Please Don’t Come To The Villainess’ Stationery Store!

Back then, when I was laughing happily, Dominic asked with a still serious expression,

“What’s the 4-week adjustment period?”

“Oh, that. It’s just taking a break for 4 weeks and then meeting as a family to try and reconcile.”

Dominic nodded as if he agreed.

“It means nothing to you, huh.”

I nodded in response and looked at the remodeled building.

It looked like a deserted building from the outside and I expected it would take a long time, but fortunately, the building’s framework was solid, so it only needed exterior repairs.

The exterior paint job, interior repairs, and cleaning were all neatly completed.

The stationery store’s exterior was freshly painted in a bright yellow. Red vertical striped awnings were added to the windows on the first and second floors.

‘It’s really beautiful. It doesn’t look like an abandoned house at all!’

The magicians I hired with my own money had neatly remodeled the stationery store and left.

Although it cost a lot of money to repair quickly in a short time, I was satisfied because the stationery store became clean and beautiful.

I laid grass in the small front yard of the stationery store and placed a bench there. It was a wooden bench meant to convey that any child could come here and comfortably play.

I sat down next to Dominic on the bench.

“Now, we just need to bring in the goods and we can open soon!”

“It’s a miracle. That this abandoned house has changed.”

That darn abandoned house.

I scratched my temple and continued speaking.

Looking up at the sky where clouds were floating one by one, I started to peacefully and optimistically plan the future.

“If we succeed, let’s bring over a chef, and a chocolatier too. And then…”

“Then?”

I began to detail one by one about the casting I had thought about while deciding to set up a stationery store.

“Let’s also bring over a magician, an elemental sorcerer, and an alchemist.”

Having an elemental sorcerer or an alchemist would make it easier to produce goods. Then my stationery store would flourish luxuriously!

But my dreamy laughter was brief as Dominic, who has a hobby of dropping harsh truths, tilted his head in confusion towards me.

“It would be hard to bring over elemental sorcerers or alchemists.”

I also know that elemental sorcerers are rare and alchemists are rare talents on a continental scale.

‘I guess you would have to be at least the owner of a mage tower to bring over an alchemist.’

Objectively, I’m far from matching the level of a mage tower owner.

‘But I won’t give up.’

I clenched my fists tight and threw punches towards the sky as if shouting.

“If I brought over a thousand-year-old sword, can’t I bring over an elemental sorcerer or an alchemist?”

Dominic, taking my words to heart, nodded solemnly and answered with pride.

“That is true.”

I looked at the slush machine with a lingering and dripping gaze and muttered.

“…It would be nice to bring over the demons inside your sword as well.”

“It might be possible without breaking the seal to command them.”

Seeing Dominic unsure, it seems likely that the chances of meeting the demons again are slim.

‘I’ll have to diligently look for a way to command the demons.’

Hiding my deep regret, I spoke with vigor and energy.

“Finally! Dalgona will be on sale for the opening tomorrow, so I have to make it tonight.”

“I won’t wear an apron when making dalgona. Never ever.”

Watching Dominic wince, I smiled cheerfully.

“I’ll allow it.”

With those words, I turned my head on the bench to look behind me.

Beyond the large glass window, nostalgic items were filling my stationery shop.

There were slushy machines, a magic drawing box, castanets and xylophones, square notebooks, and sugar and a round pan to make dalgona.

Due to the lack of funds, I couldn’t prepare for a lavish opening, so it’s quite lacking.

However, as time goes by, I’ll be able to fill this space with beautiful memories.

“What’s important is that I’m finally ready to open the stationery shop.”

I stretched proudly and opened my mouth.

“I’m not sure if it’ll sell well… but it’s definitely my taste.”

“That’s enough. I like it too.”

The boy who had been trapped in a sword for approximately a thousand years, having sacrificed himself for the empire. And me.

At this moment, we were bound together by the same taste.

“I hope the promotion goes well too.”

I don’t quite get how to do promotions in this world.

“Advertising in the newspaper is too expensive…”

As Dominic admired the remodeled building, he continued.

“That time, the kid we treated.”

“Ah, the noble kid from the academy?”

“Sure.”

“……Looks like he’ll bring his friends.”

Thinking of that child, their eyes seemed to sparkle.

Children are fickle and tend to forget everything quickly. Still, it would be nice if they remembered even a little.

“I’m confident I can treat the kids really well when they come.”

There’s a four-week contemplation period and the Emperor’s excommunication trial ahead. But now, I’m truly preparing to become legally separate from Babeloa and the Hesman family.

Cutting ties with bad people and living the dream with the children is becoming a reality.

“I hope he brings a lot of friends.”

It’s still a faint hope of waiting for the first visitor…

But if I work hard, someday I might truly be able to instill dreams and hope in all children.

But why do my ears feel itchy? Is someone talking about me?

***

At that moment, stories about Meldenique were indeed flowing out of the Mage Tower.

Inside the office on the very top floor of the Mage Tower, where the master of the tower stays, was Rasmus, the chief wizard, with a haggard face.

“I am ashamed.”

The person Rasmus was looking at was the master of the tower, Isaac.

“I will take responsibility for the security of the Mage Tower. I am sorry, my lord.”

