“Heh, heh, heh…”
Dominic’s sinister laughter pierced my ears.
Even more suspicious.
“…What’s with that expression? Did you cause trouble?”
I narrowed my eyes and looked at him.
“Those people won’t be able to read this newspaper.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve brainwashed the spies, haven’t I? Even after that, I kept instilling that you’ve been doing nothing but stupid, cowardly, and foolish things.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Yes! They’ll think of that newspaper as complete falsehood, an exaggeration.”
If what Dominic says is true, that’s a relief. For the time being, they won’t be keeping an eye on me.
Dominic being so helpful!
I was about to open my lips to praise Dominic.
But Dominic’s proud voice resonated in my ears first.
“Plus, I also told them you’re always messing up and wasting money as usual.”
“…What?”
“I brainwashed them into thinking you’re so foolish that no merchants believe the content of that newspaper, and even the academy kids are completely uninterested.”
“I mean, that’s good for me, but…”
“Those two families will probably believe only the spies’ report as absolute truth for the time being. Heh, heh, heh.”
I looked at Dominic with a dubious eye.
No, still, was there a need to say it like that! Does this guy have a grudge against me?
But thanks to that, it seemed that we could keep the business going without any significant disturbances for the time being.
“I won’t bother you for a while.”
“I hope so. I wish you would ignore me until I get expelled, if possible!”
“Hmm, okay. Don’t worry. Today, I’m pondering how to brainwash these spy guys.”
It seems Dominic has found himself an amusing toy.
Though he has observed the outside world for a thousand years, it’s been a while since he directly went outside to perform magic, so it must be exciting for him.
“Just play with it and put it back where it belongs.”
I decided to encourage Dominic’s spirit.
I am not so lenient to those who watch me.
Moreover, these spies were like recurring ailments that had once greatly troubled Meldenik.
“Miss Meldenik, this won’t be the end for us.”
“Know your place.”
“It won’t be long before you, the cursed lineage, bears the name of Babeloa.”
They used to mock in this manner.
Feeling considerably satisfied, I folded the newspaper in half.
“Will this newspaper enter the academy too?”
What’s more important is the fact that this newspaper can promote to children.
These days, children don’t read newspapers much.
But if even one child reads the newspaper and takes an interest in my stationery shop, that’s a win!
“Then, surely reading it will bring in a customer.”
“I really wish even just one more person would come. I nodded my head with that thought.”
***
At that time, at the Imperial Maltend Academy.
Maltend Academy was divided into elementary, middle, and high academies according to age group.
And more specifically, it was divided into advanced, intermediate, and beginner classes according to each individual’s talent.
The students of the middle and high academies had little interest in the academy-issued newspaper.
However, the children in the advanced class of the elementary academy were different.
Under the strict guidance of their professor, the advanced class children would read various newspapers every self-study period.
Today was no different.
The “Times,” a newspaper for commoners made of low-quality newsprint. To the children of noble birth, it seemed like a magazine of lower status.
But the “Times” was special. It was because the Empress herself had praised the sense of justice of Astilde, the chief editor.
Astilde’s sense of justice-infused articles in the “Times” reached even the advanced class of the elementary academy, where the smartest children gathered.
And the children huddled together with a newspaper laid out on the desk.
“Look, a pirate has appeared!”
“It’s true! The Red Pirate!”
The literacy of young children was relatively lower than that of adults.
So, the rumors started to get exaggerated a bit.
Certainly, the poor naming sense of the Red Priest Pirate Gang, a group that extorted merchants and had nothing to do with pirates, also played a role.
“It’s so fascinating…”
“They defeated the pirate! Someone did!”
“There’s something interesting written here too!”
“Someone defeated the Red Priest Pirate Gang! A commoner, they say?”
In reality, Meldenik was not a commoner, but Astilde, the chief editor of the “Times,” and the people of the merchants’ association only knew Meldenik as a middle-class commoner who acquired a dilapidated building.
