Midnight in the central palace. A man with white hair and purple eyes sat on his chair reading a book about magical element research.
It was unclear how many days the man had been in his private room, or what could be called his research room. Recently, the idea of combining the four elements of magic had often been rejected. All the Grandmasters said it was impossible.
The concepts and elements of each magical element were contradictory. The element of fire was extinguished by the element of water, and the element of wind could not be mixed with the element of earth. It was common knowledge among magical researchers that this violated the laws of magic itself.
But for that man, if the possibility of mixing all the elements could be achieved, then he might be able to create a new perspective on the elements of magic.
"Is it really impossible? Or is there something I don't know?"
The man exhaled deeply. Until someone knocked on his door loudly, shattering the tranquility within the room.
"Prince Albert! Prince Albert! Are you still awake?"
The voice was unmistakably that of someone the man trusted deeply, Lucen Deur Letca, his assistant in researching the mixing of magical elements. Lucen was also his childhood friend and someone he trusted implicitly regarding his current magical research.
For some reason, Lucen had come in the middle of the night like this. It made the white-haired man feel annoyed.
"Yes, yes, what is it now, Lucen? You don't need to knock that hard, you know!"
The white-haired man immediately opened the door to his research room and then grabbed Lucen by the collar of his shirt, lifting his short body.
"I-I'm sorry, Prince Albert! C-Can you put me down! I have something to tell you!" said Albert, his expression immediately changing to one of fear.
Prince Albert Fortellis De Luciana. He was the second prince of the kingdom of fire. A prince who was obsessed with all kinds of knowledge about magic, almost like his late mother, Seraphina Fortellis De Luciana.
"So... why did you come here? Don't tell me you want to ask me for money again to buy snacks?"
Lucen immediately shook his head. Of course, he didn't want to ask Prince Albert for money again, because he knew that Prince Albert wouldn't give him any more money.
"No, no. This time I heard some very interesting news at the main market in Berlun."
Lucen had previously gone to the main market in Berlun. There, he found something unique that attracted the nobles to go to the commoners' shop.
At first, he thought there was a commotion between the nobles and the commoners. But after investigating further, it turned out that the nobles went to the commoners' toy shop because they wanted to buy something he had never seen before in his life.
Lucen then bought the item and brought it to Prince Albert.
"Look at this, Prince Albert!"
Lucen then took out a wooden object from inside his cloak, which also had a string whose purpose was unknown.
Prince Albert, who was seeing the object for the first time, was surprised and did not even understand what the object in Lucen's hand was.
There was only one answer in Prince Albert's mind, which was that the object was just a toy.
"What is it? A toy?" he asked in surprise.
He held the toy and examined it closely. There was nothing special about the strange toy, and there was no magic in it either.
"So you came here just to show me a cheap toy like this?"
Prince Albert immediately stared at him with a sharp gaze and a devilish smile that made Lucen shiver with fear.
"Wait a minute, Prince Albert! You have to watch me play with it, and then you'll be surprised!" said Lucen, who began to take a few steps back.
Prince Albert's magical aura possessed extremely powerful magical energy, roughly equivalent to that of his father, the king, and his mother, the queen.
"Play it? Do you mean this toy isn't the kind you usually throw?"
Prince Albert's fingers now held his chin. Trying to figure out what Lucen meant, he initially thought that the object in his hand was a toy that would be thrown at someone else, like someone throwing a fireball spell.
Lucen confidently explained and demonstrated how to play with the object. He immediately took the object from Prince Albert's grasp.
"Listen to me, Prince Albert. This thing is called a spinning top, a toy that is played by spinning it and competing in terms of speed and impact resistance!"
Once again, Prince Albert stared at the strange toy. He didn't even understand how an object without any magical elements could spin. Was it really possible?
"Spin? You mean this thing called a spinning top can spin? Can it really spin without the elemental magic of wind?"
Lucen nodded rapidly several times. He had also conducted a brief investigation by questioning a toy merchant named Lutos and even learned how to play with this toy called a spinning top.
"I've confirmed it with my own eyes, Prince Albert. You can also bet with me on whether this thing will spin or not."
Lucen smiled broadly, as if that had been his plan all along to get money from Prince Albert. For Prince Albert, who always won bets, especially regarding his field of expertise in the concept of magic, he would certainly feel 100% confident.
"Hooo... so that's what you want. Alright, I'll bet a hundred gold coins that strange object is impossible to spin."
Lucen's smile grew wider, revealing his teeth. Prince Albert, who saw it, felt intimidated by him for some reason, even though he had never lost a bet before.
"Mwahahaha... Alright, I'll bet that this thing can spin without any magical energy at all!"
"Hoo... interesting! It seems you're very confident, my friend Lucen!"
Both of them emitted a burning aura that almost heated up the entire research room.
The two now stared at each other, and it was as if invisible sparks flew between them. A hot aura radiated from both of their bodies, to the point that the air in the narrow research room vibrated slightly.
Lucen stared at the wooden top in front of him with a serious expression, as if this simple object was an ancient artifact that held the secrets of the world. He took a thin string from his coat pocket, pulled it out slowly, and then wrapped it around the top's shaft. His movements were slow but deliberate, showing the precision of a true magic researcher, each wrap measured with trained eyes and instinct.
