SWNOVELXO Chapter 620: Chapter 620: Starbucks
Holding the napkin, Ryan frowned, "I remember this isn't the name of a café on the street we passed by? I recall this café is called Starbucks. There are several of these in the city."
"Starbucks coffee?" Sulia examined the napkin carefully. "Yes, this is the Starbucks coffee logo."
"Very good, this will be an important piece of evidence. Now, let me recreate the scene." Ryan put the napkin away and continued to inspect the building.
"First, there are no signs of forced entry, no robbery or struggle, and there's an old butler in the house. This fully indicates that it was an inside job." Ryan paced back and forth on the carpet, pointing to the body. "So, we can hypothesize that the visitor entered the mansion through normal means."
Sulia inspected the butler's wound, nodding in agreement. "Indeed, killed instantly from behind."
"So, we can confirm that the visitor and the butler were acquaintances, or at least the butler knew them." Ryan continued to speculate, "Thus, the visitor entered the mansion smoothly, was received by the butler, or at least given an excuse to enter, and then took the opportunity to kill the butler quickly and left."
"He wasn't here for money, and it's unlikely to be a vendetta, so the motive is limited. Based on the information Olica obtained, the mansion's owner, Baron Werner, is evidently a member of the Hedonist Cult..." Sulia paced lightly in the room, her political sensitivity and intelligence making her realize the answer immediately. "So, there's only one answer!"
"The visitor came to take or destroy something." Ryan nodded slightly. He took his wife's hand and went to the master bedroom, which had many mirrors, two bookshelves, a desk, and a bed. Ryan pointed to a spot on the bookshelf. "Clearly, something is missing here. It might be evidence of Baron Werner being a Hedonist cultist or something else, but it's been taken. The visitor took the item and left."
"The visitor didn't expect the old butler to survive or not die instantly. Before dying, he grabbed and held onto this napkin left by the visitor." Ryan checked carefully again and sighed. "This shows how arrogant the Hedonist Cult is."
The visitor's actions indicated that the Hedonist Cult wasn't worried about being investigated. They believed that as long as the item was taken, no one could trace it back to them.
No wonder, if not for Olica's deep understanding of the Hedonist Cult and her soul interrogation techniques, Ryan and his team wouldn't have discovered the Hedonist Cult. As a baron, Werner had a significant position in the cult, yet he knew almost nothing about it. He didn't know the leader, Lady Gentle, or had never seen her face. He only knew she occasionally appeared in black leather attire to execute a cultist randomly.
This secrecy ensured the Hedonist Cult remained hidden, with few core members, making it difficult for witch hunters and battle priests to find any clues about them.
"No other clues." Sulia reluctantly checked again and admitted defeat, looking at the old butler's body with a sigh. "He was a loyal butler like Henderson. He didn't deserve this fate."
"Loyalty itself is the best reward for loyalty. He did everything a butler could do." Ryan said calmly. "Whether he knew about Baron Werner's involvement in the Hedonist Cult is irrelevant now. Sulia, let's leave quickly."
"Okay." Sulia looked at the old butler's body with regret, nodded, and took her husband's hand, leaving quickly. The couple immediately returned to the courtyard, mounted their pureblood elven warhorses, and left the von Luck mansion.
In the afternoon sunlight, the couple rode their horses along the cobblestone avenue of Nur's affluent district, enjoying the cool breeze.
"Now, let's go to the café." Ryan took out the napkin and handed it to Sulia with a smile. "This is a Starbucks napkin, with each one having a customer's order number. We can go to the café and perhaps persuade the owner to give us more clues."
"Ryan, I want to say, Nur is different from what I imagined..." Sulia focused on something else. "I thought Nur was a very serious, high-pressure city where everyone operated like gears in a dwarf machine, orderly and precise."
Sulia observed the various entertainment activities in the affluent district. There were clowns and performers, vendors selling handmade toys, flowers, and snacks, minstrels singing, and even preachers. The streets were filled with well-dressed gentlemen and ladies, exuding a relaxed, lazy, even romantic atmosphere. "But what I see now is different."
