94. 【SYSTEM: ♥】
(Interpretation: The Administrator wants to see you) (2)
‘Well, fine. I can handle it.’
The real problem was Icart.
He was just as allergic to cheesy lines as I was.
I wasn’t sure if his decision to bring Count Vermon into the Academy was still valid, but back then, he’d practically escorted him like a bomb about to go off.
Now I was worried about how Icart would react after hearing such a dramatic love confession.
‘He wouldn’t actually try to cut off Count Vermon’s head, would he?’
No matter what, the man was still a patient.
Half worried, half afraid, I glanced over at Icart.
“……”
“Hm?”
Surprisingly, Icart was calm.
‘What… what’s going on? Why isn’t he saying anything?’
His silence confused me more than anything.
He looked serene, as though he were listening to classical music.
I had noticed that his attitude toward Count Vermon had grown strangely mild since the carriage incident, but still…
Just then, Philip, who was sticking to Icart like glue, muttered under his breath:
“As expected, young lord, you must… prefer men…”
“…What?”
What on earth was this idiot saying now?
The air was already thick with confusion, each for their own reason.
And then—
“Lady Roselia prefers chocolate pudding, not eclairs!”
A quarrelsome voice rang from beyond the physician’s door.
Noticing someone’s presence, Icart asked,
“Who’s there?”
“Ah, that must be Lady Seraphine. She said she was bringing some treats from the dining hall.”
“She’s here again today? Does no one at Baron Blaine’s house ever stop that girl?”
Icart sighed.
Regardless, the commotion at the door grew louder.
“It’s eclairs.”
“No, it’s chocolate pudding. I always have tea with the young lady—I know her tastes better than you!”
“It’s eclairs. You’re just an outsider—what do you really know about her?”
“I said pudding! And your tone’s been awfully rude for a while now.”
“If you don’t like it, drop your formal speech too.”
Listening carefully, I realized it wasn’t just one voice.
‘Wait… did she come with Cayenne?’
Turns out Seraphine was arguing side by side with Cayenne, who was carrying a silver tray.
“Lady Roselia!”
Seraphine spotted me and greeted me warmly.
“I’m sorry I’m so late. I was going to come right away, but this house’s servant here…”
She glared at Cayenne.
Cayenne just snorted.
“…Did the two of you fight?”
“No, no, not a fight! Just a little… disagreement, that’s all!”
Seraphine flailed her hands in denial.
“A little disagreement?”
“Yes, of course!”
She laughed awkwardly.
But for angelic Seraphine to raise her voice at anyone was already unusual.
‘Does she not get along with Cayenne’s daytime personality?’
Not that they’d met enough times for things to sour between them…
“Um, Lady Roselia,” Seraphine carefully changed the subject.
“Between chocolate pudding and eclairs, which do you like more?”
“…What?”
“It’s not really important. I was just curious. You like pudding, right?”
“No, it’s eclairs.”
Cayenne, who had been quiet until now, suddenly cut in.
Seraphine’s face hardened.
“It’s pudding.”
“Eclairs.”
“Pudding!”
Seraphine practically shouted.
“Oh my.”
It was the first time I’d seen sweet sunshine-Seraphine raise her voice.
Even she seemed shocked, clapping her hands over her mouth.
“I-I’m sorry.”
“See that you are. You startled our lady.”
“What? You’re the one stubbornly insisting on nonsense in the first place!”
Her eyes flared, all her meekness gone.
‘Seriously, why are they fighting over this?’
The petty pudding-versus-eclairs argument dragged on until—
“Fine then, let’s settle this right now.”
Unable to hold back, Seraphine whipped the lid off the silver tray.
“Lady Roselia, you prefer pudding, don’t you?”
“I—”
“Eclairs.”
I was about to answer when Cayenne cut me off.
If he was going to answer for me, why even ask?
I stared at him, dumbfounded, as Seraphine fumed.
“No, it’s pudding!”
“Eclairs.”
