Soon, the food arrived: a signature crown steak cooked to medium, pea meat soup, and a glass of blueberry iced drink.
The young server attending to them couldn't help but glance at the pale cherry blossom-haired girl as she dined. It was considered quite rude to stare at customers while they were eating, and this was explicitly prohibited in the Blue Stone Crown restaurant’s employee code of conduct. Yet, the young server couldn’t resist.
Anyone dining at Blue Stone Crown was usually someone of status in the capital, either a noble or a wealthy merchant. Their manners and etiquette would never be lacking.
The young man had worked at Blue Stone Crown for quite a while, and he had seen many different kinds of young ladies, all with proper table manners. At least, they appeared to be proper on the surface.
He had always thought that their manners were impeccable, eating with great care, until he saw how Winnie ate. Afterward, looking at the other ladies, it felt... strange.
It was like standard, stiff etiquette clashing with the naturally graceful and perfect form of etiquette that Winnie displayed. The former seemed rigid and overly mechanical, while the latter flowed naturally, as if Winnie’s movements were the epitome of refined manners. It was like witnessing a downgrade of etiquette, where all others seemed counterfeit next to her.
Winnie slowly cut a piece of steak, bringing it gently to her lips, chewing with poise. Every movement, every detail, was so natural, so perfectly timed, and elegant in every sense. There was no pretense, no force. Every gesture was elegant, refined, as if every frame slowed down to reveal perfection from every angle.
She turned what was merely a simple, everyday act of eating into a kind of performance art, each frame, each detail, filled with its own unique beauty.
She was the very embodiment of the term “noble young lady.”
It was hard to imagine which prestigious family had raised such a perfectly refined lady.
“She’s really beautiful, the young lady at the next table... I wonder which noble family she’s from. Strange, I’ve never heard of such a beauty in the capital before.”
“Yeah, do you think... she looks a bit like the goddess?”
“Shh! Don’t say that out loud! If any clergy hear you, they’ll accuse you of disrespecting the goddess! Do you want to bring that kind of trouble on yourself?”
“Well, I’m just saying, she really looks like Fanghui Goddess. I remember the goddess also had pale cherry blossom-colored hair and heart-shaped eyes. Could it be...?”
“Enough, enough! Don’t make assumptions. If you spread rumors like this, we won’t be able to handle the consequences. The direct descendants of the goddess have long since passed. You should know that there is no saintess in the Fanghui Church now.”
“I haven’t finished yet! Who’s making assumptions? And besides, it seems like Aeciphysis’s direct descendants are still in the capital.”
“Huh? Are you serious?” One of the diners stared at his friend as if he couldn’t believe it. “Keep your voice down! We don’t need anyone to hear your rambling. If someone hears you, you’ll be the one to lose face.”
“Ugh, don’t be such a puzzle. You’ve heard of that infamous nobleman from the capital, right? Winnie, the crazy dog noble?”
“I’ve heard of him. But are you sure our conversation has any connection to that?”
“Don’t you get it? That Winnie, he’s the last remaining direct descendant of the Fanghui Goddess.”
“...Wait, today isn’t April Fools’ Day, is it?”
“I’m not joking with you! Look, go ask around in the capital, find out what that crazy dog’s last name is. You’ll see for yourself.”
“...This is really bizarre. How did the goddess’s descendant end up like this?”
“So, stop making random comments. The only remaining heir of the goddess is a good-for-nothing with a dead bloodline. There’s no one else left. What’s the meaning of speculating about some unknown heir of the goddess? Are you implying the goddess was impure or that the previous saintesses were unclean?”
“If the clergy or nuns hear this, and it reaches the bishop’s ears, you might as well forget about coming to the capital again!” One of the diners shot his friend a sharp look.
“Okay, okay, I got it, thanks for the warning...” The other diner was a bit shaken by the admonishment.
“Now, about Winnie... you know he’s crazy and evil. He’s done everything bad in the capital. From bothering Princess, sending her his hair and nails, to harming his fellow knights, hiring assassins to try and kill other nobles, all the way down to bullying elderly people and stealing lollipops from poor kids in the slums.”
“And...?”
“Also, after the princess publicly rejected him, he went even more crazy! He started going for both men and women and even kept young male servants at his villa to... well, you get the idea...”
Clink.
The sound of a knife and fork dropping on the table startled the two diners, who thought they had been speaking quietly. Then, they saw the pale cherry blossom-haired girl from the neighboring table stand up.
“Thank you for the meal~” With a dazzling smile on her lips, Winnie took a gold coin from her purse and lightly placed it on the table.
“Ah, are you done with your meal?” The server, who had just come to his senses, hurriedly took the coin. “Let me get your change, please wait a moment!”
“Thank you, sir.” Winnie responded with a smile, and after the server left, her bright eyes suddenly fixed on the two merchants at the neighboring table.
“U-uh...” The two merchants, who had been gossiping so animatedly, were suddenly entranced by the girl’s alluring heart-shaped eyes.
“Excuse me for the abrupt interruption. Are you two dining here? Who will be paying the bill?” Winnie clasped her hands together and placed them gently on her abdomen, her voice sweet and polite, like the sound of silver bells.
“...Ah, yes, I’ll take care of the bill. My friend isn’t from the capital, so I’m the host today...” The merchant, mesmerized by the girl’s beauty and voice, spoke without thinking, instinctively reaching for his wallet, his face suddenly changing as he realized something.
“No, wait! Where’s my wallet? Where did it go?!”
“Hey! Stop joking! You said you’d pay, but I didn’t bring any money with me!” The other merchant suddenly panicked.
Forgetting your wallet wasn’t a huge deal, but it was certainly embarrassing!
These two were respectable merchants, and now they had to charge the meal to their account at Blue Stone Crown. If this got out, they’d never be able to show their faces in front of their peers again. It would be a lifelong joke.
Winnie smiled as she watched the two merchants scramble, waiting for a few seconds before pretending to notice the wallet by their feet.
“Excuse me, sir. Is your wallet made of gold silk satin, embroidered with roses and colorful glass?”
“Huh??” The merchant was stunned. “How did you know that?”
“Because it’s right here, yet so far away,” Winnie said with a soft giggle.
“Ah??” The merchant finally realized and quickly found his wallet on the floor near his feet.
“My wallet! Thank goodness...”
“You really are careless, aren’t you? Didn’t even notice your wallet fell out of your pocket.” The other merchant sighed in relief.
“Miss, thank you so much for your reminder! Otherwise, we would’ve made a huge mistake...” The merchant thanked her repeatedly.
“It’s nothing. I believe it must have fallen when you were eating and talking earlier.” Winnie chuckled softly.
“As the goddess says, ‘Do not speak ill of others behind their backs,’ sir, perhaps you have unknowingly violated a taboo, causing the goddess to play a little trick on you?” Winnie said with a teasing tone, her voice gentle and soft, not making anyone uncomfortable.
“...?” The merchant was at a loss for words, looking at the girl, feeling oddly guilty.
“Just kidding. No offense intended. Please forgive me. Well then, I won’t disturb your meal any longer.” After saying this, Winnie smiled and gracefully turned to leave.
The two merchants stared blankly at her retreating figure, then silently continued eating, not daring to speak a word.