“…That’s the end of it.”
“That’s the end?”
“Yes. We sought confirmation from a priest, as the doctor indicated it was premature to make a definitive statement, and the results aligned with Farell’s findings.
“What?!”
Hearing Ivan’s explanation, Gianna jumped up from her seat and raised her voice.
Remembering that they were in the academy, she hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand, but Idel understood her reaction.
She felt the same way.
‘Is he really pregnant? Farell?’
It couldn’t be. If this was a significant issue, the book review would have addressed it.
‘If that were the case, Ivan Ernest wouldn’t have been able to help Gianna with the Countess.’
Idel, with her arms crossed, stared intently at Ivan and spoke.
“So, is this why you came to the academy to look for the empire’s history of black magic?”
“Ah, yes. That’s correct. Just in case…”
In other words, he came hoping for some shred of hope.
‘Maybe I could ask Sigmund about it.’
Though he would likely throw a fit about it, there’s still a possibility.
Above all, there were several points in Farell’s words that were hard to believe. At least, from Idel’s perspective, who had more information about the Count Bright’s family thanks to her sister’s book reviews.
‘Melisa wouldn’t miss out on using it if the followers of forbidden magic accomplished this, as pregnancy is associated with the creation of life.’
If they could impregnate a man, wouldn’t Melissa have used it to make herself a Clementine?
‘She could genuinely have the Duke’s child.’
Melisa was a person consumed by love and inferiority. It was clear she would have considered pregnancy trivial. Yet Farell achieved something that even Melisa, who is skilled in black magic in the story, couldn’t.
‘There’s something off.’
However, aside from this suspicion, Idel fell into a moment of contemplation. She couldn’t tell if the situation before her was something that would have happened anyway or a variable created by her involvement.
“…….”
Seeing Idel lost in thought as she glanced down, Gianna rolled her eyes and poked Ivan playfully.
“Ivan, now’s the time.”
“……Yes?”
“Good grief, you need to take advantage of the moments when Idel is thinking!”
She whispered to Ivan, nodding her head dramatically as if to show off.
Without delay, Gianna approached Idel, her posture confident, and subtly tilted her eyes. Her mumbling voice sounded quite pitiful.
“It’s so upsetting when people who like each other break up because of someone else… Idel, can’t we help?”
“…That’s ridiculous. How can we help with adult matters?”
“We just need to find someone to help! Let’s ask Dad or Mom to see if they know someone! Or, um…”
“Hmph, no way. I’m not interested in this petty stuff.”
“But you don’t want the person who bothered you to succeed, right? What if they end up by the Count’s side and start bothering you too?”
“…….”
Noticing Idel’s eyebrows twitch slightly, Gianna shot a mischievous smile at Ivan.
“Let’s think about it together, okay? Since the doctor and the priest have seen it, maybe we should find a magician too? Or, we could reveal that it’s all a trick made up by that person! Ivan, you’re a journalist, right?”
As Gianna squeezed her thoughts to pull Idel in, she quickly became lost in her own ideas, completely forgetting her original purpose. It was very childlike behavior.
Idel, watching her intently, lifted her head with a haughty expression.
“If we don’t help, that man will be happy, won’t he?”
“Ah, yes, milady…”
“Like Gianna said, if he gets what he wants, he’ll just end up giving me more pointless lectures and other things.”
The child rolling her eyes and tilting her head looked quite serious. Seeing that the two kids were genuinely ready to help, Ivan became somewhat flustered.
It was true that he had vented his frustrations to the children because he was exasperated, but he hadn’t expected this kind of outcome.
‘I should have told her not to do that before Gianna steps in.’
No, he shouldn’t have brought this up in the first place. It was quite unbecoming for an adult.
“Alright. I’ll help.”
“No, no!”
When the words finally slipped out of Idel’s mouth, Ivan hurriedly shook his head.
As if they hadn’t expected a rejection, two pairs of round eyes turned toward him.
Facing the two who resembled each other yet were different, Ivan slowly but firmly expressed his intentions.
“I didn’t bring this up to drag you both into my affairs.”
“Hmph.”
“It may sound like an excuse, but it’s true. So please don’t say things like that. Your help at the café and your current concern are more than enough.”
His seemingly gentle eyes shone with determination.
Idel could easily read the remorse, worry, and self-reproach in his doe-like eyes.
As she stared at him intently, she tilted her head with a teasing expression and raised an eyebrow.
“I’ll show you around the academy until the professor returns, so…”
“I don’t want to.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m not helping you for your sake. I’m just doing it because I feel like it. It’s not about you; it’s about me. Got it?”
“……Pardon?”
Ivan’s eyes flickered with confusion at the absurd words. The situation became even more complicated when Gianna, unlike him, nodded vigorously as if she understood, which only added to his bewilderment.
It seemed that children had their own way of communicating with each other.
“Yes, that’s right! Ivan will understand our feelings now, right?”
“That’s…”
For the first time in a long time, Ivan doubted his journalistic abilities and made a troubled expression. Gianna, with wide eyes, quickly changed the topic before he could say anything.
“Ah, Idel, isn’t that Professor Hector over there?”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Professor! We’re over here!”
Professor Hector was hurrying over, looking flustered.
Gianna waved her hands excitedly and ran toward him.
Her eagerness to dash out without any hesitation resembled a puppy out for a walk.
“Ah…”
Ivan sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with a troubled look.
If left as is, it seemed he would try to brush this off as if it never happened.
‘Not a chance.’
Idel had no intention of letting this matter go as Ivan wished.
Setting aside the fact that he was Gianna’s important ally, she was concerned about the dark magic mentioned by Farell.
‘More specifically, its source.’
Her keen intuition told her that this could be an important clue. Besides, she needed to visit Sigmund soon anyway.
Therefore…
“Let’s meet in front of Florent Cafe in two days at noon.”
“Oh, you don’t mean…”
“You’re right. It means you should just accept it, even if you don’t want to.”
“……”
“Since it’s come to this, wouldn’t it be reassuring for you to watch us with your own eyes?”
As he met her piercing blue gaze, Ivan felt a somewhat strange emotion.
Unlike the absurd words from earlier, what Idel said now was extremely logical. At least, it made sense to him to some extent.
‘Could she really be hiding her true self?’
Just as Ivan’s journalistic instincts were picking up signals, the bright-eyed child muttered to herself with a pout.
“Hah, he dared to pick a fight with me? I will never lose.”
“……”
“What’s up? Why are you suddenly laughing? Am I funny?”
“Ah, my apologies. It’s nothing.”
“Hmph.”
… Perhaps not.
Just as Gianna had forgotten her previous conversation the moment she saw Professor Hector and rushed over, it seemed Idel also indulged her childish whims.
‘It seems she’s completely fixated on one thought, unlike Gianna.’
Ivan cleared his mind and organized his thoughts calmly.
‘I need to find a way to gently steer both of them away at an appropriate level.’
After spending half a day together, he could probably soothe them enough to send them back.
No matter how clever and fortunate the two young ladies were, solving the issues plaguing the Count’s family wouldn’t be easy.
And two days later.
“……Hey, isn’t this what you were looking for?”
Ivan found himself needing to retract his words.
