The Curious Case of Countess Marcel

"Should I get you a newspaper to read, sir?"

Mattheus looked away from the bustle in Avalon Central Station as he sat in the compartment of the train. Facing Vincent, he nodded agreeably. "It's supposed to be a short ride but might as well."

Brunilda lifted her tiny head up from the basket she curled up in across from him. "How long until the System finishes processing the materials?" she asked once Vincent was gone.

He didn't bother pulling up a window to check. "Probably a few hours yet. I didn't grab a book since I forgot Vincent will come along as my valet."

Because the brunet servant was coming along, it wasn't as if he could have an actual conversation with Brunilda to while away the time like he originally planned either.

Honoria had been pretty upset because he went to Noll's Hill by himself (as Brunilda didn't count) when he traveled to the countryside to treat Lady Grant. As it would be easier to bring along Vincent than deal with what his mother might say if he did it again, the valet was accompanying him too.

It was a short train ride to Triamond, where Countess Marcel had a residence in Cambell—just two stops from New Avalon Station—in any case. A trip where Mattheus would hopefully be back in a few hours. He's had longer commutes back in high school.

Vincent quickly came back with the newspaper for the day, offering it to the baron before sitting on the same bench as Brunilda. "The train will leave in five minutes."

"Mn. Thank you, Vincent."

It was inconvenient that he had submitted the materials for improving the System this morning and it had subsequently entered sleep mode to speed up processing the materials. Sure, he could still access the Inventory but it meant he couldn't poke and prod at the System menus to try to figure it out.

His opinion on the System had gradually changed ever since it started evolving upon arriving in this world. It became more obvious that it was focused on creating a way to actively protect him. There were more and more hints it seemed to be gaining sentience too.

As Brunilda had pointed out before, the System followed Isaac Asimov's Laws of Robotics if the "human" part was replaced by "host." There was also the fact that the System lacked an ability to interact with the world outside what was allowed through the Host.

While there was still a risk of the System developing into an overlord that ignored human autonomy, the inability to hide what it was improving on would probably let them catch on before it happened.

Mattheus was also Gen Z. A part of him was nihilistic enough to welcome robot overlords into his life. Less work for him in the end.

He just finished reading the newspaper by the time they arrived at the Cambell Station.

Putting on his top hat, he grabbed his walking stick and briefcase as he stood to leave the station. "I wonder if we'll be back before afternoon tea?" he voiced to Vincent.

The valet held the basket before him, arms wrapped around it rather than holding it by the handle, so Brunilda was very prominently visible. Sometimes, Mattheus wondered if the valet was spoiling Brunilda a little bit too much.

"If there isn't an issue with Countess Marcel's treatment, we should be back to the capital before afternoon tea. Did you want to have tea out or at the residence, sir?"

"I guess we'll see, depending on the visit to the Countess."

"Understood, sir. I will get us a carriage to the Marinell House."

Mattheus stood as the valet went to get them a ride, flexing his gloved hands thoughtfully as he set them on the pommel of his walking stick.

It was getting noticeably cold now. The original Mattheus and he shared a birthday which was fast approaching, with him idly wondering if he could consider it his 23rd birthday if there were a few months difference between worlds…

It had only been two months since he'd taken on the life of Mattheus Crown. Looking at it another way, it had already been two months since he came to this world.

He'd had been in life-threatening situations two times so far. Ideally, whatever was happening to Countess Marcel could be resolved without him being chased down or nearly strangled to death.

Hopefully, it would conclude without any deaths, unlike the last time he had to deal with a politically significant patient.

…

Upon arriving at the waiting room of the Marinell House that the countess lived at for most of the year, the unease Mattheus had felt since being greeted by the butler came to fruition when he saw four more ladies than he expected.

Well, actually, he expected the sitting room to be empty but the fact it was filled meant they had been waiting for him. How ominous.

He quickly caught himself and greeted them, even if he had arranged an appointment to meet with Ophelia Marcel which she could have easily rescheduled if she had a prior engagement. It could be conceived as a snub—his mother certainly would have considered it one—but he had half-suspected resistance today.

