Chapter 454: Open Viewing

A diminutive village, the same as could be found anywhere.Brightly painted cottages as though colour could distract from the mud. A well from which an ominous tapping noise was sounding. A pub bustling with the clamour of farmers not realising the sun hadn’t fallen and so it was still time to be working.

I was here at last. And while I had never spared a thought for the village blighting the horizon from my window, it was still the doorstep of my home. 

Meaning that past the small hill in the distance, the first sight of the Royal Villa could be seen.

… Normally, that is.

Instead, all I saw were carriages.

A carriage here. A carriage there. A carriage everywhere.

An unyielding queue stretched from the obstructed gates of my home all the way to the centre of the village, casting the cottages, the well and the pub in shadow.

This could only mean one thing.

A soirée was soon in session.

I didn’t bother hiding my groan. 

A far cry from Apple. He snorted with satisfaction as he walked in a tiny circle around his home and absolutely nowhere else. A slightly dizzying problem that would be fixed the moment he realised that the royal stables and an infinite number of carrots were waiting for him.

He just needed to shoo away all the other horses likely already there.

“Uwaah~” Coppelia stood on her tiptoes, hand to her brows as she did her best to look over the queue. “You’re right. Your home is amazing. I can almost see a chimney. It looks so square.”

My shoulders dropped slightly.

Of course, the nobility would find a way to dampen the joy of my arrival. And given how many there were, they’d all conspired to achieve it.

“Cherish the start, because soon it will become worse. Summer is now here. I expect the carriages will start piling up into a leaning tower soon.” 

“Great! Because we’ll probably need to climb it to get inside. Is this normal?”

“Sadly, nobility taking away our time is the most normal occurrence there is. Now more than ever. Summer is the season of politics, and to embarrass themselves before the royal court is the highlight of their memories. There shall be no break for my family in the months ahead.”

“Wow. I didn’t think you guys would actually be this popular. I’ve only seen your nobility trying to take over your tiny kingdom.”

“Firstly, my kingdom isn’t tiny. It’s so grand that cartographers need to draw it in 1:5000 scale. Secondly, do not mistake popularity with fondness. Every lord and baron here would gladly queue up if only to ruin as many landscape paintings as they could … which is why this is clearly far too much. Even for my mother, there’s only so many noblemen she can frighten with her scowl.”

Indeed, that was terrible. 

Without the threat of her iron eyebrows, there was nothing to stop the drunkards from disgracing themselves more than they already did. 

As vast as my home was, their ability to spread themselves on the floor was even greater.

“Hmmmmm …” Coppelia placed a finger to her cheek. “Is it actually that bad, though? There’s the king as well, right? He can just do the wrist flicking thing from his chair and that’ll tide them over for ages. Everybody likes the wrist flicking thing.”

“Yes, they do. But they also like making the most of a rare opportunity as well. That inevitably means more wine, cheese and vomit. There’s a reason the Summer Kingdoms remain so prosperous. So long as we constantly purchase new carpets, they’ll never lack for crowns.”

I shuddered, fearing I would need to see to my realm’s finances once again.

A regular soirée was bad enough, but now even an open village could barely accommodate the number of visitors–which was why there was still work to be done.

As unappealing as this village was, we had to somehow make it worse. 

We needed to make the entire road to the Royal Villa such a poor experience that horses would simply turn around. Something the local villagers were already working hard at. 

Although the sun was still merrily shining, the farmers were as unbothered about the carriages as they were about their work quotas. Many were huddled together in their finest overalls, drinks in hand as they successfully basked in my disapproval.

In fact, there was only one thing they were being useful for.

Royal Tirea Company

Pop-Up Shop

Yes.

It was that.

They were assisting in my realm’s latest endeavour … competing with trolls. 

Ding-a-ling-a-ling. 

“Thank you very much … !”

A bright voice filled the air alongside the melody of a tinkling bell.

Unable to ignore it any further, I turned to the side to see a cottage requisitioned as a place of business. An official sign stamped with my kingdom’s crest was hanging over a polished wooden door, now swinging open as a smiling commoner exited with a bag held to his chest.

The man reached inside for his purchases, and yet to my horror, it was no fruit or bundle of wheat that earned his contentment. 

It was the image of my eldest sister Florella … engraved onto a tavern mug. 

Coppelia held me as all sense of balance fled from me. 

It wasn’t needed. I grimaced as I clutched my knees, forcing myself to remain standing. 

A crippling blow, yes, but this wasn’t enough to defeat me. 

As utterly horrifying as the notion of Florella’s refined face on a wooden cup was, I was a different princess than the one who’d left. I was wiser to the ways of the world. My eyes had seen past the curtain of civility. I had learned how the world truly turned.  

“Welcome, customers!”

At least until I saw the inside of the cottage.

Barely hearing the tinkling bell above me, I stared at a brightly lit room boasting shelves overflowing with the finest wares a shop bearing my kingdom’s name could offer. 

Wooden charms and pendants. Commemorative plates and spoons. Coasters already slightly sticky. Miniature shields for children. Fruit slime figurines. 

And with the exception of the latter–all cheap and all engraved with tiny portraits of my family. 

