Curse

"Curse..." Xialuote turned over the final sheet of manuscript paper, only to find nothing behind it. The story broke off right at the moment when the prince recovered part of his memories, confirming that the deaths of his family were connected to a Fourth Epoch curse. She looked up at Moerwan, who sat across from her, and asked, "What happens next?" "The rest of the story?" Moerwan took a sip from his teacup, his expression placid. "I haven't thought of it yet." "Huh?" A blank look came over Xialuote's face. "There is already enough here to serialize for several months. When the stockpile runs low, I will naturally continue writing." *How could anyone leave a story hanging at a cliffhanger like that and then act so completely justified saying they'll write it later? Are you a web novel author transmigrated from Earth or something...?* Holding the manuscript paper, Xialuote nearly blurted out the phrase *cliffhanger bastard*. Unlike Earth, this world actually had divination and curses. Wasn't he afraid that some reader might scry his address and come knocking on his door to demand updates in person? After grumbling inwardly for a moment, Xialuote remembered that she had long suspected him of being an Extraordinary, which made her realize this was hardly her problem to worry about. At that moment, they were in the parlor of the Gusitafu residence. Spread out on the table were trial proofs of the *Suxite Weekly* alongside the serialized story Moerwan had just completed. All four partners—Xialuote, Luosaier, Gelin, and Moerwan—were gathered for one final meeting before the newspaper's official launch. While Xialuote discussed the serial with Moerwan, Gelin Lande'er was conferring with Luosaier over the details of distribution. "For the first issue, we've tentatively set the print run at one thousand copies. The Dock District and the Old City will be handled by my family's freight channels, the Bo'ersi District will place copies in bookstores, cafés, and a few cooperative shops, and the remainder will be sold near King's Road and several bridges by workers hired on a temporary basis." One thousand copies was not a large number for a major city with a population exceeding two hundred thousand, but the *Suxite Weekly* was, after all, something entirely new. No one could say for certain how many people would actually pay good money for news, notices, and serialized stories. "Let's print that many for now," Luosaier agreed. "If sales go smoothly on the first day, the printing plant can run off more at any time." Xialuote looked down at the headline font on the proof, which had already undergone several adjustments. Anticipation stirred in her heart, followed by a tinge of regret. "It's a pity I won't get to see the first issue go on sale." Gelin and Moerwan looked up at the same time, and Luosaier immediately asked, "Why?" "In two days, I have to travel to Telier with my father," Xialuote explained, glancing at Luosaier. "Since I am now the sole heir to my father's title, having come of age I must go to Baifeng Palace to appear before the king and complete the formal registration, as well as pay visits to several family elders. Father also has some leftover business to handle in Telier. If nothing unexpected happens, we won't return to Suxite until a month from now." Listening to her, Luosaier's face first showed undisguised disappointment. Then, as if an idea had suddenly struck him, he leaned forward slightly. "Actually, this is an opportunity." "Telier is far larger than Suxite, with far more commerce, culture, and social events. That is where a newspaper truly belongs. You can take this chance to see if there are similar publications there, whether booksellers and cafés are willing to sell the *Suxite Weekly*, and also look into the costs of publishing a periodical there." Xialuote's eyes lit up; the suggestion struck her as quite sound. The Kingdom of Yindisi had established a postal system connecting major cities and towns. A carriage ride from Suxite to Telier took three to four days. If it was only used to transport a paper published once a week, the timeliness was barely acceptable. But to operate long-term in Telier, they would need local writers, printing plants, and distribution channels. Otherwise, news from Telier sent to Suxite—processed, typeset, printed, and shipped back over the same duration—would already be ten days old by the time local readers saw it, turning it into stale news. Gelin frowned and said cautiously, "We haven't even sold a single copy of the first issue yet. Isn't it too early to talk about selling in Telier? We should at least wait until we confirm Suxite is profitable before considering expansion." Yet Moerwan, who was nearly as old as the other three combined and would normally have been expected