Sugar Apple Fairytale - Volume 7 - Chapter 1.1

Chapter 1

THE ONE WHO SUMMONED THEM

It was so bright outside that Anne’s eyes hurt. She stood on the front porch of Hollyleaf Castle and squinted, looking out over the courtyard still covered in lingering snow. She didn’t see anyone, and she heard nothing from the direction of the sloping road running down the hill, not even the sound of a wagon.

“Huh? Keith isn’t here yet. Why were we in such a rush?”

Over a month had passed since the First Holy Festival. It was held at the height of the winter, and the snowfall had since eased up and was starting to melt.

That said, the roof of Hollyleaf Castle was still covered in white, as were the surrounding trees. The piles of snow had hardened, and as their surfaces slowly melted in the rays of the sun, they sparkled like shards of glittering glass.

Throughout the winter, it had been vital to shovel the middle of the courtyard to allow wagons to come and go. But now that was no longer necessary. No new snow was piling up to block traffic, and the sodden, decaying blades of withered grass were starting to show.

Mithril Lid Pod, the water droplet fairy sitting on Anne’s shoulder, mumbled uncertainly. “That’s funny. I was sure I heard the sound of a wagon.”

“Have you gone senile already, Mithril Lid Pod?” snapped Challe Fenn Challe, the obsidian fairy standing behind Anne.

Mithril raised both fists in the air. “You’re the last person who should be accusing people of going senile—you’ve been alive for over one hundred years!”

“Come on,” Anne said, interrupting. “It’s not that cold out here, and besides, isn’t it nice to breathe in the fresh air? It feels good. And Keith will be coming along any minute now. We just have to wait.”

The air was chilly, but Anne was wearing her cloak, and the sun was shining, so she was able to keep warm.

Mithril clung desperately to Anne’s neck. “Anne, did you hear how mean Challe Fenn Challe was just now?! Wasn’t he horrible to me?!”

“He didn’t sound any worse than usual. But I guess he was a little mean.”

“You see?! He’s mean, right?! You should say something to him, Anne!”

“Say something to him…”

Anne looked up at Challe.

He glanced back down at her with his sharp, intense gaze. His eyes were so enchantingly beautiful that they sent a chill down Anne’s spine. The light reflecting off the snow highlighted his long eyelashes, his bangs, and the contours of his cheeks.

“Challe…you’re beautiful…,” she mumbled without thinking.

“That’s not what I meant!” shouted Mithril.

Flustered at what she’d just said out loud, Anne turned bright red. “Ah! Sorry! Um, right, say something…to him…”

Challe chuckled and whispered into Anne’s ear, “Seems you’ve taken a liking to my face. That makes me very happy.”

Anne practically leaped away from Challe and in a near shriek insisted, “I have not; it’s not like that! I’m just stating a fact!”

Challe smiled coolly and turned his gaze toward the courtyard. As if nothing had happened, he said, “There are no signs that boy is coming. Shall we head back inside?”

Anne slumped in defeat, and from atop her shoulder, Mithril grumbled disappointedly, “I don’t think you’ll ever stand a chance against Challe Fenn Challe, Anne. Not even in a hundred years…”

There was nothing Anne could say to refute that; Mithril was exactly right.

Just then, the door opened behind them, and Elliott Collins, the Paige Workshop’s red-haired proxy maestro, poked out his head.

“I thought I heard you making a fuss out here,” he said teasingly as he stepped out onto the porch. “Do you mean to tell me Keith still hasn’t arrived? I overheard some people blabbing about him, and I got all excited and dashed out. But I guess I’m a fool for believing it.”

“I think he’ll be here before too long,” Anne replied. “This is Keith, after all. It’s not like him to be late, especially when he promised to be here at a certain time.”

“You’re right about that. Keith’s a man of his word.” Elliott put his hands on his hips, narrowed his eyes, and squinted at the bright, snowy courtyard. Then he casually announced, “The Paige Workshop is going to be returning to Millsfield tomorrow.”

“Oh…is that so?”

