Chapter Summaries

Claire persuaded Sophia to open two shops in Nafu City and help recruit other businesses, supporting Claire’s plan to attract tourists with mermaid stories. As Sophia departed, Claire reunited with Archmage Hughes and saw how deferential he was to Sophia, leaving her wary of Sophia’s easy agreement.

• Claire explained that she planned to use mermaid stories to draw visitors to Nafu City and asked Sophia to open shops there.
• Sophia agreed to establish two shops and offered to take Claire to a royal-family noble gathering so she could approach other business owners.
• Sophia reminded Claire to dress appropriately for the gathering before her carriage arrived.
• Archmage Hughes appeared and told Claire he had joined the August Family, but Sophia’s comment made him hurry to attend to her.
• Claire offered Sophia a gift for their next meeting, and Hughes silently thanked Claire before disappearing.
• After Sophia’s carriage left, Claire wondered whether Sophia’s agreement concealed another scheme and resolved to stay on guard.

Claire hired Wendy to perform stories from Claire’s storybook, offering her a monthly salary of one hundred Gold Coins. Wendy agreed after reading The Little Mermaid, and Claire asked her to compose music for it and give it a perfect performance.

• Wendy performed Hero Defeats the Evil Dragon for a crowd in the Royal Capital while Claire watched.
• Claire offered Wendy five Gold Coins and invited her to talk over a meal.
• Wendy feared Claire wanted to keep her as a mistress, but Claire explained that she was offering her a bard’s job.
• Wendy agreed to consider the job after reading Claire’s storybook and becoming absorbed in its stories.
• Wendy praised The Little Mermaid, and Claire asked her to compose music for the story and perform it well.

Claire asked Wendy to adapt her story so its quality could spread throughout the kingdom, giving her three days. She then prepared for the Little Princess’s birthday banquet by visiting Shane’s family tailor shop, where she learned the Queen’s celebrated outfit had been publicly valued at over one million Gold Coins despite being free.

• Claire asked Wendy to adapt her story for the kingdom, and Wendy promised to finish within three days.
• Claire asked Shane about royal-capital tailors and learned that Lady Sophia had invited her to the King’s banquet for the Little Princess’s sixteenth birthday.
• Claire urged Shane to open a tailor shop in Nafu City, but he said he would think about it and offered to take her to his family’s shop for free.
• A tailor measured Claire extensively and presented her with outfit sketches, and Claire chose the design she liked best.
• Shane warned Claire that the Queen had paid over one million Gold Coins for her outfit, then explained that his family had supplied it for free while publicly claiming that price.

Claire designed a Qipao as a gift for Sophia, and Sophia liked it so much that she decided to wear it to the royal banquet. Claire was left waiting while Sophia went upstairs to change, even though the banquet was about to begin.

• Claire asked Shane for advice on a gift for Sophia and decided to design her an outfit, paying only for the fabric.
• Claire sketched a Qipao and told Shane to choose fabric that cost little but could sell for a high price.
• The tailor shop delivered Claire's custom outfit, and she arrived at Sophia's residence with the Qipao gift box.
• Sophia came downstairs dressed for the banquet, accepted Claire's gift, and eagerly admired the Qipao.
• Sophia decided to wear the Qipao to the banquet and went upstairs to change, leaving Claire to wait.

Sophia brought Claire to a royal palace banquet, where Claire witnessed the extravagance of the capital’s elite and entered the hall beside her. Their arrival drew the nobles’ attention, especially toward Sophia.

• Sophia dressed in a purple qipao and invited Claire to accompany her in an elaborate carriage drawn by two Level Four Rainbow Snow Deer.
• The carriage carried Sophia and Claire through the cleared streets to the royal palace, where Claire marveled at its defenses and guarded entrance.
• At the palace entrance, Sophia learned Prince Albert had already arrived and linked arms with Claire before they entered.
• Sophia and Claire’s entrance silenced the banquet hall, and the nobles stared at Sophia and examined her unfamiliar companion before resuming their conversations.

