"You want to use her as a double agent?"
"No, she's not clever enough for that. The chances of her being found out are too high."
Having observed Sonya in both her past life and this one, Rose could say this with certainty.
"I'll pretend to value that maid, keep her close, and watch her. Then, at the most critical moment, I'll leak false information. I'll hit the enemy from behind when it matters most."
"Hm."
Dane stared intently at Rose. His blue eyes seemed to probe every corner of her inner thoughts.
She couldn't shrink back or lose her nerve here. With that resolve, Rose firmly met Dane's gaze.
"Not a bad idea."
Eventually, Dane crossed his arms and stepped back.
"Can you handle it? You'll need to completely bring that maid under your control."
"I don't think it's a matter of whether I can or not. It's something I must do."
For a moment, a strange change came over Dane's expression—like he was right on the verge of bursting into laughter.
"Good."
But instead of laughing, he passed by Rose with an expressionless face.
"I suppose I can look forward to it."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
"Then I'll leave the maid matter to my wife."
Dane grabbed the bathroom door handle and offered one last remark.
"That maid needs to know she survived thanks to my wife."
"Ah..."
A chill ran down Rose's spine.
She realized what Dane had planned to do when he left this bathroom. If their conversation hadn't just happened, he would have snapped Sonya's neck and killed her.
"Attend to your mistress."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
Dane's voice and a servant's voice could be heard just outside the bathroom.
"Ma'am, are you alright?"
"Ma'am, I brought a fresh gown."
Sonya and the other maids entered the bathroom. Rose took a moment to steady her breathing before looking at them.
"Ma'am."
Rose could feel Sonya watching her unusually closely. It was a typical behavior when someone had something weighing on their conscience.
"Yes, go ahead and wash me."
Rose smiled brightly and entrusted herself to Sonya. Sonya began rubbing Rose's body with more careful hands than ever before.
"Is the water temperature alright?"
Watching Sonya continue to read her reactions, Rose secretly concealed the sharp glint in her eyes.
'Get a grip.'
Every time she faced Dane, her heart would pound, and the heart-wrenching memory of her first love would torment her. But that didn't mean she wanted to abandon what needed to be done.
'I want to save Your Excellency.'
This alone was her genuine, heartfelt truth. Regardless of whether her feelings would ever be reciprocated, she absolutely wanted to see this through.
'Until Your Excellency's birthday, at the very least.'
She resolved to separate work from emotion. For who she was now, emotions were a luxury. If she kept swaying like this, she'd end up losing her life to an enemy approaching at some unknown moment.
'Absolutely.'
Rose vowed again and again in her heart.
She would make what she told Dane a success. And she would save him.
The following morning.
"Your Excellency, Sir Lind has arrived."
Bill announced the visitor. I happened to be in my office reviewing documents related to him at that very moment.
"Let him in."
"Yes."
Soon, a man entered the office, guided by Bill.
"It's been a while, Your Excellency."
Hair sticking out in every direction like straw, and beneath it glasses so thick it was impossible to gauge the prescription. Both his eyebrows and the shape of his eyes drooped noticeably, giving him a rather pitiful impression.
"Andersen."
"Have you been well?"
"I'm always the same. Sit down for now."
Andersen shuffled over and sat on the sofa. I rose from my seat and sat on the sofa across from him.
I had the report I'd been reading at my desk in my hand. Even after sitting down on the sofa, I continued silently poring over the report.
'I can't seem to concentrate.'
This was a first. My eyes were scanning the words, but the content wasn't sinking in.
Partly because I already knew the material, but—
'Shall I assist you with your bath?'
—what happened yesterday kept flickering before my eyes.
I had never let anyone other than Bill touch my body before. But unable to refuse Rose's insistence on expressing her gratitude, I had grudgingly allowed it.
Rose's attendance wasn't as bad as I'd expected. No, to tell the truth, it was rather pleasant.
Her hands carefully tracing along the texture of my skin, her unusually small hands covering every corner without missing a single spot—I liked that meticulous tenderness.
But still...
'What on earth was she thinking.'
Just as Rose's soft hands were nearly tracing up to my chest, I barely managed to stop her.
The bathroom was filled with humid steam, and beyond it, I could see Rose crouching with a towel in hand. A faint sheen of sweat beaded on the bridge of her nose, and her lips were tightly pursed as if thoroughly concentrated.
She was the very picture of someone absorbed in bath attendance. Not a single trace of any impure intention to seduce me was visible.
'It probably wasn't intentional.'
I could fully guess and understand Rose's motivations. The problem was that some corner of my heart had felt disappointed by that.
'...Hah.'
Something must have gone wrong with my head. To be having such thoughts.
I tried hard to shake off the memories of yesterday's incident in the bathroom. Instead, I tried to focus on Rose's maid situation and the report in front of me.
How much time had passed?
