Please Don’t Come To The Villainess’ Stationery Store! - Chapter 47

It was the same for the adults, who were going through something magical. The expressions of adults, who forcibly ate the cotton candy, were relaxed.

Some saw the green fields they played around in when they were young, and others had the happiness they felt when they had their own children.

Others recalled the days when they started to develop their careers after learning of their abilities.

Everyone started to dream of sweet dreams. On the faces of those who were hard and cold, a bright smile like a child bloomed.

The fantastic magic created by Meldenique embroidered the beautiful space with happy imaginations.

But a dream was a dream.

The facial expressions of the people who woke up from their dreams looked happy, and some exclaimed loudly.

Knowing that, Hildegard crossed her legs in the VIP seats.

The phantom stones she brought hadn’t failed her, but she had a look of disapproval.

Melissa, who placed cotton candy in front of me, smiled brightly.

“I’ll introduce everyone properly. This is a cotton candy that was made by a Lady whom I really love and respect.”

“Who is the admirable Lady?”

“Is it Lady Sheria?”

“…Isn’t Lady Meldenique next to her?”

“I know, right. Why is she there?”

“It’s a pretty unexpected combination.”

These people really were strange.

Wouldn’t you usually think that the person standing next the lady would be the one who made it?

No one seemed to guess that the person Melissa referred to was me, Meldenique.

In the noble society, I realized that my image was at the bottom. Even now, I could see the expressions of people who looked sideways and ridiculed me.

Melissa, who saw the people’s criticizing eyes, spoke steadfastly.

“The friend I will introduce today is Miss Meldenique, who runs Mel’s Stationery Store in front of the Academy. This person made the cotton candy.”

“What is this…”

People were astonished, but they didn’t swear at me like before.
The cotton candy softened the hearts of those who hated me.

‘Memories are very powerful.’

I held Melissa’s hand tightly. The fragile girl stood on the stage for me.

Standing in front of the platform, I began to explain about the cotton candy.

“It is a food that gives you a sweet taste at first and a beautiful dream for exactly three minutes. Following the words of Princess Melissa and Prince Axion, I made it reminiscent of a pale pink cloud.”

The atmosphere was buzzing, and children’s praises broke out.

This much was successful enough.

I folded my eyes and spoke.

“And… didn’t you feel it? The amount of mana near your heart has increased.”

“What does that…?”

“Phantom stones are said to temporarily increase mana by a percentage for the price of seeing nightmares.”

The atmosphere cooled down from the direct attack of the phantom stones.

At that time, Melissa quickly intervened.

“What’s different about cotton candy, Unni?”

“Yes. Cotton candy gives you happy dreams and boosts your mana by five percent.”

At that moment, Viscount Telin, who was next to Duchess Hildegard, stood up and pointed.

“Don’t be ridiculous! How dare you lie in the Sacred Academy!”

“If you think it is nonsense, take a look at it.”

On the table at the middle, there was a mana meter that was brought to measure the mana contained in the phantom stone. I tried to use the measuring device, but Axion intervened and yelled.

“This is the person I introduced. You’re not thinking that we’re lying, are you?”

Viscount Telin’s complexion turned white.

“N-no.”

In the meantime, I handed the mana meter to a professor and smiled brightly.

“Please measure it.”

The professor put a mana meter on my cotton candy. The mana contained in the cotton candy was measured along with a beep.

“It is exactly… For a typical wizard, it will amplify mana about five percent.”

At the end of his words, the white-haired president exclaimed. The professor who measured the amount of mana also cheered.

“No, to think there is a product that can increase mana without side effects.”

“It even tastes good.”

When the president spoke, Viscount Telin’s expression became so white it couldn’t become paler.

The expression of Mrs. Hildegard, who has always ignored me, became so cold to the point where it was shocking.

A small child sitting at a table right under the podium, raised his hand and shouted.

“Then, what’s the exact name of this cloud-like thing?”

It was a stabbing question. I couldn’t name it properly because I was in a hurry to prepare.

‘The naming is also important for publicity!’

I whispered low.

“Um…”

After glancing at my face, Melissa grabbed my collar and, quietly and sincerely, exclaimed.

“The happy dream candy!”

Happy dream candy.

It was a perfect naming skill.

Melissa, who was holding a cotton candy stick in one hand, hugged my side.

“Did I do well, Unni?”

“Yeah!”

“It was really a perfect stage, Mel.”

I bent my knees slightly and pat Melissa’s and Axion’s shoulders.

‘I-I’m dizzy.’

Was it because of too much mana that I was so tired? My head was spinning.

‘Was it a success though?’

I smiled brightly as I looked around. The momentarily dizzy feeling disappeared, and the repercussions I anticipated began to come into my eyes.

