—
Alan,
How have you been lately?
In the blink of an eye, it's been almost a year and a half since we parted. I wonder if you've grown taller? You always told me you were 1.6 meters, which was obvious nonsense. Rudeus said in his letter that you're already half a head taller than last year…
And he mentioned that your features, which you told me about before, are now very soft, and your hair is even long enough to tie into a ponytail. Just from the written description, I can't really picture it.
I'm so curious.
To continue from last time.
I've been adventuring in the labyrinth over and over again. I don't know if it's because I always go through the labyrinth alone that I've made a bit of a name for myself, but I actually received an invitation from the royal family of the Shirone Kingdom. They want to hire me as a home tutor for the prince.
To be honest, I'm very tempted.
And before entering the labyrinth last time, following your advice, I had a good talk with Rudeus about how to increase the power of magic. As expected… he really is a genius. Some of his ideas were things I had never even considered. You two were a huge help.
According to his letter, Sylphie's magic has now officially reached the level of an Advanced-rank magician. Her hair has grown to her shoulders, and she has matured a lot, becoming more quiet. But it seems she still likes to stick to you all the time.
Although Rudeus's words were quite disdainful, I think it would be very interesting to see that in person… Hehe… I have to say, Alan is still as popular with girls as ever.
I heard from Rudeus that Sylphie once asked if you wanted her to grow her hair into pigtails like mine, but you flatly refused and said something strange about how white hair should be shoulder-length…
Does Alan prefer shoulder-length hair? And what is white hair? White-colored hair? But Sylphie's hair is green…
Ah… I've gotten sidetracked. Anyway, please congratulate Sylphie for me. After all, if three people from the same place all send letters, the cost will be triple. When I get the job and have a stable source of income, I'll write to her more often.
Speaking of the Shirone Kingdom, it's a country with some strange customs. Some people even ride elephants and wear turbans… I couldn't find a suitable gift for you this time, but a few months ago, while wandering through the capital, I found something beautiful.
—In the river in the capital, there are many beautiful pink flowers. Unlike the ones we usually see growing from the soil, they actually float on the water on green, plate-like leaves. Their petals are long and narrow, and when they are in full bloom, they are very lovely. They are considered the national flower in Shirone…
Okay, actually, I didn't know what to send you this time. I really wracked my brain and couldn't think of anything…
And then just now… I suddenly found this petal that I've been using as a bookmark very cute… so please just accept it. I don't know if you'll like it…
Hmm… I seem to have this problem every time I write a letter. I have a lot to say, but when I put it to paper, I don't know what to write, so the letter always ends up being very short.
The next time we meet,
When will that be?
For your reply, please send one letter each to the Adventurers' Guild and the Shirone Palace, in case I miss your letter.
—Roxy.
Oh, right! Stop calling me Blue Mama!! What kind of name is that! Am I that old?
And you always say it's a term of endearment…
Do you think I'll be happy just because you explain it that way?
So ridiculous—
—
In the northern part of the Asura Kingdom, across the Red Dragon Mountains from the Shirone Kingdom, in the Fitoa region, Buena Village.
To the wind and snow, a year seemed to be nothing more than a passing phase.
Last year, Alan read a letter here, as they fluttered outside the window.
This year, it was the same.
The knight's house in the village was not too cold, thanks to the well-stoked fireplace.
Alan put down the letter in his hand, his gaze moving away from the messy handwriting of the last three sentences. He couldn't help but smile, the image of a flustered Roxy appearing in his mind.
'The original story says that the demon race isn't very bright, but Roxy's mind seems very sharp.'
'It must be a fallacy.'
He turned to look at the snow outside the window.
'Another year has passed. Time really flies.'
Time had left clear marks on his rapidly developing body. His features, which had been somewhat childish but sharp a year ago, had changed considerably. Even just sitting in a chair, it was clear that he was much taller than last year.
His hair had grown long, tied into a short ponytail at the back. The hair at his forehead was trimmed, hanging in soft curls before his eyes. His eyebrows were much softer, and his eyes, tempered by a year of laughter and joy in the Greyrat household, were no longer sharp, but curved into a gentle squint, as if he were completely harmless.
The rimless glasses were still perched on his nose, adding a touch of scholarly air to his demeanor.
Alan picked up the so-called 'national flower of Shirone' from beside the letter and examined it.
It was a lotus petal.
There was no corresponding word for it in this world.
It seemed to have become a dried flower specimen after being pressed in a book for a long time by Roxy. The texture of the petal was perfectly preserved, without a single crack from drying.
Alan gently touched the edge of the petal with his index finger, then carefully placed it next to Roxy's 'figurine.'
He then folded the letter, put it back in the envelope, and opened a drawer.
Inside the drawer was a whole stack of letters. Next to it, in an open wooden box, were a crystal-clear demonic beast fang, an exquisitely carved magic stone ornament, a cord with an exotic look for wrapping a sword hilt…
And a hideously carved wooden male doll, vaguely recognizable as a wild man with his hair slicked back.
Even though Alan had seen the doll hundreds of times in the days since he had received it, he still couldn't help but cringe.
'What is this supposed to be? Couldn't she have asked Rudeus for help and made one with earth magic? Blue Mama is as clumsy as ever. The idea that she's sharp-minded was definitely a delusion.'
