Chapter 8: The Duke’s Daughter Gets to Work in Armelia

Chapter 8:
The Duke’s Daughter Gets to Work in Armelia

 

THE NEXT DAY, I woke up at the usual time. I’d gone to bed quite early the night before, so I’d thought I would awaken earlier, but that just went to show how truly tired I’d been. I felt far more alert and rested. I did my yoga, showered, and changed. It felt like a perfectly normal morning. I took breakfast in my room, enjoying Armelian food for the first time in ages.

“My lady.” I was drinking tea after breakfast when Sebastian came into the room with an apologetic look on his face.

“Yes, Sebastian? I’m going to start work early today. I know you sent me letters and reports, but I’d like you to update me on everything the various branches have been up to. I’ll speak with those in charge too, if that’s necessary.”

I had to get to work reading and signing the documents that had piled up in my absence as well as get up to speed on the goings-on in the duchy. That was my first priority upon coming home. Therefore, I went to my study and found a tidy yet sizable mountain of papers on my desk.

“All right, I’ll read through the documents first. I’ll call you in later.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Also, bring Lyle and Dida in here, please.”

I got to work on the documents after Sebastian left. Just as my mind wandered, wondering when I would ever get through checking all these papers, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in. Oh, Dean!” I couldn’t hide my surprise at this unexpected visitor.

“It’s been a long time, my lady.”

“You can say that again! You came here while I was in the capital too, didn’t you? Thank you ever so much.”

“You don’t need to thank me.”

“Oh? All right, then. In any case, Dean, I have so many questions to ask you.” After we exchanged pleasantries, I brought up every question I’d had while reading through the documents. Apparently, he and Sebastian had done the bulk of the work while I was away, so I was incredibly grateful that he’d showed up when he did.

“And we’re done with the land readjustment project for the capital. We’ve also finished drawing up family registers for the entire population, so all that’s left is to confirm land ownership rights.”

The projects I had set into motion before going to the capital were progressing. There were many residences in our capital, so it was relatively easy to establish land ownership here, as the citizens had used basic contracts at the time of selling and buying their homes. But the farther you got from the capital, the less clear-cut circumstances became. In farming villages, it was far more difficult to tell where one person’s land stopped and the next property began.

“Indeed. And finally, the eastern territory is largely complete. Meanwhile, the Azuta Corporation sorted out land ownership in the southern territories, where our cacao is produced, at the time we initiated our contracts with the farmers, so that registry is mostly finished as well. For the most part, it’s the western and northern territories that require attention.”

“Hmm…I suppose we’ll just have to go to those areas and talk with the residents.”

“Yes, that’s Abitante’s first priority right now, aside from conducting the census you requested.”

“I see. Yes, let’s go forward with all those plans.”

As we continued, confirming details, there was another knock at the door.

“I’m sorry. Is this a bad time?”

“Oh, Merida! Long time no see. Could you wait a moment?”

“No need. I’ll excuse myself now,” said Dean. “I’ll go ahead and convey your orders to the various heads of all the branches.”

“Thank you, Dean.”

He bowed and left the room.

“I’m sorry,” said Merida.

“Not at all. You’re always so busy, though. What brings you here?”

I’d left Merida in charge of our cafés, so she was usually either on site at one of them or traveling between them. It was rare for me to see her at the estate.

“Not as busy as you, my lady. I heard you were in danger on your trip home, so of course, I worried. I wanted to check on you.”

“Thank you. But as you can see, I’m fine.”

“Well, of course you are. Otherwise, I would’ve given Lyle and Dida what for.”

I had to laugh at Merida’s characteristic tone of voice.

“Also, I wanted to tell you I finished the new items you requested.”

“Oh? Have you brought them with you?” I’d asked Merida to make desserts from gelatin we’d obtained from trading with the neighboring kingdom.

“No, I just wanted to make you aware. I came here in a rush, so unfortunately, I forgot to bring them. I’ll show you sometime later.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“Also, that coffee drink you mentioned? When would you like me to start serving that at the cafes?”

Oho! It seemed she’d tied off another of my projects while I was away.

We hadn’t yet managed to find any actual coffee beans, so we were making dandelion coffee. It was definitely a different experience for me, since I’d been an avid coffee drinker in my past life.

“Well, we haven’t advertised it yet, so I think it’ll be a while,” I said. “Until then, I’d appreciate it if you started thinking of ways to add coffee to your desserts.”

“Understood. I was thinking about lingering here for a while. I’ll work on those while I’m about.”

“Wonderful.”

“So? How was it, being back at the capital after such a long time?”

