The Villain's End Is Pregnancy - c83
“Someone is looking for me?”
Ryan, who had slept in late after seeing off Hendrick early in the morning, tilted his head at the words delivered by the servant.
“Yes, young master. A person named Jonathan. Do you not know him?”
“Jonathan?”
Then soon he opened his mouth with an “Ah.” He belatedly recalled that the author’s agent had such a name.
“That person is here?”
“Yes, he requests to meet with the prince.”
Even though Hendrick wasn’t here, Ryan naturally had to meet the author’s agent. He immediately left the bedroom with the servant in tow. Then he ran into Catherine in the hallway.
“My child, where are you going in such a hurry?”
“Someone is looking for me, so I’m going to meet them.”
“Ho… Seems like a welcome guest. You look to be in a good mood?”
“Yes. I think the news I’ve been waiting for has arrived.”
“News you’ve been waiting for?”
To Catherine who looked at him as if asking what it was, Ryan grinned.
“Remember I briefly mentioned before? About a machine that prints books with movable type instead of handwriting them?”
“Yes. I remember. It was a very ingenious idea. Is the person you’re meeting related to that?”
“That’s right. He’s the agent of the author who wrote that book, and I think he’s here to tell me that I can meet the author.”
Thanks to Catherine who cheered him on saying this was great news, Ryan’s mood became even more joyful.
Actually, after Hendrick had left early this morning, he had been feeling strangely empty and lonely. So the anticipation of being able to meet the author was all the more welcome.
“Alright. Hurry and go see them.”
“Okay, ah! But Catherine, did you not come to see me?”
“That’s true, but I was just thinking we could chat over tea and snacks anyway, so don’t worry about it.”
“Hmm. Sorry, Catherine.”
“It’s nothing. Hurry and go.”
Catherine kindly patted Ryan’s shoulder. Even though he was now over twenty and almost as tall as her, her youngest brother always seemed exceptionally younger to her.
“Still, it’s a relief. I came to see if you might be bored.”
“Hm?”
As he was about to leave, Ryan didn’t quite catch Catherine’s whispered words.
“No, it’s nothing important.”
Thinking the content must not be very significant, he nodded and passed by her. As soon as he arrived at the drawing room, the news from the author’s agent was, as expected, very welcome.
“He wants to meet in two days?”
“Yes. If it’s alright with you, Sir Ryan.”
“As long as it doesn’t interfere with the author’s work…”
Ryan’s heart raced at the words that he could meet the author, whom he thought he’d have to wait at least a month to see, the day after tomorrow.
If Hendrick had been by his side, he would have said something like it’s great that it worked out, and Ryan felt a little wistful.
“Alright. Actually, I heard the printed copies will also be completed within this week, so it would be good to show them to the author.”
“The author will be truly delighted as well. Um… but the prince…?”
When Hendrick, who usually stuck close to Ryan’s side as if it was natural whenever they met, was nowhere to be seen, the agent carefully asked as if curious.
“The prince had some business to attend to and is absent. Is there something else you wanted to say?”
“Ah, no, there isn’t.”
The agent quickly bowed his head. After that, they exchanged a few more words about this and that and wrapped up the meeting.
And Ryan had lunch with Catherine and immediately prepared to go out. Since the topic of meeting the author had come up, he was thinking of going to check how far along the printed copies were.
Meow.
The one who stopped Ryan just as he was about to leave the dressing room was a black cat. Its gaze looking up at him seemed to ask where he was going.
“I’m going out for a bit. Play well on your own.”
Ryan readily bent down and stroked its head with his index finger. The round eyes closed in pleasure and its head tilted.
Finding the sight adorable, he lifted the corners of his mouth and took another step, but once again heard a “meow.”
Wagging its tail and rubbing its body against his ankle, it seemed to be acting cute as if telling him not to go.
“You don’t like being alone in an unfamiliar place? But it’s a bit much to take you along…”
Rather, wouldn’t it have a harder time? That concern only deepened because of the cat following him with each step.
