Chương 35: Chapter Thirty Four: Daylight Robbery And Foxes

I've been robbed. Completely hoodwinked. I complain again."But why can't I have a little share of it?"

"You're a child." She heartlessly fills out the magical copyright paperwork on my precious inventions. If I could change that I would and that can't be your answer to everything!

"But–" She shushes me and completes another page." No buts. Maria?" Maria leaves Niathe's side and bends down gracefully to scoop me up." Come here, darling. What your mother is trying to say is that when you're older you can start making your own decisions. But for now, you're just going to have to hand it over." I pouted to myself. Penguin they're robbing me! Who told you to be such a big mouth? Hey! That's it. You're on poop duty. What! I glare at Niathe's head while Penguin pleads with me to rescind my order.

I grind my teeth together in hatred. Maria shushes me and feeds me a beignet. My new teeth sink into its sugary skin and pierce it completely. I munch furiously and give myself a mental recap. How did this happen? It's been about a month since I foolishly gave over the secret of making plant paper to my evil mother and her no-good minions. They've been selling the paper like hotcakes and have even developed a stationary store underneath my name! Every other day she asks me for more designs and ideas.

All while holding a shiny gold coin in her left hand and a treat in her right hand. The temptation... was too much to bear. I gave her some small ideas. Pencases, holders, briefcases, etc. She sold those too. For top dollar here in Allere and worse in foreign nations. In particular, the Kelpie Nation has become one of our most avid customers and they pay a pretty penny for our goods. It was almost heart-wrenching to see her scam them. She even used me as a sympathy card during their meeting.

She's one of the most ruthless businesspeople I've ever met. If there's a profit to be made she'll sink her claws deep and refuse to pull out even after she's sucked someone dry. Its official name is Nightshade Scrolls. However, Mother has recently learned that other nobles have been calling it Golden Parchment. Yet unfortunately I have been told to sign over all my rights to my mother's secret Guild! The Eye. They'll take over the manufacturing, trademark, and secret recipe. It's not unfair… It's outrageous!

Unfortunately for me, my mother has recently learned to exploit a special loophole. As a princess and wife to a duke. All of her property is considered a part of the royal treasury or a marital asset. So… the best way to avoid splitting the profits three ways is to put it under a certain someone's name. Although I am royal I don't technically have an official title. So my assets are mine in that respect. As for the duke? Even if he finds out about this business...

as long as I am not heir to his Dukedom he has no right to take my property. And we all know that Erichean is set to inherit his title. Even if god forbid something were to happen to Erichean. I am so far down the line of succession that I would never be considered. Even with my background. He can badger me or make life difficult all he wants but he can't legally take it from me. God, I hate the nobility and their rules. Mother's become addicted to providing me with a dowry.

Which is just an obvious front for what she actually wants. Fraud, asset concealment, and larceny. Everything she owns has now become legally mine on paper. So everything is legally my problem now. Except for this. She's decided that something as big as the paper industry should be handed over to her Guild to manage. Fine, whatever. But why do I have to give up my rights? Maria picks me up and pries the unfinished beignet out of my mouth.

Then she tidies my appearance with a napkin and hands it to another maid when she's done. After I've been cleaned to her satisfaction she brings me over to my mother's desk and away from a miniature replica she had made for me. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. I stare into her eyes and she gives me a smug smile meant to infuriate me." You'll inherit the Guild one day and this will all be a silly memory."

"When?" She raised an exquisitely drawn eyebrow and asked for further clarification." Excuse me?" I continued." When will I inherit it?" She refuses to give me a concrete answer. Again." When you do. Now sign here." She hands me the ballpoint pen and I groan. I should've kept a few things to myself at least. She gives me her no-nonsense look and I sigh. With a trembling comically small hand I sign on the dotted line. My lifeswork… at least it's easier to sign it away than before.

