Chapter 131
The pastry club room was surprisingly tidy, considering that it had been left unused during the vacation. I had expected it to be filled with dust and was even prepared to clean it.
— I heard you’ve returned to the academy. The club room has been regularly cleaned, so you can use it right away.
While preparing cleaning supplies, I received a message from the Vice Principal and set them aside. It turned out this place hadn’t been neglected but had been carefully maintained all along.
Thank you, Vice Principal. For someone who’s climbed to the number two spot in the academy, he has quite the skill and sense! If only the Manager Trio were half as good as him.
Should I recruit him?
For a moment, the thought of scouting the Vice Principal for the Prosecutors’ Office crossed my mind. It might be a stretch, but he would probably excel as the Senior Manager’s assistant.
However, I ultimately dismissed the idea after some serious consideration. After all, people ought to thrive in places suited to their talents. I endure my position in the Ministry of Finance because it fits my aptitude, after all.
Suppressing a bitter feeling, I placed the hawthorn plant by the window. If I’d known the Vice Principal maintained the club room regularly, I wouldn’t have bothered bringing it with me. Nonetheless, it had done a lovely job decorating my room while staying at the mansion.
Thank you, little white hawthorn.
Grow strong and healthy!
Our little white hawthorn really is quite lovely.
Irina gave me a delightful gift. Plus, thinking about the flower meanings Yuris shared with me—forgiveness and tolerance—makes it even more touching.
If I were in Irina’s shoes, I wouldn’t forgive myself at all. How could I ever forgive and get along with someone who humiliated and pummeled my family?
As I gently touched the branches as if petting the 3rd Manager’s head, I turned away. I needed to start preparing for the guests who would arrive in a few hours.
Perosa Ganelli.
I pulled out some snacks I had purchased from the store and recalled the name of the guest.
She was the daughter of Sir Villar, a member of one of Armein’s prestigious noble families, the Count of Ganelli, and she had been officially appointed a knight at the age of 17.
That was indeed impressive for her age. However, when you compared her to others her age, she wasn’t exactly extraordinary. I mean, wasn’t I already fighting in the Great War when I was 17?
No matter how I think about it, she seems to have volunteered.
In every country on the continent, there’s a tradition of not placing close relatives on the same mission. If everyone on that mission ends up dead, it could ruin the entire family.
And right now, the situation isn’t so dire as to ignore that tradition, nor do her abilities seem overwhelming.
So why did she volunteer for this mission? And what was Armein thinking for accepting her as a volunteer?
Was it really just a family reunion they wanted?
In some ways, staying at the Imperial Academy is a peaceful mission. Guarding a prince is also a guaranteed path towards promotions. So perhaps they sent his daughter here, making Sir Villar suddenly a “crane father.”
But that’s only if you look at it positively. The reality is a different beast. They know it too well, which is why they hastily replaced personnel on a large scale.
I don’t know anymore.
Seriously, how could I possibly understand their circumstances, no matter how much I racked my brain? Let’s just assume it’s Armein who’s been swayed by Perosa’s overflowing desire for family values.
Unfortunately, from Villar’s perspective, it’s probably burning him alive.
Footsteps echoed from a distance and stopped in front of the club room. They’ve arrived.
Knock, knock—.
“Executive Manager, it’s Villar.”
“Ah, please come in.”
As the door opened, I almost looked away. Sir Villar’s complexion appeared even darker than the last time, and he looked utterly shattered. To think it was his daughter who caused his breakdown instead of those dumb princes… How pitiful.
Moreover, Sir Villar’s blonde hair looked even more disheveled than I remembered, likely a reaction to his mood. At this rate, he might turn completely gray!
“Thank you for accepting my invitation on such short notice.”
I greeted Sir Villar, trying to suppress my sympathy. This meeting wasn’t for work, but purely to offer comfort, so I should welcome him warmly.
Of course, comfort from a stoic man can be as meaningless as a paper umbrella in a rainstorm, but it must be better than being cooped up at the headquarters of the three countries.
“I’m just grateful that you entertained this unreasonable request.”
“Haha, what about this is unreasonable?”
He chuckled at Sir Villar’s words, and then I shifted my gaze behind him.
To the unfortunate person who was the subject of Sir Villar’s unreasonable request and would likely be the prime suspect if he collapsed from high blood pressure.
“Who’s this, Sir Villar?”
“She’s my daughter.”
In response to his tired sigh, a knight with navy blue hair stepped forward and bowed.
“I’m Perosa Ganelli.”
Her greeting was stiff, and her manner, rough. She looked quite ordinary and unremarkable. At least, by the initial glance, she didn’t seem like a poster child for unyielding filial devotion.
She looks just like him.
Her sturdy, rugged appearance resembled her father’s, while her navy blue hair was probably from her mother’s side.
