Translator: Nox

Chapter 30

I Will Save My Father

I Will Save My Father, Episode 31

Madam Phrea went to see Head Butler Servair as soon as she arrived for work. Her purpose was to check on the assignment she had given Berry Quartz Travel the previous day.

However, when met with her sharp, scrutinizing gaze, the head butler simply showed her his empty hands with an awkward expression.

“Are you saying Lady Berry did not submit her assignment?”

“Ah, well… I was busy yesterday afternoon and wasn’t in the butler’s office. And today, the Young Lady is—”

“She didn’t submit it, then.”

Servair’s mouth, which had been trying to make an excuse on Berry’s behalf, clamped shut at the sharp remark.

There was nothing more to say. Madam Phrea turned and left the butler’s office.

‘I expected her to be diligent for at least a week. Already?’

Perhaps she had let her guard down because the child had shown some results.

How many children from prestigious families had she raised?

Berry Quartz Travel. She could not allow the girl to remain at a level where she would fail even the Academy entrance exam.

‘I’ll have to tighten the reins.’

Madam Phrea walked down the hallway with her back ramrod straight. Someone was walking toward her with a similar gait.

With an impeccable stride and expression, he was a legendary figure who had never missed the top spot at the Academy for five years straight—Callet Lambart, the youngest aide to Count Travel.

“Good morning, Madam.”

“Good morning, Aide.”

It was only natural for Madam Phrea to treat him favorably as an educator. They exchanged brief, polite greetings in soft tones, and she was about to move on.

Then, Callet made an unexpected request.

“Baroness Hobant, if it wouldn’t be an imposition, may I ask a favor?”

“What is it?”

At her affirmative question, Callet pulled a notebook and a fountain pen from his inner pocket.

“Could you write down the Edward Equation here?”

At the name of the notorious equation, Madam Phrea’s hand froze in midair as she took the pen.

“Are you testing me?”

“Not at all. The Count happened to mention it in passing, but it has been so long since I learned it that I cannot recall it clearly. Since you manage the heir’s lessons, I thought you would know it better than I.”

“I… see.”

Madam Phrea drew out her response, her hand moving slowly with the fountain pen. Her mind was racing. The two-line equation, composed of complex formulas and frantic combinations, flickered in and out of her focus.

But she had to remember it. This was a request that touched upon her pride.

Was she lucky he hadn’t asked her to solve it? She wasn’t confident she could go that far.

Madam Phrea searched her memory and wrote down the equation.

“Will this suffice?”

“…….”

It was correct. There was no way this was wrong. Madam Phrea asked Callet with a sense of pride.

However, as Callet checked the notebook, the corners of his lips were pressed thin in a peculiar way.

It was as if he was dissatisfied with the equation she had written. Madam Phrea pushed up the side of her glasses with her fingertip and spoke.

“…Shall I provide the proof as well?”

“No. Thank you for your help, Baroness Hobant.”

Callet snapped the notebook shut and tucked it into his inner pocket. Though his polite thanks before walking away was respectful, it was clear her answer had not been satisfactory.

Madam Phrea left the Main House with a lingering sense of unease. She crossed over to the Education Hall and opened the classroom door.

She was surprised to find that the one person who should have been there was missing.

“Hello! Madam Phrea!”

The pink-haired young lady who always gave a spirited greeting—ignoring the etiquette she had been taught—was nowhere to be seen.

Madam Phrea’s gaze shifted to the empty desk by the window in the front row. The familiar stack of papers was the one she had given yesterday, and a thick book had been placed on top of it. It seemed intended to keep the assignment from blowing away in the wind.

Did she finish the assignment and leave it at her desk?

“It seems Lady Berry has not arrived yet.”

“She can’t come today.”

Calips answered.

He looked quite relaxed, leaning back against his chair with his hands clasped behind his neck.

Ciel, sitting next to him, glanced at him before returning her focus to the book she was studying.

The twins in the front row were the same. They were busy reading history books. With the end-of-month evaluation only two weeks away, it was a natural sight.

“She can’t come? The Head Butler didn’t say anything about—”

Something flashed through Madam Phrea’s mind.

Was this what Head Butler Servair was trying to say earlier when he said, ‘Today, the Young Lady is…’?

“Go take a look. She left something over there.”

Calips pointed toward Berry’s desk, looking quite pleased. Madam Phrea walked over and lifted the book that was weighing down the assignment.

“…….”

A single sheet of paper was revealed on top of the clean assignment.

