Ink & Crown

Chapter 89 – Behind the Story

And they definitely didn't know they were currently asking Crownspire employees to take care of their own employer.

The realization spread from person to person. A strange silence settled over the group. Not uncomfortable. Just... difficult.

Several people exchanged glances. Others looked away. A few seemed to be actively fighting laughter.

Meanwhile, Voss and Aelric continued speaking completely seriously.

"...and while Lucien is exceptionally capable," the Chancellor was saying, "every young author benefits from experienced people around him."

That nearly finished Gareth as he coughed into his hand.

Theo immediately looked in the opposite direction.

Taren rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Even Evelis looked unusually amused.

Aelric finally noticed and his gaze moved across the group.

Then back again. "...Did I say something strange?"

For a moment, nobody knew how to answer.

Then Gareth let out a sigh. "Professor."

"Yes?"

"I think there may be something important you don't know."

Immediately, several people abandoned all attempts at maintaining composure.

Aelric looked around the group. The reactions alone told him something unusual was happening.

"What exactly don't I know?"

Gareth glanced toward Lucien. Then back toward the professor.

"The owner of Crownspire Publishing."

Aelric nodded.

"The company publishing Sherlock Holmes."

"Yes."

"The one employing all of you."

"Yes."

"So?"

Gareth pointed. At Lucien.

Aelric followed the gesture. Then looked at Lucien. Then at Gareth. Then back at Lucien.

The room became very quiet.

"...No."

Several people immediately laughed.

Gareth nodded. "Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

Aelric folded his arms. "You're telling me this boy owns the publishing house?"

"Technically," Dorian said, "he also owns the press."

That made things significantly worse. "The press too?"

"Yes."

Aelric slowly looked toward Chancellor Voss.

For perhaps the first time that morning, even she seemed genuinely surprised.

Not shocked. Just surprised. Which, coming from Elira Voss, was practically the same thing.

Lucien rubbed the back of his neck as the attention was becoming uncomfortable again.

The Chancellor looked at him.

"How long were you planning to wait before mentioning this?"

"I wasn't hiding it."

Several people immediately looked at him.

Lucien paused. "...Intentionally."

That only caused another round of laughter and even Voss looked amused.

Aelric stared at him for several seconds, then shook his head.

"Every time I think I've caught up with what you've been doing, I discover you've started something else."

"To be fair," Lucien said, "most of it happened very quickly."

"That isn't helping your defense."

"It wasn't meant to."

The professor sighed heavily.

Then looked toward Taren.

"So you're not supporting Lucien's publisher."

"No."

Taren's lips twitched. "I'm supporting my employer."

That nearly started the laughter all over again.

Nearby, Rowan had given up pretending not to find the situation funny, and Talia wasn't doing much better, while Theo simply looked relieved that somebody else was now the center of attention.

The Chancellor eventually shook her head. "Well."

Everyone looked toward her. "If we're discussing surprises, this certainly explains a few things."

Lucien had a feeling he wasn't going to enjoy where this was going. Unfortunately, he was correct.

"It explains how a first-time author managed to secure a press. It explains the publishing timeline, the acquisitions, and why your correspondence with the institute suddenly became much more complicated."

By the end of the list, several people were openly smiling and Lucien looked mildly defeated, while Dorian looked far too entertained by the situation.

Aelric noticed. "You knew."

"Of course."

Then the professor paused as a look of realization crossed his face.

"Wait."

His gaze shifted between Dorian, Seliora, Kaelen, Riven, and Evelis.

Then he sighed. "Why am I even asking?"

Several members of the Convergence Six looked amused.

"You six spend more time together than some families."

Riven nodded immediately. "That's true."

"I wasn't asking you."

Riven nodded again. "Also, true."

Aelric ignored him and looked back at Dorian. "Of course, all of you knew."

"Naturally."

"And none of you thought to mention it?"

Dorian remained perfectly calm. "No one asked."

For a moment, Aelric simply stared at him.

Then looked toward Evelis and she simply smiled and Seliora, who made no effort whatsoever to deny it.

Then Kaelen, who looked entirely unsurprised by the question.

Finally, he looked back at Dorian. "You know, I genuinely dislike how reasonable that answer is."

Dorian inclined his head slightly. "Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"It sounded like one."

Several people immediately laughed.

Even Chancellor Voss looked mildly amused.

Aelric pointed at the entire group.

"You are all impossible."

"According to Lucien," Riven said, "that's actually one of our better qualities."

"I did not say that."

"You implied it."

"I definitely did not."

"Close enough."

The room dissolved into laughter once again.

As the laughter settled, Aelric suddenly looked at Lucien.

"Actually, there is something I'm curious about."

Lucien immediately became suspicious.

That expression alone caused several people nearby to smile. "What?"

The professor folded his arms. "Where did you even get the money?"

Lucien blinked.

Aelric continued. "When you requested permission for remote study, one of the reasons you gave was that your family's finances were difficult and that you needed to help at the café."

"That was true."

"I know it was."

Aelric gestured broadly.

"But now I'm standing in the second branch of your café while learning you somehow acquired a printing press and started a publishing company."

Several people nodded as when he put it that way, it did sound slightly absurd.

Aelric looked genuinely curious. "I know Sherlock Holmes became successful."

Then he pointed toward Gareth. "But successful enough to buy a press?"

He pointed toward Taren next. "And hire experienced publishing professionals?"

Then toward the branch itself. "And expand the café?"

Lucien opened his mouth but Polvin beat him to it.

The loan officer stepped forward with a polite smile. "Perhaps I can answer that."

Everyone looked toward him and Polvin offered a small bow introducing himself.

