Chapter 41 – Pay a Visit
After waking up, I recovered steadily without getting ill.
The food is delicious, and my legs, which were staggering at first, can now walk without problems.
I’m still not allowed to take Violet’s thread off, and it is still in the same state, but it has been a little itchy these days.
Every time I reach out to scratch it unconsciously, Koumei-san‘s paw blocks me.
“Koumei-san… It’s about time…”
“Meow (No)”
Koumei-san doesn’t leave my side for even a moment. When I sleep, eat, and even all the way to the toilet, she is beside me.
As I seem to make her worry very much, she is now more overprotective than Father and stricter than Mother. Her fur feels even fluffier and better to the touch because she takes her most hated bath every day with me. It was a pleasant miscalculation. I can’t stop the fluffiness.
・・・
Joshua comes to visit me, who has been told to stay in bed for a while obediently, these three days without absent.
Koumei-san was wary of Joshua at first, but after he came over and over again, she just stayed quietly beside me.
Between many relatives who treat me like a tumor after hearing my wound condition, it’s fun to talk to Joshua whose attitude doesn’t change at all. The gifts he brings every time are also delicious.
“Emma-sama, I brought baked sweets from the royal capital today. There’s also your favorite tea.”
…I’m being won over steadily.
The state of the royal capital I heard from Joshua is so stable that it doesn’t look like a coup d’etat just happened. The King’s figure who personally fought during the coup seemed to leave a good impression on the people, and his approval rating soared.
“Also, Rose-sama‘s dresses designed by Emma-sama seem to be very popular.”
I’m glad I did my best to make it. When I laugh, ‘Fufufu’ unconsciously, Joshua also smiles sweetly.
“Emma-sama, really an angel…”
He muttered something, but I couldn’t hear clearly.
“Have Joshua been to the royal capital? What’s the academy like?”
I’m curious about what kind of place is the royal capital, where I will live in next year.
If it’s only for the academy, there’s a dormitory, so it’s originally okay if only the children go. But Father doesn’t want to be apart from me, so it’s decided that the whole family will move.
In our previous life, the children couldn’t find a local job because the area we live in was too rural, so we have to leave home every time we found employment.
We always came home during long vacations, but it was still lonely.
I’m happy that I can still be together with my family for a little longer.
“The royal capital? It’s a big academic city. There is a royal castle in the center and schools surrounding it. The Royal University that Arban-sama enrolled in only accepts students with excellent grades, but for the others, you can study in the school you like as long as you are a noble.”
According to Joshua, the entire royal capital is like an academy, so you can reserve and take classes you’re interested in regardless of age and gender.
The test period is set up once a year, and the tests for the classes are assessed for one hour each year. If you get a passing score on the test, you can acquire credits.
If you greedily take up various kinds of classes, the tests will pile up like a mountain, and you will have a hard time.
When you acquired 100 credits, you will publicly get a graduation qualification. And if you submit one graduation thesis about the field you like and get approvement on it, you can graduate.
I’m a little baffled by the school system that’s different from my previous life.
“Classes like etiquette and embroidery are popular with the ladies. There are about 50 varieties of class just for manner alone… Emma-sama, please don’t make such a disgusted look.”
It looks like my face is clouded by the talk of classes I would never choose. I have to fix showing my expressions so openly.
“Noble men have required subjects. It includes monster studies, economics, and hunters’ practical skills. You will not be able to graduate if you don’t pass these three subjects, and you will not be acknowledged as a noble.”
This is why there is a difference in the graduation age between men and women. Women learn the etiquette necessary for nobles, graduate in their teens, and get married. Men are excellent if they can graduate in their 20s, while many still go to the academy even in their 30s.
“If you achieve the top 3% score of the test of a particular subject, you will get the privilege to enter Royal University like Arban-sama.”
If you graduate from Royal University, you will be placed in important positions even if you’re a low-ranking aristocrat. For this reason, a lot of second sons and after who do not inherit the territory aim for it.
In the past, when Mother took first place in a particular subject, many noble second sons and after criticized her ‘Even though you’re just a woman.’
Meanwhile, Father, who had never talked to her even once, suddenly prostrated and shouted, ‘Please be my wife.’ When this story came out, Mother told me, ‘Choose a man by the bulkiness of his capacity.’ Father, who prostrated to make the number one talented woman in the academy his wife, is maybe indeed much cooler than those boys who came complaining grumblingly.
“Joshua knows everything, amazing.”
Merchants have a high ability to collect information, but it seems that the selling point is whether they can grasp and utilize that information well.
Joshua being Joshua, he comes to visit after preparing on anything Emma might be interested in. It’s also essential to meet the customer’s needs. Joshua doesn’t neglect any effort to raise Emma’s favorability.
