Chapter 49
Translator: True Detective
The Crown Prince's Homework and an Opportunity for Fangirling
"I am the Crown Prince, Cassian Ashley Aurelion. I am glad to meet the highly rumored talented lady my younger sister is so deeply engrossed in these days."
"My name is, Noel, Grace. It is an honor for my family to meet His Highness the Crown Prince today."
Who is this?
Where am I?
Noel, who stepped up to receive the super-sized VIP, felt her head ringing.
An Imperial Princess, The Saintess, and even a Count's daughter.
You might wonder what she's talking about now when she goes around with such VIPs around her, but still, the impact of the Crown Prince was on a different level.
No matter how much they were both of the Imperial Family, it was a different case from Lydia.
Although she monopolizes the Imperial Family's affection because she is a late child, could Imperial Princess Lydia, for whom that is arguably everything, and the Crown Prince, the next Emperor, have the same weight?
It's not that she thinks lightly of Imperial Princess Lydia, but a person from the owner's family and the next chairman are bound to have a different presence to begin with.
Needless to say how Noel's stomachache would be, having to suddenly receive such a person.
It would be one thing if it was just lightly exchanging greetings, but she had to step up and receive him herself.
Because the reason the Crown Prince visited the Grace Viscountcy right now was deeply related to Noel.
In this matter alone, Noel is the person in charge.
He wants to gift Magic & Servant and The Game of Life to the state guests who will soon gather in the Empire.
This itself is not a bad story.
Even if the largest market on the continent is the Empire, where on earth would there be a reason to give up selling goods to the Kingdom Alliance.
Taking this as an opportunity, if they diligently sell comics and games to other countries, it's a good thing because it also means securing funds to produce anime and movies.
The problem is──.
"Just being simply luxurious is not enough, you see."
As always, the client's requirements are very, very demanding.
"Hmm, how should I say it. I'd say we need something that makes everyone look up to the Empire's culture with a strong impact the moment they see it..."
Noel suddenly felt the urge to slap the handsome face of the man who was talking about his request as if muttering to himself while stroking his chin.
A pasta slap, is it now?
It was a requirement that made her naturally have such thoughts, not knowing what on earth he wanted her to do.
Anyway, he asks her to prepare something amazing, something impactful, and something incredible.
He's demanding that amazing, impactful, and incredible thing without even knowing what it is himself.
'Think about the position of the person making it...!'
I won't do it! No, I can't do it!
In her heart, she felt like snapping back like that.
It's a task of making a gift not just for an honored guest, but for a state guest.
It's incredibly burdensome, and she couldn't even grasp what or how she was supposed to make this.
With sparkling eyes,
『If it's the highly rumored Noel Grace, you can naturally do this much, right?』
Noel felt her stomach churning at the gaze that seemed to be saying that.
Suddenly, the first time she met Imperial Princess Lydia comes to mind.
A Crown Prince who had already started a family in his late 20s and even had children.
Although they were siblings with a significant age gap with Lydia, who was a late child, the Crown Prince's eyes looking at her resembled the Imperial Princess so much, as if saying blood couldn't be fooled.
'How can both the older brother and the younger sister be so...'
Dragging out an answer for a long time is also rude.
Suppressing the sigh that was about to flow out naturally, Noel nodded her head.
"I will give it a try."
In the first place, this is an agenda with no options.
Even if it fails, she has no choice but to try it first.
The Crown Prince personally came to place a custom order, and she can't say she can't do it.
She has no choice but to try her best.
『I really worked to death, but this was my best.』
She would have to try hard enough to be able to say that.
"It doesn't matter how much the cost is. I ask for an item that can show off the majesty of the Empire."
'Stop putting pressure on me!'
As the Crown Prince's words continued, she felt her stomach throbbing.
So with the desire to avoid the burden a little──.
"Um, but to handle something like a game I made as a joke, someone with many shortcomings like me, as a gift representing the Empire is a little..."
Saying this, she harbors a hope wondering if they couldn't just pretend this conversation never happened even now.
Of course, that was a vain hope.
"Ah, of course, we plan to prepare various other things for the gifts as well. We are preparing things with various themes that can represent the Empire, but we can't leave out your work, which is currently the most popular, can we?"
"I-It is an honor."
It was certainly an honor, a great honor.
However, the fact that it would be problematic if she disappointed their expectations acted as a burden.
Anyway, he's asking her to make a fantastic board game and prepare it as a gift for state guests... but it's too vague of a story.
'Are you saying pieces or a board carved by a dwarf artisan isn't enough? Then what, am I supposed to bring a branch of the World Tree and make a board out of it?'
Noel's head was already hurting wondering how on earth she should satisfy this requirement.
"By the way..."
Then the Crown Prince opens his mouth.
