The cat just hummed while lazily moving to lie down on his desk. Her paw tapped at the quill he wasn't sure was only decoration.
"While he is going to be a problem, he is now a known element. Considering what that assistant said and the fact you have a secretary slash nurse, the simplest solution is to just come into this office once a week. This particular wing isn't one I see the Crown Prince visiting often compared to where we crossed paths near where the Chamberlain's offices are."
"Once a week…?" Mattheus frowned and considered it. He wasn't required to act as a royal physician. And a message could just as easily be passed on if he were at the Crown townhome.
It wasn't as if they provided a laboratory for him here either…
"Yes. I think you were a bit stunned by the memories and would be better at staying out of arms' reach from Artorius Morgaine next time. Maybe consider having a few people follow you, so you will never be alone if you were ever to cross paths. I will also teach you how to break out of such holds with your puny scholar muscles."
"Hey! I've been working on it," Mattheus pouted, slightly defensive.
"There is nothing wrong with you now, outside your abysmal endurance. But it is true that you will never be as strong as your brother or the Prince. A bit of high-intensity interval training can boost your progress but it will still take years."
The fluffy cat rolled across his desk and Mattheus restrained the urge to pet his friend's cloud-like fur. He saw Edgar get bitten for daring to impugn on her personal bubble that way and he didn't want needle teeth and claws sinking into his arm, thanks very much.
"I think your brother has more potential in being dangerous because of experience but one can't underestimate a sadistic personality and having the best instructors either. Both of them have been training their bodies since they were adolescents. Decades more than Mattheus Crown."
"If I could get magic to work… not that I could do anything to the Prince but—"
The quest popped up unbidden, along with a beep.
"Oh, come on!" Mattheus groaned.
Brunilda shifted until she was sitting on her haunches again. "The System again?"
"Yeah, it's the same quest."
"Maybe you should do it. The first protocol of the System is survival of the host, no?"
Mattheus frowned at his friend before focusing on the window of text. "Are you saying upgrading the System is vital for my survival?"
"I assume it led you to me originally, no?"
That was true. Mattheus hadn't intended it but his "kitty bodyguard" definitely helped on the train with Michaels and his gang.
"What I don't understand is why make it a quest? I'm not even sure how a non-physical… program like the System would even make use of these materials."
"And what are these materials?"
"The quest looks more like a crafting recipe than anything else too. It's stuff like silicon, carbon, germanium, and batteries? Plastic too, for some reason."
Brunilda tapped the desk. "Here, write out everything. I wonder… does it want semiconductor material?
Mattheus felt the phantom fingers of a potential headache when he heard the beep and saw the weird quest get updated.
He had an annoying feeling he was going to have to do actual chemistry with his feline-shaped friend directing him because of this System Upgrade.
…
"My lord," Vincent greeted as he stood by the carriage. The valet then noticed something. "Sir… where is Miss Brue?"
Mattheus waved it off as he took the step into the carriage. "She went on a stroll and will find her way back."
"I see. Your custom walking stick is also finished."
He saw the long box and gestured for the valet to get into the carriage with him. A few minutes later, the carriage started heading back to the Crown residence while Vincent opened the box at Mattheus's cue.
The cane was exquisitely made, silver-topped on a black body. He had requested for it to be simple but there was still a very intricate engraving of the Crown heraldry on the silver.
It should be fine for what Brunilda wanted to do with it.
Mattheus fully resigned himself to spending a bit of time in the labs to create strange substances by the standards of this world.
"Will Miss Brue be alright?" Vincent asked after the box cover was replaced. The brunet man looked a bit concerned.
The nineteen-year-old was rather amused. Since Vincent was Mattheus's valet, it somewhat fell to the servant to deal with Brunilda's meals and grooming. As Mattheus rarely had a use for a valet himself, Vincent ended up Brunilda's slave.