“I thought I’d feel more strongly about it. But really, I didn’t feel anything.”

“Nothing?”

“No. Of course I felt nostalgic, and happy when I saw old friends and my family, but apparently, I didn’t have any lingering attachment to the capital itself.”

“You sound like you’ve really gotten over it,” Merida observed with a chuckle.

“More like I realized I never belonged there in the first place.”

I’d regained the memories of my other life right in the thick of the incident that drove me from it, after all. I’d come here soon afterward, so the newly combined me hadn’t had much time to get too attached to the capital. Regardless, it would have been too stifling to stay there, weighed down by the expectations laid on a duke’s daughter as well as by everything that had happened with Yuri.

“Hm, I guess that’s just how it is.”

“That’s right. This is my home, and you all are my family. That’s enough for me.”

“Ha ha ha. Well, I’m honored.”

Merida and I talked for a while longer until she left the room.

After that, I resumed my work checking various documents. We’d begun trading with other countries, and our company’s revenue had skyrocketed, along with profits from numerous innovations we’d been developing at our academy. With the creation of so many new jobs, individual income was on the rise. We were also sorting out infrastructure in Armelia’s various territories. The capital city’s infrastructure was so well organized that everything ran smoothly, but some places in the duchy still didn’t have running water or proper sewers.

After I checked on the progress of all of that, I signed the necessary documents and fixed those in need of fixing. By that time, it was already fairly late at night.

 

***

 

“Ah… I’m exhausted…” I moaned as I rubbed my eyes. I looked out the window to find it already dark outside. As I lived in and worked out of the governor’s mansion, a good deal of land surrounded the property. With no other residences nearby, it grew extremely dark after sunset. The one good thing about this was that the stars shone so brightly at night. I peeled my attention from the documents and gazed up at those stars.

“Excuse me. May I have a moment?”

Dean stood in my doorway.

“Of course. What is it?”

“I’m sorry to bother you so late, but I have this for you.”

He’d brought me a document that required urgent response. I checked it over and took care of the items needing my attention.

“I’m terribly sorry. You seemed to be at rest.” Dean bowed his head in apology.

“It’s all right. I’m surprised to see you up working this late.”

“It seems to me you’re the last person who ought to lecture me on such matters, my lady. In any case, my time in Armelia is limited, so I strive to finish as much as I possibly can now, in order to ensure the work is manageable next time I come around.”

So the work would be manageable, would it? He tried to make it sound like he did this for his own benefit, but I understood that he was trying to lessen my burden as much as he could. Every bit of work he took charge of was work I then didn’t have to do. But for all that, there was still nothing forcing him to return.

“You really needn’t work so hard.”

“I’m well aware, my lady. Why don’t you take a real break? I was just about to myself.”

“Well… All right, then.”

The two of us stepped out onto the balcony. Right before I’d left for the capital, I’d asked for a table and chairs to be placed out there so I could use the space to rest when I took my eyes off my work. Tanya had reluctantly agreed. She would have preferred it if I took my breaks away from the study entirely.

“So, how was the capital?”

“It was fine. Not much to say about it, really?”

“Nothing?”

“Mm-hmm. Between you and me, I honestly couldn’t wait to come back home.”

“Ha ha ha. Everyone dreams about the social season in the capital, what with the fetes and balls, but I suppose it would take more than that to impress you, hm?”

“Ha ha. I suppose.”

The series of parties were certainly fancy. But behind the curtains, the social season’s events were nothing more than a game of cat and mouse among the nobles. Also, the capital didn’t hold any good memories for me. Especially now, with this whole business with Queen Ellia.

“How have you been, Dean?”

“Nothing much happened on my end either. I attended to some of my family’s work, visited some friends. That was about it.”

“That reminds me—you haven’t really told me anything about your family. Do you have siblings?”

For some reason, Dean’s face clouded over. I instantly realized I had asked him something I shouldn’t have; his reaction made that abundantly clear.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t pry.”

“No, it’s all right. I have a younger brother and sister.”

“Ah, one of each? Hey, Dean… Can I ask you something strange?” The mention of a younger brother had reminded me of Berne. “Have you ever fought with your siblings?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Well, as you know, I also have a younger brother. We had quite a falling-out a while ago… And I had pretty much cut ties with him for good before returning to Armelia. But while I was at the capital, my brother apologized to me. I found I couldn’t forgive him, though. I just couldn’t overcome the anger I still felt toward him.” A self-deprecating smile crossed my face. “Am I insensitive? As the older sibling, shouldn’t I just let bygones be bygones and relinquish the grudge? I suppose that’s a difficult question to ask.”

