Council Hall of the Royal Palace.
Sunlight streamed through the tall stained glass windows, casting mottled shadows and illuminating specks of dust drifting in the air.
Prime Minister Allison had been waiting there for some time, her sharp gaze sweeping over the Little Queen, Laxana, and Wendy, catching a hint of something unusual.
Her Majesty the Queen bore a trace of fatigue in her eyes but forced herself to maintain her dignity.
Miss Klein’s gaze kept wandering elsewhere, an unmistakable blush lingering on her cheeks.
As for His Highness the Prince… he looked energetic, but there was an oddly hollow undertone to it.
No way…
No, no, no, what am I even thinking!
“Prime Minister, sorry to keep you waiting.”
Yekaterina cleared her throat and spoke first.
“Last night, the palace was attacked by assassins. Fortunately, Miss Klein returned in time and, together with Prince Wendy, resolved the crisis.”
At her words, Allison nodded slightly.
“I’ve already heard from the messenger.”
“May I ask, Your Majesty, what orders do you have for me?”
“It’s about the remnants of the Veid Family.”
Wendy picked up the thread.
“Prime Minister, the information Laxana brought back last night confirms our suspicions.”
“The Veid Family’s treachery hasn’t died. Some loyalists are still lurking in the Royal Capital, plotting mischief…”
Allison’s brow furrowed slightly.
“What do you mean?”
“Better to guide than to block.”
Wendy walked to the desk and picked up a blank piece of Sheepskin Parchment.
“We can’t wait for them to strike again. We must take the initiative to root out this poison completely.”
“And… we need to use this opportunity to restore the honor of Princess Astreia.”
“Restore her honor?”
The Prime Minister’s eyes suddenly sharpened.
“Your Highness, with all due respect, regardless of how justified Princess Astreia’s march into the Royal Capital may be, there are legal flaws.”
“Other nobles are watching.”
“That’s why we need to change the law.”
A confident smile curved at Wendy’s lips.
“No, to be precise, we need to create a new ‘jurisprudence’—one that stands above noble traditions, belonging to both the Royal Family and the people.”
He spread the Sheepskin Parchment on the table and looked at Allison.
“Prime Minister, in this Kingdom, what do you think most influences people’s hearts?”
Allison pondered for a moment.
“The doctrines of the Church, the ballads of the bards, and the reputation of the Royal Family.”
“Exactly. Reputation.”
Wendy snapped his fingers.
“But these things spread too slowly and are too easily distorted.”
“A royal decree can change completely by the time it passes through countless mouths from the Royal Capital to the border.”
“So why not create something that delivers our message unchanged into every person’s hands?”
“Your Highness, forgive me, but I don’t follow.”
Allison did not allow herself to be led astray, maintaining the calm and caution of a politician.
“Alright.”
Wendy stopped keeping her guessing.
He picked up a quill and drew a few rough diagrams on the Sheepskin Parchment.
“I call it—’The Valoran Daily.'”
“First, paper. The ‘Hemp Paper’ I mentioned earlier is much cheaper than Sheepskin Parchment, enough for mass distribution.”
“Second, printing. No need for scribes to copy. Instead, we use ‘Movable Type Printing.’ Letters are carved onto separate wooden or lead blocks, then arranged according to the article.”
“Miss Laxana, the engraving process needs your magic to ensure the ink is even and to press quickly.”
Laxana nodded and added,
“I can design a magic mold with precise positioning and constant pressure Magic Array.”
“As long as we have enough Magic Crystals, printing tens of thousands of copies in one night is no problem.”
“What?!”
The moment she heard “tens of thousands,” Allison’s breath faltered.
She finally realized this wasn’t just a novel idea—but a terrifyingly feasible plan.
“And as for the newspaper’s content…”
Wendy lowered his voice, smiling.
“The front page headline will be Edwin Veid’s Confession!”
“We’ll lay out every detail of how the Veid Family embezzled military supplies, framed the Princess, colluded with Orcs, and plotted to usurp the throne—clearly and thoroughly!”
“Let Edwin himself stand in the Royal Capital’s square and read his crimes aloud to the people!”
“Prime Minister, picture that scene.”
“Thousands of citizens holding newspapers stamped with the Veid Family’s crimes, listening to the ringleader’s confession.”
“By then, who would doubt the legitimacy of Astreia’s campaign?”
“She would no longer be a traitor, but a loyal subject restoring order!”
“The sole hope to save the Kingdom!”
Allison’s pupils shrank violently.
For the first time, a crack of shock appeared on her eternally icy face.
She saw it—the painting that could alter Valoran, even the world’s history.
“This… this could indeed resolve the current crisis.”
The Prime Minister’s voice was a bit dry, but she quickly seized on something deeper.
“But Your Highness, I suspect your true goal goes beyond that, doesn’t it?”
“Of course.”
Wendy smiled—a smile that, to Allison, seemed more dangerous than a demon’s.
“Prime Minister, don’t you think noble ‘Honor’ is sometimes too ethereal?”
“They can rule their lands as tyrants yet still attend Royal banquets, parading loyalty and dignity.”
“Their crimes remain unseen and unspoken by the common folk.”
“But with ‘The Valoran Daily,’ everything changes.”
“Today, we can publish the Veid Family’s crimes.”
“Tomorrow, we can praise Count Grimm for turning from darkness and pledging loyalty to the Royal Family.”
“The next day, perhaps we’ll ‘casually’ report on a Marquis whose tax rates are sky-high, causing public outcry.”
“When a single newspaper can determine a noble house’s Reputation and sway public opinion, do you think those fence-sitters and schemers would still dare oppose the Royal Family?”
“We will wield the power to define Honor and disgrace!”
“This is the new ‘jurisprudence’ I spoke of—the Jurisprudence of Public Opinion!”
“Bam!”
Allison collapsed onto the floor, her mind thrown into a raging storm.
Madman!
This man before her was a complete madman!
He wasn’t just trying to clear the Princess’s name.
He wanted to use a single sheet of paper to shake the foundation of the entire noble class!
To place all the nobles under the Royal Family’s scrutiny so they’d never dare harbor rebellious thoughts again!
This was more terrifying—more effective—than ten thousand Loyalty Collars!
This was the Art of Killing Without Bloodshed!
For a long time, the Prime Minister—who had weathered decades of political intrigue and ruthless schemes—bowed deeply and solemnly to Wendy.
“I… understand.”
“I will mobilize all resources at the Prime Minister’s disposal to fully support your plan.”
“Please issue your orders, my Queen… and… esteemed Prince.”
At that moment, her address to Wendy carried true respect for the first time.
“Excellent.”
The Little Queen, Yekaterina, straightened her back and lifted her chin, a sense of accomplishment nearly tangible in her emerald eyes.
See, this is the man I snatched for myself!
Laxana gazed at Wendy’s profile.
By candlelight, his handsome features seemed gilded with a divine glow, making her heart flutter.
After the decisive Prime Minister departed, only three people remained in the room.
An even subtler tension and intimacy began to ferment again.
“Looks like my Prince isn’t just skilled in bed~”
Yekaterina broke the silence again, walking to Wendy’s side.
She reached out a slender finger and traced his chest.
“But don’t forget, the antidote is still with me. If you disobey in the next three days…”
“A heavy cough interrupted her.”
Laxana walked over to Wendy and unceremoniously pushed aside the Little Queen’s hand.
“Don’t forget, only I can handle the core Magic Array for Movable Type Printing.”
She lifted her chin, violet eyes locking onto the Prince.
“For the next three days, you’d better decide whose orders you want to follow.”
Wendy: “….”
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