“Thank you for your support, Princess.”
Bernard felt the time was right, so he pulled out the carefully prepared inaugural issue of the Lorraine Gazette.
“This is the gift I truly wish to offer you today, and it comes with a request. Please, have a look.”
“The Lorraine Gazette?”
Charlotte took the newspaper, and the sensation against her fingertips made her startle slightly.
The paper was thin and smooth, far from the heavy parchment used for handwritten newsletters.
She unfolded it, and a faint, fresh scent of ink wafted toward her.
What surprised her even more was the text.
Every letter was uniform in size, sharp, and neatly arranged in rows — a stark contrast to the individualistic styles of handwritten scripts.
‘It doesn’t even look like it was written by a person,’ she thought. ‘It’s more like… it was printed using a mold.’
Her gaze fell on the front page: News and Decrees.
The content was familiar to her — reports on the Victory at Grey Mist Cape and the evidence of the fallen former Minister of Finance, Marquis Etienne Fugger.
However, the way it was presented felt foreign.
The reports were detailed, the background was clear, and the language was solemn.
The narrative was lucid and the logic rigorous, carrying a sense of authority between every line.
In the corner, there was even an editorial praising the King’s wisdom and decisiveness.
This thing looked even more “official” than the formal proclamations written by the royal scribes.
Driven by curiosity, Charlotte turned to the second page: Provincial and Foreign News.
This section contained domestic and international news gathered by the nascent intelligence network of the Dawn’s Children, including trade trends, court anecdotes, and military conflicts.
It focused heavily on disaster analysis from across the Kingdom and the latest updates on border skirmishes.
She read the statistics regarding crop failures and the number of refugees seriously, her brow furrowing deeper as she went.
Though these figures were labeled as “unofficial statistics for reference only,” every number was backed by a source and a verifier.
Comparing these figures to the reports she had received herself, a chill ran down her spine.
The data reported by local officials wasn’t just exaggerated; it was a total fabrication! They spoke of peace and prosperity while the reality was a land covered in starvation.
‘The foundation of the Kingdom is rotting even faster than I imagined,’ she realized. ‘I must send someone to verify this immediately!’
Suppreessing the anger in her chest, she took a deep breath and turned to the third page: Knowledge and Skills.
The content here caused her tightened brow to relax slightly.
It detailed new scientific discoveries, engineering techniques, philosophical thoughts, and literary reviews.
This felt incredibly fresh to Charlotte.
This section was Allen’s battlefield for “Enlightenment.”
This issue specifically refuted many absurd medical theories, particularly the idea that bodily filth could block germs from invading the body.
Charlotte, who valued cleanliness, found herself in deep agreement.
She recalled that many royal physicians still preached those old theories and couldn’t help but find it slightly ridiculous.
‘No wonder Father prefers to mix his own medicine rather than let those physicians near him,’ she mused.
‘It seems those royal doctors truly are quacks.’
Finally, she turned to the fourth page: Arts and Entertainment.
This page was the most diverse, featuring serialized novels, poetry, theater introductions, fashion trends, and word puzzles.
In the most prominent position was a serialized novel titled The Count of Monte Cristo.
‘The Count of Monte Cristo? Is there such a title in the Kingdom’s peerage?’
With a hint of curiosity, she began to read.
The story followed a promising young sailor named Edmond Dantès.
At the very moment he was about to be promoted to captain and marry his beautiful lover, Mercédès, he was framed and thrown into the prison of Chateau d’If on a lonely island.
In the pitch-black cell, he met the incredibly knowledgeable Abbe Faria, who taught him everything he knew and revealed the secret of a massive hidden treasure…
After the Abbe’s death, Dantès managed to escape the prison, found the treasure, and transformed into the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo to begin his plan for revenge…
Charlotte was quickly drawn in by the twisting plot. When she reached the thrilling passage where Dantès was disguised as a corpse and tossed into the sea, she held her breath.