“I’m Carl Krasius. Let’s get along until graduation, Dame Perosa.”
“Yes, please take care of me.”
We exchanged brief pleasantries before I had them take their seats. It would be uncouth to have the guests standing around like lost sheep.
As I set the snacks I had prepared on the table, Sir Villar spoke up first.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had snacks in the club room.”
A small smile crept onto my face at his words.
That’s right! It really has been a while. While we’ve held tea parties frequently at the palace and the territory, those cozy mini tea parties in the club room are truly missed.
“The only difference is that these snacks aren’t homemade.”
“That’s a shame.”
Yet, there was no glimmer of disappointment on his face. It was likely better to serve shop-bought snacks rather than Louise’s wildly mixed bag of cookies that you either love or outright hate.
I totally understood. There are far too many people who can’t handle Louise’s kitchen experiments. Surely, he wouldn’t want his daughter forced to choke down something that most folks can’t handle. I guess no matter how hard she screws up, a father loves his daughter.
Casually shifting my gaze to Perosa, I noticed her expression remained as stern as ever. Well, it’s probably best not to strike up a conversation.
“I’m sure you’ve had a lot going on, so settle in and make yourself at home!”
Let’s stick to my original plan and focus on Sir Villar. It might be problematic if he suddenly loses his marbles and goes AWOL.
Fortunately, it seemed Sir Villar’s mental state was slowly healing.
“Father, try this, too.”
To my surprise, it was Perosa who contributed most to his recovery.
It was ironic that the person who had dealt him a mental blow was now lifting him up, but she was his daughter, after all. Having her by his side must provide him some comfort—even if she’s not yet twenty.
Knights are generally serious, so a daughter who’s affectionate toward him likely makes him feel both proud and amused.
It would have been nice if it was always like this.
I chose to ignore Sir Villar’s murmured comment. It seemed this wasn’t how Perosa usually acted; clearly, he was feeling quite the pang of guilt.
Perosa’s head dipped low, clearly embarrassed at her father’s words. Watching her, it seemed she knew she’d messed up somewhat.
However, being aware of her own mistakes granted her a few bonus points in my book. Compared to the prince of her own country, she was practically an angel. That little brat probably wouldn’t even notice if I was trash-talking him!
“It seems Dame Perosa really looks up to Sir Villar.”
So, I decided to chime in and praise Perosa a bit. She perked up slightly, catching the hint of my defense.
“I never thought this child would follow her father to the Empire.”
And then she immediately lowered her head again. Sorry, this seems to be ineffective.
Once my words stalled, I found myself at a loss for the right thing to say. No matter which way I looked at it, I couldn’t defend Perosa for coming to the Empire.
But I had to say something to break the awkwardness for both our sakes.
“The determination to become a knight at such a young age shows a level of passion that’s not exactly common.”
To put it bluntly, it was greater than just “not common”—it was downright bizarre!
“Moreover, it’s truly admirable to see a knight who doesn’t swell with pride after achieving knighthood, yet still thinks of her father.”
In actuality, it wasn’t lovely at all; it was rather alarming!
“If we have knights like that in our ranks, even Prince Rutis could rest assured about his safety!”
Most likely, Prince Rutis wouldn’t even know whether she was there or not–
“Is that so?”
What?!
What’s up with her sudden reaction?
Perosa, who had been quietly observing us, suddenly brightened up and spoke. Now that I think about it, apart from the initial greeting, this was the first time she had addressed me.
“Yes, most likely that’s the case.”
As I nodded in agreement, Perosa’s eyes lit up dramatically.
“If I can be of assistance to Prince Rutis, that would be an immense honor!”
Her tone rose subtly, and the rigidity in her expression began to dissolve.
Something seemed off, so I flicked my gaze to Sir Villar, who was quietly sighing. Ah, so that’s what it is.
She had another agenda.
Sure, Perosa might have a strong sense of duty toward her father. She likely wanted to help him as he toiled away in a distant land.
But judging by the current situation, it was clear there was a deeper reason that led her to come to the Empire.
Was she a devoted follower?
She had come to support her beloved prince. It was pure coincidence that her father was in charge of this mission, making her even more eager to be here!
The favorable impression I had of her just moments ago was suddenly back on shaky ground. She seemed headstrong, perhaps reckless, having followed Rutis. That’s definitely something she shouldn’t take after him!
“You seem to admire Prince Rutis quite a bit.”
The moment I said that, both sets of eyes were suddenly on me.
One was Sir Villar’s alarmed gaze, and the other was Perosa’s filled with excitement. Yet, both expressions were eerily close to being void of emotion, which seemed oddly consistent.
“Of course! Prince Rutis is—”
Oh crap.
It quickly dawned on me that I had stepped into a minefield I shouldn’t have.
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