Hume and the Headmaster.

Hume led the way toward the Healing Tower.

Behind her, the Headmaster was explaining the academy to Father—this this, that that, rambling on about the school’s setup.

The Headmaster seemed to think that just getting Father to nod would be enough to get me admitted, desperately trying to impress him.

I caught a bit of what the Headmaster was saying—apparently, they were discussing the academy’s system.

Since when does the school start…? What does that have to do with healing studies, anyway?

Father had been a student here himself, so explaining the system to him was pointless—yet the Headmaster seemed to have completely forgotten that.

I watched the scene from behind Father, vaguely, when suddenly I realized I hadn’t actually taken in the castle at all.

Yesterday, I’d been so focused on hunting for gaps and cracks inside the building that I’d completely missed the point—the actual joy of it.

I’ve always loved this castle, even before I died. I’m fascinated by its structure, sure—but more than anything, it’s the way it just… sits there, calm and unbothered.

I never really thought about wanting to live here, not at all. But the way the decorations are scattered through the halls, the way the bricks have stacked up over time...

Repairing places that’ve weathered a few centuries, tending to them like they’re still alive—there’s something so damn endearing about that.

Sure, I’m endlessly curious about new experimental tools, about newly discovered substances, about all the shiny new stuff.

But I love the things that’ve been cherished too.

The clock passed down from parent to child. The fountain pen that’s seen decades. My maternal grandparents back in Kyushu—they were like that. I remember seeing them repair an umbrella, patch the fabric, keep using it like it was sacred.

My grandmother, who loved cooking, treated her Japanese knife like a treasure. The handle was worn down, smooth from years of use—every groove told a story.

Funny thing? My grandfather actually went all the way to Kamakura, to a shop there, just to buy it as a gift for her.

The thing that stuck with me was the kanji "Masamune" carved into the knife. When I asked my grandfather, he said it was apparently something from a long-standing sword-smith shop.

Anyway, drifting off-topic like that, I found myself gazing at the surrounding buildings, lost in thought.

The structure transformed—shifting from the central castle to a surrounding outer fortress.

This building, resembling Windsor Castle, had a wall made of stacked bricks.

For a second, I thought it was a castle wall. Maybe it was a defensive wall added to protect the central keep?

(Now that I think about it, the forecast mentioned six small spaces within the castle, eight around the outer ring... and spaces surrounding the central keep too... so, something protecting the central castle? Huh.)

I tilted my head, still unsure, but turned my attention to the interior of the outer fortress.

No carpets like English castles. No paintings on the walls. Nothing at all like that.

The archways at each entrance were intricately carved, but otherwise the interior walls were plain—just bricks laid out in neat rows, nothing fancy.

If this were a castle meant to symbolize noble blood, it’d be piled high with extravagance. But here? Maybe it’s just a wall with a few rooms tacked on.

The top-tier classrooms seemed to be on the ground floor, judging by how close the one we were led to was.

The moment the headmaster and my father appeared, the room erupted into chaos.

“Ah—ahem! Back to class, everyone!!”

The headmaster’s shout snapped the students and teachers back into order. Still, eyes kept flicking sideways, whispers creeping through the air like mice.

Then, from behind my father’s back, a face peeked out—just one second of exposure—and a few people immediately stirred with a rustle of surprise.

(Whoa… that kid…!!)

(The hero’s…!?)

The murmurs spread like spilled ink, and the headmaster snapped again, voice sharp with irritation.

My father, watching it all, exhaled dramatically—like he’d been waiting for this moment the whole time.

And suddenly, the chatter just… stops.

The headmaster turns pale, and one by one, the teachers’ faces go ashen.

“Apologies for interrupting your lesson. That’ll do. Ah, Court Healer, you’ll show us the way.”

Father nudged Hume, signaling it was time to leave the classroom.

Hume bowed slightly. “As you wish.” He stepped out, leading the way.

“The workings of this academy are surely familiar to Lord Lovell, so I’ll skip the explanation. Let me show you the facilities of the Healing Tower.”

“Better than just staring at dusty chalkboards, I’d say. Please.”

Father reached out his hand toward me. I nodded and took it. We didn’t even bother with a proper exit bow—just walked out, leaving the headmaster and his crew staring, their faces drained of color.

“H-Hold on, Lord Lovell!!”

My father shot a sharp remark at the headmaster, who was hurrying to catch up.

Ah, you're not needed. Then, that's that.

We stepped out into the garden, leaving the dean standing there, stunned.

＊＊＊

Papa, was it alright?

When I indirectly asked if I wasn’t supposed to be hearing things from the headmaster, Father winked and said, “That’s part of the strategy too.”

Probably screaming her head off by now, so Van’ll probably pick her up.

I guess that’s it. Makes sense. She’s the type who lets her emotions run wild and spills everything like crumbs from a pocket.

"Guess I’ll be stuck with you the whole time you’re here. Heard you talking earlier—just boasting the whole time. I’m the one who went to this academy, and still, you’re spouting off things I already know. Honestly, you’re not exactly helping."

Don’t you notice that Papa, Kai, and Hume are all here?

And yet, despite summoning Hume himself, the headmaster seemed unwilling to explain anything.

