Chapter 2
Selina had inherited Secret Moonlight from her mother, Stella.
In this way, she became the second Madam, but no one knew that the owner of the shop had changed.
Selina began tidying the shop, putting the scattered furniture back in place and sweeping away the dust left behind by countless visitors.
“Meow!”
A black cat, hidden somewhere, suddenly jumped out and rubbed against Selina’s legs.
Despite the cat’s adorable display, Selina continued sweeping with a detached air. She even gently nudged the cat away with her foot as if it were a nuisance.
“I’m cleaning, so don’t get in the way. Go somewhere else.”
“Meooow!”
The cat protested, slapping its tail on the floor in disapproval, but Selina ignored it completely.
Eventually, seeing her leave without looking back, the cat jumped onto the desk and flopped down.
Clatter.
A frame wobbled as the cat jumped up, and Selina quickly caught it.
“Luna! Be careful. What if this had broken?”
The cat, Luna, pretended not to hear and turned her head sharply, sprawling across the desk. Seeing the audacious behavior, Selina sighed.
“Since it’s Mom’s photo, be more careful next time.”
She carefully placed the frame back on the desk.
Inside the frame, young Selina stood with a surprisingly serious face for a child. Beside her was a warm-looking woman with red hair and green eyes, gently resting her hand on Selina’s shoulder.
Click.
Having finished tidying the shop, Selina checked once more to ensure the doors were securely locked, then slipped out through the back.
She never used the front entrance for work or errands.
There were always rats prowling nearby, trying to discover the Madam’s true identity. Also, since her home was directly above the shop, there was no need to use the main door.
The building where Secret Moonlight was located belonged to Stella—Selina’s mother. Now, it belonged to Selina herself.
After a tiring day, she trudged up to her home. Warm light and the scent of cooking wafted from the doorway.
There was someone in the house, even though no one should have been there. Yet she could vaguely guess who it was.
“Uncle.”
“Oh! Selina! Are you done with work now?”
A middle-aged man with soft brown hair and gentle eyes greeted her with a warm smile.
He wore an apron and had flour on his face, as if he had been cooking in the kitchen.
Despite the passing years, his handsome face had not faded. The wrinkles he carried only added charm.
His name was Fryman, Stella’s close friend, and a family-like uncle figure to Selina.
Even though it had been nearly half a year since Stella had passed, he continued to visit Selina faithfully.
Selina, who usually maintained a blank expression, softened when she saw him.
“Uncle, you’ve got flour on your face.”
“Oh! Really?”
As she wiped his face with a handkerchief, Fryman’s cheeks turned red. He scratched his head sheepishly.
“I cooked a few dishes. I’m sure you barely ate while I was gone. Looks like there was nothing edible in the house.”
“Well… one meal a day is enough to survive…”
“That won’t do! You’re at an age where you need to eat well!”
Fryman, who rarely raised his voice, snapped—not in anger, but in concern for her.
“Hungry, huh? You’ve worked hard today.”
“Looks delicious. Feels like it’s been a month since I last had your cooking, Uncle.”
“Sorry I couldn’t come by more often. Work’s been hectic lately…”
“Oh, if you visited more, that would be neglecting your duties, Cardinal. The second-in-command shouldn’t be idle.”
“Even so…”
“I’m not a little kid anymore. I’m not a four-year-old.”
“…True, you are sixteen. But you’re still not an adult. You still need guidance.”
Her fatigue from the day melted away under his warm concern.
“Ah, the food’s going cold. Let’s eat quickly.”
They sat down, serving themselves as much as they could eat.
Once the meal was ready, Fryman clasped his hands and prayed.
“God of the Moon, Lunios. Thank you for the blessings of this food. Please allow us to stay together until the end of this day.”
After the short prayer, he opened his eyes and smiled.
“Well, shall we eat?”
“I’ll enjoy it.”
Clinking of dishes and cutlery filled the room as they ate in comfortable silence.
“Meow~”
At that moment, Luna rubbed against Fryman’s legs.
He smiled gently, putting a small portion of food on the floor for her. Luna sniffed it and then began eating.
