Chapter 114

“Ugh… Hey, Alfred. Is it not yet?”

“Yes. He has not come out yet.”

Maximilian von Adelheit was currently in dire need of the cigarette he had recently given up for his wife, Emma von Adelheit.

And the reason for that was obvious.

“When on earth is he planning to come out….”

It was because Professor Lucio Antorelli had gone directly into Laura’s room to talk with her.

Maximilian let out a deep sigh and moved his steps. Troubled, he had been pacing back and forth in the reception room all day.

“It’s almost dinner time….”

Maximilian muttered as he glanced at his watch. As he had said, it had already been four hours since Professor Antorelli had entered Laura’s room.

Although he knew that Laura was in a difficult situation, it was still a fact that, as a father who loved his daughter, he felt anxious.

He was not worried that Professor Antorelli, being a high-ranking priest, would do something impure to Laura.

What if Laura’s condition was so serious that even Professor Antorelli found it impossible to do anything? If that were why Professor Antorelli had not come out of Laura’s room for four hours?

In that case, Maximilian would ensure that Professor Antorelli stayed in the mansion, to help Laura get back on her feet. More than anyone, he desperately hoped for his daughter’s condition to improve.

Just then, after resisting the temptation of a cigarette for the twenty-first time.

– Bang.

“Your Excellency.”

A servant working in his mansion carefully opened the door and bowed to Maximilian. A glow of color appeared on Maximilian’s face.

“Oh…! Really! Has Professor Antorelli finally come out?”

“Yes. He just left the eldest lady’s room.”

Maximilian immediately left the reception room. His steps quickened as he headed towards Laura’s room.

Thus, between the reception room and Laura’s room, which were nearly on opposite ends of the large mansion, Maximilian covered the distance in a short time.

“Laura….”

It was the sight of Laura, who had come out of her room for the first time in two weeks, holding tightly onto Professor Antorelli’s hand. Maximilian couldn’t hold back his trembling voice as he approached Laura.

As she turned her gaze to Maximilian, Laura looked at him. There was still a cold chill in her eyes, but she seemed less hostile than before.

“…Father.”

Most importantly, she had properly called him father. Maximilian couldn’t help but feel an unbearable happiness from that ordinary title.

It was strange. Even though Laura had always called him father before, this time, for some reason, a happiness that was so overwhelming it felt like his mind went blank washed over him.

“Laura, my daughter….”

Maximilian slowly approached Laura. Just as before, he planned to embrace her as a loving family member.

However, Maximilian’s thoughts quickly shattered.

“Laura….”

As he came closer, Laura took a step back and hid behind Professor Antorelli. Maximilian gazed at Laura, who was peeking out with only her head, wearing a hopeless expression as if he had lost the whole world.

Amidst the gloomy atmosphere, Professor Antorelli stepped forward.

“Miss Laura. I would like to talk with the Duke of Adelhaid, but could you please stay in your room for a moment?”

Hearing Professor Antorelli’s request, Laura looked up at him with a discontented expression, then sighed and distanced herself from him.

“…I suppose I have no choice. Fine.”

“Thank you.”

“But I will give you a proper farewell.”

“Yes. I look forward to it.”

At a glance, Professor Antorelli seemed to respond casually, but there was something unspoken in Laura’s attitude towards him. It was concealed so well that Maximilian had no clue at all.

– Click.

As Laura stepped back into her room, Professor Antorelli approached Maximilian closely. Standing before Maximilian, who was quite tall himself, Professor Antorelli towered over him.

“Professor Antorelli. Laura is….”

“Miss Laura is currently in a very fatigued state.”

The seriousness in Professor Antorelli’s expression made it impossible for Maximilian to disregard his words. Maximilian nodded attentively.

“That makes sense… She hasn’t eaten much for a while.”

“…That may be true, but she has cried a lot talking to me. The emotional toll is significant.”

“That….”

Hearing that his daughter had cried was something Maximilian found hard to bear. His expression quickly turned despondent.

“So, do not approach Miss Laura hastily as you did before. She is in such a fragile state that she might get hurt again.”

“…I understand. I will keep that in mind. By the way, is Laura’s condition… okay now?”

In response to Maximilian’s anxious question, Professor Antorelli pondered silently for a moment before speaking.

“I can’t be certain, but… Yes, she seems to have recovered to some extent.”

“Huh….”

Maximilian let out a big sigh of relief, but then he heard Professor Antorelli’s follow-up remark.

“However, do not bring up matters related to Cesar too easily. We still need to observe her.”

“I understand. By the way, thank you… really, thank you! I won’t forget this favor!”

Maximilian grabbed Professor Antorelli’s hand and shook it up and down. He almost hugged the professor, but fortunately, he stopped short of doing so.