At a royal palace gathering, Claire met Count Lamb, head of the Lixis Merchant Guild, and discussed her business ties with him. She hinted that Sophia planned to open magic shops and chain stores in Claire’s territory, leaving Lamb interested in the opportunity.

• Count Norton arrived with Shane and went to meet the king, leaving Shane to keep Claire company.
• Shane introduced Claire to several powerful nobles and merchant family leaders at the gathering.
• Count Lamb joined Claire and Shane, and Claire thanked him for selling her mine facilities and sending professionals to help operate the mine.
• Lamb asked how Claire knew Sophia, and Claire explained that Sophia had resold goods from her shop.
• Claire revealed that Sophia planned to open magic shops and chain stores in her territory.

Claire secured cooperation from Count Lamb and other merchants to supply Nafu City, then realized she had forgotten to prepare a gift for the Little Princess’s sixteenth birthday. She searched her Spatial Ring for something suitable and decided that storytelling might help her solve the problem.

• Claire revealed Sophia’s plans for Nafu City, and Count Lamb agreed to cooperate with her.
• Other merchants approached Claire to discuss business after learning that Sophia and the Ansier Family were involved.
• Claire asked Shane about Sophia’s dress and learned that a master tailor had replaced the fabric with a finer one without charging.
• Shane reminded Claire that the banquet was for the Little Princess’s sixteenth birthday, and Claire realized she had not prepared a gift.
• Claire searched her Spatial Ring for a suitable present, then said she could use her storytelling skills.

Claire prepared a last-minute birthday gift for Princess Irene before joining Shane at the banquet, where King Norris and several nobles presented their gifts. Shane realized his own outfit gift was nearly identical to his father’s, while Claire had yet to reveal what she made.

• Claire went to a private room to prepare a gift for Princess Irene, then returned to the hall just before the banquet began.
• King Norris welcomed the nobles and introduced Irene, whom Claire and Shane watched take the stage.
• Norris gave Irene a gemstone crown, and Lady Sophia presented her with Dreamstone earrings.
• Count Norton gave Irene a handmade outfit, and she said she would wear it at the National Day celebration.
• Shane told Claire that his gift was nearly identical to Norton's outfit, and Claire reassured him that at least she had prepared a gift of her own.

At Princess Irene’s birthday celebration, Claire gave her a pink heart-shaped crystal pendant and told a tragic love story to explain its meaning. Irene was moved by the tale, and the chapter ended with Claire presenting the pendant as a symbol of love and wishing Irene would find true love.

• Prince Albert gave Irene an enchanted pendant, while Sophia showed her dislike of him.
• Shane told Claire that Prince Albert’s failed business venture had cost Sophia a fortune and nearly provoked her to destroy his shops.
• Shane gave Irene his birthday present and introduced Claire as his business partner.
• Claire presented Irene with a pink heart-shaped crystal pendant and told her a story about Warner and Millie, whose love ended in tragedy before Cupid revived Warner.
• Claire explained that the pendant symbolized fragile love and wished Irene would find her true love.

Claire gave Princess Irene a pink crystal pendant and presented her with a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, then planned to market similar crystals through the Tulip Shop. In a carriage with Sophia, Claire discussed the crystal’s ability to amplify romantic feelings and left Sophia amused by her claim that money could bestow love.

• Claire gave Irene the pendant and told her a version of Romeo and Juliet, moving Irene and making her cherish the gift.
• Claire showed Shane that she had more pink crystal and proposed selling it as a new Tulip Shop product, while deciding to wait before launching it.
• After the banquet, Claire told Sophia that the business negotiations had gone well and explained why she had kept the mermaid story secret.
• Sophia asked to sell the crystals, but Claire refused and promised to send her one, saying supply would be limited to the Tulip Shop in the royal capital.
• Claire told Sophia that money could not buy love but could bestow it, and explained that the crystal amplified affection and courage.
• Sophia asked whether the crystal Claire gave her was larger or smaller than Irene’s.