Noel preemptively feels aversion, wondering if he intends to deliver an additional blow here when it's already enough of a headache.
Fortunately, it wasn't the kind of story Noel was worried about.
"Our youngest is nowhere to be seen? It's been a long time since I saw her face, so I intended to at least say hello before leaving."
The seasons have changed twice since Lydia escaped from the Imperial Palace.
Although she had gone up to the Imperial Capital a few times in between to show her face, he must be concerned.
It seems he intends to meet her and check if the youngest is doing well without causing trouble before leaving.
"Ah, if it is the Imperial Princess..."
However, Lydia was out since morning, saying she would show Saintess Irina the world.
"Hmm... did she run away."
The Crown Prince clicking his tongue quietly.
Actually, he didn't just intend to say hello and leave.
He intended to take her and make her do the job of receiving the state guests when they visit.
The Imperial Princess also realized that and, in vulgar terms, bolted.
However, the Crown Prince wasn't one to give up just because of that.
Because he wanted to show off his youngest sister, a single flower the Empire boasts of, on the international diplomatic stage.
For that purpose,
"Oh right, we plan to hold a celebratory party on the day all the state guests gather."
He decided to make it so his sister had no choice but to come on her own two feet.
"I would like to invite you, Noel Grace, to that party."
I want to decline.
I want to quit, even if I have to use writing as an excuse.
"Viscount Grace and his wife were very delighted."
But it was already too late.
In an era like this, parents decide these kinds of things.
"I consider it an honor..."
In a situation where the answer was already decided, Noel made an effort to lift the hem of her skirt and politely offered her thanks.
Noel, who had wanted to avoid at least the suffocating dress.
'Should I fake an illness?'
She even thought about that, but...
'No, Mother won't yield on this either. It's obvious she'll make me participate even if she has to ask The Saintess.'
It seems unreasonable to expect to get away with it like at the ball held by the Grace family last time.
This time, fake illness or not, it's certain they will make her attend the party even if they have to borrow the power of divine power.
Noel deciding to just give up and accept it.
'......I can't die alone.'
She decided to drag everyone in, the Imperial Princess, the Count's daughter, and even The Saintess.
But before that──.
"How on earth am I supposed to make a fantastic special package product that will blow the minds of the state guests."
Solving the homework the Crown Prince threw at her was the top priority.
This year, many blue bloods from various countries are coming to the Empire to study abroad.
Naturally, many high-ranking officials from other countries are also coming to observe their children's enrollment while also engaging in diplomacy.
It means she has to prepare a luxurious game for a gift that will satisfy such people, but this is not easy.
They are people who have lived in luxurious environments from the moment they were born.
Ordinary luxury and pleasure probably won't even stimulate them much.
Noel fell into thought to the point of her brain cramping, wondering how to make something that would make the eyes of people who have maxed out their luxury tolerance go wide.
"It's okay to do it roughly, Miss Noel."
Lydia, who returned to the Grace mansion as soon as she learned the Crown Prince had returned, gave such advice to Noel.
"He is fundamentally a caring person, but my eldest brother occasionally does nasty things. He throws an unreasonable conundrum and enjoys watching the reactions of people groaning trying to solve it."
Lydia saying that since it's close to such a nasty hobby this time as well, she only needs to prepare it to the point where she won't be found fault with.
Since it's a story from none other than family, that must be correct.
Still, Noel's thought was slightly different.
The hardest thing in the world is doing things 'appropriately'.
Just how much is that 'point where you won't be found fault with'?
So Noel had no choice but to continuously ponder this and that.
Even during meals, to the point where she didn't know if the food was going into her mouth or her nose.
Then, a blueprint began to be drawn to some extent.
As they say, necessity is the mother of invention.
Moreover, as she shifted her perception a bit, she also got excited.
'Isn't it also an opportunity to try out whatever I want to do without worrying about the budget?'
If she says she's preparing a gift for state guests, even parts that can't be solved with money are a free pass.
In a way, she has gained an opportunity to fangirl to her heart's content as much as she wants... how could she miss this opportunity.
'Right, since it's come to this...'
She decided to try things she had usually only imagined.
She decided to try out something that was in the realm of imagination even on Earth in her past life where science was developed.
There is no science here, but there is magic.
If she uses that magic, which in some ways is more amazing than science──.
'Wouldn't holograms also be feasible?'
She believes that something like what would appear in the comic Game King wouldn't be a dream either.
To realize this idea, Noel contacted the Magic Tower.
Saying it's because of His Highness the Crown Prince's homework, so send a wizard quickly.
As a result,
"E-Excuse me! I am Flora Kent, sent from the Illusion Magic School to cooperate with the requested matter! U-Um, this is the Grace mansion... right...?"
The connection with the Illusion Magic School, which she thought had been severed, was reconnected.
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