“Are you really sure you don’t want a share?”
After exchanging the contract, Tilan confirmed once again.
The glasses design was transferred to Tilan by Lulumiya for thirty gold coins—originally, they’d agreed on a price of twenty gold coins, but Lulumiya promised to improve the design later, ensuring it would outcompete imitation glasses from other workshops. So, Tilan added another ten gold coins.
Thirty gold coins might seem like a small amount, but even a skilled woodworker like Shaol could only earn about one gold coin a month in good times. Thirty gold coins was already a generous price. The only reason it felt like little was because the Fourth Princess had been so extravagant before, making money seem worthless.
“Thirty gold coins is plenty. Once I get what I want, I’ll hand over the improved blueprints. The current version takes up too much space and can’t be folded.”
That’s right, the blueprints Lulumiya submitted were for a product you simply wore, without the folding temples modern glasses have. Her aim was “simple structure, quick to produce.” The folding temple design took too much time, and if the wrong materials were used, the glasses’ lifespan would drop drastically.
“Folding, huh…” Tilan watched Lulumiya put away the contract, a trace of hesitation flickering in her violet eyes. “Miya, have you gotten smarter?”
“That’s right,” Lulumiya admitted cheerfully. The original host’s intelligence was leagues apart from hers, so she couldn’t be bothered to act dumb anymore. “Her Highness the Fourth Princess taught me a lot. I used to be really stupid, but now I think it was a blessing in disguise? Everyone around me says I’ve changed.”
“I see… Then do you have any plans? Lately, Yean’s been telling everyone you owe the Fourth Princess five thousand gold coins and aren’t paying her back. Plus, you haven’t been back to class in ages. Everyone’s talking, saying you’re trying to skip out on your debt and won’t ever come back.”
Tch, that bitch Yean is still running her mouth everywhere.
Lulumiya clicked her tongue. Once she paid back Yean’s five gold coins, if Yean kept pestering her, she wouldn’t show any more mercy.
Tilan bit her lip anxiously.
“Five thousand gold coins is way too much, you know you can’t pay it back… Her Highness the Fourth Princess is arrogant and overbearing. Who knows when she’ll come after you again? Miya, it’d be best if you left Ounheim and laid low for a while. My family has businesses in the east, in the Kingdom of Himhaida. If you want, I can go to school with you in the Kingdom of Himhaida.”
The map of Yanguo is really too simple—her thoughts are written all over her face.
Lulumiya complained inwardly, but on the surface pretended to know nothing. She widened her eyes and replied confidently, “Do I look like the type who’d skip out on a debt? I’ve already made a six-month agreement with Her Highness the Fourth Princess. She’ll return to the Seran Empire in half a year. As long as I pay her back before then, it’s fine.”
After speaking, Lulumiya glanced at Eno. Eno didn’t seem interested in continuing the topic; it looked like she didn’t want the duel with Xinleila to be public knowledge.
Tilan’s voice rose a pitch. “Paying back five thousand gold coins in half a year? I remember you don’t even have a copper coin left. You should really go to the Kingdom of Himhaida for a while. The Kingdom of Himhaida doesn’t get along with the Seran Empire or the Ounheim Holy Nation. If you hide there, Her Highness can’t do anything to you.”
“Don’t worry,”—if Tilan’s orientation wasn’t so problematic, Lulumiya would have reached out to pinch her face. Even if her intentions weren’t pure, she was still thinking of her. “I’ve already got an idea for how to pay her back.”
“What kind of idea?”
“Hehe,” Lulumiya lifted her chin, flashing a mysterious smile. She glanced at Tilan from the corner of her eye.
Tilan immediately understood and waved at the people around them. “Everyone step out for now. We won’t need you here for a while.” Once only Eno and Tilan remained in the shop, Lulumiya cleared her throat and explained her newspaper plan to Tilan.
Tilan listened attentively, but as Lulumiya spoke, Tilan’s brows knitted tighter. When Lulumiya finished, Tilan asked with a serious look, “But making something called a newspaper sounds complicated, doesn’t it? Even without decorations, a skilled worker could only write two or three copies a day. Can that really make money?”
“That’s because you haven’t seen a printing press, Tilan. Of course handwriting can’t compare.”
“Then, could I see a printing press?” As soon as she spoke, Tilan realized she’d misspoken. She glanced cautiously at Eno, but seeing Eno calmly sipping tea, she gave Lulumiya a serious assurance. “I swear to Lady Isthel, I won’t tell anyone what I see.”
“It’s fine to see, but I’m running into a little trouble right now,” Lulumiya sighed, feeling frustrated—though inwardly she thought, the big fish is on the hook.
“What trouble?”
“I don’t know a lot about these things. If I want to publish shipping schedules and monster material prices, I’ll have to send people to keep an eye on things. That’s not a big deal in itself, but if the data is wrong, or if someone with bad intentions spreads false information, the newspaper’s credibility will take a serious hit.”
“Also, printing ink is a problem. Ordinary ink isn’t suitable for printing and soaks through paper easily. I need to make a special ink for printing. I read the method in a book once: just mix lampblack with a special oil and it works. Lampblack is easy—just scrape the soot from the glass cover of an oil lamp—but I’ll have to test every type of oil to find the right one.”
There were still issues like choosing newspaper stand locations and hiring reporters, but if she relied on Tilan too much, Tilan would get too much control, and she’d have to give up even more.