“That’s true. I can’t really give you an answer.” Dean paused for a moment and then continued. “Especially as I can’t honestly say my relationship with my siblings is healthy either.”

I looked at him with surprise. “Really? You too?”

“Yes. I suppose I get along well enough with my sister, but things are worse between me and my brother than between you and yours.”

This last comment bothered me. Not that it was anything to brag about, but it would be terribly difficult to top the strife between Berne and me. We hadn’t spoken for several years, and he’d debased me in public, and he’d done it all while Yuri had been uprooting my life before his eyes. I honestly couldn’t imagine a worse sibling relationship.

But Dean’s answer left no room for doubt. “I don’t even consider him family, to be honest with you. If we had been born in separate houses, our relationship would be over. The only thing keeping us from total alienation is that the same blood runs in our veins. At the same time, I think we both resent each other for that blood. And we both feel like the other is merely in the way.”

As he spoke, his voice grew so cold, I was almost afraid. His face and his eyes were blank, reflecting no emotions. But strangely, I didn’t feel uncomfortable—because I had felt the exact same way.

“So I can’t say anything much on the matter. Although…thanks to my sister, I have at least come to understand the warmth of being with family, and I am endlessly grateful for that. However, I don’t believe there’s anything to be done about my brother. I’ve given up on him.”

“I see…” I smiled a little. “Your answer has made me feel a bit better, though. I felt like I ought to act in a certain way toward my brother simply because we’re siblings. I keep thinking about what I ought to do as his older sister. But I believe now I’ll try to put that approach aside.”

“Good.” Dean smiled a little as well.

The uneasy feeling in my heart had cleared, just a touch.

“Now, may I ask you a question?” Dean asked.

“Of course.”

“Why did you look that way when I mentioned returning here ‘next time’?”

My mind blanked for a moment—his tone was so casual that I was caught off guard. But pausing like that made it obvious this wasn’t something I could brush off. I pulled myself back to reality, regretting my lapse. I couldn’t help but laugh. “Whatever do you mean?”

“The expression on your face. I felt like you wished things were more distant between us. There’s an odd tension in the air, even now.”

Oh, dear. Now what? It was incredibly difficult to deny anything was wrong after he had so accurately guessed my feelings.

“Dean… If you’re so aware of my feelings, you must understand the position I’m in.”

Even if he didn’t know the queen herself had named me a rival, he had to know my position in the kingdom was the picture of precarity.

He smiled in agreement. “Of course. But that has nothing to do with whether I return.”

I hadn’t expected him to say that, so it took me a few seconds to comprehend exactly what he meant.

“Dean… Do you mean it?”

“Of course I do. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t.”

I stared at him, searching his face. His eyes were impassive; I had no idea what he was thinking, but I knew he was serious.

“Queen Ellia and Marquis Marea have decided I’m trouble. Can you still say you mean it, now that I’ve told you outright?”

“I’m surprised. Did you really think me so unfeeling?”

I widened my eyes in surprise. Did I really sound like I was implying as much? “Of course I don’t—but you also have no reason to stay here. Our contracts have always been short-term. You have no obligation to remain. Moreover, I’m sure you could find far more lucrative employment in numerous other circumstances. So again, you have no reason to stay.”

At the time of signing, we’d established his rate of pay. As he served as my right hand to govern the duchy, his salary was a bit higher than that of the average state official. That being said, those salaries weren’t all that high to begin with. I paid some of my business advisors more than I paid Dean. The only advantage to being a state official was job security; you never had to worry over whether the duchy would go out of business, like you might with a company. However, that job security didn’t apply to Dean, since his contracts were always temporary.

I had no right to keep him here, and he was free to do as he pleased while not under contract with me. He really had no meaningful attachment to Armelia.

“I didn’t know you valued me so highly, my lady,” he said in a joking tone.

I was just trying to be honest. I let out a sigh, which only made him smile more.

“I suppose if you took my work out of the equation, I’ve never before struggled, nor truly hit a wall.”

That was a rather bold statement. Dean just kept surprising me. Although I had more or less already guessed as much.

“But that’s awfully boring, you know? It’s just like studying or exercise. Neither feels especially fulfilling until you get to an obstacle that you must work hard to overcome. Once something becomes too easy, it’s no longer exciting.”

All that made a great deal of sense to me. I’d felt that way in my other life. When I’d come upon a particularly difficult problem, even though getting through it was a struggle, I always felt an incredible sense of accomplishment once I did.

But I really didn’t understand what exactly he meant at this very moment.

