### Chapter: 62
Although I hadn’t spent that long at the Academy, it was the first time I had seen such a relaxed expression on the Principal’s face. He looked like a sage who had set down all the worries of the world. Was that how a master who had put in years of effort might appear, one who stood before the fabled Uhleng?
Of course, I could understand him perfectly well. As a magician of the Empire, especially one with a military background, the Principal must have had numerous encounters with the Duchess. If I felt this way after just a few years, his feelings after countless decades of struggle must have been utterly devastating.
Just when he thought he’d finally escaped from the Duchess’s shadow as the Principal of the Academy, the moment he intuitively sensed her unique magic through a student, it must have felt like the sky was collapsing on him. Countless intrusive thoughts must have plagued him. Was Louise a cherished disciple of the Duchess? Would she flutter in and out of the Academy under that pretext?
“The Duchess asked me to take good care of Louise.”
– Aha, I see. The Duchess entrusts her disciple to you, so it seems the Executive Manager has garnered quite a bit of trust.
Yet, my words managed to dispel the Principal’s anxiety. The fact that the Duchess entrusted Louise to me meant that the probability of her descending directly upon the Academy was practically nonexistent—and that was good news for me. Hosting a Duke at the Academy?
Just the thought sends shivers down my spine!
Could you imagine having to care for a Prince, a Crown Prince, a future saint, and a Duke all at the same time? I’d probably be found innocent if I threw off all the worldly shackles and bolted for my life! If the Ministry of Justice has a conscience, that’s how it should be. Who would be able to endure if a Duke made himself comfortable in the Minister’s office, after all?
I shook my head, trying to shoo away the bitter thoughts that rushed in and resurfaced the happier memories instead.
– Are you in a rush? If anything goes awry while the Executive Manager is away, we will do our best to manage the situation, so you need not be concerned.
– I’m relieved to hear everything has concluded smoothly.
After wrapping up my conversation with the Principal, I passed on a message to the Vice Principal and Villar that I was back. Their responses were genuinely heartwarming. Just seeing how they worried about my well-being filled me with joy.
An elderly figure who might shoot me with magic in conversation, and someone I was grateful to but feared making mistakes in front of? Speaking with them, I felt immense satisfaction that I could communicate normally.
This is what a proper workplace feels like.
In the Prosecutor’s Office, I was always getting rough treatment. Half of my subordinates were worthless jackanapes, outright shameful! What on earth would they have done if I hadn’t raised them?
In contrast, at the Academy, there was no one above me, Principal included. Sure, there were a number of noble bloodlines I had to keep an eye on, but I could treat them a bit more casually with the mindset of, “They’ll just graduate, so who cares?” Plus, I had normal work colleagues like the Vice Principal and Villar!
“After the fact, you realize it was spring.”
While I was at the Academy, I wanted to wrap everything up quickly to return to the Prosecutor’s Office. But lo and behold, after spending a few hours there, I realized the Academy was like a paradise! Oh dear Academy, sorry for all the curses hurled your way! I had no idea I’d find such a warm spring waiting right next to me.
As I savored the delightful season, I stepped into the clubroom, only to be greeted by someone who absolutely should not have been there at this hour.
“Oppa, you’re back already?”
Hurrying inside, I found Louise joyfully whisking whipped cream while hugging the bowl tightly. I wondered if I had arrived late for club time—nope, that wasn’t it. If it were club time, there was no way Louise would be there all by herself!
A twinge of concern crept in as I scanned around the room and made eye contact with Erich, who stood in front of the oven.
Ah, there was Erich too. He seemed to have noticed my arrival as Louise greeted me.
“Ah, hyung, you’re back?”
“Yeah. But why are you two already here?”
This unexpected situation caught me off guard. Sure, from my angle, it was great that Erich and Louise were by themselves, but as the club supervisor, learning they were out of sync with the schedule was a bit dizzying!
“The teacher in charge had some business, so class finished early. We had nowhere else to go, so we came. We didn’t think you’d be here already.”
“Did you, too, Louise?”
“Well, we’re in the same class, after all.”
Ah, right, right. I had momentarily forgotten they were in the same class, just with different practices!
“So, where have you been since this morning, oppa?” Louise, still holding the bowl, cocked her head, curious. As the club’s overseer, my absence must have seemed odd to them.
“I had some errands to run. I’ve been out since this morning.”
“Huh? I didn’t see you leave.”
“I told you to pay attention in class!”
In that instant, I thought, Wait, did she just sit by the window gawking outside during class, like when I went to raid the dungeon? She may be the Duchess’s only disciple, but wouldn’t it be better to focus on studying instead?
Maybe because I had just yanked the first manager’s ear, my hands itched to pinch Louise. The first manager was sturdy enough to handle it, but if that pinch went to Louise? She might genuinely burst into tears!
“Hyung, are you going outside for something?”
