“Yo-Your Majesty!”
Richter’s face lit up.
“Does His Majesty wish to appoint me as a Professor?”
The wide eyes and opened mouth showed how surprised she was.
The Emperor erased the playfulness he showed when talking to Hanelope, and said stoically,
“Didn’t you hear? From now on, you are a Professor at the Academy. Stop doing trivial jobs. Your stipend will be sufficient even without such meagre works.”
The Emperor’s words were stinging.
Upon hearing those words, Richter felt like she was about to faint.
The Emperor knew Richter had been secretly earning money through side jobs. And by warning her not to engage in such activities, he was essentially pretending to ignore it, while ensuring that Richter wouldn’t continue it in the future.
Richter’s body trembled with emotions of astonishment, fear, and joy.
“Yo-Your Majesty, Thank you. I will follow your words.”
The Emperor stared intently at Richter and then shifted his gaze to Hanelope.
‘Oh dear…’
The child’s cheeks were flushed as a red apple.
Seeing her sulking face, the Emperor wanted to burst into laughter.
“Hanelope, as you have heard. Richter is now a professor at the Academy. In other words, you can’t have Richter.”
“Your Majesty, that’s not fair… I like Miss Richter very, very much…”
The Emperor looked at his tearful granddaughter and said sternly.
“Can’t you meet her at the academy? Or are you going to hate me as a bad Emperor again?”
Hanelope bit her cherry like bottom lips tightly and shook her head.
“But please be a good grandfather next time.”
“It depends on your behavior.”
The corner of the Emperor’s mouth twitched upward.
Professor Munich looked at him curiously.
The Emperor probably didn’t even realise he had made that expression.
‘I didn’t realise His Majesty was capable of that expression, either.’
I felt a little sorry for the disappointed Hanelope, but the way she pouted her lips was so cute that I could imagine how the Emperor felt.
It seemed that, the day would not be long before Professor Munich’s wish would finally be fulfilled.
***
“Don’t be so disappointed, Princess.”
Richter said as they returned to the professor’s office.
It was obvious that she was at a loss how to placate me.
“I will continue to teach you well at the Academy, Princess. And if you ever come to my office, I will always welcome you as I do now.”
Miss Richter was this kind.
She was afraid that I was going to cry. But she didn’t need to worry about that.
‘Because all I wanted was for Miss Richter to be a professor!’
I beamed, my face still lightly flushed.
“Congratulations, Miss Richter!”
Richter’s eyes widened.
“Princess, are you okay? If you’re deliberately pretending to be okay for my sake, I hope you’re not….”
“No, I’m fine. I just love that you’re a Professor now, Miss Richter. We can see each other all the time at the Academy without having to be separated.”
Miss Richter looked dumbfounded at my enthusiasm.
But then her mouth dropped open as if she realized something.
“Does the Princess mean to tell me, you deliberately asked His Majesty to send me to the duchy, so he would appoint me as a professor?”
Richter was quick on the uptake.
‘It was useless to pretend.’
I nodded, giggling.
“Princess, how can you…!”
Miss Richter was speechless. She could only stare in awe, amazed, and moved all at once.
In the original, Richter’s character is described as a ‘helpless genius wizard’.
She was an extra, with a single line of narrative from the omniscient author’s point of view.
Not many people knew she was a genius because Professor Frank kept it a secret.
‘But was the Emperor kept in the dark?’
No. The Emperor must have known.
He has eyes planted all over the Academy.
And if he were secretly observing classes, as he was now, he would have noticed Richter’s magic demonstrations and found out her expertise.
But he hadn’t found her brilliant enough to forgive her for her involvement with Professor Frank.
Since the Emperor didn’t know about her personality, he might have thought of her as just a capable but morally deficient subordinate.
‘But this time it’s different.’
The Emperor witnessed Miss Richter calmly handling the uproar Ulrich had created.
The Emperor was cautious, and he needed reassurance.
‘I only played my part.’
As they say, when there’s competition, the price goes up.
Predictably, the Emperor took my bait.
‘I asked for Miss Richter, and he made her a professor.’
Maybe later the Emperor would’ve promoted her to being a professor. But I decided not to wait and jump the gun.
I drove a wedge in case he changed his mind.
“Even if you’re busy being a professor, will you still play with me?”
“Of course, because you are my most precious student.”
Miss Richter said, her voice trembling with emotion.
I took her hand in mine, fumbling, and asked,
“Don’t you have another ‘precious student’ besides me?”
“Who? Oh, you mean the boy I’m personally teaching?”
“Yes. What will happen to him now?”
“That’s…. I’m afraid I can’t teach him anymore. His Majesty has forbidden me to do anything other than teach at the Academy.”
