Chapter 115
***
“Today’s events have made her even more special.”
“And yet you’re not worried?”
“Even if Miss Higgins cannot take the exam, her uniqueness as a subject of my experints remains unchanged. I don’t see what there is to worry about.”
Ronny was left speechless, his mouth agape.
The ‘special’ and ‘worry’ Jeremiah spoke of were solely from his own perspective.
“So.”
Instead of faulting his viewpoint, Ronny decided to explain a different aspect, as he had always done over the past six years.
“Speak, brother.”
And Jeremiah, ever the diligent student, always took out his pen and paper when Ronny began to explain.
“lody poured all her ti and energy to the point of exhaustion for an exam that was coming up.”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
“But she ca to the tower to keep her promise with you.”
“It was I who had made the appointnt first.”
“But she could have postponed the appointnt for the exam. That would have been a valid reason, and you would have accepted it.”
Jeremiah, who had been busily writing, acknowledged with a ‘I see.’
“So, the conclusion is that Miss Higgins prioritized
over herself.”
Jeremiah tapped the tip of his pen on the paper, lost in thought.
“Why would she do that?”
The most important thing in the world is oneself. You are the entity that operates your thoughts and body.
Yet, to prioritize soone else…
“Truly, a strange person.”
As he reached this conclusion, lody shifted slightly in her sleep. It seed lying in the sa position for a long ti was uncomfortable.
Ronny waited until she settled into a complete position, then quietly spoke up.
“lody isn’t strange.”
“Excuse ?”
“She’s just thoroughly trying to be ‘Higgins’.”
“It’s odd to attach ‘thoroughness’ to a na. Regardless of who she is, she’s ‘Higgins’.”
“No.”
Jeremiah, who had grown up outside the mansion, might not understand, but the bond between the father and Butler Higgins was sothing anyone would envy.
There had even been tis when young Ronny and Claude lanted, “We don’t have a Higgins of our own.”
“Do you know that Butler Higgins is always by father’s side?”
“Yes.”
“He accepts any aspect of father, even if it differs from his own thoughts.”
“That seems irrational.”
Jeremiah slightly frowned.
If there are differing opinions, it’s necessary to share them and work together to find a new solution, not for one side to unilaterally conform.
“Moreover… that’s burdenso.”
“Indeed.”
For the sake of that perfect trust, one cannot beco the wrong person.
“It might seem like Baldwin unilaterally holds authority over Higgins, but in reality, it’s Higgins who guides Baldwin onto the right path.”
“It’s about exchanging the necessary tension between each other.”
“That’s the specialness of Miss Higgins you’re talking about.”
Jeremiah looked pensively at the paper where he had written ‘Miss Higgins is special,’ then set it aside for a mont.
“I feel like… I might be able to understand.”
Jeremiah, stroking his chin, slowly began to speak.
“This explains why I felt strange when Miss lody rested her head on my shoulder earlier.”
“What did you say?”
Ronny asked in surprise, but Jeremiah seed not to have heard him.
“It’s because she and I have a relationship where we have a special influence on each other.”
“Ah, yes. That’s true. But where did she rest her head?”
“Brother.”
Jeremiah turned to Ronny with a determined expression.
“Ah, I’ve completely realized it now.”
“Suddenly? Realized what?!”
“Just as Miss Higgins has considered my experints, I too must value her exam. That’s the healthy relationship between Baldwin and Higgins.”
No, so why did lody rest her head on your shoulder?!
“I also understand why I couldn’t bring myself to touch Miss Higgins.”
Of course, you shouldn’t just touch her!
“It’s because I didn’t properly understand the importance of Miss Higgins.”
Regardless of what Ronny thought internally, Jeremiah lanted, “It was a very difficult problem.”
“It seems I only have you, brother.”
“…Ah, what?”
“Your words always bring
a new perspective.”
Despite appreciating the praise reflected in his sparkling eyes, Ronny could not comprehend half of what he said. His thoughts had partially halted at the ntion of “leaning her head on his shoulder.”
‘What on earth happened!’