Isaac, sitting in front of the desk, was carelessly flipping through the report that Rasmus had handed over.

“Some magic artifacts have been stolen, including a vessel of mana, right?”

The vessel of mana was a magical artifact blessed by a dragon itself, containing the essence of mana.

Although it was for one-time use, it was known to increase the user’s mana quantity and was considered a valuable item.

Isaac, the master of the tower who had recently returned from his travels, chuckled lowly, resting his chin on his hand. His black eyes, like obsidian, were filled with boredom.

“Just deal with the petty theft on your own and punish accordingly, Rasmus.”

In other words, it meant not to bother him with such reports.

“Still, I want to inform you about the suspect! I will surely catch them.”

“Then, go on.”

Isaac, tired of further argument, closed his eyes and nodded noncommittally.

Perhaps it was because the window was open. A cool breeze tickled his chin.

“Ah…”

Rasmus suddenly lost his words.

His jet-black hair fluttered in front of his forehead due to the wind, looking like a scene from a painting. No matter how many times I see that beautiful face, I never become immune to it.

‘Although he has a rather big flaw in his personality, his appearance is really….’

Rasmus sighed inwardly before opening his mouth.

“Recently, I’ve narrowed down the suspects to about three people showing suspicious behavior. The first is Earl Eli, and there have been rumors that the flow of mana has become strange in the Earl of Eli’s domain.”

“And then?”

Already bored.

It seems more interesting and enjoyable to hatch the dragon egg brought from traveling recently.

“The second is Duke Lennox Hesman. It’s unlikely that he’s the criminal, but there’s talk that they are conducting magical experiments in the Hesman Duke’s family. But then again, that’s nothing unusual. And the last suspect, this one seems the most suspicious.”

If it’s Duke Hesman, he is also aware of him.

The perfect duke who is the envy of the empire’s citizens.

He had thought that the man’s twisted disposition was disgusting when they briefly met.

He asked nonchalantly as he yawned at the obvious list.

“Who is the last one?”

“Lady Meldenik Babeloa. Recently, her actions have been quite suspicious.”

Isaac snapped to attention at that point.

That’s a familiar name.

“Meldenik?”

“Yes. Considering the item lost this time is related to dragons, we looked into Lady Meldenik, who is said to have been cursed by a dragon.”

“Uh-huh.”

“It’s really fascinating. I was creating a strange store. It turns out it was even recently established by a noble family. The store’s name is ‘Mel’s Stationery Shop,’ and I suspect that some strange magic is being used there. It seems we should properly investigate this matter.”

“Really?”

Isaac’s words stretched out long. He leaned back against the chair, smirking mischievously.

“Meldenik Babeloa… Now that I think about it, the sword she was carrying was suspicious, and the flow of mana inside her was unusual for a daughter cursed by a dragon of Kinnoa.”

He thought she was an interesting person.

“I had been planning to find out more about her eventually.”

He hadn’t expected her to appear as a suspect in a theft case.

Isaac nodded seriously and said to Rasmus, “Now that I hear it, it seems like a very important matter.”

“Eh? Suddenly? You said it was just a petty thief-.”

He tapped the toe of his shoe on the ground a few times.

Every time there was something interesting, his heart would race as if excited, a long-standing habit of his.

“I’ve changed my mind.”

Rasmus looked at Isaac, puzzled.

Isaac’s lips curved into a beautiful crescent moon.

“I’ll have to deal with the third suspect myself.”

There’s another reason he was interested in the suspicious Meldenik.

He was the only witness to have seen Meldenik kicking Duke Hesman.

She declared towards Hesman, a duke everyone envied.

“Can you please disappear from my life now? Because it’s disgusting.”

When Meldenik spoke those words, her voice was filled with genuine hatred.

As Issac reminisced about the past, Rasmus expressed his final opinion towards him.

“While the vessel of mana is indeed a remarkable artifact, it’s not something the Lord of the Magic Tower should personally deal with.”

It seemed as if he wanted to say, ‘Is this a joke or what?’

Issac lowered his voice and lazily drooped his sleepy eyes downwards as he spoke.

“Actually, I have memories attached to the vessel of mana.”

It’s unfair to make such a sad expression with a beautiful face. Anyone else would have been completely fooled. But Rasmus had been deceived by his act for more than ten years.

“…Lies, you even forgot its existence!”

“Oh, you’re not falling for it.”

Ignoring Rasmus’s words lightly, Issac truly laughed with joy.

Rasmus scratched his ear with a worried look.

“No, whenever the Lord of the Magic Tower steps in like this, something bad tends to happen to that person…”

“That won’t be the case.”

He declared again as if singing.

“I’m planning to make something good happen.”

Rasmus cautiously asked Issac.

“Are you planning to visit them soon?”

“Yes. I’ve also thought of a way to repay a favor.”

He lifted his jet-black hair leisurely, his eyes gleaming with curiosity like a child.

Rasmus doubted internally, ‘What favor?’ but kept his mouth shut. It wasn’t the first time the lord of the magic tower had acted peculiarly.

“…I really can’t understand.”

Internally, expressed his condolences toward Meldenick.

Whether a thief or whatever, to catch Lord Isaac’s eye. How unfortunate… he thought.