When the hot coffee and fresh desserts arrived, the enchanting aroma completely took over the table. The golden-yellow, perfectly syruped plate of pistachio baklava glistened right in the middle of the marble surface.
Kaahn picked up his small fork and pressed it down onto the crispy top layer of the baklava. The faint, crackling sound it made was enough to whet both of their appetites. Kaahn skewered a perfect slice, but instead of bringing it to his own mouth, he leaned slightly across the table and held the fork up to Akça's lips.
"Open up," he said, with his usual playful, relaxed grin. "It has to pass inspection by the brand's chief gourmet first. Let's see if they've managed to match the standard back in Muruıre."
Akça was caught off guard. Her eyes darted first to the fork, then to the Palsur aristocrats whispering among themselves as they sipped their coffee nearby. A faint blush crept into her cheeks as she glared at Kaahn. "Kaahn, what are you doing? In front of everyone..." she whispered, her voice laced with a subtle pout.
"Oh, come on, nobody is looking at us. Besides, you're getting the honor of eating baklava right from the Prince's hand—you wouldn't want to pass that up," Kaahn teased, giving her a wink.
Sighing in defeat, Akça leaned forward slightly and took the baklava from the fork. As the magnificent taste of the crispy pastry merging with the sweet syrup burst in her mouth, she closed her eyes and let out a soft hum. She tried to hide her pleased expression, but she wasn't very successful.
"Well? Did it pass?" Kaahn asked, tossing his own slice into his mouth.
Akça finished chewing, wiped the corner of her lips with a napkin, and leaned back, crossing her arms. "Plenty of pistachios, and the syrup is spot on. It passed the test, but..." She narrowed her eyes shrewdly and leaned toward Kaahn. "You're eating all these sweets, but I'm really curious how you're going to explain to your father that you're using this brand as a front to escape royal paperwork. What do you think will happen when His Majesty is rejoicing, thinking, 'My son is making moves to expand the kingdom,' only to find out you're actually just chasing after new dessert recipes?"
Kaahn froze just as he was about to take a sip of his coffee. It was obvious from Akça's demeanor that she thoroughly enjoyed catching him off guard and backing him into a corner. Kaahn gave a light cough and set his coffee cup down.
"Well... We call that a 'kingdom-wide economic development initiative,' Akça. The details are just minor technicalities," he tried to recover, playing it off.
Akça snickered at his rare moment of being flustered. I love setting up little ambushes like that for him, she thought. Otherwise, dealing with that genius mind of his outsmarting me every single time would be unbearable.
By the time they finished their coffee and stepped out of the shop, the streets of Sihera had grown even livelier under the midday sun. Walking side by side, Kaahn and Akça began observing the authentic fabric of this provincial town within the Palsur Empire. They passed by small roadside shops, spice vendors, and clothiers, all while analyzing potential locations for future franchise branches.
However, their peaceful stroll was abruptly cut short by the sudden clatter of hooves and shouting coming from further up the street.
"Get out of the way! Clear the road!"
A runaway horse carriage, speeding completely out of control, was hurtling down the narrow cobblestone street. The driver was pulling wildly at the reins but couldn't stop the heavily loaded cart. Right then, a small child appeared in the middle of the road, staring down at a wooden toy in his hands, completely oblivious to his surroundings. Passersby screamed as they saw the horses closing in fast, but everyone froze in panic.
Kaahn didn't hesitate for even a second. His relaxed and laid-back demeanor vanished in an instant, replaced by reflexes as sharp as a knife. He lunged forward, grabbed the child around the waist, pulled him toward himself, and rolled him forcefully toward the side of the road, where they crashed right in front of a clothing store's window.
The carriage tore past them a mere split second later, sparks flying from its wheels, before finally grinding to a halt further down the path.
A heavy silence fell over the street, followed by a collective sigh of relief from the crowd. Kaahn stood up, dusting off his clothes, and gently set the frightened child down. Patting the boy's head, he said in a warm voice, "Are you alright, little guy? Make sure to look where you're going next time." The child's mother rushed over in tears, pulling her son into her arms while thanking Kaahn profusely.
Akça ran up to them and grabbed Kaahn's arm, genuine worry in her eyes. "Kaahn! Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Kaahn brushed off his cloak and slapped his old, casual smile back on. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Just got the cloak a bit dirty, that's all. Besides, see? If it wasn't for the energy from that coffee and dessert, I wouldn't have sprung forward that fast."
Akça let out a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. Does he have to scare me like this every single time? she thought, but deep down, she found herself admiring his heroic, unhesitating side all over again.
Following the chaotic incident, they shifted their direction toward the industrial and production district on the outskirts of town, heading for the warehouse of the Mayard logistics company.
The strategic core of the Mayard Logistics Network was anchored by three massive hubs. The first was located in Port-Varian, a major port city just a few kilometers east of the Palsur capital that commanded the maritime trade. The second was the Muruıre warehouse, the birthplace of the brand where the entire operation had first taken root. The third, and by far the most critical, was this Sihera facility, which served as the safest gateway leading into the Niamtab Mountains due to its proximity to the border.
When they arrived at the front of the warehouse, they were met by towering stone walls and heavy iron gates. Stepping inside, Akça stopped dead in her tracks, utterly awestruck by the sight.
Massive mechanical components, gears, and custom-cast iron units, ordered from the finest blacksmith guild in Palsur—renowned for their unparalleled craftsmanship—were lined up across the center of the warehouse. Workers were meticulously sorting through these parts, prepping them to be loaded onto logistics wagons bound for the border.
Akça walked over to a colossal gear and ran her hand across the cold iron. Her eyes widened in realization as the pieces of the puzzle began clicking together in her mind.
"Kaahn..." she whispered, turning to the man standing behind her. "These can't just be supplies for a cafe chain. I understood Port-Varian and Muruıre, but this third warehouse right on the edge of the border... You've used cafes as an excuse to build a literal military supply line and mechanical production line right under their noses."
Kaahn shoved his hands into his pockets and walked up beside Akça, that sly, genius grin playing on his lips. His eyes held the sharp brilliance of a leader who could see the future.
"I told you, Akça," he said, keeping his tone light and conversational. "Mayard isn't just about feeding people. With these gears, we are laying the foundations of a new world in the Namtab Mountains, and the very future of our kingdom. And do you want to know the best part? Those arrogant Palsur nobles are paying out of their own pockets every single day, gorging themselves, just to fund the very iron wheels that will bring about their downfall."