LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 85
“Something really serious has happened.”
“What do you mean?”
“We don’t know who might be watching, so could you please come with me to the garden… no, to my personal office?”
As soon as we entered the office, Ashley, having locked the door thoroughly, quickly grabbed something from the desk just as I sat down.
‘Ah, that’s…’
What she was holding in her hand was another ‘comic book’ that strangely resembled the cover of the one we created.
It was none other than the ambitious work titled The Secret of the Monster Duke, prepared by Marquis Stephan.
“How could something like this happen?”
Ashley quickly explained the situation.
To give a bit of context, the latest issue of “Safety rules for duke’s haunted manor” had a unique opening.
Normally, the female detective protagonist receives cases from clients, but this time, the protagonist actively sought out a case herself.
And the device used for this was strawberry jam and freshly baked bread.
However…
“Using strawberry jam and freshly baked bread to find someone? That’s exactly the same!”
Ashley’s voice, which echoed throughout the office, revealed her shocked feelings.
“It’s okay to feel some similarity in the cover or the title of the work! That happens.”
I agreed with her.
There’s the saying that imitation is the mother of creation, and at this time, with comics just being released to the world, there weren’t many references to choose from.
But the story being similar wasn’t the problem; the fact that the specific elements were identical couldn’t be overlooked.
It was clear that the story had leaked.
“Hmm…”
And then I could easily guess where the leak had come from.
It was well known that Baron Fabron’s wife had joined as a story writer.
However, she hadn’t stayed in the Grand Duchy for long, so anyone could have guessed that the story of Safety Rules for Duke’s Haunted Manor would be passed around via letters.
Though they used a code for security, it wouldn’t take long for someone to decipher it if they were determined.
So… the situation was clear.
‘But, this was expected.’
In fact, there was nothing particularly wrong with the contents Baroness Fabron had sent this time.
However, I thought that if there were any issues with the comic’s production, they would likely stem from her side, so I’d modified the story in my own way, though it wasn’t necessary.
If I hadn’t done that… not only the bread and jam, but even the decisive twist would have been identical. In the end, it turned out to be a good decision.
“Ashley, you should calm down for now.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I got too angry…”
“Yes, I completely understand.”
I knew how much she cared about the comic.
In fact, I assumed everyone who participated in its creation, including me, felt the same way.
Nodding calmly, I spoke each word with emphasis.
“…So, we need to respond more calmly.”
When anger takes over, things that could have been solved go wrong.
‘At least, now I’m sure of one thing.’
The story leaked from Baroness Fabron’s side.
If the comic from Duke Stefan’s side had copied the story I modified, I would have had to turn suspicion on every remaining artist to find a culprit.
So, this was actually good news.
‘The story leak likely happened during delivery.’
The renowned Ambrose family was known for their strict security.
And if it were discovered that they had planted a spy to steal letters from another family, political issues would arise.
It would force me to confront the Ambrose family, which had tremendous influence in the imperial market.
Thus, it was premature to speculate that someone from their side had interfered. There were many ways to access the letters.
“Then the remaining issue is the outside. From there, things started to change.”
‘That side isn’t that difficult to approach.’
As for the letter, since its content isn’t too complicated, it’s a simple matter of copying it and putting it back.
Since the Ambrose Trading Company was handling the logistics and distribution of many projects smoothly in the Blaire Duchy, extracting the letter mixed among various goods would be an easy task.
That is, as long as I can access the distribution line of the Ambrose Trading Company.
“I’m certain it was leaked from Baron Fabron’s wife. However, what’s concerning is that, based on the dates, the Baroness will likely write and send the outline for the next issue today…”
Although Ashley had regained some composure, she muttered nervously, unable to shake the anxious look on her face.
“Even if the Baroness realized that the content of this issue overlapped with ‘The Secret of the Monster Duke’ and our comic, how could she change the outline she has already finished in just one day…?”
“……”
“Even if a sudden burst of inspiration led her to make changes and successfully meet the deadline, it would be difficult to find another way to pass the information along to us. This is really a big problem.”
“No.”
I shook my head firmly before Ashley’s bad imagination could spiral out of control.
“Don’t worry too much, Ashley.”
“…Do you have some good idea?”
“There’s always a fallback plan, even if it’s not the best.”
Just as I had edited all the stories except for the strawberry jam and freshly baked bread episode, changing the story was not difficult for me at all.
Of course… making sure that the root cause of all this—no, making sure to properly teach a lesson to Duke Stephan—was an important task!
* * *
“Hahaha! I wonder if I’ve ever been this happy before!”
“The Lord is surely watching over Your Grace. Otherwise, everything wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.”
Duke Stephan let out a huge laugh, so loud it made his face flush red, and patted Robert’s back as if encouraging him.
“Yes! Robert, you handled everything… very well. Hehehe.”
“By now, the Blaire Duchy has probably been completely turned upside down. News travels slower compared to the Imperial Capital, so they probably didn’t have much time to respond.”
How much I had wanted to see that noble face twist in despair!
Satisfied with the reaction, Robert, with a smug expression, continued, whispering cunningly.
“The guy I’ve been using in the back alleys did well and stole the logistics ledger from the Ambrose Trading Company. Sales of blackout curtains and thermoses have dropped significantly!”
“Oh? Is that so? I heard that people don’t usually request many refunds for blackout curtains.”
“They’re probably too large and cumbersome to bother with. But with no more purchases, it will soon have a significant impact, Your Grace.”
“Really…?”
If that happened, I couldn’t ask for more.
As soon as the blackout curtain trend in the Blaire Duchy fades, Stephan’s family was planning to start selling silk curtains.
And just as they had promoted and sold blackout curtains through the comics, Duke Stephan was planning to somehow package and sell mildew-covered silk curtains.
“If products made from filthy monster leather sold well, mildew-covered curtains will be just fine.”
After looking into the readers of the horror-themed comics sold in the Blaire Duchy, Duke Stephan had come to one conclusion.
These devoted readers would buy the curtains if they were told the main character intentionally cultivated the mildew—they would even sell their souls for them.
They were truly foolish pigs!
“…Tch. Anyway, it seems like we’re finally seeing a breakthrough.”
“Exactly. Oh, and cheap fake tumblers and thermoses have been selling like hotcakes, so we’ve decided to rent warehouse space from Count Rollacks’ territory.”
“Warehouse space from Count Rollacks? That’s expensive, isn’t it? Very… very expensive.”
Duke Stephan frowned in displeasure.
It was understandable, as the rental fees for Count Rollacks’ warehouse space were notoriously high.
Seeing the Duke glaring, Robert quickly rubbed his hands together and lowered his posture.
“Y-yes, of course, but it’s a perfect location to ship the goods, and more importantly, they provide excellent security. Hehe… so it’s worth the extra cost.”
Knock knock.
At that moment, a knock sounded from outside, followed by footsteps.
“Ah, it must be my wife. You can leave for now. I’ll call for you later.”
“Yes! Understood, Your Grace. Hehehe…”
After exchanging a subtle glance with Duke Stephan, Robert left, and in came…
“My dear.”
Audrey Stephan.
She was the wife of Duke Stephan, who had been married to him for 35 years.