episode_0016

Sales of Little Prince character goods.

The policy of lifting purchase restrictions only when donating to welfare facilities such as orphanages received interest and support from many people.

Countless fan letters poured into the publisher.

The Empire’s post office even held an event where letters could be upgraded to express delivery if you used the ‘Le Petit Prince’ stamp. Although no one actually used stamps.

The little prince has now become a symbol of love in the empire.

and.

“On behalf of the prisoners, I would like to express my gratitude. Homer is the benefactor of all prisoners.”

“Ah, you say everything. It was just business.”

The suspiciously rich people who sponsored The Little Prince’s character business.

Prisoners also succeeded in improving their image to some extent.

Gray, a wolf beast with rough gray fur, bowed his head several times and expressed his gratitude. It was a polite attitude to the point of being burdensome.

“As the writer Homer knows, we have been persecuted for a long time. Half human, half beast that cannot hide its animal instincts… That’s the prejudice against us beastmen, and it’s true. I also get caught up in impulses when I smell blood. Our fangs and claws are too sharp to be with humans.”

“The sponsor who says that seems like a very intelligent person.”

“If impulses are not under the control of reason, what is the point of having an intellect as bright as the moon? What determines a person’s identity is not a bright intellect but a warm heart. But we beastmen lack that… .”

Gray laughed self-deprecatingly.

Because the canid’s vocal cords and snout are not adapted for laughter, its laughter sounded like a growl.

“Most humans consider it dishonorable to even receive support from us. They say it’s about receiving the devil’s gold. However, Homer taught us how to turn our money into a blessed spirit. Wisdom that guides desires into good deeds! So how can this be considered not grace?”

“… You exalt me too much. However, you seem to be very faithful to your faith.”

The prisoner named Gray was wearing a rosary made of beads around his neck.

Because the neck was thick, it looked like a strong leash. It dug into my fur and tightened to the point where I was worried that I might have trouble breathing.

“Is it strange that we, who are only half-human and half-animal, believe in a human universe?”

“Oh, I didn’t mean that. It’s just that, um, it’s a little bit different.”

“Even among those who have been blessed by God, there are no apathetic people. It is not surprising that there are passionate people among those who are excluded from blessings.”

“That’s right, too.”

In a world where God exists, what is the life like for those who are alienated from God?

I didn’t dare guess.

It was rude to even try to guess.

“Gray sponsor, have you read ‘The Little Prince’?”

“Of course.”

However, I do know that literature exists that can approach hearts that are difficult to understand.

The Little Prince, written with Saint-Exupéry’s wisdom and thoughtfulness, casts a spell of honesty on the reader.

“If so, I would like you to leave a comment.”

No one can fool themselves before the Little Prince. It’s okay if you don’t cheat.

That was the magic of the work The Little Prince.

“If you think you have received a favor, it is enough to repay the favor.”

“You mean the review? Umm… .”

Like a dog washing its face, Gray collected his thoughts by washing his face with his fur and jelly hands.

And then he slowly opened his mouth.

“The fox was so lovely.”

Because it’s such a random yet emotional review.

I burst out laughing without realizing it.

“Puut, oh, I’m sorry. I asked for a review and then gave this example… .”

“No. Well, I think all canines would have fallen in love with that fox.”

“Is that so?”

“If you are a loyal dog, you want a companion that can be walked on a leash at any time… .”

It was a review that was suspicious enough to be suspicious.

.

.

.

Indeed, surprisingly, the name ‘Homer’ was praised throughout the empire and its reputation increased.

“The author of Homer is a truly wise and thoughtful person… . I already collected all the postcards, but I decided to continue donating them to the orphanage to honor his wishes.”

“If I could see him in person just once, I would have no wish!”

In particular, it was popular among girls who liked romance and fantasy, which was close to religious belief.

Testimonies from people who had seen Homer in person at the ‘2nd Creative Contest’ also added excitement to the atmosphere.

“Princess Isolet personally received the portrait of author Homer at the award ceremony, right? I wish I had a talent for writing too! I’m so jealous.”

“Hehe, I was lucky.”

“What kind of person was he? He must have been as kind and considerate as rumored, right?”

