Chapter 65 · After the Hunting Competition (2)

Alfredo Caesar had not been sleeping properly for the past ten days. After testing Anastasia’s formula as an experiment and seeing the results, he had been completely shaken.

He had repeated the experiment over eighty times to deny the results. But the outcome was the same every time. Anastasia’s formula was by far the most superior among all the formulas for creating multi-communication stones discovered so far.

‘This is impossible! That little brat surpassed Lady Rania?’

It was something even the researchers of Naritas, who had devoted over a decade to research, had failed to achieve. There had to be some unpleasant conspiracy at work. To make matters worse, after the hunting competition, trouble had arisen with his own niece, Giselle Caesar.

“What do you mean you’re quitting the academy! Have you lost your mind?”

“…”

“You’re going to end your life here? When you’re the year president? And bring disgrace to the Caesar family?”

“…”

No matter how much he pressed her, Giselle just stared at the floor with empty eyes. Giselle Caesar was currently the most promising Naritas prospect the Caesar family had. And now she was saying she wouldn’t even graduate from the academy!

“For now I’ll process it as a leave of absence, but you’ll have to come back soon. I can’t believe you lost your mind over a mere monster. No wonder those Dinitas and Veritas bastards look down on us!”

In Santra, beyond noble rank, a family’s standing was determined by how many glorious achievements they had accomplished. Generally, families that produced many knights were considered the most honorable. They were revered as noble beings who risked their lives for the country, and when they achieved merit in war, they were recorded brilliantly in history.

Royal mages had a harder time achieving merit in war than knights, but in exchange, they received great recognition for achievements in magic research. In families like the Caesars, which focused on producing royal mages, magic research was treated as their lifeblood. They staked everything on producing faster, more outstanding magic research results, and in the process, they did not hesitate to resort to corruption.

‘I thought that with Princess Beatrice gone, only our family’s dominance remained…’

He had found Princess Beatrice irritating for a long time. Well, there were few nobles who didn’t find her irritating. She was the royal family’s heretic.

Royalty with succession rights, no matter how brilliant, do not devote themselves to magic research. They are too busy learning politics, diplomacy, and economics while following the succession course. Yet she had neglected learning state affairs and run wild in Naritas, sweeping up all sorts of research. Alfredo too had had more than one or two researches stolen by her—or, to be precise, surpassed by her.

When she died meaninglessly like that, it felt as if a thorn in his side had been removed, and he felt refreshed. And now, out of nowhere, a bastard girl had appeared to stir up trouble again?

‘She really is something else.’

It was infuriating enough to be surpassed by Princess Beatrice, who was only in her early twenties, but now he was about to be humiliated by her eight-year-old bastard daughter. It was maddening.

‘Anyway, no matter how cheeky she acts, she’s still a child. If an adult says no, she won’t be able to make a peep.’

He decided to bury this formula. Since the students had already seen it, it would be difficult to pass it off as his own. To ensure it never saw the light of day, he absolutely had to prevent that bastard from entering Naritas.

He needed to slowly crush her spirit and make her believe she had no talent. At an age when judgment wasn’t fully formed, a little pressure would break her easily.

“Who do you think you are to decide that on your own?”

But who should appear but Marquis Laselles, of all people.

‘That cunning girl has already started borrowing the hands of adults…!’

“I am an academy professor. I have the right to judge a student’s work.”

Alfredo answered, trying to stay calm. But he was nervously fiddling with his splendidly curled mustache.

“Even so, you don’t have the right to decide everything by yourself. There could be errors in the experiment.”

“Are you now claiming that I made an error? When you haven’t even seen the experiment? I’ve never encountered such rudeness in all my life!”

“That’s not what I mean—”

“Submitting a formula for review is the authority of the professor in charge! By what right does Marquis Laselles tell me what to do?”

“Haa…”

Marquis Laselles suppressed his displeasure and spoke in a sunken voice.

“Princess, I will submit it for review on your behalf.”

“Really? Thank you!”

“Marquis Laselles! Princess Anastasia is my student!”

“Count Caesar, I am an emeritus professor of the academy. Have you forgotten? Good grief, who is calling whom rude…”

Marquis Laselles spat coldly at Alfredo’s pale face.

“Depending on the review results, if they differ from Count Caesar’s claims, I will consider reporting this to the Magic Ethics Committee. Now then, let us be going, Princess.”

◇ ◆ ◇

“Thank you so much, Marquis Laselles.”

I felt as refreshed as if I had downed ten bottles of carbonated water. Meeting Marquis Laselles here was a stroke of divine luck!

“You were truly, truly amazing!”

“Haha, this much is nothing…”

“But what if my formula really was terrible?”

At that, he smiled meaningfully.

“I absolutely do not believe that will be the case. Because I believe in the princess’s abilities.”

No, aren’t you overestimating me? That’s a little burdensome…

“Anyway, since we’ve met here, it would be a shame to part so soon. Shall we have some tea before you go?”

“Ah, shall we?”

I do have a next class, but I’ve always wanted to try this! Playing hooky!

Marquis Laselles smiled brightly and led me to a tea room inside the building. When he rang a bell once, a maid appeared shortly after pulling a cart. The cart had a three-tiered tray full of cakes and desserts, and a teapot of fragrant black tea.

“Wow, amazing!”

As I marveled repeatedly, he spoke with a hint of regret.

