A Time of Freedom and Leisure
A Time of Freedom and Leisure
Naturally, the state guests were greatly delighted by the unprecedented gift the Crown Prince had prepared.
Privately, they were happy that they could continue enjoying this fun thing back in their home countries, and publicly, they planned to take it back, analyze it, and use it as a foundation for their own cultural competitiveness.
It was clear that each country, recognizing the potential, would now compete to develop games.
Noel felt great satisfaction at this trend.
This was exactly what she wanted.
If each country became desperate to create various contents, unwilling to fall behind the Empire, then she too would be able to enjoy the results.
Noel rejoiced in a world that increasingly produced its own dopamine.
'At this rate, the level will naturally rise, and I won't be the only one anymore.'
Noel smiled happily, dreaming of becoming a has-been, retiring, and enjoying a leisurely life.
Then the Crown Prince approached her.
"Cassian-jeonha."
Realizing this, Noel, who had been immersed in a sweet dream of happiness, hastily composed herself with courtesy.
As if to say formalities were unnecessary, Crown Prince Cassian raised his hand and smiled.
"Aren't you the one who firmly upheld my dignity today, and by extension, the Empire's prestige? Feel at ease."
"Yes, y-yes..."
Noel nodded awkwardly.
If he had only come to commend her achievements, it would have been fine, but she reflexively became wary that he might give another tiresome order.
"Have you decided what to study at the Academy?"
"Ah, well..."
Suddenly, the old mage she had met before came to mind.
Why were there so many people interested in her career path?
Feeling troubled, Noel answered honestly, just as she had done with Arthur Higgins in the past.
She said she would study artifacts and take arts courses as electives.
At that, Cassian nodded with satisfaction, as if that was exactly right.
"This is what it means to be a prepared—no, a born talent."
Noel wondered what this sudden remark meant, but she lacked the courage to ask.
Sometimes ignorance is bliss, as they say.
"I entrust my younger sister to you at the Academy as well."
"Rather, I am the one indebted to the Princess."
"Haha! You really have a way with words."
As a brother who knew his sister's personality well, the Crown Prince thought that rather than any debt, it would be a relief if Noel wasn't troubled by Lydia pushing her around.
He himself didn't seem in a position to talk about others, but contrary to Noel's worry that he might give her another troublesome task, after a heartwarming conversation steeped in family affection, the Crown Prince left to attend to diplomacy.
Then, as if they had been waiting for the Crown Prince to leave, people began to gather around Noel.
Now it was time for Noel to engage in socializing as a noble, even if not diplomacy.
With the fake—no, the business smile that Sophie Ember, now an editor-in-chief, had painstakingly drilled into her during her tutoring days, Noel dealt with these people flocking to her like bees to flowers.
This wasn't her first time in such a situation, and after several repetitions, Noel had become accustomed to it.
She handled people skillfully, satisfying their curiosity.
She responded as if she were marketing this newly introduced cultural phenomenon to the world.
"I really want to get the Red Moon Fox Tribe card—is there no way? I won't ask to buy it outright, but can't you increase the card quantity?"
"To preserve the card's value, we cannot increase production. Please understand."
"Keua~ I never knew I was this unlucky until I played 『Magic & Servant』. Preserving value... that does make sense."
Some came with requests that weren't quite requests,
"Lady Noel, please consider our theater troupe for the stage adaptation of your next work—"
"Ahem! Where do you think you're cutting in? Our troupe has playwrights and actors perfectly prepared to adapt the author's work. With us..."
"We have a line of students who wish to become disciples of the author Homeros. Have you ever considered taking on disciples...? Actually, my son draws very well. If it's all right, about the comics..."
Some approached with various motives, hoping to benefit from Homeros's influence,
"After reading 『Oblige of Deception』, which won the literary award in the last contest, I had many thoughts. About the duty of the noble, the haves... But I came to my own conclusion. Even if it's deception, if it's consistent, sincerity emerges. Some people might breathe easier thanks to that deception, so it's a necessary thing—"
Some came because they wanted to discuss their feelings about the work with the author.
As she dealt with these people, the party gradually matured, and those surrounding Noel, seemingly satisfied to some extent, departed.
After all, this gathering was a party, but its purpose wasn't merely to enjoy oneself.
She had to go perform another social duty with a different partner.
Thanks to that, Noel, now with a bit of breathing room, could leisurely look around the banquet hall.
A gathering of distinguished individuals from each nation.
Yet, looking here and there, regardless of Empire or Kingdom, all those leading and guiding their countries and societies were completely immersed in the 'entertainment culture' she had spread.
Age didn't matter either.
Those uninterested in games were in a similar situation.
They were talking about who should take the lead role in the stage adaptation of 『Diary in My Heart』, and heatedly debating the pros and cons of 'comics.'
All of it was her creation.
Things that would now spread beyond the Empire to other kingdoms under the name of 'gifts.'
Seeing the powerful figures so captivated by what she had made, Noel found it hard to suppress the laughter welling up inside.
Spring, or Christmas.