Richter’s face, which had been pleased, darkened.
She was fond of the child she used to teach secretly.
‘She even unconsciously boasted about him to me.’
But now she can’t teach him anymore.
No matter how much you love a child, you can’t afford to break the law.
“But there’s still a way.”
I said cheerfully, as if I were an innocent child who knew nothing.
“If he studies in at the academy, you can see him.”
“B-But….”
“His parents don’t want him to go to the academy, do they?”
“How does the princess know that……?”
“Because he’s a friend I like.”
“Is the Princess familiar with Young Master Brantley?”
Richter looked startled, as if she’d seen a ghost.
I nodded.
“Brantley also needs education, but the Duke of Eisen won’t permit. So I told him to find a good teacher and study in secret. Our Brantley is smart, isn’t he?”
When Brantley came to apologise to me instead of Jacob, I gave my bracelet and said,
“It’s a gift. A wizard in Turenpol likes expensive bracelets.”
“You mean I should give him this bracelet and ask him to teach me magic?”
The wizard living in Turenpol-
It wasn’t a he, but she.
She was Anna Richter.
I wanted Brantley to learn magic from Miss Richter.
If Brantley became a skilled mage, the Duke of Eisen could no longer persecute him.
Fortunately, Brantley seemed to be excelling under the care of Miss Richter.
‘I never expected to enter the academy and meet Miss Richter in person.’
Even when I signed the admission application after being tricked by the Emperor, I felt unjust and my heart ached.
But the moment I met Richter, my plans changed.
Brantley and I will study together!
‘Is this what they call a twist of fate?’
“Oh my God! I can’t believe it was the Princess who sent Young Master Brantley to me…”
Miss Richter gasped.
Given the shocking events of today, her heart must have been under considerable strain.
“I wanted to attend the academy with Brantley. Miss Richter, when you become a professor, you can recommend smart students for admissions.’
“But Young Master Brantley’s father wouldn’t approve. He’s barely able to attend the lessons privately.”
I puffed out my cheeks.
“Do we really need Duke Eisen’s permission?”
“What?”
“His Majesty the Emperor is more powerful.”
“!”
“With the Emperor’s permission, even Brantley can enter the Academy!”
Richter’s expression brightened with realisation.
“That’s right, with His Majesty’s permission… Why didn’t I think of that?”
Richter could hardly contain her excitement.
It was the face of a man who had tasted power.
Holding her hand, I walked out of the academy, beaming at the sight of my father.
“Miss Richter, see you later!”
I bowed politely to Richter and ran to my dad.
Dad watched Miss Richter carefully, as if observing her, and then scooped me up in his arms.
“What was that?”
Dad asked as he climbed into the carriage.
“She’s not an object, Dad. That was Professor Richter.”
“I don’t remember someone like that on the Academy’s faculty.”
“She was appointed today. His Majesty promoted her.”
“Really? You seem to be in a good mood.”
“Yes! I like Miss Richter.”
Dad glared at me as I grinned.
“Why? Did something happen?”
He asked, rubbing my cheek softly.
“I just wanted to know if you’re enjoying the Academy that much. Is it fun?”
I tilted my head, making a face like he was asking the obvious.
Dad’s brow narrowed.
“At first you were afraid to go, but suddenly….”
“Studying is fun!”
“Studying is fun? Are you serious?……”
Dad couldn’t believe it.
‘Oh, right! A kid who likes to study does sound a bit weird.’
I quickly changed the subject.
“It’s fun to hang out with my friends, and I have great Professors!”
I said to reassure him.
Despite my intentions, Dad’s expression grew more serious.
“I can’t believe you’re having so much fun. Well, I guess that’s why you didn’t come home right away and went to the Imperial Library. I’m glad.”
Dad said he was glad, but his expression betrayed him.
Rather, he looked a little.… irritated.
‘Is Dad sulking?’
I was confused.
‘My Dad wasn’t like that though.’
I wondered if he had something else on his mind.
When I got back to the mansion, I saw a lot of toys I hadn’t seen before.
He had cleared out a room and filled it with all sorts of new toys.
My eyes widened.
“Wow, what is all this?” I asked.
“Do you like them?”
Dad asked. I nodded and looked at each toy.
There were puzzles, dolls, and even things you could ride, like a model horse.
I thought I should pretend to be happy. I may be seven, but I’m an adult in mental age, and I didn’t like childish things.
I climbed onto a model horse with a glossy mane and wheels and gave it a light push.
‘This is boring. I’m a grown-up, I don’t like this kind of thing….’
Suddenly, the horse’s wheels moved of their own accord and started rolling forward.
Finally! I was wondering when Brantley would appear!