Anne had already prepared herself for this, but now that it was happening tomorrow, she felt a pang of loneliness like a cold wind sweeping across her heart.

But I’ve already made my decision.

She straightened up into a more dignified posture and shook off her momentary bout of weakness.

“We’ve stayed too long as it is. Lots of orders have been coming in, and we’ve been getting letters from our candy crafters saying they’re eager to return to the workshop.”

Right after the First Holy Festival, Kat said he had work to do and quickly headed back to Southcent. Jonas left, too, saying that he was going back to the Radcliffe Workshop. Keith was busy preparing to launch his own workshop and departed the castle less than three days after the festival.

The Paige Workshop should have returned to Millsfield immediately, but the snowfall had been unexpectedly heavy, and it would have taken a long time to transport their equipment through the bad weather, so they had delayed their return.

“We’ll be real busy from here on out,” Elliott declared. “Ah, but one bit of happy news is that Noah said he wants to work with us. He’s decided to go with us back to Millsfield. Thanks to the sugar candies that you and the Viscount gave him, he seems to have fallen head over heels for sugar candy, you see.”

“Sure seems that way,” Anne agreed. “He’s been asking me to show him how they’re made. He helped out a bit with my work, and he seems to have a surprising knack for it.”

Noah the fairy had lived in Hollyleaf Castle for fifteen long years, waiting for his master, and had nearly perished before they’d managed to save his life with sugar candy. In breaking his promise to his master, Noah had finally come to understand the man’s feelings and left behind the restraints that he had created for himself.

Over the past month, he had been showing interest in all sorts of things and seemed to be enjoying himself. He was especially delighted to watch the crafters make sugar candy and took a great interest in the production process.

“I thought so, too. If we can keep him on as an apprentice for a while, it’ll be a big help, so I’m all for it! And what’s in store for you, Anne? You must be meeting with Keith today because you’re getting ready for something, right?”

The night of the First Holy Festival, Anne had decided to focus on her still vague dreams for the future. If she was to accomplish that, she knew she couldn’t stay at the Paige Workshop forever, even if she felt safe and comfortable there.

As she was thinking about this, Keith had approached her and proposed that they start a new workshop together.

Anne hadn’t been able to give him an immediate answer.

She wanted to find a dream of her own. And to do so, she needed to leave the Paige Workshop. She knew that much, but she hadn’t yet figured out what she should do once she left.

As she helped the Paige Workshop get ready to depart from Hollyleaf Castle, Anne had asked Challe, Mithril, Glen, and Elliott for their thoughts on what path she ought to take.

Several days earlier, she at last made up her mind and contacted Keith indirectly to request a meeting. Keith had sent her a letter in reply, saying that he wanted to show Anne the workshop that he had been setting up and that he would come see her in the morning in two days’ time.

“I think establishing a workshop will be a great experience. And if I do that with someone as skilled as Keith, I know it will turn out well.”

Anne had never thought about having her own workshop before. But it was very appealing to imagine creating a place as comfortable as the Paige Workshop on her own. She thought it would be wonderful to be able to build something solid with her own two hands—something other than sugar candy.

Anne had little experience, and she was young. Establishing and managing a whole workshop would be too much of a burden for her to bear by herself. To have secured a partner in the endeavor was the best thing she could have hoped for. And that partner was a sincere candy crafter with recognized skills.

Anne’s ideals were still indistinct and formless, but she thought owning a workshop might somehow make them clearer. Doing this with Keith seemed like a shortcut to discovering a dream life of her own.

“I see,” said Elliott. He turned to Challe and Mithril. “So, you two, what do you think about Keith and Anne setting up a workshop?”

The two fairies looked at each other. It seemed they hadn’t expected the question.

“Why are you asking us?” Mithril said, puzzled.

“Well, you’re both determined to stick with Anne no matter what she does, right? Wherever Anne goes, you go. Besides, you two seem to understand Anne even better than she understands herself.”

“You’ve got that right! Until I’ve repaid my debt to Anne, I’ll follow her anywhere, even to the depths of hell!”