Mattheus just didn't expect an inquisition from a cadre of noblewomen to be said resistance.

"So this is the infamous Court Healer…"

The first words after greetings were exchanged from one of the extra guests stripped away Mattheus's leftover optimism of the ladies letting him do his work without trouble by either staying quiet or leaving.

"Anne," the countess called the woman who spoke up.

The fact Anne spoke before the hostess was rather audacious, even if this seemed to be a casual gathering.

"You have to admit that you've been curious yourself. The reclusive Crown son suddenly appears to save the General, only to not be seen until he is granted the position of Court Healer by His Majesty the King," Anne defended herself.

A lady younger than the others, the daughter of the woman in dark blue, looked in the direction of Vincent behind Mattheus and perked up curiously. "Is that the Duchess's cat that was gifted to you, Lord Crown?"

Her mother's expression turned a bit pinched. "How… loyal of you to bring the cat with you, Lord Crown. I can see why the Duchess speaks so highly of Lord Crown."

Mattheus was pretty sure there was a snub somewhere in there but he couldn't be bothered to care. It was clear that these women knew he was to have a house visit with Countess Marcel and was present to make trouble for him—on purpose or unintentionally, they were still a bother.

The man supposed the ruckus of him being granted a never before existing position as Court Healer finally caught up with him. This was what he had managed to avoid by immediately leaving to Noll's Hill after the ceremony of the King dubbing him Court Healer and avoiding social gatherings despite it being the height of the Season.

He certainly hadn't been missing anything. Rather, he missed his anonymity and was sure these ladies would spread all kinds of gossip about him after they left the Marinell House.

The only bright side was that Honoria Crown was his mother. Unless he did something absolutely irredeemable, no rumor or gossip of him would be too horrific lest the origin of said gossip would want to be socially executed by his mother. The only ones that would be safe were the ones part of the Queen's faction but, considering the Queen currently seemed to be trying to court his loyalty, he doubted any awful gossip from that side would last either.

"I apologize, Baron Crown, for their forwardness and curiosity." Countess Marcel spoke again. "I know you came to check up on me at the behest of Her Grace but it really isn't necessary. Fainting spells from women are not that uncommon around this time of year. I have already decided to rest for a few days to make sure it doesn't happen again.

"You traveled to treat me but I am not ill, simply overworked. My personal physician has already concluded it was overwork and instructed me to get adequate rest and eat more rich foods."

Mattheus, who had been about to reply, paused at the instructions another doctor left Ophelia Marcel. He couldn't help but hike a brow at the mention of "rich foods," considering that would be the typical solution if there was an issue of the patient being too thin or was affected by anemia if they were female. Ophelia's complexion was fine but her wrists looked like they could be snapped easily with a bit of strength…

"My lady, are you—"

"Oh, don't you get it?" Anne cut in. "The Countess is telling you that your visit is unwelcome!"

The man's eyes widened, shocked at how aggressive this baroness was being.

"Excuse you," Brunilda started, "But who the fu—"

"Madam! Need I remind you we are both guests of Countess Marcel?" Why the heck are you trying to escalate and start a fight, woman!

"Everyone, I—"

Before Countess Marcel could say what she wanted, she slumped into her seat, suddenly collapsed like a doll with her strings cut.

There was a scream from one woman who remained silent.

Mattheus moved to help her but was stopped by four women that took up an obscene amount of space due to their voluminous skirts crowding the unconscious noblewoman.

It was chaos. The noblewomen ignoring him as they freaked out. Vincent and the other servants worried and wondering what to do—his valet calling for him unsurely. Brunilda mumbling and sounding Very Done with the antics of the "noble-twits."

After trying and failing for the second time to politely reach the insensate woman, Mattheus finally lost his temper.

"Enough!" he shouted, causing the room to abruptly quiet at the sound of the raised voice of a man. He hadn't yelled but had spoken loudly enough to be heard over the ruckus of the posse of hysterical noblewomen. "You are in the way between a doctor and his patient. Give Countess Marcel some space."

Anne opened her mouth, her expression clearly showing she wasn't going to comply without a fight.