Chapter 51: A Special Breakfast and a Mysterious Bookstore

The following morning, Fran rose exceptionally early, prepared his own meal, and began to eat breakfast in solitude.

By the time Yuli ambled into their cozy, two-person dining room, a wide yawn stretching her lips, Fran had already finished his breakfast.

The silver-haired girl, Yuli, blinked in utter bewilderment, her gaze flicking between Fran and the plate of breakfast still sitting on the table.

Hmm?

Yuli’s interest was immediately piqued. This morning’s breakfast certainly didn’t look like something prepared by the mansion’s maids.

Adding to her surprise, Fran stood there, watching her, still wearing an apron and holding a spatula.

“Ah-ha—Good morning, Fran~”

Regardless, Yuli yawned again and settled into her seat at the dining table. Fran leaned closer, nodding with a pleased hum. “Hmph, Yuli, I made you a special breakfast, look—”

He gestured to his creation before him, then looked expectantly at Yuli.

Hmm…

Yuli observed the plate of breakfast with a touch of embarrassment. She hadn’t expected Fran to make her breakfast today, especially after they had just discussed it.

A warm current flowed through the girl’s heart. Her eyes curved into crescent moons, brimming with happiness.

Whatever she was thinking, she was clearly joyful and content at that moment, a slight smile playing on her lips.

A blush spread across her cheeks, reaching her earlobes. Her heart pounded, and though she dared not look at him directly, she felt incredibly happy.

This was wonderful. It seemed Fran was no longer angry; her apology from yesterday had worked.

Only…

The girl awkwardly glanced at the ‘love breakfast’ before her, then slowly set down her knife and fork.

Francian specialty breakfast: bread with scrambled eggs.

This…

Where was the specialty in this? Was it not a little too simple?

Ugh…

No, that wasn’t right. One shouldn’t judge the depth of affection solely by the lavishness or deliciousness of a breakfast.

How to put it… perhaps…

Fran likely didn’t know her preferences, so he opted for a more conservative, simpler bread and egg breakfast, didn’t he? This was a sign of his care and consideration for her!

Ugh…

Moreover, the fact that Fran had taken the initiative to cook for her was already deeply touching. Fran, you’re so thoughtful~

The girl blushed, silently nodding.

Fran, meanwhile, settled into the opposite seat, chin in hand, calmly observing the ‘foolish woman’ as she devoured the bread with a loud gulp.

Sensing Fran’s gaze, Yuli turned her head away, a little shy. Yes, she felt it—that expectant look from little Fran.

While the bread with scrambled eggs truly lacked any discernible flavor and felt rather dry and difficult to swallow, Yuli could only perform vigorous oral gymnastics, tears welling in her eyes, to please the little guy whose gaze was entirely fixed on her.

Fran, on the other hand, watched Yuli’s seemingly enthusiastic eating and felt a wave of self-doubt. He slumped onto the table, lamenting that Teutonic people truly had… unique tastes.

Hmm…

After a long moment, the young man grimaced, still puzzled. What in the world was Yuli thinking?

Damn it! He had intentionally made something incredibly simple to punish this foolish woman, yet… she was eating it so happily? Had she eaten too many delicacies recently? Why was she enjoying it so much?

Ugh…

Fran sank into confusion, even regretting making the breakfast so plain. Damn it, with so many ingredients in the kitchen, he should have made something rich, greasy, a feast so overwhelming that she couldn’t possibly swallow it in the morning, making Yuli, that silly woman, throw up!

Or, he could have added more seasonings, like chili or mustard… that might not have been a bad idea.

The two at the table fell silent for a while. Suddenly, the silver-haired girl put down her bread, leaned forward, and asked Fran with concern, “Fran, aren’t you eating breakfast?”

“I… I’ve finished.” Fran shook his head, scratching his scalp in exasperation, then revealed his true thoughts. “Ahem, Yuli, was my cooking good? If you don’t like it, I can go buy some ingredients and make you something else.”

“Delicious, delicious, delicious!” Yuli slapped the table, then… well… she pondered for a moment, withdrew her head, and added, “Er, but… if Fran wants to make something even better, I’d be very happy to taste it!”

“Then I might have to go out today, right?”

Fran blinked. Yuli smiled, waving her hand dismissively, looking completely at ease. “Go ahead, go ahead. Come home early, okay?”

“Yes, I’ll be back early.”

“If you come back early, I’ll give you a reward~”

Eh?

Hearing the girl’s words and noticing the playful smile on her face, Fran felt… maybe it would be better to come back late today.

After Yuli finished her meal and the mansion’s maids cleared the dishes, Fran got dressed and prepared to leave.

Descending the stairs, he entered the mansion’s main hall, where he again caught sight of Quidar and Lyon.

The two stood in the hall, separated by a distance. Lyon seemed to be saying something to Quidar. Fran strained to listen to their Teutonic conversation.

“Captain Quidar, there’s no need to rush into finding that organization called the ‘Patriot Alliance.’ It’s a small group; they won’t make any waves.”

“Hmm…”

Quidar looked troubled. He turned his head and saw Fran. Fran, not daring to get further entangled with them, quickly exited the mansion.

Out on the street, Fran first walked two circles to ensure no one was following him, then headed to the market.

After wandering through the noisy market for a long time, browsing stall after stall, the young man realized…

Tsk, against the backdrop of war, the variety of goods in the entire market… was even less than what Yuli’s mansion had.

But there was no helping it. Since he was supposedly out to ‘buy ingredients,’ Fran could only wander aimlessly, picking up two random items, packaging them, and then strolling through the streets of Purburg.

Mofan Bookstore, huh…

It wasn’t hard to find. Fran specifically sought out more secluded alleys and asked for directions, quickly locating the bookstore that had been in business for some time.

Looking at the Mofan Bookstore sign above the entrance, Fran hesitated, unsure if he had found the right place. He could only steel himself and step through the bookstore’s door.

Upon entering, the first thing that met his eyes were rows upon rows of neatly arranged shelves, brimming with books. The sheer volume of the collection left Fran somewhat disbelieving.

This…

Such a secluded little bookstore actually held so many books? It grew increasingly bizarre.

Fran turned his head, spotting an elderly man seated behind the counter. He wasn’t very old, appearing to be around fifty or sixty, his hair not yet white, but his face already etched with some wrinkles. He wore glasses, exuding the air of an old scholar.

The old man sat at the very edge of the counter, holding a book, head bowed, seemingly lost in thought. From his demeanor, Fran felt certain he was the owner of this bookstore.

Sensing Fran’s gaze, the owner looked up, met the young man’s eyes, and spoke in a deep voice:

“Sir, are you looking for a particular book?”

“Hmm…” Fran pondered for a moment, then replied, “I am indeed looking for a book, but I don’t know its title. I only know one line from it.”

“Oh?” The owner’s interest was piqued. He adjusted his glasses and chuckled. “I’ve read quite a few books. Tell me the line, and let’s see if I can recall which book it’s from.”

Fran nodded, lowered his voice, glanced around, and then recited to the old man:

“The air trembles, as if the sky is burning…”