“Ah, yes. Eden is the daughter of the Eden couple.”

Alman answered with an excited voice while looking at the count, then noticed that his expression didn’t contain particularly positive meaning and smiled awkwardly as he said.

“I know what you’re worried about. But Eden is definitely a friend who has dealt with many cases. If I had a daughter, I would entrust her to this friend.”

“Really? If a doctor from the capital’s Central Hospital says that much……”

Hmm hmm.

Count Sorbon coughed unnecessarily while glancing at Ellen, then made eye contact with her.

The count startled and quickly turned his head away.

How ridiculous.

Ellen suppressed the laughter that was about to escape and smiled with a kind face.

“I have the means to help and Lady Sorbon is my younger brother’s friend. No matter how thorough a society of interests noble society may be, one should know how to keep minimum courtesy. Both families and trading companies must do so to last long.”

She smiled sweetly as she drove in the wedge.

“If you need help, please say so anytime.”

“……Can that woman called Eden take responsibility for her own surgery?”

“She will decide that. What I’m offering is only the opportunity to receive treatment from her.”

The count seemed displeased with her answer, showing a somewhat dissatisfied face.

He turned his head to Alman and asked.

“If you were to perform the surgery, how much would you charge?”

“You mean me? We charge 400 gold.”

“400 gold? For this surgery?”

Perhaps it was an unexpected amount, as the count’s face hardened instantly.

“Yes. 400 gold. It’s an amount set by hospital policy.”

And it was May Sorbon whose face hardened along with her father’s troubled-looking face.

Ellen, who noticed this, approached May and said.

“Lady. If you’re alright with it, let’s ask Eden.”

“I would be grateful if you say so, but……”

When she glanced toward where her father was with a face full of regret, Alman also quickly helped.

“That would be good. The sooner the surgery, the better.”

At the doctor’s indirect warning, Count Sorbon clicked his tongue as if he had no choice.

“Tsk. Fine. How much does that family doctor cost?”

“Father. The lady said she’s helping me out of goodwill. Since she employs the family doctor herself, she said she won’t charge us……”

“Really? Is that true?”

Count Sorbon asked in surprise.

“There’s no need for me to lie about such matters. I just value Sorbon, my younger brother’s friend, more than a few hundred gold.”

“Then please help us. Please just make sure the child doesn’t get scars.”

“You can go and tell Eden about that.”

Ellen clearly distinguished between what was her business and what wasn’t.

She took out a small memo from her clutch and quickly wrote something as she said.

“The lady should go ahead with Elsier in the carriage. If you go with this letter and convey the message, the butler will guide you well.”

Ellen folded the memo she had scribbled and handed it over.

May, who had to receive it with one hand due to her injured hand, asked with a flushed face, not knowing what to do with her gratitude.

“Thank you. But then how will you get there, my lady?”

“I’m planning to stop by the academy directly from here, so it’s fine. Go and don’t worry about anything, tell the butler what you need.”

“You don’t need to do that. I’m the one receiving the favor……”

“No. I’m the type who does things thoroughly when I do them.”

Ellen, who smiled as she said this, had a weight that was somehow difficult to oppose.

May, who found it difficult to say more due to her momentum, simply bowed her head and said.

“Thank you, my lady.”

“What will you do, Count? Would you like to stop by the academy with me?”

“No. There’s no need for two people to go unnecessarily. I want to go with my daughter.”

“By all means.”

Ellen greeted the count and said.

“Then I’ll be going now. Let’s go, Your Highness.”

“Am I coming too?”

“Of course? Didn’t Your Highness agree to help?”

When Ellen asked with wide eyes, Kaiden let out a hollow laugh, then soon laughed and said.

“Right. Let’s go.”

* * *

Late evening.

The academy, which experienced the sudden visit of the crown prince, fell into complete chaos.

“……Isn’t that the imperial crest?”

“Right? It’s not time for the imperial family to come, how strange. Including the fact that an imperial carriage is entering at this hour.”

Starting with the bewildered gatekeepers,

“Y-Your Highness?”

“Your Highness!”

“My goodness, Your Highness.”

“It’s been a while. Sir Howard, Sir Pollet, Sir Aden.”

The professors working at the academy, and,

“Haha. I greet Your Highness.”

“It’s been a while. It’s the first time since the entrance ceremony two years ago, right?”

Even the chancellor, who was the school’s highest decision-maker.

The chancellor laughed heartily and said.

“Was that already two years ago?”

“Last year and this year Crescent and Eclipse came, so it was two years ago.”

