NOVEL WEB “Lord Rupert, come here and have a seat for a moment.”
The voice of the Princess, calling me with her arms crossed, unmistakably held a certain joy that was hard to hide.
‘What’s going on? Why is she so excited? It’s unsettling.’
As the second son of a regional lord without any title, I was powerless against the magic of words.
I approached the Princess, knelt on one knee, and lowered my head to respond.
“I beg your pardon. Please allow me to refrain from sitting before Your Highness.”
Wasn’t this the proper etiquette? I glanced at the head attendant, whom I somewhat knew, unsure since I had hurried here.
The head attendant, a cantankerous old man with white hair, appeared slightly satisfied as he observed me.
‘Fortunately, it seems I wasn’t mistaken about the etiquette.’
However, this was merely the first obstacle I had passed. There were still plenty of hidden dangers ahead, so I had to remain on guard.
“I grant you permission to raise your head.”
“Thank you for Your Highness’s grace.”
Only after receiving the Princess’s permission was I finally able to lift my head.
Then, I could finally see the face of the Princess, whom I had only seen in pictures.
Her hair and eyes were black, sparkling as if adorned with stars. The features of the noble ‘Bell’ lineage stood out prominently.
But more striking was her extraordinary beauty.
The Princess wore a splendid and elegant dress adorned with jewelry, so lavish that most noble ladies would struggle to pull it off.
Yet, she overwhelmed the ornate attire with her beauty, making it seem as if she was simply dressed in ordinary clothing.
‘Indeed, the title of the Empire’s flower is well-deserved.’
In the original novel, there was even a scene where men debated who was more beautiful—her or Amelia, the female lead.
She truly belonged among the most beautiful women in the world.
“Do you know why I called you here?”
The Princess directly questioned me, gazing at me as I raised my head.
She had mentioned in the letter that she wanted to discuss ‘The Little Mermaid’.
“I understand you have inquiries regarding ‘The Little Mermaid’.”
“Yes, I had a question concerning that very tale!”
“Ask whatever you wish, Your Highness.”
“What happened to the Prince after the Little Mermaid returned to the sea?”
“Pardon?”
I thought she had summoned me because she wasn’t satisfied with the ending, but the mention of a prince caught me off guard, leading to a response that deviated from proper etiquette.
“I know it well. Surely, as the author, you must have considered what happened next?”
Uh, not really…
*
“So, perhaps the Prince, longing for the Little Mermaid…”
“Oh, that makes sense! Go on, continue.”
Edric Bell, the Third Prince of the Empire, could only stare in astonishment at the unprecedented scene before him.
“Who on earth is this author?”
“It is Lord Rupert, the second son of the Somerset family.”
“Somerset?”
At Aiden’s response, Edric recalled the name Somerset from the list of nobles in his memory.
“A noble house from the southern Goldfull Valley region.”
While an average person would likely struggle to remember the names of the hundreds of noble families within the Empire, it was a simple task for the Third Prince.
“But why is he here, and why is my sister so excited talking to him?”
Faced with Edric’s inquiries, Aiden pondered where to begin but soon organized a clear account of all that had transpired from start to finish.
“So there’s a Fairy Tale Book… I had heard rumors but never imagined my sister would be so fond of such things.”
Edric found it hard to picture his older sister, known for her meticulous character, getting so exhilarated over a book meant for children.
“I want to see it as well.”
“I’ll fetch it for you.”
Upon hearing Edric’s desire to see the fairy tale book, Aiden instructed a maid to bring the fairy tale books from the Princess’s room.
*
Experience is indeed important. I still remember how, while serving in the military, my superior once forced me to tell an interesting story, which turned out to be quite helpful now.
“Right! That’s what I’ve been curious about! The Prince couldn’t forget the Little Mermaid and went to the witch this time to ask to be turned into a mermaid himself.”
Seeing the Princess clap her hands in delight, I finally felt relieved.
Suddenly, as the Princess expressed her curiosity about the backstory of ‘The Little Mermaid’, I couldn’t admit that I hadn’t planned anything like that, so I tapped into my extraordinary abilities and quickly concocted a story.
“The Prince suddenly recalls the memory of when he fell into the sea.”
“And then?”
“The Prince realizes that the one who saved him is not the princess of the neighboring kingdom, but the woman he hadn’t recognized….”
It was aptly said that a good storyteller is a great liar. I was often praised for my skill in telling lies since childhood, and it came in handy now.
Fortunately, the Princess seemed to enjoy the hastily crafted story, listening with a smile.
However, catering to the Princess’s peculiar tastes, which often got fixated on strange details, was far from easy.
“The Little Mermaid has already been hurt, so even if the Prince approaches her, she would likely reject him.”
“Indeed, Your Highness, you have a sharp insight into the hearts of men and women. It’s remarkable.”
“But the Prince’s obsession with such a version of the Little Mermaid grows, and the sight of the Prince, now in despair, begins to stir the feelings of the Little Mermaid once again….”
