Ch. 109 I Love The Touch (1)âIt appears autumn will soon arrive. Donât you think so, Louise Sweeney?â
As the Crown Prince spoke, the two officials behind him wrote down his words. Neither Ian nor the court officials seemed to get tired. It had already been three days, and they hadnât slowed down one bit.
âYes, itâll be autumn soon, President.â
Louise was getting tired of his pretentious way of speech, so she gave a modest answer and shoveled a large heap of soil.
âAnd what are you doing?â
âThe caretaker asked me to help her.â
âShoveling?â
âYes, we need to restore the soil thatâs been washed away by the rainy season.â
âYouâre covering the tree roots, correct?â
He spoke haughtily so his eminent words would be recorded in history.
âIf youâre not helping me, could you please disappear?â
As Louise thought that she ended up making a profane face, and Ian chuckled quietly with his hand covering his mouth. It turned out that this man was a pervert who was quite happy to see that kind of expression on her.
âThen do your best.â
He turned around. The court officials, assuming that the conversation was over, put their pens down and gazed elsewhere. At that brief moment Ian turned back and brushed Louiseâs cheek with his fingers.
âDonât push yourself too hard.â
He frowned lightly.
âThe president is the oneââ
As Louise tried to answer, she turned her head towards the sound of shoveling towards the flower bed. Louise shouted before she even realized it.
âProfessor Wayne Hill!â
When he turned towards the sound, Professor Wayne Hill caught his foot on a tree root and tripped.
âIâll see you later, President!â
Louise gave a hurried farewell and ran to the professor.
âItâs okay, Miss Sweeney! I just fell! Donât run!â
The professor, who was still on the ground, shook his hand to stop Louise, but she ran towards him right away to help him up. She brushed off the wet soil clinging to his clothes.
âReally, Professor Hill. Are you sure youâre sleeping well at night?â
âWell, itâs hard to change oneâs habits. I tried, butâ¦â
Ian looked at the exceptionally friendly-looking pair.
âWhat kind of relationship is that?ââ
He knew that Louise had long admired Professor Hill, but he didnât know they were personal enough that she would check up on his sleeping hours. However, it was supposed to be beneficial for the professors and students to have good relationships.
â¦Ian didnât know why something that was supposed to be good seemed bad in his eyes.
âIf Professor Hillâs hands got hurt, the rest of the academic field would be saddened.â
Now Louise was stamping her feet and worrying over him.
No, why are you stamping your feet so cutely! Why! Just worry about it in a normal way!
âI-I donât know about that, but Iâll be careful because itâs what Miss Sweeney says.â
He corrected his crooked glasses and smiled. Ianâs face was outright uncomfortable.
âBecause itâs what Miss Sweeneyâ¦says?â
Ha, if another student heard the same line, it would sound very misleading. Of course, Louiseâs strong mental psyche would not budge from such an accusation. Ian knew it better than anyone. However, his opponent was Wayne Hill, and he couldnât let his guard down around him.
âI think heâs a little cheap.â
Professor Hill was just a 25-year-old with the ability to make Louise worry over him. His face was only okay behind those glasses.
âHeâs not just cheap, heâs a fraud.â
âYouâre not seriously hurt, are you? Shouldnât you be treated?â
âOh, itâs okay. Iâm used to it.â
Professor Hill rubbed his palm over his white coat, causing streaks of blood from his hand to smear onto it.
âProfessor!â
Louise grabbed his arm in surprise, and Ian was near breaking point. She had always been so brazen, but she really had no sense of awareness. Even in the Academy, she didnât care about going in and out of Ianâs room. He could let her stay at the capital late at night and give her a bed. She wouldnât really fall asleep. He would hold her hand andâ¦
Stop. Ian halted the daydream at once. It wasnât the time to think of this. He tramped over to the flower bed.
âHello, Professor.â
He approached Wayne Hill with a princely smile.
âPresident Audmonialâ¦H-hello.â
âIâll take you to the infirmary.â
âIâm perfectly fine.â
Of course no one would agree with those ragged palms of his. Louise Sweeney was right to be worried about it.
âIt looks like thereâs a splinter in your finger. Wait a moment.â
Louise held out her hand as if to grab Professor Hillâs wrist. Ianâs eyes flashed. At the same time, all the combat skills he learned from Count Freya burst from him. Because of that, he succeeded in capturing the professorâs wrist before Louise.
Be proud of your disciple, Count.
Ian briefly thanked his combat master, then stared at the professor with a heavy gaze taught by the Count.
âIâll take you to the infirmary.â
He didnât forget to give strength to each syllable.
âI will feel better if you go, Professor.â
Luckily, Louise also supported Ianâs idea, so he was able to keep the professor and Louise apart without any problem.
As Ian dragged Professor Hillâs slender wrist on the way to the infirmary, he fell into a sudden thought.
ââ¦What the hell am I doing?â
The other day he wanted to have a proper meeting with Louise to the point that he avoided the court officials. He just wanted to hold her hand without anyone knowing. But now he was holding the thin, soft wrist of a twenty-five-year-old man!
âYouâre going too fast, President Audmonialâ¦â
Ian halted and looked back at the professor.
âYouâre holding on too tight and it hurts. Please slow down.â
Why was he saying that while blushing? He indeed was a professor full of misunderstandings.
Before he knew it, the officials behind Ian were writing about âThe Crown Prince, who admired the professor.â