It was already ten o'clock, and Rishe needed to head back to the detached wing to sleep as well. She had training in the morning, meaning she had to remove the polish from her nails.
As she went through a mental checklist of her bedtime routine, Michel looked eagerly at the half-empty vial. He scooped a bit of medicine up with a finger and licked it. How nostalgic.
I never thought I'd see the day I'd call this man "Professor" again.
She recalled an incident in their laboratory. Michel had recently gotten hold of the ingredients for a certain chemical. The day held nothing out of the ordinary, but every time Rishe saw that chemical used, she felt a twinge in her chest. No doubt she let her unease show on her face more than once.
"You really don't like this stuff, do you, Rishe?" Michel had said when he caught her, smiling faintly. "You're a clever girl with heaps of intriguing knowledge, though I've no idea where you learned it. In fact, your one flaw as a student is your dogged insistence that your wisdom and skills must only be utilized for the betterment of others."
The brilliant scholar's smile soured then. "I'm not sure who gave you the right to decide what betters someone's life." He ran his fingers over the chemical's recipe. "To use an analogy: Something that was born poisonous could only truly fulfill its purpose by poisoning—by worsening a life."
Michel didn't need the chemical. He'd burned the research notes his lord had ordered him to write. The only thing that remained was this recipe, which he'd written unprompted.
"I created this, and I want it to fulfill its purpose. Maybe this is what being a parent feels like." Michel joked.
"I respect you, Professor, but I don't understand your position." Rishe told him.
"What can't you understand?"
"The part about a poison's purpose."
Perhaps she should have held her tongue, but she couldn't accept what he was saying. "Can a poison really never better someone's life?" Michel was surprised by the question, but Rishe was serious. "It's not like you to decide that something came into this world just to make it worse. I mean, that's just like—"
"You don't need to worry so much. It's not complete yet anyway," Michel cut her off, still smiling. "Sure, I have the formula, but I don't have anyone to test it on. At least, not the way I'd like."
"What sort of person would you need?"
"Hmm? Let's see…" Michel put a finger to his lips, his smile wide and bewitching. "I'll keep that a secret until I find them."
The conversation ended there. Michel had looked down, leaving the rest unsaid.
The professor and I never came to an understanding about that chemical. Eventually we parted ways, and I never saw him after that.
Now that she had crossed paths with Michel on her seventh life, she couldn't help but wonder, Did he ever find the person he was looking for?
A knock interrupted her reverie.
A single guard stood outside, watching the hall. Sensing a new presence, Rishe assumed that the knight she'd requested to guide Michel had arrived.
"Pardon me, Lady Rishe. Your escort is here."
Just as she thought. Rishe thanked the knight and turned to Michel. "Thank you for waiting, Professor."
"No, Lady Rishe, it's not Professor Hévin's escort…"
Rishe turned, curious, and found an unexpected figure in the doorway.
"Rishe, come with me."
"Huh?"
Arnold, who would usually still be working at this hour, stood there looking handsome as always. Rishe felt her jaw go slack with surprise.
Why did Prince Arnold come to pick me up?!
The question must have been plain on her face because her guard leaned over and said, "When I requested the guard for Prince Kyle, I stopped by Prince Arnold's office as well. He told me to call him after the medicine had been administered."
"N-no, that's not why I'm confu—"
"So, this is him. The scholar." Arnold fixed his icy gaze on Michel, who was sitting on one of the reception room's couches.
Brushing off her bewilderment, Rishe said, "This is Professor Michel Hévin from Coyolles. He's very knowledgeable; I hope to learn as much as I can from him while he's here."
"Heh, I'm honored to make your acquaintance. I suppose I should be on my best behavior." Michel rose from the couch and offered Arnold a graceful bow.
His blond hair swayed with the movement. "Good evening. You must be the crown prince of this fine nation. I hear it was you who allowed us entry into your royal library. I appreciate that tremendously."
Rishe nervously watched Michel offer his greetings. The researcher was, in general, very free in his personal relations. He didn't much value customs or courtesy. He treated Prince Kyle and Rishe, a student, in the same fashion. She didn't know anyone else who would dare to pat full-grown royalty on the head.
If he tries to pat Prince Arnold's head, I'll stop him at any cost.
She steeled herself for Arnold's response, but his expression barely flickered.
"As you'll be sharing your knowledge with my wife, I will ensure you have everything you need. I believe our minister of foreign affairs is due to take you around the capital tomorrow, but let me know if there's anything you require to make yourself more comfortable."
Rishe couldn't believe her ears.
Michel beamed at Arnold's blank face. "How generous! Maybe I'll take you up on that. Ask for all sorts of things."
"Rishe, let's go."
"R-right. Good night, Professor." Rishe scurried after Arnold.
On the threshold, a voice called her back. "Rishe."
She turned to find Michel wearing a tranquil smile, just as she expected. It was the same one she'd seen so often in the past. Feeling nostalgic, Rishe smiled back.
"See you tomorrow. Think about what you want to learn, okay?"
"Yes. Thank you, Professor."
The door slowly closed between them.
It feels like it's been ages, Rishe thought, walking through the palace with Arnold. Their guards followed along behind them.