“Dantès felt himself flung out, like a wounded bird falling from the sky, falling until his heart stopped beating with terror. Although he was weighed down by a heavy object at his feet, and his speed increased, he felt the fall lasted a hundred years. Finally, with a thunderous splash, he plunged like an arrow into the freezing water. He couldn’t help but scream, but the sound was instantly swallowed by the sea. Dantès was thrown into the ocean and pulled toward the bottom by a 36-pound iron ball tied to his feet.”
Charlotte’s heart clenched. Could he survive? How would he escape?
She impatiently looked down for more, but only saw a small line of text.
“To be continued…”
“Ah?”
Charlotte let out a soft exclamation before suddenly realizing her lapse in composure. She had actually become so engrossed in a fictional story that she made a sound.
This story was too brilliant… Although the setting seemed to be the Lorraine Kingdom, there were no Engraved Marks or supernatural powers. It felt more like a story happening in another world.
‘Did the author write this story with some other hidden meaning?’
“Princess?” a lady-in-waiting whispered, timely reminding her.
Charlotte finally remembered that she had left Bernard and “Charlotte” waiting on the side for quite some time. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she put the newspaper down with a hint of embarrassment.
“Forgive me, you two. I…”
“It is no matter, Your Highness.” Bernard wore a smile that suggested everything was under his control. “What do you think of this newspaper?”
Seeing Bernard’s calm smile, Charlotte had a rare feeling of being led by the nose.
“It is very interesting. I have many questions, but…” She keenly perceived the commercial and political attributes of the paper and asked the most critical question. “How much do you plan to charge for such a newspaper? And how many copies can you produce?”
“The Lorraine Gazette contains profound content and is aimed at the nobility and wealthy citizens, so it will be a weekly priced at ten Sou. The Lucerne Daily is more for the general public, issued daily and priced at eight Sou,” Bernard answered unhurriedly.
“As for production… if necessary, producing thousands or even tens of thousands of copies a day is not a problem.”
“Tens of thousands? And so cheap?” Even Charlotte was shocked by the staggering quantity and low price. “How do you do it?”
“Trade secret, Your Highness.” Bernard smiled slightly. “I can only tell you that this is an advancement in technology. We can not only print newspapers but also books at the same low cost.”
‘Printing books.’
Those words struck Charlotte’s mind like a bolt of lightning.
She immediately thought of the precious books in the Royal Library, each one meticulously crafted by scribes over months or even years, worth a fortune.
Knowledge was thus firmly locked behind the high walls of the nobility and the Church.
But if books could be printed at a rate of thousands a day, and at a price not much higher than a newspaper…
What would that mean?
The barriers of knowledge would come crashing down.
Commoners would be able to read and write, laws would no longer be tools for the nobility to interpret at will, and ideas would spread and collide at an unprecedented speed.
This was not just a source of information for the citizens of the Capital; this was a juggernaut capable of changing the entire course of civilization.
She withdrew her gentle smile and stared at Bernard. Her aura changed abruptly, the silent pressure of a ruler emanating from her.
“Viscount Bernard, what is it that you want?” her voice was calm. “A publishing charter?”
Bernard was long accustomed to the way Allen could shift his presence at will. Facing the Princess’s pressure, he remained composed.
“Yes, Princess Charlotte.” He met her gaze candidly.
“These publications carry great significance. Since the King may entrust me with the heavy responsibility of finance, I must naturally repay the royal grace with all my heart.”
Bernard stood up and bowed slightly, his words resonant and powerful.
“This newspaper can become ‘the King’s voice,’ accurately conveying the royal will to every corner of the Kingdom and effectively countering rumors that damage the Crown’s reputation.”
“It is a weapon for issuing decrees, unifying thought, proclaiming national power, and gaining insight into foreign lands. It will record this great era and elevate the status of Lorraine’s culture, and all these achievements will be attributed to His Majesty’s wise rule.”
Every word Bernard spoke hit exactly the points the royal family cared about most.
“To me, this is no ordinary business. It should be like the army or the Ministry of Finance — an indispensable part of the state machine. The Lorraine Gazette will be the mouthpiece of the royal family, and I, Bernard de Laval, will be the Crown’s most loyal servant.”
Compared to those bellicose Sword-Bearing Nobles and the self-interested Robe Nobility, Bernard’s declaration seemed particularly sincere, and he was using action to prove that loyalty.
