Chapter 86………………………..
For the next two days, I went in and out of Piace’s room at midnight, carefully observing the child.
Just in case Piace had some kind of prophetic dream.
But nothing happened to her during those two days.
‘So it was just a nightmare?’
Yeah, that must be it. Honestly, who in their right mind would dare lock up Ivrante’s child?
At that moment, Piace came running into the parlor.
Wearing a light-green dress with a faint checkered pattern and a green beret, she was heartbreakingly adorable as always.
“D-Duke, I’m r-ready to go to the Academy!”
“Did you bring your locker key?”
“Yes!”
“And your homework’s done?”
“Yes!”
“Do you remember… what you dreamed about last night?”
“D-Dream? Umm, I can’t remember… B-but I’ll definitely remember tomorrow!”
“There’s no need for that. All right, go on.”
“Yes!”
The child answered brightly, but then hesitated, fidgeting with her fingers.
“Do you have something to say?”
“Today… a-are you coming to the Academy?”
“I was planning to… Why?”
“T-To lecture?”
“…”
The thought of lecturing made me a little gloomy.
Yesterday was my second class, and for some reason, the number of students had increased.
“No, I’m going for an experiment today.”
“Then… c-can I come visit your l-laboratory with my friends?”
“With your friends?”
“I want to brag about you to my friends. Hehe.”
‘Brag…? That won’t go well.’
It seemed Piace hadn’t heard any of the rumors circulating around the Academy.
That my nickname was “the Witch Professor,” and that at least one child a day either cried or wet themselves upon seeing me.
And yet she wanted to show me off to her friends.
What if she ended up alienated from them because of me? I felt a twinge of worry.
‘Surely Piace’s friends aren’t that timid. They’re supposed to be the protagonist’s companions, after all.’
I tried to sound nonchalant and dry.
“You’re making trouble for yourself.”
“…”
“If you really want to come, have lunch first and then come by.”
“W-Wow! Y-You’re letting us come!”
“Go on now. You’ll be late.”
“Yes! S-See you later!”
I watched from the parlor terrace until the carriage carrying Piace departed, then turned back.
Leonhart, who had been having tea with me, set down his cup.
“You’re surprisingly gentle with the child.”
“You call this gentle?”
“For a duke, yes. For a duke.”
“Thank you so much for souring my mood first thing in the morning. You truly have a talent for getting under people’s skin.”
“I could say the same to you.”
Over the past two days, Leonhart and I had grown used to each other.
Not in the sense that we’d stopped arguing, but to the point where our insults no longer wounded either of us.
Like a couple married for twenty years rather than two days.
At this rate, I worried I might get bored when Leonhart returned to the Imperial Palace.
“We should start preparing to leave as well. Be at the bedroom door on time.”
“Yes, Your Highness. See you later.”
I waved my hand in Piace’s manner, and Leonhart scowled deeply before leaving the parlor.
‘I win.’
I returned to my bedroom, triumphant.
Ever since I said I could communicate with Adela Helsingten, the three men hadn’t left my side.
At the Academy, of course, but even when I wasn’t going out, Ruspell and Owen would come to the mansion.
They were even meticulous enough to prepare excuses for their visits, just to avoid being driven away.
I wondered why they were acting like this, but the answer was simple.
‘They want to protect me, just like Leonhart.’
Because they believed I would resurrect Adela Helsingten.
‘You fools. The person you’re so desperate for is already resurrected.’
Still, their desire to protect me was touching.
Even if I neither wanted nor needed their help, the sentiment itself was commendable.
The problem was…
‘I feel like I’m going to die from exhaustion.’
Having three people I should keep at a distance tailing me was anything but comfortable.
And if you added the spirits, it was like dragging around seven lumps on my back—utterly overwhelming.
I had to stay alert all day long, worried I might slip up.
I’d been so tense that when I lay down at night, my back ached.
The only time I could somewhat relax was at night, but even that wasn’t guaranteed.
Because I had to check on Piace at dawn.
As a result, my fatigue had built up sharply.
Even after sleeping, I didn’t feel rested, and my body was always sore.
If I sat down for even a moment, sleep would overtake me, and when I opened my eyes, I’d be back in my bedroom.
Leonhart had carried me, still deeply asleep, from the carriage.
I worried I might actually die from overwork, but I gritted my teeth and endured for one reason only.
The positive changes in the three men.
Ruspell was regaining his former self.
