〈 D-7
Coming Soon.
Deep black tea and XX. 〉
"What is that?"
The eyes of people passing by were focused on the huge banner hanging from the building on the academy's east gate square.
"Doesn't that mean that there's a dessert shop opening over there next week? It seems like there has been a lot of noisy construction lately."
"I figured that much, too. But I'm curious about the blank spaces over there."
"Looks like they were intentionally left blank. Like a word game."
"Why?"
"How would I know that?"
The day passed, leaving only a strange curiosity, and the next day, the banner changed.
〈 D-6
Coming Soon.
Fragrant flower tea and XXX XXX. 〉
"It's six spaces this time. Does it intentionally mean that there are 6 days left?"
"Why would they leave blank spaces for that?"
"I want to ask the shop owner, but there are still six days left…"
"The words just make you curious all the time. I suddenly remembered them right before I fell asleep."
"It's the first time I've ever seen such a strange banner hanging before a shop even opened. They didn't even hang the name of the shop."
"Thanks to that, people like me and you pass by and pay close attention to it. I want to stop by the shop once since I am so curious."
The number of pedestrians talking about the intriguing banner began to increase.
〈 D-4
Soft milk tea and XXX. 〉
"That repertoire just keeps repeating itself."
"It must be an introduction to the shop menu."
"Indeed, it looks like it."
However, to break their expectations, when there were 3 days left, the names of fruits were weirdly written.
〈 D-3
Sweet peach, XXX, and melon. 〉
"Peach? Why are they suddenly acting like it's a fruit shop?"
"It's not even a quiz game."
Two days before the shop opened, people's interest increased even more.
There were even people who came to the east gate square on purpose to participate in the conversation about the mysterious banner.
〈 D-2
We are excitingly looking forward to meeting you. 〉
"What is that?"
Those who looked at the emotional sentence with a face that they could not understand, frowned at the huge object being brought by 20 strong men.
The mysterious object wrapped in white cloth, marked D-2, was erected next to the fountain near the dessert shop building.
"Seeing that they brought it to the square, it seems like it's a donated item."
"Doesn't it look like it was donated by that dessert shop? The release date is the same."
"Why do they keep making people curious about it without revealing it right away? It's frustrating!"
Among the virtues an aristocrat should have, there was the virtue of not losing time in any situation, not rushing, and maintaining dignity with a relaxed posture.
However, there are people who gradually lose patience with excessive provocation.
"I can't believe there are still 2 days left, does this make sense? I pass by this place every day, so I'm even more bothered."
"It's frustrating."
The day before opening.
A completely different banner from the already existing white banner was hung.
It was larger and had a purple background.
"Finally, the name of the shop has been revealed."
"It means ‘nice to meet you' in ancient language."
〈 Armand 〉
A schematic seal was drawn above the sophisticatedly written easy-to-read letters.
While admiring the sophisticated design of the seal, the onlookers revealed their inner curiosity.
"A seal? It's a dessert shop, isn't it?"
"… Just need to wait for one more day and we'll find out."
"According to an informed source, it is a dessert shop indeed."
"Who said that?"
"My friend."
Within just a week, word of mouth about 〈 Armand 〉 spread throughout the Horun district.
Now, including the academy students, even knights, wizards, the imperial family, and priests were waiting.
For the opening ceremony of a mysterious shop called Armand.
***
The morning of D-Day was bright.
‘I stayed up all night.'
I greeted the morning without a single wink due to my pounding heart.
The shop's opening time is at 10 o'clock.
‘If I leave now, I will arrive just in time.'
As I rubbed my heavy eyelids and waved the bell pull, the servants prepared breakfast.
After drinking only tea due to feeling uncomfortable, I immediately got ready to go out.
Outside the carriage window, the view of the Horun district quickly passed by.
As I got closer to the east gate square, my heart made a loud sound as if it were beating right next to my tympanum.
‘Twenty minutes left until the opening.'
Putting on my robe and getting off at an alley near the square, I looked at my pocket watch and walked to the shop. And I lost all strength in my body.
‘What is all that? Are they my customers?'
