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Ch. 50 - Wook's Teahouse
“Ha ha ha ha ha…!” Lark laughed wildly and placed the magic tool resembling a metronome he was holding on the table. And then he said, “I’m thinking of ordering a video board, too.”
“What?”
“Don’t get me wrong. Unlike the princess, I’m ordering for the public good.”
“What do you need it for?”
“Why don’t we make a promotional video of the imperial family and display it in the city? Show them that the officials of the imperial family who eat from the country taxes are working hard without neglecting their duties…” Lark stroked his chin and spoke simultaneously, “Ah, we should film the new attractions in the capital since they’re the result of aesthetic management with taxes.”
“…”
“We can also quickly inform the matters needed to be delivered to the public. Isn’t Millen already putting up a video board on every street and implementing it first?”
“Alright. I give it a pass.” With his eyes closed, Shane leaned back into his chair and nodded without saying a word.
I was surprised.
‘What’s this? Is this the same person who’s picky about the imperial family? Or is it this easy because it’s for the public interest?’
I felt like I was going crazy.
Perhaps finding my lips pouting out, Shane said while looking at me with only one eye open, “Bring reasonable purpose of use, then I will gladly do it for you.”
“Oh, sureee.” I pouted and answered dryly.
Seeing us like that, Lark smiled and got up.
“First, we’ll set up a trial of only five on the representative street and order additional if it’s efficient. I’ll send the detailed usage report to the tower within two days, so please read it.”
“All right, now go away.” Shane, who rose up after Lark, turned around and waved his hand in annoyance.
Lark looked at his back and chuckled and muttered, “… How cute.”
“What?!”
Shane turned around and frowned at him, while Lark shrugged.
“Nothing. Thank you, my lord, for the quick production review.”
The resourceful Lark, who obtained the right to produce a video board in just one minute, which I couldn’t even after hurting my mouth for more than ten minutes, laughed cheekily.
***
“Are you upset?”
“No, I‘m not.”
“You’re upset.”
“No, I’m not.”
Lark followed me out of the tower and taunted me.
As soon as he filled out an order form at the desk on the first floor and received it back, he won the right to produce the video without a two-week screening period.
Am I upset? To be honest, yes.
‘You’re making fun of me when you didn’t even come here to buy a video board in the first place. And what’s this? You’re stealing my ideas right in front of my eyes?’
Lark took my idea of playing a promotional video through a video board and advertising it to passersby.
Making a promotional video of the imperial family and sending it out…
“Princess. Look at me.”
“Ah, what?”
Looking at my sullen expression, Lark chuckled and drew a large square with both hands in the air.
“This is how we put on the video board and play the prepared promotional video for the imperial family.”
“Yes, yes. Go ahead.”
“And before moving on to the next video, I’m going to put in a little bit of your store’s promotional video.”
“…?”
Lark smiled at me, whose eyes widened in surprise.
“What do you think?”
“…”
I stood there blankly, brooding over his words.
So, I will put my advertisement on Lark’s video board.
In short, it is the kind of advertisement inserted in the middle of the video content along with a comment such as ‘Play the video in 5 seconds’.
“Oh my gosh! Can we do that? Isn’t it going to be produced for the promotional video for the imperial family-”
“If it weren’t for you, that person wouldn’t have listened to me.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Look here.”
Lark showed me a copy of the order he was holding and pointed to a place.
3) Purpose of use: With the imperial publicity video as the ‘main’, it is aimed at the citizens of the capital…
“It said ‘main’ and didn’t say that only promotional videos for the imperial family could be released unconditionally.”
“Wow.”
“As long as about 80% of the content or more fit the purpose of the production, it should be enough. Besides, your video won’t be on all five video boards. You only need to install it on the boutique street in Lunten.”
“Y-Your Highness… Your Highness…”
“Fufu. You look so touched.”
“You’re awesome! You’ve got everything in your head! You were going to help the poor me from the start!”
“But of course.”
I covered my mouth in shock.
“You’re the best! As expected, the true and upright leader of this era!”
“Ha ha ha ha ha…!”
Lark’s plan was perfect.
I can promote the shop without feeling pressured.
The plan to send out promotional videos of the imperial family might have been created on the spot, but it’s good enough for the convenience of the system…
“Thank you very much. Seriously. Can I get your help without repaying like this?”
