Bernadette looked at him calmly. "You seem surprised by my answer."
Cyril shook his head. "I just feel like you're unexpectedly easy to talk to."
Bernadette raised a hand and pointed to her eyes, where deep violet light flickered from time to time.
"'Clairvoyants' can foresee the consequences of a choice they make, and they can also glimpse the best choice for themselves going forward." She paused, then an Invisible Servant carrying a book approached. Cyril turned his head and saw that it was Roselle's Diary, bound into a volume.
Bernadette took the diary and casually opened it to a page.
"We'll begin learning that ancient language today."
"Would you prefer to pay me every day, or settle the amount all at once later?"
Her tone was casual and even, yet left no room for argument.
"Um... let's keep track of it for now. I don't have any pressing needs at the moment."
After answering, Cyril looked at the open page in Bernadette's hands, and his expression gradually stiffened.
"November 3. Matilda is three months pregnant. These days, even the maids from the countryside look pretty and fresh-faced to me. No, I can't lower my standards and class. As it happens, the Countess of Fries has invited me to a private party. Heh heh."
"November 8. Archbishop Van Austin needs my help with something. What could I possibly do for an Archbishop?"
...Forget it. I should at least preserve Emperor Roselle's last shred of dignity.
He sighed inwardly, then pointed to the dates at the top of each diary entry, intending to teach Bernadette some simple numbers and characters for dates and times.
After dragging out his explanation and changing the subject whenever he could, he had Bernadette recognizing the dates in the diary in less than ten minutes.
Having