The Marquis' Daughter, a Research Enthusiast, Fails to Notice Her Junior's Devoted Feelings After Her Engagement is Broken. - Chapter 1.11

Having pulled an all-nighter to finish my work, I was utterly exhausted, but I still managed to get through my classes.

Sigh… Finally, it’s over.

Mary didn’t come to ask me any questions today. Instead, she immediately ran off after Nathaniel again.

I activated the improved long-duration recording magic tool. It was designed as a pendant, allowing it to record from my neckline.

The short-duration model was attached as a lapel pin on my chest. The activation device was in my pocket—by holding it and channeling mana, I could control zoom, audio enhancement, and other functions. However, I had to keep my hand on it, and it would continuously drain my mana.

Next, I needed to obtain something with the baron’s daughter’s unique mana signature.

Easily obtainable samples included bl00d, saliva, and hair. The most practical option was hair.

She had mentioned singing at the cultural festival. If she was practicing, she might be at the garden where I saw her last time or somewhere with a piano.

I wasn’t particularly eager to see her again, but I made my way to the garden first. Nothing.

Next, I checked the music room.

There she was.

Baron Everett’s daughter was singing alone again.

“Ah! Professor Emil! I knew you’d come!”

She beamed and hurried toward me.

Knew?

Did she expect me to come?

“I was just passing by…”

“I’m so happy!”

Without warning, she threw her arms around me.

…What?

“Wh-Whoa! What are you doing?!”

I quickly pulled away.

There was no context. No explanation. Why was she hugging me?!

Even the female students who used to chase me never acted like this.

“I was just so happy to see you, Professor Emil…”

She looked up at me with teary eyes, her expression seemingly innocent.

A shiver ran down my spine.

Was this the kind of look that got to Nathaniel?

I couldn’t relate at all.

Suppressing my discomfort, I forced a polite smile and gently corrected her.

“Mary, you shouldn’t do this to men.”

“I’m sorry… I grew up in the countryside, so I don’t really understand personal space. This is normal where I’m from.”

…Huh?

From what I had looked into, she had moved to the royal capital at a young age.

She had only spent a short time in the countryside.

Why was she lying?

“I always get misunderstood because of this… These are just my ways of greeting people and expressing happiness.”

She lowered her gaze, shaking her shoulders as if she were on the verge of tears.

Though… I didn’t see any actual tears.

“Even so, it’s not appropriate behavior.”

“Okay… Professor Emil, you’re so kind…”

She blushed slightly and gazed up at me again.

…Ugh.

This upward glance of hers was nauseating.

Then, something dawned on me.

Damn it—I should have plucked a strand of her hair when she hugged me!

No, I could still fix this.

“Uh… hold on a moment. You have a bug in your hair.”

“Ah! Please get it off!”

“Close your eyes.”

She obediently shut them, looking delighted.

Strange… If someone told you there was a bug in your hair, wouldn’t you be a little scared?

Did she already know I was lying?

Being around this girl always made me feel an eerie sense of unease.

While pretending to remove the nonexistent bug, I swiftly yanked a few strands of her hair.

“Ouch…!”

“Sorry, it was tangled in there.”

I subtly flicked my hand toward the window as if releasing the imaginary bug, while wrapping the strands in a handkerchief and tucking them into my pocket.

Mission complete.

“Professor, please play the piano for me now!”

“What? I told you—I can’t play anymore.”

“Here’s the sheet music!”

She shoved the music in front of me.

This girl never listened.

There was no conversation, just her single-minded insistence.

More than assuming I could play the piano, she seemed absolutely certain I could.

Well… she wasn’t exactly wrong. I still played occasionally, so I could if I wanted to… but that wasn’t the point.

“I told you…”

As we continued this back-and-forth, someone interrupted.

“What are you doing here?”

A deep, commanding voice suddenly rang out from behind me.

Turning around, I found myself face-to-face with none other than Prince Ernest—his golden hair shining brilliantly, his blue eyes glinting with a metallic gold hue. His entire demeanor radiated anger, making no effort to conceal it.

So this was Frederica’s fiancé…

“Your Highness, the Young Sun, Prince Ernest, it is an honor to make your acquaintance. My name is Emil Fitzgerald, and I teach advanced mathematics here at the academy.”

I bowed formally and greeted him with utmost politeness.

“Hmph. And why is a math teacher here?”

His glare remained sharp and unyielding, his displeasure evident.

This was bad.

Technically, my classroom was in the elective wing, while this music room was part of the main academic building.

Saying I was passing through on my way to the faculty office? No, the staff room was on the first floor, and this music room was on the second…

As I frantically searched for an excuse, the baron’s daughter unexpectedly came to my aid.

“Oh, Ernest! You know I’m singing at the cultural festival, don’t you? I was just asking Professor Emil to accompany me on the piano!”

“Accompany you…?”

Prince Ernest narrowed his eyes, his gaze piercing. My mind raced for a way out.

“As I understand it, the cultural festival is an event for students to showcase their talents. Would it not be more appropriate for a student to accompany her?”

“Indeed. A teacher’s involvement would be unnecessary.”

“But…! I want Professor Emil to accompany me!”

Flustered, the baron’s daughter protested, but the prince gently took her hand.

“I can play the piano. Am I not good enough?”

“W-What…? You can play, Ernest?”

“Yes. And I would like to play for you.”

“Ernest…!”

It had taken a turn for the better.

The two of them gazed at each other, eyes glistening.

They were completely lost in their own world.

“Well, it seems everything is settled! I look forward to hearing your accompaniment, Your Highness!”

“Eh… w-wait!”

The baron’s daughter gave me a pleading look as if she didn’t want me to leave, but I ignored it and swiftly exited the music room.

Not long after, I heard the sound of a piano drifting from the room.

Prince Ernest was playing.

His performance was a little awkward, but with enough practice, he should be ready by the festival.

For a brief moment, I considered sneaking back to record it, but there wasn’t a good hiding spot. I decided to let it go.

My first conversation with Prince Ernest had left a lasting impression.

He was… arrogant. Overbearingly so.

And this was the man Frederica was engaged to?

A surge of frustration clenched my jaw tightly.

If he were a perfect man, maybe I could tolerate it.

But he wasn’t.

He was petty, narrow-minded—his heart smaller than a cat’s forehead.

That was what made this unbearable.

Seething with frustration, I left the academy and headed straight for the research lab.

✳︎ ✳︎ ✳︎

Once I arrived, I handed the baron’s daughter’s hair to Peter.

“Whoa, you got it faster than I expected.”

“Well, I ran into her… and somehow managed.”

“Tell me all about it later! For now, I’ll start working on it.”

“I’m counting on you!”

Frederica was also in the research lab, making it difficult to discuss details openly.

I wanted to check today’s recordings immediately, but that would have to wait.

I was utterly exhausted.

Maybe I should head home early…

Just as I stood up, a sudden ringing filled my ears.

“This is bad…”

The moment that thought crossed my mind, my vision blurred—everything tilted sideways.

“Emil!?”

A frantic voice echoed distantly.

Frederica sounded alarmed.

She rarely panicked.

How… strange…