episode_0099

That’s how I arrived in front of my mother’s room.

“Mother Empress Dowager. His Majesty the Emperor has come.”

When the chamberlain informed my mother that I had arrived, she soon received an answer.

[Ask them to come in.]

-Squeak!

Soon, my mother, who is drinking tea and reading in the room with the door open, speaks with an expression of surprise on her face.

“Okay, Terra, didn’t you say you’re busy at this time?”

“Yes… But I have a question.”

At my words, my mother gently closes the book and says with a puzzled look on her face.

“Really? This mother doesn’t know much?”

“Well… Debian today…”

When I told her what had happened a little while ago, my mother spoke with a surprised face.

“Yes… The former Grand Duchess Fulvia said that she cared for Debian a lot, so she would be very heartbroken if the fountain pen her mother gave her was broken.”

Those words make me a little depressed.

“So… did the mother and son get along well?”

My mother nods as if my words were obvious.

“That’s right… Every time Valorant gave birth to a son, he made him die before he was even a year old. He must have been a son who wouldn’t hurt even if you looked at him.”

“Yes?”

My mother said, rather surprised by my words.

“Didn’t you know? Debian originally had two older brothers.”

I am surprised and reply to that statement.

“I didn’t know he had older brothers?”

My mother’s expression looks slightly sad at my words.

“That’s it… I’m not sure because I died because of Valorant not long after I was born.”

“Bar… Are you dying because of Valorant?”

That’s how I learned the terrible secret of the Ryan family that my mother knew.

“I… really?”

I get goosebumps.

I knew Valorant was crazy… but I never thought he would be that crazy…

“That’s how Archduchess Fulvia died and Debian was almost executed. He came forward and saved me.”

“Your father?”

My mother nods slightly at my words.

“Yes, according to imperial law, permission from the emperor is required to kill an archduke or heir to a kingdom-level title. Instead, I remember being locked in a prison tower for about two years.”

Shock… astonishment.

I never thought something like that would happen to him when he was young.

“Bah… Why is Valorant so… so…?”

My mother speaks with a sad face at my words.

“I don’t know… why he became like that…”

***

next day.

I went out to the Roman center to buy gifts for Theodora and Mary and a fountain pen for myself.

Since it’s the emperor’s journey…

[uh? I see your Majesty has arrived?]

[What’s going on?]

When the emperor visits, a large number of manpower is needed.

About 100 heavily armed guards.

A cavalry guarding the carriage.

So naturally, people’s attention is drawn to this place.

It’s strange that it’s not noticeable.

[Get out of the way. This is the arrival of His Majesty the Emperor.]

Also, it’s strange that they don’t know when people are yelling at people to get out of the way on the street.

I don’t like this, but…

Theodora’s security must be fully prepared.

Because you never know when and where they might target her.

“You… why are you looking around so much?”

“Just… I was wondering if there was anyone strange.”

Rather than that, should I say that I keep looking at people’s reactions?

So, when we arrived at the center…

“But what Princess Mary likes are weapons and horses?”

Theodora asks with an incomprehensible expression and I nod.

“Yes. How much does he like that? Are you saying you are a warrior by nature?”

Mary does not like pretty clothes, accessories, or tea that most women would like, but rather likes high-quality weapons and famous horses.

Like she’s crazy about some kind of weapon. The loving look in his eyes as he looked at weapons all day in the Grand Duchy’s armory is so hard to forget…

“But, wouldn’t a princess have a lot of weapons?”

I nod my head at those words.

“Not much, and besides, our family has owned many famous weapons and famous horses for generations.”

Since the first Grand Duke, he has been crazy about weapons and horses, so he has been spending money extravagantly buying famous weapons at auction houses for generations.

Theodora speaks as if she is a little uneasy at my words.

“But… I can just buy a weapon from a weapon shop?”

“Right? Anyway, all you have to do is format it properly, right?”

Theodora shouts in a sharp voice at my words.

“Just fill in some form! You indifferent person!”

I say, startled by the sudden shout.

“Oh… I’m surprised. What if I suddenly scream?”

“This is the first gift I received from my sister-in-law after getting married. What should I do if someone makes such an irresponsible statement that all you have to do is formalize it?”

I actually question those words.

“Anyway, there are a lot of expensive weapons in the Grand Duchy, right? It’s not worth the money. Wouldn’t it be nice if I could just engrave it on some random sword and say it was bestowed by the emperor?”

Because there is something called the Emperor Premium.

Right now, all the weapons stored in the Grand Duchy are mine, but when I step down later, Mary will have them, right?

Why are you spending money to increase expensive trash?

“If the sword is then just roughly worn on leather armor…”

-Thrill!

Is it my imagination that red lasers seem to come out of Theodora’s red eyes?

“I’m excited. First of all, then buy a fountain pen… Auction house? There, my sister-in-law will choose a useful weapon. If you can’t decide, you can buy it from another noble.”

“Do whatever you want.”

Since I’m getting married to Agrippa anyway, I probably won’t even care about wedding gifts.

Just like that, the carriage arrived at the department store.

A fairly large five-story building.

Considering the basement, it is a huge building.

When we got off the carriage, a black-haired man in his 50s came out and bowed 90 degrees to greet us.

