Na-Isekai Ako
Chapter 19: Flirting? No, Just Customer Service

Chapter 19: Flirting? No, Just Customer Service

A few weeks had passed, and Katherine had finally, finally succeeded in making Taho.

She stared at the bowl in front of her like a proud parent. The soft silken tofu gleamed, the rich syrup swirled enticingly, and the tapioca pearls glistened like tiny edible gems. It was perfect—her precious.

"I did it," she whispered dramatically. "I have defied the odds. I have conquered tofu."

She wiped an imaginary tear from her eye. This had not been an easy journey. There had been delays, miscalculations, and at least one unfortunate incident involving a pot that definitely hadn’t been supposed to explode. But after much trial and error, she had triumphed.

"And now," she declared, holding up a spoon like a scepter, "I take thee to Aunt Yevon, the ultimate judge of all things delicious!"

With her head held high and her prize carefully balanced, she made her way to Yevon’s office.

Katherine knocked confidently—then immediately panicked.

Wait. What if Aunt Yevon doesn’t like it? What if she thinks it’s weird? What if she disowns me for crimes against dessert?!

Before she could spiral further, Yevon’s voice called out, "Come in."

Too late to turn back. Stay strong, Katherine.

She entered with a carefully neutral expression, her confidence now a fragile illusion. "Aunt, I hope I’m not disturbing you, but I’ve prepared something for you. I’m not sure if you’ll like it," she admitted, clutching the cup like it was her last hope.

Yevon, ever elegant and unbothered, set down her pen and gave Katherine a warm smile. "Not at all, dear. What do you have for me?"

With all the reverence of a royal chef presenting a meal to the queen, Katherine placed the cup of Taho on the desk. "This, dear Aunt, is called Taho. One of my favorite foods. And now... it is in your hands."

Yevon raised a perfectly shaped brow and inspected the cup as if it held the secrets of the universe. "I assume you want my opinion?"

Katherine clasped her hands together in mock prayer. "Yes. Please. Spare no mercy."

Yevon chuckled, taking a spoonful. She examined the texture, swirled the syrup a little, then finally—finally—took a bite.

Katherine stopped breathing.

Aunt Yevon chewed. Thought. Took another bite.

Then nodded. "Interesting taste..." she mused, meeting Katherine’s wide-eyed gaze.

Interesting?! What does that mean?!

Katherine prepared herself for the worst. She was already mentally drafting an apology speech—"I’m sorry for offending your taste buds, I will personally exile myself to the mountains"—when Yevon took another spoonful.

"I think the ladies will enjoy this," she said approvingly.

Oh. OH.

Katherine nearly collapsed in relief. "Really?! You don’t think it’s too different?"

"No, it’s quite good. I’ve never had anything like it before." Yevon studied the cup again. "Taho, you said?"

"Yes! Aunt, do you think this could work as a menu item? I want to sell it along with other sweets."

Yevon’s lips curled into a knowing smile. "I think it’s a wonderful idea."

Katherine nearly jumped with excitement. She had done it. The first official stamp of approval! Her café dreams were one step closer to reality.

And all it had taken was... well, a lot of failed tofu experiments. But it was worth it.

Now, she just had to see if the noble ladies would agree.

***

Back in her room, Katherine carefully packed five jars of Taho, adjusting the ribbons and mentally checking her list.

"One for Zamir... one for Gledis and her husband..." she muttered, rearranging the jars like a merchant preparing for market day. She wanted each one to look perfect—first impressions mattered, after all.

Her gaze drifted to a letter resting on her desk, sealed with an unmistakable insignia. Maestro Eldritch.

She unfolded the letter, already able to hear the composed, no-nonsense tone in her head.

I am looking forward to the finished product. I hope it is worth the wait.

Katherine snorted. "No pressure, huh?"

Despite his ever-serious tone, she found herself grinning. Who would have thought she’d enjoy exchanging letters with someone like him? Their correspondence had started as mere business transactions, yet somewhere along the way, it had become something more... casual.

Well, as casual as one could get with a mysterious, probably-too-rich, definitely-too-talented magician.

Recently, the Maestro had sent her five enchanted stickers, each marked with a delicate Sampaguita flower. When placed on a jar or bottle, they preserved food for a day—a short duration but still incredibly useful. It was an unexpectedly thoughtful gift.

Though, knowing him, she had no doubt he’d charge her next time.

She tied red ribbons around the jar meant for Maestro and green ones for the others. After carefully boxing them up, she jotted down little notes for each recipient:

Here is a sample of the test product. I hope you like sweets!—Katherine

Satisfied, she sealed the letters. Writing in this world’s language had been tricky at first, but she was getting the hang of it. No more embarrassing mistakes. Hopefully.

She stretched, admiring her work. "Okay! I think I should personally deliver Zamir’s jar," she decided aloud. "I needed something from him anyway."

And with that, she grabbed the boxes, ready for her next errand.