It was funny to see the valet become attached when Brunilda had established she was a "one person" cat after mauling Edgar's arm. But Mattheus also supposed Vincent was probably the only other person his friend tolerated manhandling her.
Of course, Vincent himself seemed to always hold a healthy respect for Brunilda whenever Mattheus noted their interactions. That might explain Brunilda's mercy.
"She'll be fine," Mattheus only replied.
Brunilda was actually shopping for a material they needed for the System Upgrade in the Palace. She was going to use a "five toe bean discount" to grab some jewels.
Technically, they already had the diamonds needed in Brunilda's Inventory but who was Mattheus to keep his friend from her entertainment?
In actuality, when they went through the list of materials needed for the upgrade, they realized they already possessed most of it in Brunilda's Inventory (which wasn't surprising, considering she practically prepared for an apocalypse).
The only things they were missing were materials from this world. Eight high-quality fulminis crystals and four large ignis stones. Both items were easily procured. Somewhat expensive but well within the Crowns' means to get as "research" material.
Mattheus still wasn't sure how a—as far as he knew—metaphysical thing like the System would need some type of physical processor (that was what the two friends concluded the materials might make, even if it would not be one they were familiar with).
"We've arrived back at the Crown residence, sir," Vincent jolted Mattheus out of his musing.
The two men stepped out of the carriage and headed into the manor. The youngest Crown made straight for his suite of rooms and gestured for Vincent to set the box with the cane down.
"What time is it, Vincent?" Mattheus asked as he took off his coat before the valet could help him. The dark-haired noble did hand it off to the manservant though since it tended to stress the older man out if Mattheus was a bit too independent.
"It's just past two, sir."
"I suppose I should eat."
"Did you not have lunch, my lord?"
"I've only had tea at the Palace." Mattheus sighed.
"Is there anything in particular you wish you eat, Master Mattheus?"
Mattheus couldn't help but grin a little. Vincent was still polite but that was definitely very subtle disapproval and chiding from the valet.
He sat down in an armchair, leaning back and crossing his legs. "Whatever the cook has prepared is fine. I want coffee after. Not more tea."
Don't get him wrong. He rather enjoyed tea but needed the coffee to help him focus.
There was a lot he needed to do before tomorrow. He still had to head into his office in the Palace tomorrow to finalize the system of "work from home" Brunilda suggested.
While he waited for his meal, he transferred the items needed to his own Inventory but was not even halfway through before Vincent came back with two maids.
"Thank you," he both thanked and dismissed the maids with the phrase. The Original didn't like to be waited on and neither did he, so the staff was rather used to this behavior.
"Vincent," he called the man's name as he started on what was essentially a French onion soup.
"Yes, Master Mattheus?"
"I will need you to run some errands for me."
"I will do as you wish, sir."
"First, I plan on going into the Palace once a week barring any orders I receive. So a method to get messages to me as my position of Court Healer should be established. I might need an assistant but I will discuss this with Father later tonight.
"Secondly, I need you to procure some items for my research. I will give you a list."
"Understood, sir."
There were several minutes where Mattheus spent his time eating before he remembered. "Oh, right. Brue is probably going to want a thorough brushing when she comes back."
With that done, Mattheus finished his meal and sent Vincent off while he headed to his private lab. He spent the next few hours preparing and reorganizing things until Brunilda came back, popping in like a dark-gray shadow.
The cat dropped the small drawstring bag he left her with into his hands before she started grooming herself. "I got everything."
Mattheus made sure the lab door was still closed before he upended the heavy bag on a clear spot of one of the tables. Immediately, he saw the blue, almost water-like jewels.
"Are those aqueous diamonds?" he muttered in disbelief.
Most of the jewels were set in rings or brooches—there was even a set of earrings—and Mattheus quickly had a sinking expression when he noticed a familiar-looking ring.
"Where did you get these from?"
"Where else? He strangled you so I figure him losing some very expensive accessories is a start."
Yep. These were definitely Artorius's things. It also explained why there were more jewels than Mattheus expected.