“Then I will try my best somehow. I apologize for causing concern, Your Grace.”
Livia bowed her head in apology.
Cardien regarded Livia with an uneasy look.
‘Is she doing this on purpose?’
To make fun of him?
Cardien’s forehead furrowed.
But Livia seemed genuinely contrite.
‘……That’s ridiculous.’
Honestly, he had been nitpicking for no reason.
In fact, Cardien had already heard about the Academy ceremony through Winston.
When the invitation arrived, Cardien also received a report.
And he already knew that Livia would be attending the ceremony with Vincent and was looking for a companion.
While Winston had agreed to go, Cardien was confident that Livia would ask him.
‘Because I’m his guardian.’
He was Vincent’s only protector.
‘Not too long ago, we attended a festival together.’
They had already gone together once.
Considering that experience, he thought he would be her companion if she asked.
However, contrary to his expectations, Livia had requested permission to be accompanied by Winston, and now that he had prevented her from doing so, she was on her own.
As if she hadn’t even considered it in the first place.
Her attitude only soured Cardien’s mood.
In truth, Cardien couldn’t even figure out why he felt bad.
Rather, Livia seemed to understand Cardien well and acted accordingly.
She had already declared her intention not to attend the baptism, so there was no way she would attend the Academy ceremony.
Cardien didn’t even go to the academy properly.
He was forced to attend the academy, as any noble of the Empire was expected to do, but his irregular magic outbursts and splitting headaches meant he spent most of his time alone in secluded places.
If it weren’t for Mercedes, he wouldn’t have been able to graduate, to be honest.
But what’s the point of attending the ceremony now?
If someone other than Livia had requested his company, Cardien would have immediately chased them away from the ducal estate.
So, logically speaking, Livia’s actions could be seen as quite reasonable.
‘Why do I feel so disgusted, then?’
“Wait.”
Cardien stopped Livia as she tried to turn around.
“Yes?”
Looking back at Cardien with a puzzled expression, Livia bit her lip when she saw his face.
Then his lips slowly parted.
* * *
What is he trying to say?
Cardien, who had called her back from leaving, just stared at me without saying a word.
His gaze was so ominous that I felt like I had committed some grave sin.
Eventually, Cardien’s lips slowly parted.
“What will you do if something happens to Vincent because of the tutor´s carelessness?”
“……Huh?”
No, what was this suddenly about?
I hastily responded, fearing he might change his mind.
“The reason I’m going to be away for a while is to meet with my mentor from my time at the academy. I need to ask him for his permission…….”
“I don’t see, then why didn’t you try to do that in the first place?”
That was…….
‘I couldn’t predict what Jeffrey would say, and meeting the professor in person might be burdensome for Vincent.’
So, I was thinking of making a separate appointment with Jeffrey.
I parted my lips to explain, but before I could, Cardien spoke.
“When you think about it, Vincent’s guardian isn’t the tutor; it’s me.”
He flipped through the papers, expressionless.
I stared at him, unable to understand why Cardien was saying such things.
‘You’re not claiming to be Vincent’s guardian now, are you? ‘
It wasn’t like he had been claiming Vincent’s guardianship all this time.
‘Could it be…?’
I cautiously parted my lips.
“Then…….”
“…….”
“If it’s okay with you, would Your Grace consider accompanying us on that day as well?”
My heart pounded.
Not out of excitement or anticipation but out of nervousness.
‘Am I incurring his wrath for nothing?’
After reading Jeffrey’s letter, the first person who came to my mind was Cardien.
Probably because he was also Vincent’s father, and the memories of the festival were still fresh.
But I shook my head quickly.
Knowing Cardien’s upbringing, I couldn’t ask him to attend the Royal Academy ceremony with me.
‘It was said he barely survived.’
Those few lines were all I had to read, but they were filled with agony.
He was a maniac, sneered at behind his back for being a genius, suffered from a splitting headache when his supply of sedatives was limited, and was occasionally subject to magical outbursts that caused him to be knocked out.
For three years, starting late at the Academy, Cardien had lived with the daily torment of feeling like he was about to die, under the scrutiny of others.
Little did they know.
I knew his past, and how could I ask him to attend the Academy ceremony with me?
‘I did it once…….’
It feels like walking into the unknown, even though you know you might die.
I took shallow breaths, waiting for his cold words that were about to drop soon.
But…
“If the tutor says so, there’s nothing I can do.”
Instead of cutting words like a blade, his response was courteous but had a heavy tone.
Nervously, I lowered my head and looked up at him.
His violet eyes remained fixed only on the documents.
‘He doesn’t seem angry…’
There didn’t appear to be any signs of that.
He spoke as he glided his pen across the paper.
“While the schedule is tight, I suppose I can manage.”
“T-Then, I assume Your Grace will accompany us?”
“As the tutor wishes.”
It’s not like I have much choice in the matter.
After concluding our conversation, I left Cardien’s room, unable to conceal my puzzled expression.
‘What’s going on?’