Once the string was perfectly secured, Lucen lowered the top until it touched the white table with a sharp gaze, then murmured softly.
"The surface must be perfectly smooth."
His fingertips swept across the surface, blowing away a little fine dust that had stuck to it, then he took a piece of cloth from his coat pocket and rubbed it until it shone like a mirror.
When everything was ready, Lucen took a deep breath. His hand gripped the end of the string firmly, while his gaze was fixed on the top. From the other side of the table, Prince Albert also watched intently, because of his great curiosity about the object he was seeing for the first time in his life.
"So you're really sure that thing will spin without a drop of magic?" he asked half-mockingly.
Lucen glanced over briefly and smiled faintly, his smile clearly full of confidence, and also seemed to be looking at Prince Albert.
"Of course I'm sure," he replied firmly. "Sometimes we as scientists have yet to discover a new concept from something as simple as this."
Then, without warning, he pulled the string hard. One quick, circular pull, almost like the movement of a wizard casting a spell.
A sharp WUSSST sound rang out, and in an instant, the top jumped lightly off the surface before falling back and spinning at high speed.
The top spun steadily, creating a shimmering reflection of light that looked like a small magic circle in the air.
Prince Albert was stunned. His eyes widened in disbelief. There were no magic crystals flowing in the air, no flow of mana, and no aura emanating from it. Yet the object continued to spin perfectly, defying all the magic logic he knew.
"Hehehehe... I won! This is the first time I've won a bet from you, Prince Albert." Lucen said with a loud laugh.
Prince Albert continued to examine the spinning top thoroughly, from every corner of the room, and every side of the still-spinning top.
As if he were still trying to determine whether Lucen was lying and had deliberately slipped a little magical energy into it. However, from every side Prince Albert looked at.
The spinning top did not emit even a trace of magical energy or aura.
"Im-impossible...!? It's impossible for an inanimate object to spin that fast without a magic crystal or magical energy!?"
Prince Albert began to feel intrigued by the spinning top toy. He slowly began to believe the words of his magic research assistant, Lucen.
Lucen then wrote something on a piece of dull paper. His ink pen wrote something that perhaps neither of them had ever thought of before as magic researchers, an object without magic that was able to move in a way that neither of them understood.
"Well, Prince Albert, let's start with a question from me. How can an inanimate object spin?"
Albert was speechless. The question sounded trivial, even ridiculous, in a world where all of life was controlled by magic. But the more he thought about it, the more his curiosity grew.
"All this time..." Prince Albert muttered softly, "Every movement we see, doors that open, wheels that turn, water that flows rapidly. Everything is always accompanied by magic, or at least influenced by it."
Prince Albert's eyes then fell on the spinning top, which was still spinning slowly on the marble table. "But that thing... it has no mana core, no energy flow whatsoever. Yet why does it keep spinning?"
Lucen smiled faintly and added.
"It means there is something besides magic that can make this world work. Something that may have been overlooked by our current scientific knowledge."
Prince Albert looked at Lucen with a puzzled expression.
"Something other than magic? You speak as though you're denying the very existence of magic itself."
"Not denying," Lucen replied calmly, "but trying to understand the side of the world that doesn't depend on it."
Lucen tapped the tip of his pen on the paper, pointing to the circular line he had drawn around the top.
"Perhaps... the object can move because there is a force guiding it. The pull of the circular string creates a kind of thrust, and that thrust keeps it spinning for some time, until the force is exhausted."
Albert stared at the lines on the paper with a furrowed brow, trying to understand Lucen's meaning.
"You're talking like you're describing a new law outside of magic. A law that governs the world without the interference of magical energy..."
Lucen nodded slowly.
"Perhaps that's how it is. Even a world without magic has its own rules, only we haven't had the chance to study them yet."
The two fell silent for a moment, accompanied only by the soft sound of the spinning top slowing down. A small sound that had unknowingly shaken the foundations of the thinking of magic researchers who had believed only in the power of magic for centuries.
Albert looked at the spinning top once more, then murmured almost inaudibly.
"If that's the case... then are all the miracles we thought came from magic actually just part of the laws of the world that we haven't yet understood?"
Lucen smiled broadly. Satisfied that his question had begun to ignite a spark of curiosity within Prince Albert.
"That's it, Prince Albert. Now, the second question I'm going to ask you is somewhat related to our current research."
Prince Albert stared at the spinning top, whose rotation was beginning to weaken, deep in thought.
"Lucen... do you realize? This object keeps moving because of the balance between the forces of attraction and repulsion. If one is too strong, the spinning top will fall."
This time, Lucen wrote something on the worn paper in front of him, not about the mechanics of objects, but something much bigger.
"Perhaps... the same principle applies to magic."
Lucen continued in a low but passionate voice about this new knowledge.
"So the question is, if what we discussed earlier is correct, then we can conclude that the concept of combining magical elements also has its own laws, why do they cancel each other out? Why do they collide? Why can't they be mixed?"
He paused for a moment, staring at the point of magical light at the tip of his pen.
"If we can understand the 'Law' within the magical elements, then it's possible we can still create a new balance, like that spinning top."
For a moment, they both fell silent. What his research assistant had said made perfect sense; if there were still laws of a concept they did not understand, then of course this research would remain at a dead end.
