Du Nord: The Believing heart lost years (EN)

The Cookie Witch

Friday 8th December 2000, Annecy, France

"I was doing very well in the city, I was even making more investments, buying more resources to sell the Cookies, I was even reselling them in the markets, so much so that I was successful, but without a doubt what sold the most was at weekends, my name was known throughout the city, I was very hopeful, By the time I moved out, I'd already made 113,000 francs, all in profit, which I could then exchange for pounds, which gave me hope of one day going to Luna Nova. It didn't help that my father stopped me, I paid for everything and still made a profit, and I was already being heard everywhere, I was a huge success.

Time to sell some more of the cookies I made this morning, I can't believe I'm getting so rich, especially as I'm now also playing the guitar a lot better, I didn't know much before, but now I'm getting a lot out of it.
I take a look at the school noticeboard and see that it has my name "The Cookie Witch" on it.

"Oh Chariot, you're making cookies today, it's Friday" said one of the girls at school.

"Today I've already left some ready to resell at the market, I'm going to take guitar lessons later, but I won't do it today, I guarantee there will be tomorrow" I tell her.

"Chariot, the cookies you sell at the market are a fortune, 150 francs a packet, can you believe it? Yours are much cheaper and fresher, who knows how many days the ones in the market last" She really charges a fortune for all that, I resell each packet to her for 50 francs.

"Unfortunately I can't, it's part of my job, wait until tomorrow" I say to her.

"Damn, but look at this" said the girl, handing me the newspaper.

I take a look and I'm on the front page, it's not the school newspaper, they're talking about my cookies, "The cookie witch, hoax or really an accomplished cook", It seems they think I'm bewitching everyone with my cookies, but I don't even use magic to cook, I just do the basics.
Interesting that you're talking about just that, it seems that those policemen who took my cookies that day went to investigate and found nothing, I said, there's nothing, my cookies are authentic, I don't bewitch people, it's time to go out to work, the winter festival could be here soon and cookies would be good with a hot chocolate.
I pick up the boxes with several ready-made packets and take them to the market, which I exchange for a few francs with the market girl, it looks like I'll be making a bit more profit today.

"Here's your share, keep bringing more here, there are many tourists who can't resist your cookies" said the market girl.

"And you must really make a lot of money, each packet of these I sell you for three times less than what you make" I say, scratching the back of my head.

"But it's worth it, with your cookies I don't have to pay anything, no regulations, the supply is all unregulated for me, plus I paid for the packaging to be made and packaged, you're lucky like that, if you get a heavy inspection, they'll take your cookies and take them out of circulation, be careful with success girl, I know it's good to sell a lot, but drawing too much attention can end it all" Can it? I'm doing very well just now.

I shrug and continue out of the market, today was a good day's work, with all the cookies I supplied to the market I got 10,000 francs, it was three whole days making these cookies, it's good that this could be enough to pay the bills and get some extra money.
I get home, pick up my guitar and see that my father hasn't arrived home from work yet, he must be spending the money he earns on something else, what the hell, I can't even earn that much for my dream, just with what I've spent supporting myself here I'd have earned a fortune, so with my guitar in hand I go to the square to have lessons with Pierre. He's already there, what luck, I take the opportunity to sit on the bench next to him and we're off to another day of lessons.