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Chapter 9
Roerston’s father—the former Duke Ipsel—had supported Adelia anonymously all this time.
Even so, it was customary for such sponsorship to end once the beneficiary reached adulthood.
But Roerston had already decided to honor his father’s wishes and continue supporting her.
“You can keep studying with support, just like you have until now.”
At those words, Adelia’s face turned slightly pale.
Roerston tilted his head, puzzled.
“Or… is there something else you want?”
Trying to steady herself, Adelia—who had been silently reciting decimal numbers to regain composure—cleared her throat and straightened her posture.
Her face flushed red as she carefully spoke.
“If I may be honest… what I truly want is to continue studying.”
“Yes, I thought so. You’re interested in science, right? What was it again… studying microorganisms?”
At that moment, Adelia’s calm eyes suddenly lit up with a vivid spark.
“Senior, are you interested in microorganisms?”
Even Roerston, who had experienced all sorts of things, had never seen someone’s expression change so quickly.
“…Hm?”
“Studying microorganisms is truly fascinating! Everything we see, touch, and taste—there are microorganisms everywhere. And you know, they engage in something called interspecies interaction—”
“Interspecies?”
“It’s amazing! Of course, it’s not limited to microorganisms, but the fact that such tiny, tiny beings help each other grow is just incredibly adorable—!”
“….”
“Ah, of course, in the end, there’s also the sad reality that only the strongest survive.”
“Excuse me—”
Roerston tried to interrupt, but Adelia, clutching her fists, continued passionately as if she hadn’t heard him.
“But that doesn’t mean the ones that fall behind are incompetent. Even those that don’t survive still influence those that do, so in the end, microorganisms are all connected—”
“Wait. Just a moment, Miss Whiton.”
As Roerston raised his hand to stop her, Adelia’s face turned bright red in an instant.
It was as if the words ‘I did it again’ hovered above her head.
“I-I’m sorry.”
“No, there’s nothing to apologize for. It’s actually good to see that you’re so passionate about your studies. If my father were still alive, he would have been even more pleased.”
At that, Adelia let out a small “Ah” and lifted her head.
Her bright eyes sparkled.
“I would like to thank the former Duke Ipsel—your father. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have been able to live like this until now. And… I want to thank you as well.”
Still seated, Adelia bowed deeply.
“Then isn’t this discussion already settled? If what you truly want is to study, you can simply continue receiving support.”
“I am… deeply grateful. To your father, and to you. I will never forget this kindness for the rest of my life.”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying—”
“But I don’t think I can accept it.”
“…Why not?”
Why, indeed?
The confusion in his voice was clear, and Adelia’s face flushed faintly.
She hesitated, unable to continue, before speaking in a near whisper.
“I’ve heard that usually, the relationship between a sponsor and beneficiary ends once the beneficiary becomes an adult.”
“That’s the usual case. I intend to keep supporting you so you can continue your research, so don’t worry.”
“B-But… tuition for a researcher isn’t a small amount…”
“Do you think my family can’t afford that? That’s a bit insulting.”
“N-No, that’s not what I meant! It’s just… I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay what I’ve received. As you know, living as a researcher takes a very long time. If I receive support for all those years, I’ll…”
I’ll end up in debt for lifetimes to come!
She didn’t say it out loud, but judging by her teary expression, that was clearly what she was thinking.
Still leaning back on the sofa, Roerston quietly looked her over again.
Curly brown hair. Clear green eyes.
Delicate features and pale cheeks without a single blemish.
Anyone would think her pretty at a glance—a charming beauty.
And her intelligence spoke for itself.
Yet she only showed confidence when talking about what she loved. In most other conversations, she instinctively made herself small.
Well… considering what she went through as a child, it’s understandable.
Roerston knew that at just ten years old, Adelia had lost everything in life.
No parents to protect her. No distant relatives. Not even a single coin left.
What must that have felt like for a child?
He let out a quiet sigh.
Then, in a brighter voice—so she would feel less burdened, while still understanding his sincerity—he spoke.
“You don’t have to repay anything. My father and I supported you because we wanted to, not because we expected anything in return.”
Adelia’s face flushed slightly.
She realized, a moment too late, that her words might have unintentionally tainted their goodwill.
“But still—”
Roerston cut her off again.
“If you’re really that uncomfortable, let’s assume you don’t become a researcher and look at a repayment plan instead.”
“…What? Ah—yes.”
He pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen from a shallow drawer beneath the table and leaned forward to write.
“Have you decided where you’ll work?”
“Not yet.”
“Well, you did graduate today… Then have you at least thought about it?”
Adelia nodded, though she didn’t look very confident.
“My first option is to become a live-in tutor.”
“A tutor for a noble family that doesn’t send their children to school?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Hm. With your grades, finding a job won’t be difficult. But…”
“But?”
“Miss Whiton, have you ever taken care of a child before?”
Adelia’s lips parted, then she quietly murmured with a dejected expression,
“No…”
“Live-in tutors in noble households usually double as nannies. Many families also expect etiquette lessons. Depending on the situation, you might even have to help with housework in your free time—brewing tea, light cleaning, things like that.”
“….”
“You were probably hoping to teach for a few hours and spend the rest of your time studying or researching on your own. Am I right?”
Adelia’s eyes widened.
“H-How did you know…?”
Suppressing a laugh at her whisper of ‘Are you a fortune-teller?’, Roerston continued.
“Your housing and meals would more or less be covered, but the weekly wage is about 8 or 9 tizel, excluding Sundays. And as you know, the annual tuition at the Royal Capital Academy is around 450 aps on average.”
“……”
“That means you’d have to work six to seven full days just to repay one four-hundred-and-fiftieth of a year’s tuition.”
Adelia’s face turned pale.
She looked like she wanted to pull at her hair, wondering why she had never calculated it properly before.
Roerston continued calmly.
“And that’s for one of the better-paying tutor positions. Jobs like typist, postal clerk, or librarian would be even worse. A bank job pays better, but you’d need specific coursework. Have you taken any?”
Adelia shook her head again.
In a way… that’s almost impressive, Roerston thought.
