The Silver Palace was bustling with activity, people coming and going as they pleased. The restaurant, nestled within the city, was a hub of warmth and delicious aromas, enticing passersby to stop and sample its offerings. At noon, the restaurant was almost empty, the morning rush having subsided as people returned to their daily tasks.
Finn, Fiona, and Lyra were busy with their duties: Finn cleaning the eating area, Fiona preparing the next batch of meals for the evening, and Lyra doing the dishes. Lyra sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly as she raised a ceramic plate and began cleaning it with a napkin. "I didn't expect working here to be so hectic," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Fiona, her hands moving deftly as she chopped vegetables, replied, "It's been rough looking after the restaurant on our own now that Master Kojo and big brother aren't here, but since you're here to give us a hand, everything is okay."
Lyra nodded, her eyes fixed on the plate as she continued to clean it. "Where's brother Felix, anyway?" Lyra asked, her voice curious.
Fiona replied, her hands moving deftly as she prepared the next batch of meals, "He's been given an assignment and is currently out of town."
"Is that so?" Lyra asked. Fiona nodded. "Yes, now Lady Sharone and the other ladies have been very busy of late. They used to come to the restaurant and relax, but now they can't even stay and enjoy their meals. They just take out instead."
Finn walked in, her arms laden with dirty dishes. "Even Rey-sama, who used to sneak into the restaurant to escape from Eden, is no longer coming," she added, setting them down beside Lyra and leaning against the wall.
"Yeah, he's also out of town. Big brother and him, as well as another group, were going outside Opal for a certain operation." Lyra's body tensed up, her eyes fixed on Fiona.
"Really?" Finn said, putting her hands behind her head. "Why do you know that and I don't?"
"Our brother told us about it when he was leaving, but you were too sleepy; you didn't even get up from bed to say goodbye to him," Fiona reminded her.
Finn's face fell, and she said, "Sorry." Fiona's expression remained stern. "I am not the one you should be apologizing to."
"Fine, fine," Finn shrugged. "I'll apologize when he comes back." Taking a broom, she walked out of the kitchen to sweep the eating area.
"Is Rey-sama really gone?" Lyra asked after a while. Fiona nodded. "Yes, he'll be gone for a bit."
Lyra's expression turned wistful, and she said, "Is that so... I see," and fell silent.
There was silence as the two worked. "What brought you to work with us in the first place?" Fiona asked, adding the chopped vegetables into the pot and stirring. "Just out of, you know, curiosity."
Lyra's expression turned thoughtful. "If I recall, your father is a miner, and your mother works in processing the fruit we harvest," Fiona said. Then her eyes widened, realizing, and she turned around, apologizing profusely with a bow. "I'm sorry, it's not good to address an elder casually like that, especially when talking about personal issues... Besides, your dad was there when the goblins attacked the mine."
Lyra's expression softened, and she said, "Oh no, no, you don't have to apologize. It's quite alright. While I may be older than you, you were working here before me, so I should be calling you 'senpai' instead, since you two are my seniors." She paused, her voice dropping to a whisper. "As for the mining incident, we were saved by Sir Reynolds Listowell, so even though it was a scary experience, it was all okay in the end."
She turned back to the dishes in front of her. "He normally comes here to eat, so I thought I'd be able to see him if I came to work here. But I didn't have the courage to say anything," she said in a quiet voice barely above a whisper.
Fiona's ears twitched. "Pardon?" she asked politely, cupping her hand around her ear. Lyra's face turned bright red. "I-I didn't say anything," she stammered.
"Oh? Are you sure about that?" Fiona pressed with an amused expression.
Just then, Finn burst into the kitchen, her eyes shining with mischief. "Lyra came to work here just so she could see Rey-sama!" she exclaimed, causing Lyra to drop the plate in shock and sending the tray Finn had set down tumbling to the ground.
Fiona pulled Finn by the ear, scolding her for yelling and startling them. "Besides, it's not ladylike to pull pranks. And besides, what are we going to do about this mess? How are we going to replace that plate?" she asked, her voice stern. Finn winced, apologizing profusely. The door to the restaurant opened, and a group of workers, fresh from closing their shift, walked in, seeking refreshments.
Finn quickly freed herself from her sister's grip and rushed out to greet the customers, her face beaming with a warm smile. "Welcome, dear guests!" she exclaimed. Fiona sighed, shaking her head. "Finn is just unbelievable," she muttered, her eyes meeting Lyra's still-flushed face. She smiled and said, "Lyra, why don't you go help Finn? I'll finish the dishes later."
As Lyra walked through the door, Fiona added, her voice low, "As for your secret love, your secret is safe with us."
Lyra turned, her eyes wide, opening her mouth to protest just as the door closed behind her. The last thing she saw was Fiona winking at her. She remembered that Fiona was a cat demi-human with exceptional hearing. If Finn, who was all the way at the entrance, could hear what I said, why didn't you hear it, since you were standing right behind her? Lyra wondered, her face getting more flushed with embarrassment.
Fiona's words echoed in her head again. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with us."
"You shouldn't tease me like that," Lyra yelled and went off to help Finn attend to the increasing number of customers.
The atmosphere in the Silver Palace was lively, the sounds of laughter and conversation filling the air as the girls worked together to provide excellent service to their patrons. Despite the chaos, they seemed to enjoy each other's company, their banter and teasing adding to the warmth and welcoming atmosphere of the restaurant.
Elsewhere,
Two young men, one with aqua blue hair and the other with pale skin and silky hair of a silvery-gold color, stood on the streets of a city. It was a Victorian settlement, with the sound of steam escaping pipes and gears grinding as men and women walked around going about their business, oblivious to the two outsiders present in their midst.
The sky was cloudy due to the amount of steam, and there was a faint mist in the air due to the humidity.
Reynolds and Eden, clad in suits and overcoats complete with canes—one with azure detailing and one completely silver—stood in the middle of the faceless mob.
Rey wore his hat and adjusted his bowtie, while Eden wore a monocle in his left eye and flicked his wrist, turning both their hair black.
"Alright, let's go," Eden said, and the two took a step, melting into the mob.