TDSWM Chapter 25

Chapter  25

“Your Highness. Everything you’ve just ordered… those were things I had been managing.”

“That’s right.”

“If you inform me in this way, it will be hard for the Grand Duke to adjust.”

“Our Theo—whether you break the curse or not—our Theo will be able to break it on his own. Love him a lot. Very much. More than anything.”

Gerald recalled the words Sinclair had spoken to him just before she lost consciousness.

His eyes naturally shifted to Theodore. Theodore had been grinning from ear to ear, as if nothing in the world could please him more.

“Adjustment, you say… It seems to me you’re the one who needs to adjust.”

“…!”

Gerald said only that, then carried Theodore in his arms and strode into the palace.

At those words, Mori’s heart turned icy cold. She suppressed the emotions welling up within her as she stared at Gerald’s broad back growing more and more distant.

Until now, whenever she called out to him, he would turn around, no matter how busy he was, to meet her gaze. But now, he didn’t even look at her and simply strode away.

It was a shock.

Mori’s heart was pounding with uncontrollable fury—so intense it felt unbearable.

“How enviable, Lady Mori, that you’ll have less work now. Just the other day, we prepared an entire year’s curriculum to submit, and whether anyone actually reads it or not…”

“….”

“There’s much to prepare. I’ll excuse myself.”

With a face full of discontent at her sudden increase in duties, Beate headed for the main palace.

Once Beate was gone, Mori staggered and leaned against a tree in the corner of the garden.

Since the moment she saw Gerald carrying the Grand Duchess—her purple, curly hair flowing down—into the castle last night, Mori had not been in her right mind.

When Gerald, so carefully and tenderly, had moved Sinclair to the annex, saying she had collapsed after saving Theodore and needed rest, Mori’s jealousy had erupted like a volcano—wild, uncontrollable.

And then, this morning, he had dealt her such a blow….

She could feel her world collapsing.

“Hello? I’m Sophia.”

I was startled when a maid greeted me brightly as I stepped out of the hot bath.

When Gerald left earlier, no one had been here.

‘Well, of course there would be a maid. It makes no sense otherwise.’

Sophia busily tidied the bedding, then came over to dry my hair.

“It’s fine, I’ll do it.”

“Oh no, serving those staying in the Saios annex with the very best service is my greatest pride. And to think I’m serving the Grand Duchess herself! What an honor.”

She began briskly patting and drying my hair with a towel.

Her voice, higher-pitched and lively like a soprano, automatically lifted my mood.

She guided me naturally into an inner room off the sitting area.

It was a dressing room. Small, but stocked with all the clothes I might need, a little jewelry box, hats, shoes—all charmingly arranged.

Had they set this up overnight?

Gerald did have a surprisingly meticulous side.

Sophia sat me down at the vanity.

“Just a moment, please.”

She brought a fresh towel, pressing out the dampness of my hair, then gave it a good shake.

‘If only there were a hair dryer….’

A bit of a pity.

Then Sophia pulled out something like a little pinwheel from her apron, wound up the crank with a squeak, squeak—

Soon the pinwheel whirred, sending breezes tickling through my hair.

“…!”

My eyes went round as I stared at Sophia’s reflection in the mirror.

“Making things is my hobby. Feels refreshing, right?”

Her cheeks flushed red as she alternated between the towel and the breeze, drying my hair quickly.

Amazing. And such talent had been tucked away in the annex all this time.

I turned around and suddenly grabbed her hand.

“Eek!”

Her eyes went wide.

“My Lady?”

“Would you… like to become my assistant?”

“Huh? But I am your assistant already.”

“No, no. I don’t mean this kind of personal service.”

“…?”

“I mean—my hobby is inventing too.”

As my smile spread wide, her eyes grew even rounder.

“Your name again?”

I asked once more.

“Sophia.”

“All right, Sophia. By chance… did you attend the Academy?”

“No, I’m from St. Schlesien Orphanage.”

“An orphanage?”

That was news to me.

“Yes, it was built by the late Empress in the Caricas domain, to shelter children orphaned by the war with the Demon Realm.”

“Ah….”

“Now that a new mistress has arrived, my friends from the orphanage must be eager to meet you, My Lady.”

“I see. I’ll have to visit. Surely there are many hidden talents like you there.”

“Hehe. You flatter me too much.”

“No, truly. I’ll have to set aside time for this.”

I turned back to the mirror and asked another question.

“So how did you come up with the idea for this pinwheel?”

“I saw the windmills at the mill.”

“I thought so.”

Indeed, all invention begins with observation. Technology advances when something ordinary, discarded, or overlooked is combined into something new.

Napoleon, for example, used contour maps—already discovered by someone else—to improve artillery accuracy. He also dragged lightweight cannons, dismissed as too weak, up cliffs and used them to win.

With observation and ingenuity like this, Sophia would be a perfect partner for me.

“Do the orphans ever go to the Academy on scholarships?”

“Oh yes. The late Empress also founded the Schlesien Scholarship Foundation.”

“Then why didn’t you go?”

“I wanted to earn money.”

“Money?”

“Yes.”

“…?”

“I have two younger siblings. One is currently studying healing at the Academy, and the other is training to be a knight.”

“Healing?”

Oh, what a stroke of luck, having such talents so close at hand.

“I’ll have to invite them sometime too.”

“My siblings? That would be such an honor, My Lady.”