---

Field Trip Application

Applicant: Berry Quartz Travel

Period: One week starting today

Content: Tour of the Grand Temple

---

A paper with the same sentences written twice.

The squiggly writing at the bottom belonged to Berry, and the neat handwriting above it was—.

“Master Mati, Lady Hati…?”

Madam Phrea called out to the twins while holding the paper.

‘Ugh, we got caught…!’

‘Mommy…’

The twins buried their heads even deeper into their history books.

11. Savior of the Aubaut Church

‘Since I showed some sincerity by writing it myself, maybe I won’t be in her bad books as much?’

Moreover, field trips were an activity my grandfather actively encouraged.

I swung my legs as I sat in the moving carriage.

It had been about two hours since we left Count Travel’s estate. It was likely around the time Madam Phrea would have discovered the application.

“You seem to be in a good mood.”

“Yeah! I’m so excited to see the Grand Temple.”

Sitting next to me, Dad placed his hand on my forehead. It was already the several-th time he’d done so. After confirming I didn’t have a fever, he lowered his hand and asked.

“Do you still have the stone Grandpa gave you?”

“It’s in the cloth pouch Sherry made for me.”

I answered, patting the pouch containing Acom, who had turned back into a pebble.

Yesterday afternoon.

After returning from the Education Hall, I followed Dad around, trying to convince him that I absolutely had to go to the Grand Temple.

As expected, it wasn’t easy. Dad had already made up his mind to go and leave me and Theon behind.

“Do you really want to go?”

“I think I’ll regret it if I don’t.”

But I had already made up my mind to take Dad to see Theon’s grandfather.

After my persistent pleas, Dad went out for a moment and came back with one condition.

“You can go, but make sure to bring what Grandpa gave you.”

“…What is it?”

“Something small and pretty.”

It was a condition that made it easy to guess where Dad had gone. He had gone to see Grandfather, who had returned from the Imperial Capital.

In the end, Dad also found out that Grandfather had given me Grandmother’s keepsake.

When he discovered the identity of the ‘small and pretty’ thing, Dad had a complicated expression for a moment, but he didn’t show it to me. He just told me to keep it safe since Grandfather had given it to me.

Sherry made me a pouch that could be attached to my belt, saying I mustn’t lose it.

By now, it was impossible not to know. Grandfather and Dad clearly believed that I had to keep Acom with me to stay healthy.

‘Come to think of it, I haven’t been sick once since coming to Travel.’

It was strange. If we were still living in Bonwell Village, I would have had a fever at least twice by now.

Was it really because of Acom that I wasn’t getting sick?

‘But the other “me” never had a private audience with Grandfather, never received the stone, and never saw Acom.’

Yet, I had grown up healthy until the age of twenty-four. Perhaps Acom, the guardian of Travel, knew something about my chronic illness.

‘I’ll have to ask when we get back.’

Acom had said he would be forced into a slumber outside of Count Travel’s estate.

Before that, I have to achieve the goal of this trip!

I turned my head toward Theon, who was sitting alone across from us. He had been staring out the window for a while now.

Once we passed Hisport Town, it was just meadows all the way, so the scenery would be repetitive and boring.

“Theon, is it fun?”

“It’s strange.”

“Strange?”

“I came this way when I first came to Travel. I thought it would be a long time before I saw this road again, so it’s strange to be traveling the same path so soon.”

Theon spoke while still looking out the window. A hint of longing seemed to linger in his eyes. The timing was perfect. I casually asked Dad.

“Dad, shouldn’t we go see Theon’s grandfather and grandmother? You said it’s on the way.”

“I was planning to stop by and say hello on our way back from the Grand Temple.”

Snap. Snap. Theon’s head whipped toward us. I also looked up at Dad.

“Really?”

“Truly?”

At our expectant gazes, Dad paused for a moment before curling his lips into a smile.

“Of course. I did take their grandson as my apprentice without permission.”

What a stroke of luck!

Theon’s face brightened. I also looked at Theon and spoke cheerfully.

“That’s great. Show me around your village, Theon!”

“Okay.”

I had achieved one small goal. I leaned back against the seat with a light heart, but perhaps I leaned too much.

“Berry, if you feel carsick, should I open the window?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Seeing me almost half-lying down, Dad opened the carriage window.

The sounds from outside drifted in through the open window. Anne, sitting on the coachman’s box, was chatting with the driver.

They were having a debate about whether rice balls tasted better with a sprinkle of sugar or a sprinkle of salt.

“Sugar, definitely.”

At the words Dad and I mumbled simultaneously, Theon looked flustered.

I guess he was on the salt side.