Episode 21
Did I hear that correctly just now? Did he just call me insane?
Did it seem like an unrealistic research topic? But at the time, I thought it was a rather groundbreaking study in my own right.
“Why didn’t you present this after researching such a thing?”
“Pardon?”
“Just as you said, gas lamps have various limitations. In fact, nobles who frequently visit the theater often suffered from headaches due to gas lamps, and lighting them manually was quite a chore as well.”
“That’s right, Cynthia. This is truly incredible research.”
The Crown Prince burst out laughing. His sky-blue eyes curved delicately.
“If an electric lamp were to be created, it’s certain that many people would benefit from the convenience. To think a talented person like you didn’t pursue further research—what a terrible waste. It would have been wonderful if you had proceeded straight to graduate school as you were.”
“I-It’s an honor for me to say so.”
My ears grew hot for no reason at the Crown Prince’s smile. At the same time, something surged within my chest.
Although I didn’t regret becoming a civil servant to be with Dad, still. It was also true that I had wanted to keep studying and researching.
“Why didn’t you go to graduate school? Seeing that you conducted research like this in advance, it seems you had ambitions for graduate school as well.”
“Reality took precedence, you see.”
Since the Crown Prince knew nothing, it would be better to just put it this way.
“Hmm. Does going to graduate school cost a lot of money?”
“It doesn’t cost a lot of money, but it doesn’t earn money either.”
Aidan answered instead.
In truth, it wasn’t as if it cost less money, either. Perhaps because I was top of the class at the academy, they had made an offer to grant me a full-scholarship grant. But even taking that into account, research was ultimately a labor of passion.
Though hundreds—no, thousands—of papers flooded out every year, among them, the studies that saw the light of the world and gained recognition numbered merely one or two at most.
In fact, even if one gained recognition like that, what came after was once again the realm of money. If that research was deemed valuable and managed to receive sponsorship, that was one thing, but if it was deemed innovative yet devoid of economic value, there was no sponsorship from nobles.
When that happened, no matter how successful a result the research one wished to conduct might bring, it would be cut short midway for lack of money.
Unless one’s family was truly wealthy to begin with, scholars were bound to always be poor.
“So you became a civil servant because of money, then?”
“Strictly speaking, yes. That is so.”
Do I seem a bit like a snob? But it’s the truth, so whatever. And a person of the Crown Prince’s standing could probably go back to the Imperial Palace and investigate right away.
The fact that the moment I got a job, I pulled out a massive loan.
“What a truly terrible waste. I happen to have quite an eye for people, you see.”
Taking a step closer, he gently held my hand.
“From what I see, it seems you’re going to become even more incredible than Dr. Helico.”
And then, a moist warmth touched the back of my hand.
“Y-Yes?!”
Surprised out of my mind, etiquette be damned, I shrieked out loud like a stuck pig.
Did His Royal Highness the Crown Prince just kiss the back of my hand?!
“What do you think you are doing right now?!”
Aidan seemed no less surprised.
A kiss on the back of the hand was usually the manner in which a noble man politely greeted a noble woman he had set his heart on, or a greeting used when a knight swore loyalty to his lord.
Since I fell into neither category, it was no wonder Aidan was surprised.
“Your Highness, your joke goes too far.”
“A joke, you say? I merely expressed my gratitude to Miss Cynthia, who is conducting splendid research for the people of the Empire.”
Paying no mind to Aidan’s stern face, the Crown Prince simply put on a bright smile.
“I would like to converse further, but regrettably, I must take my leave now.”
He turned his head lightly toward the outside.
Come to think of it, he said he was in charge of this fake gem incident, didn’t he?
“It was a pleasure meeting you today. And whenever you have good ideas like the electric lamp mentioned earlier, feel free to come find me and speak to me anytime. Because if it’s something necessary, I’ll fully support you.”
Full support? Financial support?
Both of my eyes snapped wide open.
“Why would Your Highness offer her support?”
“Because working for the advancement of the Empire is ultimately working for me.”
On top of that, even such a true mindset?
“Cynthia Violeta is an Imperial civil servant and my subordinate. If support is needed, it can be provided at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
“Isn’t support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ultimately part of the Imperial budget anyway?”