“If you’re willing to go to hell and back for Anne, then what do you think she should do going forward, O great Mithril Lid Pod?”

“The best thing for Anne is to do exactly what she wants to do!”

Elliott looked deflated. “…Well. I guess it was stupid of me to ask. What about you, Challe? What do you think?”

Anne was startled by the question, even though Challe was the one being asked. She wondered what Challe thought about her future.

Challe had vowed to protect Anne. That oath would keep him close to her, but she knew it would also make it difficult for Challe to find happiness of his own. That was why Anne needed to achieve her dreams as soon as possible. If she did that, then Challe would be able to leave her without breaking his vow.

But another part of her wasn’t ready for that yet. She wanted to walk her path as slowly as possible so Challe wouldn’t leave her. Whenever she let her guard down, petty thoughts like that filled her mind.

I’m so selfish.

Challe gazed into the distance as if he were looking out over the forest. After a brief silence, he said, “As long as Anne’s and Keith’s ideals are in alignment, I believe working together is the best option for both of them.”

Just then, they heard the sound of wagon wheels rolling over stones from the direction of the road.

“Could that be Keith?”

Everyone, including Anne, turned their eyes toward the sloping road.

“The wheels sound rather heavy for the boy’s wagon,” muttered Challe.

The noise rapidly grew closer as a single vehicle ascended the hill.

The vehicle that appeared was not the small, single-horse wagon Keith usually took. Instead, it was a handsome carriage, drawn by two horses. The body of the carriage was painted with black lacquer, and the door was adorned with a crest consisting of three six-pointed snowflakes—the kind that marked candy shops—encircled by a ribbon.

It was the crest of the Silver Sugar Viscount.

The carriage headed straight through the area clear of snow and came to a stop right in front of the castle’s porch.

The carriage door opened, and out stepped Hugh Mercury, the Silver Sugar Viscount. Behind him was his bodyguard, Salim, a young man with dark skin.

“I came unannounced, so I didn’t expect a welcoming party!”

Casually brushing back his wild brown hair, Hugh approached Anne and the others. He typically dressed plainly, but today, for some reason, he was wearing a simplified version of the Silver Sugar Viscount’s formal attire. It seemed awfully restrictive for Hugh’s wild demeanor, but the result only increased his masculine charm.

Unbothered by everyone’s obvious surprise, Hugh walked up the stone steps and approached the group.

“What brings you here, Viscount? And why are you dressed like that?”

“A fine way to greet me, Collins. I’ll have you know that I dress the part while I’m working.” Then Hugh’s expression changed. “I’ve come to give you an order as the Silver Sugar Viscount. Proxy maestro of the Paige Workshop Elliott Collins, three days from now, at midday, you are to present yourself at the royal castle. You should not enter at the main gate on the triumphal road, however; instead, you are to enter through the west gate. I will arrange it so that the guards will let you pass when you give your name. Bring with you any personal tools you need for crafting sugar candy.”

“Huh? The royal castle? And you want me to bring my tools?” Elliott’s eyes went wide with surprise. “And why should I do that? Is there a reason?”

“I can’t answer that now,” Hugh said bluntly before turning to Anne. “You’re being given the same order, Anne Halford. Three days hence, at midday, present yourself at the castle. You are to bring your tools as well.”

“Me too?!” she yelped.

She was shocked. If she were the maestro of a faction, like Elliott, she might expect an invitation to the royal castle. But Anne was still a newly minted Silver Sugar Master, with few accomplishments to her name. She didn’t even belong to a faction. She was only a single crafter of little importance. She didn’t understand why someone like her would be summoned to the castle.

As though he could see the confusion on her face, Hugh went ahead and gave her a warning.

“Don’t ask me why. I can’t give you an answer at the moment. And there’s one more condition for you, Anne. You are to bring Challe with you.”

Challe scowled. “Me, go to the royal castle? Why?”

“Because you have also been summoned.”

“A fairy who isn’t even a candy crafter? For what purpose?”

“I can’t answer that.”

“Well, who summoned us?”

“I can’t answer that, either.”

