Chapter 24.2

Anna’s sales smile sprang up on her face.

“Never heard of him, I don’t think. But more importantly, you look exhausted. Won’t you have a meal before you go?”

“It’s not like it’s mealtime right now, and we don’t have time to spare.”

“This place is the village’s only restaurant. If you sit right here, then all the village folks will gather in to give and take information, you know.”

“Hmm…”

“And the water we just drew from the well is so refreshing! Let me get some water for you first!”

Franz was still not convinced, but he seemed to change his mind once he heard the soldiers behind him begin to pant at the sound of ‘refreshing water.’ Anna sensibly gestured towards the inside.

“You can leave your horses over there at the stable!”

“You have a stable at a countryside restaurant like this?”

“This building was used as a cafeteria back during the war. You’ve come to the right place. I’ll have cold water prepared for you inside!”

At those words, the soldiers immediately headed towards the stable. Franz glared at Anna, who had so effortlessly taken control of his soldiers in a moment’s notice.

But alas, to Anna, who had survived days and nights at the face of Bertram’s expressionlessness, the glare held no power. He could glare all he wanted with his golden locks and blue eyes—he only felt like some kind of grumpy prince inside a fairy tale to her.

‘He’s handsome, but…. He’s the type my mom would hate on sight.’

And he was rude, to boot.

From the moment he entered the restaurant, Franz’s face transformed into an expression that read, ‘how do you even run this place and call it a restaurant.’ Before he sat down, he lay his handkerchief over the seat.

And even in front of the cup Anna had ambitiously put forth in front of him, which was the glass in best condition at this restaurant, he did not unfurrow his eyebrows.

If anything, the sight of the soldiers who’d returned from the stable smiling happily at their cups of water soothed her heart.

Just as Anna smiled back to them, Franz spoke up grumpily.

“What are you looking at.”

“Oh, nothing! What would you like for your meal? We don’t have a menu, we can get you anything we can make from our house—”

“There is no way a countryside restaurant like this one will have anything I’d want. Just bring us whatever’s edible enough and make it for five people.”

“…I’ll be right back with your food!”

Anna quickly whirled away with her face automatically scrunching up.

If she could, she would have loved to yell ‘here’s the most filling menu in this restaurant!’ and serve him a mighty knuckle sandwich.

‘But if I did that, the repercussions would be no joke.’

The soldiers were all in good nutritional states. One of them even had glasses on, which was hard to see in a countryside village like here. They all must have grown in wealthy households.

And the golden-haired man at their front was at minimum a noble. And judging by the incredibly great temper he had that was second to none…

‘Could he be royalty? Like the prince, or something.’

Of course, Anna did not know what the prince looked like, much less his hair color.

The opportunity to see royalty even from afar was a right only city folks had, if that could be called a right. At a village like this one, seeing one of their portrait was a luxury rarely available.

‘He’s handsome, he’s high-up, and he’s rude, so…. Oh, but he doesn’t seem crazy, so maybe he’s not the prince.’

The previous king had left one prince before he’d died in the war. All they had heard here in the country was that the prince had went crazy during the war.

Even as Anna cooked, she couldn’t help but keep glancing towards the restaurant in case Franz did something unexpectedly.

Soon, Anna had completed a mountain of fried onions, omelettes, and stir-fried vegetables, among other simple menu items.

At first, the soldiers were aghast at the enormous quantity of such simple foods, but soon their hunger won over and they began eating. Their expressions were not that bad.

Save, of course, for Franz, who remained perverse.

“Look here, young lady….”

“Welcome, dear customer! What should I get you?”

Franz’s voice was completely drowned out by Anna’s booming one. The village chief, who’d been coming in scratching his belly, was taken aback by Anna’s enormous welcome.

“What’s this? Since when was I such a dear customer?”

“Aw, c’mon, don’t be like that. How does fried onions sound for lunch today?”

Anna slowly led the chief to the inside of the restaurant.

However, Franz stood up from his spot and blocked their path. Faced with a fully bearded elderly man, he at least showed more of his manners.

“Greetings, sir. My name is Franz Gerhart, a knight from the capital. I have something that I would like to ask you.”

“What is an honorable knight doing in this humble village?”

“I am looking for a person. His name is Bertram. Cloaked in black fur, he is a big man with black hair. Age 25. Would you know anything about this man?”

“Goodness, this man sounds scary just by description. Is he an escaped convict, criminal? Want us to lend you a trap?”

“Not at all, sir!”

Once he’d confirmed that he was not a criminal, the village chief gave Anna an OK sign behind his back as he answered Franz.

“There’s more than just one or two big men in this world, sir. There are many in just our village. Long before, when the war ended, many a soldier who couldn’t return home settled in our place, you see.”

“Certainly. If you anyhow see a stranger, please do alert me.”

“If I bring you information, what will you do for me?”

Franz’s neat eyes narrowed. A leisurely smile spread on the village chief’s face, as if he had not noticed.

You’re the one in a hurry, not me.