My Dear Aster

When Schudermel opened the envelope, he first noticed the scent that swept through the laboratory in the wind.

He reflexively held out his hand. The wind had always been his loyal companion, so the wind gently whirled and gathered the fragrance and placed it in Schudermel’s hand.

Schudermel looked unfamiliarly down at his palm. In his hand, the sphere of wind whirled around, and the lavender petals trapped in it swayed in the air as if caught in a storm.

“What’s that?”

Gerald Maximo, who was practicing water magic at an experimental table on one side of the lab, asked. Schudermel replied in his usual tone.

“Nothing.”

When he released the wind, the scent brushed his cheeks and dissipated. The petals fell on the palm of his hand.

He didn’t doubt Lihen at all. For safety reasons, he was in the habit of blocking out unfamiliar particles from things like envelopes and box packaging.

But what flowed out was a faint lavender scent. If Schudermel hadn’t collected it in the first place and locked it in his hands, it would have been so weak that it wouldn’t have been felt in the air like this.

He pulled the card out of the envelope. Particles of the scent remained on the card.

“Whoa, a girl?”

Gerald came to snoop and was surprised to see a pretty vine rose pattern stamped on the card’s surface. Schudermel looked at him, wondering how he knew.

“That’s because these small flower bud paintings are only used by unmarried ladies. You may not know Lord Schudel.”

“…….”

“What’s going on? I thought you weren’t interested in women. I thought Lord Schudel would not be able to distinguish a woman’s face except for his mother and Lady Silla.”

“What nonsense.”

“It’s the truth. You don’t even look at the heiress of the Count of Melland, or you pretend to not know the daughter of the Count of Wayne, who is rumored to be pretty.”

“I never pretended I didn’t know.”

“Aha, you mean you really didn’t know, and did not pretend?”

“I knew the face at least.”

It’s just that he didn’t bother to recognize and introduce himself to the other person. Even more so if it was a woman who had a passionate crush on him.

He knew how reckless passion could destroy a person’s life and what misfortunes it could bring, even to their families. He knew it was natural for people to be attracted, but he didn’t want to jump in like a moth to fire.

Some people have said that because he was a water magician, his soul seemed to have cooled, but it has nothing to do with his magical trait. He didn’t even think that his soul was cold.

It’s just that he had always been careful with his behavior, never to indulge in passion, especially with women. If he caused a scandal, it was not just his own problem, because it was easy to involve his mother and it would become a dirty story.

Gerald knew it too, so he thought it was surprising and tried to pry.

“So, from whom did you get the letter? You don’t get letters from people you don’t know very well.”

“It’s not a big deal. I just decided to escort the Lady of Viscount Copland at this year’s graduation party.”

As he skimmed through the contents of the card, he unconsciously smiled. Lihen’s handwriting was scrawled or, on the contrary, she’s obsessed with writing too beautifully, so there’s no indistinguishable part at all, and it was easy to read clearly. Her handwriting was suitable for her calm and gentle demeanor.

The content was just what was needed. With the Viscountess’ permission, then it would be fine, and he nodded. Although he did not know Lihen well, it was easy to guess that the Viscount and his wife trusted her.

For a nineteen-year-old girl, it was difficult to look at her crush with a gentle, calm face without exaggerating or running away. It was the same to send a letter without a hint of excitement even after asking him to be her partner at the graduation party with a bright red face.

Among the letters from a noble lady that Schudermel had received so far, it was the first one that was so flawless that there was no problem even if he showed it to others.

But she must be a very lovely daughter because she has so much affection at home enough to jump into her father’s arms in her pajamas.

Schudermel unconsciously laughed a little.

Gerald opened his white eyes and looked at him.

“Oh, a sudden escort at the graduation party for Viscount Copland’s daughter. Did you have a change of heart? I know all the socialite teenage beauties, but not Viscount Copland’s daughter. You even kicked[1] the daughter of Count Wayne.”

“What change of heart. I’m just going to a party.”

“I’m surprised you talked that much. When did Lord Schudel attend a party or something? What in the world stood out to you about the Viscount’s daughter?”

Considering how delighted the chatterbox would be by the answer that impressed him, it was better not to say it.

Schudermel sighed inwardly.

“I don’t intend to insult and say no to a lady who mustered up the courage to ask me and I have no reason to refuse. With permission from her parents, of course.”

“But you’ve always refused?”

“Their attitude is what caused me to refuse.”

Gerald blinked. So it was like that.

Despite the fact that Schudermel had a great flaw in being an illegitimate child, there were two ladies who either confessed their love for him or wanted to make him their partner. Either they were obsessed with passion, or they were trying to get the attention of the socialites by attaching a good-looking, talk-worthy man with the right accessories, and then would decide to dump him and find a more appropriate man when it was time to get married.

He asked, puzzled.

“Does that mean you really like the daughter of the Viscount?”

“Gerald.”

He has always been a chatterbox, but he’s been too talkative today. Schudermel pointed to the experiment table.

“The deadline for submitting the task of stabilizing the climate in the model world is three days away. Did you solve the boomerang effect?”

Gerald closed his mouth and stepped back onto the experiment table.

Schudermel put the card back in the envelope and put the lavender petals in the drawer. Then he sat down at his desk and pulled out a piece of paper. It was to request a visit to the Viscount of Copland.

TL Notes:

[1] Not really kicked, but like ignoring or dismissing someone. I think.