***

"Youth Master, a package has arrived," Roiselin announced, handing Adolfo the box as soon as it materialized from the portal.

"Does Lady Katherine know you’re not in Albania?"

"Why do you ask?" Adolfo glanced up from his desk, taking the box from Roiselin.

"Well," Roiselin grinned, "you’ve been exchanging letters with her. Seems like you two are quite friendly."

"Why does she need to know?" Adolfo’s tone remained flat.

"I thought you were courting her," Roiselin said, one eyebrow quirked knowingly.

Adolfo paused, then turned his gaze toward Roiselin. "What makes you think that? You’re mistaken, Roi."

"You exchange letters. With her." Roiselin gestured to the pile of other client files scattered on Adolfo’s desk. "You don’t write letters like that to any of your other clients."

"She’s a client, nothing more."

Roiselin raised an eyebrow. "A fine lady, and intelligent too. I can see a lot of potential in her."

"Yes, but she’s a nobody. I need someone with status—like the princess—for my plans."

"But you don’t even like the princess," Roiselin pointed out, sounding confused.

"I don’t have to like her. A Count and a princess—well, that’s a fitting match for what I need."

"Yes, but..." Roiselin shifted his gaze to the portal in the middle of the office. "You keep using the portal daily, sending letters to her. It’s not just business, young master. You’re clearly invested."

Adolfo remained impassive. "I’m simply curious about her product. That’s it."

Just then, he opened the package and pulled out two jars. A small note accompanied them.

---

Dear Maestro Eld,

I finally finished the product. You can try it. I sent two since I remember you have an assistant. You can share it with him.

Hope you’re doing well.

Sincerely,

Katherine

---

Adolfo stared at the jars before glancing at Roiselin.

"Oh, how thoughtful of her to send me one too, young master," Roiselin teased.

"You know, I could have kept it all for myself," Adolfo muttered, handing a jar to his assistant.

"You’re so cruel," Roiselin smirked. "But if Lady Katherine finds out, she might think you’re a bit... stingy."

Adolfo gave no response, his attention still on the letter. He opened one of the jars and took a spoonful.

"Master, this is delicious!" Roiselin exclaimed after tasting his portion.

"You ate before me?" Adolfo said, though his tone was neutral.

Roiselin just shrugged. "I couldn’t wait. It was too tempting."

Adolfo couldn’t help but shake his head at his assistant’s antics. Despite his rough exterior, Roiselin was perfectly composed in public but often ridiculous in private. Still, his loyalty was invaluable.

Adolfo took a spoonful, savoring the taste. It was surprisingly good. He wasn’t usually fond of sweets, but this was different—something about it was both delicate and rich. What were those white things in it? Was it the black liquid from before? Whatever it was, it blended perfectly.

He finished the jar without comment.

"I could definitely use more of this," Roiselin remarked, still savoring his share.

Ignoring him, Adolfo grabbed a pen and began to write a reply to Katherine.

"Oh, are you writing her again?" Roiselin asked.

---

Dear Lady Katherine,

Both my servant and I greatly enjoyed the treat you sent us. We hope to hear more from you soon.

As for the stickers, I will arrange for someone to handle the transaction with you. Thank you for the business, my loyal customer.

P.S. Please do send us more of this item, and perhaps in larger portions.

We are both well. Hope you are too.

– E

---

Adolfo felt an unexpected, unfamiliar flutter in his chest as he finished the letter. The sensation was brief, yet sharp enough to make him pause. He quickly folded the paper, masking the feeling, and handed it to Roiselin without a word.

Then, to distract himself, he reached for his teacup, the warm liquid slipping past his lips in an attempt to steady his thoughts.

"You know, if she keeps responding to your letters, she must really like you," Roiselin said with a knowing grin.

Adolfo nearly choked on his tea. "What?"

"You heard me. She writes to you constantly. Maybe she likes you too." Roiselin’s voice held a teasing note, his smirk widening.

Adolfo couldn’t quite suppress the warmth spreading in his chest. "What do you mean too?"

Roiselin cleared his throat. "Well, what if she likes you even though you don’t really like her back?"

Adolfo felt an odd mixture of irritation and something else—something he wasn’t willing to name. "Nothing will happen. She’s just a valuable customer, nothing more."

"You’re a bastard, young master," Roiselin muttered under his breath, turning back to his work.

Adolfo sat back, still lost in thought. Did she really like him? The idea seemed absurd, but a part of him... a part he wasn’t willing to acknowledge... felt oddly pleased at the thought.

What if she did?

His gaze flickered toward the jars with red ribbons—the exact shade of his eyes.

What if he introduced himself more formally as Count Adolfo? Would that make her like him? Did she remember him from the ball?

A sudden wave of nervousness crept in, but he quickly dismissed the thought.

No time for distractions. He had work to do—there were exams to prepare for, and he needed to beat Florante.

But as he returned to his work, he couldn’t quite shake the thought of Lady Katherine.