Chapter 332
"U-Um... Is it really okay for me to be standing here...?"
"Relax. No one’s going to say anything just because you’re here. Honestly, most people will probably assume you’re a high-ranking noble yourself."
"B-But wouldn’t that be... deceiving people about my status—"
"If someone jumps to the wrong conclusion just because you were standing nearby, that’s their fault, not yours."
I said a few words to Lily Baker, who looked uneasy hovering around us. Of course, someone else could’ve reassured her—but there weren’t many people who could speak to Lily this casually.
Technically, I was still the Empire’s second-in-command—the Imperial Princess—and Lily was a relatively well-off commoner. But since I’d started getting involved in outside ventures around my fourth year at the Academy, including business matters, I’d ended up meeting Lily’s father a few times. Mostly on weapons deals. He lit up every time he saw me, probably thinking he’d secured a strong connection to the Imperial Family.
And who could blame him? I’d recently been planning mass production of an improved version of the reinforced suit I used to wear.
Back then, it was purely for combat use, but with just a bit of imagination, the applications were limitless. Maybe because of rumors that had spread through me, but we were already getting inquiries from noble houses. There were even cases in noble families where inbreeding led to physical impairments, and some had started asking if the suit could be used as a physical aid.
We’d also gotten inquiries from factories and construction sites.
Browning, the developer, was beyond excited. The licensing deal had gone smoothly, the Imperial Army was first in line for supplies, and as the central figure in all this, I was naturally the source of his delight.
"And all your friends are around here too, aren’t they?"
"I think they gathered here just because I happened to be standing nearby..."