As they neared the end of the meal, Fryman spoke.
“Selina, what are your plans for the future?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Startled by the sudden question, Selina froze.
“I mean your life from now on.”
Understanding his meaning, she stopped moving her spoon.
“You don’t have to follow in Stella’s footsteps. Surely you have things you want to do.”
“…I may not handle things as well as Mom, but my eyes are sharper than hers, right? You know that well, Uncle.”
“That’s true… but it’s not what you really want.”
“…The world never goes exactly the way I want. You can’t just do what you like, and even if you do, there’s no guarantee it will work out. I may not enjoy this work, but I consider it my calling.”
“You’re still young. You can’t stay alone forever. Why not try new things and meet new people?”
Even though Selina tried to evade, he persisted. Her violet eyes looked at him calmly.
“If you have something to say, just say it. No need to beat around the bush.”
“Oh… caught me? Your eyes never miss anything.”
“You don’t need to use your powers. I can read your emotions easily. How can you be a Cardinal if you can’t hide your feelings?”
“Ha ha, you’re the first after Stella to say that. I warned you both were easy to read, but not everyone else is.”
Selina chuckled at his laugh.
“So, what do you want to say?”
Fryman reached into his pocket and handed her something.
It looked like a letter but was too refined for a commoner. A red wax seal adorned it beautifully.
There was no sender indicated. She looked around, puzzled.
“What is this?”
“Open it.”
Her curiosity piqued, she carefully broke the seal and read the letter.
Fryman sipped his tea quietly, prepared for the reaction.
“U-Uncle!”
Selina shouted in rare anger.
He had preemptively blocked his ears, watching as she huffed and pouted.
“Did you finish reading it?”
“What is this?! It’s not an application, and it’s not an admission letter!”
“Exactly. The ceremony is in two weeks, so you should know in time, shouldn’t you?”
“I don’t intend to go to the academy!”
Flap. The letter slipped from the table.
Luna pawed at it, batting it around like a toy.
The letter was titled [Perion Academy Admission Form], and the student name field bore Selina’s name.
“But you’re already enrolled. Tuition has been paid.”
“Uncle! Even for you, this is…!”
“It wasn’t me. It was Stella’s will.”
Selina, flustered, shut her mouth. Her racing heart calmed, and she slumped in her seat.
Her eyes demanded an explanation.
“This was something Stella had planned long ago. You don’t easily get along with peers, only familiar acquaintances, so she worried about you. Of course, I worried too.”
Regarding her few friends, she stayed silent. She had only three friends in her life, all through Stella’s connections, and only one remained close.
“And Stella wanted you to experience a broader world. Had she not passed, it would have been her giving this to you, not me.”
“…You’re saying this was really Mom’s wish?”
“Yes. When her illness worsened, she asked me to do this.”
Even with the explanation, Selina struggled to accept it.
Perion Academy was famous for only accepting prodigies. Yet Selina had no interest in studying.
And going there would surely entangle her in the destiny ‘that guy’ spoke of. Why would she start that?
“Meow~”
Pouting, Selina frowned at Luna, who was playing with the admission form.
“Fine… Mom’s wish it is. But why am I receiving this admission form? I never applied, nor took the exam.”
“Ah, I did a little magic. Even if I persuaded you to take the exam, you’d fail on purpose. So I made sure you couldn’t escape.”
Tsk. Selina clicked her tongue sharply, as Fryman had predicted.
Knowing Stella wanted her to attend, she would have refused even if she took the exam. She didn’t want her fate to be twisted.
Selina pouted, then glared at Fryman with narrowed eyes.
“I’ll tell the temple you committed fraud!”
“That wouldn’t even count as fraud. Don’t bother.”
“Ugh! I really don’t want to go to the academy…”
“Think of it as a good opportunity. You can’t stay here alone forever.”
“I like being alone. Too many people around is exhausting.”
“Don’t say that.”
Fryman stood and patted her back.
Selina lifted her head from the table and looked at him.
His ever-kind smile put her at ease.
She then rose and hugged his waist.
Startled at the sudden embrace, he stiffened briefly, but soon his warm hands stroked her hair gently.