“Heh, I thought it was a big problem, but that’s all?”
After hearing Lulumiya’s troubles, Tilan’s solemn look melted away. She brushed aside her lilac bangs, her expression turning into a half-smile.
“Miya, did you forget what my family does? We trade in metal jewelry and magic materials, and do business between Ounheim Holy Nation and the Kingdom of Himhaida. We’re very sensitive to metal prices and shipping schedules. If you want to know, just ask me!”
“How can that be,” Lulumiya pouted, refusing. She intended to pay for the intel, not owe a favor. “I should pay Tilan for the information, otherwise I’ll feel guilty.”
“Aren’t we close friends? If I charged for something even my servants could find out, I’d feel guilty.” Tilan puffed up her cheeks and poked Lulumiya’s nose with her finger. “I just want you to be healthy and happy, Miya. If you could come see me often like before, that’d be even better. You haven’t been to class in ages, and now I don’t even know what to do at the academy.”
And I feel like you’ve grown distant. You used to never be this polite… Did something happen to you? Tilan thought, but since Eno was present, she didn’t say it out loud.
She decided she’d find a time to test Miya alone. Although she hadn’t stopped Lulumiya from borrowing money from the Fourth Princess back then and missed her chance to buy Lulumiya herself, if the soft approach didn’t work, she could try a harder one, right? As long as the Saint wasn’t around, she could have Miya dancing in the palm of her hand.
Tilan was confident about that.
She stood up and called the staff back in from the backyard.
“Go outside and buy some oil. Get a bit of every kind, pack them up and give them to Miya.”
“Yes, Miss.”
“This isn’t right, I should pay for that,” Lulumiya protested.
“It’s just a bit of money. I once promised to protect you, but when you got into trouble, I didn’t know a thing. If I don’t do something, I’ll feel guilty.”
Tilan stepped forward and gently took Lulumiya’s hand, her violet eyes fixed on her. The concern in her gaze made Lulumiya feel awkward. Even if it wasn’t exactly tender affection, it was certainly full of guilt.
So young…
She tried to pull her hand back, but Tilan held on tightly.
Only when Eno spoke did Tilan reluctantly let go.
“I’ll pay for this. After all, I’m Miya’s guardian. If I let you pay, people will laugh at me for taking advantage of a child.”
“No need, no need,” Tilan cursed inwardly at the old woman for showing off just because she arrived first, but on the surface didn’t show any dislike at all. “It won’t cost much. Back when Miya and I used to go out and play, I always covered all the expenses. That’s just our custom.”
“Hm? Tilan, aren’t you from Ounheim?”
“I’m from the Kingdom of Himhaida. I only came to Ounheim with my father for business,” Tilan replied, her hands folded gracefully in her lap.
“It’ll be a while before the servants return. Saint, why not stay for dinner? I’ll have the servants prepare a Kingdom of Himhaida-style meal. It’ll be a good chance to catch up on Miya’s time at the church. It might be impolite to say, but everyone knows the church is full of complicated relationships. I can’t rest easy just sending Miya back like this.”
“You two have such a good relationship,” Eno said sincerely, not noticing Tilan’s schemes at all. “What about you, Miya? Do you want to stay?”
Of course I don’t. Where in reality does a best friend ever say to a parent, “I don’t think my friend is safe with you”? Eno, are you that dense?
But these words could only be screamed in Lulumiya’s heart. Tilan’s intel was too important, and she needed to keep up this act of ignorance—damn, why couldn’t she have reincarnated as a beautiful boy? She forced a stiff smile and answered, “I’ll… I’ll stay for dinner. I want to ask Tilan about shipping schedules.”
“Then I’ll go back to the temple to change. Miya, you stay here.”
Eno stood up and gave Miya a little push.
“Ah?”
Before Miya could say anything, Tilan had already pulled her to her side and gracefully lifted her skirt, bowing to Eno.
“If my father knew I invited the Saint to dinner, he’d be overjoyed. It’s the honor of the Cassandra family.”
“It’s nothing to be honored about. Before I was the Saint, I was just a regular person. Make sure you and Miya get along—don’t fight, okay? I’ll be back soon.”
“I want to go home and change too—”
“I have plenty of clothes here. You haven’t been by in ages, and the ones I bought for you are piled up like a mountain.” Tilan’s eyes shone with happiness as she put both hands on Lulumiya’s shoulders, her fingers restlessly kneading.
Meanwhile, Eno waved and left the jewelry shop.
Isn’t this sending a sheep into a wolf’s den?
Lulumiya felt like facepalming, but thankfully she was mentally mature. She knew Tilan had feelings for the original host, but Tilan had only ever tried to lure her, never forcing her. As long as she acted resistant and found good excuses, she could brush Tilan off.
She steeled herself, met Tilan’s eager, beautiful eyes, and put on a timid act.
“Those clothes aren’t going to cost money, are they…”
“Trying them on is free, but if you want to take them home, you’ll have to pay.”
“I don’t have any money.”
“That’s okay, you can owe me.”
That’s how you tricked the original host, making her rack up a huge debt to you, until she had no say in front of you at all.
I won’t fall for that.
Unaware of Lulumiya’s calculations, Tilan suppressed the urge to hug her tightly after their long-awaited reunion, and confidently took Lulumiya’s hand, leading her into the backyard.