Chapter 195
Chapter 195
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 195
Chapter Title: Mailly Daily
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Boom! Thud thud!
“[Mailly Daily]! Open the door!”
Though she was full-term, Vivianna showed no hesitation.
She left her horse and Berik at the entrance, then climbed the stairs two or three at a time and shook the iron gate. Afraid she might get hurt, Mini fidgeted anxiously and hovered around her.
Creak.
“Who is it?”
There was a rustle from behind the double-locked door. This was a place where scoops were lifeblood, so they were extremely wary of competitors and eyed outsiders with suspicion.
The faint clacking of a typewriter echoed from inside. It seemed like they were in the middle of printing.
Vivianna quickly passed her ID through the bars and replied.
“I’m Vivianna, living on Westground Street 2. I’m a former Imperial Palace reconstruction advisor, currently on leave, and my husband serves as aide to the Magic Department Minister.”
Westground was the upscale residential area where Imperial Palace officials mainly lived.
The man checked her face against the ID, then nodded and handed it back.
“What’s the matter?”
“I have a tip about the Imperial Palace.”
“Your husband’s the Magic Department aide, right? What’s his name?”
The man narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Even though he’d checked the ID, this was standard procedure.
“Romandro.”
This was exactly why Ian had asked Vivianna to do it. It was to relay Romandro’s safety, but more importantly, her solid credentials would make it hard for them to dismiss the tip outright.
The man glanced at her bulging belly and tucked his cigarette away.
“Contact with the Imperial Palace has been cut off since 2nd Prince Gail was attacked at night. We got word from inside.”
“What word?”
“Prince Marib stole His Majesty the Emperor’s seal and started a rebellion, and 2nd Prince Gail got involved in the power struggle but both have now been subdued under the Magic Department’s lead.”
The man dropped his cigarette and gaped in shock.
After a few seconds of silence, he fumbled urgently with the locks and flung the door open. A wave of stale coffee and cigarette stench hit them. It was the smell of souls burning away as they pounded on typewriters far in the back.
“Is that... is that true, madam?”
“His Majesty is safe. At five this afternoon, they’ll wrap up and open the gates, so please put out an extra before then.”
Vivianna snapped open her pocket watch to check the time. There was no margin for writing, printing extras, and distribution.
She looked up at the man and continued softly.
“Right now, [Mailly Daily] is the only one who knows this. I’m heading out to tell <Pyrasurfing> next. Who gets the scoop first is up to you. And make sure to include this phrasing in the extra.”
“Aaah, wait! Wait a second!”
As Vivianna showed Ian’s note and turned to leave, the man grabbed her shoulder in a panic. Reflexively, Mini glared and smacked his hand away hard.
“How dare you grab her like that!?”
“Sorry, my apologies. I was just so flustered. But is everything you just said really true? If not, our heads roll. For real.”
“It’s a handwritten letter from Ian Hielro, the Magic Department Minister. By five, the gates will open, and everyone will know, so the value as a scoop will be gone, right?”
It was urging them to cut the crap and print it already.
The man turned to his colleagues and shouted.
“Everyone, stop writing!”
“Why? We’re almost done.”
“A new tip came in. The ringleaders are Prince Marib and 2nd Prince Gail.”
Vivianna frowned in confusion. What were they talking about?
The man lit a fresh cigarette awkwardly and checked her note again.
“Two days ago, a black hole appeared in the sky, right? Rumors are flying that the Magic Department sealed off the palace and something’s up inside. Our sources said similar things.”
“Sources? Which sources?”
“Can’t tell you that.”
“Is it to protect the tipster, or because their identity isn’t above board?”
The man just chewed on the end of his cigarette. It was the latter, obvious even without saying.
“You’re the ones who spread only the truth.”
“Madam, it’s been three full days. We print dozens of editions a day, but we’ve waited three days with no word from the palace. We have to write something about the suspicions. Especially if it’s true. Of course, we weren’t planning a formal print—just circulate it as a flyer.”
-Taking advantage of the chaos to spread fabrications.
Vivianna read the remnants of what Ian had noted. The man and his colleagues discussed something while eyeing the paper in the typewriter. As Mini fretted and called her mistress, Vivianna strode forward without hesitation and tore the paper out.
Rip!
“Madam!”
“Ma’am!”
She threw the torn paper to the floor. If [Mailly Daily] was writing that kind of article, other places probably were too.
‘Then instead of wasting time running around, we need them to print the extra here first.’
It was a game of nerve.
The other papers were likely holding unconfirmed stories, waiting tensely for palace movement. Reporting the truth first would naturally scrap the fakes.
“You guys are lucky.”
“Madam, what do you mean?”
“You’re the first to get close to the truth. Two grown princes clashed and got subdued, so you know who’s really in charge at the palace now.”
Of course, the Magic Department, and its head, Ian Hielro. They instinctively realized they were caught up in something extraordinary—and that it came with opportunity.
“I can’t stand by and watch scraps of fabricated paper plunge Bariel into chaos. [Mailly Daily] prints the extra first. Then, when the gates open at five, I’ll personally tell Minister Ian of your merits.”
“In what way...”
“I’ll request exclusive first-print rights on everything that happened at the palace over these three days.”
“Is that... possible?”
Vivianna nodded firmly, and the office buzzed again. With her husband as Magic Department aide, it wasn’t impossible. It was ridiculous they hadn’t thought of it themselves.