Why does it feel like a subtle battle of nerves is breaking out between the two of them?
Between the two men fiercely exchanging sharp glares, I gauged their reactions for no reason.
In an instant, a conversation I had happened to overhear in the past came to mind.
“Aidan lost to Cynthia again?”
So, it was the day the second-semester grades were announced.
“That guy loses to the Crown Prince every day, and after coming to the academy, he loses to a commoner, too.”
“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince? Aren’t those two relatives?”
“That’s right. That’s why those two were playmates, wasn’t it?”
The student who said that spoke with a scoff.
“My father told me, but because the two are the same age and both men, it seems they were targets of comparison among the ministers from the moment they were born. From minor things like who started walking first, who spoke first, to who is taller, studying, horsemanship, and swordsmanship. I heard they were compared in every single detail. They’re neck and neck, but the Crown Prince always won, they say.”
“That’s pitiful. Even after coming to the academy, he always loses to Cynthia by a margin of one or two questions.”
“It seems Aidan Winslow’s fate is to be perpetually in second place, what else?”
Right, so the two of them had been rivals ever since they were born, and I was caught in the middle of their battle of nerves.
I quietly shifted one step behind Aidan’s back. Dad said that in times like this, taking the side of one’s direct superior is the wisdom of living in society.
“At any rate, my offer remains valid, so think on it favorably, Miss Cynthia.”
Adelian lightly brushed off the sharp atmosphere with a laugh. And then, whether he truly had no time, he quickly vanished along with his attendants.
“Must be nice for you.”
“Pardon?”
“Your expression completely changed at the mention of full support, didn’t it?”
Aidan looked at me at an askew angle with his arms crossed.
Mm, so having been compared to the Crown Prince and losing his whole life, he doesn’t want to lose even his subordinate’s achievements now, is that it?
“Me? No, it didn’t.”
Of course, my ears had perked up at the mention of financial support in an instant.
Was it to a degree that showed?
I lightly brushed over my bare face.
In the future, no matter how desperate I am for money, I should research ways not to let it show. If it were Aidan, it was obvious he would nag again, saying things like how I lacked dignity as a commoner or that I should observe proper etiquette.
“I was merely looking forward to it, thinking that the research I conducted during my academy days wasn’t in vain, after all.”
“Ha, forget it. I will pay for all the expenses needed for that research.”
“Really? Is it alright to use the Ministry of Foreign Affairs budget?”
“Who said anything about using the Ministry of Foreign Affairs budget? What does that have to do with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?”
At his disdainful gaze, I rolled my lips inward.
“Ah! Come to think of it, that’s true. Since it’s a matter of finding a core anyway, we can just use the budget issued under the name of the Special Audit Department.”
Since it was an audit department in name only anyway, and was actually a core investigation team. Why didn’t I think of that?
“How can we use public funds in a situation where we don’t even know whether that’s a core or not?”
Aidan muttered, pressing his hand against his forehead.
“I will draw from the funds of the Duke Winslow family to build you a laboratory for your research. From platinum wires to a glass workshop for vacuum sealing. Whatever is needed, I will personally procure the finest quality even if I have to mobilize the Empire’s transport network.”
His icy green eyes touched the back of my left hand, then slowly fell away and soon met my eyes.
“Never covet something like the Imperial budget. Because that research must be accomplished solely in your name, and through the full-fledged support of the Winslow family alone.”
Though it was a cold, blunt tone as always, my heart pounded at his statement that he would pour all the wealth of the Dukedom into my research.
“What are you doing? Not moving.”
“Pardon?”
“We have to hurry to the capital, don’t we? We have a mere three weeks and four days left.”
Aidan set forth a stern threat, as if pretending to be heartless, and walked ahead toward the carriage first.
“The moment we go up to the capital, research starts immediately. Got it?”
“Yes!”
“To go through the stages of testing it ourselves and bringing it to stabilization, even sleeping time will be lacking.”
It seemed that just like during the academy exam period—no, even more than then—I would suffer from a lack of sleep, but somehow, my steps felt light.
