Episode 019
Gum issues, oh gums. She could chew rocks. Lily hurriedly composed her flustered emotions and greeted first in a trembling voice.
"I-I greet Your Highness the Princess…."
But Evelyn didn't even glance at Lily. Her gaze was fixed solely on me.
'Aren't you going to greet me?'
Ah, right. I guess I should. I lazily got up from the bench and bowed my head.
"I greet Your Highness the Princess."
Two greetings in a row feels unlucky. But you demanded it.
"……."
Evelyn's brow furrowed sharply. All talk when telling me to do it. But now that I'm doing it, it's shitty, huh? Then, as I slightly lowered my head, I noticed it. Her hand in the white glove was trembling faintly. Like she was about to grab me by the collar right then and there?
She blurted out without warning.
"You."
"Yes?"
"You said you solved Professor Iris's exam problem, right?"
Her voice dropped low.
"Answer me. Is it true?"
"Yeah. Well, I solved it."
"……."
She took another step closer, pressing me.
"What answer did you submit?"
A bit close.
"Pardon?"
"What formula, what logic did you use that made the professor acknowledge it as correct on the spot? Explain it right now."
What can I say. No butter scent from her tongue? No matter how I look at it, this girl's brain-fried from excitement right now?
"Answer me!"
Damn, she's rushing me.
"I just solved it?"
"……."
Silence. A stillness so profound even the wind seemed to stop.
And then.
Grind! The clear sound of Evelyn's clenched teeth grinding came from her tightly shut lips.
Oh dear. Gum issues. Serious gum problems. One of the five blessings right there. She could chew rocks.
Is this why they say youth chews rocks?
"……Just, solved it?"
"Yeah. I just saw it and wrote the answer."
"……!"
Evelyn's face flushed red then pale.
…What's with her?
"You… Are you mocking me right now?"
"Just stating facts. Why are you getting all worked up?"
Evelyn drew her wand. Mana began gathering at the tip.
"Prove it."
She aimed at me with murderous eyes.
"Prove if you're a real genius or just a lucky fraud. Right here, right now!"
"……Ha."
I let out a deep sigh. Duel declaration out of nowhere?
"Can't."
"What?"
"I don't get what you mean by explaining something I just solved intuitively."
It's a bit deceptive saying I solved it intuitively, but whatever. She threw the first punch.
"Your Highness, is it okay to harass people without reason like this?"
Lucky in times like these. This is a romance fantasy world. And my dad's the Palace Count. Both facts.
* * *
The lab fell silent again after Evelyn left. Iris set down her teacup with a short tsk.
"What a shame."
I'd hoped since she was imperial blood, but no dice.
'Guess there really aren't more geniuses like Kasian.'
Rough and crude like Kasian, but with intuition that grabs the answer by the throat in one go. You can't teach that.
Bang! The door flew open without a knock. Among visitors to this lab, the one person who could barge in like it was her own bedroom without annoying me. Ceria, the grad student with her blue hair tied back tight—my best friend.
"Hey! Iris! Are you insane?!"
High-pitched nagging poured out the moment she entered.
Iris replied without batting an eye.
"Knock next time. So uncouth."
"Is manners the issue right now? You… what the hell is that look?!"
Her eyes scanned Iris from head to toe. A silk dress that blatantly revealed her figure's lines. Every movement accentuated the curves of her waist and hips. No cleavage exposure, but every line of her body was laid bare.
Ceria gaped in shock.
"At school! In broad daylight! At this hour, why?!"
"Why?"
Iris tilted her head like she had no clue.
"It's the brand you told me about. I asked where you got that dress you wore, and bought the exact same one."
"……What?"
Ceria's brain circuit froze.
"No way… You asked me where I bought clothes to wear them to school?"
"Yeah?"
"I thought you at least had some sense!"
She clutched her head. A few days ago, when Iris visited the Parne mansion to settle the disciple matter. That evening, Iris went straight to Ceria and asked, 'Where's the store for those dresses you wore last time?'
"I thought this research worm was finally dating or something, so I excitedly told you. How did you even get it in half a day? Fine for today, but yesterday? No time."
"Right after asking you, I knocked on the shop door that night and had them reopen."
"Haha."
"No, it was the first day welcoming my disciple. Official event, so I had to dress properly."
"Properly?"
Ceria burst into hollow laughter.
"Girl! Is that proper? That's party wear! And crucially…."
Ceria pointed alternately at her own chest and Iris's, looking slightly offended.
"Our figures are different! It looks prim on me, but on you… what, succubus or something?!"
"Rude. Succubus?"
"Look in a mirror, you wench! Who wears that to a lab!"
Iris felt wronged too. When Ceria wore it, it was intellectual, elegant, noble lady vibes without losing femininity.
'Why on me….'
Why did she get called a succubus rudely when wearing it herself? Even Iris didn't find Ceria's words exaggerated or false, making it more frustrating.
