«Right now!» assured the printer. «Just a little more patience! So, Albert’s service was joyful and captivating. He had many friends and followers who admired his artistry. And King Archibald even awarded him a special honorary order called the „Sign of Peace,“ which was bestowed upon only the finest representatives of office equipment. But one day, when the king fell ill, his wicked advisor named… mmm…»
«Mmm… Mordred?» Molly suggested, excitedly and slightly frightened.
«Yes! The wicked advisor named Mordred kidnapped the beautiful princess in order to marry her and seize power in the kingdom… By the way, what shall we name our princess?»
«Aurelia!» Molly suggested, spellbound as she gazed at the storyteller.
«A beautiful name!» approved Albert. «Do you know what it means?»
«No, I don’t know. It just came to my mind.»
Albert, with his countless knowledge passed through the very heart of his mechanism, was delighted to showcase his erudition.
Educational information from Albert
The name “Aurelia” has Latin origins and multiple variations in meaning. It is often associated with the Latin word “aureus,” meaning “golden,” as well as “aurum,” which means “gold.” Thus, one of the meanings of the name Aurelia is “golden” or “shining like gold.” Sometimes, this name is associated with the sunlight and its brightness, maintaining the connection to the “golden” sense. Overall, the name Aurelia is associated with positive qualities such as beauty, radiance, brilliance, and light.
«This is a very fitting name for our heroine,» Albert continued. «After all, she truly had a „golden“ character. That’s what people say about those who are kind, gentle, and friendly. Additionally, she was dazzlingly beautiful.»
«Albert! How did the advisor manage to kidnap Aurelia? And where was the guard?»
«You see, he wasn’t just an ordinary advisor. He was a sorcerer. Using his magic spells, he released an evil spirit into the chimney of the princess’s room. The foul odor put the girl to sleep, preventing her from calling the guard stationed outside her door. The malicious spirit then seized her delicate body and carried her away through the open window, straight into Mordred’s domain.»
Upon learning of the mysterious disappearance of the princess, the king fell gravely ill. No one knew where she had vanished to or where to search for her. After all, the kidnapper had not yet made any demands, anticipating that the king would soon perish. The treacherous advisor did not want to tarnish his reputation. He dreamed of being loved and adored by the subjects when he ascended to the throne. And for that, he needed the beautiful Aurelia to be the first to love him and agree to marry him. Then, he believed, the rest would follow her example. Thus, he hoped to buy time and, at the same time, hasten the demise of the king, who was consumed by sorrow.
The mouse yawned, her little eyes getting heavy. She clearly wanted to sleep, but she resisted the urge and continued asking questions:
«Albert! Was Mordred also a computer?»
«Oh, yes! He used to be one of the most powerful and intelligent computers in the kingdom. After King Archibald, of course. But then he became infected with a dangerous computer virus. And that turned him into an evil sorcerer, yearning to conquer the world.»
«Oh, I know people like that,» the mouse added sadly, yawning once again. «So, who will save our princess and the wise king?»
«That’s a difficult question, Molly,» the old printer continued. «The best detectives in the kingdom were puzzled, shaking their heads. They couldn’t find any clues, any hints. It was a very unusual case. And that’s when all hope turned to Albert – the most exceptional printer in the office, with the prestigious «Sign of Peace» award. And our hero accepted the challenge. He gathered all his strength and embarked on an incredible journey to save the princess and restore peace to the kingdom.
Passing through forests and mountains, Albert faced numerous trials. He fought against vicious wolves, crossed stormy rivers, and even took on the role of a diplomat to resolve a conflict between two neighboring kingdoms. In each of his stories, he printed on paper the adventures that came to life and helped him along the way.
Finally, after a long and arduous journey, Albert reached the advisor’s castle. He saw that Aurelia was imprisoned in a tall tower. Without hesitation, Albert printed his most powerful story, in which he became a true hero and defeated the advisor.
The story came to life on paper and became a reality. The advisor was defeated, the princess was freed, and the kingdom returned to its former prosperity. Albert became a hero, and his story was immortalized in the legends of the kingdom.»
The old printer spoke and spoke. Beside him, in the paper tray, the little computer mouse slept. In her round head, amazing and fantastical images swirled, born from dreams and imagination: a brave prince, a beautiful princess, a wise king, and a wicked advisor… And the old Albert beamed brightly with all his LEDs, feeling that he had finally found a kindred soul and that real adventures and great deeds awaited them both. The curious little mouse instilled in him a belief in himself and in a beautiful future.
«Me and Molly,» the printer mused enthusiastically, drifting into sleep. «Now we are a team! We will print our own stories in such a way that they come alive on paper. We will create amazing worlds in each of our tales! Let our words become alive and carry people into a world of adventure and magic!»
Outside the windows, darkness had long fallen. The office equipment peacefully rested in their places, with only the computers working tirelessly, their lights flickering and winking. The dreams and aspirations of Albert floated in the air, mingling with the dreams and aspirations of little Molly. They slept and dreamed of breathing life into every printed word and inviting people into wondrous realms.
Their dreams were already coming true, and the tales of the old printer were just beginning…
Chapter 2: The Secret Alliance of Office Equipment
The morning started like any other. The office was bustling with the usual hustle and bustle of people and machines. Molly returned to her workstation and energetically scurried across the table under the arm of her owner, a young employee named Lily.Meanwhile, the old printer stood modestly in its corner, observing the bustling office life. Only occasionally did Molly and Albert exchange glances and slyly smile at each other like co-conspirators.
When lunchtime came, all the people left the office and headed to the cozy café across the street, seeking refuge from the summer heat on the shady, plant-covered terrace. Only the machines remained in the room.
Molly quickly hopped onto the nightstand next to Albert and whispered excitedly, «Albert, I had such an amazing dream! I can’t wait to tell it and bring it to life! When can we continue our magic?»
The printer looked around cautiously, fearing someone might overhear them, and whispered in response, «We will definitely continue our activities, but we need to be careful during working hours. Let’s wait for the evening when the office is empty again.»
«Friends,» came the voice of the main computer, Oscar, «don’t think I’m eavesdropping. But yesterday, I unintentionally witnessed your experiments. Let me say right away that I’m on your side. You have come up with an interesting endeavor and a noble goal. However, Albert is right; you need to be careful. People may not like the idea of office equipment living their own lives and pursuing their own activities. They might think something is wrong with you and throw you away as scrap. That would be very sad. Both of you are valuable to us, and we wouldn’t want to lose you.»
«Yes! Yes! We agree!» suddenly came from all sides.
All