‘I thought I was finally free from work…’
One of the important schedules, an academic conference, had completely slipped his mind.
Up until now, it had been a relatively insignificant event.
However, as the prestige of the Vermont family steadily rose, the conference was no longer a simple gathering but a major event tied to their reputation.
When the topic of the presentation was undecided, the goal had merely been to hastily complete a paper, no matter the quality.
But once the topic was set, the aim shifted to producing a respectable thesis.
Now, with the completion of that thesis just around the corner, the desire to successfully deliver the presentation had taken hold.
Since the topic was Black Magic, it was likely to garner significant interest.
But there was no guarantee that all the attention would be positive.
It could even result in harsh criticism from the academic world before the research was properly examined, effectively burying the work.
Back when the Vermont family was branded as a house of Black Magic fanatics, it wouldn’t have mattered much if they were condemned for such research.
But now, with their connections to the imperial family and ventures into various industries, the damage could be severe.
If that were to happen, the Vermont family’s reputation would take a hit, and the conference would end as a net negative.
Thus, this academic conference was not just about presenting research or reading a thesis.
It was an opportunity to convey that Black Magic isn’t something to be feared and dismissed but could coexist within the framework of magic systems.
This wasn’t a matter of simply publishing a paper and hoping some brilliant scholar might pick up the study and systematize it someday.
Aslan Vermont had to advocate for immediate follow-up research himself.
“The bigger the family gets, the more headaches there are.”
“Hehe… Even you have it tough, Aslan. Why not take a day off…?”
“I’ve already decided to leave all future paperwork to Sylvia.”
“Really? Then I can spend more time playing with you… Oh!”
Julia, who had jumped up with a bright expression and slammed her hands on the desk, suddenly realized her slip of the tongue.
Her face turned crimson as she clamped her hands over her mouth.
“So, you’ve been wanting to spend more time with me that much.”
“Th-That’s not it! I was going to say you could spend more time with Charlotte, but my tongue slipped!”
“Oh, I see. Then could you handle sorting out today’s materials, Julia? I’d like to use the time I have left to spend it with Charlotte.”
“What? W-Wait…”
When Aslan dusted his hands and rose to leave, Julia’s pupils shook violently in panic.
A beat later, as Aslan stepped toward the door, Julia grabbed his sleeve tightly.
“D-Don’t go….”
“Didn’t you just tell me to go and spend time with Charlotte?”
“I misspoke… Stay with me….”
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ scolds you to stop teasing our poor necromancer!]
Julia lowered her head deeply, unable to meet my eyes. She muttered quietly, clearly embarrassed by her own request.
It was evident that asking me to stay was deeply mortifying for her.
Feeling that Julia might explode from embarrassment—or that Kali might erupt in fury—I decided to stop teasing her.
“…”
“…”
The material sorting resumed.
Silence blanketed the research room, broken only by the occasional rustling of papers.
To an outsider, the scene might have seemed awkward, but for Julia, this quiet was likely her greatest comfort.
Her seemingly emotionless expression was not one of discontent but of serene satisfaction.
Had it been in the past, Aslan might have wondered if something was bothering her and struck up a conversation.
But now, knowing Julia’s preferences, he understood there was no need.
Simply sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, occasionally brushing hands, and quietly spending time together was Julia’s greatest joy.
“Ugh, I’m so tired! I need a break!”
“You can stop for the day. We’ve nearly finished organizing the materials. No need to rush.”
“But the harder I work, the more time Aslan gets to rest… Sir.”
“That’s true.”
“But no matter how much time you get, it’s meaningless if you don’t actually rest. I’d rather stay busy if it means staying busy with you…”
“…”
Even if it meant losing her free time and working harder, she preferred being with me.
It seemed she had unknowingly let slip her true feelings.
Julia tried to maintain a composed exterior, but her steadily reddening face betrayed her.
“W-what are you smirking at!”
“I tend to smile a lot.”
“Liar…”
“If you’re tired, why not lie down and rest properly?”
“There’s nowhere to lie down in the study…”
“There’s a spot right here.”
“…!”
I tapped my knee lightly, making it clear she could use it as a pillow. Julia’s eyes widened in shock.
She hesitated, seemingly flustered, until I teasingly pulled my leg back, pretending to withdraw the offer.
“If you don’t want to, forget it.”
“Ah, ahh… I’m just really tired, that’s all. It’s not like I want to lie there, but since there’s no other option…”
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ stomps her feet, saying she’s never been more envious of you!]
Quickly making up her mind, Julia nestled herself and rested her head on my lap.
I couldn’t help but smile at the overwhelming sense of warmth that welled up within me.
She mustered the courage to rest her head despite her embarrassment.
If I laugh here, she’ll think I’m mocking her and run away.
I bit my lip tightly and barely managed to hold back my laughter.
“It feels… kind of nostalgic, lying next to Aslan like this…”
“Yeah, it does. Have you been sleeping well lately? No nightmares?”
“Nightmares… I think I still have them sometimes…”
“Then feel free to bring your pillow and visit me anytime.”
“Mm. No. I’m not a child who can’t sleep without Aslan’s hand anymore. I can handle this on my own now…!”
“…”
Julia clenched her fists and whispered resolutely.
I had assumed she wasn’t having nightmares anymore since she’d stopped coming to me at night.
But it seemed she still had them occasionally.
That was unexpected.
The Julia I remembered was someone who couldn’t bear anything frightening and would cry and run away.
Now, she was learning to face her fears.
It was a sign that she had grown mentally stronger.
While I felt proud of her, a strange ache arose in my chest, bringing a faint, bitter smile to my face.
Children grow as they please.
And in the realm of the mind, they grow even faster than their bodies.
I’m just a helpless human with no way to stop it and no desire to try.
Faced with the relentless flow of time, all humans are powerless.
The only thing I could do was keep stroking Julia’s head, imprinting the sensation in my fingertips and my memory.
“Aslan… do you think I’ll do well at the Academy? Everyone there will be so much older than me…”
“You’ll do fine. The Academy doesn’t care about age; it evaluates students solely on their abilities. Be confident. If anything, older students who can’t keep up with your skills should be the ones feeling intimidated.”
“R-really? I guess that makes sense… And with Yuria saying I’m doing well, I’ll be okay… Plus, Charlotte will be there too…”
Was going to the Academy next year worrying her that much?
I suppose it made sense—this would be Julia’s first time attending a school.
Even so, I had no doubt she’d do well.
The Imperial Magic Academy has a long history of admitting young prodigies, and because of that, bullying or discrimination based on age is practically unheard of.
Even if someone like that existed, Yuria and Charlotte would protect her.
With the three of them together, I had nothing to worry about.
‘Still, just in case… should I have Sylvia transform into a child and infiltrate with them?’
The thought struck me as a brilliant idea.
But imagining the potential damage to Sylvia’s pride made me reconsider.
Though she’d never indulged in childish antics as a child and was now starved for affection, forcing her to mingle with actual kids might deal her a crippling psychological blow.
“Speaking of which, I heard you’re sponsoring a student at the Imperial Magic Academy, Aslan. I want to get along with them too!”
“…”
So it’s come to this.
A hint I’d carelessly let slip in the past… now remembered.
I felt my chest tighten as I remained silent.
“Hehe… Could it be that the student is Yuri?”
“…”
“Aslan? Don’t tell me it’s true?”
“…”
Ah, no. This is bad.
She’s figured it out.
I really wanted to keep this a secret…
