Kays Translations

Chapter 86: Return to the Heine Margraviate

How had this happened?

The room where I had been taken to make a stuffed toy modelled after myself was Caro’s private bedroom. Was it truly appropriate for me to enter?

Caro didn’t appear concerned. She pulled me inside with a quiet giggle. She could be far more assertive than her reserved manner suggested.

The room was decorated in warm cream tones and filled with stuffed animals. It was unmistakably a young girl’s room, and a pleasant fragrance lingered in the air.

“You’ve taken good care of the toy I gave you.”

“Of course. Whenever it’s damaged, I repair it immediately.”

Caro smiled.

What exactly did she do with the toy that required repeated repairs? No. I had no time to investigate. I had another one to make.

“I’ll borrow your tools and some fabric. Yes, this should be enough.”

Caro was apparently serious about sewing. Her supplies included fabrics and furs with patterns I had never seen before.

How should I shape a toy based on myself? A realistic human face would be unsettling, so I decided on a simplified, rounded design about three heads tall.

Once the plan was fixed, I began. The game had contained many human-shaped dolls, and using those as references made the task straightforward.

That didn’t make me a professional toy maker.

I occasionally checked my reflection. Matching the hairstyle would do most of the work. I gave the face a friendly expression and ended up with something rather cute.

I concentrated so completely that I finished before lunch.

“What do you think, Caro?”

She silently hugged the completed doll, which only vaguely resembled me. Her reaction suggested the mission was a success.

Someone knocked.

“Lunch is almost ready,” Marchioness Mulan said as she entered. “Oh, you have finished already. How impressive.”

She reached to examine the doll, but Caro held it away protectively. Evidently, she liked it very much.

Lunch consisted of bread, spare ribs, vegetable salad, and a golden soup. Everything was excellent.

“We won’t see Julius again until next year,” the Marchioness said. “Perhaps we could visit the Heine Margraviate during the summer holidays.”

“That would be wonderful, Mother!”

Caro rarely raised her voice, but she did then. Her mother and the servants all looked at her fondly.

“It’s a pity that Julius has already decided to leave,” Marchioness Mulan continued. “Since this is his first visit to the royal capital, I hoped Carolina might show him around.”

She had a point. I might not return for a long time, and leaving without seeing the city properly would be a waste.

“If you have time, would you accompany Carolina this afternoon?”

“Certainly. Father is handling the travel arrangements, so I have no urgent duties at the townhouse.”

“Then it’s decided.”

The Marchioness clapped her hands once.

Had I just agreed to a date with Caro?

The afternoon passed pleasantly. We couldn’t eat or drink outside because of the poisoning incident, but Caro guided me through many of the royal capital’s notable sights.

When I finally returned to the townhouse, Alex met me at the entrance with an amused smile.

“You were only delivering a stuffed toy, yet you’ve been gone all day.”

“Brother Alex, you’re home already. How was the academy?”

He clearly knew what had delayed me, but I preferred to redirect the conversation.

“Classes haven’t fully resumed, so there are fewer of them. The year-end examinations will still be held normally, which means we’re expected to study independently at home.”

“Will that work?”

“My main purpose at the Royal Academy is to build connections. If I need academic instruction, I can hire a tutor.”

That made the academy sound even less necessary for me. Was there a specialised school for magic pharmacists in the royal capital?

It didn’t matter immediately. I intended to attend the academy in our territorial capital, where I could earn a magic-pharmacist qualification.

“Welcome home, Julius,” Mother said. “Everything is prepared for tomorrow’s journey.”

“Thank you. I’ll inspect the luggage before dinner.”

“Please do.”

While I checked the cases, Mira found me and clung to my clothes.

“Big brother, Mira had a terrible day,” Rosalia said. “They searched for you and cried because they thought you had left them.”

“I’m sorry, Mira. I didn’t abandon you. I merely went to say farewell.”

“Kyu.”

I had left them alone too long.

After returning home, I would try to take Mira with me whenever possible. But if I did that, Rosalia might feel abandoned instead. Balancing the two would be difficult.

After checking the luggage, we shared a lavish farewell dinner.

“Julius, continue writing after you return,” Father said. “And as Rosalia’s elder brother, protect her.”

“Of course, Father.”

Rosalia was House Heine’s only daughter, and Father doted on her. He must have wished to keep her beside him, yet he respected her decision to leave with me.

The following morning, the family members remaining in the royal capital saw us off.

Rosalia, Mira, and I began the journey back to the territorial capital.

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