CHAPTER 09. How Amusing
She didn’t make a sound, only moved her lips to speak clearly. That alone told Grey she was sharp. Annoyingly sharp, even.
Grey had made up his mind — he had no choice now. If persuasion didn’t work, only one card remained. And a shabby end calls for ugly methods: coercion.
“You need a permit from the royal palace to publish a newspaper, but a capable officer like yourself surely knows that already. Makes me wonder… did Addie’s News get that permit?”
Adelle’s expression remained indifferent, but Grey could sense it. In her cold, meticulous response, he could hear how deeply she’d been rattled.
“Permits are only required for publications that distribute to multiple locations or contain content that might sway public sentiment. My newsletter is only available at Hawks House and contains nothing more than information necessary for honest merchant ships. It has no bearing on the public mood.”
“Who’s to say it’s really all just honest shipping info?”
“Pardon?”
“What if it turns out your ‘facts’ were wrong, and merchant ships suffer major losses because of it? What if they turn on our kingdom, isolate us from trade, or unify against us under a common cause? How can you guarantee that won’t become a threat to national security?”
If the woman was truly sharp, she’d get the message behind his words:
“I can frame parts of your newsletter as falsehoods. So why don’t you compromise before this gets ugly?”
Luckily for her, she was indeed clever. Her smooth, oval chin visibly tensed.
She looked blank on the outside, but inside, she was biting down on her molars. That flash of pressure gave Grey a strange thrill.
“I verify everything thoroughly before I—”
“Verify thoroughly? Can you really say that’s possible? The sea changes daily. It may be calm now, but tomorrow it might swallow this entire port whole. What kind of verification could withstand that? And if it turns out your info isn’t 100% accurate — will you take responsibility for all the damages? You?”
At last, Adelle’s face hardened. Grey noticed it clearly — the glint in her deep pink eyes behind those glasses had sharpened.
He relished this moment. He might pretend he didn’t mean for things to go this far, but he couldn’t help indulging in this cheap little victory.
Yes. He’d admit it — watching the cracks form in her stoic mask was… entertaining.
Grey flashed another charming smile.
“What happens to an unlicensed newsletter that harms royal shipping with false information? If all it gets is shut down, wouldn’t that be lucky?”
Adelle’s lips twitched almost imperceptibly as she finally lowered her gaze. She drew in a deep breath, her chest rising slightly, then calmly regained her composure.
The fire that had flashed in her pink eyes now cooled behind her black-rimmed glasses. But Grey felt an odd competitiveness stir within him. He could provoke her further.
And yet, this time, it was Adelle who struck first, her voice perfectly calm.
“I can see just how badly you want to use my newsletter, Lord Grey. But your wish won’t be granted.”
His lip twitched. He took a step closer to her and twirled a lock of her neatly tied hair around his finger.
“Really? Do we have to do this? I didn’t want to go this far. Why not take the easy route?”
Now that he was up close, he could see right into her glasses. Finally, her indifferent eyes had taken on a hardened edge. That unknown thrill came again. She slapped his hand away.
“There’s no need for all this effort. I’m not going down that road.”
“Why not?”
Adelle knit her brow and clamped her mouth shut before shooting Grey a glare.
“Because it doesn’t make a difference to me. Whether my newsletter is driven to a corner by someone’s malicious manipulation, or I’m framed as having written lies from the beginning — the result’s the same. The information is false either way.”
It was a fair point. And it made Grey even more intrigued.
“So, really, it’s just a question of whether it ends quickly or slowly. Either way, the newsletter’s lifespan is over. That’s why I’m choosing to reject your proposal.”
Adelle was acting like a modern-day David standing against Goliath — fully aware she was at a disadvantage, yet absurdly dignified. Grey tightened his smirk and shrugged.
“No need to be so dramatic.”
But her response cut him off — now even firmer.
“Sailors risk everything, unlike you. Their dreams, their hopes, their freedom, their lives. Every voyage is a gamble with all of it on the line.”
Grey’s usual eye-smile froze. Contrary to his expectations, it was Adelle’s lips that twisted first, not his.
“That’s why any information related to sailing or trade must be handled with care. The moment people start whispering doubts about Addie’s News, it’s as good as dead. And that kind of failure would be far more shameful to me.”
She placed her hand on Grey’s shoulder — close enough that he could feel her breath — and shoved him aside as she passed.
Grey stood frozen as Adelle walked past the edge of the building’s shadow and toward the sea. Just before leaving his field of view, she stopped.
She caught her breath, then turned around to face him. He couldn’t see her expression clearly behind her glasses, but Grey knew she was glaring — at the white-collar scum who dared threaten her livelihood with a smile.
“Was it two shillings you said?”
The tang of sea creatures and bait from the nearby fishing gear wafted on the air. A gull cried in the distance.
Hot sunlight, shimmering sea spray, and the briny scent of the ocean — everything around her seemed to fade before Adelle’s defiance.
“How amusing. My newsletter would still sell fine at three shillings.”
Grey stared at the silhouette framed by sunlight. Her shadow on the ground looked far more expressive than she did. Fierce, even.
“Still, I don’t intend to raise the price from one shilling. Because this isn’t about turning a profit.”
“…”
“The newsletter exists so that sailors, after traveling far and wide with their cargo, can return to this port safe and sound. So they can pay me their customs dues — generously and on time, of course.”
Her long hair, the same strands he’d twirled earlier, danced in the sunlight like they were laughing. Her voice, clear and ringing like popping droplets, joined in that dance.
The sun traced iridescent lines along her outline.
“If I’d had selfish motives, it would already be three shillings. But throwing away a bigger, steadier goal for something that petty? Only a fool would do that.”
Adelle knew the value of trustworthy information better than Grey ever could.
Grey narrowed his eyes and pointed at himself.
“Are you calling me a fool?”
“I hope you understand, without needing it spelled out.”
Grey gave a soft snort. And with that, Adelle spun on her heel and walked off.
“Ha.”
Grey stared at the spot where her figure had been, then finally let out a bigger laugh.
“Quite the model worker, aren’t you.”
This gutsy David was ridiculously principled.
Back at Hawks House, Grey strolled in after leisurely enjoying the seaside view. Adelle was already gone — her collections complete, apparently.
“What did you two talk about?”
Hawk asked casually.
Grey sat down and gave a slow, exaggerated wink.
“I flirted. Didn’t work.”
Which wasn’t wrong — her defenses were made of steel.
Hawk clicked his tongue and turned back to polishing a clean glass.
“Yeah. Addie’s not someone you mess with.”
What was that supposed to mean?
Grey smiled with one corner of his mouth tugged up — then decided to change the subject. It just so happened he had a new topic in mind.
“You’re right. Why’d I waste my time? Should’ve tried seducing you, Hawk.”
“Why me, old man?”
“Well, obviously — because there’s more to gain?”
Hawk shot him a quick glance as Grey pointed to his half-finished mug of cold coffee.
“Who brewed this?”
“Why? You like it?”
“Yeah. You said it’s from Yuman? Which ship?”
“Hmm. What was it… It was the ship’s first time here. I remember the name sounded like… Mocha? Something about where it came from. Oh — the owner’s still here.”
Hawk pointed to a foreign merchant with a wiry mustache under his nose. With dark skin, jet-black hair, and a short stature, he was the very picture of a southern trader.
Grey stared at him for a while. Then Hawk whispered,
“But those beans are expensive. You’re not gonna turn a profit.”
“I like it.”
“Like what?”
“The smell. The rarity. The price.”
Grey’s smile curled even more loosely.
“It’s got everything a luxury should have. It’s almost enough to make your lower half tingle.”