“Just what is Princess Meldenique’s ability?”

“Whatever her abilities are, isn’t the dragon’s curse broken?”

“Didn’t they say she can’t produce any mana?”

It was a moment when the evaluation of “cursed” Meldenique was reversed.

However, one of the madams following Mrs. Hildegard spoke, fluttering a fan with an uncomfortable face.

“That’s not it, maybe she hired a wizard?”

“But she came alone! Is there a wizard hiding?”

“Anyway, you mean she brought a wizard strong enough to use illusions!”

The people gathered at the table spoke.

Hildegart looked like a yaksha risen from hell.

She must have spent a fortune on the phantom stones.

‘As long as better substitutes are available, the value of the phantom stones will collapse.’

I don’t know if it was multi-use and disposable, but phantom stones have serious side effects. However, the value of the phantom stones haven’t been completely devalued.

Viscount Telin glared at me openly.

“It’s not over yet!”

People’s voices faded due to the eccentric wizard’s shout.

“It’s time to experiment the phantom stone.”

Several selected children wandered out. Everyone was glancing at me, as if it was unwillingly.

Hildegart, sitting in the VIP seat, raised her voice and spoke.

“Although there are some light side effects, this is also an item that amplifies mana and increases intelligence.”

People’s curious eyes drew to it.

The noble children stood in front of the table, each holding a phantom stone.

Viscount Telin looked at the children with a somber smile.

The time has come for the phantom stone, which he developed by paying a high price and investing his magical powers, to show its true value soon.

But the situation did not go as he expected. None of the children who took the phantom stones showed any distress to abnormal behavior.

A six-year-old boy tilted his head and lifted the phantom stone, shaking it to his ear.

“What is this?”

“I don’t feel anything.”

The other children also just blinked and looked around.

“T-that can’t be!”

Viscount Telin, flustered, grit his teeth.

“What is it, Telin.”

Even with Hildegart’s sharp gaze, he rattled his hands and ran toward the children.

But even if he ran, he wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

“What, what is it?”

“I guess this is empty”

“It’s just like a rock!”

The children laughed.

On the contrary, Viscount Telin wheeled and glared at me suddenly.

“It was you, wasn’t it!”

“What?”

Viscount Telin stomped his feet as he saw me acting innocently.

‘It’s damn nice to see him flustered.’

I had already stepped back from the platform, sat in a chair with my arms folded and laughed. I smiled and looked towards Hildegart and Viscount Telin. The rest will now be taken care of by public opinion.

Not surprisingly, the ladies, who sat in the VIP seat and observed the situation, began to wander.

“Oh my God… so it was a scam?”

“No wonder, how can you do that kind of thing as a top?”
(P/R: “Top” also means business)

People’s chattering increased.

They couldn’t not be dumbfounded. They posted articles, advertised, and opened up ambitiously, but it was nothing.

“I looking forward to it because it was said to increase intelligence!”

“Lady Meldenique Vaveloa’s cotton candy is much better.”

Hana, a noble woman with an unusually high zeal for learning, spoke while pointing her finger.

“Sigh, Viscount Telin. I didn’t see him like that, but he’s very bad. I walked for nothing!”

They didn’t directly refer to the Duchess Vaveloa because the distinction of status was strict.

But everyone here knew. The fact that Viscount Telin was only a practitioner, and that the full power laid with Duchess Hildegart Vaveloa.

‘It definitely works well.’

The gentleman looked around the bustling surroundings and stepped up on the podium.

He spoke quietly.

“We originally decided to bring the phantoms stones to the academy, but it would be better to take a step towards cancelling that.”

At his words, Hildegart reddened from the neck to the end of her face. However, no matter how powerful the Duchess was, she would not be able to defeat him.

It turned out that the phantom stone was useless for everyone.

She glared at Viscount Telin and spoke lowly.

“…Get lost. Useless bastard.”

It looked like the sky was collapsing for Viscount Telin. He sat down on the floor with a staggering body.

“You are done now.”

“T-then…”

“There is no need for a dog that hasn’t been useful. Keep a low profile at the mansion for the time being!”

Hildegart, who was trembling, got up and quickly slipped out.
Hildegart was a woman whose social prestige was more important than anyone else. She would definitely be thinking about abandoning Viscount Telin right now.

It didn’t matter how much Viscount Telin had been working at her orders this whole time. It was more important that she was being condemned where so many people gathered.

I heard a small sound coming from a noisy crowd.

“Miss Meldenique brought a great item, and the famous Viscount Teln was embarrassed… No, just what the hell happened?”

“I just understand well that times are changing.”

That’s right. Times are changing, and I will never condone bad things for children.

I laughed happily as I listened to them.

In fact, it was natural for the phantom stone to become just a stone.

‘So what happened was…’