37
Chapter 37
I had a good laugh and returned to the lab.
I worried that I might burst out laughing again if I saw them eating, but fortunately, the dog food tasting was over.
"Bio, this artifact is truly remarkable."
The Imperial Princess praised it as soon as I arrived, and I almost lost it again.
"If you knew the activation word when you sold it, you could have gotten a much higher price. How foolish."
Shine's sarcastic tone was accompanied by milk stains still clinging to her lips.
Since she was so thin, it wasn't very obvious, but her stomach definitely looked fuller than before. Just how much dog food did she eat?
Instead of feeling offended, I had to quickly cover my mouth to stop from laughing.
"I assume your stomach is still feeling rough. Did you drink too much yesterday? Anyway, this artifact is the real deal. Creating something from nothing—isn't that simply amazing?"
Well, I think there's a misunderstanding here.
Magic is the skill of creating phenomena by responding to or interfering with the mana in the atmosphere using one's own magic power.
It's not about creating something from nothing.
Artifact magic is no different.
On the surface, it seems to operate on magic power alone without any cost, but in reality, it consumes materials from the surroundings that are harmless for dogs to eat.
In short, if you activate the dog food artifact in a sealed room with nothing in it, nothing will be produced.
You need at least some soil or grass to make it work.
Of course, if it were only made of those, it would taste terrible and no dog would eat it.
According to Ark, it was an artifact created by Seven Stars, who cherished his dog and wanted it to eat the same things he did.
Wait, this is Old Man Roy's lab, so there must have been plenty of expensive materials around...
Well, it's not my lab, so there's no reason for me to worry.
Even if someone notices later, I can just say I didn't know.
"Then, a bit more money..."
"Now, now, hasn't the price already been paid in full?"
"That's fine. But you have to keep your promise, right? Imperial Princess, please greet your Master once more."
Honestly, whether I got extra payment or not didn't really matter.
I had already achieved my original goal.
"Huh? Oh, yes. I look forward to studying under you."
"Hmph, I'll keep my promise even if you don't keep nudging me. Though, the chances of success are slim..."
That old man—he could just say he'll do his best as promised instead of constantly bringing the mood down.
"It's better than giving up without even trying, isn't it? I'm going to do my absolute best."
She's surprisingly positive, even though there's plenty of reason to be discouraged.
Not that it changes the reality of the situation, though.
Anyway, since I've achieved my goal, shall I head out?
"Then you two should discuss the curriculum and future plans. I'll be on my way now."
"Leaving already?"
"There's somewhere I need to stop by. Since the Imperial Princess is determined, please teach her to the best of your ability."
"I will."
After a final reminder, I left immediately.
I didn't want to stay any longer and risk the Princess asking for more of my help.
He might complain that I'm offloading the teaching responsibility on him, but that's unlikely.
After all, Old Man Roy is the strongest Great Wizard in Beluga.
If he does complain, I'll just dig up a few roots of wild ginseng for him later.
'Where are you going? The Gate is in the opposite direction.'
'I told you I have somewhere to stop by.'
'Wasn't that just a figure of speech?'
I caught a carriage heading north from the transport stop and arrived at my destination after nearly an hour of travel.
A sea of tombstones and graves filling a lush green hill.
This is the National Cemetery, where those who served the Beluga Empire but had no fief, or those who wished to be buried here during their lifetime, are laid to rest.
I bought a bouquet of chrysanthemums from a nearby merchant, showed my identification card to the civil servants guarding the entrance, and went inside.
Seniors, peers, and juniors who passed away before me are also here, but I didn't come to see them today.
Though they all look the same, I've visited every year—even as recently as last month—so I reached my destination without hesitation.
[Countess Anna Nois]
Usually, I only come on the anniversary of the death, but having heard her name yesterday, she was on my mind, and I wanted to drop by since I was already in the Capital.
"Anna, I'm here."