Was this how a singer felt when seeing their hit song play across the streets and the country only during specific seasons or holidays?
Noel newly realized that she was exerting a tremendous influence on people's minds, and as for grave responsibility and heavy burden—
'This is super fun. Yeah, this is why I write.'
It was just fun.
There was nothing more delightful than seeing both dignified gentlemen and finicky ladies, without exception, get drunk on her works and chatter away.
In her past life, Noel had been the same.
She wrote for the joy of seeing readers' reactions.
But now, there was no system like comments for real-time communication with readers—fan letters were one thing—so she had been a bit disappointed not to fully experience the true flavor of serialization based on reactions.
Through today's banquet hall scenery, she was reminded of a pleasure she had forgotten for a long time.
However, there was one slight regret.
'As I thought, there are no other races...'
If only this were a proper fantasy, and she could see in real time not just the Empire or kingdoms, but other races as well, going wild over her creations—how wonderful would that be?
She had heard that among the other races staying in the Empire, her works were being well received.
Flora had even said that among the elves in the Magic Tower, there was quite a positive response.
But she had only heard about it; she had never seen it with her own eyes.
Everything was good, but seeing the banquet hall missing that one dot, like a dragon painting lacking its final eye, left a significant sense of incompleteness.
Noel licked her lips, yearning to see intelligent beings other than humans enjoying her works.
Such a desire could be satisfied once she entered the Academy.
At the Academy, there were elves and dwarves among the faculty, and above all, among the incoming students were warriors from the Great Plains.
In fact, that was why she had secretly hoped today.
The daughter of the Great Chief.
A heroine who could be called, so to speak, a Beastkin princess, was scheduled to enroll, so she thought there might be Beastkin present at this gathering.
But that hope ended in disappointment.
An invitation might have been sent, but it seemed the Beastkin side had declined.
Noel thought it would be nice if someday, at a gathering of humans, elves, dwarves, and Beastkin, her works could shine.
As a creator, she considered making that a sort of goal to aim for.
"Miss Noel."
Just then, someone approached and spoke to her.
"Are you enjoying yourself?"
It was Princess Lydia, who looked tired.
Having gone around greeting people as the Empire's flower, she had barely escaped and come to find Noel.
"Hu, I'm a bit tired."
Coming to Noel's side, sipping a drink, Lydia spoke as if complaining.
"Still, at least it's fun to watch everyone being so captivated by the game you made."
"Um, it's an honor?"
Not knowing how to react, Noel responded with a slight awkwardness.
As if unbothered, Lydia muttered while watching Clara bustle around the banquet hall.
"Miss Clara is like a mermaid in water, truly."
Both Lydia and Noel found their energy drained attending such gatherings, but Clara, on the contrary, shone brightest and recharged her energy in these settings.
Though Clara had become considerably milder, she still seemed to enjoy being in the spotlight the most.
Well, even if her sharp personality had become a bit more rounded, that wouldn't change everything.
And surprisingly, Irina was also suave, or rather, composed.
Having experienced many situations where people clung to her desperately as a saintess, she seemed unbothered by just having to greet people like this.
"I heard the Academy also holds a banquet once a year... I don't understand why everyone loves balls so much."
At Lydia's grumbling words, Noel let out a silent laugh.
It's because this is a romance fantasy world, and romance fantasy means balls.
Even if a ball is held in the midst of war, if it's romance fantasy—no, precisely because it's romance fantasy, a ball must be held even in wartime.
"Well, once this party is over, it's really just free time until we enter the Academy. Let's think of it as the last one and enjoy it, Princess."
"Shall we?"
And so the two comforted each other and tried to cheer up.
When the Imperial family's three-day party ended, peace arrived for Noel and Lydia.
As if it were natural, Lydia, Clara, and Irina all returned to the quiet Grace Viscounty and entered a period of rest until the Academy enrollment.
Seeing the three of them, Noel thought anew:
'Don't they need to go home?'
She wondered if they planned to stay as guests at the Viscounty until the very last moment before enrolling.
For Irina, the saintess, it would be ridiculous to go back to the Holy Kingdom and then come back for studies, so that was understandable, but she was a little worried about the Princess and the Count's daughter.
Lydia had her family's understanding, so that was one thing, but her real concern was Clara.
It had been quite a while since she used comics as an excuse not to return to the Count House.
Noel was a bit worried about whether this was okay, but she decided not to mention it.
Considering what was in the setting book, Clara's emotional well-being was probably better served in the Grace territory than in the Count House with her family.
'Come to think of it, I didn't see Count Vance at this party.'
Noel racked her brain, feeling there was a reason, but couldn't remember, so she decided to stop trying.
If she couldn't recall it, it probably wasn't that important.
Right now, she wanted to enjoy this moment.
The freedom she was savoring before entering the Academy.
A tranquility like a senior in high school after the college entrance exam.
Noel wanted to fully relish what might be the freest moment in her life.
But someone came to break that tranquility.
"Eonni, what are you doing?"
It was Noah, appearing as if she had been waiting for just this moment.