episode_0193

Episode 193. Eggnog

****

Eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vodka.

This is a recipe for eggnog.

Istina sipped eggnog with a blanket draped over her shoulders. It was a warming drink, full of family love.

It could be because of the vodka.

Istina returned home. Her body was tired, but she felt comfortable for the first time in a long time. It also helped that she had no need to be called anywhere.

“Daughter, you said you were successful?”

Istina quietly agreed.

“It’s not that great. I just met a good professor and got a little bit of fame.”

“Our daughter is so humble. How famous is your professor? Even the country people know his name?”

Istina smiled awkwardly.

There was a strange feeling I had when other people evaluated Professor Asterix. To some, he was a famous person or a legendary hero, but to graduate students, he was just their boss.

He wasn’t a very good boss either.

It may be due to the nature of his job, but Professor Asterix did not tolerate even the slightest mistake and made people work an enormous amount of work.

But they also gave me more money.

Well, isn’t that the case for both graduate students and trainees? In a way, it’s the reality that they are expected to do many things with the hope of a bright future.

“He’s a good person.”

still.

I didn’t have to think about that during the holiday break. My family just brought it up.

Istina sipped her eggnog.

To be honest, this wasn’t a consistency that could be evenly matched. The eggs were too roughly whisked and cooked, and were more like steamed eggs.

Just eating this would be enough to fill me up.

There was also a roll cake that Professor Asterix sent me as a gift, and money he gave me as a year-end bonus. It was a satisfying year-end for the first time in a long while.

Compared to last year around this time, at the end of the year when I was cursed at by my colleagues and practically ran away.

‘Then I went to see Professor Asterix.’

Come to think of it, Istina shouldn’t badmouth the professor. Where else can you find someone so good? She should finish eating the steamed eggs.

A faint cinnamon scent rose from the eggnog. Looking at it this way, it seemed okay.

The world outside the window is snowing heavily.

The house was warm enough. All Istina had to do was sit and drink eggnog. After the end of the year, she would return to her busy daily life, right?

That’s why. Istina needed to enjoy the moment of peace she had, even now.

“Istina. But your professor is a young man, so you didn’t have any problems while working together?”

“Yes?”

“You see it every day. You should do well. If you fall in love with a successful man and get married-”

Istina spit out the eggnog she was drinking.

“켁.”

It was horrible to even imagine. Of course, Istina respected the professor, but that was a completely different matter. It was nonsense.

“I’m already seeing someone, Professor.”

“Really?”

I thought it was a joke though.

anyway.

Isn’t it thanks to the money sent by Istina that even my hometown has become so wealthy? Considering the difference in prices between the imperial capital and the countryside.

It wasn’t a small amount.

“I’m proud of you, my daughter.”

This time, Istina’s family gathered around and started talking loudly. They were talking about how successful she was, how nice it was, and how her academy life was.

At first glance, I thought it was tiring.

I decided to just assume that was the case. They are all family and close friends. They must be saying this because they are happy to see each other or because they want to cheer each other on.

****

“Professor Asterix.”

I stopped when I heard a voice calling my name. It was one of the royal maids. She was wearing a black maid’s outfit with white lace.

“What’s going on?”

“A few days ago, a package arrived at the Imperial Palace for the professor. So I inspected each one and moved it to the professor’s room. I thought I should help him manage the professor’s gifts.”

I shook my head.

“If you want to move it, do it. Don’t worry about it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“If you need any help, please call me!”

I nodded, and the maid ran down the hallway as if she had remembered something to do.

What a cute kid. He came running to help me just because I gave him a few presents.

Are you saying there’s a package in front of your room?

I took a step forward. When I arrived in front of my guest room, there were so many gifts in the imperial room I was using. So many that they were blocking the door.

I sent the maid away for no reason earlier. I should have asked her to help me. This is too much… … ?

but…….

I usually get dozens or hundreds of letters to the lab. There must be more than one or two people who send me gifts on Christmas Day.

How did you know I was in the royal family?

