Chapter 95

The campus of Kaido University, known as the collective knowledge of the Kingdom of Trua, teems with many students during the day, but becomes quiet at night.

The only lights still on in the school building are those of the playful students who drink in the classroom under the guise of "outdoor drinking" and the professors who devote themselves to research day and night.

"Damn..."

In a certain room of the school building, the words of Professor William, who devotes himself to research day and night, fall silent.

William, instead of the formal clothes he wore when visiting the Hernberg family, was wearing a white coat stained with dirt in various places.

"The petals of the Igrimi flower are too weak as a substitute... Is there anything else..."

Saying this, William flipped through a thick book.

The laboratory was a chaotic space created by William, who loved plants.

The walls were beautifully displayed with various dried plants, and the wooden shelves were neatly lined with stacks of heavy documents, a variety of herbs, and powdered medicines.

On the large table where William sat, handwritten notes, research notebooks, and several books were scattered, and among them, colorful medicine bottles could be seen.

The floor was cluttered with leaves and stems from long-term research, and the air was filled with the scent of herbs.

However, this could also be interpreted as the scent of William's passion for pursuing new possibilities.

"Hey, William. Studying all night again?"

Today, as usual, William, who was devoted to his research, was addressed.

William, who had been immersed in his own world, took a moment to react to the voice.

"Why don't you knock, Reed?"

Sighing, he turned his body in the chair toward the source of the voice.

In front of William's gaze stood a man about a decade older than him, with his arms crossed.

The man, Reed, unlike the thin and introverted William, had a robust physique, and the bulging muscle lines could be seen even through his white coat.

His hair, tinged with blue, was short, and he had a thick beard, with a smile in his eyes.

He had none of the gloominess often associated with researchers and instead exuded a bright, sunny atmosphere.

"Did, as you said before, exactly three times."

Reed said, and William, looking a bit embarrassed, replied.

"I recommend using an axe to knock next time."

"Shut up! We're already having our research budget cut, and I can't afford to further damage the room."

"Don't worry. As long as it can withstand the rain and wind, I can do my research."

"You might be fine, but..."

Reed, letting out a wry smile, said.

"Anyway, you can immerse yourself as you like, but don't overdo it. It's a valuable advice from a kind colleague."

"You can't talk, staying in the school building this late."

There was no concern or tension in their voices.

The banter between the two suggested a long-standing relationship, and a certain level of trust as fellow scholars.

"So, what's the matter?"

William asked Reed, who had dragged a chair from nearby and sat down.

"Can't I come if I have no business?"

"I'm busy, so that's it."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, it's a joke! I came because I was curious about what happened during the day. You said you were going to a noble's house as a tutor, right?"

"Oh, that matter."

Reed's words seemed to make William realize.

"The visit to the Hernberg family, right?"

"The Hernberg family!?"

William's words made Reed exclaim in surprise.

"Is it that surprising?"

"Because you, the Hernberg family... the tyrannical duke..."

"Tyrannical duke?"

William frowned at Reed's words.

"What is this ominous name?"

"Well, the current head of the Hernberg family, Logan, is said to be arrogant and short-tempered, and often lays hands on his daughter."

"......? Who are you talking about?"

William's expression became even more confused.

"From what I experienced today, Lord Logan was a very polite and gentle person..."

"Well, I haven't actually met him, just heard rumors from other nobles... But from what I hear from you, it might be just a false rumor."

"Unless it's someone else, that's true."

"Then, how was Duke Logan? Was he excellent?"

"Oh, no... I'm going to be a tutor for Lady Amelia, not Lord Logan."

"Lady Amelia...!?"

Reed's face was again filled with shock.

"Why are you so surprised?"

"Because you, Lady Amelia... the infamous lady..."

"Infamous... what did you say?"

"Ugly, defiled, combined as 'infamous'."

"What is this dishonorable name?"

Reed's words made William frown again.

"You don't know this?"

"I have no interest in the noble society. As always, you are well-informed about noble affairs."

"Well, I am a viscount, after all."

Putting his hands on his hips and puffing out his chest, Reed proudly snorted.

