MTLNOVEL Chapter 53
“Mm…”
I had been staring endlessly at the floor, but I cautiously lifted my head.
“So, what kind of answer do you intend to give me, my dear?”
The Empress’s gentle smile felt particularly menacing today.
Perhaps it was fortunate that she wasn’t outright hostile, thanks to all my efforts to win her favor thus far.
Right, this was the Empress’s palace.
Early this morning, I had received word that she was summoning me, so I had rushed here without delay.
Why? Because the news that I was mass-producing tumblers had spread far and wide.
Of course, I had deliberately leaked that information in an attempt to lower the premium as much as possible, but…
‘I didn’t expect that possessing an exclusive piece of merchandise would make people this upset.’
I had anticipated some backlash, but I never imagined it would be severe enough for the Empress to summon me immediately.
With the tense atmosphere weighing down on me, I tightly clasped my hands together before speaking.
“First of all, I was contemplating how best to explain this to Your Majesty, as I believe this situation may lead to some misunderstandings.”
“So you’re saying I’m misunderstanding the situation. How do you intend to convince me otherwise?”
I didn’t even need to ask why the Empress was displeased.
She had flaunted her ownership of this exclusive merchandise at every high-society gathering, carrying the tumbler with her everywhere.
For someone who had always used specially crafted, one-of-a-kind items, this situation must have felt like a challenge to her authority.
‘Since I started this, I have to resolve it.’
After carefully observing her expression to gauge the situation, I continued speaking.
“…To begin with, what is currently being manufactured in the Grand Duchy is not the Ghost Duke’s tumbler.”
“What do you mean by that?”
The Empress frowned slightly, raising her voice.
“I personally sent someone to investigate after seeing advertisements in various magazines, and I was informed that the collaboration with the Magic Tower is going very smoothly…”
She actually sent someone to look into it. I knew she was thorough, but she really was consistent…
Pushing aside my thoughts, I nodded in acknowledgment of her words.
“Yes, it’s true that our Grand Duchy is producing tumblers, Your Majesty.”
“My dear, are you playing word games with me?”
Before she could lose her patience entirely, I softened my tone and carefully rephrased my words.
“That is not my intention. The limited-edition tumbler that Your Majesty and the other 100 devoted readers possess is a rare collector’s item, while the ones currently in production are merely inspired by its functionality.”
“Merely inspired by its functionality?”
“Yes, it is completely different in design and, in essence, is a separate product from what Your Majesty owns.”
However, my explanation that the mass-produced version was different from the limited edition did not seem to satisfy her. Her expression remained tense.
That meant it was time to implement Plan B.
Taking a deep breath, I let out a heavy sigh and spoke in a pitiful tone.
“In truth, Your Majesty, < Safety Rules for Writing Horror Stories > was on the verge of losing its readers due to rampant fraud in the capital.”
“What do you mean? I have heard that tumbler-related scams are widespread in the capital, but how does that connect to readers turning away from the story?”
“The more these fraudulent activities spread, the more readers will lose their passion for the work.”
“So what? Those who like it will continue to like it.”
That’s not true.
I quickly shook my head.
“If a work is abandoned by the majority, it loses the opportunity to be recognized for its true value. And if that happens, the chances of discontinuation or cancellation increase.”
Of course, the probability of that happening was only about 0.1%, but I didn’t feel the need to mention that part.
Perhaps because of this, the Empress’s expression darkened drastically, as if she had just received the worst possible news.
“Is that true?”
“Yes. While this issue could be dismissed as a mere fraud case, I believe that if we truly care about the readers who love this story, we cannot simply overlook it.”
I didn’t say it outright, but part of the reason for the mass production was also for the readers who wanted to own something similar, even if they couldn’t get the limited edition.
After all, only 100 people, including the Empress, possessed the original version.
As I added further explanation, the Empress’s expression softened slightly. She leaned back against her chair, her rigid posture easing a little.
Then, with a solemn expression, she finally spoke.
“That does make sense. Moreover, if this fraud tarnishes the reputation of < Safety Rules for Writing Horror Stories >, it must be dealt with swiftly.”
Before I could respond, she quickly added her own decision.
“I will handle this matter.”
“Pardon? How…?”
But the Empress seemed to have already formulated her own plan. It was as if she didn’t even hear my question.
‘She’ll take care of it, right?’
In the end, despite being summoned under severe circumstances, I was dismissed rather unceremoniously.
* * *
Thus, after many ups and downs, I finally received news that the production of the tumblers was nearing completion.
I reread the letter from the Magic Tower, resting my chin on my hand as I sank into deep thought.
“Hmm…”
No matter how I looked at it, producing the Ghost Duke tumbler once again—when it had originally been released in limited quantities—would likely upset those who already owned the exclusive merchandise.
In other words… there was no way I could make an exception for someone like Baron Pavron.
‘It’s not like the internet exists here, so no one would ever find out… but still, a promise is a promise.’
But completely ignoring his situation would weigh too heavily on my conscience.
Why? Because Baron Pavron had already squandered his entire fortune and had a sick wife to take care of.
Just in case he was a fraud, I had requested a background check, but the results were just as I expected.
His financial records were so clean that not a speck of dust could be found—clear evidence of how honestly he had lived.
“I heard that tumblers are excellent at retaining heat. I only wanted to get one to keep my wife’s soup warm…”
Lying sprawled across my cluttered desk, I let out a deep sigh.
I really wanted to stop thinking so hard about this—it felt like my brain was about to short-circuit.
‘Is there any other way I can help?’
Some might scold me for being overly sympathetic.
But as someone raised in the 21st century, I found it nearly impossible to turn a blind eye to someone struggling right in front of me.
‘I was the kind of kid who always participated in charity drives for underprivileged neighbors back in elementary school.’
Anyway, what was certain was that I couldn’t produce the exact same tumbler design again.
As I rested my chin in my hand, lost in thought, my gaze happened to land on the tumbler design sketches scattered across my desk.
‘…Come to think of it, the current tumbler design isn’t exactly suitable for storing food, only beverages.’
If it was meant to hold food for his sick wife, it would need to be bigger than the ones currently available.
A handle would probably be useful, too.
“……!”
Then, all of a sudden, an idea flashed through my mind.
‘If it can keep both drinks and food warm for at least half a day, then wouldn’t a thermal flask be a great alternative?’
After all, thermal flasks existed before tumblers.
I slowly sat up and straightened my posture.
It was a bit of a backward approach, but a thermal flask would undoubtedly be more effective than a tumbler in this case.
A faint smile formed on my lips as I reached for paper and pen to draft a new letter.