Could it be that Cardien’s memories of the Academy were not as bitter as I thought?
It doesn’t seem likely.
Oh, could it be…
‘Is it because Vincent has become that important to him?’
“Well, it’s possible.”
I nodded my head.
If that’s the case, it’s a good sign.
‘Doesn´t it feel good somehow?’
With that thought, I continued walking.
* * *
The next day.
I visited the library to meet with Lemon.
After showing my identification card as a formality, I entered and stood still for a moment, surveying my surroundings.
I had come to find Lemon, but there was no sign of him anywhere.
“It’s the day we agreed upon.”
Has he not returned from the guild yet?
I wondered as I looked around.
Thump.
I turned my head towards the dull sound that suddenly reached my ears, coming from the direction of the window.
I met eyes with Lemon, who was entering through the window in his usual manner.
“…You’ve been through a lot.”
“Haha, you came.”
Lemon sat down at the desk with a smile, showing no signs of distress. I also took a seat across from him.
Without exchanging pleasantries, we immediately got down to business.
“First, it’s about the book that you, Miss Livia mentioned.”
“Yes, have you found it?”
I looked at him with anticipation.
Lemon nodded as he replied.
“Is this the book?”
He handed me a single piece of paper.
The paper had a detailed illustration of the book’s appearance.
The title was…
“<The Other Side of the Temple>…….”
Now that I saw it, the title finally came to mind.
“Yes, that’s the title.”
“As I thought.”
However, for some reason, Lemon’s expression darkened in response to my affirmative answer.
He raised his head and said.
“If it’s true, I’m sorry. Even at the Rune Information Guild, we can’t find this book.”
His words made my eyes widen.
“So, you know what the book is, but you can’t find it?”
“That book is the only one of its kind in this world. It wasn’t formally published.”
“Not formally published?”
It became even more mysterious.
How could a book not formally published be found in the Academy library?
I asked that question.
“So, how could it end up in the Academy library?”
“The reason is simple. The author of that book was a former Academy professor. Do you happen to know someone named ‘Cellebel Nadil’?”
“If it’s Cellebel Nadil, then…….”
The name was in my memory.
I answered reflexively.
“Jeffrey… He was my mentor’s senior professor. One day, he suddenly quit the academy and Jeffrey Cuspert, who was a teaching assistant, was chosen as an mentor. So, are you saying that he secretly placed it in the library?”
“That’s right. I don’t know any more details. The Royal Academy is a restricted area, so acquiring this kind of information is limited. However,…”
He added in a hushed tone.
“Then I will try my best somehow. I apologize for causing concern, Your Grace.”
Livia bowed her head in apology.
Cardien regarded Livia with an uneasy look.
‘Is she doing this on purpose?’
To make fun of him?
Cardien’s forehead furrowed.
But Livia seemed genuinely contrite.
‘……That’s ridiculous.’
Honestly, he had been nitpicking for no reason.
In fact, Cardien had already heard about the Academy ceremony through Winston.
When the invitation arrived, Cardien also received a report.
And he already knew that Livia would be attending the ceremony with Vincent and was looking for a companion.
While Winston had agreed to go, Cardien was confident that Livia would ask him.
‘Because I’m his guardian.’
He was Vincent’s only protector.
‘Not too long ago, we attended a festival together.’
They had already gone together once.
Considering that experience, he thought he would be her companion if she asked.
However, contrary to his expectations, Livia had requested permission to be accompanied by Winston, and now that he had prevented her from doing so, she was on her own.
As if she hadn’t even considered it in the first place.
Her attitude only soured Cardien’s mood.
In truth, Cardien couldn’t even figure out why he felt bad.
Rather, Livia seemed to understand Cardien well and acted accordingly.
She had already declared her intention not to attend the baptism, so there was no way she would attend the Academy ceremony.
Cardien didn’t even go to the academy properly.
He was forced to attend the academy, as any noble of the Empire was expected to do, but his irregular magic outbursts and splitting headaches meant he spent most of his time alone in secluded places.
If it weren’t for Mercedes, he wouldn’t have been able to graduate, to be honest.
But what’s the point of attending the ceremony now?
If someone other than Livia had requested his company, Cardien would have immediately chased them away from the ducal estate.
So, logically speaking, Livia’s actions could be seen as quite reasonable.
‘Why do I feel so disgusted, then?’
“Wait.”
Cardien stopped Livia as she tried to turn around.
“Yes?”
Looking back at Cardien with a puzzled expression, Livia bit her lip when she saw his face.
Then his lips slowly parted.
* * *
What is he trying to say?
Cardien, who had called her back from leaving, just stared at me without saying a word.
His gaze was so ominous that I felt like I had committed some grave sin.
Eventually, Cardien’s lips slowly parted.
“What will you do if something happens to Vincent because of the tutor´s carelessness?”
“……Huh?”
No, what was this suddenly about?
I hastily responded, fearing he might change his mind.
“The reason I’m going to be away for a while is to meet with my mentor from my time at the academy. I need to ask him for his permission…….”