"I’m Polvin Sarett from Lunecrest Bank."

Recognition appeared on Aelric's face immediately and even Chancellor Voss looked mildly interested.

Polvin continued. "Chairman Sorin Thale personally approved the financing."

That drew several surprised looks.

Aelric blinked. "The chairman himself?"

"Yes."

Polvin nodded and then gestured toward Lunessa introducing her. "And this is Lunessa Thale."

The Chancellor raised an eyebrow. "The Chairman's daughter."

"His only daughter," Polvin added helpfully.

Lunessa immediately had a bad feeling. Unfortunately, Polvin was not finished. "A highly talented finance student."

The feeling became worse. "And," Polvin continued with complete sincerity, "one of Lucien's earliest and most dedicated fans."

Complete silence.

Then several people turned toward Lunessa and she just closed her eyes. For a brief moment, she considered pretending she had never met any of them. Unfortunately, it was far too late.

Polvin smiled. "She liked the book so much that she now works with Crownspire."

The silence now somehow became even worse.

Aelric slowly looked at Lunessa. Then at Lucien and back at Lunessa.

Understanding dawned. "Oh."

Several others reached the same conclusion. "Oh."

"So that's what happened."

Lucien immediately rubbed the side of his face as the attention was becoming unbearable.

Beside him, Lunessa looked equally embarrassed, but the difference was that Lunessa also looked remarkably proud.

She wasn't even trying to deny it. "If we're being accurate," she said, lifting her chin slightly, "the book is excellent."

That only made the laughter return and Lucien looked even more embarrassed.

Aelric stepped over and patted him on the shoulder. "Hey."

Lucien looked up and the professor grinned. "Don't be embarrassed."

"I am."

"Having fans is a good thing."

The grin widened. "Must be nice, actually."

The room erupted again and even Chancellor Voss was smiling now.

Meanwhile, Lucien seriously considered finding somewhere else to stand, but unfortunately, every exit appeared occupied.

Before Lucien could think of a response, Gareth spoke. "To be honest, I think people keep describing it the wrong way."

Several heads turned toward him as Gareth rested his arm against the back of his chair. "They keep saying he acquired Stone & Quill."

His gaze shifted toward Lucien and he shook his head. "That's technically true."

A brief pause followed. "But if you ask me, he saved it."

The room gradually quieted and even Lucien looked over.

Lucien rarely spoke about the acquisition in detail and most people knew Crownspire owned the press now, but few knew what condition it had been in beforehand.

Gareth continued calmly. "The press was almost finished."

There was no self-pity in his voice. Just honesty. "We had no meaningful clients left."

"The loans were piling up. Supplier payments were behind. Equipment maintenance was being delayed.”

Theo lowered his eyes slightly as neither father nor son enjoyed remembering that period.

Gareth noticed but continued anyway. "Every month felt like buying a little more time."

The room had become completely silent now. "We weren't building toward anything; we were just trying not to collapse."

Several people exchanged glances as many of them had never heard the full story. Not even Taren, Talia and Rowan knew all the details as they just joined.

They knew Stone & Quill had struggled, but they hadn't realized it had been that bad.

Then Gareth laughed quietly. "And then this kid walked in."

He pointed at Dorian as the room relaxed slightly.

"He came in asking about printing a book on behalf of Lucien."

Lucien rubbed the side of his face as the story somehow always became more embarrassing whenever someone else told it.

Gareth ignored him. "At the time, I thought I'd finally found a customer."

A few people smiled. "Turns out I found a buyer instead."

That earned a small laugh. "In just one conversation it became negotiations, and somehow, by the end of it, he'd convinced me to sell."

Gareth paused as he shook his head. "No, That's not quite right."

Everyone waited. "He convinced me to stop sinking with the ship."

The words hung in the room. Very simple and honest words, but difficult to argue with.

Gareth looked around at the gathering. "Most people in our position would've considered themselves lucky just to walk away from the debt."

Several people nodded as that was very true. "Instead, he cleared the obligations. Kept us employed and let us continue running the things we actually know how to run."

Theo finally spoke. "And even gave us equity."

The room grew quiet again as that detail really surprised several people. Especially Aelric, Voss, and including the Crownspire's newer employees.

Gareth nodded. "Exactly."

He looked toward Lucien again. "So, no." A faint smile appeared. "I don't think 'acquired' is the word I'd use."

For a moment, nobody spoke. Then Chancellor Voss broke the silence. "That was a wise decision."

Her voice was calm and certain, and not a compliment given lightly.

Aelric nodded. "Very few people become kinder after gaining leverage."

The professor looked directly at Lucien. "Most become more demanding."

"Some become cruel, and many become indifferent."

The room remained quiet as Aelric smiled slightly. "You seem to have chosen a different direction."

Lucien looked unsure how to react, which only made several people smile.

The Chancellor noticed as well. "Don't look so troubled."

"I'm not, Chancellor."

"You are."

Aelric pointed immediately. "He's definitely troubled."

Laughter spread around the room once more. This time even Gareth joined in, and for a brief moment, the conversation was no longer about business, acquisitions, loans, or publishing.

It was simply about people, and the choices they made when they had the power to help.

A few moments later, the laughter faded and conversations gradually resumed and the gathering returned to its earlier warmth.

Though every so often Aelric would glance at Lucien as if remembering something and becoming confused all over again.

Eventually even that began settling down.

Then the front door opened and the reaction this time was very different, not because the newcomers were important.

At least not in the traditional sense. But because several people recognized them immediately.

A group of students stepped inside, and leading them were two familiar faces.

Sera Lune and Kiro Vann.

The founders of Lucien's unofficial/semi-official fan page.