Claire arranged for Wendy to perform a story for Sophia and invited Wendy to work in Nafu City before leaving the royal capital. Sirian arrived too late to see Claire, and Shane revealed Sophia had arranged his admission to the Knight Academy.

• Wendy performed the mermaid story for Claire and Sophia, who praised it and agreed to help promote it.
• Claire paid Wendy five hundred Gold Coins and offered her a bard position in Nafu City; Wendy then tried to order everything in the menu's most expensive row, which contained music.
• Claire left the royal capital for Nafu City, explaining that she needed to oversee cooperation with the great nobles.
• Sirian rushed to the Tulip Shop hoping to see Claire, but Shane told him she had already left and promised to arrange a light punishment for his unauthorized departure from the Knight Academy.
• Sirian said Sophia had arranged his admission to the Knight Academy, and Shane confirmed that she was Claire's friend.

Claire oversaw Nafu City’s expanding West District and announced that the new shops would hire local residents. At the job fair, she found that her appearance earned her an offer to work as a greeter, so she moved on to inspect the next booth.

• Regan reported that forty-five merchants had signed contracts and that construction crews were returning to Nafu City, while Claire told him to prioritize the West District’s construction.
• Over the following weeks, Nafu City’s residents watched the West District transform as construction supplies poured in and the Water Cloud Beast shaded the workers.
• Claire posted a notice announcing that shops in the West District would recruit local clerks, with base pay of fifty Silver Coins and possible bonuses exceeding one Gold Coin.
• Residents flocked to the job fair, where thirty-five shop entrances screened applicants and managers asked to see their résumés.
• Claire visited a recruitment booth, but its manager offered her a well-paid greeter job because of her looks; she left to check the next booth.

Claire arranged for the massive mermaid statue modeled on Eve to be moved to Nafu City’s northern district, where Teklin would lead the craftsmen in refining it. The statue arrived safely, and Claire left its final design and nighttime glow in Teklin’s hands.

• Claire learned that the statue’s rough form had been completed and told Regan to have Nafu City’s craftsmen prepare to refine it.
• Claire found townspeople gathered around the statue at the city gate, but they scattered when they saw her because they feared breaking her safety order.
• Isaac arrived in his modified airship, and he and Claire used Levitation Spells and the airship to transport the statue safely over the city.
• Claire appointed Teklin to lead the statue’s finishing work and asked him to make it strikingly beautiful and use luminous materials so it would glow at night.

Wendy’s mermaid story grew popular in the royal capital, drawing large crowds and generous tips. A manager from the Dayas Opera House invited her to stage the story there, and Wendy eagerly agreed to begin rehearsals.

• Wendy performed the mermaid’s story daily in the Outer City, improving her storytelling as her audiences and tips grew.
• Residents debated whether the prince would return to the Mermaid Princess, and a girl stormed off after arguing with a boy about it.
• After a performance, Wendy guarded her tips from a group of imposing men until their elderly manager explained they were Dayas Opera House enforcers.
• The manager invited Wendy to stage the mermaid’s story at the opera house and offered at least two thousand Gold Coins per performance plus a share of ticket sales.
• Wendy accepted the offer and began gathering her belongings, insisting on carrying them herself.

Wendy’s performances of Mermaid Princess made her famous in the royal capital, and she even sold two complimentary tickets at a huge markup. After watching Wendy perform, Sophia met with her and offered her a job.

• Wendy’s Mermaid Princess tickets became so sought after that a young nobleman paid one thousand Gold Coins for two tickets from a hooded seller.
• The young couple recognized Wendy as the ticket seller when she appeared onstage, but they were eventually drawn into her performance.
• After the show, Wendy learned that Sophia, the owner of the Dayas Opera House, wanted to meet her.
• Sophia praised Wendy’s improvement and offered her anything she wanted if she would work for her.