Hugh was uncompromising. A shade of displeasure colored Challe’s eyes.

Then Mithril rose to his feet enthusiastically atop Anne’s shoulder. “Does that mean I’ve been called to the castle, too?! Could it possibly be time for the royal visit of my dreams?!”

“No. You don’t need to come.”

Flatly rejected, Mithril wilted like a scoop of salted greens. He sat back down and clasped his knees dejectedly.

“You can’t just summon us to the royal castle willy-nilly, Viscount. We have our own jobs to worry about,” Elliott protested. “I’m going back to Millsfield tomorrow, and I’ve got several matters to take care of for the workshop. Anne also has things she needs to do. Isn’t it a bit high-handed to refuse to explain the reason when you’re ordering us to abandon our duties like this?”

Elliott, as the proxy maestro of a faction, didn’t seem surprised by Hugh’s order.

Hugh’s lips curved into a slight smile. “I understand what you are saying, and I will tell you as much as I’m allowed to say. This order doesn’t come from me. Someone asked me to convey it to you, and I came here to do so. This command has been issued not only to you two, but to a number of candy crafters selected according to certain criteria. You cannot refuse. You must answer the summons.”

Someone was trying to gather candy crafters. And because they had made their request through Hugh, there could be no question that the client was a member of the nobility.

But why had Anne been chosen to participate? There were plenty of other candy crafters with more experience and greater renown. And the most perplexing part of all this was that she had been asked to bring Challe with her.

“We have no right to refuse?” Elliott asked with a sigh.

“I’m afraid you do not.”

“I understand. I’ll show up.”

“Be sure that you do. And you too, Anne. Got it? Bring Challe with you when you go.”

“…But—”

“You’re going,” Hugh ordered sharply, then turned on his heel and started to walk off. A moment later, he halted.

No one had noticed his arrival, but standing at the foot of the front porch was a young nobleman with a genteel face and light-brown hair. He was wearing a long winter overcoat that reached down to his ankles, and his slender frame cut a sophisticated silhouette. The soft tie wrapped around his neck was a perfect match for his demeanor. The man was Keith Powell, the son of the former Silver Sugar Viscount. The tips of his boots were dark and wet from walking over the damp grass.

It appeared Keith had come up the road in his usual one-horse wagon. But he must have seen the Silver Sugar Viscount’s carriage pulled up alongside the porch and, out of deference, parked his wagon at the top of the slope instead.

“You’re here, too, Keith?!” shouted Anne, startled. “How long have you been there?”

“Yes. I just arrived,” he said with an awkward smile.

Anne and the others had been too distracted by what Hugh was saying to notice Keith. But Challe and Salim had apparently known he was there, however, and didn’t look particularly surprised. They just glanced at him out of the corners of their eyes.

“It’s been a while, Keith,” said Hugh simply.

Keith politely bowed. But when he raised his face again, his expression was stiff. “Viscount. Those orders you just gave—?”

“Have nothing to do with you.”

Keith’s expression hardened even more at the way Hugh cut off his question.

“You’re saying I haven’t been summoned?”

“That’s right,” Hugh said flatly.

Keith stayed rooted to the spot as Hugh passed in front of him, then Hugh and Salim got into their carriage and took off.

As Anne watched the carriage crawl down the sloping road, she mumbled, “What’s going on? Those orders… I don’t understand them at all.”

“Do you know anything about this, boy?” Challe asked Keith, who was standing motionless in front of the porch.

Just then, Anne noticed something. Keith was balling his hands into fists as he followed the departing carriage with his eyes.

Keith slowly turned to face Challe and nodded.

“I heard that yesterday, the same orders were issued to John Killean, the proxy maestro over at the Mercury faction, and a crafter by the name of Stella Knox from the Radcliffe faction. Today it was Mr. Collins and Anne’s turn.”

Keith, who had been shown to the lesser hall on the second floor of Hollyleaf Castle, sat down at the dining table and took a cup of warm tea into his hands as he slowly explained what he knew.

Cups of fragrant herbal tea had also been set before Anne and the rest of the group. Their invigorating aroma hung in the air.

