Letty’s POV:

The capital city, Asmore, is located in the north-western region of the kingdom. From where we left, it would take us around three days to reach there.

I explained my plan to Lady Sophia and reinforced it with finer details. Lady Sophia had some contacts in the capital who helped us arrange an appropriate venue as well as take care of any legal formalities for my plan.

We closed our shops all across the kingdom for the next few days.

"Letty, it’s not too late to drop the idea, there is a huge risk with your plan. If they don't react how you expect them to, it’ll all be in vain. We should lodge an official complaint with the business association instead", Lady Sophia expressed.

"I know. I warned Aria about the risk as well, and she is willing to take it. Stay positive, we will succeed!", I reassured her.

“Hah, this is so stressful… I better get my promised vacation once we return”, she muttered.

***

After a few days, we reached the gates of Asmore City. As we entered the city, I peered through the window onto the dull yet bustling streets. A wave of nostalgia hit me, reminding me of the time I came here to visit Aria with Sir Richard. At that time, I was merely accompanying Sir Richard to visit Aria, but this time, I am about to start something big. And I hope it all works out.

Our carriage made its way into the inner district, to the Ernius household’s mansion. Apparently, Sir Richard bought it when we last visited here. I sometimes fail to see the need for such extravagant spending, but who am I to retort?

Later that day, we talked things through with our contacts as well as some officials from the business association, and I made sure that everything was in place for tomorrow’s big reveal.

*** 

The next day, in the outer district,

“Welcome, dear citizens of this esteemed kingdom!”. I stood on the stage with the eyes of countless citizens of the outer district on me. I could hear a lot of skepticism and interest about all the gadgets neatly displayed on the display near me.

As I looked around, a subtle smile formed on my face as I spotted some of the nobles actually showing up despite the venue being arranged in the outer district. We prepared the location near the town square for the stage to gain people’s attention. This venue had large enough open space for the audience.

Apart from the few nobles, I also spotted a few officials from the business association. As our eyes met, they gave me an encouraging nod, a silent affirmation to proceed.

In this situation, where I have the upper hand thanks to the third prince’s voice recording. I deemed this course of action to be more effective than simply lodging a complaint.

I held the ‘mike’ or ‘mic’, as Aria named it, and started. “I am Letica, many of you may know me as the Treasurer of Alteria’s Innovation, as well as Lady Aria Ernius’s one and only assistant. Yet today, I stand before you not as the company’s treasurer but as a fellow citizen of this country who believes in Lady Aria’s vision about equality and progress”.

I paused for a moment, letting my words sink in. The atmosphere was tense, but I could feel their curiosity growing.

“For far too long, the citizens of this kingdom were starved of the wonders of magic that this world has to offer. You might have heard these phrases, ‘Noblemen are chosen by the gods to have been born with the gift of using magic’, ‘No commoner can match a nobleman’s strength’, and many more… And at some level, it’s true”, I declared.

“It’s true that noblemen have a greater chance of awakening a greater talent. But what’s not true is that ‘commoners are born without magic’. Each and every living being has the capability to feel and use mana which is not influenced by any skill. The divide between the wealthy and commoners is fueled by such lies. And then came Lady Aria’s greatest invention– the Mana-comm, a brilliant showcase of the endless possibilities that the world has to offer. Now people are beginning to understand it. People have begun to dream about the future with magic, where people can be self-sufficient and not as reliant on nobles as they are now”

I paused again, “This is the vision that my Lady Aria showed me. With our shops and her gadgets, Lady Aria hopes to bridge the gap between the nobles and commoners”, I said, waving towards the gadgets displayed beside me.

“But sadly, her vision might not find its way to realization. These gadgets you see before me might be the last ones to be sold”.

“Exactly eleven days ago, the third prince of this kingdom, his Highness, the third Prince Jumair, signed an exclusive deal with Duke Arboun, followed by another deal that was signed six days ago with Sir Dron. The deal was to effectively cut off our supply of lithanode, an important raw material used to manufacture all of the gadgets that you see before me. The worst part is, we can’t do anything about it”

Silence peered through the crowd, “Now you might be wondering about how any of this concerns you. If that were all, perhaps this speech would not have been necessary. The true intention behind this gathering is to show you the truth behind the kind facade of the people in power. A conversation was captured– one that reveals the true nature of those in power”.

I continued, “What I am about to play now are the words spoken to me by directly by his highness the third prince after he signed the deal with Sir Dron, I implore you to maintain a level of silence and pay close attention to this conversation”, I said, taking out the Mana-Comm device.

On my cue, Aria played the recording once again. The prince's voice echoed through the surroundings, uttering those chilling words, "‘The reality is, if the commoners stopped looking up to us, our society would start crumbling… There is a reason why such inventions and research are kept secret, it’s to prevent the power from slipping. So your little fun business needs to stop’".

Gasps and murmurs filled the air. The crowd's expressions ranged from shock to indignation. This was the turning point I had hoped for.

"I share this with you not to incite anger, but to shed light on the truth. The truth that progress should not be a privilege of the few, but a right for all," I declared in a steady voice.

"As we move forward, let's remember that the walls that once divided us are now being chipped away. Lady Aria's innovative gadgets represent a new chapter in our journey—a chapter where magic isn’t a privilege of the rich but is available to all", the crowd cheered.

“Now, ladies and gentlemen, I'm truly grateful for your presence, your shared belief, and your commitment to a better tomorrow. With these closing words, I conclude my speech. Thank you for being part of this moment"

As I finished my speech and stepped back, the crowd erupted into a mix of applause, cheers, and passionate conversations. It was the outcome that I had hoped for, people were pissed at the third prince, and our brand gained a new positive light. Sophia, standing at the side of the stage, gave me a thumbs up with a tired smile.