Tap tap tap.
Andersen, sitting across from me, started bouncing his leg. It was a behavior he frequently displayed when he was feeling anxious.
"Andersen."
"Yes?"
"Your leg."
"Ah!"
Andersen quickly stopped his leg. But that lasted only a moment—
Tap tap tap tap.
His leg started tap dancing again. Even faster than before.
"Your Excellency."
Andersen, who had finally run out of patience, opened his mouth first.
"Does your leg not listen to you? Shall I give it a smack for you?"
"Do you want to break my leg?"
He rubbed the bridge of his nose with a groan and spoke.
"Please just scold me properly instead."
"About what?"
"The research results are terrible!"
Andersen cried out and buried his face in his hands.
"I know! I know this research was a failure!"
"Hm."
"But asking me to whip this together in just one week—does that make any sense? You gave me far too little time!"
Uwaaah.
A strangled wail seeped through the gaps between Andersen's hands covering his face.
"No matter how hard I try, I can't solve the final part of the blueprint! Even when I squeeze my disciples dry, none of them come up with anything remotely useful!"
Andersen Lind. Called a once-in-a-generation genius, the foremost authority on combat Magical Device development. He had even been offered a professorship at the Academy but had turned it down, choosing to live in the Schmaichel territory instead.
The reason was simple—he could directly procure high-quality Kalmar Mountain magic stones for his research, and he could immediately field-test the Magical Devices he created.
Most of those field tests were handled by me and the magical beasts of Kalmar Mountain.
"I've been holed up for a solid week doing nothing but research. Just a little more—just a little more and I think it'll work! It really is nearly complete, you know?"
"Is that so."
"Yes! So please, at the very least, don't cut off the research funds..."
"I won't."
"You won't after all? Then you'll confiscate the magic stones instead, won't you?"
"I won't do that either."
"Not the magic stones either? Then are you perhaps ordering me an eternal rest disguised as a break?"
"No, so shut your mouth."
"...Yes."
If there was one minor issue, it was that Andersen threw himself into his research to an excessive degree.
So I usually received his research results in writing, but occasionally called him to the castle like this. To let him see some sunlight and get some food in his mouth—otherwise this frail Magical Scholar wouldn't live very long.
"Are you sleeping at all?"
I could see deep shadows beneath Andersen's eyes. His lips were also completely chapped, making him look pitiful enough to feel sorry for.
"No. It's been about two days since I last closed my eyes. Oh, but I did wash up, at least, since I had to come see Your Excellency."
"You've learned well."
"Yes. I'd rather not get dragged off by Ms. Selma again. Ugh, I'll never forget that day even if I die."
"At least drink this for now."
"I'm not really in any mood to—"
"Drink it."
"...Yes."
In terms of providing research funds and materials without reservation, Andersen was absolutely loyal to me.
Gulp.
Andersen took a sip of the green drink on the table and his eyes went wide.
"What is this?"
"It's a nutritional juice. Since you hate chewing."
"You really do know me well. Thank you, Your Excellency."
I had Fabri mix various ingredients together to create this nutrient-packed drink.
Glug glug.
Andersen downed the rest of the drink in one go. Life began returning to his hollow complexion.
"This is delicious. Please send some to my lab next time."
"I will."
If this timid Magical Scholar ever heard the ingredients of that juice, he might pass out on the spot.
He still had no idea how advanced monster cuisine was in the Schmaichel territory. And he needed to stay that way forever.
"You said your disciples were wanting?"
"Yes, well. They're all just beasts who squander research funds."
The disciples, who worked day and night in the lab, had been demoted to beasts by their own master.
"Are you not thinking of taking on new disciples?"
"Well. I'd need some decent talent to come along first, wouldn't I?"
The moment their conversation ended, a knock came at the door. Knock knock.
"Your Excellency. The madam has arrived."
"Let her in."
Shortly after, Rose appeared through the office door, stepping hesitantly.
"Hello..."
Perhaps because she was eating and sleeping well, her complexion was definitely improving. Seeing her plump up like a chipmunk was rather satisfying.
"Madam, over here. There's someone I'd like to introduce."
Rose walked over demurely and sat where I indicated.
"Let me introduce you. This is Andersen Lind. He oversees Magical Device development for the Schmaichel territory."
"Ah, hello. I'm Rose Schmaichel..."
Rose, who had been bowing repeatedly as instructed, suddenly flinched.
"What did you just say?"
Rose raised her head and confirmed who was sitting beside her.
"Ah."
Andersen, who had been guzzling the green drink like a potion, gave a slight bow of his head.
"I'm Andersen Lind."
"...Good heavens."
Rose half-rose from her seat, then hesitantly sat back down. But her body was already tilted halfway toward the other side.
'You really do admire him.'
Andersen Lind was the Magical Device developer Rose respected most in the world.