I smiled. There’s nothing more gratifying than seeing future prodigies. It was why I had once dreamed of becoming a teacher.

“But once they’re adults, won’t they have to live independently?”

“Yes.”

At that, her face fell.

“Do they receive support then?”

“No. Instead, they’re given letters of recommendation—to become maids or knights. At least then their lodging and meals are secured.”

“I see.”

My expression darkened as well.

“But even so, it’s better than nothing. And in fact, this Schlesien domain is the only one in the Empire with such orphanages. Children risk their lives to make the journey here.”

Hmm… so that’s the reality.

Of course, in a ruined world, social welfare wouldn’t really exist. It seemed I’d have to make plenty of money myself.

“But why didn’t you think to sell this pinwheel?”

“This? Who would buy it?”

“Who? Nobles, of course.”

I smirked slyly. As I changed clothes, goosebumps rose on my arms.

“Are you cold?”

“A little.”

“Just a moment.”

Sophia fetched a small fire starter, placed it on the logs in the fireplace, then pulled out a shining silver cylinder from her apron. She clicked it with a snap—and the logs instantly flared to life.

“Oh my, Sophia! May I see that?”

“Yes?”

She handed me the little silver cylinder and a stick that looked like a toothpick.

“You made this too?”

I sniffed at it.

‘Oh wow, sulfur!’

Looking back at Sophia, her cheeks were red with embarrassment.

“Where did you get the materials?”

“Well, since this used to be demon territory, there are hot springs nearby. Around them, lots of strange powders gather. Sometimes flames even burst out. So I experimented… and they really caught fire.”

Incredible. She’d created a new kind of lighter, using sulfur, instead of flint.

With poor heating, people here still depended heavily on fireplaces. Flint was inconvenient to strike every time. But Sophia had devised fire starters and even charcoal briquettes.

She was truly gifted.

“But Sophia—making briquettes and fire starters must involve a process, right?”

“That’s true.”

“There’s a substance called methanol. If you turn it into a gel, it makes starting fires really easy.”

“Methanol?”

Her eyes sparkled.

“Yes. If you make it into a jelly form, it doesn’t produce noxious smoke, leaves no waste, and most importantly, there’s no danger of spilling even if it tips over.”

“Wow, such a thing exists?”

Her mouth dropped open. I grinned.

“Is it magic?”

“Magic? Just as what you made isn’t magic, what I speak of is invention—born from study and analysis.”

“My Lady, were you an Academy student too?”

“No. I just… read a lot. Anything I could get my hands on. If I were to start research, would you join me?”

“Of course.”

“But it must be a secret, understand?”

“Of course. Otherwise, we’d be accused of witchcraft.”

Ah, so that’s why she had kept her inventions hidden for her own use.

If she tried to commercialize them, she’d risk being branded a witch.

A rather bitter reality.

But once people used them and got accustomed to the convenience, no ideological frame of “witch” or “magic” would stick.

Humans crave comfort. So long as it wasn’t politicized.

I resolved firmly to use this knowledge to make my own future a little easier.

Soon, papers littered my sitting room.

Documents from the steward and those the head maid had brought me were piled high.

Of course, I was reviewing Theodore’s first.

“My Lady.”

I looked up.

“The court physician and healer are here.”

“Oh? Bring them in.”

At Sophia’s announcement, I stood up happily.

A tall man in his forties with brown hair and a plump, silver-haired woman in her fifties entered.

“Greetings to the Grand Duchess.”

“I only met you while unconscious, so I regret not remembering. Forgive me.”

The plump silver-haired woman smiled.

“That’s understandable. I am Ellie, court physician of Schlesien Castle.”

“And I am Healer Schumann.”

“I am grateful for your help yesterday morning.”

“Think nothing of it. Compared to then, you look much more lively now.”

“Please, sit.”

“Yes.”

They sat politely side by side. I pushed across the documents I had been reading all morning.

“I don’t understand why Theo, despite not having many illnesses, is underweight and shorter than average.”

“Until thirty months of age, he did suffer frequent minor illnesses, but being the late Emperor’s bloodline, he is fundamentally strong.”

At Physician Ellie’s words, I pressed further.

“Then, does he have any allergies? Butler Thomas said such things were kept confidential, not written down….”

I deliberately covered my face with a teacup, giving them time—just to see how much they’d try to dodge.

Silence.

So, they weren’t going to say.

I set down the cup and added firmly:

“From today, I will personally prepare Theo’s meals.”

Ellie’s mouth dropped open. She bit her lip, then finally spoke as though resolved.

“Primarily, the young lord had an egg yolk allergy. Thankfully, thanks to Healer Schumann, he rarely experiences rashes or itching now.”

Schumann lifted his chin proudly, smirking. I smiled faintly and quickly jotted notes.

“He tolerates crab, but reacts to crayfish—rashes, swelling of the throat.”

So, crayfish dishes were out. I’d have to be extra careful at banquets.

“Other than that, nothing serious.”

“But… he does have a sensitivity to certain woods,” Schumann quickly interjected.

“Rosewood and cedar can bother him, though not severely.”

Finally—I could begin assessing the safety of various herbs.

“Any sensitivities to vegetables or herbs?”

“None.”

“Good.”

I laid sprigs of herbs from my garden on the table: basil, tarragon, dill, lemon balm.

“Could you identify these plants, and whether they are toxic?”

“Why these?”

“To use in cooking.”

At my words, Schumann gaped, and Ellie gave me a baffled look.