Chapter 622: My Adorable Pouting Fiancée

While helping Rosalia think through her design, I assembled the gramophone’s internal mechanism. I had made it so many times that I could almost do it with my eyes closed. Almost. At the very least, I could work on it while doing something else.

I also prepared proper blueprints. Judging from everyone’s reactions so far, gramophones would almost certainly enter production. If so, I should prepare instructions that the master craftsmen could follow.

“Something like this, perhaps? Rosalia, would you take a look? Does it seem elegant?”

“Elegant? I’m not entirely sure, but there’s no doubt that this design is magnificent.”

At first, Rosalia had tilted her head. The moment she saw my drawing, however, her eyes began to sparkle.

Perhaps the design was too mature for her. Even so, I could tell from her expression that she wanted one. It should be fine.

“Now I’ll add Mira over here. If I make them look dignified, it should work.”

Keeping the overall balance in mind, I drew Mira striking a heroic pose. Yes, Sister-in-law Daniela should be pleased with this. As I grinned at the result, Rosalia began tugging insistently at my sleeve.

“Brother, I want to use that design too.”

“For Father’s gramophone? He might be disappointed if we use exactly the same design, so let’s combine it with the one you’ve drawn.”

“Combine them! Yes, let us combine them!”

Thank goodness Lady Fabienne wasn’t here. She might have misunderstood that dangerously enthusiastic response.

We took the best parts of my design and Rosalia’s and combined them into a unique design for Father. We kept it as uncluttered as possible, adding several bold geometric patterns in place of excessive ornamentation.

“I think it looks good. What do you think, Nero?”

“It’s splendid. Whether placed in the study or the salon, it’ll undoubtedly draw every eye.”

Nero declared this with a smile. I wasn’t entirely sure whether attracting that much attention was desirable, but there appeared to be no other problem, so I accepted his judgement. Rosalia also looked delighted and was rubbing her cheek against the drawing.

Did she like it that much? Perhaps we could simplify the design a little and sell it as the “Rosalia Model”. Yes, that might work. We could launch a Rosalia brand through the Heine Trading Company.

“Brother, you look rather pleased.”

“I am. Because you look happy, Rosalia.”

At those words, Rosalia’s cheeks turned pink.

…Wait. Was this taking a dangerous turn? Surely this wasn’t going to become some forbidden love between siblings? I had Lady Fabienne!

Breaking into a cold sweat, I announced that I was going to check on Lady Fabienne and fled the workshop. This wouldn’t do. Rosalia and I were approaching the age when we needed to become less dependent on one another. We couldn’t remain together for ever.

“Oh, Lord Julius. Why are you so flustered? Has something happened?”

When I reached the compounding room, Lady Fabienne noticed my strange behaviour. She stopped what she was doing and hurried over to me.

“Ah, Lady Fabienne, please keep making the potion. It would be a waste of ingredients if the batch failed. The truth is…”

I told her every detail of my recent suspicion. Naturally, I wanted to prevent her from misunderstanding.

Rosalia was certainly adorable—so much so that, as the saying went, I could put her in my eye and not feel pain. But I had no desire to spend my life with her as a wife or elope with her. None at all.

Whether or not she understood my feelings, Lady Fabienne clung to my arm with all her strength.

Oh. It had been quite some time since I last felt her warmth—and that marshmallow-like softness.

Lady Fabienne seemed to be becoming aware of the weapon she possessed. This was bad. My Cerberus was—calm yourself!

“Lady Fabienne? You don’t need to worry. Nothing like that will happen. We don’t even know whether Rosalia truly feels that way.”

“Knowing Rosalia, she may well feel precisely that way.”

Lady Fabienne stuck out her lips like a duck. Oh, no. She was completely jealous. What was I supposed to do?

I looked to Nero for help, but my usually attentive and dependable attendant had thoughtfully turned his back, hiding us from the other Royal Magic Pharmacists.

That wasn’t the kind of help I needed! Rescue your master from his crisis, Nero!

“Kyuu!”

“Ah! Mira?”

“Oh, Mira wants to join us. Come here, Mira.”

“Kyuu!”

Salvation from heaven! As expected of Mira. Sensing my predicament, they pushed their way between Lady Fabienne and me.

With Mira between us, the aura of jealousy surrounding Lady Fabienne weakened. This was my only chance to clear up the misunderstanding.

“Lady Fabienne, even if Rosalia does feel that way, I have no such intention. I intend to spend my life with you. Ah, but if you don’t want that, I’ll gracefully… Well, I couldn’t do it gracefully, but I would weep tears of blood and give up.”

“I would never say such a thing.”

Lady Fabienne threw her arms around me. Whoa. An even greater area was now in contact with that softness. Mistaking it for some new game, Mira clung around my neck too.

What was this? I felt incredibly happy.