Civil Servant in Romance Fantasy

Chapter 289: Found my Manpower (2)

Durable materials, a cozy interior, seats as comfortable as a bed, and a ride so smooth you could barely feel any bumps—all were features that make long, tedious carriage journeys more bearable.

But no matter how comfortable, a carriage was still a carriage.

“Sarah, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. How many times are you going to ask that?”

I didn’t say, ‘You don’t look fine, though,’ because that would only make her more stressed. If I had said that, Sarah, who was already tired, would’ve started trying to hide her discomfort. It was better for her condition to show on her face so we could stop the carriage or rest in a nearby town when needed.

I expected this.

I forced a smile in return to Sarah’s weak one. But inwardly, I sighed.

No matter how good the carriage was, it was still a carriage. A smooth ride with barely any bumps? That meant there’d still be a little shaking. It’d be hardly noticeable for most people, but for Sarah—on her first long trip after being confined at home for so long—her frail body would feel every little movement.

That was why I initially wanted to travel using teleportation instead. Even Mother was worried about Sarah’s health and was willing to send the family mage to help.

But the problem was that Sarah refused.

Her reasoning was that she needed to get used to moving around and couldn’t rely on teleportation for the rest of her life. It wasn’t wrong, so neither Mother nor nanny could change her mind. It was hard to argue when someone with a frail body insisted on doing something difficult, especially when they were determined to carry on as if everything was normal.

“Let me know right away if Sarah looks too tired.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Mother quietly whispered to me to let her know immediately if Sarah’s condition worsened during the journey while nanny shared a tearful farewell hug with Sarah. She’d send the mage then even if we had already started traveling.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve fiddled with the communication crystal ever since we left the territory. My heart sank every time Sarah swayed from the carriage’s movements or every time she so much as sneezed. The temptation to just call the mage and make the journey easier was constantly tugging at me.

But, of course, doing that would only earn Sarah’s resentment. She could be strangely stubborn.

“Hey, Erich.”

Sarah, who had just stifled a small yawn—perhaps from nausea—cautiously spoke up. Could this be it? Was she finally going to ask for the mage? Was my chance to escape this uncomfortable situation finally here?

“If you’re that worried about me… Can you lend me your shoulder?”

Apparently not.

I quietly adjusted my posture. It seemed like she just wanted to rest her head on my shoulder, which I was more than willing to offer. If she had asked for teleportation though, I’d have gladly arranged that instead.

Sarah smiled faintly and rested her head against my shoulder as soon as I repositioned myself to make it easier for her. Honestly, the carriage was spacious enough that lying down would probably be more effective if she was sleepy.

“This is warm.”Nôv(el)B\\jnn

“Is it? That’s good.”

If warmth made her feel better, then I couldn’t argue with that. For someone unwell, regulating their body temperature was important.

But you said just my shoulder…

The only downside was that as Sarah slept, her head slid down from my shoulder to my lap.

Because of that, I couldn’t get up until she woke up.

***Perhaps it was the price I paid for sacrificing my lap, but we managed to reach the Academy without needing to summon the mage. Although I spent the whole journey anxiously wondering when I’d have to call for help, Sarah arrived in good health in the end. I suppose I should just be glad about that.

As we rode along the main road leading from the front gate to the dormitories, a particularly striking carriage caught my eye. It was larger and more luxurious than the others, bearing the unmistakable crest of the royal family of Robens.

Rutis?

It was obvious to anyone that this was Rutis’s carriage. It would be strange if someone else were riding in such an extravagant vehicle.

Soon, one of the knights escorting the carriage approached and started chatting with our family’s knights.

“Young master.”

Not long after, a small window on the door of Rutis’s carriage opened, and the knight leaned out to speak.

“Prince Rutis has asked if you could meet him at the club room later if you’re free. He says it’s been a while and would like to catch up.”

It wasn’t a bad offer. I didn’t have much to do until the start of the term anyway, and meeting someone familiar sounded better than being bored. Besides, with Rutis, I could play chess or have a quick one-on-one foot volleyball match.

Plus, if I went straight to the dorms, Sarah would be left alone. No matter how close we were, a man couldn’t just waltz into the women’s dormitory. That would be completely improper for a nobleman.

“Do you want to come along?”

I asked Sarah, who was still resting on my lap. She sat up and tilted her head.

“Prince Rutis? You mean the one from our club?”

“…Yeah.”

It felt strange hearing her refer to him as ‘Prince’ and ‘His Highness.’ I knew that was the proper way to address him, but that sense of respect kind of wore off after seeing him behave so absurdly in the club.

I felt a little bad, but honestly, anyone who’d spent a month in the pastry club with him would lose some of their reverence for a royal family.

“Don’t worry, he’s easygoing. And it’s a good chance to say hello since you’ll be seeing him every day in the club anyway.”

“Sure, I guess it’s good to introduce myself early.”

Despite her calm words, I noticed her eyes trembling slightly.

I understood. Meeting a prince out of the blue would make anyone nervous. Of course, from my perspective—knowing the real Rutis—it seemed like needless anxiety.

“Oh, Erich! Long time no see!”

“Yeah, how’ve you been?”

