Some headlines were irresistible: "She Made a Man of Me Overnight," which turned out to be about "how doing this every day made me a Magic User." And, of course, the classic: "Late at Night, a Young Woman Entered Annan's Bedroom."
The headlines were clickbait, but Evelyn had actually done it!
For various reasons, the City Lord's Mansion had shelved the idea of a second entertainment newspaper for now. Barr hadn't mastered the knack, it might tarnish Free City's image, and the Newspaper Office was already swamped...
So they went with "Kindred Spirits" instead.
Why did it have to be another Free City invention? Could no one else do it?
Apparently not.
Merchants chased profit and hated risk. They wouldn't try anything new; they waited for someone else to blaze a trail, then used their resources to steamroll them.
Those with a shred of conscience might pay the pioneer a little something. Most simply took all the profits.
That was how it had gone with Magic Films, the "Voice of Freedom," and "Kindred Spirits." Before Annan filmed "When Freedom Knocks," the only roles Orcs got in Magic Films were in scenes best left undescribed.
Female knights captured by Orcs, Elves captured by Orcs, and so on...
Yet whenever Annan created something, merchants who smelled profit sprang up like mushrooms after rain.
The hastily launched "Kindred Spirits" was rushed back to press to replenish supplies.
Annan didn't know whether that met Tadel's request, but before long, she contacted him.
"The Invitation Letter failing to arrive had nothing to do with you. The messenger disappeared while delivering it..." Elder Tadel said.
"The Elven Royal Court didn't notice?"
“No. She's still alive. The Elven Royal Court is preparing to send The Faction to investigate.”
Annan still had the Invitation Letter on his mind,