"Sir Rupert, come here and have a seat."

The princess’s voice was filled with unmistakable excitement as she beckoned me forward.

What’s going on? Why is she so excited? It’s making me anxious.

As the second son of a mere provincial lord with no title, I had no defense against her words of magic.

I approached the princess, knelt on one knee, and lowered my head as I replied.

"Forgive me, Your Highness, but I cannot accept your invitation to sit in your presence."

Was this the correct etiquette? I glanced sideways at the chamberlain, whom I had a passing acquaintance with, to gauge his reaction.

The stern, white-haired chamberlain seemed slightly pleased with my display.

Fortunately, it seems I got the etiquette right.

But I had only just overcome the first hurdle. Many pitfalls still lay ahead, so I needed to stay vigilant.

"I grant you permission to raise your head."

"Thank you for your benevolence, Your Highness."

Finally, with her permission, I lifted my head.

For the first time, I saw the princess’s face, which I had only seen in portraits.

Her black hair and eyes, like a starry night sky, immediately marked her as a member of the imperial Bell family.

But what caught my attention more was her stunning beauty.

The princess wore an ornate dress and jewelry befitting a royal, which would be overwhelming for any noblewoman to pull off.

Yet she wore the lavish attire with such grace that it seemed like simple clothing.

The title "Flower of the Empire" wasn’t given for nothing.

In the original novel, there were scenes where men argued over whether she or Amelia was more beautiful.

Indeed, she was one of the most beautiful women in the world.

"So, do you know why I summoned you?"

The princess asked as she looked at me, now that I had raised my head.

The letter mentioned that she wanted to discuss The Little Mermaid.

"I understand that you wish to discuss The Little Mermaid, Your Highness."

"Yes, I have some questions about The Little Mermaid!"

"Please, ask me anything, Your Highness."

"What happened to the prince after the Little Mermaid returned to the sea?"

"Excuse me?"

I expected her to call me because she was dissatisfied with the ending, but her question about the prince caught me off guard, making me answer inappropriately.

"I know you must have thought of the story that follows, as the author."

I hadn’t thought of anything like that!

"So, the prince longed for the Little Mermaid…."

"Oh, indeed! That makes sense. Please, continue."

The third prince of the empire, Edric, was taken aback by the sight before him.

"Who is that man?"

"That is Sir Rupert, the second son of Count Somerset."

"Somerset?"

Edric recalled the name Somerset from the list of noble families.

"The lordly family of the southern Goldpool Valley."

A common person couldn’t remember the names of hundreds of noble families in the empire, but it was possible for the third prince.

"Why is he here, and why is my sister so excited about talking to him?"

Edric wondered, and Aiton considered how to explain the situation, before carefully recounting the events that had transpired.

"Fairy tales… I’ve heard the rumors, but I didn’t expect my sister to be so fond of them."

Edric couldn’t easily wrap his head around it. The meticulous princess was enthralled by a book intended for children.

"I’d like to see it myself."

"I’ll bring them to you."

When Edric expressed his interest in the fairy tales, Aiton instructed a maid to fetch the books from the princess’s chamber.

Experience is truly important. The time my senior forced me to tell a funny story during my military service had unexpectedly proven helpful.

"Exactly! That’s the part I was curious about! The prince couldn’t forget the Little Mermaid, so he sought out the witch to become a mermaid himself."

The princess clapped her hands in delight at the romantic notion, and I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The princess had suddenly asked about the continuation of The Little Mermaid, and although I couldn’t tell her I hadn’t thought of any such thing, I quickly improvised a story using superhuman creativity.

The prince suddenly remembered being saved from the sea.

And then?

He realized that the one who saved him was not a princess from a neighboring kingdom, but the woman he had failed to recognize….

A good storyteller is an excellent liar. Who would have thought that my childhood talent for lying would come in handy?

Fortunately, the princess seemed to enjoy the story I hastily concocted and listened with a smile.

However, accommodating her peculiar tastes in the story wasn’t easy.

I think the Little Mermaid would reject the prince, as she has already been hurt.

Indeed, Your Highness has an astounding insight into the hearts of men and women.

But seeing the broken state of the prince, the Little Mermaid’s heart begins to waver again….

I had felt it when she expressed her dissatisfaction with the ending before, but this woman had a thirst for sensational stories.