“That’s it! Both of you, out. Now.”
Finally, the doctor, smiling politely, threw them both out of the infirmary.
‘Honestly, who fights in a hospital?’
No outside food allowed.
No disturbing the patients’ rest.
No making a racket.
Seraphine and Cayenne had broken all three and were promptly expelled.
Peace returned to the ward at last.
Icart let out a sigh of relief and returned to sorting his documents.
Then, turning to Count Vermon, he asked,
“Count, how is the matter of the arms business transfer proceeding? There must be resistance if ownership changes suddenly.”
“No need to worry about that. Since the buyer is House Duke Serteia, most are actually welcoming it.”
“That’s fortunate.”
The arms dealership would formally belong to the Serteia dukedom, but Count Vermon, being the one who understood the business best, promised to fully support its management.
“I will make sure the transition remains smooth. However…”
Count Vermon’s face clouded with concern.
“One of our major raw material suppliers, Baron Garrett, has announced he is suspending supply.”
“Suddenly?”
“Yes. If supply halts abruptly, production schedules will inevitably suffer. That is what concerns me.”
“And what reason did Baron Garrett give?”
“He claimed that raw material procurement has grown extremely difficult since last year—supposedly because of the monster wave.”
Monster Waves.
They were periodic events when the number of monsters surged, overflowing from their habitats and even striking human settlements.
Normally, monsters stayed far from populated areas, but during a wave, casualties and property damage were common. Regions prone to attacks prepared extensively to minimize losses.
‘But something’s odd.’
Baron Garrett should have had defenses in place. For him to suddenly claim the damage was severe felt strange.
‘Monster wave… and Baron Garrett… I feel like I’ve heard this before.’
As if echoing my unease, Icart muttered,
“But monster waves happen every year. Why would supply suddenly become difficult now?”
“That’s exactly my question. Normally, I’d go and confront him directly, but in my current condition…”
Count Vermon’s face twisted in pain.
Thanks to the temple healer, his health had improved dramatically, but he still wasn’t fit for long travel.
“I’ll go myself,” Icart said flatly.
“You mustn’t!”
“Absolutely not!”
The physician and Philip objected at once.
“You’re still a patient, my lord. As your doctor, I can’t allow you to push yourself.”
“Sir, you should be focusing on recovery alone!”
“Then should I go instead?”
I blurted out.
“You, Roselia?”
“Yes. Baron Garrett’s estate isn’t far from the capital. If it’s just a matter of speaking with him and learning the details, it shouldn’t be dangerous.”
“Hm.”
Icart frowned.
‘He’s going to refuse again, isn’t he?’
He always fretted too much about my safety. I was sure he’d react the same way this time—
“…Very well. I’ll leave it to you.”
“…Huh? Really?”
“Yes. I’m counting on you, Roselia.”
He agreed so easily it caught me off guard.
I hadn’t expected him to allow it without a fight.
“On one condition.”
“…A condition?”
He turned to Philip.
“Philip, you will accompany Roselia.”
“W-what?!”
Philip flinched as though struck by lightning.
“No, brother. I’ll already have guards and attendants with me. There’s no need to trouble Sir Philip.”
Philip bobbed his head furiously in agreement.
“She’s right, young lord. My place is here at your side, after all.”
“……”
“The accident with the explosion still weighs heavily on me. I should have been the one to suffer, not you. Please, let me remain to protect you.”
“No.”
Icart’s voice was firm.
“Listen carefully. If you truly wish to be loyal, then the one you must protect with your life is not me—but Roselia. From now on, safeguard her in my stead.”
“…Brother.”
Somehow, that was touching.
“…Understood, young lord.”
Philip could only bow his head in acceptance.
Just then, voices rang out from the infirmary entrance.
“I’ll go too!”
“M-me as well!”
It was none other than Seraphine and Cayenne—the very same two who had just been thrown out for causing trouble.
Aww, sending Philip to protect her is a nice thought, but seriously. She has Cayenne.