I’ll take a bath as soon as I return home.”
“I want to sleep after a cool glass of beer.”
The two individuals naturally held hands as they stretched their weary shoulders.
And Irene hurried to say the starter before Nicholas could tell her to.
“The Great Handsome Nicholas Arkel!”
Seeing how these words flowed from her mouth without much resistance, she deemed childhood cramming education to be scary.
This time, the clear light covered both of them.
Irene was a bit afraid she might be dragged to the Black River, but that didn’t happen.
She could sense the familiar feeling of the carpet under her shoes.
“Fortunately…”
They safely returned to the mansion. After Irene opened her eyes, sighing in relief, she briefly doubted her vision.
Her eyes met with her father’s.
“…Irene?”
“…!”
The teleportation magic was a success.
Success was a success, but the success was in moving to Count Webber’s office.
Eventually, the two had no choice but to confess to the count.
And that evening.
Irene and Nicholas’s punishment was standing on the stairs, each holding a sign that spelled, ‘A good child leaves with his/her parents’ permission.’
Irene was so embarrassed, she couldn’t raise her head to all the passers-by who glanced at her.
Nicholas was constantly muttering, ‘Oh, I want a beer… Quickly, beer…’, and was eventually hit in the back by the butler.
He looked sick.
***
It wasn’t until the moon rose that Irene and Nicholas’s punishment ended. Irene earned an additional small punishment after she returned to her room, which meant she took a bath without her duckies.
Irene was disappointed, however, she had something else to worry about.
It was to wash Elvin’s handkerchief thoroughly.
She scrubbed all the dirty germs and lathered them with a nice-scented soap. Taking care not to leave runny nose marks over the emblem of the noble Royal family.
After her bath, she soothed the crying Beth, who complained, ‘I was so surprised the lady left without leaving word.” Of course, she promised not to lie to Beth again.
After drying her hair thoroughly and preparing for bed, Irene asked Beth to bring some ointment.
“Why the ointment? Are you hurt?”
“It’s not me. My teacher’s hurt.”
Beth conveyed her curiosity.
“Is he not a wizard?”
“He’s a mage.”
“Then couldn’t he perform some sort of healing magic?”
Come to think of it.
Irene tilted her head as she recalled him moderately wiping the blood from his sleeve.
“Anyhow, I’ll be back. He was hurt because of me, so I’ll have to take care of him.”
Irene, who said so, headed to Nicholas’ room. It was the first time she had done so.
After Irene took a deep breath and knocked, she heard the answer from inside, ‘Come in, Lady Kid.’
Irene carefully opened the door.
The room was not very bright.
Nicholas was sitting on the windowsill in a thin shirt, drinking the beer he desired.
“You’ll get a cold.”
“You mean the virus humans catch?”
“It’s a virus that everyone catches.”
Irene pouted as she approached him. She felt refreshed, smelling liquor after a long time.
Irene used to buy beer at the convenience store every time she left work.
My favorite quote in the world.
‘*Ten thousand won for four imported beers.’ Ha, I miss you.
*TL/N: This is a phrase used in many convenience stores in Korean, as to make more profit.
“Why are you here?”
Nicholas leaned his back against the window frame and asked lazily.
The wind blew against him, causing the wound on his forehead to be visible.
“Teacher.”
“Hmm?”
“I know you’re off from business, but can I ask you a question?”
“You can ask questions outside of my work time.”
“Don’t you use healing magic?”
Nicholas understood Irene’s intention in asking such a question at once. Because she looked at his forehead with a frown on her face.
“Of course I use healing magic.”
“But why.”
Before Irene could finish her question, Nicholas opened his mouth first.
“Irene.”
This time, he called her name properly, not a playful title like that of a girl or a student.
“The magnificence of a wizard is not revealed by what magic he uses, but the time he chooses to.”
“That’s…”
“Patience is needed.”
Perhaps he decided to exercise his patience with that small wound.
In fact, it wasn’t that big a deal enough for him to use healing magic.