The first thing they needed to know was to understand what laws existed within each magical element itself. Prince Albert then pulled Lucen's collar.
"Who made this spinning top?"
Prince Albert's gaze changed to that of someone who was enthusiastic about new knowledge. If someone was able to make the spinning top, then to him, that person had an understanding of each elemental magic, or even knew concepts outside of magic that were still related to the laws themselves.
"I don't know. The problem is that the toy seller, Lutos, only said that they bought the toy from a little girl and her maid."
Lucen tried to explain to Prince Albert, who was now completely intrigued, about the knowledge possessed by the top's creator.
"But how could the Lutos toy merchant have made it alone? Don't tell me!?"
Prince Albert thought about the many possibilities in his head.
"That's right, just as you guessed, Prince Albert. I think that little girl is rather smart, or even a genius, because she also sold the instructions for making the spinning top. It was to cover up her true identity," said Lucen, trying to free himself from Prince Albert's tight grip on his collar.
Slowly, Prince Albert lowered Lucen's body, which had been lifted earlier.
"I never expected someone to make such a simple toy using a new concept like this, even without magic..."
Prince Albert's expression turned disappointed, because Lucen didn't have any clues about the little girl who sold the spinning top.
"That's what the toy merchant Lutos said. The little girl seems to be a new toy maker, and looks like a newcomer to our kingdom," said Lucen as he wrote down many things that were on his mind.
Prince Albert then sat down on a bench, thinking about how he could find the little girl and bring her to work with him in explaining the concept of law in each of its elements.
But before that.
Prince Albert pulled out a red cloth bag containing a hundred gold coins and handed it to Lucen.
"This time I lost the bet to you, Lucen. Take the money."
Instantly, Lucen's eyes lit up with a bright yellow glow as he gazed at the hundred gold coins with intense desire.
"Wowhohohoho thank you, Prince Albert!!!" Lucen exclaimed with great joy.
"Oh, yes... while you're at it, find out where that little girl is in our kingdom, no matter what happens..."
Lucen stood up straight, raised his hand respectfully to his chest, and then bowed slightly.
"I will accept your orders this time, Prince Albert. Because she is the key to starting our research."
Prince Albert breathed a sigh of relief and smiled slightly. He never expected that the knowledge he thought he already knew everything about still had aspects he himself did not understand.
Meanwhile, Rullicia and her servant Arin were on their way to the exile palace. The wind felt like ice, making her body feel cold, and for some reason, Rullicia felt like a chunk of ice was piercing her spine.
"Um... Princess Rullicia? Are you okay?" Arin asked, looking concerned.
"I'm fine, Aririn... It's just that for some reason, Rulli suddenly feels so cold..."
"Um... Princess... my name is Arin..."
Prince Albert had no idea that the little girl he was searching for was very close to his research room. The little girl he was searching for was his own sister...
***
Three days had passed since Princess Rullicia sold the toys she had designed herself. Before that, she had enjoyed various kinds of food and celebrated the results of her efforts with her maids.
They all immediately held a feast with the maid of the shabby palace. Melda, who hadn't eaten grilled chicken in a long time, immediately devoured an entire grilled chicken.
Kallia, who hadn't drunk wine in a long time, enjoyed a cup of wine that Arin had also bought. Meanwhile, Yoran enjoyed rice mixed with Gardinen Horn soup broth.
The impromptu feast was a success. It made them even more enthusiastic about their activities the next day. They even expressed their willingness to help Princess Rullicia if she needed their assistance.
Of course, in the same way. Like Arin, who had previously helped Princess Rullicia make a spinning top.
Rullicia opened the bag containing her gold coins. As usual, she inhaled the scent of the gold coins, which were still quite numerous for her.
That amount of money was still enough for their daily needs, but for Rullicia, who had experienced the comfort of having many gold coins, it was not enough.
Of course, that wasn't enough for her.
"London Bridge Is Falling Down, Falling Down, Falling Down... London Bridge is Falling Down... My Fair Lady~~"
She then sang a song she remembered from her past life. A song that was very enjoyable for her to sing.
She had sung that song countless times before, but it remained one of the symbols of her happiness, bringing her a sense of calm and serenity.
Princess Rullicia also swayed her legs gently, her movements almost identical to the lyrics of the song.
Her servant, Arin, then noticed Princess Rullicia looking happy and greeted her softly.
"It seems like the princess is in a good mood today," Arin said with a smile.
Arin brought some dirty clothes that had just been washed, and now she wanted to take them to Melda to start drying them all.
Seeing Arin walking beside her, Princess Rullicia jumped up from her chair, and this time her eyes turned to Arin's face.
"Of course, Aririn. Because I've made all of you happy, that's why I'm happy too... ehehe."
Princess Rullicia smiled innocently. Actually, Princess Rullicia herself did not expect that the spinning top idea would sell out, even though she had lowered her expectations as low as possible so that she would not feel disappointed later.
"But... Princess Rullicia... May I, your maid, ask you something?"
Arin's eyes looked like she was suspicious of Princess Rullicia's behavior. Especially when Princess Rullicia met a boy named Arsen.
Ever since Queen Seraphina gave birth to Princess Rullicia, Arin had known quite a lot about Princess Rullicia's attitude and habits, and no one knew that Princess Rullicia could behave like a queen.