Anne was supposed to go with Keith to see the workshop he was setting up for them. But Hugh’s orders had changed her plans.

Anne, Challe, and Elliott patiently listened to what Keith had to say. Mithril, meanwhile, sat limply on Anne’s lap with a dark and gloomy expression.

“Killean and Anne and I are all Silver Sugar Masters, of course. Maybe they’re only inviting Silver Sugar Masters? Oh, but that Knox guy—I’ve heard rumors that he’s really good, but I don’t think he’s received a royal medal yet.” Elliott was swinging his crossed legs as he stared at Keith with a conflicted expression.

Keith set his teacup down on the table and nodded. “Stella is not a Silver Sugar Master. He was ahead of me in school, and while we were students, he learned candy crafting techniques alongside his regular studies. He’s been training earnestly at the Radcliffe Workshop since he graduated. He’s very skilled, but he’s in poor health, and the timing of the Royal Candy Fair has always been bad for him, so he’s never been able to enter. But he’s so talented that everyone says that if he did enter, he’d definitely win the royal medal. The Radcliffe Workshop has Marcus and one other Silver Sugar Master. But that Silver Sugar Master does much less work than he used to, likely because of his age. At this point, I think that Stella’s abilities are superior.”

“Is there really such an amazing person at the Radcliffe Workshop? But you’re better than him, aren’t you, Keith?” asked Anne. “I mean, you’re good enough that Marcus chose you as the candidate to be the next maestro.”

Keith smiled bitterly. “I wonder. I feel like Stella and I are equals. Though Stella would get angry with me for saying so. He would say I’m being cheeky. But though he is my equal, Stella is often ill, and he has a willful streak, so he’s always taking off work. He’s not cut out to be the maestro. That’s why I was chosen.”

“He’s got the skills, but he’s not a Silver Sugar Master, and he’s sickly as well?” Anne cocked her head in puzzlement. “Everyone else is either a Silver Sugar Master, a proxy maestro, or in some other elevated position, right? I’m a novice Silver Sugar Master without any affiliations… I wonder what criteria they used to select people.”

Beside her, Challe spoke quietly. “It seems reasonable to assume they’ve selected one person from each of the big factions.”

Elliott clapped his hands together. “That must be it. They weren’t after Silver Sugar Masters, after all. Instead, they chose one person with real ability from each faction. And Anne is in the unaffiliated category, maybe? But why her, I wonder? If we’re talking about skill, someone like Kat or Keith would have been a good choice, too.”

At those words, Keith looked down, his expression resentful. “…I’d also like to know, too,” he grumbled quietly.

Anne was sure she’d heard him. But the next instant, Keith raised his head and smiled.

“My plans are all messed up now. I’d hoped to invite you to take a look at the workshop I’ve been preparing, Anne. I may as well tell you, I was so certain you’d be delighted with it that I envisioned you agreeing to join me right then and there.”

It was exhilarating to hear Keith, who was an expert in his own right, speak frankly about his confidence in her.

“You weren’t too far off, Keith,” she said. “I was planning to agree once I saw it. From here on out, I want to focus on figuring out what I want in life. I feel like starting a new workshop with you is the fastest way to do that. I think it will help me find my dream.”

Keith looked surprised for a moment but soon smiled. “Thank you,” he replied. “I’m happy that you’ve given it so much thought, Anne. But you’ve been summoned to the royal castle in three days’ time. We don’t know why, but…the fact that you’ve been selected must mean that there’s some major job there for you. One that will require your skills as a candy crafter.”

“Mm. I agree. That’s why I think it’s best if we put off talking about the workshop until I have a clearer understanding of what I’m to be doing.”

“Of course. I’m sure it’s an important task…” Keith was slowly growing sullen as he continued. “I’m happy that you considered building a workshop with me. I should be happy, but I…I can’t be. What’s wrong with me…?”

Suddenly, Keith got up. He grabbed his long overcoat from his lap and thrust his arms through the sleeves.

“Oh, leaving already?” Elliott asked.

