Chapter 33
Edmund’s furious shout thundered through the library.
“Have you lost your mind, Willace Baltin? How dare you here—!”
Bang! His hand slammed the table, hard enough to shake it.
“…”
“…”
Edmund was fuming; the two seated across from him stared up, stunned.
Willace—the one who’d just spoken—was dumbstruck, and Cassia tried to calm Edmund down.
“Why are you exploding all of a sudden?”
“Because Willace is spouting ridiculous nonsense, that’s why!”
“Oh, come on. Why take a joke so seriously?”
Willace added brightly,
“It’s not a joke, my lady.”
“…Huh?”
“I knew it!!!”
Cassia looked flustered.
Edmund was livid.
Willace’s eyes sparkled.
“Of course it’s serious. Letting a talent like you slip away would be a huge loss to the Academy and the Mage Kingdom!”
“How dare you say that to another man’s wife…!”
Edmund and Willace spoke at almost the same time, then stared at each other.
Question marks practically popped over Willace’s and Cassia’s heads.
Realizing he’d blurted too much, Edmund flushed to the ears and stumbled over his words.
“N-no, I mean—what I’m saying is… on paper, at least…”
Hiding the urge to click his tongue, Willace smoothly changed tack.
“Anyway. My lady—please consider it seriously.”
“Hmm?”
Thankfully, Willace’s long sales pitch drowned Edmund’s mutter. Judging by how easily Cassia shifted her attention, she hadn’t heard Edmund properly.
“Once everything is settled, you should make full use of that brilliant talent. I heard you withdrew from the Academy?”
“…That’s true.”
(Not me—original Cassia did, she thought.)
While Cassia looked uncertain, Willace only pushed harder.
“With your ability, you could graduate with top honors and even go on to the Mage Kingdom. I can personally secure the three recommendation letters you’ll need!”
“Oh, I doubt I’m that capable.”
Willace shook his head so hard it practically hummed.
“You are! Publishing just this one notebook of lessons you gave the young lord would shake the entire field!”
He was absolutely convinced.
Cassia, meanwhile, was mortified.
(That’s not even research I did—Earth’s academic level is just higher, that’s all.)
If she really dove into serious academia, she’d likely get exposed fast. Besides—
(That face… it’s exactly the face professors make when they try to recruit grad students…)
If college “sinners” get dragged to grad school, then in this world, transmigrators who peddle Earth’s knowledge get dragged to the Academy—or the Mage Kingdom.
(Absolutely not!)
Smiling brightly, Cassia took Edmund’s sleeve.
“I can’t. I’m busy with work.”
“Work?” Willace blinked.
Even Edmund looked puzzled. Cassia answered with a meaningful smile.
“I’m the Cohen young lord’s wife. That’s an important job right now!”
Edmund’s face turned red—not the same color as when he’d raged at Willace earlier.
Rage flushed him a harsh red; this was a soft pink of pleasure and embarrassment.
Forgetting how angry he’d been, he tried to act composed.
“A-hem! Well… that’s not wrong.”
Watching the two, Willace had two thoughts.
About Edmund:
So every feeling really does show right on his face.
About Cassia:
To think she’s not doing this on purpose—she’s just oblivious. Remarkable, in several ways.
And he still hadn’t given up on recruiting her.
Losing a talent like my lady would be a devastating loss for the continent’s scholarship!
He didn’t even notice that, in his heart, he now called her “my lady.”
Thankfully, things stayed fairly peaceful after the assassination attempt.
The bruise on my back faded quickly.
After that incident, Willace started showing a clear trust in me.
Edmund too, honestly.
But watching this kid relax so easily made me worry a little.
He’s got that surprisingly sheltered, noble innocence.
How was he going to survive in a grim, ruinous fantasy world like this?
I won’t be by his side forever. I need to teach him well while I can.
“…Ah!”
While I was mulling that over, a voice finally pierced my thoughts. I turned to see Edmund, looking a bit urgent.
“Cassia!”
I must’ve been so deep in thought I hadn’t heard him call.
“Sorry—I was thinking. What is it?”
His expression darkened fast.
I tilted my head, confused, while he alone grew serious.
Then something unexpected happened.
Edmund’s hand touched my forehead.
Warmth spread across my skin. His palm felt rougher than I expected—marks that still hadn’t faded from past abuse.
I startled a beat late.
“Eek! W-why all of a sudden?”
“I thought you might be about to collapse again… Are you okay?”
Worry filled Edmund’s face.
Right… I have fainted in front of him twice already. Of course he’d worry.
I was about to smile and say I was fine—
when Edmund surprised me again. He drew his hand back, then tapped his own forehead lightly to mine.
“…!”
And I realized—belatedly—
When did he get this tall?
When we first met, even though we’re close in age, he was shorter than me.
Now our eyes were nearly level.
His unusually low voice brushed my ear.
“You… really don’t have a fever, right?”
Unlike his rough palm, the boy’s forehead was smooth and soft.
Maybe he was nervous; there was a faint dampness to it.
And his skin was warmer than mine—not a fever, just a higher body temperature.
And… and—
Too close.
Eyes redder than any ruby any noblewoman might wear filled my view.
The light was so intense it felt like it stung my eyes.
I was so startled I forgot my heartbeat—forgot to breathe.
My ears rang; my vision spun.
My mind went white, unable to think at all.
“Cassia?”
Edmund tilted his head.
Cassia stood frozen like an ice statue.
He waved a hand in front of her, then lightly tapped her cheek.
“Cassia?”
Cassia, who’d even forgotten to breathe, suddenly jerked with a strange squeak.
“Hiyaaah!!!”
“Whoa!”
Edmund flinched too.
“What is it? Are you really unwell?”
“N-no-no-no!”
Cassia shook her head so hard it blurred.
Then, like reciting a spell, she rattled off her answer in a rush:
“Perfectlyfineandspotless! Nothing wrong at all!”
Edmund didn’t like that she’d backed away. He stepped forward and asked,
“You’re really not hurting anywhere?”
“I said I’m fine! Really!!”
But Edmund couldn’t take her words at face value.
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Cassia—
it’s just that when it came to her own safety, her words were the least reliable.
Cassia never takes care of herself. Even while taking care of me.
Then at least he had to take care of her—so he moved to close the distance again.
At that exact moment, he sensed servants approaching.
“My lady? Is something the matter?”
“…!”
We can’t be seen getting along this well!