Ronny’s mind went back to the magicians’ wailing. Hadn’t they said Jeremiah was going through a dangerous phase of adolescence?
“Jeremiah.”
He called out cautiously, trying to gather his wits, and Jeremiah confidently nodded in response.
“Yes, actually, it’s not that there’s absolutely no way.”
While still speaking in riddles.
“…A way?”
“Yes, a way to wake Miss Higgins.”
Ronny quickly stood up from his seat. When he had asked if there was an ‘unnatural way to wake her,’ Jeremiah hadn’t said ‘no.’ He had only seed troubled.
Ronny beca anxious. He no longer cared about the earlier conversation.
“There is a way, right? Tell !”
“Yes. In fact, it’s a thod docunted in ancient texts, and recently, it’s been considered not feasible to use….”
“I don’t care about that! Isn’t experinting with whatever possible the spirit of the magic tower?”
“Well, yes, but we do have a minimum set of ethics, which has prevented
from recomnding it.”
Ethics. How dangerous could this thod be?
Ronny felt a bit worried but then shook his head.
What does it matter what the thod is? If they do nothing, lody’s efforts will be for naught.
“Ethics… What’s that matter?”
Encouraged by his determination, Jeremiah also agreed.
“Yes. As long as Miss Higgins considers Baldwin to be an absolute standard, I too am prepared to set aside ethics for the ti being.”
Ronny nodded, moved. Now, he wouldn’t have to worry about what excuses to make to lody once she woke up.
“So.”
Ronny asked the most important question with a stern face.
“What exactly is the thod? I’ll help with whatever it is.”
Even if it requires hard-to-find ingredients, the na Baldwin would likely make it not a big issue.
The prospect of having to use sowhat illegal routes was a concern, but it seed necessary.
The brothers were ready to set aside any ethics for lody’s exam, so there shouldn’t be any problem.
“The traditional thod to forcibly awaken soone deep in sleep is not sothing extraordinary.”
“What is it…?”
Ronny swallowed hard, urging the explanation to continue.
“It requires a true kiss of love from a beloved. Kissing soone who is asleep without their permission presents an ethical issue, which is why it’s forbidden by the magic tower.”
“…What?”
“Well, it should be fine.”
“….”
“We have just collectively shed the cumberso garnt called ethics.”
…Put it back on, you fool!
This urgent plea echoed only in Ronny’s head.
***
Such an act wasn’t just about shedding ethics but shedding humanity itself! What? There’s no way I would want to do that!
With his face flushed red, Ronny repeated a similar statent about ten tis, finally managing to persuade Jeremiah.
“And more importantly, Jeremiah.”
Regaining so composure, Ronny crossed his arms and added a logical rebuttal.
“A true kiss, as if that could ever be possible.”
“Why couldn’t it be?”
Ronny yelled back in response to the shaless reply.
“There’s no way sothing like that could happen between lody and !”
“Don’t worry. It’s possible.”
“What?!”
“According to extensive research, it’s a thod that has been effective even in relationships where the emotions are not consciously acknowledged.”
Jeremiah shared actual examples, like records of a forsaken princess asleep in the woods who woke up from a kiss by a prince from a neighboring country.
“In other words, all that’s needed is for one side to perceive it as ‘true love.’ It’s very much possible.”
Ronny looked at his younger brother with sowhat dim eyes.
Up until now, he had thought of magic as a collection of trendous logic.
But he could definitely see that there was sothing pitifully lacking.
The idea that a kiss could solve the problem was absurd.
“Master.”
Fortunately, Jeremiah’s pitiful assertion ended there.
Evan, his apprentice, had arrived, reporting that he had started to see the carriage of the ducal house in the distance.
“Brother, then I will go to et them.”
“Then I should also….”
Ronny was worried about his brother facing the daunting adults alone and tried to follow.
But Jeremiah shook his head.
“Just in case, brother, please stay by Miss Higgins’ side.”
“Are you sure you’ll be okay? Even father is afraid of an angry Higgins.”
“It’s fine. I take full responsibility for my experints.”
After saying this, Jeremiah left the room with Evan.
In the quiet room, nothing could be heard but lody’s breathing.
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