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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Birth of Maybel
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I’d been wondering why she was hesitating about starting a business, but it turned out May had her reasons.
I glanced at Bell, and she seemed to already know about it.
“You used to run a business before? Can I ask what kind?”
“My family had a small fabric shop.”
“It wasn’t that small...”
Bell muttered softly from the side before clamping her mouth shut at May’s look.
“I took over the family fabric shop and ended up ruining it.”
May’s explanation was straightforward.
I’d thought it might be something related to cooking since she loved making desserts, but no.
“May I ask how it fell apart?”
“My father passed away suddenly in an accident, so I inherited the shop without having learned enough.”
“Your father died in an accident?”
“Accidents come out of nowhere. It couldn’t be helped.”
May gave a wry smile, as if she was over it now.
“Selling fabric on consignment isn’t easy. You have to be sensitive to trends. I spotted some new fabric from abroad and had a gut feeling it would sell.”
She paused there, throat tight, and took a sip of tea.
May smiled bitterly and continued.
“I overstocked thinking it would make money. But the trend flopped. Inventory piled up, problems arose with other suppliers, and cash flow dried up.”
Lack of cash flow in business is incredibly dangerous.
“I tried to hold on, but in the end, I couldn’t settle the payments and had to hand over the shop. Luckily, someone came along to buy it out right then.”
May’s account was brief, perhaps to show she harbored no regrets.
But something felt off.
A lingering unease.
I wanted to dig deeper, but I couldn’t bring myself to reopen old wounds.
“I just don’t have the eye for it. Will you still invest?”
There was a hint of resignation in her tone.
She must have lost all confidence after one failure.
“It’s not that bad. Clothes made from that fabric ended up trending the next year. If you’d just held out a bit longer...”
“No. My vision was too narrow. I should have hedged the risk, but I didn’t. Business isn’t for me.”
May cut off Bell’s supportive words firmly.
And that firmness matched her lack of confidence in business.
The sense of wrongness thickened.
‘Have I read too many romance fantasies? I keep imagining some conspiracy.’
As my thoughts deepened, I caught May’s despondent expression.
She thought her failure story would make me back out of the investment.
“May, I’m still investing in both of you.”
At my words, May’s bitter gaze refocused on me.
“Even better. Any business experience is good. Makes me trust you more to handle it.”
May’s wavering eyes took on a strange glint.
She hesitated, lips moving as if choosing her words.
“I failed once. What if it happens again?”
So the question she finally voiced was about failure.
“I absolutely don’t think you two will fail. You’ll succeed for sure.”
May couldn’t easily accept my confident declaration.
“What if we do fail...”
I understood her anxiety.
But this wasn’t just blind faith in the original story.
I’d seen enough of their hard work.
They sought new flavors every day.
They strove to make things better.
They had the skill to pull it off.
And...
“This time, you’re not alone.”
At my calm words, May’s eyes rippled.
“If you make a risky choice, I’ll stop you. Bell’s here, and so am I. We’ll do it together, so don’t be afraid—give it your all.”
May’s perpetually stiff expression crumpled.
Her face strained to hold back tears.
One poke, and they’d spill.
Do I have a tragic face or something?
Lately, everyone cries whenever they see me.
“Don’t cry. It’ll look like I made you. Billy, this isn’t on me, right?”
I hurriedly soothed May before real tears fell and appealed my innocence to Billy.
Conscience-wise, this shouldn’t count as my fault!
“It’s on you, miss.”
Billy shook his head and turned away, ignoring my desperate plea.
How is this my fault!
As I trembled with indignation, May smiled faintly.
“Can we really do it?”
“Of course! The three of us! Bell will help too, right?”
At my call, Bell nodded solemnly.
“I have to work hard for your sake.”
Bell must have already set her mind on opening the shop.
Good attitude.
Watching Bell, May set her expression firmly.
“Alright. Let’s do business together.”
Finally!
It was the beginning of Maybel, destined to become the best dessert shop.
* * *
Just because May and Bell agreed didn’t mean we could open a shop right away.
They weren’t prepared at all.
So we decided to take it slow.
In the meantime, I gave them a special mission.
Sell desserts at the market on Thanksgiving and Apology Day.
It was essential for rebuilding their shaken confidence.
Plus, develop a menu of sellable items.
Get some buzz going before the shop opens.
Meanwhile, I’d asked Delia for various info.
