59: The Masked Noblewomen / Another Sanada / Roast Pork Sandwich with Honey Mustard 5

Jill, despite saying something like, “Let’s steadily tackle the tasks we’ve been given,” continued to struggle. She sketched ideas and consulted others, debating, “This is good. No, wait, maybe that would be better.” And then, as if to clear her head, she suddenly made eccentric-patterned fabrics or clothes and displayed them in the shop, or came up with new recipes, leaving the maids and employees wide-eyed. The customers, however, were impressed by Jill’s innovative creations and started visiting the shop enthusiastically.

And then, as a result of all this, Jill was kicked out of the shop.

“You’re overthinking things—well, more like overworking yourself. Go clear your head and empty your mind for a while,”

Maureen and Carol scolded her, and she was forced to take a break.

Naturally, Jill protested. Whether it was manning the store, repairing pottery, or making clothes, there were countless things she needed and wanted to do. However, her loyal employees stood firm and wouldn’t budge.

“Handling the lord’s interactions, product development—if you try to do everything on your own, you’re going to collapse one day. You need to take regular breaks. Otherwise, you won’t be able to do good work.”

“Exactly. Plus, are you exercising, getting proper sleep, and leading a well-ordered life?”

“Ugh…”

When Maureen and Carol went that far, even Jill couldn’t refuse. She herself vaguely realized that she had been overworking and was somewhat absent-minded because of it.

“Fine… I’ll take a little stroll around the town today.”

“Be back before it gets dark.”

With a sigh of exasperation, Maureen sent Jill off.

◆

“Hmm, maybe I’ll go to a café…”

And so, Jill put on her outdoor attire and strolled through the town. Her outfit consisted of a long, navy-dyed tunic, beige skinny pants, and a straw hat—a somewhat experimental look. It wasn’t as masculine as the pantsuit she had once made Maureen wear, but tunics and pants were still commonly regarded as men’s clothing.

That was precisely why Jill had placed long, tailored pants for women on display at her shop. However, simply displaying them wasn’t enough; someone had to be the “first penguin” to wear them.

“Whoa, a giant crab!”

“Why is there a crab?”

“Oh, it’s the crab shop’s clerk.”

But there was something far more conspicuous than her pants look. Jill had brought along a Karappa as her bodyguard. Each time people gawked or the knights inquired about it, Jill would insist, “It’s a Karappa, so it won’t harm anyone,” and, “It’s like a horse or a cow.” Surprisingly, this explanation sufficed.

“You’re drawing more attention than me. Well, I guess that works in my favor.”

“Blub, blub.”

Jill decided not to concern herself with the failure of her original plan.

“Alright, let’s change course and have lunch… Since you’re here, too, I suppose we’ll just grab some bread and eat at the park.”

Initially, she had planned to stop by a café, but taking the Karappa inside wasn’t an option. Though it had ample strength and stamina, its size made it a bit too imposing as a lunch date companion.

Thus, Jill left the Karappa waiting on the roadside and entered a bakery she happened to spot. Unlike those in the capital, this shop had a unique style. Alongside large loaves of dark and white bread meant as staples, there were also chic little breads topped with savory ingredients on display.

What caught Jill’s eye was a sandwich. Thick slices of white bread were stuffed with lettuce, tomato, and equally thick slices of roasted pork. The bread appeared freshly baked, and the fillings seemed to have been added just moments ago. The enticing aroma wafted over to Jill, making her mouth water.

“That looks delicious…”

However, the sandwich was evidently a popular item, with customers eagerly snatching it up using tongs and placing it on their trays for checkout. Being unfamiliar with the system, Jill was slow to react. By the time she realized she needed to grab a tray and tongs from the entrance to select items, there was only one sandwich left.

“Ah.”

“Ah.”

As she reached out with the tongs, another woman extended hers at precisely the same moment to claim the same sandwich. Jill realized she recognized the face of the other person, though she couldn’t immediately place it.

“Oh, please go ahead. I can take something else,” Jill offered.

“My, how kind of you. In that case… wait, have we met before?”

The young woman scrutinized Jill curiously, her expression one of someone struggling to recall a memory.

