"Wait—"
I was about to raise my hand but stopped where I stood. It was because I had caught sight of Rose's eyes sparkling brilliantly.
The brilliance that had flashed in her eyes upon seeing the Kalmar Mountain magic stone now burned rapturously within Rose's gaze.
It was the gaze of a Magical Scholar. The passion of an explorer who would pioneer unknown frontiers.
'Do I even have the right to stop her?'
A premonition struck me: when Rose set her mind on something, I would have a hard time bending her will.
It was strange. I could have just cut in and shut her down. But I found it difficult to do so readily.
The memory of Rose excitedly chattering about her research plans in front of me—that sparkle became something intangible that pulled my hand back down.
"……."
I swallowed the words I had meant to say and waited. Anxiety gnawed at me, but I resolved to hold back and await Rose's decision.
A bird held by force will never try to fly—that was simply the way of things.
"…First, let me thank you."
After a long pause, Rose's lips moved.
"It is truly an offer beyond my deserving, but… I am sorry."
Rose respectfully brought both hands together and bowed her head.
"I have things I must do right now, Andersen-nim. I must decline."
"…?"
Andersen's mouth fell open. He looked like someone who couldn't have imagined his offer would be refused.
"Are you serious? Do you realize what you just turned down?"
"Of course I do. For a mere Magical Scholar like myself, it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But…"
Rose's gaze brushed past me. Whatever lingering hesitation remained in her eyes washed clean the instant she looked my way.
"There is something truly important to me, and I want to focus on it here for the time being. Please forgive my rudeness."
A trace of relief lingered in Rose's concluding answer. In stark contrast to Andersen's expression, where disappointment had surged up.
"…Ha."
Andersen leaned back against the sofa as if he couldn't believe it. He had never once been turned down when recruiting a disciple; the blow seemed significant.
He hadn't even made that face when I smashed the Magical Device right in front of him.
"……."
I was just as surprised.
'She's actually refusing?'
If this had been the Rose who had endured all that hardship, still wanting to become Andersen's disciple—the Rose who didn't know what life in Andersen's laboratory was really like.
I had thought she would accept, albeit with hesitation. I had thought she might glance at me and ask if it was okay to accept.
But she didn't.
Instead, Rose sat quietly with a face calmer than either of ours. As though she harbored not a single regret about the decision she had made.
Kkuk.
I clenched my hand tight. The ticklish sensation I had felt lying in bed with Rose was welling up again from my fingertips.
A squirrel that had turned away from an enormous acorn and come back—it gave me a strange feeling.
For someone to prioritize me over herself… it was a truly strange, and unfamiliar feeling.
Tak-tak-tak.
Andersen's legs began tap-dancing again. He interlaced both hands, his face grave as he clicked his tongue.
'How do I lure away this delectable disciple?' — his expression openly betrayed his agonizing over this question.
"Andersen."
I figured it was about time to step in. Rose had refused; it was my turn now.
"I thought you didn't take personal requests."
"Did I say that? When?"
Andersen shamelessly wiped his expression clean and feigned innocence.
"Your Excellency has never made any personal requests of me. I simply spotted a talent—the Madam—catching my eye."
"I see."
I nodded, then added in a casual tone:
"Then don't even think about summoning 'my' wife to your laboratory for personal reasons."
"…Yes."
"And don't invite her under the pretext of showing your research results either."
"Yes…"
Andersen's true intentions were transparent. He wouldn't give up here. He would find some way to maintain contact with Rose and keep pressing his recruitment offer.
Given how he always complained about his disciples every time we met, he must have been quite desperate for a good one.
"From now on, if you have business, come to the castle yourself."
"Me?"
"Do you have a problem with that?"
Andersen blinked a few times, then cracked a grin.
"No, not at all. Understood, for now."
He appeared to back down more cleanly than expected, but I would soon learn that was not his true intention.
"The Madam seems to have received the offer so suddenly that she wasn't able to make a proper judgment. As time passes, she'll realize just how enormous a pumpkin she's kicked away. And then it'll be too late for regr—"
"Let go of your attachment to a carriage that's already departed."
So great was his disappointment that Andersen's mouth had been running on and on for quite some time—I had to shut it myself.
"Getting back to the matter at hand—ensure there are no delays in the laboratory's construction."
"But of course. Under these circumstances, I will build the Madam's laboratory to the very best of my ability."
"Didn't you already say that earlier?"
"Truth be told, I had planned to build it just slightly—very slightly—smaller than my own laboratory. Using the excuse that there was no spare space in the castle."
Andersen was needlessly honest.
"But seeing the Madam's talent, I suppose I could build it just as large as my own."
He tilted his head, then turned his gaze to Rose.
"Madam, have you published only that one paper? It seems odd that a talent of this caliber has gone unnoticed until now."
"Um, I've filed a few minor patents."
"What kind?"
"Like a portable lantern, and a rechargeable hair iron… things like that."
Rose stammered through her words, her face flushing slightly.
