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A summons from Senior suddenly arrived. She said that it was important and to come as soon as possible.

Since Irina was also called, it was clear that this involved oppa. I hurried over as soon as I received the message. There was no time to waste when it came to oppa.

"Senior, may I come in?"

"Oh, you got here quickly. Come in."

I knocked carefully and spoke through the door, hearing Senior's voice in response.

"Irina, you're here too. Welcome."

Senior smiled gently as she saw Irina and me enter, rising from her seat.

She moved naturally toward the shelf with the teapot. I used to feel uneasy about having someone from a duke's family serve tea themselves, but she insisted that it was proper for the hostess to do so, so I couldn't intervene.

After a few times, I got used to it. Besides, Irina and I often brought small gifts like cookies or plants whenever we visited, making it a sort of exchange.

"I'm sorry for calling you in so suddenly."

"It's alright. I wasn't busy."

Irina quickly responded to Senior's apology.

Like Irina said, there wasn't much to do with the end of the term approaching. We had final exams to prepare for, but nothing that would prevent us from responding to Senior's call.

"I'm glad to hear that."

Although she laughed softly, it only heightened my tension.

It was a laugh mixed with subtle worry. Senior was trying not to show her emotions, but she couldn't hide them completely.

"...This might take a while."

And with those words, I was sure.

This isn't just any issue.

I had an instinctive feeling that something serious had happened, and I clenched my fists slightly as the tension enveloped me.

It was rare for Senior to say that it would be a long discussion. The last time she did that was when she explained about oppa receiving a proposal from the Mage Duchess.

"Yesterday, Carl went to the capital to meet the Mage Duchess."

I could feel Irina flinch beside me.

I probably reacted the same way. Oppa went to meet the most threatening person at this time. Why did he go, and what did they discuss—?

"And he said that they had a big argument."

"...What?"

My mouth opened before my mind could understand.

Oppa fought with the Mage Duchess?

Why?

I felt confused. However, even that confusion was premature.

"Because—"

What Senior said next left me speechless.

About the life extension project, the Mage Duchess's tears and apology, oppa and the Mage Duchess spending a night in the same mansion, how they held hands, and how he walked her to the Magic Tower as a sign of reconciliation.

How strange. I couldn't understand what I'd heard. Senior explained it clearly, but it was hard to grasp.

"It's a bit overwhelming, isn't it?"

Senior spoke with understanding eyes, and I could only nod. Actually, it was more than a bit overwhelming.

"Carl seems... even more overwhelmed."

I instinctively realized it as soon as her slightly somber voice reached my ears.

This was why Senior had called us.

"We... We need to support Carl."

Senior looked at us with determined eyes as if to imprint her next words in our hearts.

In the face of her resolute spirit, Irina and I braced ourselves with equal determination—

And it wasn’t long before the room became a scene of shared tears.

***

Time passed, and it was now club time.

"Oppa, aren't you tired? The wind is chilly, and the cold might seep into your bones."

"I'm fine. It's not like I'm walking around outside.”

"Still, let me massage your shoulders."

"No, it's alri—"

I began massaging his shoulders without waiting for his response. He looked a bit embarrassed, but he eventually let me continue.

I could feel the tension and knots as I massaged his shoulders.

He must have been through a lot.

These knots were proof of his struggles and the burdens he carried alone without our knowledge.

"Carl isn't without worries. In fact, he has more to think about than we do."

"A lot more, more than we can imagine. However, he hasn't shared those worries with anyone."

"That's why Carl is hurting a little bit now."

Senior's determined voice began to waver, her eyes growing red. Irina and I felt the same.

Our proud and strong oppa, the most dependable person in the world, had been mentally strained to his breaking point...

No.

I quickly shook off the terrible thought. What was I thinking? He wasn't broken. Like Senior said, he was just a little hurt.

Even the strongest person could catch a cold. They could sometimes trip and scrape their knee or twist an ankle.

It was just that. He was just a little hurt.

"A combined wedding for all the brides..."

I recalled something Senior mentioned, but I soon brushed it off. People could say strange things when they were dizzy from a cold.

We can support him.

Yes, we definitely could. Besides, he would be okay soon.

"Louise, I'm here."

As I felt a lump in my throat, the clubroom door opened, and Irina peeked her head in.

"Ah, Irina."

"Hello, oppa."

Irina smiled shyly as oppa greeted her warmly.

When she met my eyes, she nodded seriously. She was here to help heal the cold in oppa’s heart, too.

"Where are the other members?"

"They went outside to play."

Irina blinked at his response, then looked back at me.

I could only smile awkwardly. They really had gone out to play.

"We'll be outside for a bit."

"Huh? Why so suddenly?"

