Chapter 4
Just at that moment, a letter arrived from Crown Prince Kienne.
[I have heard that this experiment produced quite significant results. I too am greatly interested in this research, and I promise to provide the necessary funding and assist with its legalization.]
The moment he received that letter with its official seal, Great Everun was certain.
‘Finally, the day of my life’s success is near!’
But due to Adel’s declaration of resignation, Great’s rosy future flickered out like a candle flame.
“Professor, I am resigning.”
The slave—no, the accessory—who had until now always followed his every word without question, had begun to rebel.
“Just when my research is finally about to see the light of day, why does that brat Adel have to quit on his own!”
His hand, crumpling the letter without thinking, trembled violently.
The Crown Prince’s patronage was more than just financial investment—it was an opportunity to establish a legal safety net that would allow this research to be applied in the real world.
But now, that research had come to a halt.
Because the core researcher who had laid the foundation for the research theory had vanished.
Great gritted his teeth, then realized belatedly that the letter in his hand was hopelessly crumpled.
“Oh no, something this important…!”
He frantically smoothed out the wrinkled paper.
There was only one way to seize this crucial opportunity now:
to replenish the research personnel who had slipped away.
The problem was that finding a talent who understood the theory as deeply as Adel and could generate diverse ideas was no easy task.
Great clenched his teeth.
Then what on earth was he supposed to do?
The research data remained, but that alone was insufficient to secure the imperial court’s patronage.
No matter how much he thought about it, the conclusion was the same.
“……I have no choice. I’ll just have to drag the bastard back.”
How dare a research student (slave) try to escape from his lab? After all he had done for that brat?
‘I fed him three meals a day and even let him sleep six hours a night!’
Tsk.
His eyes blazed with the determination to catch that runaway slave no matter what.
Life as a graduate student was an endless war of experiments, reports, and deadlines.
But now? A cozy bed, regular meals, stress-free days.
‘So this is what a normal life feels like. Heh heh.’
Three days had already passed since I left the Magic Tower.
As I rested to my heart’s content, I realized just how abnormal my life had been all this time.
‘Was life always supposed to be this enjoyable and happy?’
Even doing nothing but breathing brought a smile to my face.
The leisure of everyday life was this precious.
‘……But I can’t slack off forever.’
I couldn’t just stay cooped up at home doing nothing—my parents would give me looks.
Our fallen house had sold off its lands, titles, and even the old mansion, leaving only a pittance of tenant rent.
I began to take out the letter I had stuffed into my bag, ready to put my plan into motion.
But before I could even read its contents, someone burst in—
“Hey, are you crazy?! Where else are you going to get recognized if not the Magic Tower?”
It was my older brother, Adrian, stumbling back drunk.
He had apparently heard about me from our parents as soon as he got home, and the moment he opened the door, he started raising a ruckus.
For a guy who partied all night and didn’t even come home, he sure had no shame.
“What kind of job can a perpetual researcher like you possibly get? Don’t be stupid and go back right now. Don’t you know that’s what’s best for the family?”
“Ha……”
Hopeless.
I slumped back in my chair, deflated.
Everything was fine, except that coming home meant having to listen to that idiot’s nonsense again.
Luckily, the irritation bubbling up inside me quickly subsided.
Well, whatever… there’s a saying: “ignore and conquer.”
Besides, once I scored big with a good investment, I wouldn’t have to see his face for the rest of my life.
I repeated this mantra silently until Adrian’s nagging finally ended.
‘Let’s make it big! For real this time, so I never have to see his face again!’
That very night, as soon as Adrian left, I wrote my reply.
The message in the letter was simple: I’ll send a carriage when you have time, so feel free to visit my house anytime.
I had been too busy all this time to ever accept that invitation.
But now, that “time” had come.
Two days later, I rode in a carriage sent by the letter’s owner to my friend’s house.
‘Though it’s a bit excessively grand for a friend’s house.’
Clatter.
The extravagantly ornate carriage carrying me finally came to a stop somewhere.
Yes, I was now in front of the Imperial Palace.
‘How long has it been?’
Just as I was about to be overcome with nostalgia, the carriage door suddenly opened.
A servant neatly dressed in court attire bowed politely to greet me.
Even in this age of advanced magical engineering, they still clung to such old-fashioned formality.
“His Highness the Prince is waiting for you.”
Hah!
I took a deep breath and stepped out of the carriage.
Perhaps because this was my first visit since regaining my past life’s memories, I felt a little nervous.
I followed the servant down the long palace corridors.
As we reached the entrance to the western garden, a head of red hair caught my eye in the distance.
“Adel Catherine, do you think being a hotshot Magic Tower researcher means you can just ignore a prince’s letter?”
His name was Adolf Winstonton—the Second Prince of the Douglas Empire.
He was my long-time Academy classmate and the only connection I had left, after most of my relationships had withered away during my long years in the lab.
But in the original story, Adel had even started to distance herself from him at some point.
Probably because she realized she was researching something quite dangerous.
‘Well, I’ve got nothing to worry about now.’
I greeted him with a happy smile.
“It’s been a while, Your Highness the Second Prince.”
“Haha! What’s with that, between friends? You used to call me Adolf just fine before.”
“This is the palace. I should be polite.”
“Right, that’s more like Adel. Just be comfortable with me.”
Adolf was just as casual as he’d been back at the Academy.
Even during our school days, he had gotten along with everyone regardless of status, and a smile never left his face.
In short, he was like a friendly golden retriever.
“So how have you been lately? Is your research going well?”
……And sometimes, that golden retriever throws a massive, unintentional jab that knocks a person out cold.
I was momentarily speechless.
“Ah, research…….”
Where should I even start?
I never expected to get straight to the point the moment we met.
While my mind raced, Adolf seemed to interpret my silence differently.
“What’s wrong? Did something big happen with your research?”
“If you mean big… yeah, I guess you could say that.”
After all, I had dropped my old research entirely and decided to develop a new one—no, a new business venture.
Of course, I couldn’t just blurt that out right away.
I evaded vaguely.
“Let’s sit down and talk about that slowly—”
But before I could finish, an unfamiliar set of footsteps interrupted.
Along with a low, mellifluous voice that tickled my ear.
“I didn’t know there was a guest here.”
The slow, even-toned voice made both Adolf and me turn our heads at the same time.
“Hello, Adolf. And… unnamed guest?”
The man’s eyes curved gently.
He resembled Adolf, but carried a more elegant and refined air.
And the faint, sharp aura he gave off was like that of a well-trained hunting dog.
I quickly composed myself.
“……I greet His Highness the Crown Prince. My name is Adel Catherine.”
“Adel?”
A flicker of interest passed briefly through the man’s eyes.