“Lower your head down. It’s okay for me to apply medicine, right?”
“It’s not alright. It’ll really sting when you apply medicine.”
“Don’t talk like a child. You’re an adult, aren’t you? Use your patience!”
“It’s up to me when I show my patience! And as an adult, I don’t want to show my unhealthiness. I can’t tell you when I’m in pain.”
“You can say it hurts, so bend forward.”
“Do you want me to say the truth?”
“You can say whatever you want. Adults don’t live with the illusion that they don’t go through pain.”
He took a sip of beer and held his face close to Irene. He frowned.
“I’m ugly.”
“Don’t lie to me. How is this face ugly?”
Seriously, just keep your mouth shut.
Irene rolled up his messy bangs and dipped the cotton gauze into the medicine.
“It hurts.”
He frowned even more.
“It really hurts.”
“You look uglier now.”
“You said I could speak when it hurts!”
“I was just telling you how I felt. It’s okay if you keep saying it hurts. I won’t blame you.”
“It really stings. Besides, it smells really bad. It smells like the Tower.”
“It’s a good medicine. It’s an expensive import.”
“Thank you very much for that.”
“But which do you like the best, a ribbon, rabbit or an apple?”
“Suddenly? Then an apple. It’s delicious.”
Irene pulled out a hair pin shaped like a small apple from her pocket and tied his front hair nicely.
His hair can’t touch the medicine for a while.
“This is going to be a big distraction.”
He took another sip of beer, fiddling with his raised bangs.
Irene didn’t want to admit it, nonetheless, perhaps because of his clear features, the apple pin looked incredibly good on him.
He might be able to express his unique and lively personality better this way.
Of course, it was all thanks to Irene’s pretty tie.
“It suits you very well.”
“Yeah, I’m handsome.”
“I’m done with my business, so I’ll leave.”
“*Gap Lady.”
*TL-RP/N: Those who are in a higher position within a contract are referred to as the ‘Gap.’
“What?”
Irene responded moderately as she packed the bottle of medicine.
“Thanks.”
She was a bit surprised by the unexpected words that he uttered.
Nicholas didn’t seem to be the type of person who would use such words in a lifetime. In addition to the way he replied, presenting his sincereness.
“Don’t mention it. Thanks to you, I had fun today.”
“You wouldn’t have said that if you were caught.”
“That’s true. It would have been really troublesome for my family!”
“I’m glad nothing happened.”
“You must have had a hard time.”
“I didn’t struggle much. I was afraid I would lose this perfect job.”
A perfect job.
Irene laughed proudly at his words. As a member of the Webber family, she was very happy to hear this.
“Why are you laughing?”
“I just wanted to say that I was happy to meet the perfect teacher, too.”
“Well, I can’t feel the sincerity from your words.”
“Didn’t we get caught?”
“All right, shall we work to be the perfect teacher?”
He turned to Irene and sat down.
“How about learning some math for tomorrow?”
“Good.”
Irene grinned.
Maybe he would teach Irene to add or divide by three-digits.
She’ll just have to pretend she’s having a hard time and relax.
“We can read newspapers and talk together.”
“I like that, too.”
“What else do you like?”
“Well, I like things like maps. My brother has shown me a lot since I was young.”
“Geographical and climatic?”
“Except for the climate.”
“Do you like literature?”
“I like old stories. Adventures.”
“That’s why you like geography, isn’t it?”
“It’s not much unrelated. A few times, when I read a story set in a real area, I always search it up in
the map.”
“That’s a good habit. And what else… Oh, do you like history?”
“I’ll like it. If you could explain it in story form.”
Irene shrugged as she answered.
His questions continued without a break, and Irene very much enjoyed talking about herself.
“Do you like experiments and observations?”
“I don’t have a persistent personality, but I will if it’s necessary.”
“You’re a great student. What’s your foreign language?”
“I haven’t learned any yet. Perhaps I can’t.”
Because she didn’t speak English very well in her last life. It shouldn’t be much different this time either.