“It’s errands.”
“Oh.”
As Erich picked up the conversational thread, he seemed to grasp our dynamics. The mere mention of errands was enough for him—he understood the term. When you live off the government’s pasture, being called to the capital isn’t unheard of. A civil servant responds to summons, no matter what they’re doing.
What I found regrettable was that my issue was about an enormous violation of a Duke’s privacy, not merely work-related! It was embarrassing to say, so let’s just keep it quiet.
“If he understands ‘business’ that well, Erich’s practically a civil servant!”
Suddenly, I grew curious about Erich’s future. He’d be more than suitable as a prospective slave! But did I need to pass my burdens onto my younger brother? Would he ever willingly step into this world after watching me and the patriarch?
“Hyung?”
Ah, did I stare a bit long?
If I candidly told Erich, “I’ve been considering whether to sell you into slavery,” that would definitely push us right back to square one. If I were him, I’d distance myself from a brother contemplating such a fate!
Thank goodness I had an excuse, so I beckoned him closer. No, not merely an excuse! I was genuinely curious about something. I was actually pleased he complied without question. It’s starting to feel like we’re building a somewhat conventional sibling relationship here.
“Why are you two simply standing by without being a bit more proactive?”
“I was going to, but three of us make things different!”
I whispered playfully, and Erich lowered his voice to reply. “You were going to what? Don’t even try fooling me; I know exactly what you’ve been up to!”
“Hey, Louise has cream on her face! Didn’t you think about wiping it off?”
“Ah, that? I was thinking about telling her once the whipping was done.”
…
If he weren’t my brother, I might have sworn out loud!
“Go wipe it off for her!”
I pointed Erich a little closer to Louise. Seemingly bewildered, he turned back to figure out what was going on. I jerked my chin subtly, indicating he needed to hurry, and he finally made his way over.
“Oh, you foolish boy.”
It’s rare to stumble upon an opportunity from the heavens itself, and you’re still hesitant to grab onto it? Absolutely frustrating! I felt a bit bad for Lather, who had asked me for neutrality, but hey, I just had to stay out of sight!
—
Erich trudging toward Louise felt that nagging sense of unease. Something felt off. For some inexplicable reason, he couldn’t pinpoint what exactly felt strange.
“Did it always feel like this?”
He flicked a glance back, and Carl motioned him over again. Though his mouth was closed, his eyes seemed to curse Erich silently and impatiently demand he hurry up. Erich quickly returned his gaze forward, but that peculiar discomfort only intensified.
Every time he had faced Carl, he felt an air of oppression that somehow made him shrink. This time, however, that feeling wasn’t nearly as strong. It hadn’t vanished entirely, but it was now bearable.
There was a specific reason for this change. In yesterday’s spar, he had earned approval from his only brother, leaving a satisfying reaction that mattered more than grades at the Academy. It felt like he had removed a layer of shell wrappings around himself.
“Well, this feels different.”
He had moved closer to the person whose approval he longed for. He told himself he would bravely face whatever came next. Hence, it was only natural the intimidation he felt must have lessened, or at least that was until Erich realized there was something else mixed along with it.
“Is it the butler?”
The only parallel he could draw to this feeling was one he caressed sometimes with the butler. There’s that sentiment of weariness felt when gazing upon someone frazzled, shabby, and utterly snowed under. It was the very same sensation he derived from Carl.
Yet, it wasn’t just fatigue that could sour that miserable experience. He knew Carl had a load of work; he didn’t need any additional proof. The head of a family hardly has time to relax either! But with Carl, this was more than just fatigue from being chased by work; it was something deeper, a bittersweet sensation that gnawed at him.
It was as if a piece of the puzzle had simply disappeared, a prickling unease that didn’t sit right. But no matter how hard he tried to think, that missing piece stubbornly refused to resurface.
“I really can’t figure this out.”
Fortunately, it wasn’t urgent. His apprehension about Carl hadn’t worsened, so he could take his sweet time sifting through it all. His perception of his only brother seemed to have shifted back toward normalcy.
“Louise, there’s cream on your cheek.”
“W-what?!”
As Erich pulled out a handkerchief to clean the cream off Louise’s cheek, he noticed her ears turn bright red.
So simple actions like this can have an effect, huh?
—
He kept glancing back, making me uneasy that he’d just turn right back. Thankfully, my brother doesn’t appear to be that dimwitted.
“What’s the big deal, anyway?”
Really, it’s nothing to fuss over, yet I can’t help feeling happy. It’s akin to watching a child who had no clue about the alphabet suddenly recite it. Sure, he hasn’t even grasped the alphabet yet, which is quite disheartening.
More pervasive than that is a slight drowsiness creeping in. I intended to catch a wink once I reached the clubroom, but maybe I should just take a nap now. If anyone else arrives, I’ll just ask them to wake me up!
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