Pens have also been introduced into the market. However, they have been sold exclusively to the Kelpie Nation. Niathe says we've already angered enough people with our scrolls. The Parchment Trade Organization has taken quite a hit due to our business. However, after learning that the backing behind the paper was my mother they stopped kicking up a fuss. She smiles and stamps the paper with a special magic stamp that's supposed to make this all legitimate. How does it even work? It's not the ink that's special.

So it has to be the stone right? I questioned her again." Who even makes that? What happens if you break the contract? Is there like a fine?" She launches into a lesson on contracts and ends with what I really wanted to know.

"This particular seal was obtained through Druvis's nephew who is an Acolotye for the Temple of Horkos. He's the god of punishments, oaths, and promises. We used to just swear before one of their acolytes until they came up with The Seal. It's carved with the blessing of Horkus. As for punishments? For our contract…well it's better that you not know." She gives me a weird smile and I wince. You're so creepy.

"..."

"Give her to the nanny and no snacks today." What! Maria giggles and carries me away while I whine about my precious snacks. How dare she? I have to stop doing that! I give one final insult as I'm booted out from her chambers again."You're the greedy one!" The door slams shut and Maria pats my back as she crosses the hall like a ghost. Her feet barely touched the ground. Maybe she is a ghost. I mean it's definitely possible in this crazy world.

"Maria?" She's always smiling. It's kind of offputting. Constantly happy people freak me out. They've always got some kind of screw loose behind their facade.

"Yes, my dear?"

"Are you some type of ghost or spirit?" It's a bit out of the blue but I've always wanted to know. She says in a surprised tone."How did you know?" Wait really?

"You don't make a lot of sounds." That's an understatement. Even now the rhythmic drumming of a heart is nonexistent. Her chest moves rhythmically to mimic the motion one does when breathing but I'm close enough that I can tell. It's fake.

"Oh, you think I'm a ghost because I'm quiet? Your guard doesn't make a lot of sounds either." Kissae throws a crumb at Maria's head and she easily swerves out of its way without even looking behind her. Kissae's been learning from the guards how to hide her footsteps and presence. She's doing great which means all of my staff has been subjected to sneak attacks or jump scares as a result. Except Nanny. Nothing gets past her and Kissae is too afraid of her to try anything. Oh right, she's still waiting.

I look up at her and start listing all the odd things I've seen her do." That's different. You don't breathe a lot. You only do it when you think people will notice. Low Ranking Vampires do that too but they don't have a tail. Or ears. There's also the floating thing. There's a big difference between stepping lightly on the ground and never touching it at all." Her long dress usually hides it from an adult's perspective but from a child's I can see her feet very clearly. She inquires curiously." And what's that?"

"When someone takes a step their entire body moves with them. Even with all the etiquette in the world, you can't hide that. Shoulders and hair move in tandem with their gait. Even our breaths subconsciously sync up with our pace…Those little things. You don't do any of that. Ever."

"..." Kissae whistles from her place behind us and claps her hands. Maria regards me especially and I give her a nervous smile. I would use Inspection but I've already failed at discerning what she is through that. All it gives me is a generic description. [Marianne: LvL 99] [HP: 1, 800, 000] [MP: 600, 000] She titters to herself while gazing deep into my eyes with her pools of emerald." My, my, my. What a great thinker we have on our hands." From behind her back, I can see her tails flicking and… multiplying?!

What is she… Oh. Holy shit. She laughs jovially to herself at my reaction as her two tails become nine. A nine-tailed fox.

"You're a Yokai!"

"Shhh. How do you even know that term?" Her ears twitch and she regards me somewhat seriously. Am I not supposed to know that?

"Uh…Books?"

"Hmm. Books." We both know I'm fibbing but she generously doesn't point it out. Her tails flick behind her and caress my face. So fluffy. Then they are hidden away and all that's left in their place is the original two. I stare at them in awe. It's kind of like the inventory."That's so convenient."

"I suppose it is."