"Compared to your achievements, Andersen-nim, they're nothing."
"…Ah, that portable lantern. So that patent was yours, Madam. Don't call them nothing. I should take this opportunity to thank you."
"Huh?"
"Without it, my foolish disciples would have burned down my laboratory several times over. Those idiots spill everything—equipment, experiments, you name it."
Andersen tilted his head curiously.
"If I recall correctly, the patent was filed under a man's name. I remember it because I found it unusual for a man to file a patent for such a delicate Magical Device."
His eyebrows shot up sharply.
"Don't tell me someone stole this from you too?"
"No, it's really me. I deliberately filed it under a man's name. I was afraid people would dismiss it if it was under my own name."
Rose's voice grew quieter and quieter. Opening up about it in front of others seemed to bring a fresh wave of embarrassment over her.
"It's embarrassing, but… I made it from my given name and surname. Robbie…"
"I see. Hiding one's name for the sake of a goal is common enough. You needn't be so embarrassed about it."
Andersen's mild reaction calmed Rose. She let out a light sigh and relatively regained her composure.
"-And,"
Andersen's eyes gleamed coldly.
"Never let anyone steal your paper again. This is advice from—no, we're not there yet. A senior's advice."
"…Yes."
"A paper is like your own child, isn't it? If it were me, I would have punched that bastard Albert in the face."
"Because he's a professor…"
"A man like that is no professor. Listen to me carefully. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
Rose smiled sadly as she answered. She knew full well how unfairly she had been treated, but her face carried the pent-up frustration of someone who had never been able to speak of it to anyone.
"From now on, if you have a paper to write, come to me instead."
"Thank you for caring so much."
"I have to do at least this much if I want you to join me as my disciple, don't I? Oh, and if Albert asks whether you're writing the paper, just insist that you don't even have a draft yet. I frequently use that trick on Your Excellency—… Ahem, never mind."
"Albert."
I muttered the name of that son of a bitch—no, the professor.
"What's that professor's full name, exactly?"
"Albert Heisen."
Andersen hastily changed the subject, trying to recover from what he had just let slip.
"Stealing a student's work—he's out of his mind. Something like this should be made public, and he should be stripped of his position."
"That can be arranged."
At my low murmur, Rose gave a start.
"What? Your Excellency, are you serious?"
"Why wouldn't it be possible? Have you forgotten who I am?"
"*Gasp*…"
The Schmaichel family donates a massive sum to the academy every year. If I threatened to withdraw those donations, there was no telling whether the enraged department head would leave Professor Albert alone—that was simply something to wait and see.
"Leave that matter to me for now. Now, are you two done talking?"
"Yes."
As their answers came simultaneously, an involuntary crooked smile crept onto my face.
"Andersen. Go out and do what you need to do. Start by building the castle laboratory, and finish up this research."
"Yes, understood. Then I'll be on my—"
"Leave that report behind. Since it's 'your' research, you'll write and submit it entirely on your own."
"…"
Andersen's mouth worked uselessly, opening and closing. He gathered himself up, looking thoroughly reluctant.
"Your Excellency, I believe you just issued an order laced with very personal feelings."
"Now that you understand, don't try that insane stunt of tempting my wife in front of me again."
"I wasn't tempting her, I was recruiting her as my disci—"
Andersen stopped mid-sentence and beat a hasty retreat.
"Excuse me!"
Kung.
Strands of straw-like hair fluttered where he had hastily fled. The man who could wilt under a single glance from me still insisted on making these timid little acts of defiance.
"This."
I held out the report Andersen had left behind to Rose, who had been studying my expression the whole time.
"Since the Madam finished it, I'd say you have a fair share of credit in it. You'll be listed as a co-author soon enough anyway."
"I couldn't possibly accept this…"
"Consider it research material. You're not the type to leak it."
"…If you insist, then I'll accept it gratefully."
The usual Rose would have declined several times before accepting. But a Magical Scholar's curiosity had her reaching out without hesitation.
"Whoa."
I hid a smile as I watched Rose pore over the report.
Mana Reversal.
I had delivered this critical, massive clue to Rose quickly. Unlike the Rose of the original story, who had stumbled down the wrong path time and time again.
'The most crucial clue.'
A brilliant mind like Rose's would soon arrive at the answer. How I had been poisoned, and what needed to be done to break it.
Moreover, I planned to summon Andersen to the castle frequently under the pretext of research. If Rose and I met in the laboratory during those visits, we'd be able to avoid Joel's scrutiny.
I had resolved a great many things in one go. A thoroughly satisfying time.
**
A busy day was nearly at its end.
After finishing the afternoon schedule, approximately one hour remained until dinner. It was the only free time in the day's official itinerary.
"I'm going to the training grounds."
When I said that, the servants moved out in perfect unison. It was to avoid the accident of being caught in my practice and losing a limb or two.
'Finally alone.'
Today was a very important day. The one day of the week when Joel left to buy herbs.
I planned to use this window to search his room.