Meanwhile, in the Duchy of Isabat, far from the Empire, the central square was bustling. An unusually tall, pointed clock tower stood at its center, but all eyes were on a video tool that had been mysteriously installed in front of it. Even the administrators of the principality seemed confused, acting on orders they had just received from their superiors.
"Mom, what is that?" a child asked, tugging on his mother's skirt.
"I have no idea," she admitted.
Citizens, peddlers, nobles passing by in carriages, and even pickpockets all stared at the device. It was an irresistible spectacle.
"The video has the emblem of the Magic Kingdom stamped on it," someone pointed out.
"Really?"
The Magic Kingdom, a place everyone was curious about, a country of magic and prosperity, was now broadcasting to the world.
The mother turned to her son. "The Magic Kingdom is a place where the most brilliant magic flourishes. It's a place everyone longs for and dreams of."
"A place you long for and dream of?"
"Yes, my baby. Let's watch now."
The large video tool, bearing the seal of the Magic Kingdom, showed only one word: "Innovation." People who had been waiting for something more were puzzled.
"What does 'innovation' mean?"
Suddenly, a small child with vibrant blue hair appeared. He held a small, square box of sweets. He took a single kernel of corn from the box and tossed it into the sky. A collective gasp rose from the crowd as a large popcorn explosion erupted on the video screen. At the same time, sweet popcorn began to rain down from the sky above the square.
People held out their hands, their faces alight with wonder. On the screen, a sentence appeared: "Alchemy that transforms corn into a sweet treat, and archery that provides a marksman's accuracy."
As people tasted the popcorn in their hands, the child in the video shouted, "Yummy and delicious!" He gave a satisfied smile, bowed, and walked off the screen.
The crowd erupted. "It's so good!" "Was that an alchemist?" "Did you see that? Food fell from the sky, right into our hands!"
With bated breath, they returned their attention to the video screen. The screen went black, and then white letters appeared: [The Kinnoa Marquis of the Empire and their stationery store, in partnership with the Magic Kingdom and the Mage Tower.]
The words stayed on the screen for five seconds and then repeated.
"Oh my God... the Kinnoa Marquis and their stationery store?"
"What in the world is a stationery store?"
In the lively atmosphere, people remembered the first word they had seen. "Innovation. That's the perfect word for this!" they said. The once-closed Magic Kingdom had opened its doors, and a new era was dawning for the continent. And the catalyst was a stationery store that had started in front of a small academy. It was an unprecedented event.
At the same time, in the Magic Kingdom, the white-haired king watched the scene in his palace garden.
"At last, the door to the kingdom has opened, Your Highness," a subject said.
Below the king's balcony, a tea party was underway with royalty, nobles, and royal wizards. A giant video orb was set up in the center of the garden. The king took a sip of his wine and looked down at the video.
"It is time for us to open our doors," he said, and his subjects bowed.
On the screen, a story about Meldenik's stationery store was playing.
The nobles at the tea party chatted amongst themselves. "Look at that video. Is this the partnership our kingdom is making?" "It seems to be about simple magic." "If it's ordinary magic, why would we need to partner with another country?"
The nobles of the Magic Kingdom were all wizards. They felt superior to non-wizards and looked down on other nations. They were also eccentric and magical supremacists, so a simple magical idea would never be enough to capture their interest. Meldenik knew this very well, which is why she had to show them something truly special.
In the video, the unique items she had created began to appear one by one: beer candy, stretchy jelly, slushies, "friends in your hands," and even confetti. There was no long explanation, just a visual display. The video showcased strange and unusual objects that didn't even exist in the Magic Kingdom, which was considered the mecca of magic.
"Confetti? What is that?"
"There are so many strange things. I want to participate in the planning and development, too."
"What is this? How can I apply?"
The eccentric wizards' eyes flashed with curiosity and excitement at the sight of the feast of innovative ideas Meldenik had created.
Back in the Empire, in Imologue Square, a massive placard had been hung to completely wrap around the beautiful fountain. On it were the emblems of the Magic Kingdom, the Mage Tower, and the stationery store. The images were clear and conveyed a powerful message.
A mother and her son were crossing the square. "The Magic Kingdom, oh my goodness... Is the Marquis of Kinnoa's shop so amazing?"
"Yes, Mother. The stationery store is a truly strange and wonderful place. It's a kind of heaven."
"Isn't it just a regular toy store for children to play with?"
"How could a toy store be a partner with the Magic Kingdom?"
The mother was strangely persuaded by her son's words. "You're right. I'll have to visit it myself later."
Even in the square, many people were looking at the placard in awe.
"Oh my God..."
"Who would have imagined this when they were trying to ruin the Marquis of Kinnoa's reputation?"
The stationery store, which had started in front of a small academy, had now made a name for itself across the entire continent.
"Marquis, you have garnered a lot of attention. I believe the hearing is over. What do you think?" The Emperor crossed his arms and looked at the priests and nobles.
The priest jumped up. "Your Majesty, no! It hasn't been fully verified yet!"
But the Emperor was unyielding. "This Empire is a country I rule, Priest. The Pope may be sacred, but I, too, fulfill the duties of a divine emperor." It was the first time the Emperor had spoken with such authority. "This means that you have gone beyond your authority."
As soon as the word "overpower" was mentioned, the priest's power was diminished. He was not the Pope, just a priest. The old priest's eyes filled with tears, and he ground his teeth in silent defeat. It was all over.
Before I left the room, I approached the priest. "Priest, if you have any business with me, please come to the Kinnoa mansion yourself." It sounded like a simple statement to the man, but it was a declaration of war to the Pope. The Pope wanted me to come to him, but I had no intention of doing so. I gave the priest a cold, bitter smile.
"I will accept as many visits as you want. Anyone who wants something from me should come to me. Isn't that right?" I turned my gaze away from him. 'Something very interesting is about to happen to you.'
It was only fair to respond in the same way to those who had tried to brand others as demon summoners. 'If you're an exorcist, you can guess what I'm going to do.' Exorcists are beings who can cast out demons. But he was not a great exorcist, and I was a demon of immense power. A demon that could devastate the continent if its seal was broken. I gave him one last cold look and turned to leave.
My first battle was over. It was time to prepare for the next step.