2673-chapter-18
Chapter 18
“Teacher.”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
I looked at Dikal with a serious expression and asked,
“What happens if a person suddenly changes?”
“Suddenly changes?”
“Yes.”
“In what way?”
Since Dikal seemed unsure what I meant, I began explaining the strange events that had happened over the past few days.
“So, umm….”
It had been three days earlier.
I’d woken up early that morning, but instead of getting up, I was rolling around in bed wrapped in my blanket.
“Young Lady.”
“Whyyy?”
Anne had gone downstairs to get cookies, but when she returned empty-handed, I looked at her suspiciously.
“The cookies?”
“This is not the time for that.”
“Now what…?”
Whenever Anne looked at me with eyes shining that enthusiastically, a sense of dread always washed over me.
‘She had that same expression before the banquet too.’
Am I going somewhere again? Is she going to drag me to another uncomfortable event?
‘No thanks….’
Banquet halls were too bright, too crowded, too suffocating.
Being surrounded by those stuck-up nobles made me feel like I was becoming strange too.
“Anne. I’m not going anywhere today….”
“But you stayed inside your room all day yesterday.”
“That was yesterday. Today is today.”
But Anne remained firm.
“No, Young Lady. You absolutely have to go today.”
“What is it this time…?”
“The Duke said he wants to go sightseeing in the city with you!”
“W-What? Did I hear that right?”
Was my hearing already failing? Why was I hallucinating?
I dug at my ear with my pinky finger before asking again,
“What did you just say…?”
“I said the Duke asked to go out together with you.”
‘Oh Jesus….’
Why are you doing this to me…? Why are you giving me such trials?!
‘Please just send Renzard instead! Please!’
But despite my desperate prayers, nothing changed.
No, maybe my prayers simply never reached heaven.
After all, Heinox himself was standing right in front of me.
“Duke.”
“Roxina, you’re here.”
The moment Heinox spotted me descending from upstairs, he strode directly toward the staircase.
“Take my hand.”
“Anne’s here, so it’s oka—”
“Take it.”
“Yes, sir.”
I gave up resisting and reached out to hold Heinox’s hand.
“But… why did you call for me…?”
Heinox had no reason to ask my advice, nor were we exactly capable of having smooth conversations.
So naturally I was confused.
“Did I maybe do something wrong…?”
“No. You did nothing wrong.”
Cutting me off firmly, Heinox explained why he had suddenly summoned me.
“Now that I think about it, I’ve never once taken you on a proper outing through the streets.”
“R-Really?”
I asked awkwardly.
“Where are we going?”
“Wherever the carriage takes us.”
‘Wow….’
The roads leading from the estate into the city were bustling with people.
Fruit vendors, spice merchants, even herbal medicine shops brewing remedies in alleyways.
While I busily stared out the carriage window at the passing scenery, the carriage finally stopped.
“Let’s get down first.”
After stepping out first, Heinox lifted me directly out of the carriage.
“Where are we…?”
Unlike the other shops nearby, this building had an especially luxurious signboard.
Still holding me in his arms, Heinox answered,
“A tailor shop.”
“A tailor shop?”
“Yes. I thought it would be good to have some clothes made for you.”
‘So suddenly?’
And then he marched inside with me and practically swept through the place, buying dresses and indoor clothes one after another.
“Do you know how shocked I was?”
As I clenched my fists while speaking, Dikal tilted his head.
“Isn’t getting dresses made for you a good thing?”
“I mean… of course it is….”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Dikal still seemed unable to understand, so I pounded my chest in frustration.
“No, I mean suddenly! He changed overnight!”
“Overnight?”
Only then did Dikal seem to grasp the important point as he stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“Changed overnight…. That’s not usually a good sign.”
“Right?! You think so too, Teacher?!”
“Yes. People don’t normally change that quickly. There must be some reason behind it…. Do you have any guesses, Young Lady?”
“No! If I knew, I wouldn’t be this frustrated!”
Seriously, what was wrong with Heinox?
Did he suddenly achieve some kind of enlightenment? Decide he should turn over a new leaf and become a loving father from now on…?
‘No way.’
Heinox wasn’t someone who believed in gods.
To begin with, he believed human fate wasn’t predetermined.
And when Priscilla was dying, the first and last prayer he ever made had been abandoned by the gods.
‘If it’s not enlightenment then… could he have some terrible illness?!’
There was a saying like that.
People change when they’re about to die.
‘No way! Heinox is dying?!’
If Heinox died, then the original story I knew would become completely useless.
The imperial family would seize the opportunity to divide House Tanzeric’s power, and the male lead would ascend to the throne without any obstacles.
Which meant I’d have no idea what would happen to my life here afterward.
The foundation of the family would crumble, and the retainers loyal to Heinox would scatter.
And then Tanzeric, having lost both its supporting house and leader, would inevitably walk the path toward ruin….
‘No! Everything I’ve planned only works if House Tanzeric remains powerful!’