Because quite a few people were swarming in front of my shop.
It was like seeing people waiting from the early morning when a famous overseas brand was first introduced or when a limited-edition item was released.
The crowd around the store started to increase gradually as people passing by wondered what all the commotion was.
‘I didn't know it would work this well.'
I had been doing viral marketing that arouses curiosity using banners, and the response was much better than expected.
I once saw a student at the academy talking about the answer to the phrase on the shop banner.
He wondered why I had to leave a blank space in the phrase that seemed to be the menu introduction, and he was even more interested when the donated item appeared.
Since people in this world do not live in a flood of s and information, it seemed that a unique marketing method was more likely to take over their consciousness.
In the meantime, I listened to the young ladies chatting nearby and pricked up my ears.
"This shop is opening today, right?"
"I was so curious I couldn't stand it and came here."
Not only young ladies, but there were also quite a few gentlemen.
"Is this a dessert shop?"
"That's what I heard. I don't know why a dessert shop has such a grandiose seal."
Some gentleman pointed his finger at my donation.
"I'm here because my boss has been begging me since the day before yesterday to find out what that object is. Really. A shop has opened and it's very loud and chaotic."
"Don't complain too much. You will have a good conversation going. He seems to be sensitive to social trends."
"Well, that's true."
‘As expected, it's also important to become a hot topic in the social world.'
When influential nobles start gossiping, it spreads like wildfire and becomes an issue.
Realizing the power of word of mouth, I looked up at the large object hidden under the fabric.
It was an item donated from the corporation to the Horun District Administrative Office to receive permission.
When there were ten minutes left before the shop opened, the staff came out and began to untie the string that was tightly tied around the fabric.
"Oh!"
"It's really cool."
"How beautiful."
As the fabric slid down and the identity of the object was revealed, people burst into exclamation.
‘The reaction around me is good. I lost a lot of money because of that.'
The Horun District Administration Office welcomed the high-quality item that I donated with open arms, and I was able to get the business tax reduction for a whopping one year.
‘A clock tower.'
This is the item I donated to this square.
The clock tower is about 7 meters high, with high-grade mana stones, and because the best clock technicians were hired, I heard there is almost no error in the time.
The most important thing is that when you look up to look at the watch, you can see the logo I designed and Armand, the name of the cafe.
The ‘Armand' was intentionally added in small letters, like a luxury watch.
If it's too blatant, the nobles will want to resist it.
It is an item that serves both as a landmark and indirect publicity.
‘I hope the 1st shop is a hit.'
Then, when I was eagerly anticipating the opening with my hands clasped together.
Bong, bong, bong.
At 10 o'clock, the bell from the clock tower rang clearly in the square to announce the hour.
‘So the clock tower has an on-time alarm function. How great is that?'
Seeing that the Master entrusted it to the best watchmaker in the Empire, he must have added these additional functions.
If everyone looks at the clock, guided by the sound, they also see the name of the Armand shop.
As soon as the bell stopped, the purple banner with a seal covering the front of the shop slid down as if it were revealing a work of art.
It was a dramatic scene for some reason, so even I was moved even though it was my shop.
"Ohh. It's nice."
"It's quite good."
Signs with logos and writings appeared.
The exterior was designed to give a cool feeling by removing all the complicated gratings.
Terrace seats are the most popular at the dessert shops here, so I decided it wouldn't hurt to install such a large window.
‘The lighting will be better, too.'
I was deeply moved in front of the first shop I worked on.
‘My tuition was well spent.'
It was a work that contained the tears of a poor architectural engineer who possessed a villain in this world ahead of the graduation examination.
The capital was a whopping pink diamond.
No one will know that a touching and fantastic story is contained in that three-story building.
‘The Master has given shape to it well according to the sketch.'
When I was immersed in deep emotion, the people who had gathered around me began to hesitate without moving their feet.
"Hm. Can we come in?"
"It opened at 10 o'clock, so of course we can come in."
"Let's go!"
Pulling the large hood hanging from my robe lower, I stepped inside, encouraging the crowd.
Behind me, bundles of money, no, customers swarmed in.
The first sales started.