“His Majesty the Emperor and the Grand Duke, thank you for visiting our department store today. My name is François, and I am the manager of Marche Department Store. It is an honor to serve Your Majesty today.”

“Yes. I am asking for guidance today.”

Let Theodora say so. Nod your head as if you understand.

The department stores here are not similar to the department stores we see in modern times.

A typical department store is a place that sells everything, regardless of type, such as daily necessities, furniture, hammers, and weapons.

But here, Marche Department Store is a little different.

A typical department store targets everyone, from the middle class to the low-income, as its main customers, but…

Marche Department Store’s main customers are the wealthy.

so that…

There are a lot of luxury goods, expensive cars, and other expensive items.

“But there aren’t many people.”

The rumors I heard about this department store were that it was always crowded.

“Yes. That’s because His Majesty the Emperor is visiting, so we decided not to receive any guests today.”

I was surprised by those words.

wait for a sec? If a large department store like this is closed for a day… the daily tax revenue for this department store… will disappear, right?

Surprised by the shock, I mutter involuntarily.

“Ha… One day’s worth of tax…”

In addition, the tax on places that specialize in selling luxury goods is mainly collected from the consumption tax of the wealthy class, so in a way, it can be seen as a wealth tax with less opposition from the wealthy class.

It is not good to recklessly impose a wealth tax, but the taxes they pay are so large that they are like the goose that lays golden eggs.

Such a goose… I can’t believe I took a day off.

-Ouch!

“Ugh!”

Theodora lightly steps on my foot with her high heel and speaks in a whisper.

“Do you really have to think like that today?”

Ugh…

okay. I will have to tell you in advance not to do things like this the next time the Emperor visits.

So we arrived at the area that mainly sells writing instruments.

Hearthole, Mondic, Arrow, Pelicana, etc…

“What brand of fountain pen did you use before?”

“This is Mondic.”

Mondicque, a fountain pen brand created here, is named after Mondicque, a high mountain range between the Shardena Kingdom and the Empire.

I think it is probably the most expensive and famous brand among fountain pen brands.

“Then, I will guide you through Mondic.”

Let’s open the door with the word ‘Mondicque’ written on it and go in.

“Meet His Majesty the Emperor and His Royal Highness the Archduke.”

The clerks bow their heads politely and say hello.

“Thank you. I came to buy his fountain pen today, so feel free to show me the fountain pen.”

When Theodora said that, the clerk came out and took Theodora to the sofa in the center of the store.

“Is there a model in particular that His Highness the Archduke is looking for?”

I digress at those words.

“There is nothing in particular. I hope it has a capacity that can be used for a long time and a good writing experience.”

A man who appears to be in his 50s nods his head at my words.

“Hmm, then I think this would be best.”

He says, taking a small box off the shelf.

“This is a product made by our Mondicque craftsmen with special attention to the pen nib.”

And when I open the box, I see a fountain pen with an impressive cigar-shaped black barrel.

“The nib is made of 14k gold with a gorgeous three-tone finish and is tipped with platinum, so it can literally write for 10,000 years.”

With those words, I pick up the fountain pen.

The center of gravity is slightly shifted towards the front.

“Hmm… Your fingers must be tired if you write for a long time. Wouldn’t it be nice if the center of gravity were at the back?”

The clerk nods at my words.

“Then please wait a moment.”

Saying that, he takes out another box and says.

“This is made by attaching brass to the back to place the center of gravity at the back, and the pen nib is the same as the pen nib mentioned above.”

At those words, I turn the tip of the fountain pen and say.

“How do I inject ink into this?”

“Just remove the pen tip and add ink using the dropper.”

“Then you don’t get all the ink on your hands?”

There are several ways to add fountain pen ink, but I don’t prefer adding it with an eyedropper.

It was too cumbersome to begin with.

I sigh as I look at the clerk, who is breaking into a cold sweat at my words and bringing in another fountain pen.

“Ha… isn’t there something like this?”

I take out the broken fountain pen from my pocket and hand it to the clerk.

“Oh…? This…? That’s unusual. We, Mondicque, have never produced a fountain pen like this before. Where did you get it?”

huh? What are you talking about? Is there a brand logo on the fountain pen?

“This is a gift my mother gave me when I first started studying.”

Hearing my words, the clerk put on his monocle and looked at the pen nib carefully.

“This is… made to order.”

“Made to order?”

The clerk nods and says to me.

“Hmm… This pen nib was made by a now-retired craftsman. Looking at the platinum being worn this much, it looks like it has been used for about 30 years. How did it break?”

When I heard that it was made to order, I asked with some anticipation.

“I accidentally broke something on my desk a while ago. Can you possibly repair it?”

The clerk shakes his head at my words and says.

“Unfortunately, once a fountain pen barrel breaks, it cannot be repaired. I guess… it would be better to make or buy a new one.”

When I felt disappointed by those words… Theodora opens her mouth.

“Is there really no way to repair it?”

The clerk says that while looking at the broken part.

“Usually these barrels cannot be remade once they are broken. Then you have to change the barrel. Currently, we do not produce barrels of this small size… First, I will inquire with the head office, but I think it would be better not to have high expectations.”

I nod my head and say that.

“Then, please bring me a fountain pen as similar to that as possible.”

I looked at a few more and bought the one I could get my hands on.