It seems it had snowed in the Capital as well; there was a light dusting, and as I cleared it away, I saw the flowers from last month, still frozen in place.
Alongside the chrysanthemums I brought, there were bouquets decorated with various colorful flowers that felt out of place in a cemetery.
They were the same bouquets I saw every year.
Anna loved all kinds of flowers, so the Old Man seems to take extra care of her gravesite.
Anna once told me that while he seemed blunt on the outside, he was a total romantic when they were alone.
But I've never actually run into the Old Man here.
When I was active, there were times I was deployed and couldn't make it back that day, and after retiring, I purposely visited in the afternoon or late at night.
I used to see him almost every day, and we were together as recently as this morning, but here, the memory of my mistakes keeps resurfacing, making me want to avoid him.
"Anna, the Old Man came by yesterday and made a huge fuss, even using your name. Isn't that a bit much?"
I spent nearly an hour talking to her.
I complained about how annoying he had been and told her the story about the Imperial Princess and the Great Wizard eating dog food.
No answer came back, but just doing this made me feel as if my heart were being healed.
Normally, Ark would have scolded me for being overly sentimental, but he remained silent since I had explained the situation regarding Anna when we visited last month.
"I'll come back again soon."
I said my farewells and stood up.
Once I returned to Seinti through the Gate, it was almost lunchtime, so I stopped at the inn next to the Gate.
After quickly finishing my lunch, I stopped by the market to pick up some groceries.
Most people recognized me; it felt like I'd been in the Capital for a year, but in reality, it had only been a few months.
I returned home with my subspace filled to the brim with food, only to find a letter tucked into the door.
The handwriting looked familiar, and when I turned it over, I saw May's name.
It's only been two days since break started, so why is she sending a letter?
If she had something to say, she could have said it at school.
I took the letter inside.
After a quick wash, I felt a chill and tossed some firewood into the fireplace.
I placed a kettle on top of the roaring fire to boil some water.
Warm tea and the cookies I just bought from the market were all set on the bedside table.
Oh, right, the letter.
I sat on the bed and tore it open.
I wondered if a nearby estate was picking a fight again, but fortunately, that wasn't the case.
She thanked me as usual, and mentioning that she didn't know I had quit yet, she asked for my help next semester... wait, what?
[.......Instructor, you always said it was fine, but my heart felt heavy since I've only received and given nothing in return. My father also said that if the situation allows, it's best to repay a debt of gratitude quickly. That is why I intend to visit your home soon. Our estate's situation has improved greatly thanks to the recently discovered gold vein.......]
I told her repeatedly that it was fine, but for someone who claimed she'd achieve great things, she's far too kind for her own good.
Everything is fine, but the visit is a bit overwhelming.
I appreciate the sentiment of wanting to repay me, but isn't it common courtesy to ask if a visit is okay first?
Since the gold vein worked out, she probably wants to bring some gold bars; I always welcome money, but a visit is still a bit...
Thinking it would be better if I visited her around the day after tomorrow, I put the letter in the drawer.
Looking at the snowfall outside while sipping warm tea and eating cookies brought a natural peace to my mind.
Is this not what happiness is?
Deciding to take a long-overdue nap, I finished my tea and cookies and lay down on the bed.
'Are you sleeping again?'
'Why not?'
The moment I lay down, it felt like paradise.
Now that I think about it, I slept outside yesterday and rushed through this morning, so I haven't rested properly.
Listening to the crackling of the fireplace, I felt drowsiness creeping in.
I pulled up the blanket, but the scent felt different than usual.
Ah, the Imperial Princess slept here yesterday.
Her scent must have lingered.
Roses... no, a subtle scent of lavender?
The memory of yesterday made me feel slightly unpleasant, and I considered washing the sheets, but my laziness won over my discomfort.
Well, it's not a foul smell, just a bit distracting.
I decided to do the laundry after I woke up and closed my eyes.
****
This is embarrassing.