Her behavior used to be very childish. She liked to run around and sometimes tease the maids who were watching over her.
But this time, after Princess Rullicia fell from an apple tree, causing her to lose half of her memory, her attitude changed completely.
"Since when did Princess Rullicia learn how to command someone? As far as I remember, the princess was always afraid to give orders to others. She was even afraid to ask for a drink of water if her maids were busy," said Arin with a suspicious expression.
Princess Rullicia, who heard that, swallowed slowly. She didn't expect Arin, her maid, had been watching her all this time. And she felt there was a difference in Rullicia's attitude compared to before.
"I-I don't know... Rulli just... finds it enjoyable, maybe..."
She tried to smile, the stiff and awkward smile she always used whenever she was hiding something.
Rullicia only tried to respond by relying on her cute and innocent face. She hoped her maid Arin didn't know more about her act of being an amnesiac child.
"Is that true?"
Arin's face was now very close to Rullicia's. Her eyes still stared at her suspiciously, wondering what she was doing.
Is it just my imagination? Rullicia's attitude seemed to have become more mature...
Arin's mind was still preoccupied with questions about Rullicia's change in attitude, which was somewhat adult-like and different from other children her age.
"Haa! Rulli did that because wanted to imitate the villain in the book Melda wrote. Rulli had read Melda's book before, ehehe." She said quickly, almost without thinking.
Rullicia was still trying to break free from Arin's suspicious gaze.
Forgive me, Melda... I have to make you the scapegoat this time.
She had no choice but to blame Melda because if Arin suspected her, then Rullicia's ability to move freely would be threatened.
"Melda...??"
Arin straightened her body. Her face instantly shifted between shock and anger.
"So she's the one teaching such things to the princess!?"
"E-eh?! N-no, that's not it! Melda was just writing a storybook!" Rullicia tried to calm her down, but it sounded more like a spontaneous defense.
Arin snorted softly and still looked suspicious. But in the end, she just sighed deeply.
"...Alright. But from now on, don't imitate the villain too often, okay? Princess Rullicia's heart is too soft to be a villain."
Rullicia smiled faintly.
If only you knew, Arin... I have to be a little 'evil' if I want to survive in this world.
The wind was blowing quite strongly today. Suddenly, Rullicia remembered a promise she had almost forgotten. Her promise to a child named Arsen.
Oh right! I forgot to pay Arsen!
Rullicia suddenly stopped in her tracks. Her gaze was blank for a moment before her eyes widened, as if a memory had just popped into her mind. She immediately patted her cheek gently, her face tensing for a moment before turning into a funny expression of panic.
"HAA!? Aririn! Rulli just remembered something!" Rullicia exclaimed spontaneously in panic, causing her to call her servant's name again.
"With all due respect, Princess Rullicia... My name is Arin," Arin replied spontaneously upon hearing Rullicia's shout.
Arin immediately turned her head with raised eyebrows, her expression now showing resignation toward Princess Rullicia, who always called her by the wrong name.
"So... What is it this time, princess?" she asked, her tone now flat but still tinged with fatigue.
She even crossed her arms over her chest, as if ready to listen to the princess's next strange idea.
Actually, Rullicia had almost forgotten about the incident three days ago, when she promised to reward Arsen for his hard work in becoming her informant. Princess Rullicia hoped that Arsen would not be angry if she arrived late today.
Rullicia smiled awkwardly. She bowed her head slightly, then tugged at her servant's sleeve in her characteristic pleading manner.
"Rulli wants to go to the main market in Berlun again! Rulli... Rulli promised Arsen... Arsen must have worked hard to help Rulli for the past three days..."
Seeing the innocent, pleading eyes of Princess Rullicia clearly melted Arin's heart of steel, especially since she couldn't tarnish the good name of a princess who had made a promise to her people.
"Arsen? Ah... the young man who was almost the princess's law?" Arin asked in return, trying to recall what had happened three days earlier.
"Yes, yes! That's him!" Rullicia replied quickly, her voice cheerful but sounding a little guilty. "Arsen did his job very well. Now it's Rulli's turn to keep her promise."
Rullicia knew all this because she had heard rumors from the palace guards. Several people inside the palace, including some servants around the palace, had started discussing a new toy, which of course led to talk of a toy called a spinning top.
Based on all the rumors from the knights, servants, and also some people inside the palace, Rullicia concluded that Arsen had done his job well, spreading rumors about the toy and controlling the direction of the rumors to everyone in the kingdom of fire.
Arin took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. Her gaze softened even though her lips held back a bitter smile. Seeing that Princess Rullicia had already made a promise to Arsen, and that Rullicia had even promised to pay Arsen five gold coins.
"All right, Princess Rullicia. But this time, please don't disguise yourself as a merchant again. The market residents still remember your appearance as a little girl with a sharp tongue and pockets full of gold coins. I have to change your appearance again, other than using a hooded cloak."
Rullicia chuckled softly, covering her mouth with the back of her hand like a young noblewoman trying to suppress a laugh.
"Don't worry, Aririn~ This time Rulli just wants to see the results of their hard work, nothing more."
