HOFRS 24

Chapter 24

It began when a woman put a sample coconut chip into her mouth.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for her lips to open.

But whether for dramatic effect or because she was savoring it, the woman’s eyes remained closed, and her mouth gave no response.

“Uh, how is it?”

Someone finally mustered the courage to ask. Only then did the woman open her eyes.

“It’s nutty, sweet just enough, and crispy…”

“Crispy?”

“It’s so delicious!”

At her words, everyone reached for a plate on the tray and tried the coconut chips themselves.

Crunch. Crunch.

The sound of the chips breaking apart echoed all around.

“Oh my…”

Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise.

Most desserts were typically buttery and rich cookies, but these chips were different.

Light and clean, yet nutty and sweet.

The ones glazed with honey were sweet, while the unglazed ones were simple and savory.

“How do you make these chips?”

“Are they sold somewhere? Where can I buy them?”

With the introduction of this unique dessert, questions poured in from all directions.

A well-trained part-time worker, having memorized her script, answered smoothly and confidently.

“If you bring the coconuts you’ve bought, we’ll crack them open for you!”

“You’ll do it for us?”

People murmured excitedly at the unexpected good news.

No wonder—they were in the middle of a coconut craze. Everyone was buying and eating coconuts, but the coconut shop only sold the coconuts themselves. It was up to the buyer to crack them open.

And since the shells were so hard that a regular knife needed to be struck dozens of times, it was a tedious and exhausting task.

And now they’d do it for you?

The nobles with servants may not care, but for commoners who had to buy and prepare everything themselves, this was sweet news indeed.

Perfect targeting.

And that wasn’t even the end.

“Additionally, if you’d like to purchase just the coconut chips, they’re available for only 5.99 Krang, or in a gift set for 20 Krang.”

“Here it is!”

Another part-time worker appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, holding out a box for everyone to see.

“Wow…”

Everyone was amazed.

The pretty box was lined with cushioning, and inside were two neatly prepared coconuts, wrapped in packaging.

Alongside them were a cute bottle with a coconut illustration and two adorable glass jars filled with coconut chips.

As the saying goes, “What looks good tastes good.”

The luxurious packaging made it a perfect gift, instantly catching the eyes of nearby nobles.

“Sales start next week! Location is right next to the Second Coconut Shop! We hope for your interest!”

The news spread quickly by word of mouth.

* * *

“Marchioness Laviang, thank you for the invitation.”

“Your beauty seems to bloom more every time we meet. What’s your secret?”

“The Marquis must truly adore you—surely your beauty comes from his love.”

The ladies and young noblewomen competed to flatter one person with sugary compliments.

Everyone knew Marchioness Laviang’s looks weren’t particularly outstanding, but to gain her favor, they were willing to say anything.

She was firmly established as the queen of the local social scene. Falling out of favor with her meant being ousted from society entirely.

“Oh ho, he does bother me quite a bit with his affection.”

The Marchioness laughed, clearly pleased by the familiar flattery.

In the blooming garden of House Laviang, filled with colorful flowers, nearly thirty noblewomen and young ladies sat at long tables draped in white, luxurious tablecloths.

Everyone had wanted to attend this rare tea party at House Laviang, but only thirty were invited.

Among them was Yulizé.

As someone from the up-and-coming House Heden, she was seated relatively close to Marchioness Laviang at the head of the table.

But she was uncomfortable in such overly polite and insincere social gatherings.

She had always preferred riding horses and swinging wooden swords to wearing dresses and drinking tea.

She was dying to leave, but she endured it for Dia’s sake.

After all, it was Yulizé herself who had asked the Marchioness to host this tea party—offering to cover all expenses.

That too had been on Dia’s orders.

“Let’s use this opportunity for a major promotion.”

Yulizé held Dia’s words deeply in her heart. It was all for the sake of saving Second.

“Shall we head inside? We’ve prepared a special after-tea experience.”

Everyone happily rose, following the Marchioness with practiced grace.

Yulizé silently followed them into the mansion.

As elegant laughter filled the air, one of the women stopped in the hallway, eyes fixed on a photograph on the wall.

“Oh my. Marchioness, this is beautiful.”

All the other noblewomen and young ladies turned to look at the picture.

“It’s a gift I recently received,” the Marchioness said proudly.

On the white hallway wall was a photograph of Marchioness Laviang.

Next to it was another photo—of the Marquis.

The Marchioness’s picture showed her upper body seated gracefully. The Marquis’s was a full-body shot of him standing with confidence.

But something was… strange.

The photographs were undeniably beautiful. They clearly showed the couple everyone knew.

And yet, somehow… the Marchioness didn’t quite look like herself.

No, it was her—but somehow…

“Aha…”

The women and young ladies, staring at the photos, began to realize something.

There were no age spots on the Marchioness’s face—none of the usual signs of aging her makeup couldn’t cover.

Her hair gleamed, silky and full.

The Marquis’s photo was no different.

Famously short, he appeared to have much longer legs in the picture.

How could it look so natural?

And his gaze, looking slightly down at the viewer, was noble and strong. His hair was fuller, too.

With the advancement of magical tools, portraits had given way to large printed photos. That was the current trend.

But photos had one major downside: unlike hand-drawn portraits, they captured everything as is—flaws and all.

Nobles would diet and rigorously care for their skin before a photo shoot. Heavy makeup on the day of was a must. But even that had limits.

So how were these pictures flawless?

No matter how hard they looked, they couldn’t find the answer.

And then there was the most captivating element of all—the backgrounds.

Behind the Marchioness and Marquis was a breathtaking blend of white snow-covered mountains and a crystal-clear blue lake.

A landscape unlike anything they’d seen.

The southern region had mild weather year-round. Such exotic, wintry scenery was impossible there.

“Where is that, Marchioness? Did you travel abroad?”

Was this place even real? If it was, they wanted to visit—no matter how long the journey.

A photo that distinct would be a bragging point forever.

“Who was the photographer? Could we find out where this was taken?”

Everyone waited eagerly for the Marchioness’s response.

“Lady Yulizé, what was the photographer’s name again?”

Marchioness Laviang turned to Yulizé.

Why her?

All eyes shifted to Yulizé.

“This was a gift from Lady Yulizé. It’s called a ‘life photo,’ taken by a photographer from the Second Line’s ‘Life Café.’”

“A life photo?”

The guests murmured among themselves.

Yulizé, who had been watching all the reactions carefully, now began to recite the script Dia had drilled into her.

“The Life Café opening next week in Second will be giving away life photos for free.”

“Photos?”

“That’s right. Every week, we’ll select two guests who visited the café and gift them a life photo. The photographer is an up-and-coming talent exclusive to Second—you won’t find them anywhere else.”

The noblewomen and young ladies stirred with excitement. As they looked around, clearly tempted, one young lady finally spoke up.

“Wait, so that background wasn’t real? It’s… the café?”

“Yes. It’s our café. We’ve set up multiple photo spots so customers can choose their favorite backdrop.”

Recalling Dia’s words—no one can resist a life shot—Yulizé delivered the final blow.

“Visit Second’s Life Café, and take home your very own life photo.”

A perfectly timed native advertisement.