“I’ve found my time in Armelia exciting—and rewarding—in the extreme. You inspire me to think in ways I’d never considered before, my lady. The same goes for the supremely talented people who work with you. You’re truly revolutionizing the duchy. What will you try next? What will come of it? It’s been so long since I encountered any such daring schemes. That’s why it’s so interesting, so invigorating.”

He stared deeply into my eyes as he spoke, and the intense eye contact made me feel a bit shy.

“That’s why I continue to return. I only intended to do so the once, but I just keep coming back.”

The amused smile suddenly vanished from his face, which tightened into a serious expression.

“My lady, I understand if you cannot place your full trust in me. I was the one to say I could only enter into a temporary contract with you. Not to mention that you have people in your employ who have been with you since your childhood.”

I did trust them all implicitly. In fact, besides Mother and Father, they were the only people I entirely trusted.

“I won’t ask you to treat me as you treat them. I cannot compete with the long years you’ve spent with them or with the intimacy you share. But, my lady…I relish working for you, from the bottom of my heart. It’s all that I wish to do. Even after my contract has expired.”

“Dean…”

“You need not ever hold back with me. Even though for the time being, I can only be with you for a short time…I’m already yours. And I have been for a very long time.”

My face flushed at these words. In every other circumstance in my life, I had been the one to confess any such feeling of devotion to another. To be on the flip side left me terribly nervous.

He looked at me once more and said, “I’ll take my leave; there’s more to do,” then left.

For a long while after, I simply sat there in stunned silence.

 

***

 

A week passed, and I was very nearly caught up with all my work. It helped that Dean was staying for an extended period. Speaking of Dean, things were surprisingly normal between us. Even though I’d been so flustered and thought for sure our relationship would be unbearably awkward, it wasn’t. It frustrated me a bit, to be honest.

Anyway, I digress.

I was at the library to do research on the information my father had divulged. The library was in a separate building from the main mansion. Its bookshelves stretched all the way up to the high ceilings of the main room, and books lay about here and there.

Rehme looked surprised to see me. “Hm? I haven’t seen you here in some time, my lady.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you were here, Rehme.”

“Yes. No classes for me today. But what brings you here?”

“Research. On House Rubens.”

“Duke Rubens? I haven’t heard that name in quite some time.”

But she had heard of it. Of course. Rehme had reacted to the name without even skipping a beat.

“So he’s a duke? Why haven’t I heard of this person before?”

“It’s only natural you haven’t! Many generations ago, it was the house of a prince. They didn’t have a proper duchy but instead owned land in the royal capital. The last time there was really any talk of them was probably thirty years ago.”

“Thirty years ago? Around the time of the Tweil War?”

“Yes, that’s right. As proof of the cease-fire, a princess of Tweil married into Tasmeria’s royal family. At the time, our monarch was a queen, and her son, the prince, was too young for the princess from Tweil. More importantly, if she had been taken into the royal family or someone too closely related to them, it would have interfered with the line of succession. Therefore they selected House Rubens. So long as the head of their house didn’t pass away prematurely, their own house’s line of succession would be secure—and they were of fine lineage.”

So in other words, House Rubens now had Tweil lineage. And Yuri Neuer’s mother had been brought to the royal palace via recommendation from House Rubens.

It would have been difficult to turn down her application with such a prestigious introduction. Moreover, House Rubens had accepted the princess from Tweil upon order of the kingdom. If the palace had used her heritage as an excuse to turn a servant away, it would have been a diplomatic incident. Although, I suspected my father would have used that to his advantage either way.

At any rate, I’d now connected the dots and was beginning to see the big picture. Frankly, it was a bad one. To put it plainly, there was a tremendously high possibility that Yuri Neuer’s mother was from Tweil or had close ties to it—and that she might have cultivated the same opinions in her daughter. All of this made perfect sense to me.

But as my father said, none of this was under my jurisdiction. A governor—an acting one at that—had no business getting involved in a power struggle between kingdoms. Especially not now when I had to secure my own footing here. One wrong move and it might all fall out from right under my feet.

“What’s wrong, my lady? You look so pale all of a sudden.”

“I was just thinking. But I’m fine.”

Yes, I was fine. Right? My father was certainly also gathering information and making plans. But one thing kept nagging at me, and it was about her.

Let’s say Yuri was a spy from Tweil. In that case, she’d doubtlessly succeeded in her aim. She had her claws in the second prince, and now they were engaged. But if she’d failed, what would Tweil have done? I had to imagine they wouldn’t have just idly stood aside.