She then reached into a small leather pouch at her waist. A soft clinking sound was heard as she poured its contents into her palm. Twenty-eight shiny gold coins glistened in the morning light. The light reflected softly in her red eyes, revealing a satisfied and faintly emotional glow.
"Hmm... Still quite a lot," he muttered. "Eight coins for Arsen, or maybe Rulli will make it ten gold coins for Arsen? And the rest for Rulli's next idea."
Arin just stared at Rullicia's daughter counting the remaining gold coins. A small smile appeared on Arin's lips. She felt truly lucky to be able to see Rullicia's daughter grow up and become a creator of new things. Even though she didn't understand all of it, Rullicia's daughter still explained what was on her mind.
And the little knowledge that Rullicia's shared with her had stuck almost entirely. The concepts and logic of Rullicia's way of thinking now influenced Arin's way of thinking about a world that relied heavily on magical powers.
"Come on, Arin! Today, Rulli wants to see how far the rumors have spread in the Berlun market!"
Arin simply shook her head with a smile. She followed Princess Rullicia from behind. The sound of their footsteps echoed in the stone corridor, blending with the morning sunlight streaming through the high windows.
***
The morning sky above Berlun was covered in a thin mist, reflecting the silvery color of the rising sun.
The stone road leading to Berlun's main market was starting to get crowded. The sound of cart wheels pushed by magical power, the clatter of horses' hooves, and the shouts of merchants blended together to form an orchestra of life that was characteristic of this trading city. The air was filled with the aroma of baked bread and spices, and the warm dust from the stones of the road that was beginning to be illuminated by the sun.
As before, Princess Rullicia walked lightly among the crowd. This time she wore a worn hood that covered part of her face, as well as a mask that covered her entire face.
Following the instructions of her maid, Arin, she had to look different from before. Previously, Princess Rullicia only wore a robe and a hood that covered her face, but this time she also had to wear a mask on her face.
Although the clothes she was wearing now looked simple, her gait was still graceful and careful, but it exuded something different.
Beside Princess Rullicia was Arin, and Arin's left hand held Princess Rullicia's right hand tightly, her eyes constantly observing everyone who passed by Princess Rullicia, keeping her distance so as not to attract too much attention from others.
"I heard that the spinning top toy is sold out again!"
"Yeah! They say even the noble children are playing with them!"
"That's strange, isn't it? They say the spinning top doesn't use magical energy, but it can spin incredibly fast!"
Hearing all the chatter of the residents made Princess Rullicia smile slightly. The noisy market was like a song of victory to her, the fruit of a simple idea that had now grown into something big.
She clutched a small leather pouch containing twenty-eight gold coins in her hand. With every step she took, the coins jingled softly inside the pouch, as if accompanying her footsteps.
"Wow... The market today feels busier than before," she murmured softly. "Arin, look! Everyone is talking about Rulli's toys!"
Arin just sighed. She also didn't expect that something so small or, to her, rather trivial, a toy called Gasing, could be this popular. Arin also felt that this was not only thanks to the gasing toy that Princess Rullicia's made, but also due to the rumors spread by Arsen.
Arsen's role in spreading the rumors was an important factor in the spread of information, which became so widespread that everyone in the kingdom of fire was now heading to the toy merchant Lutos.
"And that also means more eyes are on you, Princess. So... be careful when you speak, don't let the name Rullicia come out of anyone's mouth here."
Princess Rullicia smiled, her eyes then looking at the row of dark brown wooden shops in the distance. Amidst the aroma of sweet bread and metal oil from the blacksmith's workshop, she saw a wooden sign with the name she was looking for, Toy Merchant Lutos.
The shop now looked very different from before. Once messy and dusty, it now stood majestically with clean glass windows, gold decorations on the door handles, and even a new signboard with finely carved letters. In front of it, several craftsmen were busy showing off a variety of colorful spinning tops to passing children and parents.
Princess Rullicia just smiled, her eyes staring at the shop with a look of confusion. It was a massive, total change that she had never predicted.
Previously, Rullicia had only heard rumors that the Lutos toy merchant was overwhelmed by the large number of customers, and even the children of some nobles came to this place.
This led Princess Rullicia to conclude that the toy merchant had completely transformed his shop to make it worthy of being visited by the nobles of the Fire Kingdom.
"Just three days... and everything has changed completely..."
A warm breeze blew back her hood slightly, revealing a strand of purple hair that glistened in the morning light. She stared at the shop with calm eyes, but behind that calmness lay a sense of satisfaction and a grand plan that had just sprouted in her heart.
As Princess Rullicia and Arin stepped inside the shop, a small magical bell chimed sweetly and rather loudly.
Cling... Cling... Cling
Both of them fell silent.
The place was almost unrecognizable to them. Three days ago, Lutos' shop was just an ordinary old shop covered in dust and wood chips, with some cracked windows and a floor that creaked every time someone stepped on it.
But now... the entire room had been completely transformed.
New maroon curtains hung in the windows, decorated with golden lace around the edges. The wooden shelves, which had once been dull, were now polished to a shine, reflecting the light of the candles dancing on the table. Wooden dolls and spinning tops were neatly arranged in order of color, while the sweet aroma of honey candles filled the air.
In the corner of the room, five young artisans worked in silence, dressed neatly in clean vests and leather gloves like palace workers.
