“Mmm...”
I was staring at the ground endlessly, but I carefully raised my head.
“So, what kind of answer do you intend to give me, my dear?”
The Empress's delicate smile looked particularly frightening today.
Perhaps it was fortunate that she was not overtly hostile, thanks to all my efforts to win her over so far.
True, this was the Empress's palace.
Early this morning, I received news that she was summoning me, so I hurried over here without delay.
Why? Because the news of my mass production of cups has spread widely.
Of course, I deliberately leaked that information in an attempt to lower the insurance premium as much as possible, but…
“I didn't expect having an exclusive piece of merchandise to upset people so much.”
I expected some negative reactions, but I never imagined that they would be so severe that the Empress would summon me immediately.
Amidst the atmosphere of tension weighing on me, I clasped my hands tightly before speaking.
“First of all, I was thinking about the best way to explain this matter to Your Majesty, because I believe that this situation might lead to some misunderstandings.”
"So you're saying I misunderstood the situation. How do you intend to convince me otherwise?"
I didn't even need to ask why the Empress was upset.
She bragged about her possession of these exclusive goods at every gathering of high society, and carried the cup with her everywhere.
For someone accustomed to using unique, custom-made pieces, this situation must have felt like a challenge to her authority.
“Since you started this, I have to solve it.”
After carefully observing her facial expressions to assess the situation, she continued speaking.
“…First of all, what is currently being manufactured in the Grand Duchy is not the Ghost Duke Cup.”
"What do you mean by that?"
The Empress frowned slightly, and raised her voice.
“I personally sent someone to investigate after seeing advertisements in various magazines, and was informed that the cooperation with Magic Tower was going very smoothly...”
I have already sent someone to investigate the matter. I knew it was subtle, but it was really consistent...
I ignored my thoughts and nodded in agreement with her words.
“Yes, it is true that our Grand Duchy produces cups, Your Majesty.”
“Honey, are you playing word games with me?”
Before she lost her patience completely, I softened my tone and carefully rephrased my words.
“That's not what I mean. The limited edition mug that Your Majesty and the other 100 loyal readers have is a rare collector's piece, while the ones currently in production are inspired only by its function.”
“Just inspired by his job?”
“Yes, it is completely different in design, and is essentially a separate product from what Your Majesty owns.”
But my explanation that the mass-produced version is different from the limited edition did not convince her. Her facial expression remained tense.
This means that it is time to implement plan B.
She took a deep breath, then let out a heavy sigh and spoke in a pitiful tone.
“Indeed, Your Majesty, the magazine was on the verge of losing its readers due to rampant scams in the capital.”
"What do you mean? I've heard that mug scams are widespread in the capital, but how does that relate to readers disengaging from the story?"
“The more these fraudulent activities spread, the more readers will lose interest in the business.”
“So what? Whoever likes it will still like it.”
This is not true.
I quickly shook my head.
“If a business is abandoned by the majority of people, it loses the opportunity to recognize its true value. If this happens, the chances of the business being stopped or canceled increase.”
Of course, the chance of this happening was only about 0.1%, but I didn't feel the need to mention that part.
Perhaps that was why the Empress's expression had changed dramatically, as if she had just received the worst possible news.
"Is this correct?"
“Yes. Although this case could be considered just a case of fraud, I believe that if we truly care about the readers who love this story, we cannot simply ignore it.”
I didn't say it outright, but part of the reason for the mass production was also for readers who wanted to own something similar, even if they couldn't get the limited edition.
In the end, only 100 people owned the original copy, including the Empress.
As I added further clarification, the Empress's expression softened slightly. She leaned back in her chair, and her stiffness eased a little.
Then, with a serious expression, she finally spoke.
“That makes sense. Moreover, if this hoax tarnishes the reputation of , it should be dealt with quickly.”
Before I could respond, she quickly added her decision.
I will take care of this matter.
"Excuse me? How...?"
But it seemed that the Empress had already made her own plan. As if she didn't even hear my question.
She'll take care of it, right?
In the end, although I was called up under harsh conditions, I was discharged in a rather inappropriate manner.
* * *
And so, after many ups and downs, I finally received news that the production of the mugs is nearing completion.
I reread the message from the magic tower, resting my chin on my hand as I lost myself in deep thought.
“Hmm...”
No matter how I look at it, producing the Ghost Duke mug again – while it was originally released in limited quantities – would likely upset those who already own the exclusive merchandise.
In other words… there was no way I could exclude someone like Baron Bavron.
“It's not like the Internet is here, so no one will ever find out... but still, a promise is a promise.”
But completely ignoring his situation would weigh heavily on my mind.
Why? Because Baron Bavron had squandered his entire fortune and had a sick wife to take care of.
Thinking he was a scammer, I requested a background check, but the results were exactly as I expected.
His financial records were so clean that not a single speck of dust could be found – clear evidence of how honest he was in his life.
I've heard that thermal mugs are excellent at retaining heat. Just wanted to get one to keep my wife's soup warm...
I leaned back against my cluttered desk and let out a deep sigh.
I really wanted to stop thinking seriously about it – I felt like my brain was about to malfunction.
Is there any other way I can help?
Some may blame me for being too sympathetic.
But as someone who grew up in the 21st century, I found it almost impossible to turn a blind eye to someone struggling right in front of me.
“I was the type of person who always participated in charity drives for neighbors in need in elementary school.”
Anyway, one thing was for sure, I couldn't produce the same mug design again.
While I was resting my chin on my hand, deep in thought, I accidentally saw the mug design drawings scattered on my desk.
“…When you think about it, the current cup design is not well suited for storing food, only for drinks.”
If it were intended to place food for his sick wife, it would have to be larger than those currently available.
A handle might also be useful.
“……!”
Then suddenly, an idea occurred to me.
“If it can keep drinks and food warm for at least half a day, wouldn’t a thermos be a great alternative?”
After all, thermos flasks existed before mugs.
I slowly sat up and adjusted my body position.
This was a bit of a backwards approach, but a thermos would certainly be more effective than a cup in this case.
A slight smile appeared on my lips as I reached out to take the paper and pen to write a new message.