It was the same for the adults who were experiencing something magical. The expressions of those who had reluctantly eaten the cotton candy also softened. Some saw the green fields they played in as children, while others felt the same happiness they experienced when they had their own children. Some recalled the day they discovered their abilities and began developing their careers. Everyone started dreaming. The faces of those who had been stern and cold bloomed with childlike smiles. The fantastic magic created by Meldenique adorned the beautiful space with happy imaginations.
But a dream is just a dream. The faces of the people who woke up from their dreams looked happy, and some even let out loud sighs of contentment. Hildegard, aware of this, sat in the VIP seat and crossed her legs. She looked very displeased, but the value of the "welcome stone" she had brought was not yet completely diminished.
Mirissa placed the cotton candy in front of me and smiled brightly. "Allow me to properly introduce her. This cotton candy was made by the Young Lady whom I love and respect so much."
"Who is that respected Young Lady?" "Is it Young Lady Sheria?" "...Isn't Young Lady Meldenique by your side?" "Yes. Why is she here?" "It's quite a random combination."
They were very strange people. Don't they usually assume that if you stand next to a Young Lady, you're the one who made it? No one seemed to assume that the person Mirissa was referring to was me, Meldenique. I realized anew that my image in aristocratic society was at rock bottom. I could still see people squinting at me and sneering.
Mirissa, who was looking at the people's reproachful eyes, spoke firmly. "The friend I'm going to introduce today is Meldenique, who runs Mel's stationery store in front of the academy. She made this cotton candy for me."
"What is this...?" People were shocked, but they didn't curse me as they had before. The cotton candy couldn't help but soften the hearts of those who disliked me.
'Memories are very powerful.'
I held Mirissa's hand tightly. The fragile girl stood on stage for me. Standing in front of the podium, I began to explain the cotton candy.
"It offers a sweet first taste and a beautiful dream for just three minutes. I made it, inspired by Princess Mirissa and Prince Axion, reminiscent of a pale pink cloud." The atmosphere buzzed with admiration from the children. It was already a success.
I frowned slightly. "And... didn't you feel it? The amount of mana near the heart has increased."
"What... that?"
"The Phantom Stone gives you a temporary five-percent increase in mana at the cost of seeing nightmares." The atmosphere became cold due to the direct attack on the phantom stones.
At that moment, Mirissa quickly interjected. "What's the difference between cotton candy, Sister?"
"Yes, cotton candy gives you happy dreams and boosts your mana by about five percent."
At that moment, Viscount Telln, who was by Madame Hildegard's side, stood up and screamed. "Don't talk nonsense! How dare you tell a lie in this sacred academy!"
"If you don't think it makes sense, check it out." On the table in the center was a mana meter that I had brought to measure the mana contained inside the phantom stone.
I was about to use the meter, but Axion interrupted me and yelled, "This is the person I introduced. Do you really think I'm telling a lie?" Viscount Telln's complexion turned white.
"Oh, no."
I handed the mana meter to the professor and smiled brightly. "Measure it." The professor placed the mana meter over my cotton candy. With a beep, the mana inside the cotton candy was measured.
"Surely... It boosts mana by five percent by normal mage standards." After I finished speaking, the white-haired president let out an exclamation. The professor who measured the mana amount also cheered one after another.
"No, I can't believe there is something that can increase mana like this without any side effects." "It even tastes good."
As the Chancellor spoke, Viscount Telln's face became too cold to be paler. Madame Hildegard's expression, which had been ignored by me, became surprisingly cold.
A small child sitting at a nearby table at the bottom of the platform raised his hand and shouted, "So, what is the exact name of this cloud-like thing?"
It was a surprising question. I couldn't come up with a proper name because I was in a hurry.
'Naming is important for publicity!'
I whispered lowly. "Mmm..."
Mirissa glanced at my face, grabbed me by the collar, and shouted softly but earnestly, "Candy in a happy dream!"
"Candy in a happy dream." It was a perfect naming skill. Mirissa, who was holding a cotton candy stick in one hand, hugged me by my side.
"Did I do well, Sister?" "Yes!" "It was a perfect performance, Mel."
I bent my knees slightly and patted Mirissa and Axion's shoulders.
'Oh, I'm dizzy.'
Maybe it was because I used too much mana and my mind got tired. My head was spinning.
'Is it still a success?'
I looked around and smiled brightly. The momentary dizziness disappeared, and I began to see people's reactions just as I intended.