How could she think of such an epilogue after reading The Little Mermaid? I couldn’t comprehend it.

Nonetheless, I managed to create a story that matched the princess’s imagination and satisfied her greatly.

"I had expected much from your exceptional talent, but I am more pleased than I imagined."

With a content smile, the princess forced me to sit in the chair opposite hers.

Glares

I didn’t want to sit because I could feel the elderly chamberlain glaring at me, but I couldn’t defy the princess’s order, so I sat there uncomfortably.

But that guy seems like Edric.

The young man with black hair, intently reading the fairy tales beside the chamberlain.

If he had black hair in the royal palace, he was undoubtedly a member of the royal family. And among the young male royals, he had to be one of the princes.

There was only one reason I suspected that he was the third prince, Edric Bell, the protagonist of the original novel.

He’s incredibly handsome.

I thought Rupert, the character I possessed, was quite good-looking, but this guy was like a sculpture.

He was simply reading a fairy tale, yet it seemed like a photo shoot.

But why is he here? Is this the doing of the damned monkey’s paw?

Every time I wished not to meet a certain character, I ended up encountering them. It had to be the work of the monkey’s paw.

"Sir Rupert, I’m so pleased today that I wish to reward you."

"No, Your Highness. It is already an honor for my family that I’ve brought you joy."

Whatever reward she would give, it was bound to be something worthless, like another plaque of appreciation.

"Still, since you are a guest I invited, there should be a reward. Tell me what you desire."

Tsk, honestly, I’d like to ask for money. But I’d only be criticized for being someone who values money over noble honor.

Should I ask for something like a flower or a handkerchief bestowed by the princess? I pondered for a moment when a brilliant idea crossed my mind.

"Your Highness, may I humbly present my foolish suggestion?"

"Speak freely."

"I wish to create a world where all the people of the empire can read the fairy tales I’ve written."

"What?"

"My books were originally made for children, and I hope they will help the children, who will become the future pillars of the empire, to grow up to be good people."

"And?"

"I am not powerful enough to achieve this, but if Your Highness could grant your grace, I would like to see that not only wealthy nobles but also the children of poor commoners can read my books."

Did it work?

I was impressed by my spur-of-the-moment idea. Asking outright for material goods was out of the question, but what about the dissemination of books?

In my opinion, this request barely passed the test.

With a public-interest purpose, the princess couldn’t call me rude or say I didn’t understand honor.

"You truly understand me!"

Huh?

"I have also thought that these books should be read by many children. But unfortunately, many commoners cannot read."

"Yes, it’s a shame, but that is true."

"So, are you suggesting that your easy-to-read books be used to alleviate illiteracy in the empire?"

"Your… Your Highness! That’s not…!"

No, I was just asking for money to make my books widely available. It wasn’t a grand plan to eradicate illiteracy.

Why did she suddenly escalate the scale like that?

"I’m so impressed that you had the same thought as I did. A noble must always think of those beneath them."

How did the idea of disseminating books lead to eradicating illiteracy? I couldn’t stop the princess from spiraling out of control.

I looked at the chamberlain for help, but he only stared back at me with a puzzled expression, offering no assistance.

Just ask for money!

No matter how much I cried out inside, it was futile.

"Have my eyes for judging people grown rusty?"

Edric watched the man named Rupert discuss the dissemination of books with the princess.

Although it was embarrassing to admit, he had always prided himself on his ability to judge people accurately.

To Edric, Rupert seemed like someone who was sly and overly concerned with wealth.

Listening to his conversation with the princess, Rupert’s expressions seemed cold and calculating, while his words were nothing but sycophantic flattery.

However, Edric’s expectations were proven wrong.

When the princess brought up the subject of a reward, Rupert’s eyes lit up in a way that suggested he wanted something more than just money.

If this man becomes greedy, I won’t let it go unpunished.

Edric thought to himself, waiting for Rupert’s response.

“I want to create a world where all the people of the empire can read the fairy tales I’ve written.”

Surprisingly, Rupert didn’t ask for money or material wealth but spoke about allowing the people to read his books.

He mentioned that the cost of books was high and expressed a desire for the imperial family’s assistance to make them accessible to even the poor, and his expression was earnest.

I misjudged him. I didn’t expect him to have such grand ambitions.

Edric resolved never to hastily judge people again.