Having finished my inspection of the first factory, I stepped outside, breathing in the fresh air, and naturally made my way toward the second factory.

Accompanied by Manager Tae, we arrived at the second factory, which was about halfway completed.

“Move the lumber over there! Bricks go here!”

“The witches are summoning earth spirits to dig! Everyone, step back!”

“Seventh squad, what are you doing over there? The work’s not done yet!”

The construction site of the second factory was bustling with soldiers from High Castle and witches hard at work.

“Are we paying the soldiers working here?”

“Of course. Thanks to that, they’ve been working without any complaints.”

For reference, the soldiers were receiving additional wages directly from Arad Company, on top of their regular pay from High Castle.

In other words, the soldiers building the factory were essentially earning double—both from High Castle and me.

“Have there been any complaints?”

“None at all. Frankly, there’s no workplace like this anywhere in the North, or even across the continent of Arcadia. And more importantly, the food here is delicious.”

“That’s true.”

Initially, I’d considered hiring adventurers or commoners for the construction work, but the potential risks had led me to abandon the idea.

There was also the added concern of potential assassination attempts against me.

Instead, the raw materials—lumber, limestone, bricks, and steel—were procured through Northern merchant guilds.

While we bought these materials from the guilds, the guilds themselves sourced them by employing low-level adventurers or commoners.

As I was about to move past the construction site after surveying it, a very familiar figure with white hair greeted me warmly from a short distance ahead.

“Mary!”

“Oh! President.”

“Perfect timing. I had something to ask you about the academy.”

Without missing a beat, I jumped straight into the topic at hand upon seeing her.

“Yes! Please feel free to ask.”

“How is the recruitment of teachers for the academy progressing?”

“We’ve secured teachers to cover subjects like literacy, arithmetic, and history. Retired officials were happy to volunteer. However, we haven’t been able to find any mages.”

“Are there no battle mages among adventurers or mercenaries? I’ve heard some are active in the demon realms.”

“Strictly speaking, there are no trustworthy mages in the North.”

“Hmm… I suppose that’s to be expected. What about the witches?”

“The witches have stated that they can’t teach unless the students are formally taken on as their apprentices.”

“Click.”

I clicked my tongue at Mary’s explanation.

“It can’t be helped. For now, I’ll have to handle the magical instruction myself, and you’ll need to assist me.”

“…Me, sir?”

“Yes. You’re quite a capable magical engineer, aren’t you? You’ve been reading the magic books I recently wrote, haven’t you? Use them as a basis to teach the children. If you come across anything you don’t understand, you can ask me.”

Based on my observations of Mary so far, she was both a witch and not a witch.

Though an illegitimate child, she still had noble blood running through her veins.

Because of this, she seemed relatively free from the restrictions that bound other witches.

In truth, she was more like a female mage than a traditional witch.

“…”

However, her expression darkened at my words.

“Don’t tell me…”

Seeing her reaction, my heart sank.

“Surely, you’re not saying it’s also difficult for you to teach because of some unwritten rule among the witches, right?”

“No, it’s not that. I can manage.”

“Phew… That’s a relief.”

I let out a sigh of relief, thankful my suspicions were unfounded.

“Good, very good. I knew I made the right choice appointing you as the head of the academy.”

“…Is that so?”

“I’m certain of it. But why have you looked so down since earlier?”

“Could you perhaps reconsider, sir? I much prefer my previous role as your secretary.”

“Secretary? But you’re hardly at the company these days. It’s difficult to even call you a secretary.”

“T-that’s…”

From her sullen expression, it was clear that Mary’s displeasure stemmed from her recently changed position.

“I’m sorry, sir. I promise to come to the company more often from now on.”

Mary spoke hesitantly, looking back and forth between me and Manager Tae like a forlorn puppy abandoned in the rain.

Until recently, the tasks she had been handling were now being managed by Manager Tae.

“Could she be feeling competitive? How amusing.”

Seeing her reaction, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Healthy competition among employees was always a positive force for the company’s growth.

“Hahaha… Ahem…”

Caught under Mary’s melancholy gaze, Manager Tae gave an awkward smile, clearly uncomfortable. He averted his eyes, staring off in the direction of High Castle as if seeking refuge.

“He must have heard about Mary from Countess Rosie.”

Even at a glance, it was evident that Tae found Mary intimidating.

To help ease the situation, I presented Mary with an idea I’d thought of earlier.

“Would you prefer to handle both the academy and your secretary duties?”

“Both, sir?”

“Yes, instead of focusing solely on one, you could manage them based on the situation as it arises.”

“Very well, I’ll do it.”

Mary’s face brightened immediately.

“By the way, Mary, keep your evenings free from now on.”

Seeing her radiant expression, I continued.

“In the evenings? May I ask why?”

“Why? Because you and I will be teaching magical engineering at the academy soon. We need to ensure we teach it properly. Starting tomorrow evening, we’ll have one-on-one lessons.”

“Lessons? Surely you don’t mean… private tutoring?”

“Something like that. Stay after work and study with me.”

“J-just the two of us…?”

“Yes, just the two of us.”

“Why…?”

“Because, as far as I know, you’re the only person around me who’s literate, capable of arithmetic, knowledgeable in magic, skilled with your hands, and unrestricted in teaching. Unless you can name someone else who fits that description?”

“…”

As my explanation continued, the tips of Mary’s ears flushed red.

***

Arad’s Proposal for Evening Study Sessions.

“I understand. I will definitely, absolutely make time for it!”

