kscans

Chapter 8 - A Day in the Castle Town

The next day was overcast.

"It’s humid. The ink won’t dry properly." Litt hadn’t stopped complaining since he’d left the castle through the Shirone Gate.

"Not enough light. It’s hard to see what I’m doing. I hate this." He passed through the cobblestone streets and walked down the town’s main thoroughfare.

"Lord Litt…" Touli, carrying a satchel on his back, pressed a hand to his forehead.

"What is it?"

"Even if you don’t have a title, you still hold an Honorable Senior Position. Why are you using the back gate?"

"It suits my station. Besides, none of the nobles know about me," he said without a hint of shame.

"Try using the main Shirogane Gate. You’ll be bombarded with questions from the aristocrats—‘Are the invitations finished? Who’s been invited?’"

"I admit that would be annoying. But couldn’t you avoid that by taking a carriage?" A First-Class Court Secretary should have been able to use a royal carriage, even for personal matters.

"Hm? Walking is better for finding new material."

"New material?" Touli couldn’t help but parrot the words back.

"…For what, exactly?"

"For stories, obviously. I can use it at the night party, too."

"Huh…?"

It was hard to tell if he was being whimsical or diligent. The moment Touli looked away, Litt was already chatting with the girl at the bakery. They exchanged a few words, and he traded a few copper coins for a small paper bag.

"Hey, Lord Litt! We came here to buy ink!" Touli tugged at the hem of his master’s coat, earning a soft giggle from the shop girl. Heat flooded his cheeks with embarrassment.

"Lord Litt!"

"I hear you. Come on, let’s go."

He started walking at his own carefree pace, quickly rounding a corner into an alley.

"Oh, honestly! Wait for me!"

He was painfully reminded of the difference in their strides. Sighing, Touli hurried after him.

The alley was lined with a row of shops. Litt entered one with a sign shaped like an inkwell.

"Welcome."

A young man with distinctive curly black hair was sitting at the shop’s counter. There were no other customers inside.

"May the Moon Goddess Kuna’s blessings be upon you, Lord Liton." The young man closed the book he was reading.

"Kud. You look well." Litt leaned against the counter. His eyes fell on the book in Kud’s hands. "Oh?"

"Isn’t that The Villainous Lady? I didn’t take you for a fan of that genre."

"Please don’t tease. I’ll read anything," Kud replied with a gentle smile.

"Have you read Lord Torito Lute’s latest book, The Snow-White Knight’s Tale?"

"Ah, this one has." Litt gestured to Touli.

"Yes! It was fantastic!" Touli’s eyes sparkled. Kud squinted as if dazzled.

"Then we must have a chat about it sometime."

"I’d love to, Kud-san!"

As Kud put the book away, Litt placed the small paper bag on the counter.

"From that bakery. A little something for you."

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I’ll put on some tea."

"Oh, I’ll do it." Touli started to duck under the counter door, but Kud stopped him with a word.

"No, you’re a customer in my shop as well. I can’t have you troubling yourself."

"But…"

"It’s fine, Touli. Let Kud handle the tea. You go get us some chairs."

Litt tapped the counter with the pad of his finger. Touli’s brow furrowed in irritation.

"What are you, royalty?" he grumbled. Litt snorted.

"And what if I were of the Fulmia line?"

"Defy you, and it’s off with my head, I suppose."

"See? You get it. Now hurry up." Kud placed a pot over the charcoal fire and turned back.

"Touli. Please use those wooden chairs over there."

"Yes, Kud-san."

"Hey, hold on, Touli. Why are you more obedient to Kud than to your own master?"

"Because he is the master of this kingdom." Touli nonchalantly placed a small wooden chair in front of Litt.

"Oh, King Kud. Lukewarm tea is fine," Litt said as he sat down.

"As you wish, Lord Liton, First-Class Court Secretary."

"Don’t get sarcastic with me."

Litt rustled open the small paper bag he’d placed on the counter. His long fingers plucked out a rose-shaped cookie.

"That’s terrible manners, Lord Litt! And to be the first to touch a souvenir you bought for someone else!"

"It’s actually quite good." Litt shoved the cookie into the mouth of Touli, who had just sat down.

"Mmph!" Touli clamped both hands over his mouth and chewed vigorously.