About shops, and about the two of them.
I’m the type who looks after my people—with a vindictive streak!
“Espin.”
‘May’s story has some fishy parts...’
I’d decided to invest partly to console myself, but it felt like I was taking on more work.
“Espin.”
The slightly emphatic call snapped me to attention.
“Yeah?”
Luciano was staring intensely from ahead.
“What’re you thinking so hard about?”
I couldn’t talk about the investment.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing? Then why didn’t you hear me calling?”
Luciano’s tone turned prickly.
He was definitely annoyed I was spacing out instead of hanging out with him.
His sensitivity never lets up.
“Oh! I have something for you.”
As usual, I changed the subject.
I knew his eyebrow twitched, but I pretended not to notice and rummaged for Tosuni.
“Here.”
I pulled out the neatly wrapped knotted bracelet and offered it.
Instead of taking it, Luciano stared at the packaging.
“Take it.”
“What is it?”
Just unwrap it—why ask after taking it?
“See for yourself.”
The wrapping crinkled off in Luciano’s hands.
He quietly gazed at the revealed bracelet.
I expected some joy, but he looked indifferent.
Doesn’t he like it?
Did I get something too cheap?
Luciano’s gaze landed on my wrist.
“You have one too.”
“Yeah. The colors match us perfectly. Wonder how they nailed it.”
It was astonishingly tailored to our hair and eye colors.
“And it’s a wish bracelet. Make a wish when you put it on.”
Luciano just fiddled with it, no intent to wear.
His blunt reaction soured my mood.
“Don’t like it? The matching design too much?”
“Not this one.”
‘Not this one?’
After I went and bought it as a gift.
I spent actual money!
As my mood plummeted at his words—
“Give me that one.”
“Huh?”
“The one you’re wearing.”
Luciano’s red eyes bored into my wrist.
“Mine? But that color suits you better. This one’s perfect for me too.”
“I like that one more.”
His gaze was stubborn.
“That one’s brand new. This one’s used by me.”
“Still. That one.”
“...”
Stubborn over something trivial.
I didn’t want to fight over nothing.
In the end, the sky-blue bracelet went on his wrist, and the gold one on mine.
* * *
Time flew by.
May and Bell were doing their second sale at the Apology Day market.
The menu was the same macarons plus new salt bread.
After getting tired of macarons, the savory, salty bread kept you eating nonstop.
This time, they expanded macaron flavors and types into an animal legion.
Cuteness doubled.
“Whew, whew. It’ll sell well, right?”
Bell took deep breaths.
“Aren’t we overprepared?”
May spun in anxious circles again.
She’d committed to real business but still wasn’t ready.
That’s why I pushed for today’s market.
“It sold out fast last time. Word of mouth from those buyers will make it sell even better.”
I said it to boost them, but—
“Oh, you’re back. I waited after trying it last time.”
“Hey, those chick macarons? Heard you sold them last Apology Day. So cute!”
“Chick macarons! Wow, tons of animal types this time?”
My words turned prophetic.
As people gathered and showed interest, Bell and May’s tense, trembling faces bloomed into smiles.
“Each animal has a different flavor.”
“Pick what you like. We put even more care in this time.”
Dazed but starting sales.
“How much?”
“One coin each. Buy five, get one free!”
I’d taught them that trick beforehand.
Service always wins.
“Oh, then I’ll take five. Six types exactly— one of each, please.”
I’d made exactly six types on purpose.
For this 5+1 strategy.
“Yes, thank you.”
May’s voice bubbled with excitement at the first sale today.
She’d forgotten her nerves, positively overflowing with energy.
I couldn’t help smiling.
Real action is the answer.
This time, we applied early, so the spot was much better.
“What’s this? Why so crowded?”
“Food, I bet?”
“Something tasty?”
Passing crowds grew more curious as buyers clustered.
I watched warmly as customers swarmed May and Bell’s stall.
“Business is booming. You knew it’d be like this, miss?”
Billy watched in amazement too.
“Told you. They’re meant to succeed.”
“Sharp eye, miss.”
“You know it. It’s me.”
I answered smugly, then spotted something.
A bright blond head towering over the crowd.
An unforgettable massive build!
Bear-like body, but shoulders slumped.
I knew who it was.
Revenge time—faster than expected!
That thought hit the instant I saw the man.
I dashed toward him.
I Thought I Was the Protagonist
