IAYA 23

chapter 23

Ever since discovering the monster in Zher’s laboratory, my mind had been in turmoil.

The fact that there was still one monster left—when I thought they had all been killed—carried an immense significance for me.

“…I want to have a proper conversation.”

At first, I didn’t know that I could communicate with monsters, but now I did. There was so much I wanted to ask them.

“Why did it call me ‘Queen,’ even though we only met briefly at the door?”

It hadn’t seen my face, didn’t know who I was. We’d only exchanged a few words, yet that monster had called me Queen—it was astonishing.

“If we meet again… I’ll find out.”

If I could meet the monster again, I could simply ask directly.

The key now was figuring out how to meet it.

Judging from the clanging of chains, the monster must have been tied up, and since it had shouted if anyone was there, it was clear it was being forcibly confined.

Once, by luck, I had been able to converse with the monster, but being alone again in Zher’s heavily secured laboratory wouldn’t be easy.

Especially speaking through a closed door, as I did last time, had its limits. People would notice quickly, and I wouldn’t be able to talk properly.

That meant I needed to open the iron door where the monster was imprisoned…

But I couldn’t know what condition the monster was in. Even if I entered, unexpected situations could arise.

And in the worst-case scenario, if Zher found out I had tried to approach the monster, I had to be mentally prepared for whatever might happen.

“I’ll probably get scolded badly…”

But still…

I couldn’t just ignore the monster.

『Is anyone there? Is anyone there at all?!』

The lonely voice of the monster shouting that day echoed in my mind. I was the only one who could listen to it now.

“I’ll think about everything else later. First, I’ll talk to the monster.”

It was a somewhat impulsive decision, unlike me, but I wanted more than anything to speak with the last remaining monster in Kamar Academy.

From that day, I began to observe Zher’s lab closely, paying attention to trivial things—people’s leaving hours, where keys were placed, and so on.

But there were many factors to consider.

“Even if I open the iron door and talk to the monster, can I leave without leaving a trace?”

I wondered if there might be a way to get someone’s help to speak with the monster.

For a moment, Teansis’ face came to mind, but I quickly shook my head.

If I got caught by the guards this time, there would be no excuse. I couldn’t risk dragging Teansis into such a dangerous matter.

“I have to do this myself.”

Since it was my desire, it was only right that I take responsibility for the outcome alone.

As I steeled myself, there was a knock—knock—at the pharmacy door. A man in an academy staff uniform I had never seen entered.

“Who are you?”

“I’m from HR. You haven’t completed a full month of work, so your salary has been calculated for the days you’ve worked. Please check it.”

I accepted the envelope he handed me, somewhat absentmindedly. True to his words, even though I hadn’t worked the full month, the envelope was surprisingly thick.

When I opened it and saw the amount, I was astonished. It was far more than I expected.

“Is everything alright with this payment?”

I nodded. There was nothing unusual about the amount.

He finished his task and turned to leave the pharmacy.

“Then, have a good day.”

I tried to respond, but he was already gone.

I sat down in the chair, staring at the salary envelope.

It was the first paycheck I had ever earned on my own.

At thirty-eight years old, I had never experienced anything like this.

Even at an age approaching forty, there were still so many things I hadn’t done. Perhaps that’s why these late experiences felt so touching.

After finishing my work at the pharmacy, I left Kamar Academy alone for the first time.

I needed various supplies to meet the monster again, and with my paycheck, there was no reason to hesitate.

The first place I went was a shop selling fabrics for making robes and tuxedos.

“Welcome. What are you looking for?”

“I want to buy a robe.”

“Oh, a robe for you to wear? If it’s a regular robe, you’d better go to the tailor instead…”

I shook my head. I wasn’t buying it for myself. It was for the monster, to cover it when I met it.

“I’m not wearing it myself… I want it to be very large, not a standard size.”

“Is it for a man?”

I shook my head again. I had no idea how big the monster trapped in the lab would be.

Since Zher had confined it separately in the lab, it might be a special kind of monster. Even the largest size I had seen before might not be enough.

If the monster were shivering in the cold inside, a too-small robe would be useless.

“No, bigger… ah, big enough to cover the storage compartment of a carriage.”

I pointed to a carriage I had noticed.

The clerk followed my finger and, looking shocked, asked,

“That… that big? There wouldn’t be anyone to wear that size…”

“It’s not for a person.”

“Eh?”

I quickly explained, “It’s for the upcoming festival at Kamar Academy. You know the Academy Festival, right?”

“Oh! For the academy festival?”

“Yes. I work at Kamar Academy.”

I awkwardly smiled, letting them know I was a staff member. Fortunately, they didn’t question me much and agreed to make the oversized black robe I requested.

Leaving there, I went to the stables.

If the monster was injured or unwell, I might need to move it outside for treatment. For that, I needed a way to transport such a large creature.

At first, I thought about buying a horse, but if the monster was too big, riding a horse would be difficult.

“Huh? You want to rent a carriage for just a few days?”

I nodded.

“Yes. I’ll pay for the carriage and horses while renting.”

“It’s unusual to rent a carriage now… what is it for?”

I couldn’t think of a better excuse, so I repeated the explanation I had given about the festival.

“Since the Kamar Academy festival is coming up, we’ll be moving a lot of items. That’s why I want to rent it for a few days.”

The man nodded in understanding.

“I see. Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Thank you.”

Without raising suspicion, I was able to rent a carriage. The festival excuse had come in handy for such an unusual request.

I bought other supplies as well.

As I walked, I noticed a clothing shop displaying beautiful dresses.