I had sensed from the moment she complained about the unsatisfactory ending that she thrived on highly stimulating stories.
I truly couldn’t fathom how one could read ‘The Little Mermaid’ and conjure such sequels.
Regardless, I succeeded in creating a satisfactory story that matched the Princess’s imagination, leading to her great satisfaction.
“While I had anticipated your exceptional skill, I find it even more to my liking than I expected.”
With a pleased smile, the Princess forcibly made me sit in the chair opposite her.
I felt the piercing glare of the old head attendant observing me, making me reluctant to sit, yet I couldn’t defy the Princess’s command, so I remained seated with discomfort.
‘But that guy looks a lot like Edric, doesn’t he?’
Beside the attendant, a handsome young man with black hair was engrossed in reading the fairy tale book.
Considering the presence of black-haired figures in the palace, it was evident he belonged to royalty, and given his age, he must certainly be one of the princes.
However, the reason I thought this guy was Edric Bell, the Third Prince and the original male lead in the novel, was simply one.
‘Honestly, he’s ridiculously handsome.’
I thought Rupert’s appearance was quite good-looking, but this guy was practically a work of art.
Just reading a fairy tale book, yet he seemed like he was posing for a magazine shoot.
‘But why on earth is he here? Is this some trick of fate?’
Seeing characters I wished to avoid suddenly appearing in front of me was undoubtedly a twist of fate.
“Lord Rupert, I was quite pleased today, so I would like to bestow you a reward.”
“Your Highness, it is enough joy in itself for me to have pleased you; I consider it an honor for my family.”
A reward? I could already tell it would be something worthless like a token of appreciation.
“Nonsense! You’re a guest I specifically called for; there must be a reward. Speak of what you desire.”
Tch, to be honest, I wanted to ask for money. However, if I did that, I would just be seen as a person who doesn’t understand noble honor, only seeking money.
Should I ask for something the Princess bestows, like a flower or a handkerchief? As I pondered this, a lightbulb moment struck me.
“Your Highness, may I offer my ignorant opinion?”
“Speak freely.”
“I wish to create a world where all the citizens of the Empire can read the fairy tale books I make.”
“What did you say?”
“My books are originally crafted for children, and I hope they will help the future bearers of the Empire grow into virtuous individuals.”
“And?”
“While my efforts are woefully inadequate, if you were to bestow your grace upon me, I would like to ensure that not only the wealthy nobles but also the children of poor commoners can access these books.”
Did that resonate?
I couldn’t help but admire my impromptu idea. Asking for something material was absolutely out of the question, so I passed on that. But the distribution of books?
In my opinion, this could be a request that flirts with the boundaries of acceptability.
Since I was advocating for the public good, the Princess wouldn’t be able to deem it rude or lacking honor.
“Indeed, you understand my thoughts!”
Huh?
“I, too, believe many children should read these books. However, unfortunately, among the common people, there are many who cannot read.”
“Yes, it’s a regrettable situation indeed.”
“What you’re suggesting is that through your easily readable books, we should address the literacy rate among the citizens of the Empire, is that not so?”
“Uh… Your Highness! That’s not quite…!”
No, I was merely implying that I wanted to promote book distribution, not that I aimed to eliminate illiteracy with such grand ambitions.
Why suddenly expand the scope like that!
“How wonderful that you share my exact thoughts! Indeed, those of noble birth must always consider those beneath them.”
How did advocating for the distribution of books turn into a movement to eliminate illiteracy? I couldn’t stop the Princess as she rapidly escalated the situation.
I glanced at the head attendant for assistance, but he merely regarded me with a puzzled expression and offered no help.
‘Just give me money already!’
No matter how much I cried out internally, it was of no use.
*
‘Is my judgment of character rusting?’
Edric observed the man named Rupert as he discussed book distribution with the Princess.
Although it felt somewhat embarrassing to evaluate oneself, he had always prided himself on having a reasonably keen sense of character.
Yet to Edric’s eyes, Rupert exuded an air that was sly and appeared overly materialistic.
When he listened to the conversation with the Princess, his expression was utterly cold, but all his words sounded like a sycophant eagerly agreeing with her.
Of course, his demeanor was so serious that anyone who didn’t know him would have experienced cognitive dissonance.
But Edric’s expectations were soon overturned.
When the topic of rewards arose, he noticed a sudden change in Rupert’s gaze, and thought,
‘I won’t let him get away with any greed.’
He waited for Rupert’s response while bearing this thought.
– “I wish to create a world where all the citizens of the Empire can read the fairy tale books I make.”
Unexpectedly, Rupert expressed his desire not for money or material goods, but for the opportunity to let the citizens read.
His serious expression as he spoke of wanting to help the poor access books due to their high price seemed sincere.
‘How wrong I was. I never expected such lofty aspirations from him.’
Edric concluded that he should no longer hastily judge others in the future.