Raising the Northern Grand Duchy as a Max-Level All-Master-Chapter 136

136. Building Soft Power as a Max-Level All-Master (2)

The street was cold yet beautiful. While walking along it, Violet overheard a conversation between what seemed to be a mother and her three sons.

“Do you boys like them that much?”

“Yes! We love them! Mom!”

“They’re amazing! Amazing!”

“Hehehehehe.”

The mother chuckled faintly as she looked at her three sons, who all appeared to be under the age of ten. Each of them clutched a Mech Knight Pluto toy tightly in their arms.

“Be sure to thank Her Highness.”

“Why?”

“Because next month is Her Highness’s birthday, and that’s why Pluto toys are half off. That’s how I was able to buy one for each of you.”

“That’s why! That’s why! When I grow up, I’m going to the Knight Academy!”

The eldest, the largest of the three, shouted enthusiastically at his mother’s explanation.

“Me too! Me too, Mom! I’m going to become a Pluto Knight and fight for Her Highness!”

“Me too! Me too! Me too!”

The second and third sons chimed in, their eyes sparkling with excitement.

‘Now that I think about it, wasn’t Mech Knight Pluto also one of Meteor’s works?’

Listening to their conversation, Violet suddenly recalled the author of the Pluto comics.

Meteor was also the author of the novel she held tightly in her arms: The Duke’s Youngest Daughter.

‘What kind of person are they, really? No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t seem like just one person’s pen name. Could it be a couple sharing a pseudonym?’

As she pondered the mystery of Meteor’s identity, Violet continued her walk down the street.

Even beyond this family, the arms of many children wandering the streets were filled with toys or dolls inspired by the latest popular comics.

For the boys, most of them carried Pluto toys. As for the girls...

“Dad! I want Tinkerpang! Please buy me Tinkerpang!”

Girls were pleading for a doll that looked like a cute sprite or a beautiful fairy.

“What are you saying, sweetie? Didn’t I just get you that Heartpang thing not too long ago?”

Despite their protests, each girl already held a similar doll in one hand. On the other hand, they clutched intricately designed, pink-colored magic wands that seemed to be part of the set.

“Heartpang is a sprite, and Tinkerpang is a fairy! It’s brand new!”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake! Another new one?!”

The Tinkerpang dolls and toy staff were part of a comic serialized in The Light of the High Tower, a newspaper. The series was particularly popular among young girls. 𝐫ΆꞐồ𝐛Ěš

“Tinkerpang my foot... More like Bankruptpang!”

“These Light of the High Tower people... They won’t stop until they’ve drained our wallets dry!”

“This is evil! They might as well go into loan-sharking, the scoundrels!”

“Wasn’t it The Debt of the High Tower instead of The Light of the High Tower?!”

The real problem was that despite being newly released, there were already ten types of these sprites and fairies.

This left the faces of Renslet parents—celebrating the holy festival—clouded with worry instead of joy.

But not buying them wasn’t an option.

If they could afford it but refused to buy, they risked subtle judgment from the church and their workplace.

The Rensletts were well aware of the year-end bonuses and extended half-price sales provided for parents to purchase toys matching the number of their children.

‘This year’s Duke’s Birthday feels unusually different. Last year, I don’t remember there being this kind of atmosphere about buying gifts for children.’

Although Arina’s birthday had always been celebrated with a festival, this year’s scale and mood felt exceptional.

In particular, the trend of buying children whatever they wanted during the festival seemed to have been deliberately encouraged.

Exactly when did this start? Around the time comics and novels began serializing in the newspapers?

‘Wait?! If all of this is part of a carefully planned business strategy...?’

Looking at the sighing parents of the High Tower, Violet felt a chill run down her spine.

She couldn’t help but shudder at the meticulous and cunning nature of the company she worked for.

‘What a luxurious complaint.’

But soon after, she shrugged it off.

Compared to people elsewhere on the continent, this was heaven itself.

Even the grumbling Northern parents were aware of this fact.

They hadn’t forgotten what their lives had been like just a few years ago.

Although she was eager to return home and admire the illustrations included only in the special edition of her novel, Violet turned her steps elsewhere.

She arrived at a two-story building located between the outskirts of the High Tower and the Arad Industrial Zone.

The sign above the entrance read: “Bishop Post Office, Renslett Branch 1.”

“Lady Violet?”

“Yes, have you been well?”

“Yes, as you can see, I’m doing fine. But isn’t it work hours for you?”

“Today’s my day off for a change.”

“Ah! I’m jealous.”

As Violet entered the post office operated by Bishop Company, an employee recognized her.

The Bishop Post Office was primarily used by Imperial citizens working in the High Tower. It seemed unusual for Kingdom citizens to be in the North, especially since the North did not directly interact with the Kingdom. However, it remained a frequently utilized postal service.

“Do you have any mail addressed to me?” Violet inquired.

“One actually arrived this morning. We were planning to deliver it to your residence this afternoon,” the employee replied.

“Perfect timing. I’ll take it now.”

“Understood. Please wait a moment.”

“Sure.”

Violet looked at the Bishop postal system, which still relied on letters instead of magical communication devices, with a sense of frustration.

‘It’d be great if they used both magical communicators and mail like the Northerners.’

Naturally, the Northerners used mail services too. However, they had access to an advanced system unique to the Renslets, which included magical communication devices.