The gloomy, lethargic look was gone, and he was better at expressing his emotions, even laughing out loud sometimes.
Owen was so giddy he seemed to have a screw loose.
Of course, when he overdid helping me and got scolded, he sulked briefly…
But otherwise, he was cheerful enough for the students to whisper about it.
He’d returned to his original self: a pure and kind priest.
Finally, Leonhart looked much the same as usual, but I could sense the change in him too.
He was also returning to his former self.
Just very slowly—so slowly it wasn’t obvious.
Even this morning had been a sign.
I’d criticized him, and he hadn’t brushed it off smugly.
‘A few months ago, he’d have strangled me immediately.’
So the only one among us whose condition was worsening was me.
‘…Just one more month. I’ll endure one more month.’
Today again, the three men had lunch with me and gathered in my laboratory.
I still didn’t know why they insisted on chatting here instead of in their own labs.
“Yesterday a believer came in with an arm injury, and I healed him. Ruspell, more tea?”
“Just a little. So what happened?”
“No matter how much holy power I poured in, he kept saying it hurt. Careful, it’s hot.”
“Fff… Maybe he had another injury somewhere else?”
“That’s what I thought too. So I asked if something else hurt, and he told me something totally unexpected.”
“Where?”
“Guess.”
[Ah! I think I know! It wasn’t his arm, it was his leg!]
[Humans tend to hide their weak spots. Considering that, my vote’s for the armpit.]
[I’m voting for hemorrhoids. No one ever admits to that. What about you, Gnome?]
[…]
“What was it? A stomach ache?”
“That would’ve been nice.”
“Then what?”
“He said his hair kept falling out. His crown was really bare.”
“…Can holy power heal baldness too?”
“Could it? It can’t even heal diseases. And baldness is a disease.”
“Oh, right.”
“I explained that holy power can only heal wounds… Ha, it was exhausting. He begged me so much, just once, to heal it.”
“There must still be lots of people who think holy power is omnipotent.”
[Oh my, that’s hilarious! Healing baldness with holy power… Pffft!]
[What a pity. Holy power must’ve been his last hope. I don’t know who he is, but poor man.]
[Kekekeke, oh god I’m dying… Gnome, what? You’re asking what baldness is? Imagine the little sprout on your head suddenly falling out one day. It never grows back. You become a tree with no leaves.]
[ …! ]
Voices echoed constantly inside and outside my head.
No one who hasn’t experienced this could possibly know how exhausting it is.
I waited until everyone’s teacups were half empty, then stood up.
“Professor Ruspell, isn’t it time for your experiment?”
“Huh? When did it get so late? Shall we move to my lab then?”
“Go ahead and prepare first. Piace said she’s bringing her friends, so I’ll check on that briefly. You two should step out too.”
Ruspell started to rise, then sat back down.
“Why sit down again?”
“I want to see her too. The child you’re sponsoring is named Piace, right? Does she have a godfather?”
“Why are you asking about Piace’s godfather?”
“I could become the child’s godfather.”
Ohh, if Master Ruspell became her godfather, that would be good for Piace…
‘No. No, it wouldn’t.’
Sorry, Piace, but I couldn’t let her get more entangled with Ruspell.
“Professor Ruspell, stop thinking nonsense and prepare for your experiment. If something goes wrong while it’s uncontrolled and I get hurt, will you take responsibility?”
That shut Ruspell up instantly. I turned to Owen.
“Owen, aren’t you getting up?”
“Piace is the one who drew that picture, right? Perfect. I can confirm it this time.”
“Confirm what?”
“Her div—”
“Divination? Devotion? Divine shoe size? What are you talking about?”
“…”
I had explicitly said Piace’s status as a candidate saint was a secret. Surely he wasn’t planning to test her holy power in front of her friends.
‘He’d better not be.’
I glared meaningfully, and Owen averted his gaze, belatedly realizing.
“Your Highness, could you step out for a moment? The children might feel uncomfortable.”
“Then who’ll handle security?”
“You, Your Highness. From outside the lab.”
Leonhart shut his mouth.
As the three men rose like defeated soldiers, the laboratory door burst open and someone appeared.
It wasn’t Piace—it was Oswald.
“Duke Ivrante!”
His hair was disheveled, his face urgent.
The moment I saw him, a terrible premonition flashed through my mind.
I shot to my feet instinctively.
“What’s wrong?”
“You’d better come out immediately! Piace has disappeared!”