After we turned the carriage toward the building where the club room was, Rutis stepped out and waved enthusiastically.

I heard a small hiccup from Sarah beside me as I casually returned his greeting. She must’ve been surprised to see a prince acting so casually, or maybe it was the sight of a noble replying so nonchalantly to royalty.

She’ll get used to it.

Unfortunately for Sarah, one of the rites of passage for members of the pastry club was quickly shedding any illusions of grandeur when it came to royalty.

I couldn’t help but worry a little. How long would it take Sarah to reach that point? For me, it only took two months, but with Sarah’s social awkwardness, it might take half a year…

“Is this Lady Sarah?”

“Wow, you remember?”

Now it was my turn to be surprised. I had mentioned Sarah briefly before winter vacation, but I didn’t expect him to remember her.

“Well, it’s hard to forget when you’re practically glowing with affection every time you mention Lady Sarah.”

I laughed at Rutis’s exaggerated tone. Sure, I’d mentioned Sarah a few times, but it wasn’t like I was constantly gushing over her.

“Affection…”

Still, Sarah seemed pleased, so I didn’t bother correcting him.

***After arriving at the Academy, I ended up spending more time in the club room than in the dorm. There wasn’t much to do in the dormitory, but at least in the club room, I had people to talk to. Marghetta was busy as the President of the student council, but Louise and Irina often stopped by, and Louise would even make some snacks if I got hungry. Overall, it was a pretty nice way to relax.

That was, until he showed up.

“Ah, so you’re here too, Advisor?”

Things had been going great until I saw him.

Damn it.

Seeing Rutis again made me realize that the vacation was officially over. The new semester had started, and I was back to work.

“You here too?”

“Haha, there’s nothing to do in the dorms, right?”

I felt a bit embarrassed to realize that we were thinking the exact same thing. Why did we have to be on the same wavelength at times like this?

As Rutis laughed, Erich and Sarah entered the room as well. I didn’t expect them to arrive at the same time—maybe they ran into each other on the way here.

She’s really here.

Seeing Sarah at the Academy felt surreal. She had always been confined to her bed, but now here she was, holding Erich’s hand. Part of me wondered if she was pushing herself too hard, but considering the toll a long carriage journey could take on anyone, it was understandable. Even healthy people get motion sickness after traveling for too long—how much worse must it have been for Sarah?

“Hello, oppa.”

Noticing my gaze, Sarah bowed her head politely. She didn’t look sick upon closer inspection, just tired from the journey.

“Welcome. Erich didn’t pull anything funny, did he?”

“Hey, why is this about me all of a sudden?”

I teased him, and Erich, taken aback, responded with a puzzled expression.

“Fufu, no, there’s nothing like that. Thanks to Erich, I was able to sleep comfortably.”

At that, every eye in the room turned toward Erich. Me, Louise, Irina, and even Rutis.

I knew exactly why—Sarah’s words were deliberately vague, triggering the wrong kind of thoughts. Of course, I knew Erich wasn’t the type to suddenly get overly bold. Still, instincts tend to kick in faster than logic, so it was hard not to react.

“…She means she used my lap as a pillow.”

Ah, as expected. Sorry for doubting you just a little bit.

***Sarah seemed interested in what Louise was doing as she watched her knead the dough with great focus. She approached, quietly observing, and the two started chatting, likely because they had already met back at the territory.

“I’m glad she has a friend who’s a girl.”

Erich muttered softly as he watched them, sighing with relief as if a weight had been lifted.

It was true. No matter how much Erich cared for Sarah, there were limits due to their genders. With separate dormitories for boys and girls and classes sometimes divided by gender, it was impossible for Erich to always be there for her.

“Hyung.”

Erich turned to me, clearly lost in thought.

“Yeah?”

“If, by any chance, there’s ever a time when no one else can take care of Sarah… can you look after her?”

It wasn’t a question I needed to think about. Sarah wasn’t a stranger, and she was the head maid’s daughter. As the heir to our family, it was more than just duty—it was common sense to care for her.

“Of cour—”

Just as I was about to respond naturally, an idea came to mind.

…Should I recruit him?

Erich, my younger brother, was an imperial subject, a member of the pastry club, and part of the Krasius family. He even had a certain level of authority. Since being turned down by Louise, he hadn’t caused me any trouble or acted out in any way.

In other words, he was the perfect candidate for extra labor. Unlike Ainter, who occupied a more ambiguous role under me, Erich’s position was clear. He was clearly below me in rank.

“—se, but I do have some work of my own, you know.”

So, I slightly changed direction. Sure, I could do it, but why not score some points while I was at it?

“If you help me out from time to time, I might have some more free time to spare.”

“You want me to help you with your work?”

“Of course, I wouldn’t give you anything too difficult. Giving complicated tasks to someone untrained just creates more work for me.”

Yeah, it wouldn’t be anything too hard—though it might drive him crazy and make him want to quit.

However, I could promise one thing: I’d take care of the truly difficult and frustrating parts myself. Erich just needed to handle the easier tasks.

“Alright. I can do it if it’s just that.”

“Thanks.”

I’m really grateful, my manpower no. 2.

I’ll make sure to look after you once I inherit the title.