With those words, Mary’s earlier melancholy vanished, replaced by a bright and enthusiastic determination.

“Impressive! Mary has an exceptional passion for learning. Truly, the future Great Witch of the Snowfields.”

Watching her, Arad couldn’t help but smile, a deeply satisfied expression that was difficult to put into words.

“What a shame. If not for her personal circumstances, I could make even better use of her… no, rely on her more heavily.”

It seemed that Mary’s initial resistance to her new role was due to concerns that she’d have fewer opportunities to learn directly from him.

“But surely Mary doesn’t harbor romantic feelings for me… does she?”

That fleeting thought crossed Arad’s mind like a sudden gust.

It wasn’t the first time he’d felt this—just a vague notion he’d dismissed without much consideration in the past.

However, seeing Mary now, visibly thrilled, he couldn’t help but ponder it a bit more seriously.

“Hmm…”

Arad paused to reflect on his own feelings toward Mary.

Whenever he saw her, he felt a subtle, warm tickle in his chest. It made him feel inexplicably happy and comfortable.

“But it’s far from romantic interest. This is… more akin to the joy of discovering a remarkable talent. If not that, then perhaps it’s a familial bond of some kind.”

Strangely enough, the idea of sharing romantic feelings with Mary didn’t sit well with him. It just didn’t feel right.

“Likewise, I don’t sense or feel confident that Mary harbors any romantic feelings for me either.”

It was mutual.

For reasons he couldn’t quite articulate, their dynamic felt more like family than anything else.

“Could it have something to do with the enchantments on that necklace of hers?”

Arad had a guess. It might have been the necklace Mary wore—the one that concealed her true power and identity.

The necklace likely had a mental magic enchantment to protect her from scandals or unwanted advances.

“Ah, so Arina must have entrusted Mary to me because of this. Could this be the otherworldly equivalent of a fence rule?”

Arad chuckled to himself at the thought.

He didn’t know. Neither did Isabelle, the creator of the transformation necklace.

Mental enchantments were notoriously tricky and required a high level of expertise.

Unbeknownst to anyone, there was an unintended flaw in the necklace’s design.

It created an unintentional safeguard: unless there was deep, genuine love involved, it was nearly impossible for a wearer to develop romantic feelings for others—or for others to develop feelings for them.

***

As the sun set and evening fell, the sky was painted in hues of red and orange.

“Ready, Mary?”

“Of course, President.”

After dinner, Arad and Mary (in truth, Arina) made their way to the first factory.

On the way, they encountered employees heading to their lodgings after finishing their day’s work.

The witches were nowhere to be seen—they had been the first to clock out, leaving on their broomsticks the moment their shifts ended.

“President, we’re off for the day!”

“Thank you for the work and meals today, President!”

Despite their evident fatigue, the employees greeted Arad warmly, their smiles radiant.

“Mary, are you staying late with the President instead of heading home?”

“You two have a great time!”

Some even playfully teased Mary, tossing remarks her way as she walked beside Arad.

“…”

Dressed as Mary, Arina felt her cheeks heat up, overwhelmed by a sudden wave of embarrassment.

She kept her head down and followed Arad into the factory, her face still flushed. Inside, they were greeted by Theo, who was just about to lock up for the night.

“Oh! President? I was just about to close the factory doors.”

Theo looked at the two of them, a puzzled expression on his face.

“Is there something else you need to do?”

“No, not at all. You can head home for the day, Manager Tae.”

“Ah, understood. But if that’s the case, why are you and Miss Mary here…?”

“I’ll be teaching Mary magical engineering tonight to prepare for the upcoming academy.”

“Ahh… I see. Ahem! Well then, enjoy your time together.”

“...?”

“...”

Theo, having interpreted Arad’s words in his own way, swiftly left the factory.

Now, the vast factory was empty, leaving only Arad and Arina behind.

“So it was all just a pretense to teach magic?! Could there be something more to this?”

As they entered the factory, Arina’s thoughts spiraled. Nervously, she found herself fiddling with her necklace out of habit.

“Ugh… I thought I was prepared for this!”

Arad’s proposal for evening lessons had already been suspiciously suggestive. Coupled with the teasing comments from the employees earlier, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was something deeper at play.

Even someone as inexperienced with romance as Arina couldn’t miss the implications.

“This way.”

Arad led her to a private room set aside within the factory.

“Y-yes!”

Arina followed him, her heart pounding as she tried to steady herself.

“If the firstborn is a boy, I’ll name him Ruin. If it’s a girl, Luna. The Renslet family has always had so few heirs, so I’ll need to have many children. I should come up with a few more names just in case.”

The Renslet lineage had long been plagued by a scarcity of descendants, but Arina felt confident.

“I’m the first female Grand Duke of Renslet! I’ll shatter the curse of short lives and only children during my time!”

Fueled by this determination, she entered the room, her mind racing with thoughts of future love and legacy.

By the time she stepped inside, she had already decided on names for six children and was brainstorming names for her grandchildren.

Moments later.

“...”

Arina found herself in a peculiar dilemma.

The North’s creed was clear: repay kindness and exact vengeance.

But now, she wasn’t sure if she should consider this situation a kindness to be repaid or an offense to be avenged.

“So, do you understand now?”

“...”

“That’s not the look of someone who understands. All right, I’ll explain it again. In this circuit, the formula needs to…”

“...”

When is it going to happen?

Arina’s thoughts trailed off as Arad earnestly continued his explanation of magical engineering circuits.