“Um, I believe you work at a café, don’t you? I’ve seen you there before with Matthew…”

“Oh! You’re the stylish lady with the straw hat!”

◆

After that, Jill continued chatting with the young woman while they waited in line to pay.

Before she knew it, they had naturally decided to sit together on a park bench and enjoy their meal.

“I’m Nora. And you are?”

“My name is Jill.”

Nora was a girl with slightly wavy black hair and sun-tanned skin. She was a café employee whom Jill had seen when she first met Matthew.

She wore a plain white crew-neck top and a moss-green skirt. At first glance, she appeared completely ordinary, yet she must have had some nerve. Though surprised by the Karappa, she wasn’t scared.

“Hey, can I give it some bread? Wait, what do crabs even eat!?”

“Let’s see… Wheat, meat, fish, and eggs are all fine. Just avoid anything overly salty or fatty, sweets, or aromatic vegetables that could be toxic to animals.”

“Got it. Here you go!”

Nora offered a plain piece of dark bread to the Karappa.

The Karappa happily began munching on it.

“Wow, it’s eating! It eats quite a lot, huh?”

“Yes, it has a healthy appetite to match its size.”

“Well then, let’s have our lunch too. Here, this is for you.”

Nora handed Jill the sandwich she had originally claimed for herself.

“Wait, are you sure?”

“You just moved here, right? That means you probably don’t know much about the local specialties. This one’s really good!”

With a cheerful smile, Nora encouraged Jill to take it.

Jill, feeling it would be rude to refuse, accepted the sandwich and took a bite.

“This is… honey and mustard?”

The filling between the bread was coated with a honey mustard sauce. Just pairing the roasted pork with this sauce alone would have been enough to qualify as a proper dish. Turning it into a sandwich made it feel like an indulgent treat, Jill thought.

“This is delicious… It seems like it would go well with many dishes beyond just roast pork.”

“Interesting. That’s what an outsider would think,” Nora said with a proud smile, raising her index finger.

“Really? You don’t use it for other dishes?” Jill asked, curious.

“Nope! Honey mustard with roast pork is the classic pairing here. You know why? It’s this town’s dish for fostering marital harmony.”

“Marital harmony?” Jill repeated, intrigued.

Nora nodded smugly.

“That’s right. Long ago, when the lord of this town kept throwing extravagant banquets, his wife got really angry. To make amends, he tried cooking something himself, even though he wasn’t used to it, and that’s how this dish came about.”

“My, my.”

“You didn’t know? It’s a pretty famous story. The recipe ended up on the menus of bakeries around town, and some husbands even make it for their wives on their wedding anniversaries. Though, there’s also a saying that any man who only knows how to make honey mustard dishes is a bad match for marriage!”

Her mischievous laughter almost made Jill burst out laughing as well. She hadn’t expected an embarrassing anecdote about someone she had recently met to come to light in such a place.

Amused by the story, Jill was nevertheless deeply impressed by the taste of the sandwich, particularly the honey mustard. The ingredients themselves were nothing extraordinary, yet she hadn’t anticipated such a bold and stimulating flavor.

“This… is a fantastic seasoning. Simple, yet it feels profoundly nuanced.”

“Right? As expected of our town’s lord, they must have a refined palate,” Nora said with a grin.

“Indeed,” Jill replied, smiling.

The image of Conrad and Scott scheming floated into Jill’s mind.

She couldn’t help but imagine Conrad giving some advice, and she almost burst out laughing.

“Still… I never thought you’d be the manager of the crab shop. Hmm, it makes sense, though.”

Lost in thought, Jill tilted her head at the sudden comment.

“Uh… excuse me, but what do you mean by ‘crab shop’?”

Earlier, while walking down the street, she had also heard someone mention “crab shop.”

She had dismissed it as a misunderstanding, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.

“What? It’s not? I’m talking about the general store with the crab at Secret Alley.”

“It’s not actually called the ‘crab shop,’ though!?”

“Oh, really? Everyone’s been calling it the crab shop, so I just assumed…”

“Ahem. I’m Jill from the general store ‘Witch Hand Craft.’ We recently opened. Nice to meet you.”

Jill cleared her throat and reintroduced herself for the second time.