"Kasian said the same yesterday. Too burdensome."
"Obviously. Gotta traumatize the newbie?"
Ceria sighed deeply and approached.
"What'd you wear yesterday? Same brand?"
"Yeah. That red one you wore."
"……Girl."
Her face paled.
"That's off-shoulder! Exposes shoulders, collarbone, chest line!"
"It arrived first. No choice, wore it urgently."
"You're crazy, seriously…."
Ceria pressed her forehead, dizzy. The weird rumor buzzing at school yesterday.
'The barbarian newbie's terrorizing Professor Iris.'
That was mainstream, but there was another quietly spreading.
'Professor Iris locked the newbie in her lab and seduced him.'
She'd thought the second too absurd, but now Ceria rationally understood why it started.
"Enough nagging. Women's clothes… vary wildly by wearer. Learned that now."
"Figure it out now, you genius idiot!"
Ceria yelled.
"Sigh… Thought you had taste, told you happily. And you come to the sacred academy in that? On the first day welcoming your fresh disciple?"
"You wear it."
"Yeah! At undergrad grad party! Official school events! Grad interview!"
"For me, first day welcoming disciple was just as important an official event."
"Can't shut your mouth, huh."
Ceria sighed and continued.
"You didn't even try it on, right."
"Try on?"
"Yeah. Did you buy after trying? You'd have seen the mirror and realized, 'This ain't for showing sincerity to students.'"
"…How'd you know?"
"Common sense."
Iris regretted that too. How flustered she was first trying it on after delivery. Same in front of Kasian, pretending nonchalance. Just stuck to dresses over suits.
"Too lazy. Just ordered old size."
"……Ha."
Fatal error there. Iris had holed up in the lab, surviving on high-sugar. Chocolate and cake for brain fuel, so weight gain was inevitable. Problem: it went only to chest and hips, not belly or arms.
"You gained weight?"
"A bit? Sugar's brain fuel."
"Why no belly, only there! World's so unfair!"
Ceria stomped in frustration—fair. Old size on glossier figure.
"No good."
Ceria said decisively.
"Shopping with me soon. I'll pick. Leave to your taste, academy's doomed."
"Enough succubus talk."
"Fine, come. Buy clothes. Refuse again, I'll drag you."
"Okay. Need clothes. Gotta mind it from now on."
Iris nodded readily. Ceria blinked, surprised. Normally, too lazy, time waste—refusal.
"Why? Actually dating?"
"No?"
Iris answered most seriously.
"I'm a master now, act like one. Dignified, refined."
"……."
"Be a perfect, intellectual mentor Kasian won't be ashamed of."
Ceria stared blankly. Dignity? Refinement? Off-shoulder yesterday, ultra-tight today revealing figure starkly—welcoming disciple?
"Not no reason."
Iris mumbled, fiddling teacup.
* Long ago memory. But this quirk's root likely her master.
Her memory's master was always perfect adult. Neatly combed white hair, impeccably trimmed beard, wrinkle-free attire. Cautious in all, laugh never frivolous. Later learned: all act for her.
Learning carefree, informal him groomed before mirror daily, tuned voice for young disciple—first time Iris vaguely grasped love.
So she wanted too. Maybe pass that master-disciple romance thrill to her disciple.
"Wanted masterly dignity. Adults are cultured, proficient A-to-Z. Show from attire."
"Result this?"
Ceria pointed at Iris's chest, incredulous.
"Success? That figure, maturity—sultry vibe twenty-year-olds can't match."
"……Don't mock."
"Not mocking. Get you wanna appeal adult charm since age gap small with disciple. Though I can't agree."
Ceria nodded, arms crossed. Iris considered correcting but let it. Not factually wrong, subtly off. Tried appealing maturity, yes.
"So, success? Disciple awed?"
Iris shook head bitterly. Failure—Kasian pitied her shame, no eyes where, gave 30-min lockdown. Almost cared for. Master cared by disciple. Far from her romantic vision.
"……No. Failed."
"Sigh, yeah. Probably scared stiff. I'll repick clothes. Shop this weekend. But you."
"Yeah."
"Teach disciple in usual suit. Cleanest, most intellectual in lab."
"No."
"Wear it. You're professor."
"No."
"Why? Dressing up in dresses to impress disciple weirder! More unseemly!"
Ceria beat chest in frustration. Why so stubborn? Normally suit-only, pointless.
Clink. Iris, teacup in hand, began expounding most seriously.
"Looks insincere."
"……What?"
"Same design rotated daily, no outfit care—uncultured."
"……Wow."
Ceria's jaw dropped. Finally got it. Idiot genius's embedded algorithm.
Suit = uniform = same daily = insincere = disciple insult.
Childish monocell thinking from grand mage.
Ceria forehead-pressed, deep breath. Where start explaining.
"Iris."
"Yeah."
"Ever thought… buy suits in various designs?"
"……!"
Iris's teacup hand froze midair.