After his passionate speech, his tone shifted as he asked expectantly:
“So, do you think I might use ‘Royal Chartered Publishing Company’ as the name for the publishing house?”
Looking at Bernard’s confident smile, Charlotte knew very well what immense benefits this charter would bring the royal family.
If Bernard became the Minister of Finance, his “neutrality” — lacking any factional background — would be precisely the stance most loyal to the Crown.
This newspaper was the letter of intent he was handing over.
Only… this letter of intent was perhaps a bit too heavy.
What he wanted was to jump from being an ordinary member of the Robe Nobility to a monopolizing royal merchant serving the Crown.
And what he offered in return was the power to control the public opinion of the entire Kingdom.
‘Is this man the future savior of the Kingdom, or is he an ambitious man wrapped in a cloak of loyalty, waiting for the chance to devour everything?’
Charlotte’s heart skipped a beat, then returned to its steady rhythm.
She folded the newspaper — a document capable of stirring up massive waves — with elegant movements, as if it were not an epoch-making manifesto but just an ordinary letter.
Her fingertip brushed lightly over the words “To be continued,” and a playful smile suddenly touched the corners of her mouth.
“Viscount Bernard, I must admit, you have successfully piqued my curiosity.” She looked up, her gaze clear.
“Not just for this protagonist named Dantès, but for you and the Laval House as well.”
The smile on Bernard’s face remained impenetrable. “It is my honor to provide Your Highness with some amusement.”
“Amusement?” Charlotte laughed softly. “This is no mere toy for amusement. This is a weapon, a clarion call, a massive authority that can make the entire Kingdom listen to a single voice.”
She paused, holding the newspaper carefully in her hand as if grasping the reins of the future.
“Can I keep this newspaper to look over carefully? I think my brother and Father will be very interested in it.”
The heavy stone in Bernard’s heart crashed to the ground. He knew that Allen’s plan was now unstoppable.
However, he remained expressionless, even adding a touch of flattery.
“Of course, this is a gift I presented to ‘you’. As for how you wish to handle it, it is entirely up to Your Highness’s whim.”
He placed a deliberate emphasis on “you,” the meaning of which was self-evident.
Charlotte nodded with satisfaction. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she added:
“By the way, I hope that when the next issue is printed, it can be delivered to me immediately. I am very curious to know if that poor Dantès managed to escape from that sack.”
“As you wish,” Bernard laughed. “His fate, as well as the fate of this publishing company, is now in your hands.”
This double-edged sentence caused the look of admiration in Charlotte’s eyes to deepen.
With the business concluded, Bernard’s gaze moved past the Princess and finally landed on Olivia, who was disguised as “Charlotte.”
This might be the last time they would meet with these identities and at this distance.
He saw the stillness in her eyes — a resolve that buried everything within her heart, prepared to face any storm.
“Take care,” his lips moved slightly as he spoke without a sound.
Charlotte’s eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly as she responded silently.
“Goodbye.”
——
On the afternoon of July 7, a royal charter bearing the personal seal of King Louis XI was delivered by a royal messenger to the mansion of Bernard de Laval.
The Royal Chartered Publishing Company was officially established.
Less than an hour after the news broke, another even more significant rumor was confirmed.
Bernard de Laval had been officially appointed as the Minister of Finance by King Louis XI.
He was to enter the palace for an audience and officially take office four days later.
The noble salons throughout the Capital instantly erupted into a frenzy.
People spoke wildly about how this “neutral” Minister of Finance, who had appeared out of nowhere, would stir the deep, murky waters of the Lorraine Kingdom.
Meanwhile, deep within the Royal Palace.
“Charlotte” was undergoing rigorous training as a Shadow Warrior.
In the near future, she would serve as the Princess’s shadow, allowing the real Charlotte to escape from tedious social obligations to complete more important work.
No one knew that the intelligence network of the Dawn’s Children had already quietly spread deep into the Royal Palace along with the infiltration of “Deep Sea.”
The wheels of the era were rolling forward at an unprecedented speed.