she didn't mind never marrying. He wasn't sure if she was serious or just wanted to comfort her, but her words kept repeating in his mind and made him feel even worse. He has trouble resting because he is constantly worried.
"Baxter."
"yes?" he snapped out of his thoughts.
"did you get permission from the emperor?"
"uh..."
"I will handle it. I didn't do anything and it would be unfair to get a third of the money just by providing a recipe."
"your highness, this wouldn't have happened without the recipe. It was very helpful." he assured her it would be alright.
"I still want to talk to father about it, it will be much faster."
"... Alright." He finally agreed. Even if he sent the contract, he didn't even know how long it will take as his majesty is busy, and his majesty's approval is not even guaranteed. As the emperor's daughter, it will be easier for her to go to him directly and finish the process quickly.
He walked out with the same smile he walked in with, leaving Amourora to her thoughts.
Since a new source of income appeared, she should switch her worry from money to something else. She checked on Maylea, then went to Edgar to get permission to enter the imperial library.
She wanted to read and gain new knowledge, but that was a slow process. She figured reading during the night and nap time, then spending the day socializing, would be more beneficial. Still, she needs new books. Useful books, not the children stories she has. But she can't ask because it will attract unwanted attention.
It's not like she can walk up to her brother and say, "hey, I'm interested in politics and war tactics! Also, I want to know about every noble and rich merchant of the empire! History, literature, science, I'm interested in all subjects !"
She has to figure out a way to get a shelf-full, and store them to read when no one is watching.
*****
Her world spun amidst a blur of noise. It seemed distant, like someone yelling in a tunnel. Images flashed in front of her eyes. Different blurs of colors.
—"sister! How could you! " a lady shrieked. Who is she?...looks like a wedding... ?
—"Stop, they're gone!...please..." a man yelled. Why?
—"mother...I need you! " a child...? Why is he crying?
"mother!..." it sounded urgent.
—"hahaha!" laughter echoed off the corners of the ceiling. Some were the giggling of children...others were older and more sinister...one was mixed with hysterical sobs.
"call a doctor!"
—"...your fault!"
"No... No, No, No!"she blocked her ears, wishing it would go away." my fault?! "
"Mother!"
"eh...?" she opened her eyes and breathed in relief. Just a dream. "... Sorry, I must have dozed off again."She dismissed the situation with a gentle smile.
" mother, are you alright? You can tell me. "
" I am quite well, it was just a bad dream. "
The doctor is on his way." he looked worried. "you mumbled about something being your fault?"
"it's nothing more than a bad dream." she snapped.
" perhaps brother's situation is putting too much stress on you. I already told you, you can leave it to me." he held her hand."mother, if you still insist on returning... let's wait until your health—"
"start packing, we leave tomorrow."
" I am more worried ab—"
She handed him the envelope, and he skimmed it with a darkening face. "...oh."