Chapter 289: Still a Secret

Since Cain-niisan and sister-in-law Mika haven’t arrived in the dining room yet, dinner hasn’t been served. Taking this opportunity to dispel the awkward atmosphere, Mother took action.

“Since we’re here, let’s try writing with the pens!”

“Yes, let’s do that, Mother-in-law!”

Sister-in-law Daniella quickly went along with Mother’s suggestion. The servants, sensing the change in mood, brought paper and ink immediately when Alex-niisan asked. It seems Alex-niisan was also feeling the same way. Maybe they were trying to cover for me. That’s probably it.

Oh, Father is frowning deeply. It’s troubling to be looked at with that expression.

“So we need to fill the ink, right?”

“Yes. Dip the tip into the ink and then twist this part at the back.”

“Ah, could it be that Julius made this?”

“Y-yes, that’s right.”

Father’s smile remained with a frown on his forehead. It’s a very skilled smile. I might be summoned to the office later. The atmosphere stiffened for a moment, but the trial writing began as if nothing had happened.

“It’s wonderful. It writes even better than when I tried it at lunch.”

“Indeed. It feels like it fits perfectly in my hand.”

“Thank you. I put a lot of effort into making it.”

The ink flowed smoothly onto the paper. Father seemed to realize that this was a new type of pen.

“Is this a pen that doesn’t run out of ink?”

“It should be less prone to running out compared to previous pens. However, like before, you need to fill the ink into the body of the pen.”

“Even so, it seems much more practical than the pens we’ve had so far. By the way, Julius, don’t you have one for me?”

Father had a huge smile. If I get the answer wrong here, it’s over.

“Of course I do. However, this fountain pen is quite difficult to make and cannot be produced in large quantities. I believe I can prepare one for you by tomorrow.”

“I see. I’m looking forward to it.”

Phew. It seems there won’t be any reprimand. Maybe Alex-niisan will get scolded for keeping it a secret. Looking at Alex-niisan’s face, he was turning pale. Hang in there, brother.

Before long, Cain-niisan and sister-in-law Mika arrived. It seemed they noticed us all huddled together and having fun. They quickly approached us.

“What are you all doing so happily together? Has Julius made something strange again?”

“Strange, you say? It’s a practical item, I assure you.”

“So that’s what it is…”

It seems Cain-niisan was just joking. But sadly, it’s the truth. Perhaps intrigued, sister-in-law Mika came closer to the table.

“What is this… a pen? It’s an unusual shape. And it’s so beautiful. Wait, can it write even without ink?”

“What?”

Hearing sister-in-law Mika’s voice, Cain-niisan also came closer to the table. He observed the two people testing the pens closely. At this point, there was no need to keep it a secret. I briefly explained the mechanism of the fountain pen.

“What’s this? I didn’t hear about this. With this, you won’t have to worry about spilling ink on the desk. Glass pens are amazing, but this one is even more impressive, right? I didn’t hear about this.”

It must have been very important to Cain-niisan. He said it twice. It seemed he realized that they were the only ones not informed. His expression was a bit annoyed. Sister-in-law Mika, however, didn’t seem to notice and was gazing at the fountain pens with sparkling eyes.

Since this is a specially made, high-quality fountain pen, it’s sparkling and might be something the ladies who love accessories would definitely want.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make a fountain pen for you too, sister-in-law Mika. Look forward to it.”

“Thank you, Julius!”

Mika gave me a tight hug, almost making a squishing sound. It seemed she had gotten the hang of it, as my face was nestled snugly between her chest. At the same time, I couldn’t breathe at all. This is bad. I hastily tapped Mika’s arm to be released.

That was close. I didn’t have time to enjoy it. I almost died.

“Julius, if possible, I’d like one too.”

“Of course, that’s fine. But wouldn’t it be better to have Rosalia make your fountain pen?”

“Eh? Rosalia can make them too?”

“Of course! I’ll make Cain-niisan’s fountain pen.”

This is good. Since my brothers are very lenient with Rosalia, she will probably be pleased with this. I also noticed that Father seemed to want Rosalia to make his fountain pen as well, so I asked her to do that. It seems that fathers are lenient with their daughters everywhere.

Dinner was served. Of course, the topic of conversation was the fountain pen from earlier. I emphasized that the design is complex and not easy to make, so they shouldn’t make unreasonable demands. Also, it will take a considerable amount of time to release it as a product, so for the time being, it will be made to order.

The next thing to consider is how many people Mother will brag to. It’s unlikely to be a hundred people. It seems that Sister-in-law Daniella is unsure whether to mention the fountain pen to His Majesty the King. She seems to want to promote the glass pens that can be made easily and keep any competitors at bay.

I had a hunch, so I think I should stop making more elaborate fountain pens for now. The gift for Miss Fabienne will also be postponed. It seems best to keep this matter as low-profile as possible. I think Mother understands this too, but her unusually high spirits are frightening. I hope that later, Alex-niisan will give her a stern talking to.

I… can’t bring myself to say anything because I’m terrified.

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