Then there were all the things Yuri had said and done. If she was a spy, shouldn’t she have tried to blend in? You know, like a properly subtle agent of espionage? Or maybe I’d read too many spy novels in my past life. Her behavior just didn’t seem consistent with that of a professional.

“Tanya.” I called out. She was waiting behind me. “You’re on my side, right?”

“Pardon me for saying so, but that question is meaningless. I belong to you, my lady. If you told me that you no longer needed me, my life would be without worth.”

“I see. Then stop investigating Yuri.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“But I want you to continue looking into Lord Monroe’s business and clients. I need to know the ranks and activities of as many families as I can. Including my father. I want that to be your first priority.”

I knew I was making a ridiculous request of Tanya—to investigate the very noble house she worked for. But she looked neither the least bit surprised nor flustered.

“Of course, my lady. I’ll tell my agents immediately. I’ll be gone for a while as well.”

“Yes, I understand. Please.”

She quickly left the room.

After that, I returned to my study. Entering it always strangely calmed me, likely because I’d spent more time there than anywhere else. I checked to see what work I had left to do, then called in Lyle, Dida, and Dean.

All three of them entered the room at the same time.

“You wanted to see us, my lady?” said Lyle.

“This is an awfully odd group,” snorted Dida. “What’s going on?”

Lyle scowled at Dida’s question, as usual, but Dida looked genuinely puzzled. Dean clearly agreed with him, because he nodded with a wry smile on his face.

“I require your assistance as my guards.”

The atmosphere suddenly became exceptionally tense.

“All three of us? Where are you planning to go, Princess?”

“Dida! I object, my lady. I can understand if you wish to travel around the duchy, but other than that…”

“I am leaving, and it’s because I must. I also want to be cautious about it, which is why I’m bringing all three of you with me.” Lyle and Dida were the most able fighters I knew, and the next after them was Dean. I’d sent Tanya away on the other matter, which made this the best possible arrangement left to me. “So let’s go.”

 

***

 

The sun felt so warm outside. With a tired smile on my face, I wondered when I’d last even left the estate. As we walked through Armelia’s capital, I observed my surroundings. Yes, everything seemed peaceful for now.

“My lady. Would you please tell us what we’re doing today?” Lyle’s voice brought me back to reality.

“We’re doing a lot of things, Lyle—because I’m not sure when I’ll be able to leave the estate again. I want to observe the academy and chat with Headmaster Luca. I also want to visit the church and speak with Father Rafiel. Finally, I’d like to visit the orphanage.”

“What do you need to address with Headmaster Luca?”

“The suggestions you gave me, Dean.”

“Those suggestions weren’t from me, my lady. The ideas originated with you. I only added to them.”

“Oh? Is that right?”

We both smiled at each other.

Hm, good. Nothing had changed, at least on that front. Things were the same as they had always been between us. That was what I told myself as I followed Dida. The three of them walked in such a way that I was perfectly protected on all sides.

“Oh, right. There’s another new restaurant in town, Princess. I heard it’s great.”

“Oh? That’s lovely. Where did you learn of it?”

“The other guards.”

“I’d definitely trust their taste.”

The last time I asked Dida where he’d heard about a restaurant, his answer had been hesitant, and I still didn’t really know why. He claimed he’d received the information from the officials at Borsa. I wondered sometimes about his personal connections, and also why he was talking about good restaurants with tax officials.

This concerned me mainly because my impression was that my bodyguards put their work above all else and largely viewed food as sustenance, not something to be enjoyed. Even if that hadn’t been their attitude when I first hired them, after a month or so on the job, they’d become workaholics. I had established that attitude to be fair, so really, it was my fault.

“Speaking of the other guards, we’ll need to tighten up security across Armelia.”

“What do you mean by that?” Lyle’s curiosity was piqued.

“There’s a chance our unfriendly acquaintances will target not only myself but our people.”

“Then why did you leave the mansion today?” Lyle’s tone was frustrated, but all I could do was chuckle apologetically.

Frankly, he was right.

“This matter will doubtlessly drag on for quite some time. If I waited until it was safe to see to these matters, I would be trapped at home forever. As such, I’ve brought you all with me today so I could tie up loose ends.”

“I see. And besides the two of us, there’s no better guard than Dean. Hence why you’ve brought him as well.”

“Precisely.”

And I couldn’t have done so, if things had still been awkward between us.

“I’m honored,” Dean replied with another impassive smile. “With your permission, if we’re to secure the duchy, I think perhaps we should add more border reinforcements and checkpoints. Since trade is booming, merchants are constantly coming and going, as are travelers from other domains.”

As usual, Dean was just giving me more work, if in a good way.