The fact that a short nap turned into over a day of sleep isn't a huge problem.
I'm unemployed now, after all.
In fact, thanks to the deep sleep I hadn't had in ages, I felt refreshed and great.
It would have been the perfect start to the day, save for being a bit hungry.
That is, if the uninvited guests hadn't arrived while I was prepping vegetables for a brunch of fried rice.
"Sister, this is so delicious! Sia wants more."
"Sia, you've already had enough. I'll give you some later..."
...I silently served her more fried rice from the frying pan.
May looks at me tentatively.
"It's fine. There's plenty."
"Then, maybe just a little more for me..."
...So she was asking for more.
I thought she was just checking if I was annoyed with her sister.
"Me too!"
I scraped the frying pan clean and divided the remaining fried rice evenly between Arin and May.
"Th... thank you. We're sorry for visiting so suddenly and eating your food."
If she's sorry, she should stop doing things to be sorry for.
The uninvited guest who ruined my perfect morning was May.
She even brought her siblings along like a string of sausages.
"I just put out a few more spoons for a meal I was already eating, so don't worry about it."
In truth, there's no reason to be so harsh and call them uninvited guests.
Unlike the Imperial Princess's party, they didn't make unreasonable demands or try to stay over; they just came to repay a favor.
She said they brought the siblings along because they were heading to their maternal grandparents' home after stopping by my place.
Prepping more ingredients for one breakfast was a bit tedious, but it wasn't a huge ordeal.
"That was delicious!"
"I think Instructor cooks better than my sister."
That's only because I've spent so long living on my own.
There was a course called Survival Cooking during the Black Agent training, but that was completely useless.
'When eating a snake, cut off the head and grill it'—it was literally just a guide on how to survive.
"Thank you for the meal."
"Did you all skip breakfast?"
"Well... we ate a bit early. We ate too much, didn't we? Sor..."
"Going to say you're sorry again? You've got a lot to be sorry for. It's better than having leftovers. Have some tea."
"Yes. Thank you."
Arin says she wants some too.
She raises her hand high.
"Sia is okay. I don't like tea because it's bitter."
"Then how about some hot chocolate for Sia? I have cookies too."
"I love cookies! But what's hot chocolate?"
She doesn't know what hot chocolate is?
It's probably because chocolate is a luxury enjoyed by the Imperial Family and high nobles.
I heard wealthy merchants eat it too, but the Levi Territory is a remote village and they've struggled financially, so it's not surprising she's never had any.
"It's a tea that's much sweeter than honey tea."
"Th... then I'll give it a try!"
I'll make sure she doesn't regret that decision.
I put the water on and took out the milk and the glass bottle of cocoa powder I bought yesterday from my subspace.
"It... it's so black, it looks like poison."
Poison, my foot. Once she tastes it, she'll be begging for more.
I brewed the tea first, then poured warm milk into a cup and shook in the powder.
Some people mix it with water, but personally, I prefer milk.
"Instructor? Did something good happen?"
Seeing the milk reminded me of the Imperial Princess and Old Man Roy, and I found myself smiling.
"It's nothing."
I handed out the tea and transferred the hot chocolate into a mug for Sia so it wouldn't be too hot.
"I've never seen tea this color before."
She stares at it with a suspicious expression, which reminds me of a former junior.
We had encountered a sudden avalanche while returning from a mission near the Frozen Earth at the edge of the North.
We weren't swept away, but the blizzard was so intense we couldn't see an inch ahead, and we ran out of food while lost.
With only chocolate left, we melted the surrounding snow and made hot chocolate to survive until we finally escaped.
That junior didn't know what chocolate was either and just stared at it like Sia, but after one taste, he begged me to make it every time.
Even when I taught him how to make it, he claimed it didn't taste the same when he did it himself.
I scolded him, asking how it could possibly compare to when we had nothing else to eat, but he stubbornly insisted that it tasted different when I made it. He was a real pain.
