‘As my father said, although Princess Deborah had excellent abilities, she is so humble that she did not show her abilities at all.’
Margaret recalled that day as she mingled with the group of young ladies who swarmed like bees.
“Margaret, what do you think of Armand?”
Margaret replied without much thought.
“I think it’s cool, especially the fact that they donated that clock tower for the public interest.”
“Thank goodness. It would have been disappointing if my vassal disliked my shop.”
When Princess Deborah nonchalantly first unveiled that Armand was her own shop, Margaret did not make any expression, but she was secretly amazed.
She couldn’t believe the lady who turned the magic world upside down with her formula was the owner of the most popular dessert shop these days in the Horun District.
No matter how great Seymour’s line of descent was, it was unbelievable that she could accomplish so much alone even though she was the same age as her.
“I’m saying this because I firmly trust you. I don’t intend to reveal to the outside world yet that I’m the owner of a business.”
Trust.
That word made Margaret feel overwhelmed.
“I will repay you for your trust.”
“I want to spread the caffè mocha with ‘coffee’, the Drink of Wisdom that helped me when I was developing the formula, to everyone.”
Personally experiencing the effects of the caffè mocha with coffee, Margaret thought with her open eyes that night.
‘It’s a drink that can double the time.’
Most people kept these great secrets to themselves. But she was revealing it for the students.
As expected, she was a wonderful person.
“Princess Deborah is more of a Seymour than anyone. I will assist you well.”
As her most esteemed father praised her, Margaret was already firmly blinded by love towards the princess.
So, when the princess asked her to perform a strange act, although she wondered at first why she should do it, she didn’t now.
‘She’s been a few steps ahead while painting a big picture.’
Margaret vaguely knew that there was a public opinion that systematically undermined Princess Deborah’s achievements.
They repeated the same thing.
That she couldn’t handle mana, that the formula was limited to combat magic, and so on.
‘But they couldn’t see the reality.’
Some of the ladies who excelled at incitement came to her mind, but it was only a conviction and there was no evidence.
She was worried about their secret public opinion battle, but thanks to the princess’ strategy, they were swarming like rats who had seen cheese.
“Margaret, lead them on while agreeing with them in moderation. If they insult me, the Seymour’s Princess, without knowing their place, record it with this.”
Lead them on?
As a law student, Margaret was thrilled by the words that reached her ears.
In addition, Princess Deborah spared no support.
She promised to provide an infinite number of artifacts with recording functions.
Margaret was thrilled because she knew the importance of collecting substantial evidence when it came to a crime.
“Use it to gather evidence. I have a lot of these things. Hehe.”
“Thank you.”
As she received a gift she liked, Margaret’s blind love, which had been deep from the beginning, became much deeper.
Besides, Margaret was talented in entrapment.
“Princess Deborah is too much.”
She showed her talent as a genius actress, which she didn’t even know she had, and acted enthusiastically among Emmanuelle’s maids.
***
The reason I told Margaret that I was running a business was because the script for the caffè mocha was completed, and also because of the atmosphere in some parts of the social world.
‘I can’t believe someone is moving systematically.’
Leaving it alone would result in a setback in recruiting monthly subscribers.
This was because there was a trend of ordinary nobles, not wizards, joining to satisfy their intellectual vanity.
However, the lady who liked to incite the public opinion behind the scenes was against me.
Even though I was a princess, I had no factions or groups to overturn public opinion.
If the covert attacks continued, I would unconditionally lose.
Because of this, bait was needed to bring the fish hiding underwater to the surface.
‘Margaret is the best person for the bait role.’
As the maids who experienced Deborah went around spreading negative rumors, Margaret would look quite appetizing to them.
So, I deliberately advertised the caffè mocha in front of the school grounds where a lot of students passed by, while simultaneously adding some spice to it.
However, it seemed that the situation I had created was worrying in the eyes of the 5th Princess.
Sipping on the caffè mocha, which had become a sensation three days after the by secret word of mouth, the 5th Princess, for some reason, did not immediately spread out her thesis and instead opened her mouth with a serious face.
“Princess Deborah.”
“Yes, Princess.”
“I know that if the hammer is light, the nail will rise. However, if you hit it too hard, you will be hurt by a broken nail, no matter how outstanding your abilities may be.”