Not all professors have the same background.

William, from a commoner's background, had earned his degree through his achievements, while Reed, from a viscount noble family, had followed the elite path from a young age.

He also appeared in the social scene, so he was well-informed about such matters.

"Anyway, that's not important. The fiancée of the Hernberg family, Lady Amelia, is the eldest daughter of the Haggle family. She is called 'the infamous lady', 'the arrogant and heartless person', 'the plague of the Haggle family'... and so on. She hasn't appeared in the social scene much since her debut, and I haven't met her either."

"That's a ridiculous rumor."

William stated firmly.

His voice contained a hint of anger.

"At the very least, Lady Amelia is not ugly or defiled. She is a very beautiful lady."

"Is it someone else... or has someone intentionally spread false information..."

Speaking of Logan and Amelia, the gap between the rumors and the reality made Reed frown.

It's not uncommon for such ridiculous rumors to circulate in the noble society.

Some nobles spread information to protect their status and reputation or to outmaneuver other nobles.

Rumors and scandals are part of this, where they embellish the truth or spread complete falsehoods to tarnish the reputation of other nobles and secure their own position.

As a result, unverified information often flies around, leading to misunderstandings and prejudices.

...Little did they know that the rumors about Logan might have been spread by Logan himself, who didn't want to get married, and the rumors about Amelia might have been spread by the leader of the Haggle family to clear his own name and boost his sister Erin's reputation.

In any case, as a scholar, William, who believed in what he saw with his own eyes, found no value in the rumors about Amelia that Reed had mentioned.

William continued.

"Moreover, the term 'plague' is inappropriate. She is a very excellent lady. If she continues to study diligently, she might bring a new wind to the industry."

"Hmm..."

Reed, placing his hand on his chin, said.

"That's rare, for you to praise someone so highly, William."

"It's the truth. To be honest, I went because it was a special request from the dean. If I had judged that the meeting today was not worth my time, I would have declined the tutoring job."

"Well, you are busy. You are the youngest genius to earn a degree."

"I've told you many times that I don't like that name."

"Ah, sorry, sorry."

Reed waved his hand casually, showing no sign of remorse.

"Anyway, if you judged that it's worth your time... that means she must be a remarkable talent."

"Yes, I can guarantee that. But..."

William frowned, recalling the meeting with Amelia earlier in the day.

– Do you have the will to be involved in the development of such medicines, Lady Amelia?

– I have been making medicines by mixing plants for a long time, and I enjoy it... Also, I strongly feel that I want to help people...

Amelia's pure words about wanting to help people.

While he thought there was no lie in them, he also felt a certain precariousness.

"No... never mind."

However, at this stage, William judged that the discomfort was not significant enough to put into words.

"In any case, I haven't fully grasped Lady Amelia's abilities and knowledge yet, so it's still uncertain how things will go in the future."

"I see."

Reed nodded with interest.

"For now, I plan to do more research on the red death and then create a specialized test book for Lady Amelia. Depending on the results, I will decide which level of materials to use and how to proceed with the curriculum. Oh, by the way, I was also asked to consider the compensation... but that's not important. There's a lot to do..."

Reed chuckled at William's rapid-fire words, his hand on his chin.

"What is it?"

"No, I just thought it's great that you seem to be enjoying it."

"Enjoying it?"

William's eyes widened in surprise.

"Did I look like that?"

"Yeah. Recently, you've been so focused on the new drug development for the red death that you've been frowning all the time. So, in a way, this might be a good break for you."

"Maybe so."

William pondered, lowering his voice.

(Still, Lady Amelia is only 17 years old... and her learning method is self-taught and not based on theory, so I shouldn't have excessive expectations.)

This was a reasonable judgment considering Amelia's background.

(I'll start by teaching her the basics and filling in the gaps.)

William, who was thinking leisurely, didn't know.

The girl named Amelia had an abnormal love for plants and a vast amount of accumulated knowledge.

And above all, she possessed a natural talent that could only be described as innate.

Tomorrow, William's impression of Amelia would be completely overturned.