“Something very serious has happened.”
"What do you mean?"
“We don't know who might be watching us, so can you come with me to the park...no, to my private office?”
Once we entered the office, Ashley, after closing the door tightly, quickly grabbed something from the desk as soon as she sat down.
Ah, this…
What she was holding in her hand was another “comic book” that strangely resembled the cover of the book we had created.
This was none other than the ambitious work titled “The Secret of the Beast Duke,” prepared by Marquis Stefan.
“How could something like this happen?”
Ashley quickly explained the situation.
To give some context, the latest issue of “Safety Rules for the Duke's Haunted Mansion” had a unique editorial.
The heroine detective usually receives cases from clients, but this time, the heroine actively sought out a case herself.
The tool used was strawberry jam and fresh bread.
But…
“Using strawberry jam and fresh bread to find someone? That's exactly the same!”
Ashley's voice, which echoed throughout the office, revealed her feelings of shock.
“It's okay for a cover or title to feel a little similar! It happens.”
I agreed with her opinion.
There's a saying that imitation is the mother of creativity, and at the time, with comics released into the world, there weren't many references to choose from.
But the similarity of the story was not the problem; Indeed, the fact that the identified elements were identical could not be ignored.
It was clear that the story had leaked.
“Hmm...”
After that, I could easily guess where the leak was coming from.
It was known that Baron Fabron's wife had joined as a story writer.
However, she had not stayed in the Grand Duchy for long, so anyone could have guessed that the story of the safety rules of the Duke's Haunted Mansion would be transmitted through letters.
Although they used a code for security purposes, it wouldn't take long for someone to crack it if they were determined.
So... the situation was clear.
But this was expected.
In fact, there was nothing particularly wrong with the contents sent by Baroness Fabron this time.
However, I thought that if there were any problems in the production of the comic, they would most likely stem from her side, so I modified the story in my own way, even though it wasn't necessary.
If I hadn't done that...the bread and jam, and even the decisive touch, would have been identical. In the end, it turned out to be the right decision.
“Ashley, you need to calm down now.”
“Oh, I'm sorry. I got so angry...”
“Yes, I completely understand that.”
I knew how interested she was in the storyboard.
In fact, I assumed that everyone involved in its creation, myself included, felt the same way.
I nodded quietly, enunciating each word with emphasis.
“…So, we need to respond more calmly.”
When anger takes over, things that could have been solved get worse.
“At least, I'm sure of one thing now.”
The story was leaked by Baroness Fabron.
If the storyboard by Duke Stefan had copied the story I adapted, I would have had to suspect every remaining artist to find the culprit.
So, this was really good news.
“The leak of the story likely occurred during the handover process.”
The famous Ambrose family was known for their keen eye for security.
If it is discovered that they planted a spy to steal letters from another family, political problems will arise.
This would force me to confront the Ambrose family, who had enormous influence in the imperial market.
So, it was too early to speculate about anyone's intervention on their part. There were many ways to access messages.
“Then the external issue remains. From there, things started to change.”
“This aspect is not difficult to deal with.”
As for the message, since its content is not very complicated, the matter is simple, which is to copy it and return it.
Since Ambrose Trading Company was handling the logistics and distribution of several projects smoothly in the Duchy of Blair, extracting the mixed message between the various goods would be an easy task.
That is, as long as I have access to Ambrose Trading Company's distribution line.
I'm sure the leak came from Baron Fabron's wife. But what's worrying is that based on the dates, the Baroness will likely write and send out the outline for the next issue today...
Although Ashley regained some of her composure, she muttered nervously, unable to shake the look of worry on her face.
“Even if the Baroness realizes that the content of this issue overlaps with ‘The Secret of the Beast Duke’ and our comic, how can she change the plot she already finished in just one day…?”
“……”
"Even if a sudden moment of inspiration prompted her to make changes and successfully meet the deadline, it would be difficult to find another way to get the information to us. This is a really big problem."
"no."
I shook my head vigorously before Ashley's bad imagination got out of control.
“Don't worry too much, Ashley.”
“…Do you have a good idea?”
“There is always a backup plan, even if it is not the best.”
As I edited all the stories except the story of strawberry jam and fresh bread, changing the story was not difficult for me at all.
Of course… ascertaining the root cause of all this – no, ensuring that Duke Stefan was taught a proper lesson – was an important task!
* * *
"Hahaha! I wonder if you've ever felt this happy before!"
“The Lord is certainly taking care of you, Your Grace. Otherwise, things would not have gone so smoothly.”
Duke Stefan let out a loud laugh, so much so that his face turned red, and he patted Robert on the back as if to encourage him.
“Yes! Robert, you handled everything… very well. Haha.”
“The Blair Duchy may have been turned upside down now. News spreads slowly compared to the Imperial Capital, so they may not have had much time to react.”
How I wished to see that noble face twisting in despair!
After Robert was satisfied with the reaction, he continued speaking with a sarcastic expression and whispered maliciously.
“The guy I was dealing with in the back alleys had a big hit and stole Ambrose's business ledger. Sales of blackout curtains and thermoses have dropped significantly!”
"Oh? Is that true? I heard people don't usually ask for a refund that much for blackout curtains."
“It may be too large and heavy to handle. But with the purchases halted, it will have a major impact soon, Your Highness.”
"truly…?"
If that had happened, I couldn't have asked for more.
Once the popularity of blackout curtains in the Duchy of Blair faded, Stefan's family was planning to start selling silk curtains.
Just as they promoted and sold blackout curtains through comic strips, Duke Stefan was somehow planning to package and sell mold-covered silk curtains.
“If products made from dirty monster skin are popular, mold-covered curtains will be good too.”
After researching readers of horror-themed comics sold in the Duchy of Blair, Duke Stefan has come to one conclusion.
These loyal readers would buy curtains if they were told that the main character deliberately planted mold—they would even sell their souls for it.
They were really stupid pigs!
“...Tshh. Anyway, it seems we're finally seeing a breakthrough.”
“Exactly. Oh, and cheap imitation mugs and thermoses are sold a lot, so we decided to rent storage space from Count Rolex’s area.”
"Count Rolex's storage space? That's expensive, isn't it? Very expensive… very expensive."
Duke Stefan frowned in dissatisfaction.
This was understandable, as the rental fees for Count Rolex's warehouse space were remarkably high.
When Robert saw the Duke staring at him angrily, he quickly rubbed his hands and lowered his height.
“Yes, of course, but it's an ideal location for shipping goods, and more importantly, they offer excellent security. Haha… so it's worth the extra cost.”
Knock knock.
At that moment, a knock was heard on the door from outside, followed by the sound of footsteps.
“Ah, it must be my wife. You can leave now. I will call you later.”
“Yes! Understood, Your Highness. Haha…”
After exchanging a glance with Duke Stefan, Robert left, and entered…
“Dear.”
Audrey Stephan.
She was the wife of Duke Stefan, to whom he was married for 35 years.