"Arin... this... this is the same shop, right?" whispered Princess Rullicia, almost disbelieving, her eyes still taking in the surroundings now adorned with small magical crystal ornaments.
Arin nodded slowly, her lips curving into a playful smile.
"Three days ago, this place was a bit dirty and dusty. Now it's like a noble boutique..."
From behind the back curtain emerged a man whose style defied description as "ordinary."
Lutos stood with his chest puffed out proudly, as if he had just been elevated to nobility. A purplish-red robe wrapped dramatically around his shoulders, complete with a very striking eagle-shaped brooch. His hair was slicked back, shiny with oil. And his broad smile... almost filled his entire face.
"Welcome!" he exclaimed loudly, his hands raised like a stage actor. "Ah... my talented little gold-producing lady is finally back!"
Rullicia covered her mouth, struggling to suppress her laughter that was about to burst out.
"So, Mr. Lutos..." she said, her voice soft and sounding adorable. "Was I right?"
Suddenly, Lutos burst into laughter.
"HAHAHAHAHAA! It's not proven anymore, young lady! I have been reborn! If this is how it is, don't call me Lutos anymore. From now on, call me—"
He straightened his body and raised his hands high in a dramatic gesture.
"The Great Lord Lutos Agurella!"
Seeing this, Princess Rullicia blinked once, then slowly turned to Arin. Arin returned the gaze with a blank expression, but it was clear in her eyes that she felt fear and disgust, which she forced herself to hide behind a polite facade.
Oh my... it's only been three days since he got his hands on a lot of gold, and this uncle has already turned into a royal clown. His arrogant aura is so strong, it could make a chicken faint...
Princess Rullicia's mind echoed with a mixture of cynicism. She finally bowed her head slowly, folding her arms across her chest, her head tilted slightly.
"Wow, that's amazing," she said flatly. "Gold truly can change a person."
"Pfffft"
Arin almost burst out laughing, but quickly covered her mouth with the back of her hand. Her shoulders also trembled slightly as she tried to suppress her amusement.
Lutos was completely unaware of the true identity of the little purple-haired girl in front of him, and instead became even more excited. He stepped closer, his eyes sparkling with unbridled commercial ambition.
"Hahaha! Little lady, if you have another idea as good as that spinning top, just tell me!" he exclaimed in a half-shout. "We can be great partners! Imagine children, commoners, nobles, all willing to pay gold for our toys! We can dominate the entire market of this kingdom!"
Princess Rullicia did not laugh with him. Her smile remained gentle, but her eyes slowly dimmed.
In the eyes of others, Lutos could deceive them. But to a princess like her, Lutos' smile was... full of falsehood.
"Unfortunately," she said softly, "that's not the reason Rulli came here today."
Her tone dropped, calm but sharp as a blade of glass. Arin, who was standing beside her, immediately knew that the princess was now beginning to show a serious expression.
Lutos slowly lowered his hand. At first, he thought this little girl had come here to sell another new or strange toy, but it seemed that Lutos's guess was way off.
"Oh? You mean... not for business?"
Princess Rullicia shook her head slowly. She walked slowly towards the long table in the middle of the room, where several silver spinning tops were displayed.
"Rulli is only here to make sure," she said softly, her fingers touching one of the spinning tops on display, "to make sure that Mr. Lutos is fine."
Lutos blinked in surprise. He didn't know what the little lady meant, but he sensed that she knew about the terrible incident that had occurred yesterday.
"Fine? Hah! Of course I'm fine! I'm even enjoying the golden age of my life!" he said, trying to evade the question, but his laughter sounded too loud, as if he was covering something up.
Princess Rullicia's eyes stared silently at Lutos' face. She could see faint lines of fatigue under Lutos' eyes, thin dark circles that he tried to cover up with fake laughter.
Rumors from within the palace. They originated from Kallia, his servant who was skilled at gathering rumors outside the palace.
That in the last two nights, Lutos' shop had been frequently visited by strangers. Other toy sellers, even messengers from small noble families who were upset because they couldn't replicate the spinning tops that were now trending throughout Berlun.
They demanded the recipe, the formula, and the secrets of its manufacture, but Lutos remained tight-lipped. Even when threatened and when one of his craftsmen was beaten unconscious in the alley behind the market.
"Then," she said calmly, "why doesn't Mr. Lutos just hand over the secrets of its manufacture? Rulli heard that many people threatened Mr. Lutos two days ago."
The little girl's question felt like a cold knife piercing Lutos's fake smile. He suddenly fell silent. The shop became quiet.
A few seconds later, Lutos laughed softly, his laugh different, heavier, mixed with a bitter smile.
"So... even that news has reached your ears, hasn't it, young lady?"
Princess Rullicia did not respond. She only stared with her red eyes reflecting the candlelight.
It was true that lately Lutos had been feeling tired from the many bad things that had happened in his shop. Ever since he had discovered the secret of making spinning tops, which he bought for a single gold coin each.
And then he sold them to many people at a price of two gold coins each. He never expected that even more people would come to his simple toy shop.
As the little girl had said, this spinning top toy would turn the fifty gold coins he had given her into a stream of gold flowing into his pocket.
All of that proved to be true. Because after Lutos investigated, almost none of the toy stores knew the concept or the reason why the spinning top toy could spin, and none of them sold the same item.
