Surprisingly, it wasn't just the Demon Tower Master who was interested in Meldenik's stationery store on the outskirts. There was another child whose heart was beating at the thought of the stationery store. It was the little boy whom Meldenik had first fed slushies to.
The boy was rubbing his head and stomping his feet in his room.
"The chief chamberlain."
"Yes, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"When can I leave? I have to go there!"
The blond-haired child whom Meldenik healed for his broken knee was actually Prince Axion. He was the youngest prince of the imperial palace and the only surviving member of the imperial family except for Cassian, who was considered the crown prince.
Axion thought seriously, pressing down on his trembling cheeks. 'This isn't the time for this. I decided to have a nice encounter with Mel.' However, the ban on his outdoor activities had just been lifted today. The ten-year-old boy had been scolded after returning to the Imperial Palace from Mel's stationery store. The boy, who had retreated to his room with his injured leg, had to take a break from the academy because of the fierce servants. But fortunately, after a few days, he was in the best condition today.
"I've finished the potion, so let's leave!"
Ten minutes later, Prince Axion was practically flying down the hallway to his half-brother, Prince Cassian's palace.
"I'm here! Where are you?"
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, if you run like that, you'll be in trouble!"
At the servant's urgent words, Prince Axion slowed down and spoke hurriedly. "Are you inside?"
"He is in the parlor."
"I see, thank you!"
Bang!
The parlor door shattered open as Axion burst in. The Second Prince, Cassian, who was drinking chamomile tea from his teacup, looked at his younger brother, the Eighth Prince Axion, with a questioning look. "Axion, why have you been running? I heard your leg hurts."
"Everything is healed. Rather..." The prince's words made the boy's cheeks redden. Axion twisted his body and even pouted his lips into a triangle.
Cassian asked cautiously, sensing an ominous premonition. "...Did you have an accident?"
Axion shook his head vigorously and shouted, "No, I didn't!" It wasn't really an accident. In the meantime, Axion had been quiet. The maids and attendants were amazed. Not long ago, there was only one person in Axion's mind.
That's right... "Hey, I have a woman I want to marry, brother!"
At his ten-year-old brother's bold words, Cassian almost spewed tea out of his mouth. What did he mean by marriage? Even Axion and fifteen-year-old Cassian didn't have a fiancée yet. However, he couldn't look into his brother's sparkling eyes and sprinkle ashes on his dreams. Cassian opened his mouth, stammering at the smiling boy. "Love... Spring is coming to you."
"Yes, she's really pretty. She's the best marriage partner." The prince tried to calm himself down and smiled happily, patting his younger brother's head. There was no reason to overreact to children's play. "Really? Are you friends from the academy? You'll see her at the debutante ball soon."
"No, she isn't. She's older."
"Older?"
"Yes, we met in passing, and it was love at first sight. She's really smart. I will definitely make her the Empress." The boy's eyes widened.
Thinking that his brother had already fallen in love for the first time, Cassian chuckled coolly. "I hope you can. How old is she?" 'I think she's about three or four years older. Then I guess she's about fifteen?'
"Is she ten years older than me...? Or is she fifteen?"
"Oh yes, fifteen years old... No, wait. Fifteen more than you?" Then she would be twenty-five.
Prince Cassian was the type of person who usually had a friendly face and a smile. However, even after hearing his brother's declaration that he would marry a woman fifteen years older than him, he couldn't keep his composure.
"Yes! I don't know the exact age. They are commoners. Her name is Mel. Isn't her name really pretty?" In an instant, Cassian almost spit out the tea in his mouth.
...Besides, she's even a commoner? Cassian spoke to Axion. "Axion."
"Yes, brother!"
He was full of suspicion and had a strong sense of justice, but he never let go of a fish once he caught it. That was the youngest prince, Axion. But to be captivated by a commoner girl ten years older... Cassian thought it would be better if he had to restrain himself.
"That... If I have time, I might as well meet that commoner woman named Mel."
"Yes! Mel asked me to come to the stationery store later! Come with me, brother!"
"Stationery store?"
"Yes! He said he would sell me a lot of things! I'm really looking forward to it. We have very similar tastes!"
Cassian's facial muscles became even more rigid. 'Selling a lot of things? ...Is she a fraud?'
"Oh, and get a birthday present! Mel complimented me on my taste, brother!"
Cassian, who received the music box handed to him by Prince Axion, nodded with difficulty. "Sounds like a nice birthday present."
"Yes, it's a music box! Do you like it? Right, brother?"
Cassian nodded at his younger brother, Prince Axion. "Sure. Whatever you give me is good."
"After all! Mel said that! Mel is a genius!"
Axion was excited, swaying and dancing cheerfully. Watching his brother's happy dance, Cassian was confused. Who was this woman named Mel who had captivated Axion and made him do that weird dance?
'You're a scammer, right?'
And just then, Axion pulled something out from his generous embrace. "Get this too, brother!"
"…?" There were things like grains of blue salt in the transparent bottle. "What kind of experiment is this?"
"No, it isn't! Mel told me to bring it to you. Mel says, 'It's a grape-flavored drink made of ice that doesn't melt! It's always cool!'" Speaking of which, the color was reddish, so it was grape-colored.
"But a lowly commoner gave you ice?" And ice that didn't melt. It was only the top-class mages in the imperial palace who could barely make it. So, even Cassian himself used to see it rarely...
"Try it, brother!" Cassian reluctantly took a sip at Axion's urging. The ice passed all the way to his esophagus. It was a style of drink he had never tasted before. It was cold when it came into his mouth, but he felt his fatigue cool down instantly.
'...It's definitely suspicious.' It was too sweet and delicious, which made him even more surprised. His body, which was full of heat due to stress, instantly became cold, and a sweet taste remained in his mouth.
...It was an excessively unusual and strange drink.
"After all! My brother also has a very good slushie! The corners of your mouth went up subtly!"
Cassian took another sip of slushie and lowered his eyes. He couldn't deny that it was a good drink. "I really need to meet Mel." It would be better to meet him when his heavy work was over.
"Yes, brother. By all means!" Axion nodded vigorously until his throat almost fell off.
His brother was also a child who was stunned by Duke Hesman, whom everyone adored and admired. However, it was one of two things that Lee Da-ji opened his heart to a commoner he met for the first time: either she was a real fraudster, or she was a really capable person. For now, it seemed more likely to be the former.
Axion puffed up his plump cheeks and laughed. "Mel wants all the children to be happy! That's why I came to the Academy!" 'Is she planning to do a child-related business?' From what he heard, she seemed to be a pretty decent person. However, he shouldn't make a judgment until he met her in person.
The first customer of the stationery store, Axion, was laughing, not knowing that he had triggered his brother's suspicions.
Then the door to the parlor opened. "Your Excellency, the Duke of Hesman, is here."
Not long ago, Duke Hesman had asked him to poison himself. He was planning to start a new business. He had also hinted that the imperial palace wanted him to invest in his business. Come to think of it... he heard that the Hesman company, which mainly targeted aristocratic families and adults, had changed.
Then Axion pouted and shouted, "That shallow duke is coming?"
"Yes, Axion."
"Ugh, I'll go, brother!" Axion, who hated Lennox, pouted his lips, stood up, and left like the wind.