Professors Fired and Remarriage Rejected
"Getting married?"
The glasses woman had mentioned it. There were three interviewers, but one had gone to the bathroom. Was that person Felix?
He greeted us warmly, and the professors looked flustered.
"Oh, do you know him?"
"They're the benefactors of my life."
"B-benefactors of your... life?"
The word benefactor wasn't something to take lightly, and the pig professor's face twisted in unease.
"But... the atmosphere here isn't great. Was there some conflict?"
Felix noted, scanning the room.
I jumped in quickly. "There was a conflict because they insulted my family."
"Didn't you insult me first!?"
"Who was it that lectured me like I needed to 'know my place' when it comes to someone else's precious daughter?"
"Is that true?" Felix asked the pig professor.
"H-honestly, isn't it strange? A dad who didn't even graduate from this school himself. He does manual labor, so he must be poor. And his family education is so abysmal that when I offered a few words of advice, he—!"
"Enough! I don't want to hear any more."
Felix cut him off with a frown.
"Since when does our school judge students based on external factors rather than the students themselves?"
I added casually, "When I threw a few harsh words back, the female professor started talking about defamation."
"...Is that true, Professor Rebecca?"
"......"
She fell silent. The mood had shifted in our favor.
I tacked on one last thing. "I could overlook insults to myself, but I can't tolerate anyone insulting my daughter."
"Mr. Valentine, I can't tolerate you being insulted either. You saved my family's direct descendant—you deserve respect."
So the kid we rescued back then was his family's heir. He must treasure him a lot. That's why they share a name.
Felix bowed his head. "I'm truly sorry. On behalf of the school, I apologize for the professors' rudeness."
Felix bowed in deception once more.
"Please, lift your head. It wasn't your fault."
As I said that, I turned to the fat one and the glasses woman. They flinched and trembled.
Slowly, they bowed to me. "...We're sorry."
"Was that to me?"
At my words urging them to apologize to Elizabeth, they bowed again. "...Miss Valentine, we're truly sorry."
"I apologize as well, Miss Valentine. Our professors were rude. If it's not too much trouble, may we continue the interview?"
"The interview?" I replied indifferently.
At first, I'd been worried about how to ace it. But after seeing their attitudes, I'd changed my mind. If high-ranking people acted like this, what would the underlings be like? I figured we'd look for a kinder school instead.
"I hate to say it, but I hold Miss Valentine's potential in high regard. Growing up under such an outstanding and steadfast father, she surely has no rough edges."
"Is that so."
"Absolutely. And I can tell how much love she's been raised with. She must have been showered with the world's affection. I don't want to let a fine young sprout like her slip away."
Felix finished, shooting the professors a cold glance. "Of course, these two won't be conducting the interview. Professor Peswal, Professor Rebecca—you're both fired."
"You can't do that! Even as principal, you can't just fire us on the spot like this."
"...You're right, Principal Felix. You're going to fire us for something this trivial?"
The professors predictably pushed back.
"I can't?" Felix calmly latched onto their words.
"Everyone, I hold this position because His Highness delegated his authority to me. And before being principal, I'm the royal chamberlain."
The Ladenburg family had served as royal chamberlains for generations. Felix, the family head, was the current one. He was also principal of Lenz Academy. His exceptional abilities allowed him to juggle both roles, but politics played a bigger part.
Felix had long advised the king with a pro-monarchy stance, unlike other nobles who checked royal power. The king, eager to strengthen his authority, had placed Felix at Lenz Academy. In practice, he was a figurehead principal with no real power since he couldn't do both jobs fully.
Still, his true position was royal chamberlain—a high office managing all palace affairs great and small. Firing two professors was nothing to him.
"E-even so, without just cause!"
"Just cause..."
Felix stroked his beard and continued. The professors weren't wrong. Rudeness in an interview didn't warrant dismissal. But.
"Professor."
"...Yes, Principal."
"Are you still holding onto the money you got from Count Chitoka?"
"...Pardon?"
"Looks like you took it well. Otherwise, how else would Count Chitoka's fifth-ranked son jump to third in subjects after just one semester?"
The fat professor's face drained of color.
"Professor Rebecca."
Felix turned to the glasses professor next. But after the previous exchange, her face was already pale as a ghost.
"Shall I say it myself, or will you leave the school on your own?"
"I-I'll go. Please don't say it."
With that, the glasses professor actually left—after slamming down her faculty badge.
Felix turned back to the fat professor. "I had more than enough reason to fire you both. It wasn't that I couldn't; I just didn't. Having the justification is enough."
