Chapter 231

Chapter 231

“If it’s the price that’s the problem, should I see if I can get the owner to come down a bit on the amount? They were in a hurry to sell, so they may be wiling to negotiate.” Mr. June was doing all he could to make this sale.

Amethyst perked up. “Really? That would be great!”

“I’ll contact them. Wait here a moment.” Mr. June went into another room to contact the owners by magical means.

Amethyst used the time to envision the look of the café some more. She felt it would be best to remove the wallpaper and paint the walls white. It would give the café a nice, clean image. The wooden floors she would definitely keep. The rest of the items would most likely require a professional to fix them. Amethyst made a mental note to ask Gigs if he knew of anyone who could help her.

Mr. June returned to the room with a smile on his face. “The owners said they would be willing to lower the price slightly. It will be hard to find something better than this offer. If you need a renovator, I may be able to find one for you that works for a reasonable fee. So, if there is nothing else, are you ready to sign?”

Mr. June was quite the salesman. He anticipated her every need. “How much of a discount could you get me for a renovator?” Amethyst asked.

“If you arrange them through me, then you’ll get at least 20% less,” Mr. June told her.

“And I’m assuming that they do good work? I don’t want any mistakes.”

“Of course! They will also do any regular maintenance that is needed. They have quite a few clients in this area.”

Amethyst was sold. “All right, I’ll sign the contract.”

“I’m so glad to hear it.” Mr. June shook her hand vigorously. “Then let’s go to my office and sign that contract.”

They stepped out of building, locking the door behind them. With both of them feeling light with joy, they hailed a passing public carriage and headed back into the city centre.

***

With the contract signed and money paid, Amethyst was able to get right to work on the renovations. The interior designer arranged by Mr. June was quick and efficient. He gave suggestions to Amethyst on everything, from the furniture and decoration, right down to the dishes. He had a good sense in design and gave her everything that she asked for. Thanks to him, Amethyst was able to focus her attention on the menu for the café’s kitchen.

Amethyst headed upstairs to a desk in her room, took out some paper and began planning the foods she would serve. She wasn’t that skilled at cooking and would probably need to hire a chef eventually, though she had searched out recipes in her past life to cook for her children.

She started with brunch options. She could make a series of teas infused with different fruit juices. It was a healthy option, which is what many people were looking for these days. The teas could be served hot or cold, so would be good for any season. And she could get fresh fruit daily from the market, so there would be no issue with supply. Also, they were easy to make so she wouldn’t need to hire a professional barista right away.

Since she had been informed that the renovations would be complete in about a month, she realized that she would need to start the fruit fermenting now so that it would be ready in time. She decided to go to the market tomorrow to see what was offered.

She was worried about dessert options as she didn’t have any skills in baking. Maybe she needed to hire a professional cook sooner, rather than later. At least she had something to work on while the renovations were being completed. It kept her mind focused and not wandering back into the past.

* * *

Amethyst exited the carriage at the market before heading to her shop. She had brought along some assistance today and smiled as Gigs stepped out of the carriage next to her. Her first stop was at a store to purchase glass jars, in order to begin fermenting the fruit. She needed proper canning jars that sealed tightly so the fruit would not spoil. The larger jars were too big to carry, so she handed the smaller jars to Gigs and arranged for the big ones to be shipped to her store.

The next stop was the grocery. Amethyst approached the counter and smiled at the clerk. “I would like to purchase some sugar please,” she told the man.

“Sugar? Certainly. We have quite a selection. Which type would you like?” the clerk asked, indicating the bins of sugar behind him. Amethyst looked overwhelmed at the multitude of options.

“Would you like to sample some?” the clerk asked, seeing Amethyst’s bewilderment.

“Yes, please,” Amethyst said, relieved.

The sugars were organized by colour, from traditional white sugar to exotic black sugar. The clerk gave a tiny spoonful of each type to both her and Gigs.

They started with the black sugar. “What do you think, Gigs?” Amethyst asked.

“It doesn’t have a natural flavour. The aftertaste is a little too rich, as well.” Gigs had described it perfectly.

“I think so too,” Amethyst agreed.

The sugar tasting continued and after they were half way through the options, she felt like her tongue was paralyzed. Her stomach didn’t feel very good either. In the end, Amethyst settled on the standard sugar she had always used.

“I think I will just go with the natural sugar, please,” she informed the clerk.

The clerk nodded then brought out five more options. Apparently, there wasn’t only one type of natural sugar.

“The highest quality natural sugar is produced right here in the Empire,” the clerk explained, as he pointed to each type. “More of a middle-class sugar comes from Botten Kingdom. The brown sugar is handmade, so my supply is limited. This natural sugar is scented. And this final one is a favourite to be used in tea.”

Amethyst resisted, due to her queasy stomach, but forced herself to taste the high-quality sugar and the Botten Kingdom product.

“They’re quite a bit different,” the clerk said.

“They sure are. I actually think the Botten Kingdom product is a better taste.”