“Witch Hand Craft, huh? Got it, got it.”

“Thank you. Please feel free to stop by anytime.”

Though slightly skeptical of Nora’s casual tone, Jill nodded.

“I do want to visit, but this month I’m kind of in a pinch. Oh, but you serve tea too, right?”

“Yes. We offer tea and some light snacks.”

“Then I’ll definitely stop by. If it’s a café, that makes you a rival. I’ll need to scope out the competition!”

“Please go easy on me.”

Jill chuckled softly.

She didn’t particularly dislike people like the straightforward and carefree Nora.

“By the way… how much would you consider affordable for clothing or accessories?”

“Hmm… that’s a tough question.”

“Tough?”

“Well, I’m the kind of person who splurges as soon as I get my paycheck. I don’t save money for the next day.”

“Hmm, I think you should save at least a little…”

“No, no, I’m kidding. About half, anyway. …But let me ask you instead—what’s the price range for items at your shop? For instance, how much are those trendy hats these days?”

“A straw hat with a ribbon is 15,000 dina.”

“Fifteen thousand, huh… Well, if I think about it as something Emily loves, then it’s cheap. Really cheap. But…”

“But?”

“For my wallet, it feels like a bit of a luxury.”

Jill nodded in understanding at Nora’s wry smile. That reaction was exactly what she had aimed for with the pricing. The goal was to offer something nobles could easily afford and commoners could buy if they stretched their budget a little. Producing the hats involved considerable effort, sewing together prepared straw ribbons. It wasn’t an unreasonable price.

However, Jill wished her shop could encourage more casual window shopping. She didn’t mind catering to customers with some financial leeway, but she didn’t want to exclude anyone either.

“So, would it be better to have more affordable hats available?”

“That’s true. In the end, I’d probably still want one of your hats, Jill. Oh, but of course, having more affordable options would be nice too… Oh, wait!”

Nora clapped her hands and showed Jill her bag.

“What’s this about?” Jill asked.

“I’m thinking it’s about time to replace my bag. The strap is starting to fray.”

“Ah, you’re right.”

The bag Nora held was a simple shoulder bag made of linen, dyed a light yellow with dark brown straps of the same material. It was an unassuming and ordinary design.

However, the seams and weight-bearing areas of the fabric were beginning to show wear. Jill agreed that it would be risky to continue using it as is.

“It’d be nice if things I use daily were easy to replace. Well, not necessarily the whole bag, though.”

“Not the whole bag? What do you mean?”

“The bag itself is still usable, so if I could just replace the straps, that’d be great. Oh, and if you had patchwork materials too.”

“Ah, I see. If you can repair it yourself, it’s worth doing, especially for something you’re attached to.”

“Exactly!”

Jill realized she had overlooked something important. Until now, she had operated under the assumption that selling finished products was the sole role of a general store.

But not everyone bought finished items for all their needs. That luxury was reserved for those with the means to afford it. Ordinary commoners often found ways to mend or repurpose things themselves. While some did so out of necessity, there were also people like Jill who found joy and creativity in the process.

The honey mustard she had just tasted was a good example. It was an incredibly simple mix of honey and mustard—nothing resembling a secret recipe from a master chef—yet it was absolutely delicious. It was easy to understand why the townsfolk might want to make it themselves. It was a flavor that made you want to recreate it.

That was when Jill finally realized something. There were quite a few people in the town like her—people who had a desire to create things with their own hands. It wasn’t just a virtue from ancient times or an expression of frugality; it was also full of creativity and ingenuity.

Jill felt like she had just seen something she had been unable to grasp before.

“I see… you’re absolutely right…! Nora, thank you!”

“Huh? No, I didn’t do anything though…?”

“You gave me a great idea!”

Jill hopped onto her Karappa with a determined “heave-ho.”

She was about to head back to the mansion when she abruptly got off the Karappa again.

“Wait, wh-what’s going on?”

“A free tea voucher.”

“…Oh, I can have it? Thanks.”

“Thank you as well. See you again!”

Jill climbed back onto the Karappa and made her way home.

Her retreating back didn’t catch Nora’s muttered, slightly rude comment: “Ah, she’s just like Matthew.”