“Yes,” Keith answered, hanging his head. “It looks like our discussion about the workshop will have to be postponed. Excuse me. I’ll see you later, Anne.”

Keith quickly descended the stairs. He was practically fleeing.

Keith didn’t even look me in the face, thought Anne.

He was always so courteous and kind, and he wasn’t the type to leave without saying good-bye. No matter how big a hurry he was in, he always looked the other party in the eye, at least for a moment, and gave them a smile.

But Keith hadn’t met Anne’s gaze just now. In fact, it seemed like he’d deliberately avoided looking at her. It was as though he couldn’t stand to be there another second.

“I wonder what’s the matter with Keith,” Elliott mused. “Seems like he’s brooding over something.” He reached for his teacup. As he brought the tea to his lips, he looked across the rim of the cup at Challe.

“Speaking of things being the matter, something’s up with you, too,” Elliott continued. “You were summoned by name. I have to assume there’s a reason.”

Challe had confronted Hugh and the Earl of Downing at the fort in the wilderness beyond the Bloody Highway. He had demanded that they let the fairies there go, and they had complied with his demand. They must have sensed that the other fairies regarded Challe as someone special. The way the fairies treated him, plus his presence as he stood there in the snow, had been proof enough of that.

That was the only time Anne could recall an aristocrat having any contact with Challe.

“Will you be all right going to the royal castle, Challe?” asked Anne. “Nothing bad is going to happen, right?”

She was growing anxious, but Challe rested his chin in one hand and held the other over his steaming cup, calmly enjoying his tea. The amber-colored liquid swayed inside the cup.

“If it was something like that, I’d expect soldiers to be storming this place as we speak. We’ve received a polite invitation. I doubt there will be any real trouble.”

Mithril, who had been drooping gloomily in Anne’s lap, suddenly raised his head. “Challe Fenn Challe! I’ll have you know I’m quite worried! So, so worried, I can hardly stand it!” Despite Mithril’s words, his eyes sparkled brightly, as if he had made some wonderful discovery.

Challe seemed to notice this and looked at him suspiciously.

“Worried? You’re worried about me? What could you possibly mean?”

“N-n-n-nothing! I’m just genuinely worried about you! Really! What’s that face about?! I don’t extend my concern to just anyone, you know!”

“Will this really be all right?” Anne muttered. She was still full of uncertainty.

“We’ll find out once we get there,” said Challe, without the least bit of concern.

Why? Why is this happening?

Keith was overwhelmed by the impatience that had blossomed in his chest.

Anne and Elliott had received a direct summons to the king’s castle from the Silver Sugar Viscount. The two of them didn’t seem to entirely understand its significance. But Keith, the son of the former Silver Sugar Viscount, was shocked by the unusual order.

There was no precedent for any candy crafter besides the Silver Sugar Viscount being invited to the royal castle. He was the designated candy crafter for the royal family, after all. As long as he was present, they had no need of other candy crafters. If anything, this was a slight to the Viscount’s honor.

And yet someone had summoned the candy crafters all the same. What’s more, they had given those orders to the Silver Sugar Viscount to convey. There must have been something big happening with the royal family, something that involved sugar candy.

Besides that, several crafters had been invited, and yet Keith was not included in their number. He was shocked to hear that he had been overlooked. In any other situation, he could have accepted it as a reflection of his own lack of ability.

But this was different. As he watched Anne’s face, he’d been overcome with impatience and an anxiety he’d never felt before.

This won’t do. I have to find a way to bury these feelings. To figure out where they’re coming from…

He had been afraid of how he might behave under their influence, and so he had fled from Anne’s sight.

Keith had left Hollyleaf Castle and returned to the city of Lewiston. He walked aimlessly around the city, not caring that the snow he kicked up dirtied the cuffs of his pants.

Ever since he’d tested his skill against Anne’s at the Royal Candy Fair the year before, Keith had considered her a good friend and rival.

To be sure, Keith had lost at that Royal Candy Fair, but he had always thought that the outcome had stemmed from his choosing the wrong motif. In that forum, her sentiments had been victorious. But Keith had always believed that he had shown greater skill and precision in his work. He hadn’t felt the least bit inferior.