“I see. It’s possible someone from our friend’s camp will try entering the duchy, too. Instruct Abitante to revisit checkpoint procedures with that in mind. It will be essential to coordinate these efforts throughout our security forces. All right. We’ll commence drawing up a plan when we get home.”

Just then, we arrived at the academy. As usual, the building was swarming with people. Specifically, this was our institution of higher education. People of all genders, occupations, and ages came here, and everyone’s eyes sparkled with possibility. I loved seeing all of these students and teachers, hungry for knowledge. I walked inside, pleased with the atmosphere.

“This place is incredible,” Dean murmured.

Hm? Was this his first time here?

“I’m happy to hear you like it.”

We reached the headmaster’s door and I rapped softly on it, then went inside.

“It’s good to see you again, Headmaster.”

“Likewise, Lady Iris.” Headmaster Luca gave me a warm smile and welcomed us in.

“How are things at the academy?”

“Same as always.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Please don’t hesitate to contact me the moment you run into any problems.”

“I appreciate that very much. Now, what brings you here today?”

“I wanted your opinion on a matter, as someone who works on the front lines of education.”

“Hm? Yes?”

“Right now, I’m working on establishing a preliminary trade school. At the moment, our elementary schools teach reading, writing, and arithmetic, but I was thinking about turning the focus to training for professional careers at the next level of education.”

“What specifically do you mean?” Headmaster Luca’s eyes gleamed with curiosity, though his expression remained serious.

“We’re short on teachers, so I hoped we could train educators, as well as guards and so forth for our security forces. We could also have a medical track.”

I also wanted to develop a private school funded by Azuta Corporation profits to train butlers and maids, but since that didn’t have anything to do with Headmaster Luca, I didn’t bring it up.

“Medical track? But we have one here at the academy, don’t we? Is there a reason to develop a separate one?”

“I want to devise some basic courses for them to take before they enter the academy of higher education. Currently, most of our incoming students already have medical experience at a local level, but the children coming through our elementary schools won’t have that experience. This way, they can learn the fundamentals at the trade school and further their education in the academy, whether it be as researchers or in the name of practical application. We’ll be able to better tailor our courses to students at different levels. As long as you agree, that is.”

“Hm, it’s all very interesting. I do think implementing that plan will be quite effective in the long run.”

“So then…?” I trailed off.

Headmaster Luca nodded. “May I offer one suggestion?”

“Of course. Go ahead.”

“As long as you’re establishing a trade school, I’d love to restructure the curriculum at the academy level, too.”

“And what would you like to do, exactly?”

“If these students from the trade school will be coming to the academy with a degree of specialized knowledge, then I think we should break the medical track down even more into dedicated practical and research tracks. Presently, courses on the fundamentals, practical training, and research methodology are all mixed together. There’s so much material to get through that the students are rarely, if ever, able to delve too deeply into any one subject. If we remove the general education classes from that mix, they’ll be able to focus more on their specializations and deepen their learning. In short, I’d like to give them opportunities to train to become true experts.”

“I see… Yes, this sounds totally feasible. But I’m no expert in curriculum design, so would you like to take charge of it?”

“Of course. I’ll have a meeting with my staff to gather their opinions and then get to work on it right away.”

“Thank you.”

“I must say, your level of enthusiasm when it comes to education is certainly unusual, Lady Iris!” Headmaster Luca said with a curious smile on his face.

“Is it?”

“Certainly. You’re young enough to be my granddaughter, but I have the utmost respect for you.”

“Oh, my. I’m honored to hear that. All I want is to give everyone more power, though.”

“Power?”

“Yes. Knowledge is power. People who are knowledgeable have more opportunities in business and options in their personal lives.”

Ever since I’d regained my memories, I had, perhaps for the first time, become truly grateful for the education I’d received in my past life.

“I want my citizens to have their own thoughts and to have the independence to determine the course of their own lives.”

“I see, I see. Yes, it’s quite wonderful. I’m impressed. I can’t wait to work together with you on this, Lady Iris.”

“Thank you!”

The headmaster smiled warmly at me, and I returned it in kind. The meeting ended smoothly in this manner, but later on, I would regret not spending more time with him. You see, without my say-so, at some point the academy’s motto became “Knowledge is power,” the words blown up into a banner that hung across the entrance of the school.

“I can’t believe he said all that,” Dean said as we left the room.

“Who, Headmaster Luca? Do you know him?”

“I know of him. He’s famous! He’s said to be at the forefront of medical research, and when he resigned as the king’s personal physician, he traveled the realm caring for various nobles.”