Kud offered Touli a cup of tea. He bowed his head and downed it in one gulp. It wasn’t hot, just warm, and it slid down his throat to his stomach.

"Phwah!" His silent, glaring plea of What the hell was that for? was blithely ignored by Litt.

"The merchants certainly know how to ride a trend. Such dedication." Litt picked up another rose-shaped cookie and showed it to Kud.

"The Villainous Lady Falls with the Crimson Rose is quite a hit in the castle town," Kud explained.

"…Eh? Is that so?"

As Kud poured him a refill, Touli furrowed his brow.

"Is a story about a noble lady kicking everyone around really that interesting?"

"After doing whatever she pleased, she gets her engagement annulled by the prince at the end of the story, and her position as fiancée is stolen by a lady who was once a village girl. I imagine that satisfying conclusion is what makes it so popular."

Litt ate a cookie and sipped his tea.

"Poetic justice. She got what she deserved," he commented. Touli tilted his head.

"What do you think, Kud-san?"

"I agree with Lord Liton. Also, Touli, there is another core theme to the story. Do you know what it is?"

"Umm… a representation of the common folk’s voice, perhaps?" Litt burst out laughing.

"Like he’d ever write something like that!" As Litt continued to roar with laughter, Touli’s face turned red.

"Hey! Don’t laugh so hard!"

"Lord Liton, Touli’s answer wasn’t a direct hit, but it was close."

"It’s not close at all." Litt wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and took a breath.

"The other core theme is the village girl’s rise to power."

"Ah." Touli’s eyes widened.

Now that he mentions it, that’s right. The village girl becomes the prince’s fiancée in the end. From her perspective, it’s a happy ending. Kud nodded.

"It became popular because it’s a story you can enjoy twice in one book, with the contrasting fates of two women."

"Ooh!" Touli exclaimed, impressed.

"These look delicious as well." Kud arranged the rose cookies on a plate.

He placed it on the counter with a "please, help yourself." Litt’s hand immediately shot out. With a soft chuckle, Kud picked up a rose cookie and brought it to his lips.

"Ah, delicious. I’m so happy."

"Glad to hear it." A grin spread across Litt’s face.

"I’d appreciate it if you’d deduct the amount of happiness I’ve given you from my ink bill."

"As expected of you, Lord Liton. Even your haggling is elegant."

"It is a plea to King Kud of the Ink Kingdom, after all." He gestured to Touli with his fingertips.

Correctly interpreting his master’s intent, Touli took a letter box from his satchel and set it on the counter.

"The long love letter you were asked to ghostwrite. Make sure to keep the fact that I wrote it a secret."

"Of course."

Kud took the letter box. He used a key to open a heavy shelf at the far end of the counter and stored the box inside.

"Now, Lord Liton. May I ask what I can do for you today?"

"…And yet, you’ve already brought out my ink. As perceptive as ever."

"The honor is mine."

A large bottle of ink was placed on the counter in front of Litt. It was about the size of a fist, the black liquid inside sloshing gently.

Litt twisted open the lid of the square bottle. Kud immediately placed a quill pen and a sheet of test paper on the counter.

"Mm, thanks. By the way, Kud. Have you gotten your hands on any flight feathers of a blue goose?"

"Eh, you’re still obsessed with those?"

"Touli, be quiet!"

"I’m not being any louder than you, Lord Litt."

"Touli, be quiet!"

"You said it twice!"

Litt dipped the tip of the quill pen into the ink. With a smooth sara sara, he wrote his name on the paper. The ink was the color of the pre-dawn darkness, just as it began to lighten.

"They’re holding a night party at the Royal Castle," Kud mentioned.

"Hm?" The sudden change of topic made both master and attendant turn to Kud.

"The young ladies are so eager, they’ll start their preparations long before the invitations even arrive."

"Ugh. Is it about those Crim fans again?!"

Litt’s handwriting faltered. Annoyed, he scribbled the word Crim, Crim, Crim across the page.

"What cruel twist of fate is this! To be born only to miss out on blue goose feathers!"

With lingering regret in his script, Litt wrote out the words "blue goose."

"This isn’t test writing, it’s a curse, Lord Litt."

"Touli, be quiet."

"That’s the third time!"

"You two get along so well," Kud said with a gentle smile.