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[yancat]

[ One late morning, she gets a call. It's been a few days after the Merilorn Forest ordeal. ]

Hakuno, thank you once again for your help. It was... a time.

However, I'd like to keep what I saw that night between the two of us. Catherine the Great will be sending you a gift of gratitude shortly.

[ It's a small box of cookies wrapped in mint green paper and tied with a simple white bow in the center. He made absolutely sure it was in the center. ]

[sealeted]

...They're adorable, thank you. And, don't worry. That much goes without saying; it was private, after all.

[yancat]

Yes... [ Moving on to the more comfortable topic: ] though I wasn't sure what you would like. Would you have preferred macarons?

[sealeted]

I like all sweets!

[Seriously. Don't worry, Jumin, you did a Good.]

If you're a fan of macaroons though, you should check out Cafe Roi sometime. Theirs are delicious.

[yancat]

Cafe Roi. [ Where is his assistant to note this all down... ] I'll look into it.

[ He doesn't eat for taste, but Hakuno's suggestion get the cogs in his head turning. After all, he'd been looking into the same thing for a while. ]

Is that cafe popular? Or... No, let me ask this: would you say that cafes are popular in Blanc?

[sealeted]

I certainly think so. One of the Hero-run businesses here is a maid cafe, I think I told you, and another one is a tea shop. Both are pretty popular.

[Hakuno should know, she picks up shifts at both, when she has the time.]

[yancat]

Yes, I've spoken to the tea shop owner. [ For chroma algae. Caren's... something. ] Vietnam did say the shop was popular as well.

What is a maid cafe?

[sealeted]

A cafe where the servers dress up in cute maid and butler costumes.

[Says the part-time butler.]

They treat the customers as their 'Masters' and provide personal service.

[yancat]

Hm.

I don't see the point of such an establishment. Wouldn't it be better to hire your own maid?

[ Please help the bourgeois understand your plebeian ways. ]

[sealeted]

Well, some don't have enough work or money for an actual servant. Some people just like the escapism, or the atmosphere. It can vary from person to person.

[yancat]

Having maid and butlers isn't very special. They clean your house and that's it. Commoners are so strange.

Anyway, I ask because I'm looking into starting a cafe myself.

[sealeted]

Like I said, it's more along the lines of fantasy rather than actual servitude.

[This guy... she's really getting a sense of his standards of living.]

Oh yeah? Do you have a theme in mind, or is it just a normal cafe?

[yancat]

[ He doesn't have this fantasy??? Then again, his maids don't particularly like him. ]

In a country where cafe culture is widespread, a normal cafe would easily be eaten alive in the sea of competition unless I had the capital to make it competitive, which I don't. So, I've decided on a theme.

[ Normally, he doesn't go around telling just anyone the business ideas that are really good... but he thinks he can trust Hakuno. ]

It will be a cat cafe.

[sealeted]

Do you mean the servers will cosplay as cats, the food will have that theme, or that there will be actual cats around?

[She could see one or two of those blending together, but a little clarity is helpful all the same.]

[yancat]

Those are good ideas.

I will use them all.

[sealeted]

Um... it's just a suggestion, but you might want to avoid oversaturating your theme. There's having a gimmick and then there's smacking your customers over the head with a gimmick.

[yancat]

Fair point. [ Objective and assertive as ever, Hakuno. ] Then the actual cats stay, which leaves either the servers or the food. Many girls your apparent age like cute food, yes?

[sealeted]

Well, yes. But you'll want visually appealing food anyways in a cafe. So, maybe save the cosplay for special events or promotions?

[yancat]

[ His tone is even, but one can hear the admiration in it: ]

Hakuno Kishinami, you are incredible.

[sealeted]

O-oh.

[She doesn't get to hear that a lot.]

Thank you. I'm glad I can offer some help, even if it's just spitballing ideas.

[yancat]

No, it's from exchanging random ideas like this where true success begins.

[ And that gives him another idea. ]

In fact, how would you like to be my business partner?

[sealeted]

Me? Really?

[Well, she has worked at cafes, and dealt with one really miserly shopkeeper back in the Moon Cell...]

I'm flattered by the offer, but are you sure it's okay?

[yancat]

I don't see why not. I'm always in need of a smart mind and youthful opinion. Unless there's something holding your back?

[sealeted]

['Youthful'...?

Just how old is he? Granted, he's definitely older than her, but..]

No, not really. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't a spur of the moment offer you might regret later.

[yancat]

[ No, he's just out of touch with 99% of society, that's all. ]

I'm not reckless. For you to think that I might regret this decision is only a reflection of your own insecurity.

[ One can practically hear him narrow his eyes. ]

Get rid of it.