“I see. Well, did he say something that surprised you?”

“Indeed. He’s known for having a difficult temperament. So I was startled to hear him praise you so, to say nothing of his quick response to your request.”

“Really? I always thought of him as a wonderfully kind old man.” I’d liked the headmaster from the moment I met him. I remembered thinking how friendly he was despite his reputation as a prominent figure in his field.

“He’s obviously quite fond of you,” Dean said with a chuckle, to which I gave him a puzzled look and kept walking.

 

***

 

Now that my meeting with the headmaster was complete, my next stop was the church to talk with Father Rafiel.

“Lady Iris, do you have some kind of deep tie to this church?”

“A church is for prayer, is it not? And I haven’t been to one in some time.”

Dean looked thoughtful at this response.

“Is it strange for me to go to a church to pray?” I asked.

Now Dean, Lyle, and Dida all had sheepish grins on their faces.

“Of course it’s not strange, per se, but I just assumed it was your habit to take action about something yourself instead of praying to God about it.”

I had to laugh and agree. Perhaps because I was distant with the church since I now had memories of my previous life. I wouldn’t have said I was a complete nonbeliever, but I also couldn’t deny that I wasn’t especially religious.

Still, as a noble, I had been given a religious upbringing and had all the prayers and rituals of the Darryl Church inscribed in my mind, so I had to keep up appearances.

I took the three of them to a small church on the edge of town. Father Rafiel’s church was attended to by himself and two other clergymen. It looked old from the outside, but simultaneously, that lent it a certain comforting warmth.

I opened the door and walked up to the altar. A small number of people were inside. The Darryl Church worshiped the goddess Rilu, the mother of all life. All the citizens of Tasmeria believed in this religion, which served as the foundation of all lives, noble and commoner alike. Religion saturated all our customs, whether we performed them at a marriage, the birth of a child, our meals when we said grace, or our funerals upon death.

The church was also supposed to help the less fortunate and offer treatment to the sick, but at present, they didn’t often tend to these things. Every organization is vulnerable to the seep of corruption, and the church was no exception, even if they were supposed to be agents of God. But in all reality, the church lacked the funds to provide emergency food distribution.

However, Father Rafiel’s church was one of the few churches in the kingdom that did have those means. I was donating to their cause under my pseudonym.

I reached the altar and said my prayers, specifically for the stability and safety of the duchy. After I finished, I called over to one of the clergymen. “Is Father Rafiel here?”

“The father is out at the moment,” said the clergyman with a suspicious look. “Pardon me, but you are…?”

“Welcome back, Lady Alice!” Father Rafiel appeared, interrupting his peer.

“Ah, Father Rafiel. It’s so good to see you again.”

“What brings you here today?”

“It’s been a while since I saw you last. I’m sorry I didn’t arrange a meeting first.”

“Not at all. Would you like to come in?” He gestured toward the small room off the main chapel area. It wasn’t a parlor, but a desk and chairs were inside.

“Did you go somewhere today?” I asked as we sat.

“Ah, yes. I was making house calls in a nearby village.”

“I see. It’s just like you to keep yourself busy when there are patients who need you.”

“I can’t ignore calls for help.” He smiled softly at me.

“Excuse me.” The clergyman from earlier entered the room with tea. “Pardon me for my rudeness before. My name is Noryu.”

“Oh, don’t worry. You looked a bit troubled when I asked for Father Rafiel. Did you have something you needed to speak with him about first?”

“No, it’s just there are so many people who come here wanting to talk to Father Rafiel… Young women in particular…” He had a familiar troubled smile on his face.

“Oh, my…”

“As you can see, our Father Rafiel is quite a handsome fellow. His heart is filled with love, and he can’t resist helping those in need. It’s no wonder people fall for his kind soul and good looks, but some of them are quite forward about it.”

I had to chuckle at that. It was true—Father Rafiel was both sweet-natured and sweet on the eyes. I could easily see how young women would fall head over heels for him.

“Hey, now! I told you to stop with that!” Father Rafiel chided Noryu.

I laughed again. “It sounds like you have your hands full with visitors then, Noryu!”

“I’ll manage. Excuse me again for interrupting you.” He smiled wryly and excused himself from the room.

“I’m so sorry about that…” Father Rafiel sighed.

“No worries. It sounds like you have it rough, Father Rafiel.”

“Noryu and the rest of our clergy give me far too much credit. It just pains me that I can’t reciprocate those poor girls’ feelings…”

“Hm? I thought priests of the Darryl Church were permitted to marry.”

“They are, but I’m afraid my life belongs to God. Ah, pardon me, but this is…?”