"What you described is more like Middenheim, the White Wolf City." Ryan smiled, explaining to his wife. "Nur is different from Altdorf and Middenheim. If Altdorf is a metropolitan area and Middenheim is a giant fortress, then Nur is a true city. Its highly developed industry and prosperous commerce existed even before Emperor Ludwig the Savior came here. Nur prides itself on this and truly fulfills Ludwig's decree: 'Everyone has the right to be rewarded for their labor.' Thus, since the Great War, a new class of citizens has emerged, consisting of merchants, artisans, skilled craftsmen, factory technicians, freelancers, and officials, forming the main population of Nur."
"The so-called 'freedom' in Nur can be 'bought,' my lady." Ryan said meaningfully. "Such transactions happen daily in the city. Even the fairest judge struggles to ensure justice in the face of money's power. With a small bag of gold coins, problems are often resolved."
Sulia looked down, silently contemplating, her gaze fixed on the distance. "I don't like this."
"But it's Nur's tradition." Ryan continued, "Therefore, Nur's women always chase trends, pursuing refined living, material, and spiritual pleasures. Whatever dress Emilia wore at the court banquet, whatever drink she had, and whatever topic she discussed, the next day, all of Nur's women would start following the trend. They love to dress like Emilia, eat the same food, and read the same book. Sulia, do you know how afternoon tea became popular in Nur?"
"Could it be?!" Sulia guessed, smiling bitterly. "Because of me?"
"Yes, because of you." Ryan nodded, and they both laughed.
Sulia had a habit of afternoon tea, particularly liking black tea. Emilia, following her for many years, also adopted the habit of afternoon tea with pastries around four in the afternoon. This influence spread, making afternoon tea a common practice among noblewomen in Nur.
But tea from Cathay is very expensive. What if ordinary citizens can't afford such afternoon tea?
No problem, it's said that Baroness Emanoli also likes coffee!
So, coffee became popular in Nur. Compared to expensive tea, coffee was relatively affordable, making it a fashionable choice for ordinary citizens.
"So, it's because of me. I'm speechless." Sulia said, though she quickly focused on another topic. "Ryan, my husband, can you tell me why stockings became popular among Nur's noblewomen?"
"Uh..." Ryan blushed, coughing a few times. "Well... in short, Starbucks café thrived in this environment. Many women, be they citizens or minor nobles, love to visit Starbucks, order a cup of coffee, sit quietly in a corner with a book, and spend an entire afternoon."
"Oh?" Sulia's amused look put Ryan under pressure. He had to cough again. "Thus, the city has this atmosphere. Now you understand why the Hedonist Cult hides here, right?"
"This is what you told me about 'petty bourgeoisie,' right?" Sulia nodded in understanding. "A bit of money, a bit of free time? People naturally pursue life's pleasures and spiritual needs?"
"Exactly." Ryan nodded. "As Captain Ivan said, in Kislev, such people are called petty bourgeoisie and are always watched by the Internal Affairs Committee for possible corruption by chaos."
"This is too petty bourgeoisie! Immediate execution recommended!"
——Kislev Internal Affairs Committee
Mikhail Ivanovich Govorov, now General Ivan, commanded no more than three to four hundred horse archers, yet was given the rank of major general in Kislev, now under Ryan's command. With no current war, Ryan sent Ivan to Duke Huebald of Carcassonne to deal with greenskins and beastmen.
A major general with three to four hundred soldiers... Ryan had many complaints but remained silent.
Without further ado, the couple approached a three-story house on the edge of Nur's affluent district. The house was modified into a tavern-like structure with a large green logo as the sign, matching the napkin Ryan held, depicting a green siren with split tails.
"Welcome!" A server greeted them as they arrived. The servers, dressed in neat uniforms and shoes, wore bear fur coats common in Bretonnia and the Empire, as Kislev's main trade income came from exporting bear fur, making it affordable in Nur.
"Welcome." Ryan and Sulia dismounted. Even without wearing noble attire, their noble status was clear from Ryan's Holy Grail Knight badge, silk clothes, and pureblood elven warhorses.
The Starbucks café had a deep green decor, white sofas, dark brown walls, a red brick counter with a warm stove-like design, yellow lights, and an elegant ambiance, perfect for reading.
Upon entering, Ryan and Sulia felt a sense of déjà vu, reminiscent of their home's drawing room. They quickly understood why Starbucks was popular among the commoners.