“Ma’am.”
“Shh.”
Mini grabbed her arm worriedly, but Vivianna didn’t waver. Ian would understand this overreach. Spreading the truth came first.
“But if you refuse—”
Boom!
At that moment, an inexplicable roar erupted from outside. The reporters flinched and glanced between Vivianna and the outer window, wondering if it involved her.
“I can’t guarantee your safety.”
“W-what do you mean?”
“I showed my ID, Ian sent a handwritten letter, and I brought a sword-mage underling. It’s all proven and guaranteed! Refusing anyway means you intend to plunge Bariel into chaos with false info. That’s how I’ll report it to Ian.”
Vivianna emphasized “sword-mage” deliberately. A subtle warning that force would follow if needed.
The man and his colleagues exchanged glances and brought over a sheet of paper.
“Write a certificate. For the exclusive printing rights.”
“For the three days’ events.”
“Yes. Write that, and we’ll do it.”
Vivianna wrote the certificate without hesitation. The man ruffled his hair and rolled up his sleeves. His colleagues did the same, discarding their drafts and loading fresh paper.
Click. Tap tap! Tap!
“Write it single-sheet size! We’ll print a hundred at a time for cutting.”
“There was a phrase you said to include for sure, right? Madam?”
“Oh, here it is. It’s written at the bottom of the note.”
“Let’s see, I’ll read it! Everyone, take it down! ‘Princes Marib and Gail threw the Imperial Palace into chaos, but the Magic Department intervened and secured them safely.’ Keep going!”
“Wait, slower! Once more!”
Boom!
Rumble!
They thought the first boom was coincidence, but apparently not. Vivianna flung open the window in alarm and locked eyes with Berik. He was grinning brightly. Impossible to believe he was facing off against men in black armor, so brightly.
“Lord Berik!”
The guide guard who’d come along was rolling on the ground, bleeding. The boom was the sound of him being killed.
“Eugh, I’m fine fine. How much longer?!”
“How long will it take?”
Vivianna’s heart sank. She didn’t know where they came from, but their intent was clear from the situation. They were here to stop Ian, to spread the fabricated rumors.
The man peering out beside her dropped his cigarette again in shock.
“Uh, one printer’s broken, so a hundred copies will take about ten minutes. Normal extras get scattered along the central road from palace to outskirts, so that should...”
“The result!”
“One hour!”
“One hour! Lord Berik!”
At Vivianna’s shout, Berik spat and grinned.
She’d seen the power of that armor at the palace already. One against a hundred—even half-strength had been enough to temporarily revive Gail’s dying forces.
Berik couldn’t hide his excitement, chuckling.
“I know who you bastards are~?”
“......”
“Haiman, right? Haiman? Huh? Busted?”
“...You court death.”
Swoosh!
The armored man swung a thick fist. Since Berik knew their identity from his blabbing mouth, they couldn’t let him live. It seemed Ian’s side had struck first...
‘This goes against the Duke’s plan. Clean it up.’
The enemies exchanged looks and nodded. Kill the little red rat, the woman with Ian’s letter, and the fools inside writing nonsense.
Boom!
“Whoa! Fuck!”
Berik barely blocked the fist and staggered despite himself. The weight was no joke. So heavy and solid, he couldn’t swing accurately if it were normal.
“That’s why they rave about mana stones, mana stones?! Money’s nice, huh? Fuck, without that shell, you’re nothing! Huh?!”
“Quit your yapping!”
“Don’t wanna? Huh?!”
Boom! Thud!
Clang!
Berik focused every nerve on each clash. His instincts were spot-on. Show one gap, and his skull shatters for real. Berik roared and swung his sword, carving only meaningless scratches.
Kaaaa boom! Thud!
Five suits of armor. Vivianna quickly noticed Berik struggling and bit her lip. She held out her hand to Mini.
“Self-defense item.”
“Ma’am!”
“Hurry, everyone! Bariel’s future is at stake!”
Vivianna gripped a dagger and guarded the door. If Berik fell, she was next. Her hands trembled, heart pounding. Probably amplified by the baby’s heartbeat.
“Please, please...”
Please let him live. Please let him survive to see her husband with their child. Mini guarded her sobbing, while the remaining reporters grabbed chairs and charged into the hallway.
Boom! Thud!
Then it happened. A different sound from the wall-smashing booms. Berik, who’d been dodging nimbly, took a hit to the back. Rib-crushing pain flooded in from one blow.
“Aaagh!”
At Berik’s scream, Vivianna nearly rushed down the stairs reflexively. If Mini hadn’t grabbed her, she would have.
“Damn, ow! For real! Vivianna!”
“L-Lord Berik!”
“How much time left?”
“N-Now, it’s been five minutes!”
“Fuck.”
Berik crawled on the floor, muttering irritably. No choice. Ian hadn’t permitted it, but really no choice.
Ziiing! Ziiing!
Berik unleashed his mana. Propping himself on his black sword to rise, another fist flew. As Berik gritted his teeth to block—
Clang!
Someone dashed in from the left in an instant, blocking in front of Berik and taking the fist instead. Short blue hair whipped in the air.
“Grind your teeth!”
“It’s Barsabe, you idiot!”
Kaaaa boom!
Ziiing, ziiing!
Barsabe appeared out of nowhere. Without hesitation, she unleashed her mana.