BXBX NOVEL Chapter 336 Approach
Eli was already outside the cafe when Anderson managed to catch up with him. Luckily he was a knight with a great physique so he did not even sweat when he ran briskly from the mezzanine to the outside.
"Hmm… That\'s the way to go…" Eli managed to remember the direction where \'BerryCreme\' was located and started to head towards the store when she heard a nervous yet gentlemanly voice behind her.
"Excuse me lady… may I know if you are the renowned great inventor Eli?" As he was a little bit flustered about how he would catch the lady\'s attention and stop her from proceeding to BerryCreme, Anderson did not think of what he said and blurted out the question hastily.
\'Ah!!! Am I a creep now? How strange would I look if I did not know the face of the great inventor who had been in the same ceremony as me?!\'
\'Oh… Anderson… You can do better than this!\' He lamented how he was a little bit weak in this part of his life.
Eli raised her brows in suspicion when she heard the voice. She had lived in the modern world and was not oblivious of the ways that a man likes to hit on a lady.
With her senses heightened and body alert, she turned around calmly and saw the appearance of the man who stopped her on her way.
A tall man with a valiant countenance of a well-trained knight. His striking features were a mix of a gentleman with a demeanor of a hawk, calm yet ferocious when they started to attack. What made her surprised was that his facial features were actually almost identical to her colleague and friend Alicia.
"Indeed, may I help you…" Although Eli had been thinking a lot in her mind inwardly, she did not lessen her intimidating businesswoman-like demeanor as she confirmed her identity. It was no use to deny anyways, her face was already all over the newspapers and even posters around the Empire\'s bulletin.
"Ah… As I thought! Pardon me for my impoliteness milady! My name is Anderson Gale Cross, my elder sister Alicia had been talking a lot about you in our home. That is why I couldn\'t help but become too eager that I have disturbed you."
Anderson politely introduced himself to regain his confidence in coming off a little awkward earlier.
"It\'s no big deal. No wonder I found your face familiar, it turns out that you are Alicia\'s younger brother!" Eli cordially reciprocated the pleasantries but she did not lower her guard a little bit. "It is nice meeting you, Sir Anderson!"
"Hahaha… I get that a lot, Milady… By the way, I see that you are walking alone around the area. If it is not a bother, would you mind telling me where you are headed so that I can escort you?" Anderson summoned his courage to ask Eli
Truthfully Anderson was getting more and more intimidated by Eli\'s extremely calm and distant approach. He was not really used to this kind of reaction from the ladies he engaged to converse with.
Although he was not as prominent as the top bachelors in the Empire, he was still confident of his good looks and could definitely make any lady bashful upon approach.
But facing Eli was the total opposite of what he expected. Instead of Eli getting flustered he was the one who was about to lose his footing because of nervousness.
\'As expected…\' Eli\'s heart plummeted as she immediately identified Anderson as someone who intends to hit on her.
Without her expression changing, she shook her head and bluntly rejected his offer with a few words, "Ah, no need Sir Anderson, I\'ll just be heading to that store to get some desserts before I go home." She subtly pointed in the direction where BerryCream was.
"Ah… this… I\'m afraid that I have to advise you against going in that direction…" This time, Eli\'s straightforwardness actually gave Anderson a reason to clearly stop her from going to the BerryCream, despite her rejection.
"Why so?" Eli raised her brows in confusion when she saw the seemingly worried and sincere expression of the man.
"It\'s like this…" Anderson lowered his voice and answered Eli\'s inquiry, "Actually, the area you are heading to was a known corner for the nobles to engage in some earthly activities… As for the details, I am afraid it might be inappropriate for the lady to know…"
Eli might not have been given enough information about the matter, but Anderson\'s words caused a flicker in her eyes. No wonder, there weren\'t many people who openly walked towards the area.
She mentally lamented not having access to Wisey at the moment, for if she was around, she could immediately use the search function of the book of knowledge and confirm what Anderson was saying.
\'I guess, I\'ll take it with a grain of salt…\' She decided as she subconsciously put her hand on her chin and replied, "Is that so… Well I guess I\'d have to go straight home then… Thank you for letting me know…"
"Ah… wait a moment milady! Are you not going to get your desserts?" Anderson was about to chase her when he realized something when he happened to see Eli\'s unfeeling gaze, "Ah… I must have made the lady uncomfortable… I apologize… I just wanted to recommend to you a shop that I used to go to when I buy desserts for my sister…"
Finally realizing that Eli was not really welcoming his presence, Anderson stepped back and immediately apologized to her.
\'Errr… did I intimidate him too much?\' Seeing Anderson\'s sheepish face that seemed like an aggrieved wolf rejected by its master, Eli felt a little bit guilty.
\'Well he was Alicia\'s brother after all… it would be awkward if he would tell her about our encounter and be offended by my actions…\' Eli considered her situation.
"Is it not as busy as Lilibeth\'s cafe? I actually don\'t have time to stay in the queue because I am busy.. (busy with my family waiting for me at home…)"
"P-pardon? Oh… yes yes! It was perfect for people who wanted the same level of quality as Lilibeth\'s but didn\'t want to get caught up with the bustle of people!" Anderson\'s expression brightened at Eli\'s words.
Eli could visibly see how his imaginary wolf ears stood up in excitement as he continued, "If the lady likes it, I can guide you there to check their pastries and cakes!!"
Seeing Anderson\'s expectant expression, Eli could feel helpless and just took a quiet nod. "Alright… let\'s head there right away…"
"As you wish milady!" Anderson straightened up his body and valiantly escorted Eli into the cafe that he wanted to recommend.
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Nouvelle Patisserie was a lowkey dessert place that only a certain group of people would know.
This was because this Patisserie shop was actually running on a membership basis. Not anyone could enter and order in the cafe unless their membership was verified and approved by the owner.
It was because only those who were true lovers of desserts and pastries could get a chance to earn the master\'s approval.
Rumor has it that the very owner of the Nouvelle was actually the teacher of the top cafes in the Empire, including the Lilibeth\'s!
Anderson explained the cafe\'s background as they walked towards a certain building with a sleek and classic facade.
"Sir Anderson, are you sure that I can enter here to order?" Eli actually felt a bit uncertain when she heard of the shop\'s background.
\'Ah, why can\'t there be just a normal bakery or cake shop which everyone is free to enter and order!\' She lamented outwardly.
"Don\'t worry my lady… every member has the right to bring a person every year to take a look at the shop," Anderson assured Eli.
Although he didn\'t say that a member is only allowed to take an outsider once a year and that he was giving this year\'s slot to her and not to his sister, who had been begging him to bring her in.
As they went inside, Eli was immediately welcomed by the buttery scent and the subtle smell of burnt pastry inside the cafe.
The interior of the cafe was simple and elegant, just like how it looked outside.
There were a few tables with cushioned seats and on the counter was a wide array of pastries and cakes lined up for the guests to choose from.
"You can choose any of these…" Anderson dutifully introduced the desserts and allowed Eli to explore and choose from the counter.
"Hmm…" Eli looked intently at the pastries and immediately thought of what desserts were best for Little Han, Leon, and the rest of the people in the household.
But just as she was about to ask the assistant to take out the dessert of her choice, a gigantic tall old man wearing a patisserie uniform suddenly flung the door and excitedly looked at her and Anderson.
"Ah! How timely your guests were! Would you like to try my new creation?!" His loud enthusiastic voice almost shook the entire cafe. Even Eli and Anderson held their breaths because of the surprise.