Arnold was the first to break the silence. "So…you believe that man is a capable teacher?"
"The professor? Oh, very capable!" She'd taken care to speak with Michel for a while before calling Kyle to cover for the fact that she knew so much about him. Making sure not to inadvertently reference future events, Rishe explained, "There's no one in his industry who hasn't heard the name Michel Hévin. Considering his accomplishments, it feels presumptuous to even judge his capacity."
"What's a guy like that doing in Coyolles? He doesn't seem like a local."
She knew the reason, but it wasn't one Michel had disclosed in their earlier conversation. She opted to make something up. "M-maybe the cuisine there suits him?" Arnold appeared to have a low opinion of Coyolles, and she wasn't sure why. She circled back to her earlier question. "Prince Arnold, why did you suddenly show up to escort me?"
"I was on my way back. They finished up moving some of my belongings into the detached palace."
The move was finished, then. "Which means…we're neighbors from now on?"
"I guess so."
Perfect!
For the time being, Rishe had successfully put some physical distance between Arnold and his father. She didn't know what precisely would lead to the altercation that resulted in the king's death, but she still wanted them interacting less, if possible.
Arnold shot her a curious look. "Why do you seem so relieved?"
"Well, this has been my biggest project since I arrived in Galkhein, hasn't it? Cleaning the detached wing and setting up the maids with their study group. I'm thrilled that it's finally ready to use, Your Highness."
Although she lied about the current source of her pleasure, it wasn't wholly untrue. She made a mental note to thank her maids again tomorrow for all their hard work.
Arnold smiled. "Living in a run-down palace and watching you hatch your schemes from up close would have been fun too."
As a former maid myself, I wouldn't have allowed that in a million years!
Rishe objected fervently on the inside. If Arnold had to be moved from the main palace, she wanted assurance that everything would be perfect.
"Oh! Just one thing, Your Highness. I'll be out of commission until noon in the coming days. If you don't see me in the palace, I'm just soundly asleep. Don't worry about me, all right?" It was the same thing she'd told her knights and maids when, in actuality, she'd be off practicing with the cadets all morning.
Arnold looked exasperated. "Even if you sleep until noon, going to bed too late means you won't sleep well."
"Ugh… Well, I am trying to get to bed early."
"That's rich coming from someone staying up all night to play doctor."
Arnold stuck his hand into his jacket pocket. He withdrew an object and tossed it to Rishe. "Here."
Without thinking, Rishe reached out and caught it with both hands. She opened them to find a shining gold pocket watch—the same one Arnold had constantly checked when they were in town. "Your Highness! You mustn't treat something this valuable so carelessly!"
"What do you mean? You caught it just fine, didn't you? Go ahead and borrow it. Keep it on you at all times."
Rishe's eyes went wide at the unexpected suggestion. "You're…lending me your pocket watch?!"
The pocket watch had been invented around four years ago. The only "clocks " available prior to that were a wall-mounted model—of which only one existed in the world—sundials that depended on fair weather, and water clocks that froze on cold days. Obviously, you couldn't carry any of those around, making telling time difficult. Then came the pocket watch. There weren't many of them in circulation yet, rendering each piece incredibly valuable. Only a select few nobles and royals had ever seen them, much less owned one, to say nothing of the common people, who didn't even know they existed.
"It's so precious, though. You can't just lend it out like this."
"What, you won't use it?"
Deep down, she would've loved nothing more.
Arnold went on, "They're still so new that people doubt their reliability, but I can promise this one is accurate as long as you keep it wound. It's a lot more useful than a sundial."
Yes, I know that. All too well, in fact.
Rishe could easily recall the smile of the device's inventor.
"Since they're portable, they came in handy during the war," Arnold said. "I did spend some time verifying its accuracy before it saw any practical use, however."
Rishe pondered Arnold's dispassionate comment. "What do you mean, 'came in handy '? Was it because telling the precise time made it easier to coordinate your units?"
"Exactly. Using the sun or other natural gauges for time leaves you vulnerable to sudden changes in weather."
The war would've come to an end not long after the pocket watch's invention.
Clearly Prince Arnold is quick to integrate new technologies into his battle strategies. But he doesn't trust blindly; he verifies their usefulness personally.
No wonder countries that clung stubbornly to the old ways couldn't win against Galkhein. Up close, it was easy to spot the sources of wartime superiority that had escaped her in the past.
Michel's words suddenly rang through her head. "There is no one willing to use this chemical the way I want it to be used." She stopped in her tracks, a shiver running up her spine.
Arnold, who was several paces ahead, turned back and gave her a curious look. "What is it?"
"Nothing." Rishe took a deep breath and rejoined him. "Well, I'll accept your offer and borrow this, then. It'll be useful for mixing and administering medicine."
"Oh? Administering it?"
"The pocket watch was invented for exactly this purpose, did you know? The person who taught me medicine found it very useful. Though it frustrated her too."
"Ah, the one from Renhua?"
"Yes. She was an oddball, but an extremely talented apothecary nonetheless."
Rishe felt her chest swell with pride.
"I can't imagine anyone outside of Renhua could ever compare. Is there something about that man from earlier? Is he more talented than your old apothecary teacher?" Arnold asked her.
"Professor Michel isn't an apothecary. But he does mix drugs as part of his research, and he has some medicinal knowledge. He said it's not his field of expertise, though."
While she explained, Rishe thought back to the first time she'd met Michel—when she arrived in Coyolles as an apothecary in her second life with her Master. Master despised Michel the whole time when we were there. She'd say, "Don't compare my medicine with this man's research."
Ultimately, Rishe had concluded that the two were similar and that they'd never get along. Every time they met in Coyolles Castle, Rishe's master picked a fight. Hence Rishe's awkward smile earlier when Michel had commented that he'd likely get along with her former master.
I never expected to reunite with Michel in a place like this. I wouldn't have thought he'd be in Coyolles for another three years…
She'd been surprised out in the garden, but reflecting on it now, she found it naive.
In my second life, I didn't meet him for three more years. And in my third life, when I was his student, I met him a year from now. And he never exactly told me he didn't spend time in Coyolles…
Interrupting her thoughts, Arnold asked, "Who is he, then?"
"He is…" What should she say? She hesitated before deciding the only solution was the truth. "He's a scholar who studies the substances of this world and uses them to create new substances."
"New substances…?"
"Yes. Apparently, he's invented all sorts of compounds and tools to help him in his research."
Arnold's lips dipped in a slight frown. Evidently, he'd picked up on what she was alluding to.
"In Professor Michel's case, I don't think the creation of gold is his ultimate goal, but the most accurate term to describe him would be…"
Rishe looked up at Arnold. "An alchemist."
That was Michel's profession—and, coincidentally, the title Rishe herself assumed as his student in her third life.
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