Come to think of it, he might have come to the lab too. There might be gifts piled up there like letters.

Let’s say that among the people who sent me gifts, half sent them to the royal family and half sent them to the Academy.

What should I do with this?

Even… … . There’s a piano wrapped in wrapping paper. Who gives a piano as a gift? How did they get it all the way to the front door?

Shouldn’t you first ask them if they know how to play the piano? You crazy bastards.

The gift boxes were so piled up that I couldn’t even get into the room. I pushed a few of them away and managed to open the door.

Now move all the gift boxes into the room.

Let’s just leave the piano. I don’t know what to do with it. No, this is ridiculous… … . Did he just send it as a joke?

“Oh my.”

It took a long time to move all the gift boxes. I should have found someone to help.

Still, the time of suffering has passed, and now it is time to open the box. I took out a metal bookmark and opened the box.

I haven’t counted them, but there are probably dozens.

First, let’s start with the smallest thing.

A tie and a tie pin.

There was a brand name written on the box, but I didn’t really know anything about brands in the fantasy world.

There was also a note attached.

-Thank you for saving my life. I am sending you a small gift, Professor.

– Mr. Eland, come on.

Who is Erand? It’s not a name I remember. It’s hard for me to say it myself, but there must be one or two people I’ve saved.

When I go to work, I save two or three people a day.

The letter continued for a while. I folded the letter carefully and put it in my bag.

Let’s see what other gifts are left. Rum. A wristwatch. Something that looks like a work of art.

Luckily, doctors are one of the few professions where the good deeds they accumulate are relatively directly rewarded financially and socially.

How many people get a chance to save someone’s life every day? That’s what the pile of presents in front of the room is representing.

I sighed.

I have to brag to the princess later.

-I heard that Professor Asterix went to the imperial palace for the year-end festival this time. I hope you have a good time and come back.

-Professor Klaus.

-P.S. I recently wrote a book about your research, and it’s selling very well. I’ll show you later.

I looked into the box.

The professor sent some of his own books and odds and ends, along with an expensive-looking fountain pen made of ivory, something Violet might use.

Should I give him some gifts?

Oh, no.

If Violet receives it, she will definitely like it and use it wisely, but I don’t want to see Violet happier than usual…

Let’s hand it out to graduate students.

****

I cleaned up the room for a while and returned to the princess’s room. Mint was sitting on the sofa in the room with a very happy expression on her face.

“Your gift arrived today.”

“Really?”

“A truckload arrived.”

“What’s a truck? Anyway. Mr. Asterix must have saved many lives this year, so there must be many places to get presents, right?”

I nodded.

“I found some wine.”

That’s right. There was some wine I couldn’t finish yesterday.

Mint snapped her fingers, and with her telekinesis the wine arrived in front of us, along with a pair of glasses.

“Teacher, you don’t like alcohol that much?”

“Well.”

Doctors usually like to drink.

I don’t know why. There’s probably no other job that requires as much mental clarity and as little shaking as a doctor, so why do they drink so much?

Is it because the work is hard? Or is it because the job is mentally exhausting? Or maybe it’s because the organizational life is tight.

anyway.

“But still drink what you have to.”

“Yes.”

Ttorr.

The red wine filled the glass. The princess pushed the glass towards me and handed me the bottle. I guess she wanted me to pour some for her.

I poured wine into a mint glass.

“Mr. Asterix. I wish we could have a wedding tomorrow.”

“Oh, yes.”

“They said that wouldn’t work. There are things to prepare, and they probably set the date based on other national holidays or the movement of the celestial spheres.”

It’s been a few months. Well, the diet isn’t important. We’re already engaged, and it’s been quite some time since we started dating.

“It’s a bit disappointing.”

“Just prepare well and upload it.”

Mint nodded.

“Right?”

“Please wait a moment.”

Mint slowly swirled the wine glass, savoring the wine’s aroma. Sometimes, there were moments when she thought, “Mint is also a princess.”

The wine was more ordinary than I expected, considering its price tag.