Amidst Maximilian’s joy, Professor Antorelli finally moved his lips, which had been tightly closed.

“Do not misunderstand. I have intervened because Miss Laura is my student, not to help you. Please keep that in mind.”

The atmosphere suddenly turned chilly. Maximilian released Professor Antorelli’s hand with a sullen expression and nodded.

“Oh, I understand. I will remember that. Still, it is a good deed after all. Thank you very much. Let me express my gratitude once again.”

“If you are grateful, please treat those who are still here well. Duke Adelhaid.”

Those were words laced with bone. Very sharp bones at that. Maximilian’s body stiffened.

As Professor Antorelli passed by him, he murmured.

“Do not repeat the same mistakes. This time, the Lord’s grace has allowed things to go well, but it will not happen again.”

“….”

“I will remember your promise to improve the treatment of the retired soldiers.”

Whether your words are false or true, I will keep watch.

If your words turn out to be false, abandon the naive thought that such things won’t happen again.

Professor Antorelli’s chilling warning. Maximilian nodded with a serious expression.

“I understand. I will definitely keep my promise.”

“Very well.”

With those words, the conversation between them came to an end. Professor Antorelli took a step forward and began to retreat, following the servant’s guidance.

As he watched Professor Antorelli’s figure gradually fade away, Maximilian suddenly realized that he had not recompensed him at all and shouted.

“Hey! Professor Antorelli! If there’s anything you want, just let me know!”

Professor Antorelli’s steps halted. He turned around to face Maximilian, then paused for a moment, his lips moving.

“If Miss Laura’s condition improves enough for her to return to the Academy, then please allow her to attend classes.”

He was saying that if Laura’s condition sufficiently improved, she should be allowed to attend the Academy. He wanted her to not be hastily sent there.

“…Is that really all you want?”

Maximilian, who had been thinking of some material compensation, asked again, and Professor Antorelli nodded without hesitation.

“That is all I need.”

With those words, Professor Antorelli moved away again. Maximilian stared at the spot until his figure disappeared.

“…But, ‘Miss Laura,’ huh?”

Since when did he start calling Laura by her name? As Maximilian tilted his head in confusion.

– Bang.

Laura’s door opened, and she poked her head out, her white hair cascading down. It was to be expected that Maximilian’s thoughts would scatter in an instant.

“Laura…!”

“What about the professor?”

“Hm? If it’s Professor Antorelli, he just went downstairs….”

“Oh, really! Why are you only telling me this now!”

Laura dashed out of her room, intending to see off the now vanished Professor Antorelli.

As Maximilian stared blankly at Laura walking quickly towards where Professor Antorelli had disappeared.

“…I almost failed to properly see off the guest.”

This time, Maximilian followed her footsteps.

As he walked to see off Professor Antorelli, Maximilian’s gaze unintentionally turned towards the window in the hallway.

Before he knew it, the rain had stopped.

* * * * *

Time flowed by, and Monday arrived.

It had already been two days since I visited the Duke of Adelhaid’s mansion. I stepped out of the staff dormitory, savoring the Monday morning that marked the beginning of a new week.

Although the rainy season had not completely ended, the morning sky, having been cleared of dark clouds, boasted a bright weather resembling a canvas splattered with blue paint.

Additionally, the professors and academy students wandering through the courtyard early in the morning, the sounds of cicadas peeking out, and the vibrant summer morning atmosphere they created.

As I navigated through that scene, I made my way towards the professor’s office.

“Good morning, Sister Sofia.”

“Ah! Head Priest! Good morning!”

It was coincidental that I met Sister Sofia, who was heading to the professor’s office just like me. Normally, she would have arrived before me, but for some reason today, she was coming in at the same time.

“The weather is really nice today, especially after raining all last week!”

“Indeed.”

“By the way, Head Priest! Daniel from the Occult Research Club….”

Looking at Sofia, who seemed to be holding back asking me if it was okay, I thought.

‘Perhaps, it might be too soon.’

It might still be a long way to recover from past wounds. After meeting Laura, I had been suffering all weekend from the aftermath of using divine power, and I had been plagued by nightmares every night as usual.

However, I wanted to focus on the fact that the intensity of those nightmares had significantly decreased.

So what I wanted to say was….

“Head Priest? What are you thinking so deeply about?”

Looking at Sister Sofia’s brightly shining green eyes, I thought.

Helena, and Cesar.

Although it might still be too early for me to enjoy happiness.

“…It’s nothing.”

“I feel like I might get angry every time you respond that way.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, it is.”

Still, something as trivial as this modest happiness… I thought maybe I could enjoy that much.

Looking up at the blue sky, I contemplated that.

It was indeed, a fantastic weather.