Celebrity Lady - Chapter 49

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Celebrity Lady
Chapter 49
A man in simple attire with long silver hair carelessly gathered into a single knot. Deep shadows pooled beneath his eyes.
The exhaustion of someone consumed by research night and day hung visibly from every line of him—this was Shane, the Arcane Tower Master.
‘The Imperial bloodline shows itself everywhere.’
Strikingly, impossibly handsome, yet worn thin by fatigue, he was among the ten most powerful figures in this Empire.
To enumerate Shane’s rough pedigree—youngest son of the late Emperor Decard—
‘First: born with a silver spoon.’
He held the Special Duke Rank, an honor granted only to the Imperial Family, and ruled the Millen Territory as its lord, the youngest Arcane Tower Master at nineteen years old,
“There are things I need, and I suddenly wanted to see my uncle’s face. Well, two birds with one stone.”
and was the same age as Crown Prince Larque.
“And you can skip the unnecessary drivel at the end. What do you need?”
“I need a list of Image Recording Stone purchasers from the past year or so.”
“Why come to me when I’m swamped? The Transaction Management Department will hand that over in a minute.”
“Don’t be like that. I wanted to see your face too, that’s all.”
Larque shrugged and offered a smooth deflection.
Shane, who had been observing him quietly, leaned forward over the low table, propped his chin on his hand, and turned his gaze toward me.
“So the one who actually needs me is that young lady there. Lubetria, was it?”
“Yes, it’s my first time meeting you. I’m Lubetria Diollus.”
“Larque doesn’t usually budge for trivial matters concerning others. What’s your connection?”
“Oh no, you misunderstand. There’s no connection between us at all. The Crown Prince happened to mention he had business with the Arcane Tower Master, so I simply asked if I might accompany him, and he kindly agreed.”
“Fine. Let’s say that’s true. Then your business is…”
“Well, you see—”
“The Sales Department director already briefed me, so there’s no need to repeat yourself.”
Shane smiled and gestured toward the distant door with an open hand.
“It’s out of the question, so you can leave the way you came.”
Pfft.
Larque burst out laughing at that. I shot him a sharp look sideways; he was biting down hard, barely containing the laughter bubbling out of him.
‘What. Not even trying to help!’
With one foot propped casually on his knee, he was absorbed in fidgeting with the Metronome-like Magical Device.
Larque seemed entirely uninterested in my predicament.
‘So he brought me to the Arcane Tower Master and now I’m on my own, is that it?’
Think I can’t manage?
I straightened my spine and spoke.
“Arcane Tower Master, please—at least hear me out before flatly rejecting me?”
“All right. Go ahead.”
“I understand the Arcane Tower permits Grade-2 Magical Artifact creation only for public benefit, but it’s not a matter of law—it falls within your discretion as Arcane Tower Master to grant creation permits, doesn’t it?”
“But—”
“Grade-2 and above carry serious risks, so restricting their creation is prudent. However, the Image Display Plate I’m requesting today is rather different from other Grade-2 artifacts, isn’t it?”
“Ah, so it’s not a dangerous artifact, and you want me to permit private production?”
“Yes. I believe that if Image Display Plates become widely commercialized, they could bring tremendous progress to the Empire. One unit can display images to many viewers at once—highly efficient—and because the artifact is tangible, information distortion risks are minimized.”
“Why should I commercialize them?”
“Excuse me?”
“What profit do I gain from commercializing Image Display Plates?”
“Profit? Well, there’s… profit…”
My words caught in my throat; I faltered.
“Um… you could make substantial profit selling them at a high price, couldn’t you?”
“I don’t need money. I already have plenty.”
……
Pfft!
At the sound of Larque’s suppressed laughter bursting free, I glared at him again.
‘This is harder than I thought.’
Shane’s uncooperative attitude caught me off guard, but I had to swallow my pride and push forward.
‘Without his ability, there’s no way to create image artifacts at all…’
Shane Van Rashmach Decard.
Like all Arcane Tower Masters before him, he was a Light Spirit Mage who had contracted with the spirit Lumiere.
In a world where scientific advancement is limited but compensated by the magic of spirits, a Light Spirit Mage possesses tremendous value.
For instance, Image Recording Stones—artifacts that can capture moving scenes and store them—
had science advanced sufficiently, cameras based on light principles would have filled that role.
‘Unfortunately, in this world, only Light Spirit Mages who command light with perfect freedom possess such skill.’
In other words, Shane held a monopoly on the right to produce the scientific fruits of development: cameras, display screens, and the like.
‘It’s stingy, really stingy. What would sharing hurt?’
I forced a smile and spoke.