"What is Princess Meldenique's ability?" "Whatever her ability, isn't the dragon's curse broken?" "Didn't you say you can't make mana at all?"
It was a moment when the evaluation of 'cursed blood' Meldenique was reversed. However, one of Madame Hildegard's followers fluttered her fan uncomfortably.
"No, I don't think they hired a wizard?" "But she came alone! Is the wizard hiding?" "After all, you've brought a wizard strong enough to use illusion!"
The people in the room whispered. Hildegard looked like a yacha from hell. She must have spent a lot of money to buy the welcome seat.
'As long as a better alternative comes out, the value of the welcome stone will plummet.'
If it were reusable, it would be different, but the welcome stones were disposable and had serious side effects. However, the value of the phantom stone had not yet been completely reduced.
Viscount Telln looked at me with a blank smile and scolded, "It's not over yet!" The voices of the people were silenced by the eccentric wizard's words. "Now it's time to experiment with the Illusion Stone."
Several selected children walked out in droves. Everyone was looking at me reluctantly. Hildegard, who was sitting in the VIP seat, raised her voice. "It has some side effects, but it's also a mana boost and an intelligence boost." People's interesting eyes were fixed on him.
The low-ranking aristocratic children standing in front of the table stood in front of each other, holding the welcome seats one by one. Viscount Telln looked at the children with a gloomy smile. The time had come for the Phantom Stone, which he had bought at a high cost and painstakingly developed by infusing magical powers, to show its true value.
However, things didn't go as he expected. None of the children who held the welcome stone were in pain or exhibited abnormal behavior. The six-year-old tilted his head, picked up the welcome stone, and waved it in his ear. "Is this moji?"
"I don't feel anything." The other children just blinked and looked around.
"Well, it can't be!" Viscount Telln clinked his teeth in embarrassment.
"What's going on, Telln?" Under Hildegard's sharp gaze, he stood up and ran toward the children, his hands shaking. However, even if he ran, he wouldn't be able to do anything about it.
"What?" "I think this is a tin can!" "Just a stone!"
The children laughed. On the other hand, Viscount Telln whimpered and stared in my direction.
"It's you!" "What am I?"
Seeing me slap him in the face, Viscount Telln stomped his feet.
'It's nice to see you embarrassed.'
I had already stepped out of the podium and sat down on a chair, folded my arms, and smiled. I chuckled and looked in the direction of Viscount Hildegard and Telln. Public opinion would take care of the rest.
Sure enough, the ladies who were sitting in the VIP seats and observing the situation began to squirm.
"Oh my God... Then did you cheat me?" "How can you do that from the top?"
The people's murmuring increased. They must have been dumbfounded. He had published an article, promoted it, and opened it ambitiously, but there was nothing.
"I was expecting it to increase intelligence!" "Meldenique Baveloa's cotton candy is much better."
One of the noble ladies with an unusually high academic enthusiasm pointed her finger at her veins. "Oh, Viscount Telln. I didn't see him like that, but he's very vicious. I took a bad step!" In fact, they did not respond directly to the Duchess of Babyloa. Because the distinction between identities is very severe. But everyone here knew. The Viscount of Telln was just a practitioner, and that all power belonged to the Duchess of Hildegard Babeloa.
'It's definitely going well.'
The president, who had a gentle face, looked around and stood on the podium. He continued quietly. "Originally, we were going to bring this welcome stone to the Academy, but it would be better to cancel it."
At his words, Hildegard turned red from the neck to the top of her face. However, no matter how vigorous the duchess was, she would not be able to perform evil. It turned out that the phantom stone was a useless stone. She glared at Viscount Telln and scolded him lowly.
"...Get out. Useless."
Viscount Telln looked like the sky was falling. He staggered to the floor.
"You're done." "Well, then..." "You don't need a dog that hasn't done its job. Stay in the mansion for the time being!"
Hildegard, who was trembling, pulled herself up and slipped away. Hildegard is a woman whose social prestige is more important than anyone else. She would definitely abandon Viscount Telln right now. It didn't matter to her that Viscount Telln had been working under her orders all along. The only thing that mattered was that he was humiliated in such a crowd of people.
I heard a faint sound from the crowd. "Meldenique brought great things, and the famous Viscount of Telln was humiliated... What happened?"
"I know that times are changing."
Correct. Times were changing, and I would never condone anything bad for my children. I laughed with satisfaction as I listened to them. In fact, it was only natural that the phantom stone became just a stone.
'So what happened to this...'