Currently, all I had were a few dresses brought from the Perrington Mansion, so nothing suitable besides the uniform.

While staring at the shop, I overheard young ladies passing by talking:

“Did you prepare your dress for the festival?”
“Of course, I had one specially made after asking my parents.”
“Oh, you’ll look so beautiful!”
“Not just me. It’s the first time the Duke of Acruze will be at Kamar Academy during the festival. Everyone’s excited.”
“Hohoho, so you’re joining the fun too?”

Their cheerful chatter reminded me of Teansis.

At some point, he had disappeared from the pharmacy. Because of that, rumors about me at Kamar Academy had died down.

Though it was a relief that the rumors had subsided, a part of me felt a little sad.

I remembered Zher’s words:

─ Don’t get the wrong idea. He wouldn’t be sincere toward you. He was only approaching to learn about my experiments.

I wasn’t mistaken. I just subconsciously checked whenever I heard footsteps in the pharmacy, wondering if it was Teansis.

I hadn’t really been mistaken—I just wanted to see him.

Standing in front of the dress shop for a while, an employee came out and spoke, noticing my interest:

“Here to see dresses? Don’t just look outside—come in and see.”

“Oh, well…”

“If you’re unsure, try them on. The festival is near, and most pretty dresses are gone, only a few remain.”

Encouraged by the employee’s friendly push, I went inside.

I had altered old dresses handed down by my sisters and worn them before. It was my first time looking at new dresses.

First paycheck, first shopping. Today was full of exciting firsts.

Back at Kamar Academy, I held the dress I had bought.

I hung it up in my room and watched it quietly. My heart fluttered.

I remembered the excitement of being too thrilled to sleep before a childhood picnic. The feeling was just as strong now.

“I shouldn’t be indulging like this…”

Though I had no pressing expenses, I needed to save funds in case something happened.

After living with my mother, who had dementia, for so long, I had grown accustomed to frugality, yet here I was, buying a new dress on impulse.

I laughed at myself for enjoying it despite thinking I shouldn’t.

“Well, there weren’t many dresses anyway. Since I bought it, I’ll wear it until it wears out.”

I touched the new dress gently and turned toward Zher’s lab, where our experiment was scheduled.

I had become familiar with Zher’s assistants from frequent visits.

Entering the lab, an assistant greeted me:

“You’re here early. The professor hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Oh, yes. I came a bit early.”

I checked the time at my usual spot. Soon, the assistant would leave, and Zher would arrive precisely on time.

The assistant approached, embarrassed:

“I didn’t expect you to decorate the lab with flowers. It really brightened the otherwise bleak atmosphere.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just thought of it since I come here often.”

The lab had a dreary, dull feel, likely because only men lived there. I had brightened it with flowers, scented sprays, and curtains from the pharmacy.

The assistant seemed truly grateful, cheeks flushed.

Then, the sound of approaching footsteps came.

Startled, the assistant hurriedly gathered his things.

“I’ll go now. See you next time.”

“Have a good evening.”

I said, smiling, as he left.

Soon, Zher entered, looking at the departing assistant curiously.

“What did you two talk about? Why that expression?”

“Nothing much…”

“I see you’ve been coming early lately.”

“Yes, just in case I’m late, I come a bit early.”

“That’s thoughtful.”

Zher pointed at a lab chair.

“Then this way…”

“Before that, I have something for you.”

“For me?”

I produced a small gift box I had hidden behind me.

Zher looked at it, frowning.

“What’s this…?”

“I received my first paycheck from Kamar Academy today. I wanted to give a gift to someone I’m grateful to.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Thanks to you, I could work.”

Zher frowned further.

“I did help you get a job, but… you wouldn’t have had to take these drugs if not for that. So I don’t think you should be grateful to me.”

“That may be true, but thinking that way leads nowhere. Ultimately, thanks to you, I’m working as an apothecary. That’s what matters.”

“You’re simpler than you seem.”

“And right now… there’s no one else to give this to but you.”

My parents were gone, estranged from my sisters, no friends or acquaintances. Only Zher knew I was Velia de Perrington.

Though I hadn’t said much, Zher seemed to understand.

He quickly snatched the gift box.

“So, what’s the gift?”

He opened it without hesitation. I felt nervous—it was a modest gift.

“It’s nothing grand, just something I thought you might need…”

Inside was a pair of indoor slippers for the lab.

Zher examined them, then spoke quietly:

“Was your Kamar Academy paycheck that small?”

“Oh, no! I just wanted to save… If you don’t like it, I can replace it.”

“…It’s fine.”

He carefully set the slippers on the floor, removed his worn ones, and put on the new pair. His old slippers were threadbare, the soles barely functional.

“They’re really worn out, huh?”

“I guess you’ve been focused on research and didn’t notice.”

Zher disliked people around him and was difficult to please, so even a marquis like Fredopf would have trouble attending to him. He wasn’t interested in appearances, so his belongings were worn out despite his title.

“By the way, the strange scent in the lab lately… that’s your doing?”

It amazed me that Zher hadn’t noticed something everyone else did.

I chuckled quietly.

“Yes. You’re in the lab all day, so I wanted to make it a bit brighter.”

“No need. Don’t waste effort on useless things.”

He pointed to the lab chair with a disinterested gesture.

“Let’s get on with the experiment.”

“Yes, yes.”

I sat at the table. Zher glanced at me:

“Tell me if it hurts.”

“I will.”

Then he murmured, almost imperceptibly:

“…The slippers fit well.”

“Huh?”

His voice was so soft I thought I misheard. By the time I asked again, he had already gone to fetch supplies for the experiment.

I scratched my cheek awkwardly.