Right. If that was the case, then I had to act personally.
“Teacher, I don’t think this can continue.”
“What exactly are you talking about—”
I shouted toward the bewildered Dikal,
“We need to restore the Duke’s health!”
Thus began the operation known as:
Project: Restore Heinox’s Health.
A plan dedicated to supporting his smooth life as the story’s hidden mastermind.
“Where’s the Duke?”
“Oh? Are you going to see him after class?”
“Mm… something like that…?”
When I trailed off awkwardly, Anne tilted her head.
“Or is there another reason?”
“N-No. Anne, my arms hurt.”
As I stretched both arms out and whined awkwardly, Anne reluctantly picked me up.
‘Well, her reaction makes sense.’
Normally after lessons, I only visited Heinox reluctantly.
‘So suddenly becoming proactive must seem strange.’
But I had a reason to meet Heinox.
‘Because I need to manage his health!’
For the stability of the family, I had to take care of Heinox’s condition.
‘I’m definitely going to investigate his entire schedule.’
His meals, clothes, work—everything!
Despite appearances, Heinox had an enormous amount of responsibilities as ruler of the western region.
Which meant he was probably overworking constantly.
‘Overwork is the root of all illness!’
To stop Heinox from overworking, I planned to drag him around to various places from now on.
Even if that merely meant eating cookies in the front garden!
‘Sorry, Cain.’
For the time being, Heinox wasn’t going to be able to work properly.
Because I wasn’t going to allow it.
‘Ah, I can hear it already. I can hear Cain screaming in despair.’
I could practically see his hair falling out from stress already.
‘Sorry. I’ll make sure they pay you overtime.’
As Anne carried me toward the office, I shed a few tears in honor of Cain’s future suffering.
“Duke, Lady Roxina has arrived.”
“Send her in.”
The moment I entered the office, Heinox—who looked utterly exhausted—greeted me.
“It seems your lessons are over.”
“Yes.”
‘See? He overworked again today.’
Dark circles hung heavily beneath Heinox’s eyes.
‘Honestly, he looks even more tired than when he returned from the battlefield.’
As I stared at him sympathetically, Heinox raised one eyebrow.
“Aren’t you going to sit?”
“O-Of course I am.”
As always, I struggled and climbed onto the sofa with difficulty.
“We’ll have to change the chair….”
“Hm?”
Focused on climbing up, I missed Heinox’s muttering and asked again,
“What did you say?”
“It’s nothing.”
‘He definitely said something….’
As I tilted my head suspiciously, Heinox spoke first.
“How were today’s lessons?”
“Ah, today we learned imperial history!”
“I heard you were still studying the imperial language.”
“We finished that last week!”
“……I see.”
Resting an arm against his chair, Heinox continued,
“Isn’t it difficult? The empire’s history is rather long.”
“Mmm… a little?”
As Heinox said, the empire’s history was lengthy.
After all, the empire had existed for nearly eight hundred years.
Naturally, there was an enormous amount to learn.
“But it wasn’t too hard.”
Perhaps because Dikal explained everything through roleplaying and storytelling, I hadn’t struggled much to understand it.
“It’s all thanks to Teacher.”
‘Thank you, Dikal!’
As I nodded gratefully in appreciation of Dikal’s efforts, Heinox spoke again.
“How far have you progressed?”
“Mmm…. Up to the Fourth Emperor Ahertian’s alliance with the Tulu tribe.”
“That’s fast.”
Heinox nodded.
‘Is he okay?’
I carefully studied Heinox’s face while he seemed lost in thought.
‘His skin looks rougher too….’
Looking downward, his eyelids seemed unusually heavy.
“Did you… not sleep?”
Heinox met my gaze as if asking what I meant, and I hesitantly explained,
“Y-You looked sleepy….”
“……Is it that obvious?”
Heinox dragged a hand across his face.
“How much sleep did you get?”
“……I haven’t slept in about three days.”
“Duke!”
‘I knew it!’
Not sleeping for three whole days—was that even humanly possible?!
‘Being a Duke really isn’t something just anyone can do….’
As the head of one of the empire’s mere four ducal houses, immense responsibilities naturally rested on his shoulders.
‘Heinox suddenly seems amazing.’
When I stared at him with sparkling eyes, Heinox awkwardly turned his head slightly away.
“There was a lot that needed to be done.”
“You could’ve done it slowly.”
“It all had to be finished by today.”
“Why?”
I lowered my head and muttered,
“What did you just—”
“Don’t other people work too?! Seriously, if they’re getting paid, they shouldn’t just laze around!”
If Cain—who was probably somewhere working himself to death with nosebleeds even now—heard that, he’d surely collapse on the spot.
But for some reason, emotions surged up inside me and the words spilled out before I could stop them.
“A Duke is supposed to know how to relax too.”
“……Ah.”
“Sometimes you should dump all the work on other people and go play instead—”
“……Pfft.”
“……?”
At the sudden sound, I looked up.
“Hahahaha!”