“Haha. You’ve become more dignified in two years.”

The chancellor looked him over with eyes like looking at a nephew he had raised.

Kaiden playfully threw out a remark.

“Chancellor, you’ve gotten wrinkles.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. This is all patience.”

The chancellor laughed heartily and threw out a pointed remark, then immediately brought the conversation to the main point.

“Let’s stop the greetings here. So Your Highness. What brings you here so late at night without any contact?”

Then Kaiden slightly pulled Ellen’s hand and said.

“I’m sorry for coming so suddenly. But something happened.”

“Good evening. I am Ellen Crient.”

The chancellor, who had been focusing on Kaiden, finally gave attention to her standing beside him.

“So Your Highness was with a companion…… I am Chancellor Bill Schefter.”

He requested a handshake with Ellen and said.

“It seems the business involves the lady who is your companion.”

“That’s right. I’m just an escort.”

When Kaiden smiled, the chancellor, who had withdrawn his hand after the handshake, asked him.

“What is the matter?”

“The children had an accident yesterday while using the academy’s carriage.”

Oh my. The chancellor let out a low groan.

“Young Master Crient? Who else are the children? Are they all alright?”

“May I speak from here?”

Ellen opened her mouth with a quiet voice.

The chancellor looked at Kaiden for a moment, then said when he nodded.

“Please do.”

“The accident involved my younger brother Elsier and his classmate May Sorbon. The coachman died in the accident, and El fortunately only needs a little rest to recover. But they said Lady Sorbon would have difficulty with daily life if she doesn’t have surgery immediately.”

“My goodness.”

The chancellor and professors sighed.

“I came to handle the children’s attendance issues regarding this, and there are additional things I want to investigate.”

“The accident is truly regrettable. You can resolve the attendance issue by going to the academic office. But what do you want to investigate?”

The chancellor asked while carefully observing her expression.

“They said the carriage overturned when a wheel came off by itself while traveling. The security force will investigate the carriage, but the academy also needs to investigate the carriage maintenance environment.”

“Indeed……”

The chancellor nodded.

“The security officers will come soon to request materials about that. I understand. I’ll tell them to prepare all the materials they request so they can be handed over quickly.”

Ellen’s face slightly hardened at his words.

‘I thought this might happen.’

The chancellor was subtly saying he would only show materials to the security force.

Kaiden hadn’t intervened with kindness for no reason.

Without the crown prince, things would have become troublesome in various ways.

“Of course the security officers, but since a family member was injured, I also want to investigate the facts.”

Ellen spoke again, but the chancellor’s intention was firm.

“I understand the lady’s feelings, but you don’t have such authority.”

When the chancellor ultimately didn’t back down, Kaiden, who had been watching them from behind, finally stepped forward.

“That’s why I came along. I also think there are suspicious aspects to this accident, Chancellor.”

At his threat, the chancellor groaned and said as if he had no choice.

“……If it’s an order, I’ll cooperate as much as possible. We must clarify responsibility.”

“Thank you.”

“Then may I meet the coachmen now? If possible, I’d like to examine the academy’s carriages as well.”

The chancellor looked very reluctant, but glanced at Kaiden and sighed.

“By all means. Please go ahead.”

* * *

Harbor Ivis discovered something unusual while returning after club activities ended.

It wasn’t time for outsiders to be walking around, but there were people he hadn’t seen at school walking around.

“This way.”

“The carriage storage is farther than I thought.”

“The coachmen’s break room is also located here.”

Coachmen? Carriage storage?

Since the chancellor was personally leading them, they seemed to be quite important people.

“Since there’s quite a distance, it would be difficult to notice if someone came unless you paid special attention.”

“Hmm…… We’d have to ask the coachmen to be accurate about that, Your Highness.”

Your Highness?

At those words, Ivis’s ears perked up and he looked over the group again.

He hadn’t noticed at first glance, but looking again, they were facial features he had seen several times.

‘His Highness the Crown Prince……!’

Who is the woman next to him?

He racked his brain.

‘Right, Duchess Krembell!’

She was the woman who had become a topic due to the divorce scandal recently.

‘Did something happen at the academy?’

There was no other suitable reason he could think of for such a person to suddenly come here like this.

If it had been an official visit, the academy would probably have been noisy about the crown prince’s visit for several days beforehand.

What is it? What could it be?

He was curious, but lacking the courage to follow behind the crown prince and eavesdrop on the conversation, he turned his steps toward the dormitory.

But when he arrived, the children were chattering quite noisily.