The café was filled with people, mostly young women dressed similarly in Emilia's favorite knee-length lace princess dresses, with coats or vests, light makeup, and holding books like
Emilia's favorite, "The Bridges of Madison County."
Seeing Ryan's gaze, almost all the women quickly looked away, adjusted their skirts, and posed as if reading seriously under the afternoon sun, while sneakily glancing at Ryan. The Holy Grail Knight exuded an aura of nobility, making many women guess the couple's identity, fueling their excitement while maintaining elegance, as if waiting for something.
Today's big news had already spread through Nur. It was obvious who the Holy Grail Knight in the affluent district was. Meeting him at the café, many women couldn't contain their excitement but restrained themselves, appearing poised and elegant.
Ryan and Sulia sat at the counter. Soon, the café manager approached. "What would you like to drink, Your Grace? Your Ladyship?"
The manager, a beautiful woman with golden hair in a bun, wore a standard white shirt, black vest, and knee-length white skirt, paired with black stockings and round-toed shoes, looking around twenty-five or twenty-six years old.
"You know me?" Ryan handed the menu to Sulia, smiling at the manager. "I thought no one in Nur knew me."
"Lord Ryan, your story has been spreading in Nur for over five years. Today, everyone knows our lady brought you back to Nur. With the Holy Grail Knight badge and pureblood elven warhorses, who else could it be but the famous Lord Ryan and Lady Sulia?" The manager gave a professional smile. "Welcome to our café. I'm Doris."
"Two cups of Araby coffee, with milk and sugar." Ryan wanted to chat more with the manager, but Sulia had already chosen the coffee. She interrupted, "Also, please wait, Doris. We need your help."
"Please instruct me, Lady Sulia." The manager's expression changed slightly. She bowed to Sulia, indicating her to speak.
Sulia took out the napkin, explaining their need for the information of its owner. Each napkin, used for delivery, had a unique number for tracking orders.
"This..." The manager looked troubled, taking the napkin respectfully from Sulia. Bowing again, she said, "Lady Sulia, this is beyond my authority. I need to consult the owner. I hope you understand, disclosing customer information is highly discouraged in our business."
"I understand." Sulia nodded. The manager, relieved, bowed again and quickly went to the back.
"I hope we get what we need." Ryan frowned, looking at the door. "I wonder who the café owner is."
"No one can refuse my husband," Sulia said meaningfully. "The manager and the owner included."
"Heh~" Ryan, rendered speechless by his wife, awkwardly laughed. "You're always... precise, my lady."
"Because I have an extraordinary husband?" Sulia brushed her golden curls behind her ear. "Being your wife is quite stressful."
"Hahaha~" They laughed together.
The couple waited at the counter for their coffee and the manager's response.
At this moment, someone couldn't sit still anymore.
A tall, curvaceous woman with brown hair draped over her shoulders, wearing a standard white shirt, black skirt, and brown coat, approached the counter. Her striking features and wild charm, with slightly thick lips and a slender nose, and blue eyes full of excitement, came closer and politely asked Sulia, "May I sit here?"
"Of course, please." Sulia calmly agreed.
The woman happily sat next to Sulia, eager to introduce herself. "Hello, Lord Ryan, Lady Sulia. I'm Elena, unmarried, a model at Mrs. Searles' Tailoring Shop nearby. Pleased to meet you!"
"Hello, Miss Elena." Ryan and Sulia responded out of courtesy.
"Are you here for coffee?" The woman's questions came one after another, seizing the opportunity.
Ryan was about to speak but felt a pain in his waist, so he wisely remained silent.
Sulia smiled beautifully, "Yes, we heard Starbucks is very popular in Nur. While touring the city, we saw it and decided to come in."
"What a coincidence!" Elena covered her mouth in surprise, then recited, "The aroma of coffee and the elegant atmosphere in the café is truly enjoyable. I must say, Lady Sulia, you came to the right place."
"Amidst millions of people, in the noise and chaos of Nur, in the endless desert of time, we sit in the café, savoring a cup of fragrant coffee. Who else could have such poetry?" The model displayed a dreamy expression.
Ryan: "...."
Sulia: "...."
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