It was only natural, given that the incident of Lady Meldenik leaving her family was being kept under wraps. Hence, in the newspaper, Meldenik was listed as ‘Commoner Mel’.
The children, unaware of this fact, looked at each other with wide eyes.
“Wow, a commoner?”
“Yeah. There’s also some fascinating stuff written about that person!”
Meanwhile, at the stationery store of ‘Commoner Mel’, not only various school supplies but also a wide range of snacks are sold.
For example, beer candy. According to the author’s research, this candy was quite mysterious. (The following has been omitted.)
The children’s eyes widened as they looked at the advertising board underneath the newspaper.
“Beer candy, it says. Shall we go check it out?”
“What’s beer?”
“…It’s something adults drink.”
“Then… isn’t it something we shouldn’t be drinking?”
One child twinkled with mischief in their eyes.
“That’s what makes it more intriguing!”
Another brave child continued the conversation.
“Shall we go?”
However, one child who had been staring hard at the newspaper muttered softly.
“But… just now, you said it, didn’t you? That it’s commoner’s work.”
“Huh?”
“Isn’t that a lie? How can a commoner create such a remarkable thing? Something even nobles can’t make.”
The excited atmosphere cooled down a bit at this damper.
“Ah…”
The academy fundamentally distinguished less between statuses of birth.
But among the noble children, there was a deep-seated pride. The pride that they were far superior to commoners.
“Surely, it’s impossible for commoners to make something splendid.”
As one young lady, the granddaughter of a traditional noble family elder, bluntly spoke, the classroom full of warmth became slightly colder.
“I heard being close to commoners spreads disease.”
Amidst them, a relatively open-minded child mustered the courage to speak up.
“Ah, that’s just a rumor!”
“Still. Commoners are scary.”
In the midst of this, there was exactly one person who maintained an indifferent demeanor throughout, Prince Axion.
He was half-heartedly reading his textbook, all the while thinking about Mel in his mind.
I had decided to visit the stationery shop, but I got grounded for heading to the antiques district under the pretense of buying a birthday gift for my brother.
“I had been strictly warned not to get hurt again.”
In short, I was stuck in place.
“I was supposed to go to Mel’s stationery shop… What if those bullies who hit me also harass Mel?”
As I was pondering a solution while blankly staring at my fingernails, a chorus-like voice echoed in my ears. It was the voice of the children nearby.
“What’s a stationery shop, though?”
“Don’t know. Something like a general store?”
One of the boys, a member of the orthodox aristocracy, spoke up.
“It’ll probably go under soon, right?”
“I am curious about the face of the commoner who dealt with the pirates, but should we visit before it closes?”
“Hmm, but have you seen the new perfume that’s becoming popular? It was distributed by the Marquess of Hesman!”
“Yeah, I saw it! It’s so adult-like and cool!”
“They’re going to make one for us soon. I’m so curious about the perfume Lady Sheria of the social circles is using!”
The children’s interests cooled off as quickly as soup. But then…
It was at that moment, without much thought, that Prince Axion suddenly sat up.
“Wait, a stationery shop?”
“Your Highness?”
Mel said she was going to open a stationery shop!
Axion quickly looked around and headed toward the table where the children were gathered. Then, he snatched the newspaper one of the boys was holding.
Breaking News] Mel, a commoner running a stationery store, defeats the ‘Red Priest Pirates Gang’!
If it’s the Red Priest Pirates…
“It seems like those who beat me up that time were the Red Priest Pirates!”
At that moment, Axion shivered as he recalled Mel’s tiger-like, flashing eyes.
“Could it be, for me, did she recognize and deal with those who were bullying me?”
Axion clenched his fists tightly.
“She’s like a knight, so cool…!”
Of course, Axion had completely forgotten the fact that he never even mentioned the word ‘Red’ of ‘Red Priest Pirates’ to Mel.
Often, the memories of young children are conveniently shaped that way.
That was the case with Axion right now. His heart was pounding.