“I’m already getting enough help from you.”
“Still…”
You have to be a model soon.
I felt a little sorry because I thought I might receive too much from telling the future.
“I’d like to express my gratitude somehow. Would you like to have a meal?”
“No, I’m good. I need to head back soon.”
“Well, then anything else… You’ve been a great help to me. Just accepting makes me uncomfortable.”
“Well then.”
Lark, who had been contemplating as he gathered his lips together, smiled brightly and bowed his head abruptly. Then he tapped his right cheek with his index finger.
I recoiled with a start.
“Y-You want a kiss?”
“Why do you look so disgusted?”
“We’re not lovers.”
“Mm? Did the country’s greeting laws change without my knowledge? Only lovers can kiss on the cheek?”
“O-Of course not.”
A kiss on the cheek was a light greeting between men and women.
Considering my days as Juliet Karenina, who was used to western greetings, it should not be that embarrassing.
“Nevermind then.”
“N-No. It’s not that I hate it.”
Hmmm, I coughed once for nothing and tiptoed a little. And then, on the cheek of Lark, who had lowered his waist even more to match my height-
“Mm.”
For some reason, Lark stopped still and blinked a couple of times slowly at the kiss that ended shortly.
Immediately, he smiled at me with a strange expression and said as he looked at me, “… Not bad.”
***
The capital of the empire, Decarn. The National Bank in the heart of the capital.
After separating from Lark, I stopped by the bank as scheduled.
‘I made a lot of money, so I need to keep it safe.’
I thought as I sat at the counter facing the bank teller.
“First of all, I came to repay the amount that was borrowed in the name of Leonard Diollus, 300 million marks.”
When I raised my hand and signaled, my escort, waiting next to me, placed a bag of cash on top of the counter and opened it.
Millions of mark banknotes were packed tightly.
The bank teller, startled by a large amount of cash, immediately recognized me and said, “Thank you. Did you visit us for immediate redemption of the 300 million mark you traded on July 7th?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“All right, please wait a moment.”
While waiting for the teller to manually check the loan amount and interest, I looked around the inside of the bank.
All the staff at the bank were very friendly to the few customers. The middle-aged bank manager, who was supposed to be busy, also glanced at me from behind the teller, and the employee guarding the entrance even took a carriage and brought it directly to the entrance.
The National Bank, which was located right in the center of the capital, was filled with only flies flying.
‘Because the people of the empire are not yet accustomed to a financial institution called a bank.’
Surprisingly, it was only two years ago that a bank was launched in the empire— no, in this world. It was difficult to activate because it was in the early stage of introduction.
“You mean I should leave my money to someone else to manage it?”
“I have a safe at home. Why should I?”
The people of the empire didn’t understand why a bank was created. Not knowing that this convenient financial institution was a great product of undoubtedly human progress!
I chuckled inwardly, admiring someone at the same time.
‘Introduced the concept of deposits and loans at the age of only 17. A great man who tried to develop the national economy with a huge flow of money…!’
Surprisingly, the great man was Lark.
‘Unfortunately, it’s not so active right now, so it is treated as an institution that only takes up space in the capital.’
In a decade or so, more than 90% of the imperial population would use this convenient financial institution.
Unfortunately, it was only after Lark’s death that the bank became active. And the one who took all the credit for setting up the bank was the 2nd Prince Nathan, who’d assassinated him.
‘How unfair.’
I shook my head and said to the teller, “And I want to open an account in my name. It’s a little cumbersome to keep big money in the safe.”
“Yes?”
The teller was surprised.
Soon, the bank manager, who had only glanced at me from behind, quickly approached the counter. “Princess, if it’s okay with you, can I help you?”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“How much money do you want to deposit?”
I smiled at the manager, whose eyes were shining.
‘You need a customer who entrusts a large amount of money to activate this convenient financial institution quickly.’
After taking off my gloves, I beckoned to the three escorts behind me. As if waiting, they lifted the three bags they were carrying over the window.
And chuck, chuck, chuck. One by one, the bags were opened, and dense bundles of banknotes and gold bars flashed brightly.
‘I will become a VIP customer who will contribute to the smooth flow of money in this country.’
I smiled and said to the manager, whose mouth was wide open, as he looked at my magnificent bag.
“First of all, how about starting with 500 million marks?”