Everywhere I looked, I saw Roland, Florella, Clarise and Tristan smiling, winking or waving. My mother and father had an even wider selection of expressions … but that only made sense. 

They had the most plates dedicated to them, after all.

I covered my mouth with both hands.

The absolute slander.

My family was afforded nothing but the highest respect. Even just the canvases of our portraits were painstakingly carved. To paint us and do justice was to reach for the furthest star.  

And now our faces had been engraved onto … junk.

I clenched my fists. 

This … This could not be allowed!

I had no idea what this was, but that didn’t matter! I refused to accept such mockery! 

That’s why– 

“Excuse me … but where is the 3rd princess?”

The woman stocking the shelves blinked at me in puzzlement. As she should do.

… I wasn’t there!

All my siblings were present, beaming from tankards and spoons … but where was I … ?!

Indeed! As unacceptable as this was, nothing was as outrageous as the fact I wasn’t included! Why was my beautiful smile not being exploited for financial gain well … ?! 

“The 3rd princess?” queried the employee, tilting her head slightly.

“Yes, I cannot help but notice she’s missing. It’s a rather glaring omission.” I paused for a moment, then clapped my hands together. “Ah! Could it be that she’s so popular all her wares have sold out?”

“Ah, no, I’m very sorry, but I’m afraid we don’t have any stock related to the 3rd princess.”

“You … You don’t? Why?”

“Hmm, that’s a good question. I don’t really know. Perhaps it’s because she’s less well known? I think I also heard that she’s ill, so maybe it’s out of respect for her?”

“E-Excuse me?!” I threw up my arms in exasperation. “Who is spreading these slanderous rumours?! How am … how is the 3rd princess ill?! Her skin is as radiant as the starlight!” 

The employee peeled away slightly, hugging a plate of Roland’s face.

“... I’m, um, I’m not too sure if that’s particularly healthy for her, but as for the exact reason we don’t sell anything to do with the 3rd princess, I’m afraid I can’t say why. But if you’re an admirer of her, I could see if I can order some stock for you?”

In response, I wore a frown of regal indignation, then pointed at everything around me–my mother’s smile in particular. Her cheeks weren’t even capable of bending that way.

“Unnecessary,” I declared. “This is an outrage.”

“Huh?” 

“To misuse such poor quality resemblances of royalty is not only distasteful, but wholly illegal. Everything here is an unauthorised reproduction. There is no possibility any of this is allowed. How dare this place shamelessly seek to use the royal family’s popularity for profit … and so close to the Royal Villa too! 

The employee offered an uncertain smile. 

“Um … I can assure you, despite being a pop-up shop, everything we sell is 100% official. In fact, all our stock is delivered straight from the main store.” 

“The main store? Do you mean the one in Rolstein?” 

“No, I mean the one in the Royal Villa.” 

I placed my face in my palms. 

“My apologies, but can you say that again?”

“The main store. Since it’s in the Royal Villa, you don’t need to worry. Everything delivered from there is as official as it gets.”

Several moments passed.

The confusion only became more painful.

“I don’t understand,” I said simply. “There’s a … There’s a shop inside the Royal Villa?” 

“There is.” The employee straightened her back, her complexion brightening at once. “Despite only recently being founded, it’s already very popular. The Royal Tirea Company aims to focus on sourcing excellent wares and produce from all over the kingdom, but both here and in the original store, the emphasis is on memorabilia related to the Royal Villa.”

I was aghast beyond words. 

Even so, I didn’t know if it was because the most sacred location in the kingdom was playing host to a souvenir shop or the fact it even had customers to warrant one. 

I had no doubt the nobility wished to remember their visit. But to purchase tableware with our faces on them was something they’d never do. 

After all, they were more likely to simply steal what they wanted instead. 

“That’s absurd,” I said frankly. “Are you saying that the visiting dignitaries are suddenly so generous that they found their coin purses?” 

“Well, I can’t really say how many of the dignitaries visit the main store. But from what I hear, I think it’s mostly the tour groups.”

“The tour groups. What tour groups?” 

The employee pointed to a window where a carriage was blocking the view. One of many.

“I suppose you haven’t heard, huh? The Royal Villa’s opened up to normal visitors. During the day, you can pay an entrance fee to tour the grounds. It’s really nice. I suggest you try it if you have time. You wouldn’t believe how sparkly everything is.”

In response, I slowly turned to Coppelia, creaking like a broken ballerina on a music box.

She was already waiting to catch me–a pose she maintained even as I forced out a smile, then made my way out of the impromptu shop to the sound of a tinkling bell and a confused member of staff.

“Coppelia.”

“Hmm~?” My loyal handmaiden skipped behind me, arms at the ready. She didn’t bother hiding her sing-song humming. “What is it? ♫”

“Do you recall everything I’ve said about the Royal Villa?”

“Sure do! You say it’s a limitless repository of baths, sweets and poetry books you’re unable to remove without the literal help of a dragon. You’ve also heavily implied that there’s enough pillows to build two castles and we can have pillow wars. Are we not doing that anymore?”

“No, we are. It’s just that there’s now one more calming activity to be added to the list.”

“Great! What’s that?”

I offered a beautiful smile. The type that would not be broken for any reason.

“Closing up shop.”