Erich, who was shuffling a deck of cards, spoke up first—

"Lather wouldn't admit that he has dog feet."

"We'll see who's right in the end."

"The one who says that usually loses."

Rutis and Lather chimed in, naturally making their way out as a group.

They didn’t have to do that.

I felt both gratitude and guilt as I realized why. They left because they saw me lingering near oppa, looking at him with worried eyes.

Despite the cold weather, they went outside to give us space. I didn't know how to repay them for their overwhelming consideration.

"—! ——!"

"——? —!"

I could faintly hear them playing energetically in the backyard. Even though they pretended to leave for fun, I knew that they did it for my sake.

It wasn't really for the game, right? Yes, that couldn't be the real reason.

"They have so much energy."

"It's a relief that they burn it off themselves."

Oppa replied bluntly to Irina’s comment.

I couldn’t help but laugh. Honestly, considering Erich and Rutis' stamina, they could probably run around all night and still be fine.

“Won’t it be hard to bake if everyone’s out? I brought some good tea.”

“Oh, I can do it!”

“Take your time. We can drink tea first.”

I quickly brought out the teapot as I saw Irina place the bag on the table.

Good tea. Irina had promised to bring something calming. Since she seemed confident, it must be pretty effective.

“How is he?”

Irina whispered to me quietly.

“I’m not sure yet.”

Although it was embarrassing, I had to admit that there was no noticeable progress.

Oppa never showed any signs of struggling. If I hadn't heard about his emotional burden, then I wouldn't have noticed anything.

That made it all the more painful. How much had he been suffering alone for him to be hurting so much without showing it?

The saddest thing in the world was to suffer alone without having anyone to care for you.

This can’t go wrong.

Even a small cold could turn into a serious flu if left untreated. We couldn't let that happen to him.

“We might notice something if we keep an eye on him.”

“But the end-of-term ceremony is coming soon.”

Her words made me fall silent.

That was the problem. The second term was almost over. Because of that, there were less than two weeks left to see oppa.

We needed to be near him to soothe him in case he coughed.

Why does it have to happen at the most crucial time?

I felt resentful towards Enen. Why did he have to make him sick now?

No. Ideally, he shouldn’t be sick at all. But if he had to be, then couldn’t it have been when more people were around to care for him?

“...Should we suggest another visit to the capital?”

I cautiously suggested. Maybe we could stay at the mansion with oppa like last vacation.

“Wouldn’t that be risky? He needs to rest, and he might not relax properly if we’re nearby.”

“Th-that’s true…”

Her convincing argument made me withdraw my suggestion.

“Then let’s at least attend the New Year’s Ball.”

“Huh?”

Irina proposed another idea while I was imagining a winter vacation where I would have to spend time away from oppa.

The New Year’s Ball?

I stared at Irina, surprised.

The New Year’s Ball was a grand event where all the titled nobles of the empire gathered before the Emperor to reaffirm their loyalty and discuss the future of the empire.

Though it was a massive social gathering, the pressure and burden of having all the titled nobles present meant that most young and lesser nobles didn’t attend. They either stayed in their territories or had their own private gatherings if they followed their families to the capital.

“We can attend, too. It’s not mandatory, so we usually skip it. We didn’t have a reason to go.”

Irina glanced at oppa as she spoke.

“But now, we do.”

Following her gaze, I looked at oppa, who smiled gently as our eyes met.

Because of his warm demeanor in the club room, I sometimes forgot that he was a high-ranking official. Even if he wasn’t a titled noble, he was obligated to attend the New Year’s Ball.

“Alright.”

I quickly agreed after thinking it over.

Honestly, I was a bit nervous. The reception was a place for high nobles like dukes, marquises, and counts. I never wanted to go there until I inherited my title.

However, taking care of oppa was more important than my anxiety.

Standing before the Emperor even seemed manageable if it meant that I could be next to him.

***

Louise and Irina were whispering earnestly.

I can hear everything.

Unfortunately for them, I heard every word they were saying. In this space with just the three of us, even their softest whispers were clear. My heightened senses from training in mana made sure of that.

Have I worried them too much?

I felt a bit embarrassed. It seemed like what I had told Marghetta had reached them, too.

Alright, I admit it. My words had indeed worried Marghetta, Louise, and Irina as well.

My actions were too extreme.

Sharing radical ideas needed to be done in moderation to be acceptable to other people. However, my approach was extreme, way too extreme.

Marghetta, with her gentle heart, must have pretended to sympathize with me while worrying deeply inside. I only realized this too late.

I should have taken my time.

I had been too hasty. Even vaccines were administered in doses; injecting everything all at once was just overwhelming.

I needed to reflect. A pioneer must always be cautious.