Without magical energy, without magical crystals, and without even showing an aura.
Just with one question: "Why can it spin?"
This caused everyone in the kingdom of fire to flock to Lutos' toy store. They asked the same question and were amazed that an object that did not use any magical energy at all could spin like a wheel that had been inserted with a magic crystal.
Who would have thought that after one child bought it and made such a profit, another person would come, and then thousands of people would come at the same time.
This, of course, also attracted the attention of many criminals who wanted to join in and monopolize the object that he had bought with just one gold coin.
Royal researchers also wanted to study this spinning top. They even asked repeatedly who had come up with the concept for this object.
Lutos could only answer that the person who sold him this toy was just a new craftsman, and could have been an immigrant from another kingdom.
Lutos took a deep breath. His hands, which had been trembling slightly, gripped the edge of the table so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
"I am indeed a greedy merchant," he said softly. "But I know my limits. I will not sell something that is not entirely mine."
He stared at the spinning top on the table.
"This toy... was the idea of someone who didn't even want money. Someone who just wanted to make children laugh again."
Rullicia fell silent. Then, in her heart, she almost choked on her own thoughts.
Huh!? Who said Rulli made it for the sake of children's laughter!? Rulli just wanted to make money to buy food and experimental materials! If the children laughed, that was just a bonus, you know!
She looked at Lutos with a sweet and polite expression, but inside her head, she was rolling around trying to hold back her laughter.
Mr. Lutos... if you knew my real motivation, you might faint right away. But never mind, let Rulli remain a pure little hero in your eyes, oh overly dramatic big merchant.
Arin, on the other hand, only glanced at her, perhaps noticing Rullicia's slightly strange smile, a mixture of amusement and personal pride that was difficult for her to explain.
Rullicia then returned to her calm demeanor, nodding slowly, as if she completely agreed with Lutos's words. But in her heart, she felt differently...
Well… but it's okay. If this little lie makes the world a little better, Rulli doesn't mind looking pure for a few seconds.
Lutos continued, his voice softening.
"They can threaten me all they want. But I won't give up this secret. Because I know that once the secret is out, they will destroy everything. Turn it into nothing more than a gold machine."
The room fell silent again. The candle near the door flickered, as if touched by the cold wind sneaking in through the window crack.
Rullicia slowly turned to face him, the skirt of her dress swaying gently.
"Good," she finally said, her voice low but firm. "Keep it that way. Because if that secret falls into the wrong hands... then it won't be the children laughing, but the greedy ones."
Arin, who had been silent all this time, only bowed her head slightly, agreeing in her heart. She knew the princess's words were not just advice, but also a warning.
Lutos looked at the little girl for a long time, perhaps just realizing that this little girl was not just a new artisan who liked to experiment. There was something in the way she spoke, a maturity that a child her age should not have.
"Thank you, little lady," he said finally, with a more sincere tone. "I don't know who you really are... but your words just now made me realize again what I am defending."
Rullicia smiled softly. As she had suspected, all the information from the library of knowledge in her head had indeed provided the right clues. It said that a merchant named Lutos was one of the people she could trust.
And someday in the future, Lutos would also become someone who would help her, or someone Princess Rullicia could rely on.
"A person only needs a little reminder, doesn't he?" Rullicia said softly and gracefully.
As the shop began to quiet down, Lutos suddenly clapped his hands loudly, PLAK! The sound echoed throughout the room, startling the craftsmen who were busy in the corner.
"All right!" he exclaimed cheerfully, even though his eyes were still wet with emotion. "Then, little lady, allow me to repay your kindness with something... appropriate!"
Several craftsmen immediately exchanged glances, then hurried to the back of the shop, to a small iron door at the end of the room that had previously been tightly closed. The chain and lock on the door looked heavy, as if protecting something valuable.
There was a creaking sound of metal, followed by a soft squeak as the lock was turned. It took several minutes before two craftsmen reappeared, walking with difficulty while carrying a large iron-plated chest in the corner. Sweat dripped from their temples as they lowered it in front of the main table.
Lutos stepped closer. His large hands caressed the wooden surface with feeling, as if touching something sacred. He looked at Rullicia and Arin, then smiled, this time genuinely.
"We had no contract, no written agreement," he said softly, "but honestly, without your idea, young lady, this shop might have turned to dust. So… take this. As a token of my gratitude."
With a slight click, he unlocked the chest.
Click—crack!
The lid slowly opened, and instantly, a golden yellow light burst out, illuminating the entire room like dawn breaking through a windowpane.
"W-wow…" Arin stepped back a few paces, covering her eyes from the glare.
Princess Rullicia stood still, her eyelids fluttering slowly, staring at the contents of the chest—a pile of glittering gold coins scattered about, nearly spilling out.
Lutos chuckled softly, his voice trembling with emotion.
"Two thousand eight hundred gold coins. The net profit from the last three days. And half of it is yours, little lady."
Arin's eyes widened. Her eyes grew large, as if she couldn't believe it.
"T-two thousand eight hundred… in three days?! That! With that much money, we could fix the castl—"
"Ehem!"
Rullicia cleared her throat loudly while gently kicking Arin's shoe under the table.
"Ouch!" Arin winced, looking down, then up, and found Rullicia staring at her with a sweet smile that was anything but sincere.