(T/N: A figurative expression that if the superior does not have dignity, the subordinate does not obey and becomes rebellious.)
I was surprised by her gentle advice to be generous to my close associates and to be vigilant towards Margaret, but on the other hand, I was strangely moved.
I didn’t have anyone on my side when I first possessed Deborah.
“Thank you for your concern. But I didn’t break the nail, I threw a prey, so you don’t need to worry.”
“Ahh.”
The 5th Princess let out a brief exclamation as if she understood what I meant.
“I was worried for nothing about your well-being. Where did the bugs come from?”
“Probably from Omicron, judging from the faces of the approaching noble ladies.”
At that moment, the 5th Princess clenched her teeth with a cold, stiff expression, and then released them.
She seemed to be personally pent-up about Omicron, so I shared a few of my innermost thoughts.
When we first met at the ball, she said Omicron was cowardly.
“They use strategies to further consolidate their position by undermining anyone. Without really developing their own abilities…”
“That worked out well. Because I’m more cowardly and vicious.”
“…”
The 5th Princess looked at me silently with her serious yellow eyes.
‘Was I too straightforward?’
“I should have secretly gotten your signature on my marriage certificate back then.”
I heard strange words coming from somewhere.
“If my brother becomes the emperor, he will be able to fix the law. It means that it is possible.”
“…?”
“It’s a joke, so you can laugh.”
“Ha. Ha.”
“By the way, Princess! If there was something good like the caffè mocha, shouldn’t you have told me in advance? Honestly, I was sad to learn about it so late.”
“It works great when you’re doing things hurriedly. But it’s not well-rounded.”
“That… My brain works well because I feel refreshed. It was better with this.”
She whispered in a barely audible voice.
‘Ah, right. Caffeine also works as a diuretic.’
There was also a drink called latte, the drink that governed my previous life.
“It also has that effect.”
I quickly added. Hopefully, she’ll advertise that add-on well.
“I am complete now. I will double the amount of study with this and write a thesis that will surprise the world.”
While I was looking at the 5th Princess, who was fluttering her thesis with crazy eyes ahead of the group conference, there was a knock on the club room.
“Who is it?”
“How have you been?”
With a ghostly, gloomy voice, the owner of the club room dolls finally appeared.
‘Please don’t leave them here, take them to your house.’
I gazed at Michelle Granbert as I swallowed the words I couldn’t utter.
With dark green hair like seaweed, she had dolls on both sides that were bigger than her.
‘Though it’s fascinating.’
On the left stood a doll with a bear head on a human body, and on the right stood a sexually ambiguous ball-jointed doll.
The dolls politely greeted me and the princess as if they had consciousness.
“I’m surprised by your ability every time I see it.”
“I’m honored.”
“Honestly, I almost forgot your face completely. I thought you dropped out and went down to your estate.”
“I apologize. I’ve been busy these days with all kinds of things.”
“Oh, are you two meeting for the first time today? Greet each other.”
“Hello.”
“Nice to meet you.”
The greeting ended in an awkward atmosphere because Michelle couldn’t hide her uneasy expression with me.
Seeing that she didn’t make eye contact, it seemed like she either didn’t like me, or was afraid of me.
Resting the dolls against the wall, she settled next to the 5th Princess. And even that was in a diagonal direction far from me.
“Michelle. What made you come to the club room suddenly?”
“I’m going to write a thesis too.”
She said, fiddling with her hands that were full of scars from the thin threads that passed.
“What kind of thesis?”
The 5th Princess asked in a curious voice. Michelle’s eyes, which seemed lethargic, suddenly changed.
“I found a research object that intensely stimulated my desire to investigate. I couldn’t bear not writing a thesis.”
I was stunned when she suddenly raised her voice in excitement.
“What on earth is that research object? I’m getting curious.”
“The 5th Princess knows it too.”
“Me?”
“It’s here with you right now.”
She squinted her eyes.
“What are you talking about?”
Michelle Granbert pointed her finger at the seal of the cup containing the caffè mocha.
“This is the subject of research for my thesis.”
‘What did you say?’
“Armand. I will definitely meet the owner who made that place.”