Throughout the speech, I consciously tried not to bring up our brand name wherever possible so that the public focuses on the third prince rather than our rivalry.

Phew, I can’t believe I’ve done it. Take that, you prince! You’re probably going to have a lot of explaining to do once you get home.

***

“Wow! Just wow! I can’t believe you attacked the prince’s reputation in public and the guards did nothing to stop us”, Lady Sophia said as we were making our way back to the mansion in the Capital. “I was scared that they’d arrest us the moment we left. But instead, they are escorting us along with our guards. So weird…”, she expressed.

Price's reputation would have been my biggest concern if not for a little secret that Aria told me about Teacher’s identity. My teacher, or should I say Lady Martha Ernius, is a runaway princess of this whole empire. The king can’t take any action, even if he wanted to. I always knew that Teacher was lying when she said she was a commoner before her marriage, her dignified and refined aura is a dead giveaway. She reeks of elegance.

But it’s a secret, so I can’t tell anyone, not even Lady Sophia.

“You should trust me more, I wouldn’t have done it if I wasn’t sure. Just look forward to the newspapers in the coming days. Aria is going to be so proud…kya!”, I squealed, imagining her proud expressions.

“Yeah, I’m not so sure about that. You keep painting her as a saint. And to some extent, her actions do resemble one. But at the end of the day, she hates attention. Have you ever looked at her awkwardness around nobles at a social gathering? Sigh, God, help her during her next gathering”

“Oh, stop exaggerating. She isn’t that bad…”, I nervously said.

“Sure, sure. Just tell them about my vacation. I’ll handle any business that can be handled remotely. But I’ll probably be busy as I am going to meet my fiance for the first time. I am so envious of Aria that she gets to choose, but I don’t”

I just nodded quietly. Not wanting to probe into her life.

***

Aria’s POV:

“Well, what’s the lady of the hour doing here?”, I heard Mom’s voice, waking me up from my stupor.

“Hey, Mom”, I said, still gazing at the empty sky.

“I thought you liked today’s newspaper, so why the long face?”, she asked as she sat down beside me.

“The mud will ruin your clothes…”, I tried to warn her, but it was a bit too late. So I continued, “It’s just that, I feel like Letty is giving me way too much credit. I admit that I liked the idea of playing the role of saint earlier, but not anymore. I just wanted everyone to use my inventions, I never had such noble ambitions. Plus, most of the ideas are just stolen from my previous life, so they aren’t even mine. I don’t deserve so much respect”.

“Oh, my poor child…”, she whispered soothingly, her fingers tenderly brushing my hair as she cradled my head in her lap. “If such thoughts weigh on your heart, answer my next questions honestly. Why did you choose to unveil Mana-comm’s research to the public? Did you not know how powerful a tool it was? Your next generation could have lived off of its earnings”, she said.

Sigh, I took a moment to collect my thoughts before responding, “I don’t know. Originally, all I wanted was a reliable way to talk to Letty. And also, that was so long ago. I've received more than enough praise for that achievement. Plus, publishing my studies improved Mana-comm a whole lot, as we all know", I said.

As I spoke, the feeling of her fingers brushing through my hair soothed my mind. She said, "No… Don’t think so little of yourself. This goes to show that your intentions were indeed selfless. Now tell me what was your motivation behind pricing your so-called ‘gadgets’ at such a low profit margin? Any less, and Alteria’s Haven would be facing a loss”.

“Alright, I get it. But still, I feel like a hypocrite. On the outside, I am being portrayed as some saint, but on the inside, I am just a selfish person who wanted her inventions to be recognized, and to sell them. Not to mention that half the reason I even ventured towards this new business was to get back at Beatrice for what she did to my Letty”, I reasoned.

Her hands continued to soothe my mind. She then spoke in an earnest tone, “Aria, You are an adult, you must understand that your actions have consequences. While your intentions might not be clear, what matters most are your actions. And let me tell you, there were a million different ways to get back at a mere Count’s daughter. Yet you chose the one that immensely benefits society. What Letica spoke of during the speech isn’t a fabricated story, but the truth about how she feels about you. So don’t belittle her feelings, and more importantly, don’t belittle yourself”, she concluded.

As her words sank in, I felt like I understood my feelings a little better. I was trying my hardest to steer clear of the limelight. But with all my accomplishments and actions, it’s not possible to keep running away forever. I need to embrace my identity… If not for myself, then for my family, who hold me in such high regard.

I opened my eyes and stood up from her lap. Feeling slightly ashamed at my childish behavior. Come to think of it, this is the first time Mom has held me in her lap and patted me. It feels really nice and warm.

“Thank you, Mom. I understand… I won’t let you down”, I said, and I hugged her tightly.

“Wow, what’s gotten into my little girl? Not only did you not retort when I patted your head, but you also took the initiative of hugging me first. Are you finally softening up towards your poor Mother?”, she teased me.

“Just shut up and keep patting my head. And don’t even dare to tell anyone about this”, I said, not moving from her embrace.

“Fumu…”, she chuckled and continued patting my head. 

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but ‘What a bliss!’ I love her headpats, they are so warm! They are more motherly, which sets them apart from the ones Letty gives me. Both are really comfortable in their own ways.

“Also, try to forget the part where I referred to Lady Beatrice as a mere Count’s daughter. A Lady should always be respectful”, she added.

“Hehe, a mere Count’s daughter…”

ThinkOfSomeCoolName

Damn, it's been a while. I hope y'all are doing great. I've been really busy lately, so I'm really sorry if I kept you waiting. As always, do point out any errors, and leave a lovely comment.

Also, I've used an AI tool called quillbot in one or two places(not a lot), mostly to make it sound a little formal/ political. I hope that's alright.