Limea Salt had to be the finest jewel in the Salt lineage. She could not allow anyone to see her in such a miserable and miserable state.
That's why Limia hurriedly covered her face.
She was in the midst of crying, and suddenly fear filled her with the thought that her swollen eyes would look ugly.
“Princess, it's me.”
“Count Ravioli…?”
Mason ravioli.
The man who was recently awarded the title of Count for his achievements in eliminating the pirates plaguing the coast, and also…
“Are you okay?”
Limia Salt's fiancé.
Although his tone and expression were very gentle, Limia found it difficult to raise her head
Honestly, meeting Mason was not at all welcome.
“Yes, princess?”
A confusing call reached her ears, but Limia remained silent.
“Are you here at the wrong time?”
“……”
In fact, he had a very good reputation.
Not only was he respected, but he was also wealthy, thanks to the large inheritance left by the late Viscount Ravioli
Moreover, he was widely known in social circles as a gentleman who respected women, so it was not surprising that Berga had personally chosen him as Limia's future husband.
But there was a flaw - a fatal flaw that overshadowed all his previously mentioned virtues.
"I'm fine."
Limia slowly wiped away her tears and finally looked at Mason.
The reflection in her now clearer eyes revealed a man who was, by Limia's standards, the ugliest in the world
First, he was almost as tall as Limia. Even considering that she was taller than average, this was unforgivable. His hair was a dull dark brown, and his facial features were not friendly at all.
Limia ignored the hand he extended to her for companionship, leaned against a tree to steady herself, and got up on her own.
“I've been under a lot of stress from administrative work lately... What brings you to see me, Count?”
Her tone was calm but carried a clear layer of distance.
Mason withdrew his hand, which was now hanging awkwardly, and smiled sheepishly.
“Well, it's simply that… it's been a while since our informal engagement, so I thought it was time to discuss the wedding.”
As his cheeks reddened slightly as he spoke, Limia instinctively turned her gaze away from him.
What good is a person's character if you can't even look at his face?
After collecting herself for a moment, Limia finally managed to put out a slight smile and answered.
“Hmm, I understand what you’re saying, but… I think it’s still too early.”
“Oh…”
"Today, for example, I have just finished a long diplomatic meeting regarding the Kletan Empire, and I was about to finally rest. If my marriage becomes a topic of discussion in such a situation, it will increase my father's burdens. For now, I think it is best to postpone the matter. Of course, you understand, don't you, Count?"
Naturally, this postponement was supposed to be extended indefinitely, in accordance with her wishes.
And if Limia fell in love with Raiden, this farcical engagement could be called off at any time… but there was no need to explain that.
After Limia quickly calculated her options, she glanced at him.
Count Ravioli's sudden visit made her even more angry than usual today.
"Of course, princess. I always respect your wishes."
As always, this innocent man with a good heart nodded helplessly whenever Limia tried to convince him, and this time was no different.
As Limia watched Mason's polite but embarrassed smile, she nodded slightly.
“Well, I have a lot of other things to take care of... I'm leaving now.”
Limia turned condescendingly and left, her mind preoccupied with the unfinished letter she had yet to write.
She vowed to vent her grievances about this unfair and frustrating situation in that letter to Raiden.
* * *
Beats, beats.
Beats, beats, beats.
...What is that sound, you ask?
It's the sound of my little heart beating so hard.
'What should I do?'
Ten minutes ago, the Duke was quietly reading a comic book, looking like it was a fine piece of art.
Honestly, I'm human after all, and I have aesthetic standards. So, seeing someone so gorgeous was not an unpleasant experience at all.
But still, every time he was silent, my heart would beat harder as if I had fallen in love or something.
Have you ever heard of the suspension bridge effect?
Although our first meeting was the worst, my impression of Kayan Blair gradually changed over time.
He even stepped in to mediate disputes between trainee painters at my request (albeit with conditions).
In retrospect, he also assigned me a competent and hardworking maid, and kept his promise to serve me delicious desserts regularly.
"No no."
I've almost changed my opinion of Duke Blair for the better. Who's to say he didn't contrive this particular situation to make me lower my guard?
The more tender my heart becomes, the more I need to remain wary of that handsome man.
As I watched him turn the page of his book, I composed myself and carefully opened my mouth.
“Hmm...”
“Here you are…”
brother! Why did our words overlap at this particular moment?
As if we were in a scene from a third-rate drama, we were talking at the same time, and I quickly lowered my gaze before his gaze met mine.
“You come first.”
“No, princess, you should speak first.”
"No, really. I wasn't going to say anything important anyway."
“Now I'm curious to know what wasn't important enough to mention.”
“No, I mean, it's not that important…”
Although I tried to retreat, it was in vain in front of the Duke.
He silently but firmly expressed his intention to wait.
In such situations, I was always the loser.
“Well…don’t you think this might be profitable?”
“You mean this comic book?”
“Yes...”
I nodded, glancing at the first volume of Safety Rules for Writing Horror Stories in the Duke's hands
“What do you mean?”
“Okay, ummm...”
Explaining such an important plan orally without a written proposal was a bit embarrassing.
But who was I? An experienced survivor of the Salt Palace, someone who thrived even in the wilderness without any allies.
After I took a deep breath and straightened myself, I began to express my idea clearly.
“As far as I know, less than 50% of the common people in the Kletan Empire can read and write.”
The Duke listened quietly with an ambiguous expression. At least he wasn't completely ignoring me.
“But with this comic book, even people who can't read can understand the context and content through the illustrations – and it's fun, too!”
Of course, the concept of “entertainment” varies from person to person, but the novelty of comics as a media was enough to attract attention.
Considering the empire's large population, I was confident that even in the worst-case scenario, we would not suffer a loss.
"If we can capture people's attention, trends will quickly follow. People may even start learning to read to understand stories better, which could have a positive impact on literacy rates...”
Step by step, I approached the Duke's office, clenching my fists and speaking excitedly.
Finally, the Duke responded in a slow and careful tone.
“How do you plan to distribute it?”
Of course, you've already thought about that.
“What if we included them in the imperial newspaper?”
“The Imperial newspaper?”
“At first, we could pay to reserve space for the comics, but after a few issues, people might start paying us to run them. Then the profits could be shared with the artists, don't you think?”
“Do you really think you can generate meaningful revenue this way?”
The Duke's skepticism was justified. People's initial reactions to unfamiliar ideas are often reserved.
I felt heat rising in my cheeks, but I answered as confidently as I could.
“The purpose of using the newspaper is not profit, but propaganda. Later, we can publish independent picture books for sale.”
"how?"
“Well, since the Imperial Newspaper uses the Mage Tower’s printing system, we can...”
Before I could finish, the Duke shook his head.
“The Mage Tower is facing major problems right now. Although their partnership with the Imperial Press is strong, they will make no effort to accommodate someone they have never worked with before.”
“This…this is not necessarily true.”
Facing obstacles early on was not unusual.
Just as I was about to think of a new approach, something in the Duke's words caught my attention, and I looked at him.
Was the Wizards Tower having problems?
Wait a minute...
“Your Highness?”
“What's the matter?”
"Can you tell me what's happening in the Wizards' Tower?"