"Sia, if you're scared to drink it, I'll try it first to see if it's okay."
Arin took a sip, and her already large eyes widened even further.
"What on earth is this..."
"Is it really weird?"
"It's delicious! Um..."
Arin is still a child, so she'd likely prefer hot chocolate over tea.
Since I already had the ingredients out, I made her another cup.
I offered some to May as well, but she declined, perhaps to maintain her dignity as the older sister.
She seemed interested, though, so I should pack some for her when she leaves.
In the first place, the only reason I carried the ingredients around was because my junior would freak out whenever he saw them; it's too sweet for my taste, so I don't really like it.
Once Arin and Sia quickly finished their hot chocolate and cookies, they headed outside to play, and May pulled a small pouch from her pocket and handed it to me.
"It's not much, but please accept this for now."
I opened it to find a gold nugget about half the size of my fist and a gold brooch shaped like a lion.
The golden lion is the symbol of the Beluga Empire, and below the lion, my name and surname were engraved.
"The nugget is made from the first ores mined from the mine. I crafted the brooch myself."
The nugget was meaningful, but I hadn't known she had the skill to craft such a brooch.
"This is fine. I'll put it to good use."
"It's nothing compared to everything you've done for me. Oh! My father said he would send 20% of the mine's profits to your bank account in your name, Bio."
Twenty percent of the mine's profits? I didn't know how much that would be, but it wouldn't be a small amount; they were quite generous.
"Tell him that's unnecessary."
"Is it too little? He said he'd raise it to 30% once the territory is in better shape..."
"I didn't mean it was too little; I meant I don't need it. The Levi family owns the land, develops it, and mines it—what have I done to deserve a share of the profits?"
"But we've received so much from you. My father said that if it weren't for you, we might have lost the entire gold mine. That's why he insists we must give it to you..."
"Did you forget that I hate repeating myself? This is more than enough."
I refused again, but May wouldn't back down easily, and we eventually settled on 10%.
She's usually so obedient, but she's incredibly stubborn about this.
"My father is going to scold me because of you."
"I'll send a separate letter to Baron Marius."
"Oh, then you must put in a good word for me. Tell him I insisted until the very end that you take it."
"Don't worry about it."
"Yes. Well, I'll be going now. I look forward to your help next semester as well."
Hmm... I hesitated for a moment, but I felt I had to tell May.
"May, a new instructor will be in charge of the Ranger Theory class next semester."
"What? What does that..."
To the visibly shocked May, I used the same excuse I gave the Dean, claiming I was unwell and struggling emotionally.
She seemed quite disappointed, but the excuse seemed to work; May said she understood, said goodbye to her siblings, and left.
After seeing them off and returning inside, I felt a tightness in my chest, as if I had indigestion.
I could still see May through the window.
Unlike when she arrived, May's shoulders were slumped as she walked down, holding her siblings' hands.
'Going to sleep again?'
'Yep.'
I'll feel better after I sleep.
****
I had no idea the Instructor was so unwell, both physically and emotionally.
I only ever thought about my own struggles.
Since the Instructor was misunderstood just as I was, he must have had a hard time too...
"Unnie?"
"Yeah?"
"Why do you look so down?"
"I'm not down. It's nothing."
"Did the Instructor scold you for no reason?"
"Sia, the Instructor is a good person; he doesn't scold people without a reason."
I feel so pathetic and ashamed that I kept moping about coming in third in the competition, oblivious to how much he was suffering.
Even while struggling himself, he continued to comfort and encourage me, telling me I had done well, and I didn't notice a thing.
To think he was emotionally wounded, yet he remained kind to everyone until the very end without showing any sign...
"Unnie, are you crying? Why are you crying? Don't cry."
"I'm not crying; something just got in my eye."
Ever since the closing ceremony, I had hoped the new semester would start quickly.
Because I thought Instructor Bio would continue to teach us.
An academy without Instructor Bio...
I hate the thought of it...