“If you were in the royal palace, you would naturally enjoy this much every day. I wonder if you’re living too frugally at the temple.”

“Temple life is good in its own way. Everyone is kind, and the food is excellent.”

“But someday you’ll have to go to the royal palace, won’t you?”

I set down the scone I was eating and looked at him. Somehow I felt like I knew what this old man was about to say.

“To speak frankly…”

I swallowed hard and waited for his next words.

“It’s about the betrothal. I believe it’s time.”

So it’s come to this…

“Haha, y-yes, we did agree to that… Yes…”

“You’ve already met my grandson, haven’t you?”

“Yes. Melvian was very kind to me.”

“Ahem, ahem. How was he? My grandson.”

“How was he…”

“Did you like him?”

The direct question nearly made me spill my tea. Is it really all right to talk about your own grandson as if he were a birthday present?!

“Um…”

“So you don’t like him.”

As I hesitated, he muttered dejectedly in a dispirited voice.

“That’s not it! I just don’t think I’m at an age where I can say whether I like someone as a betrothed or not…”

“Royalty usually become betrothed at the princess’s age.”

“Th-that’s true, but… um… Melvian’s opinion matters too, doesn’t it?”

“That boy is head over heels for the princess. Since he met you, he’s sent over ten letters, all of them nothing but praise for the princess.”

“R-really? I’m honored that Melvian thinks so well of me.”

‘I’m dying of guilt.’

I worried that I might be standing in the way of Melvian’s future. The betrothal was something I had blurted out three years ago, knowing full well I might not be able to keep it given the circumstances. But having met Melvian in person, he was such a fine, normal boy that my heart weakened.

If I suddenly disappeared later, and people shunned him for having been abandoned by the princess, so that he could never properly marry…

‘He might hate me as if he wanted to kill me!’

We would never meet again after I left anyway, but living with someone’s resentment after ruining their life would be quite uncomfortable.

“My grandson and the princess are in different classes, so you won’t see each other often. As it happens, I’m planning to move my residence to the capital.”

“You’re coming to Salus?”

“Yes. The mining has stabilized to some extent, and I think it would be good to look after my grandson closely.”

Well, Melvian is still quite young, so dormitory life might be difficult for him.

“I’ll have to invite you to the estate often so you can spend time with Melvian. That much should be fine, yes?”

“O-of course. That sounds lovely.”

When I smiled and answered, Marquis Laselles looked satisfied. Then he took something from his pocket.

“I was going to send this to you later, but since we’ve met, I should give it to you now.”

The small pouch he held out was full of crimson magic stones.

“Wow! You’re giving all these precious things to me?”

“I obtained them thanks to the princess, so of course I should give them to you. I’ll send better quality ones soon.”

Khh. My guilt keeps piling up. Oh well, whatever. That mine is truly of immense value, so I’ve given him more than enough. Life is meant to be lived shamelessly!

“Um… Marquis Laselles, there’s one more favor I’d like to ask.”

“What is it, Princess?”

Since I’m being shameless anyway, let me push it a little further.

◇ ◆ ◇

‘As expected, there’s no research paper on that.’

I had asked Marquis Laselles for my mother’s research papers and brought them back. There were too many to bring all of them, so I only took a few of the researches she had been working on until the very end.

But the research on the magical tool that had caught my interest—the one with the scribbled-out line—wasn’t there. Had she abandoned it midway? Since it was on the list, I had thought there would at least be an unfinished report.

Anyway, seeing my mother’s handwriting in person felt strange. It was exactly like mine. The way she swept to the right when making a stroke, the way she drew circles large—even that. It wasn’t as if I had learned by watching hers…

Just then, Paeon entered the room. Startled, I hurriedly tried to put away the research papers, but fumbled and dropped them all with a crash.

“Eeek!”

I scrambled to gather the papers, and Paeon, trying to help, picked one up and froze like a statue when he saw the handwriting inside.

‘So he recognizes it after all…?’

“Y-you should knock before coming in!”

I snapped, flustered for no reason.

“Ah, I apologize… I thought you were asleep.”

He seemed to come to his senses and carefully organized the papers, placing them on the table. But he kept glancing at them, unable to take his eyes away.

Seeing that made my heart ache a little. Paeon might not have a single thing related to my mother. I at least had the locket necklace. But I couldn’t just hand him the research papers, so I subtly probed.

“Those are the research papers Mom wrote?”

“Princess… why this, all of a sudden…”

“Well… I happened to go to the Naritas building today and received them. Papa can read them too if you want!”

“Why would I read this… No, thank you.”

Ugh, just pretend not to know and take a look! Let yourself be swept up in nostalgia while looking at Mom’s handwriting!

“Nooo~ Papa always reads only boring scriptures. Reading something else sometimes would be a nice change of pace.”

“No thank you. It’s not something I could understand anyway.”

And with that, he plopped down an intimidatingly thick scripture. Ah, you stubborn man! Fine, if you don’t want to, don’t.

It seemed he intended to keep watch over me again until I fell asleep tonight. He had been less diligent after the Risus tea incident, but since the hunting competition, he had become thorough again. This makes it hard to visit Leo! Poor Leo must have had another wretched meal today.

After quite some time, unable to bear the stifling atmosphere where only the rustle of pages could be heard, I asked him.

“Papa, how would you feel if I got betrothed?”