“Alright, I get it. Let’s go together.”
It’s not usually a kid who refuses to be separated like this. Thinking it must be because the earl’s mansion still isn’t familiar, Ryan ended up changing his mind.
He lifted the small body into his arms and got on the waiting carriage. It was about a 30 minute ride from the earl’s mansion to the workshop busily making the book.
“Oh my, the young master has arrived!”
Thump thump.
A lively sound of a machine printing something pierced through the rough man’s voice. It was Luke, the son of a wine estate owner and the technician operating the modified printing press.
“Yes, Luke. Is the work going well?”
“Haha, of course. It’s progressing very smoothly. The prince didn’t come with you today?”
At those words, Ryan, who had been walking while gently petting the cat, frowned.
“Why does everyone assume I’m with the prince as if it’s a given?”
On the contrary, the one flustered by that question was Luke.
“It’s because you two are always together whenever you come here. I apologize if I offended you.”
“No, I was just curious so I asked. I’m not offended.”
Seems like it’s not just me who thinks the spot next to me feels empty.
‘Sigh…’
The fact that others noticed it too made him feel quite strange. Ryan unnecessarily petted the cat in his arms once more and approached the printing machine.
Click click.
A sound as if taking a photograph was heard and then black letters appeared on the paper. After printing one full page, it pauses briefly and the process of bringing a new frame and inserting the type continues.
“How many pages have been worked on now?”
“284 pages.”
“How long did it take?”
“At first, even matching the letters took some time so it was 10 sheets a day. Now we can easily do thirty sheets.”
“It’s slower than I thought…”
After printing one page of the book, the paper needs to be changed and the letters reassembled, so it seemed to take longer than expected even though that made sense.
“It may be like that now, but once we work like this, it will become much faster later.”
“Really?”
“Of course. It’s much easier and more convenient than handwriting.”
When the response came back positive, Ryan’s face brightened again.
“Can I see the finished copy today?”
“Well… it will take a bit more time since we need to check for incorrect letters and do the work of binding them together into a book.”
“How long do you think printing will take?”
“Oh, that’s possible to do by today.”
At that, Ryan’s eyes sparkled.
“Then give me the printed ones first. I’ll proofread.”
“You will, young master?”
“Yes, I think it’s best if I examine it myself.”
Luke stared blankly at the omega young master whose face lit up with anticipation, then nodded. It was a bit hard to refuse when he looked so delighted as if he had received a new toy.
“Then please sit and wait over there for a moment. I’ll organize it and bring it to you right away.”
“Okay.”
Ryan promptly went and sat in the indicated spot. Luke glanced at the noble young master playfully moving his feet while hugging the cat, then placed the printed copies in front of him.
“Here it is, young master. If you see any errors while reviewing, please mark them with a circle like this and write in the correct one.”
“Okay, got it.”
Ryan nodded without taking his eyes off the paper. Then he sincerely began comparing the original book with the printed content.
How much time did he spend like that? His neck was stiff and his eyes felt dry, so he briefly lifted his head and was startled to see the surroundings had become dark.
“When did it get so late?”
“Haha… I was just pondering what to do since it’s almost time for you to have a meal.”
“Sorry. Can I take the rest of this and look it over? I’ll bring it back tomorrow.”
“Of course.”
The owner of the printed copy was him anyway, so Luke had no reason to refuse. Ryan, who had been feeling empty and bored without Hendrick, felt a surge of motivation now that he had something to do. He happily gathered the stack of papers and got on the carriage.
‘It reminds me of when I worked on the picture book before. It’s fun.’
Back then he had only thought it was really hard… As he was immersed in reminiscing while freshly recalling old memories, the carriage arrived at the earl’s mansion.
Seeing the brightly lit mansion, Ryan casually thought his family who had been out must have all returned and tried to go inside. But before that, a group of people rushed out first.
One of them noticed Ryan and his eyes flashed as he strode over.
“Ryan Fitzroy. It is a royal command. Report to the palace at once!”