“I will do anything as long as I can be useful to Emma-sama.”
He further appeals the bulkiness of his capacity.
I’m a little anxious after hearing the Second Prince falls in love with Emma from George and William. I can’t go against his political power.
“N-now that you think about it, I heard that the inquiry letter from His Highness Edward has come?”
To the letter informing them that I have regained my consciousness and sorry for making them worry, not only Rose sent a response but also the Prince.
As they seemed to be very worried, the letter is densely packed with words, but it makes me feel guilty instead.
“Right, Rose-sama‘s hand-writing is even pretty and cute! The letter also smells so good!”
Even though I asked about the Prince, she talks about Rose-sama’s letter.
Emma seems to be more interested in Rose than the Prince. Joshua feels a little relieved.
・・・
*knock knock* Along with a modest knock, George and William holding a big box, come into the room. The brothers always show their faces in my room after they finish their errands.
“I’m home~ eh, you come again? Joshua”
William, who is done with insects caretaking, looks at Joshua, astonished.
“Joshua… is your work okay?”
George, who came home from hunting, also looks at Joshua, astonished.
George has heard that Joshua is entrusted with three stores by his merchant father, and the sales will be his pocket money.
He often leaves Palace for a trip to purchase goods. If he manages the store well, he will get one store on his birthday.
Joshua, who is the owner of multiple shops at the age of 14, is naturally busy.
“Joshua… Thank you for always coming even though you are busy. But, you know, don’t force yourself, okay? I’m already much better, too…”
I reflect on George’s words. I have unconsciously been spoiled by Joshua. Joshua provides me with snacks, conversation, and things I want.
It’s no wonder cause Joshua the Merchant’s marketing ability is always centered around Emma.
“Tch, George-sama… he said unnecessary things…”
Joshua curses with a small voice.
“Emma-sama! I want to see you, so I’m not forcing myself at all, you know? There’s no problem at all! Rather, I want to see you every day!”
Joshua argues vehemently while secretly handing me a candy that’s currently popular in the royal capital.
After the discussion about cats, I went for a purchase in haste for a month and a half. When I came back, there are four huge cats in the Stuart house, interactions with the Second Prince after the tea party, the local barrier hazard in Valerie territory, Emma’s injuries… A lot of bewildering events happened in my absence. I can’t protect her unless I’m by her side. Some undesirable people also come near.
Emma is my highest top priority.
The shops are doing okay as the people hired already adjusted well. If I reduce my sleep a little, I can make time for Emma with no problems.
“But… there are dark circles under your eyes? Want to take an afternoon nap together?”
I peer at Joshua worriedly and trace the dark circles under his eyes using my hand that’s not holding a candy. My bed is big, so there’s supposed to be no problem for two people to sleep together.
“Nee— saa— maa—”
William holds his head. This? Does she really not calculate all this?
“Em— ma—… you…”
George holds his head. She won’t do things like this to all the boys she’ll meet in the academy, right? Joshua is already a terminally ill patient to the point of no saving, but if I don’t stop her completely, the victims will increase. I’m already worried about our school life next year.
Joshua, not bothering he is sitting on a chair, collapses to his knees and tremblingly prays his gratitude to god.
“P…precious! Thank you, god! For such a precious angel by my side… thank you!”
I look at this scene and watch over smilingly while rolling the candy in my mouth.
Joshua is very religious. He gives prayers to god at the exact determined times.
While glancing at Joshua pitifully, William hands the big box to me.
“I brought it secretly like always, so Martha shouldn’t have found out.”
When I lightly open the lid, Violet is there. Because I can’t go out of my room, William brings it over secretly every day to prevent Martha from finding it.
Koumei-san, who is sprawling over my bed, peeps into the box and greets Violet.
“Meow!”
Violet rustlingly climbs onto Koumei-san‘s head.
They have completely become close.
“Is this Violet? It’s a beautiful purple like Emma-sama said.”
Done with his praying (revived), Joshua looks at Violet and talks to me with a smile. He has heard a little about the big spider, but he was inwardly surprised as it was many times bigger than his imagination, though it doesn’t show in his manner.
“Cute, right?”
I happily laugh because Violet is praised.
Joshua desperately endures the urge to offer his prayers again.
“Meow~? Meow?”
Koumei-san is kind of having a conversation with Violet.
So cute.
“Meow~ meow meow?”
She looks at me, then continues the conversation. Koumei-san and Violet, both are so cute.
When everyone is looking at them for a while with a softened expression, Koumei-san turns toward me and says
“Meow!”
, a single word.
“Eh? It’s okay to take this off?”
Somewhat understood it, I point to the spider’s thread covering the wound and ask Koumei-san.
“Meow~!”
It looks like I’m finally allowed.
……probably.
