After a long journey, Patrick, the eldest son of Marquis Stefan, returned home.
For the next three years, he isolated himself in his room, thinking and suffering until he finally decided to publish his autobiography.
He dreamed of sharing the vast impressions and tremendous realizations he gained during his absence with the high society of Kılıtan...
The publication of the autobiography was of great importance to the Kletan nobility.
This event was considered almost as important as the young noblewoman's first appearance in society.
Therefore, Marquis Stefan spared no effort for his isolated son, who locked himself in his room after returning from the trip.
“Money is not an issue – make sure you promote Patrick's resume aggressively!”
“We will place advertisements for the young master’s biography in every magazine, and with the approval of the administration, we will also publish them on bulletin boards in the capital!”
But unfortunately, life never goes according to plan.
Before the ink dried on the pages, a bolt of lightning struck from the sky.
“Sir! The Capital Central Library refuses to display the young master’s biography!”
“Why on earth not?!”
They say there's a new thing called the comic book... and because of it, even magazines are offering to refund advertising fees and cancel ads!
“There are dozens of pages in those magazines, and they can’t even devote a single page to my son’s CV!?”
“Well...yes sir.”
However, thanks to the efforts of the influential Marquis Stephane, the biography was able to achieve some modest sales.
Exactly equal to the number of people in Stefan's house.
“Dad, was my writing that bad?”
“Consider it just a stroke of bad luck, Patrick. A man has to be patient and bear it.”
The Marquis did his best to console his frustrated son.
In fact, he was seething on the inside – but perhaps he didn't have the courage to object to the comic book craze that was sweeping through the Empire's entire elite society…
Anyway, they convinced themselves that it was all just bad timing, and they didn't have much time to recover from the first blow before facing another ordeal.
"See that soft, flowing shine? These crystal silk curtains will be our trump card."
“You made a great effort to achieve this, Your Highness!”
“Nonsense, it was you, Robert, who was running back and forth across the Eastern Continent – ha ha ha!”
“This will cause a huge stir in high-end circles.”
But then—
Just before sales of crystal silk curtains went live, something called “blackout curtains” suddenly appeared and ruined everything.
Historically, nobles always preferred bright sunlight streaming indoors.
So how did light-blocking curtains become so popular?
Marquis Stefan couldn't understand it. No matter how much he lowered prices or intensified promotions, the silk curtains were not selling.
And so… the crystal silk curtains, which he had prepared as a trump card, ended up hidden in a warehouse, never to see the light of day.
If he could gather all the tears he shed back then, they would most likely fill one of the ponds of the Imperial Palace.
When recalling those events, Marquis Stefan's face frowned in anger.
I suffered huge losses at that time.
To make matters worse, something happened recently that was like rubbing salt on an open wound.
"What the hell?! What is this on my precious curtains?!"
“Oh my God, it's rotten, sir! Silk seems to be a very delicate material...”
"Mold? Mold!? Aaaaah!"
Black mold spreads on the bright white fabric.
Now that it cannot even be put back on the market, it has incurred a huge loss. Who wouldn't feel resentment in such a situation?
On top of that, there was the infamous “Magic Cup of Tea” incident that dealt the final blow to his patience.
Marquis Stefan spent an astronomical sum over five years to develop a magic tea cup that could maintain the temperature of his tea.
And he had to beg those demanding wizards in the tower to do it!
...What happened next was very predictable.
Since the product was intended exclusively for the nobility, and because its development costs were high, the price of each cup of tea reached 5 million tri. In contrast, the thermoses and cups available on the market at that time cost no more than 10,000 to 20,000 tri, and they performed their function quite efficiently.
In fact, they performed so well that Marquis Stefan himself secretly used one of those hated cups as his personal liquor glass.
“As much as I hate to admit it, when they throw dirt right at you, what choice do you have but to accept it?”
Just thinking about how he almost lost everything because of that damned Duke Blair made Stefan so angry that he would wake up in a cold sweat.
“It's not over yet, Duke Blair.”
As long as the Crown Prince of the Empire, Raiden, stood firmly by his side...!
He had nothing to fear.
* * *
After the commotion in the ducal palace subsided -
The Empress summoned me to the capital.
The Duke was originally supposed to accompany me, but he had to stay behind.
Since the widespread return of the blackout curtains, the duchy had been in chaos, and he had to go around himself to restore order.
I'll be fine on my own.
There was no point in sitting idly by wringing my hands. I composed myself, relaxing my stiff lips as I glanced at my reflection in the palace wall.
“No one can spit on a smiling face.”
After a short wait, I was brought before the Empress for the first time in a long time, and the situation was worse than I expected. I pulled the hem of my dress tight.
"Mrs."
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Empress used to have a gentle smile on her face whenever she talked about comics or merchandise, but now her expression had become completely cold.
There was no overt hostility, but the change in her demeanor told me this was going to be a far from comfortable meeting.
Indeed, this is what was expected.
She ignored the formalities and plunged straight into her discontent.
“You've heard the disturbing rumors spreading throughout the empire, haven't you?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
She didn't need to explain. I already knew what the “rumors” were referring to.
Blackout curtains. Cups.
The stigma attached to all the comic-related merchandise we've released so far.
“As a loyal reader of the Duke’s Haunted Mansion’s safety rules, I cannot stand idly by while these shameful rumors continue.”
“……”
“That's why I want you to get to the bottom of this, ma'am. Personally.”
I could not easily agree with those words.
We have not yet found the source of the rumors. It was too early to make any promises.
When the Empress noticed my hesitant reaction, she emphasized her position in a colder tone.
“If something created with my financial support turns out to be defective, someone will have to take responsibility.”
She didn't say who she meant, but it was clear she meant me.
At that moment, I realized that I had become very accustomed to the Empress's usual kindness towards me.
I forgot – this is a woman from a blood-soaked story.
This was the same woman who had stirred up a storm in order to make her son the crown prince.
It was Empress Oriana who forced
Duke forces Blair to return to his lands without even giving him enough time to mourn his mother.
That means this wasn't a situation I could smooth over with a smile or a lame excuse.
“I will do my best to uncover the truth, Your Majesty.”
“You better do that.”
With a firm voice, the Empress suddenly turned on her heel.
And in that moment, I knew—
She was honestly giving me one last chance.