“I remember him praising my writing. In a voice as soft as silk, he pointed out the strengths of my writing one by one… I was so nervous that I ended up stuttering without realizing it. I’m a little embarrassed.”

“What does it look like? How did you look?”

“It felt a bit exotic. Very noble… He seemed a little sickly. Could it be that he is a prince from a distant eastern kingdom? I almost had that thought.”

“Kya!”

“And, he held my hand… .”

“Huh! Cow, you mean the hand?! Oh my god─.”

“Hehe, I’ll just leave it here.”

“Aaaah! Princess Isolette, please tell the next story!”

Most of the testimonies were like fiction, covered in delusions.

As unfounded rumors, exaggerated testimonies, and a series of events overlapped, Homer established himself as more than a writer among people.

Idol of literature. A saint of literature. father of literature.

People admired and revered Homer in their own way. And that admiration soon had a huge impact on society as a whole.

“Director Priest!”

“Hehe, sister. Why are you running in such a hurry? First, take a breath.”

“Well, that! An anonymous sponsor─ Ugh. Kek.”

“It’s okay to calm down and speak slowly. Did you donate bread again this time? It would be difficult to take too much, so we should talk to the workhouse and create a soup kitchen for beggars… .”

“You donated the orphanage building!”

“… Yes?”

Beyond simply donating bread to an orphanage to get stamps.

An atmosphere of competition was created to promise support and donations to orphanages.

“… It’s a miracle.”

“It’s a miracle… .”

“Let us pray to God together.”

Construction of a social safety net through private capital.

Before the Little Prince, orphanages could only be maintained through religious zeal. There were many cases where children were sent to work as beers or to work because there was not enough money to run the daycare center.

However, everything changed after the appearance of the little prince.

Popular interest, changes in social awareness, and maturation of civic consciousness. The power of culture has led to lasting and powerful change.

“Ah! Director Priest!”

“Yes. Sister… .”

“How about praying for the author Homer? With all the children at the orphanage… Hehe.”

“I think it’s a good idea.”

“I’ll bring the kids!”

As long as the work The Little Prince remains a symbol of love.

And as long as there remain children who need fairy tales and adults who were once children.

Even if the fever of this trend is forgotten.

The warmth of the lingering fire will always sparkle in people’s hearts.

[If there is someone who loves only one rose blooming somewhere in the night sky among countless stars.]

[That person will be happy just looking up at the stars.]

[“There will be my rose somewhere among those stars.”You will be able to smile.]

[But if the sheep eats the rose, it would be like all the stars suddenly losing their light for that person.]

[But you’re saying that’s not important?!]

Every time I see The Little Prince, I think back to my childhood.

Because you will be able to smile.

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.

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I hope that the loyal dog, which was blind to humans, will be tamed by looking at the fox in the picture.

When a girl who loves roses is praying to the stars.

“A subject of the Empire meets His Highness the Prince.”

“Oh my, you’re not the prince anymore?”

“… Meet Your Highness the Princess.”

Homer—Ed felt like he was standing in front of a poisonous snake.

“I’m not even a princess anymore.”

“… Yes?”

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.

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“Thanks to the medicine you gave me, I have the body of a woman, right?”

“Yes.”

“So, His Majesty was in a bit of trouble.”

“… I see.”

Was that a problem that could be ended by causing a little trouble?

Seeing her smiling and speaking cheerfully, even such doubts seem to disappear.

okay.

She must have done it somehow.

“But now it’s just confusing to say that the prince was actually the princess… So I used the traditional method!”

“Traditional method… What do you mean?”

“I was adopted by Enoch!”

“Yes?”

Enoch is the name of the shadow that protected the prince.

But the prince was adopted by him?

“Enoch becomes Prince Idris, and I become his adopted daughter! Isn’t it a traditional way of resolving the issue of the imperial family’s genealogy while protecting the royal bloodline?”

“Uh, that’s right? Sorry, but I don’t understand… .”

“This means that now both the name Idris and the title His Highness belong to Enoch!”

I was embarrassed.

The prince is no longer a prince.

“… So what happens to you, Your Majesty?”

“Oh, by the way, it’s not your highness. Is that lese majeste?”

She reprimanded me in a playful tone.

Then, with a child-like innocent smile, he introduced himself in a confident voice.

“Please call me Princess Is!”