Sophia tried to recruit Wendy by revealing that she had manufactured Morey's fame and offering to make Wendy a renowned bard. Wendy declined and decided to seek out Claire in Nafu City, while Sophia arranged for her Mermaid Princess performances to spread to other cities.

• Sophia told Wendy that she had built Morey's reputation through promotion and said Wendy's own success depended on Claire's story and Sophia's support.
• Sophia offered to shape Wendy's public image and make her famous throughout the kingdom if she worked for her.
• Wendy remembered Claire's offer of a bard-related position and chose to pursue her love of storytelling instead of fame and money.
• Wendy told Sophia she would finish performing the Mermaid Princess story, then go to Nafu City to find Claire.
• Sophia accepted Wendy's decision but arranged for her to perform in other cities in a week and again urged her to reconsider.

Claire prepared new attractions for Nafu City and recruited Eve to portray the Mermaid Princess for visitors. Eve agreed to appear at a designated seaside location every few weeks, while Claire planned to protect her and use the rare sightings to encourage tourism.

• Regan told Claire that the Mermaid Princess statue had been installed at the city gate, and Claire explained how she had turned the surrounding area into a plaza and the Magic Airship into a paid sightseeing attraction.
• Claire checked on the western district's progress, then visited Rona and Eve at the hospital courtyard.
• Rona told Claire that the Magic Fruit tree was close to bearing fruit, and Eve asked what Claire would teach her that day.
• Claire taught Eve to act as the Mermaid Princess by gazing toward shore, and explained that Eve would appear only once every few weeks to make sightings feel rare.
• Eve agreed to the arrangement, and Claire said she would oversee Eve's safety.

People across several cities heard rumors that a real mermaid had been spotted near Nafu City, spreading excitement and prompting plans to travel there. The chapter ended with a Griffin Barony convoy trading information about the mermaid for entry into another city, as its captain hurried to report the news to the lord.

• Two women told a gentleman that the mermaid was a character in Mermaid Princess, and he claimed a mermaid had been seen near Nafu City.
• The gentleman showed the women Nafu City's location on a map, then wrote in his notebook that the Viscount's method was working.
• A supposedly drunk man told a tavern that he had seen a mermaid near Nafu City, and the crowd grew eager to visit.
• The man revealed to his companions that his performance had been staged as part of the Viscount's plan to spread the rumor.
• A Griffin Barony convoy leader offered the city captain information about the mermaid instead of the entry fee, and the captain let the convoy in before rushing to report to the lord.

Claire’s promotion of the mermaid story drew Princess Irene’s interest, and she decided to visit Nafu City. After receiving word of her plans, Claire ordered preparations to ensure her visit went smoothly and boost the city’s reputation.

• Claire promoted the mermaid story across the kingdom, drawing travelers’ attention to Nafu City.
• Irene asked Sophia about the mermaid and learned that traces of one had reportedly appeared in Griffin Barony.
• Sophia told Irene that Griffin Barony belonged to Viscount Griffin, who had given her the Heart-shaped Crystal.
• Irene told Sophia she wanted to travel to Griffin Barony to see the mermaid.
• Claire received Sophia’s letter announcing Irene’s visit and told Regan that it was excellent news.
• Claire ordered the city cleaned, patrols increased, and other preparations made to welcome Irene.

Claire prepared Nafu City for Princess Irene’s visit by having Rona grow flowers in the southern district and Regan organize a street-cleaning effort. The next morning, Claire and Hant waited with the knights for the royal procession, while Claire noticed powerful mages secretly guarding the princess.

• Claire took Rona to the southern district, where residents had planted flower seeds, and asked her to use Growth Spells to decorate the houses.
• Rona grew exhausted after tending more than a hundred households, but resumed working after resting and learning that Princess Irene would arrive the next day.
• Regan directed the Water Cloud Beast to wash the western district’s streets, then organized residents to clean up the rainwater.
• Claire brought Hant and the knights to meet Princess Irene’s approaching procession, and noticed Archmage-level mages guarding the princess.