"What did you mean just now, Arin?" she said softly but firmly, her tone like a small knife wrapped in ribbon.
Arin panicked.
"E-eh, I meant… Um… the wife of the janitor…"
"Arin," Rullicia cut in sharply, her eyes narrowing. "Repeat."
"...The horse stable! Yes, the royal horse stable!" she said quickly, waving her hands. "There are many damaged stables in the back market! He-he..."
Princess Rullicia crossed her arms over her chest, staring at her for a long time. Arin immediately straightened her back, her face stiff as a statue.
"It won't happen again, Miss Rulli," she said in a super serious tone.
Meanwhile, Lutos, standing between them, alternately looked at the two of them as if he had just witnessed a traveling comedy drama.
"Um… I hope what just happened wasn't a royal secret, right?" he asked hesitantly.
Princess Rullicia immediately lifted her chin high, then smiled slightly.
"Secret? No, of course not. We were just discussing… the economic stability of the horse stable, right, Arin?"
Arin nodded quickly, her face flushing red.
"Y-yes! Even… horses need investment!"
Lutos blinked a few times, then just sighed with a small laugh.
"Alright… I'll just pretend to believe you," he finally said.
And Rullicia just smiled contentedly, while Arin behind her slapped her forehead, realizing that she had almost revealed something that even Lutos shouldn't know.
Hahahaha.... If other people knew, they would think I was a little hero who inspired laughter throughout the city... when in fact I was just a small businessman with an acute capitalist spirit.
At that moment, Rullicia's daughter laughed heartily at the sight of that pile of gold coins today.
Lutos looked at her with deep respect, completely unaware of the thoughts swirling in the young girl's mind.
"Little lady… I don't know who taught you to trade, but you have a sharp instinct. The world will tremble when you grow up."
Princess Rullicia looked at him again, this time with a gentle smile, but behind her red eyes, a hint of mischief glinted.
"Ah, don't praise Rulli like that, Mr. Lutos," she said sweetly. "I might end up being more greedy than you."
Lutos burst into laughter, while Arin nearly choked back her own laughter.
The tense atmosphere melted away once more, though amidst the golden glow, only one person knew the true reality.
That the "kind-hearted little lady" who had just saved the toy store… was actually just counting how many zeros would be added to her own coffers.
***
Once the transaction was over and the shop returned to calm, Princess Rullicia gently patted her dress, making sure there was no dust on it. Arin, beside her, still looked a little dazed, perhaps because she had not yet fully recovered from the shock of seeing thousands of gold coins in one large chest.
"All right, Mr. Lutos," said Rullicia with a gentle but authoritative smile. "For now, we will only take five hundred gold coins. The rest... I will take later with the other servants. It's too heavy to carry alone."
Lutos laughed heartily, his tone a mix of relief and respect.
"No problem, young lady! I'll keep them safe in my gold vault."
Princess Rullicia nodded, then accepted a large dark green bag from Lutos's hands. The bag was made of thick leather, and the sound of the gold coins clinking inside was soothing to her ears.
She lifted it slightly in front of her face… then
"Hmmmpsss~... aaahhh, the smell of money, the smell of money~!" she murmured with a satisfied expression, her eyes sparkling like a child who had just received a rare candy.
Arin nearly fell over in shock.
"P-Princess!! P-Please maintain your dignity a little!!" he whispered frantically while looking around, afraid that someone might hear.
But Princess Rullicia didn't care. She hugged the bag with both hands like a soft pillow, her face sinking into an expression of happiness that was too honest for a noblewoman.
Lutos just laughed heartily, finding the scene amusing and entertaining.
"Ahahaha! It seems the gold has found its true master!" he exclaimed.
Rullicia then looked up with puffed cheeks, but didn't deny any of it.
After saying goodbye and thanking Lutos, Princess Rullicia and Arin left Lutos' shop. The sun was already leaning to the west, spreading golden rays along the stone road of , Berlun's main market. Princess Rullicia's steps were light, each jingle of coins in the green bag like a small rhythm of victory.
Arin looked at Princess Rullicia with a faint smile.
"With that much money, we finally won't have to count every silver coin to buy bread anymore, will we, Princess?"
Princess Rullicia nodded with a mysterious smile.
"Not just bread, Arin. Now we can buy time."
Arin furrowed her brow.
"Time…?"
"Of course," Rullicia replied softly, "time to prepare for the next big thing."
They continued walking until they arrived at the previously agreed meeting place, a narrow alley near the west wall of the palace, where there was an old, rarely used secret door. There, sitting cross-legged on a rock, was a boy with messy brown hair and eyes full of enthusiasm—Arsen.
As soon as he saw them arrive, Arsen stood up and waved his hand with a wide smile.
"Princess Rullicia! Her maid has come too!" he exclaimed innocently.
Rullicia chuckled softly and walked closer, lifting the hem of her skirt, like a princess meeting another noble.
"Hihihi, sorry for making you wait. But Rulli didn't forget the promise, you know~"
She then patted the green pouch on her waist with a proud expression.
"Today, Rulli came to pay for the best eyes and ears in the Berlun market!"
Arin could only watch the two of them with a weary smile, feeling like the only sane person among two people equally enthusiastic about money and crazy plans.