Thanks to the North’s cutting-edge mastery of magic, Arad Communications provided not only traditional mail services for letters, documents, and packages but also magical video calls through communicators.

‘From what I’ve heard, magical communicators are expected to be installed in most Northern households within a few years. It really feels like another world.’

By then, perhaps the Bishop postal system would adopt or develop magical communicators for its operations.

“Here it is.”

As Violet was lost in thought about Arad Communications and magical devices, the employee’s voice snapped her back to the present.

“Thank you.”

The mail handed to her was a thin document envelope.

But it wasn’t ordinary. The envelope was enchanted with magic. If someone other than Violet tried to open it, its contents would instantly go up in flames.

“You may read it in peace over there.”

The employee subtly gestured toward a small private room within the post office.

Violet gave a slight nod and headed toward the enclosed space.

It was no surprise that the employees working here were not Northerners but Imperials, specifically staff employed by Bishop Company.

Even the Frost Knights wouldn’t dare tamper with these postal items.

[My beloved little sister, Violet]

The letter she opened was from her sister.

“...…”

However, Violet’s expression as she read it was icy cold.

Her sister had died as a child from a plague.

What’s more, Violet’s family, abandoned by the Imperial Court and massacred by Sigma, had always called her by the nickname “Bibi.”

This letter, therefore, was not from her sister.

It was a covert directive from the company headquarters.

“I shouldn’t have stopped by the post office on my day off. Here I am, stuck with work on a rare holiday…”

After reading the letter, Violet clicked her tongue and quietly tucked the enclosed bills into her wallet.

Then, she burned the letter.

“Farewell, Lady Violet.”

The staff’s formal farewell reached her back as she left the post office.

But Violet’s destination wasn’t her home this time either.

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“Well, since I’m already out, I might as well take care of this.”

She made her way to a massive arena on the outskirts of the High Tower.

Waaaaaah!

Even from a considerable distance, the deafening roar of the crowd struck her like a thunderous wave.

[Number 3! Number 3 is pulling ahead of Number 5 and taking the lead!]

As she got closer, she heard the amplified voice of a commentator announcing the horse race standings.

Kyaaaah!

The mingled sounds of manic cheers, shrieks, and wails swept over Violet like a tidal wave of human frenzy.

The stark contrast to the serene and peaceful atmosphere inside the High Tower was almost jarring.

‘Ugh…’

Not fond of this kind of scene, Violet shook her head in disapproval and joined the line at the betting booth.

The long queue moved faster than she expected. When her turn came, Violet pulled out her wallet and handed over a 200-Ren banknote, equivalent to the value of one gold coin.

“For reference, the betting for the next race just closed,” the cashier informed her.

Despite receiving the highest denomination banknote, the betting clerk merely widened his eyes slightly before returning to his composed demeanor.

It was a clear indicator of just how much money flowed through this venue.

“For the race after the next one, please.”

“The race after the next? None of the others?”

“I’m putting it all on one race. A single-win bet.”

Violet, eager to reach her destination, opted for the simplest way to purchase a betting slip.

“Let me ask again. You’re really going to bet the full 200 Ren on a single race?”

“Yes.”

“Which horse?”

“Hmm... Number 7?”

“Number 7? Bold choice. Or maybe you’re just rich?”

The clerk seemed more intrigued by her thoughtless choice of horse than by the amount of money she wagered.

“Neither,” Violet replied casually, taking her betting slip and heading into the racetrack.

The 200-Ren ticket shimmered brightly, a telltale sign of its anti-counterfeiting enchantment.

This gold-tier betting slip granted her VIP access to the racetrack’s most exclusive areas.

“What an odd woman,” the clerk muttered under his breath, watching Violet disappear into the crowd.

Then, he turned to the people in line behind her and made an announcement.

“Excuse me, folks! Three minutes—no, just one minute! I need to grab more betting slips. If you’re in a hurry, please use the next window.”

With that, he closed the counter partition and quickly pulled out a magical communicator.

“Attention. Priority Alpha just entered the racetrack. They were issued a gold-tier betting slip.”

He finished the short report and put the device away.

***

Inside the racetrack, Violet was well aware that she was being tailed.

From when she arrived at the racetrack? No, from the moment she left her house to buy the special edition novel.

But it didn’t bother her.

Her goals, aligned with Renslett’s objectives, ensured she had nothing to hide. Working at Arad Bank, under the Arad Capital, after her stint at Renslet Bank, her tasks also benefited the North.

The more progress she and her team made, the more Renslet stood to gain—never to lose.

‘Which is probably why they leave us be.’

Walking confidently toward her destination, Violet ignored the heavy surveillance from Renslet’s intelligence agency, Frost Knights, and Arad’s security and intelligence divisions.

Waaaah!

A sudden, deafening roar from the crowd signaled the end of a race, striking her ears even harder than before.

[Number 3!!! Number 3 crosses the finish line in first place!!]

The commentator’s booming voice, amplified by a magical microphone, cut through the chaos and echoed across the racetrack.

To command attention over such a cacophony of screams, cheers, and shouts—Violet couldn’t deny the effectiveness of the magical amplification device.

‘Noisy.’

To someone like Violet, who preferred peace and quiet, it was nothing more than obnoxious noise pollution.

Covering her ears with both hands, she quickened her pace toward her destination.