"......"
"What will you do? If you think the dismissal is unfair, file a petition. Then I'll report you for bribery."
"I'll resign..."
"Good choice. Now leave."
The fat professor slunk out with slumped shoulders.
"Sorry if we caused a fuss," I said.
"Not at all. I'm glad to repay the favor this way. So, Mr. Valentine, would you reconsider the interview?"
He was going this far—I couldn't refuse. With a principal like him, it might be worth trusting again.
"Sweetie, want to do the interview after all?"
"Yes."
Elizabeth nodded, and we changed our minds. The sole interviewer was now Principal Felix alone. Unlike before, the mood was warm and pleasant. We finished without issue.
Afterward, Elizabeth said, "Who would've thought that old man from back then would show up—and as this school's principal! I never imagined it."
"Me neither. I knew he wasn't ordinary. You did great today. Dinner out?"
"Yay!"
*
The next day.
"Dad's off to work."
"Take care."
Leo headed to the site in a loose-fitting shirt. It was 5:30 a.m., and he arrived on time. Workers already there sat on materials, sipping tea.
"Hey! Leo!"
The group waved cheerfully when they spotted him. Leo went over and greeted them.
"Morning, William. Betty. Nodis. Rest well yesterday?"
"You bet. We had a blast at that new spot. Wine Valley branch—know it?"
"No. How is it?"
"Heh, paradise. For 20,000 harts, young ladies pour wine with their breasts... Whew, nothing like it in my life. Prettier than any natural valley."
Old man William grinned lewdly. He was the eldest among them.
"Come with us sometime!"
His "little brother" Betty laughed heartily. Not blood-related—just that close.
"Haha, thanks, but with a daughter, it's probably not for me."
"Aw, still no remarriage? With your looks, women would line up."
"Living just with my girl suits me fine."
William said, "You might be okay with it, but she might not. I grew up without a mom and it sucked. Everyone else had one, but not me."
...Really.
Never crossed my mind. I'd even wished my mom gone sometimes.
"...Is it bad for a kid's emotional growth without a mom?"
"Yeah. A mom is like the kid's whole world. I've realized with age—money can't buy family happiness."
"You don't have money."
"What're you saying, bro? I make good cash. That stock I picked is killing it."
"What? Which stock?"
"Man, railroads are hot now. Lay tracks everywhere, and it'll boom."
"Anything else?"
As talk turned to stocks, I pondered something else.
Remarriage...
I'd thought about it. I'd even floated it to Elizabeth, but she always said things were good now. But maybe because she'd never had a mom.
Wouldn't she be happier with one?
*
Marriage. When loving man and woman build a family.
...Gotta start with love, huh.
Love. I mulled it over. Looking back, I'd never shared deep affection. Not inexperienced with women—I'd visit brothels when urges built. Some wanted serious relationships, but I refused. Marrying a whore? Thinking of my birth mom made me shudder. One like her as Eli's mom? Hell no.
"Sweetie."
"Yeah?"
On her day off, Elizabeth lay on my lap reading a novel, giggling, eyes on the page.
"Just wondering."
"Mhm."
I stroked her golden hair. "You don't get lonely?"
"Dunno?"
"You don't play much with friends. Must be boring coming home."
"Nah."
"Some days you're alone without Dad."
"True, but why? What's with the circling?"
"Ahem. What if Dad remarried?"
I turned away, embarrassed. Silence fell.
I glanced back. "Elizabeth?"
Her eyes, fixed on the book, flicked to me. They were always striking—clear as sky sometimes, sparkling like sapphires others. Now, deep as the ocean, staring.
"What'd you say?"
"...Marriage."
I shrank unwittingly.
"Yeah, marriage. You gonna do it?"
Her voice was startlingly clear.
"Not that I'm—"
"Got a woman you're seeing?"
Elizabeth's words were sharp and fast. Book discarded, she stared straight.
"No. But you hate Dad dating?"
"Hate it. Hate someone in our home. Hate a stranger as Dad's wife."
"Not that much..."
"That much. Think about it— who'd you want me dating?"
She put me in her shoes.
I thought. "Anyone decent, I'd be okay."
"Nope. You'd object."
"...Yeah?"
She concluded. "But why bring it up? Someone propose?"
"No."
"Then you'll if one comes?"
After you say that, what choice do I have?
"No."
She smiled contentedly, shifting. Sat on my thigh, cheek to my chest. Read like that till she dozed off peacefully.