Ah, that was right. Father Rafiel had never met Dean before. I had come to the church with Lyle and Dida before, though.

“Oh, forgive me for not introducing you sooner. This is Dean. He works with me.”

The two of them exchanged a pleasant greeting.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” said Dean.

“Likewise, I’m sure.”

“May I ask you a question, Father Rafiel?”

“Of course. Go ahead.”

“Why do you offer medical treatment? I wouldn’t think that unusual for a doctor of course, but…”

“Ah, that…” Father Rafiel smiled sheepishly. “You can be straightforward with me. I know you’re wondering why a priest like me would be out doing such a thing.”

Now it was time for Dean to let out a sheepish chuckle. Father Rafiel was right on the money.

“Once, it was the church’s responsibility to protect the people,” said Father Rafiel. “We fed, clothed, and cared for them when they fell ill, and we took in children whose parents had died. Once the churches were united under the kingdom’s power and we began to receive funds from the crown, that shouldn’t have changed. I’m not sure when it did, but…at some point, the priests began using the crown’s money to support themselves. The citizens became second in their hearts, and they protected themselves first.”

A sad look came over Father Rafiel’s face. “I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t blame you for your surprise. These days, the Darryl Church doesn’t stand for what it should. The main church has forgotten our teachings and been blinded by riches, spending all their time involved with the war between political factions.”

“Are you really sure you should be talking to us about that, Father?”

“Well, it’s the truth. I was once a central figure in the main church. But every day, I wondered what I was doing. The things I longed for were destroyed. I spent too much time in reality to dream. I couldn’t let down my defenses for even a moment or I’d be sucked into the power struggle and lose sight of myself. I started to despise who I’d become and fled here to escape. Now I do things in the way I want to. I can breathe easily.” As he spoke, he wore a clear, genuine smile.

“So do you view the things you’re doing now as the true purpose of the Darryl Church?” asked Dean.

“Well, that’s not for me to judge. It’s more that I became a priest so I could be more like a certain nun.” Father Rafiel shrugged.

“How do you mean?”

“This nun was a wonderful person. She took in a poor runaway like myself and gave me an education, and she took care of me when I was sick. As a young boy, I saw her as a true hero. I told her, ‘I want to be like you when I grow up.’ If she hadn’t recommended I join the church, I probably would’ve stayed by her side forever.”

“She does sound like a wonderful person,” I said. “I would love to meet her.”

“Unfortunately, that’s not possible. She has already gone to be with God.”

“Oh, I’m sorry…”

“Speaking of, you’re from a family of merchants, are you not? Have you ever met Duke Armelia’s daughter?”

This sudden question made my heart skip a beat. Had Father Rafiel discovered my identity?

“No, not even once…”

I glanced at Dean, and I saw the caution in his eyes. I didn’t think his concern was about Father Rafiel uncovering my identity, but more so a suspicion as to why a priest would want to meet someone who held so much power. Dean couldn’t help but view the church and clergymen with a certain amount of shrewdness.

“I see.” Father Rafiel let out a disappointed sigh.

I decided to just come right out and ask him. “Why do you look so disappointed?”

“It’s nothing. I was just thinking if your family had connections to her, I would love to meet her sometime. Forgive me for being so forward.”

“But why do you want that?”

“Because I see in her the same will I saw in that nun whom I respected so much. After the sister died, the duke’s daughter established that new orphanage. They’ve taken in the children the nun who raised me had looked after. So, well, I’ve always wanted to meet that woman and thank her.”

The orphanage! I thought with surprise, trying very hard not to let it show on my face. “Oh, my. Have you been to the new orphanage?”

“No, actually. It embarrasses me to say that I didn’t know about the orphanage until the main church allowed me to come back to Armelia. I’ve been in contact with Mina, the woman who works there, but she always worries about me. I only learned of the situation from her letters. So I have no right to go see any of them.”

“Oh, don’t say that. You should go visit them. I don’t know how Mina or the children feel, but I understand why you’ve shied away. But the more you run from a person, the less you understand how they feel.”

At first Father Rafiel didn’t seem to understand my objection, but once I finished, he smiled sheepishly at me. “You’ve got me. At this point, I’m wondering who the real priest is between us.”

“Ha ha ha. I’m sorry if I sounded patronizing. It’s just, if you go to the orphanage, perhaps you’ll meet the duke’s daughter…if you’re lucky. I’ve heard she visits there from time to time.”

“Thank you. You’re right. I’ll have to muster up the courage to go sometime soon.” At last, Father Rafiel looked a bit relieved.