That was why he had always considered Anne a friend and been concerned for her welfare. It was also why his very first thought after making up his mind to launch his own workshop had been that he wanted to make Anne his partner.

Anne and Keith were equals. That was why they could be partners.

Now, however, he was afraid that it was only his own vanity that had led him to believe he was on the same level as Anne. But at the same time, Keith felt sure he wasn’t simply being vain. He had resigned himself to living in the shadow of his father, Edward Powell, but he didn’t think he had been wasting his time.

Anne was chosen, and I was not. And the fact that I don’t know why is making me anxious. I’m impatient. It’s not clear what they were looking for when they made their selection. I want to know. I want to ask someone why they didn’t choose me.

He hated not knowing what separated him from Anne. It made him uneasy, as if he couldn’t see the tips of his own toes. He felt like he wouldn’t be able to relax as long as he still felt that uncertainty.

Should I ask the Viscount? Can I really be so direct?

He didn’t want to raise such an awkward question. It would be too rude, even if it was Hugh he would be asking. But the more he thought about it, the more the irritation in his chest grew.

He felt a heaviness in his head that seemed to portend a headache. He grasped at his hair and grimaced.

Keith found himself walking toward the market on the east side of Lewiston.

The Silver Sugar Viscount, Hugh Mercury, had purchased a mansion there, which he maintained as a secondary residence. It was a three-story mansion with extensive storehouses in the back. But it was also right in the middle of a neighborhood, sandwiched among a row of houses. It had belonged to a wealthy merchant who did a lot of business overseas. The merchant had parted with the residence when he closed down his business, and now Hugh maintained it. The building’s construction made it difficult for gatekeepers and security guards to keep watch, so many of the neighbors weren’t even aware that it was the Silver Sugar Viscount’s villa.

Keith was surprised that this was where his feet had taken him, but he also couldn’t pull himself away. After walking around the eastern market for a little while, he made up his mind.

He couldn’t fight against the voice inside him demanding to know why he hadn’t been chosen.

When he knocked on the front door, a servant fairy immediately answered.

“My name is Keith Powell. I am a candy crafter. I’d like to request an audience with the Silver Sugar Viscount.”

When Keith announced himself, the fairy gave him a dubious look. This was a natural response. It was unthinkable for an ordinary candy crafter to waltz into the Silver Sugar Viscount’s home. The fairy seemed on the verge of closing the door on him, so Keith introduced himself further in a panic.

“I’m the son of the former Silver Sugar Viscount! I’m Powell’s son, Keith!”

After giving the fairy his name, Keith felt a ball of disgust sink into his stomach, as if he had swallowed a stone. He’d always hated being defined by his father, and he couldn’t believe that he had introduced himself that way. But that was how badly he wanted to see the Silver Sugar Viscount.

The fairy briefly disappeared to confirm Keith’s identity, then showed him inside.

He was led into a drawing room with a large fireplace, a couch, a desk, and two armchairs. The curtains hanging over the windows were thick and weighty, and although the furnishings weren’t flashy, they had obviously been made with care.

Even so, it was a modest dwelling for someone who held the rank of viscount.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Keith.”

After Keith waited a short while in the comfortably heated room, Hugh strode in and greeted him.

Keith got up from a chair and returned the greeting.

Hugh had taken off the formal attire of the Silver Sugar Viscount and was wearing his usual plain brown jacket.

“Why did you have to arrange a meeting with me?” he asked, taking a seat on the couch. “What’s this about?” He crossed his legs and looked up at Keith, who was standing directly across from him.

“I’ll get straight to the point: Why wasn’t I chosen?”

“What do you mean?”

“Yesterday and today, you issued orders summoning four candy crafters to the royal castle, correct? Not only did you issue them directly as the Silver Sugar Viscount, but this is the first time that the royals have invited other candy crafters to the castle. I assume there must be a very special job to be done, and an important one at that. It is a job, yes? Since you’re having them bring their tools.”