to be the most conservative, took Luosaier's side. "The *Weekly* does not have a high technical barrier. As long as it sells well, the printers in Telier will quickly copy it. We must prepare in advance so that by the time they think of doing so, they will already be unable to catch up with us. "Of course, there is no need to commit funds immediately. Miss Xialuote can simply lay some groundwork first, and once results show here in Suxite, we can decide whether to increase our investment." With that, all three looked toward Xialuote. After a moment's thought, she nodded in agreement. "I'll look into it, but you had better give me a list of things to investigate beforehand, lest I get caught up in attending noble balls the moment I arrive." *Balls...* Sitting beside her, Luosaier visibly straightened, his expression shifting. Only after several seconds did he say, "I happen to have prepared some materials. They're upstairs. I'll take you up to get them." *Luosaier seems quite sensitive to that word. Even though we did share a dance that day, I really only meant to tease him... Well, back when I was still a man, if a lady like that had taken the initiative to invite me, I probably would have picked out our children's names by now...* Xialuote followed Luosaier to his bedroom door, stopping there out of courtesy while she waited for him to fetch the papers, her thoughts churning all the while. Suddenly, she spotted an open notebook lying on the desk. Something was scribbled across it, but from this distance, and with Luosaier's frame blocking most of the view, she couldn't make out the details. Following her gaze, Luosaier turned around. His face abruptly changed, and he rushed over to snap the notebook shut, shoving it into a drawer. His reaction only piqued Xialuote's curiosity. "What was that?" Luosaier hesitated for a few seconds before answering, "A diary. I jot down important daily happenings and the occasional flash of inspiration to look back on." *What decent person writes a diary? I never do...* Xialuote scoffed inwardly, but offered an admiring smile. "That's a good habit. No wonder you always come up with such unexpected ideas." Flustered by the compliment, Luosaier cleared his throat softly, turned, and picked up a stack of documents from the other side of the desk. Stepping back to the doorway, he handed them to her. "These are some thoughts I jotted down earlier. I haven't had time to organize them yet." Xialuote took them and flipped through a few pages, discovering a breakdown of the preparations needed to set up newspaper distribution channels across different cities under present conditions. The order of the entries was chaotic, clearly written in haste, yet they covered virtually every angle that needed consideration. She looked up at Luosaier, forced to admit that his talent, combined with the effects of the Savant potion, far exceeded ordinary people. Seeing her tuck the papers away carefully, Luosaier added, "By the time you return from Telier, the *Suxite Weekly* will definitely be the bestselling publication in the whole city." This time, Xialuote did not mock him in her mind. Instead, she answered solemnly, "I believe you." *** When Xialuote came downstairs, Gelin had already departed, but Moerwan remained standing by the door, holding the antique candlestick purchased for 240 feierjin. *Isn't that the gift I gave him? Did he examine it closely and realize it's a fake...?* Xialuote looked at him in confusion, only for Moerwan to say in a gentle tone: "Though this may seem ungrateful, after careful consideration, I do not believe this antique is suited to stay with me." "Why?" Moerwan fell silent for a moment. His gray-blue eyes looked past the candlestick toward Xialuote. "At your side, it may perhaps produce some wondrous effect." *A wondrous effect...* The image of that mysterious black-haired, blue-eyed seller surfaced in Xialuote's mind. And Moerwan before her seemed to know what secrets the candlestick concealed as well, yet was unwilling to say so outright. After a moment's hesitation, considering that the antique had already been inspected by the Purifier Weiyefu, Xialuote took it back. Moerwan nodded in satisfaction, then added, "One more thing. You had best keep an eye out for any anomalies around you. Certain... certain misfortunes brought about by fate do not fall directly upon the target themselves, but rather affect those around them first." *Fate...* That ethereal word made Xialuote frown. She could sense there was deeper meaning behind his words, but before she could press further, Moerwan offered a polite smile. "Merely a small reminder. Perhaps nothing will happen at all." Xialuote looked into his eyes and noticed that his gaze was not as cold as it had been last time, but carried... sadness.