“I don’t see, then why didn’t you try to do that in the first place?”
That was…….
‘I couldn’t predict what Jeffrey would say, and meeting the professor in person might be burdensome for Vincent.’
So, I was thinking of making a separate appointment with Jeffrey.
I parted my lips to explain, but before I could, Cardien spoke.
“When you think about it, Vincent’s guardian isn’t the tutor; it’s me.”
He flipped through the papers, expressionless.
I stared at him, unable to understand why Cardien was saying such things.
‘You’re not claiming to be Vincent’s guardian now, are you? ‘
It wasn’t like he had been claiming Vincent’s guardianship all this time.
‘Could it be…?’
I cautiously parted my lips.
“Then…….”
“…….”
“If it’s okay with you, would Your Grace consider accompanying us on that day as well?”
My heart pounded.
Not out of excitement or anticipation but out of nervousness.
‘Am I incurring his wrath for nothing?’
After reading Jeffrey’s letter, the first person who came to my mind was Cardien.
Probably because he was also Vincent’s father, and the memories of the festival were still fresh.
But I shook my head quickly.
Knowing Cardien’s upbringing, I couldn’t ask him to attend the Royal Academy ceremony with me.
‘It was said he barely survived.’
Those few lines were all I had to read, but they were filled with agony.
He was a maniac, sneered at behind his back for being a genius, suffered from a splitting headache when his supply of sedatives was limited, and was occasionally subject to magical outbursts that caused him to be knocked out.
For three years, starting late at the Academy, Cardien had lived with the daily torment of feeling like he was about to die, under the scrutiny of others.
Little did they know.
I knew his past, and how could I ask him to attend the Academy ceremony with me?
‘I did it once…….’
It feels like walking into the unknown, even though you know you might die.
I took shallow breaths, waiting for his cold words that were about to drop soon.
But…
“If the tutor says so, there’s nothing I can do.”
Instead of cutting words like a blade, his response was courteous but had a heavy tone.
Nervously, I lowered my head and looked up at him.
His violet eyes remained fixed only on the documents.
‘He doesn’t seem angry…’
There didn’t appear to be any signs of that.
He spoke as he glided his pen across the paper.
“While the schedule is tight, I suppose I can manage.”
“T-Then, I assume Your Grace will accompany us?”
“As the tutor wishes.”
It’s not like I have much choice in the matter.
After concluding our conversation, I left Cardien’s room, unable to conceal my puzzled expression.
‘What’s going on?’
Could it be that Cardien’s memories of the Academy were not as bitter as I thought?
It doesn’t seem likely.
Oh, could it be…
‘Is it because Vincent has become that important to him?’
“Well, it’s possible.”
I nodded my head.
If that’s the case, it’s a good sign.
‘Doesn´t it feel good somehow?’
With that thought, I continued walking.
* * *
The next day.
I visited the library to meet with Lemon.
After showing my identification card as a formality, I entered and stood still for a moment, surveying my surroundings.
I had come to find Lemon, but there was no sign of him anywhere.
“It’s the day we agreed upon.”
Has he not returned from the guild yet?
I wondered as I looked around.
Thump.
I turned my head towards the dull sound that suddenly reached my ears, coming from the direction of the window.
I met eyes with Lemon, who was entering through the window in his usual manner.
“…You’ve been through a lot.”
“Haha, you came.”
Lemon sat down at the desk with a smile, showing no signs of distress. I also took a seat across from him.
Without exchanging pleasantries, we immediately got down to business.
“First, it’s about the book that you, Miss Livia mentioned.”
“Yes, have you found it?”
I looked at him with anticipation.
Lemon nodded as he replied.
“Is this the book?”
He handed me a single piece of paper.
The paper had a detailed illustration of the book’s appearance.
The title was…
“<The Other Side of the Temple>…….”
Now that I saw it, the title finally came to mind.
“Yes, that’s the title.”
“As I thought.”
However, for some reason, Lemon’s expression darkened in response to my affirmative answer.
He raised his head and said.
“If it’s true, I’m sorry. Even at the Rune Information Guild, we can’t find this book.”
His words made my eyes widen.
“So, you know what the book is, but you can’t find it?”
“That book is the only one of its kind in this world. It wasn’t formally published.”
“Not formally published?”
It became even more mysterious.
How could a book not formally published be found in the Academy library?
I asked that question.
“So, how could it end up in the Academy library?”
“The reason is simple. The author of that book was a former Academy professor. Do you happen to know someone named ‘Cellebel Nadil’?”
“If it’s Cellebel Nadil, then…….”
The name was in my memory.
I answered reflexively.
“Jeffrey… He was my mentor’s senior professor. One day, he suddenly quit the academy and Jeffrey Cuspert, who was a teaching assistant, was chosen as an mentor. So, are you saying that he secretly placed it in the library?”
“That’s right. I don’t know any more details. The Royal Academy is a restricted area, so acquiring this kind of information is limited. However,…”
He added in a hushed tone.