“You were born in the Empire and became a spirit mage—surely wielding that power for the Empire’s progress brings meaning? We here—”
I gestured respectfully to Larque beside me with both hands.
“The Crown Prince works night and day for the Empire’s advancement and its citizens’ welfare. He shows no hesitation in using his spirit mage abilities for a comfortable, pleasant life for the people.”
“Ah. So you’re telling me to practice Noblesse Oblige?”
“Well, if you would, I’d be truly grateful. If the Arcane Tower Master permits the commercialization of image artifacts, so many people could enjoy convenient, high-quality lives.”
Sigh.
Shane exhaled and fell silent for a moment, then rose from his seat.
“What bothers me is this.”
“Yes?”
“Born a spirit mage with power, born into the ruling class as Imperial Family—so naturally fulfill your duty? If it benefits the Empire’s citizens, gladly use your abilities as a public resource?”
He stood and paced, muttering, before suddenly leaning forward in front of me.
“You bold little lady—then who’s responsible for my welfare?”
He smiled and lightly touched the tip of my nose, adding,
“Who guarantees a ‘high-quality life’ for this poor man, locked in the Arcane Tower, summoning spirits for twenty-four hours straight, tirelessly churning out artifacts?”
Back in his seat, Shane tilted his head back wearily and continued.
“In nineteen years of living, I’ve never chosen anything of my own will. I didn’t want to be born Imperial Family, didn’t want to contract with Lumiere. I certainly didn’t plan to take on this godforsaken tower, but I was saddled with it anyway.”
Something in his tired tone struck a chord of empathy within me, late as it came.
‘True… there really is no spirit mage more iconic for sacrifice than the Light Spirit Mage.’
Light Spirit Mages must keep Lumiere summoned three hundred sixty-five days a year, twenty-four hours a day. The artifacts created using light’s power must be continuously maintained.
Which meant the Light Spirit Mage could never rest—not even the brief respite when a Light Spirit Mage dies, when Lumiere returns to the Spirit Spring to prepare for the next contract.
Thus, Lumiere alone had always been granted an exception since the Empire’s founding.
‘The moment Lumiere senses that a contracted mage’s life has ended, a new contract with the promised next mage is immediately made.’
That promised next mage is always the youngest of the next generation of the Imperial Family.
Shane was the late Emperor’s youngest son and became a Light Spirit Mage without choice.
“Of course, I could make an exception for your convenience right now. But then visitors like you would become two, then three—it’s only a matter of time.”
“…Yes, I suppose so.”
“Grade-2 artifacts and above are created only for public benefit. That rule was my way of carving out a little breathing room.”
Shane lifted his head and looked directly at me, adding,
“I don’t want to pile more onto my already crushing workload. I have no intention whatsoever of sacrificing myself for some damned public welfare in the name of the ruling class’s duty.”
I fell silent and acquiesced.
Charity is beautiful, but whether to give is ultimately the giver’s prerogative, isn’t it?
Though I believed one should give according to one’s means, I could understand Shane’s position well enough.
‘It’s a shame, but I can’t keep acting like a brat.’
I’d come seeking the fastest path to promoting the shop, but seeing Shane’s deep dark circles, I felt only sympathy…
Besides, no good would come from continuing to whine at someone as powerful as the Arcane Tower Master, building a negative impression.
‘A skilled businesswoman knows when to retreat quickly.’
I conceded gracefully and drafted Plan B in my mind while offering Shane an apologetic smile.
“I’m sorry. Hearing you out, I think you’re right about everything. I made an unreasonable request. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
At my frank surrender, Shane hesitated, then abruptly looked away.
Tick, tick.
Only the sound of Larque’s fidgeting filled the cold silence.
Feeling awkward, I started to stand—but then seeing the exhausted Shane’s face, I felt a pang of pity.
“Um, this…”
I carefully pulled a piece of candy from my bag and set it gently on the table.
I always popped one whenever my blood sugar dropped during exercise.
“…?”
Shane looked down at the cute candy in pink wrapper, his eyebrows rising in bewilderment.
“You look like you’re working hard. If you get low blood sugar while working, eat this…”
“Ha. You think I’d fall for something like this?”
“No, no! That’s not what I meant! The Image Display Plate is fine now. I’ll just find another way.”
……
Shane stared at me in silence, scrutinizing.
“If… if you don’t want it…”
Embarrassed, I reached for the candy again, but Shane was faster. He snatched it away, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth, crunching it loudly.
Pffft!
Larque burst out laughing at the sight. Shane shot him a glare.
“Ah, really…”
Unfazed by the sharp look, Larque giggled and tilted his head slightly, gesturing toward me.
“Cute, right?”
“What?”
Shane’s expression soured visibly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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