“But once Elen shows up, it’s like this. I’d rather avoid places where学院 students are hanging around.”

Hume and Kai both chuckled at their father’s words.

“Forgive us, Lovell-sama. Everyone at the knight’s tower yesterday got carried away…”

Kai bowed his head, and even their father laughed, shaking his head.

“Muskell’s a real pain in the neck, you know. I’ve done the same thing myself.”

Walking in a line with Hume leading, the atmosphere of the academy gradually shifted.

Looks like we’re heading toward the back garden. As ivy thickened along the outer walls, the stone walls slowly faded into a green-wrapped place.

Beyond the green-drenched archway, we stepped into a garden lush with greenery—something like an English garden, but wilder, more alive.

“Wooow! This is amazing!!”

Not just medicinal herbs. Everywhere we looked, flowers and trees bloomed in neat rows, scattered benches placed just so—clearly a spot thoughtfully designed for people to come and go.

“This place was made with accessible medicinal herbs at its core, aiming to please the eye too.”

“Pleasing the eye with medicinal herbs… that’s not something you’d see anywhere else.”

“Yes. Mostly plants that are easy to grow, so we cultivate plenty of edible ones here too. The kitchen staff uses them regularly.”

There’s another garden for edible flowers and herbs, but the idea—making medicine beautiful—was clever, actually.

“Huh… so, medicinal herbs you can actually eat?”

If you can eat it and it’s good for your body, that’s the whole package, really.

“Are the medicinal herbs usually grown here?”

“No, they’re cultivated closer to the lake. Plants thrive better where there’s plenty of water.”

“Can we get there from here?”

“Yes. I’ll show you the way. Please, this way.”

Hume was smiling at me, clearly enjoying my enthusiasm.

It’s wonderful—walking through the castle grounds like we’re strolling through an English garden, sharing the view.

“Even in our domain, we never thought of something like this. A herb garden for tourists? That could actually work!”

“Looks like your idea’s already growing.”

Father was smiling, so I smiled back and kept talking.

“Same effort to grow the herbs either way. I think it’s a solid plan.”

“Hmm… true, but if common folk come, won’t they just take herbs without permission?”

Right. In this world, the rules around things like that are pretty fuzzy.

If it’s clearly a “field,” people won’t just wander in. But still, there are plenty of desperate folk who’ll steal crops out of hunger.

Especially now—there are so many patients staying for treatment at the estate. Some of them run out of coin while they’re here and end up breaking into the herb garden.

“Even if we charged an entrance fee… they’d probably just take the herbs anyway, right? Like, ‘I paid, so it’s mine’?”

There aren’t really any entertainment spots like back home. Not really.

Maybe just the inn’s tavern or a noble’s private parlor.

“Maybe only a royal garden or an academy could pull something like this off.”

“True… In our own territory, it’d probably be impossible.”

I sank into reality again—sighed, shoulders drooping. There are still too many patients here. People in real trouble show up at our gates.

Just hearing that the Vanklyft Family was cultivating medicinal herbs could easily lead people to speculate they were stealing the ingredients for medicine—right down to the roots.

“Now, now, no need to get so down. If it’s this entertaining to look at, maybe we should just ask the estate gardener to grow it for us.”

Dad chuckled, suggesting I sneak it into the garden instead. I perked up instantly.

“Of course, Papa!!”

I bounced over to Hume again, and Hume blinked, just slightly, then smiled.

“Your Highness changes expressions like a spinning top—fascinating.”

The Hume who’d been all stern just moments ago had slipped back into the same stiff demeanor she’d shown when we first met.

I blinked at her, then shot back, “You’re back to how you were when we first met, too.” Hume shrugged, one shoulder lifting.

“Because he was there.”

“The headmaster?”

"Exactly. You're being a pain about not acting like a proper academy student."

True, Hume was currently a student at the academy. But she also held the title of court physician.

Van had said she’d been scolded by the headmaster. Probably a veiled warning not to get too full of herself?

Hume sighed slightly, eyes drifting toward me—like she’d just remembered the headmaster.

"Something troubling you?"

I tilted my head and asked, and Hume just gave me a faint, wry smile.

"...Looks like I'm not fooling you, Princess."

"Ah, well."

Right—Hume had been there that time. Everyone knew the spirit of wind gathered rumors.

So maybe it’d be faster to just ask her directly.

"Is the headmaster trying to use you to uncover the medicine’s formula?"

Hume’s eyes widened at my words, and she made a face like she’d just given up on something she’d known was impossible all along.

"Guess I was right… you knew all along."

"The headmaster’s been shouting so loudly, it’s probably spread through the whole place by now?"

"Uwaaah…"

She laughed, the kind of laugh that’s the only thing left when you’ve got nothing else to do, her exhaustion seeping through.

Father and Kai silently watched us, but the four of us kept walking, heading straight for the herb garden beside the lake. As we walked, Hume spoke up.

"Y’know, that guy… he’s my stepdad."

"...Who are you talking about?"

I knew it in my head, but I still wanted to deny it, just a little.

"Come on, princess, you know exactly who I mean. The headmaster."

Her laughter echoed, and behind me, I froze. To my surprise, Father let out a sharp gasp. Kai muttered an “Uwaaah” full of sympathy, the sound hanging in the air.