LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 19
Lemeia Salt had to be the most brilliant jewel of the Salt lineage. She couldn’t afford to let anyone see her in such a pitiful and miserable state.
That’s why Lemeia hastily covered her face.
She was in the middle of crying, and the thought of her puffy eyes looking unsightly suddenly filled her with dread.
“Princess, it’s me.”
“Count Ravioli…?”
Mason Ravioli.
The man who had recently been granted the title of count for his achievements in eradicating pirates plaguing the coast, and also…
“Are you alright?”
Lemeia Salt’s fiancé.
Although his tone and expression were nothing but gentle, Lemeia found it hard to lift her head.
To be honest, meeting Mason at all was far from welcome.
“Yes, Princess?”
A puzzled call reached her ears, but Lemeia remained silent.
“Have I come at a bad time?”
“……”
In truth, he had quite a favorable reputation.
Not only was he respected, but he was also wealthy, thanks to the substantial inheritance left by the late Viscount Ravioli.
Moreover, he was widely known in social circles as a courteous gentleman who respected women, so it was no surprise that Berga had personally selected him as Lemeia’s husband-to-be.
But there was a flaw—a fatal one that overshadowed all his previously mentioned virtues.
“I’m fine.”
Lemeia slowly wiped away her tears and finally looked at Mason.
The reflection in her now clearer eyes revealed a man who, by Lemeia’s standards, was the ugliest in the world.
First of all, he was nearly the same height as Lemeia. Even considering that she was taller than average, this was unforgivable. His hair was a dull dark brown, and his facial features were excessively unfriendly in arrangement.
Ignoring the hand he extended for an escort, Lemeia steadied herself by leaning on a tree 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 soft but carried an unmistakable layer of distance.
Mason withdrew his hand, now left hanging awkwardly, and gave a sheepish smile.
“Well, it’s just that… It’s been quite some time since we had our informal engagement, so I thought it might be time to discuss the wedding.”
As his cheeks flushed a light red while he spoke, Lemeia instinctively turned her gaze away.
What good was someone’s character if she couldn’t even bear to look at his face?
Taking a moment to compose herself, Lemeia finally managed a faint smile and replied.
“Hmm, I understand what you’re saying, but… I think it’s still too early.”
“Oh…”
“Today, for example, I just finished a long diplomatic meeting regarding the Kleitan Empire and was finally about to rest. If my marriage were to become a topic of discussion in such a situation, it would only add to Father’s burdens. For now, I think it’s best to postpone the matter. Of course, you understand, don’t you, Count?”
Naturally, this postponement was intended to be extended indefinitely, according to her wishes.
And if Lemeia were to end up falling in love with Raiden, this farcical engagement could be annulled at any time… but there was no need to explain that much.
After swiftly calculating her options, Lemeia glanced at him.
Count Ravioli’s unannounced visit irked her more than usual today.
“Of course, Princess. I always respect your wishes.”
As always, this innocent and kind-hearted man nodded helplessly whenever Lemeia persuaded him, and this time was no different.
Watching Mason’s polite but awkward smile, Lemeia gave a light nod.
“Well, I have many other matters to attend to… I’ll take my leave.”
With a haughty turn, Lemeia departed, her mind preoccupied with the unfinished letter she had yet to write.
She vowed to pour her grievances about this unfair and frustrating situation into that letter to Raiden.
* * *
Thump, thump.
Thump, thump, thump.
…What’s that sound, you ask?
It’s the sound of my tiny little heart pounding away furiously.
‘What do I do?’
For ten minutes now, the duke had been quietly reading a comic book, looking as though he were a magnificent piece of art.
To be honest, I’m only human, and I do have aesthetic standards. Watching someone so pleasant to look at wasn’t exactly an unwelcome experience.
But still, every time he kept his silence, my heart would race as if I’d fallen in love or something.
…Have you ever heard of the suspension bridge effect?
Although our first meeting had been the worst, my impression of Kayan Blaire gradually shifted over time.
He had even stepped in to mediate disputes between the apprentice painters at my request (albeit with conditions attached).
Looking back, he had also assigned me a capable and diligent maid and kept his promise to regularly provide me with delicious desserts.
‘No, no.’
I almost revised my opinion of Duke Blaire in a positive direction. Who’s to say he hadn’t orchestrated this very situation to make me lower my guard?
The more my heart softened, the more I needed to stay wary of that handsome man.
Watching him turn the page of his book, I steeled myself and cautiously opened my mouth.
“Um…”
“Go ahead…”
Ack! Why did our words have to overlap at this exact moment?
Like a scene from a third-rate drama, we had spoken at the same time, and I hurriedly lowered my gaze before his could meet mine.
“You go first.”
“No, Princess, you should speak first.”
“No, really. I wasn’t going to say anything important anyway.”
“Now I’m curious about what wasn’t important enough to mention.”
“No, I mean, it’s really nothing significant…”
Even though I tried to back down, it was futile against the duke.
He silently but firmly expressed his intention to wait.
And in situations like this, the loser was always me.
“Well… Don’t you think this could be profitable?”
“This comic book, you mean?”
“Yes…”
I nodded, glancing at Volume 1 of Safety Rules for Writing Horror Stories in the duke’s hands.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, um…”
Explaining such an important plan verbally without a written proposal felt a bit awkward.
But who was I? A seasoned survivor of the Salt Palace, someone who had thrived even in the wilderness without any allies.
After taking a deep breath and straightening my back, I began to articulate my idea clearly.
“As far as I know, less than 50% of the commoners in the Kleitan Empire are literate.”
The duke listened quietly with an unreadable expression. At least he wasn’t dismissing me outright.
“But with this comic book, even people who can’t read well can understand the context and content through the illustrations—and it’s even entertaining!”
Of course, the concept of “entertainment” varied from person to person, but the novelty of comics as a medium was sure to capture attention.
Given the empire’s large population, I was confident that even in the worst-case scenario, we wouldn’t suffer a loss.
“If we can catch people’s attention, trends will follow quickly. People might even start learning to read to understand the stories better, which could have a positive impact on literacy rates…”
Step by step, I moved closer to the duke’s desk, clenching my fists as I spoke passionately.
Finally, the duke responded in a slow, deliberate tone.
“How do you plan to distribute them?”
Of course, I had 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 feature them. The profits could then be shared with the artists, don’t you think?”
“Do you really believe you could generate meaningful revenue that way?”
The duke’s skepticism was valid. People’s initial reactions to unfamiliar ideas were often reserved.
I became aware of the warmth rising in my cheeks but answered as confidently as I could.
“The goal of using the newspaper isn’t profit—it’s publicity. Later, we could publish standalone comic books for sale.”
“How?”
“Well, since the imperial newspaper uses the Mage Tower’s printing system, we could…”
Before I could finish, the duke shook his head.
“The Mage Tower is dealing with significant issues right now. While their partnership with the imperial press is strong, they won’t go out of their way to accommodate someone they’ve never worked with before.”
“That… That’s not necessarily true.”
Encountering obstacles early on wasn’t unusual.
Just as I was about to brainstorm a new approach, something in the duke’s words caught my attention, and I looked at him.
The Mage Tower was having issues?
Wait a second…
“Your Grace?”
“What is it?”
“Could you tell me what’s going on with the Mage Tower?”