It was worth mentioning that since the first time Roxy had sent a birthday gift and Alan had sent back Batilus flower seed powder in return, the two had, somehow and naturally, maintained the habit of exchanging gifts in their subsequent correspondence.
Alan shook his head and took out a blank sheet of letter paper from the drawer.
The action dislodged a fallen leaf that had been used to separate the old and new letter paper.
It was a round, broad leaf, seemingly from some kind of evergreen tree. It had already turned yellow and had been made into an exquisite bookmark.
Alan carefully picked up the leaf bookmark with two fingers and looked down at the very bottom.
Three words were written there. The handwriting was delicate and neat, the strokes careful, without damaging the veins of the leaf at all.
「For Alan.」
Alan's lips curved upwards at the sight of the words.
He quickly glanced at the wind and snow outside the window, then picked up his pen and began to write.
—
Dear Blue Mama,
By the time you see this letter, it will probably have been another month, as usual.
By now, you should be working as a home tutor in the Shirone Kingdom. After all, the pay is too good. Knowing you, I'm sure you thought it over and followed the call of your heart.
Very realistic.
It's worth mentioning that I've heard from adventurers from the south that the princes of the Shirone Kingdom all have various bad habits, but… maybe it's just the spoiled nature of being rich? Maybe they're not bad people? You should probably try not to compare your students' magic talent to Rudeus's. It's easy to discourage them that way.
Of course, this is just advice on professional conduct as a home tutor. As for the prince's character…
I have no idea.
If he does anything out of line, like sexual harassment, please use Fire Ring on him immediately. Don't hold back.
About Sylphie's hair…
You'll understand when you see her again. An elf like Sylphie is actually better suited to shoulder-length, semi-long hair. Revealing her ears makes her look more spirited. Just like how pigtails make you look more charming (crossed out) proper and beautiful.
So, everyone has a hairstyle that suits them.
As for the white hair, it was probably just that the sunlight was too bright that day, and it made her hair look that way… so I blurted it out.
What do you mean by 'as popular with girls as ever'? Were there many girls around when you were with me?
Or are you just referring to Sylphie? Are you under some kind of delusion?? How old is Sylphie?
Speaking of the flower you sent me, I was fortunate enough to have seen it in a museum book in the capital. According to the book, although it 'lies' on the river with its leaves supporting the flower, it actually grows from the mud.
If you don't believe me, you can check the mud under the leaves next time. Its roots should be there.
Oh, right, that root, although it looks very dirty, is white when washed. It has holes in the middle, and you can eat it when you slice it.
It might not have much flavor and might not suit your taste. I suggest soaking it in sugar water before eating; it should be quite refreshing.
Uh… this is all stuff I saw in a book, but you can try to see if it's edible. I'm sure you're not afraid of being poisoned, right? After all, you even asked me to send you a lot of Batilus flower seed powder before.
As for a gift… I'm as clueless as you are—
Alan stopped writing. Although he wrote that he was clueless, there was no sign of trouble on his face.
He held up the letter with his left hand and suddenly opened the window with his right.
Outside, the wind and snow swirled, and in an instant, a flurry of snowflakes rushed in.
Alan endured the wind, closed the window, and waved his arm to disperse the snowflakes that had entered. At the same time, he poked the air with his right index finger.
He wasn't poking the air.
It was a six-sided white flower, the size of a fingernail, which Alan redirected with the Flow technique. In his slow-motion perception, the snowflake gently floated down…
floated down…
and landed on the paper. At that moment, the letter trembled in Alan's hand. A finger's width below the unfinished text, it perfectly caught the largest snowflake from the flurry.
The paper was soaked, then dried.
The flower was gone.
But its 'trace' was left on the letter paper.
In a world of sword and magic, the paper was rough, and thanks to that, the watermark was even more distinct.
It was a crinkle in the shape of a flower, like a stamp.
Alan smiled, laid the letter flat on the table, and continued to write.
—
You sent me a petal, so I'll send you a flower.
It's a snowflake from Buena Village.
Also, I really like the evil god figurine you carved.
Don't carve any more next time.
As for when we'll meet again.
Maybe on a summer night, downstairs? Or in a forest in another spring?
But one thing is certain: we will meet again when we need to. There's no need to be anxious, just wait.
This feeling, I call it…
'Anticipation'.
—Alan.
Oh, right, I'm not going to stop calling you Blue Mama. I told you, it's a 'term of endearment,' and it has nothing to do with age.
Don't you think it sounds very affectionate?—
Alan's lips curved into a smile. He paused for two seconds to let the ink dry, folded the letter, put it in an envelope, and tucked it into the drawer next to it. But his hand brushed against a crumpled piece of paper in the corner of the drawer.
It looked as if it had been repeatedly crumpled into a ball and then unfolded again.
The smile on his face froze. With a strange expression, he pulled the paper out of the drawer.
And unfolded it.
Dense, repetitive, fly-like characters were clustered all over the paper.
If you looked closely, they were all the same two words, assembled and reassembled.
「Future Sight.」
And below the characters, the three lines written a year ago were completely covered.
Alan looked down at the words, silent.
"Waaah Waaah"
The sound of a baby crying came from outside the room, along with the faint sounds of a flustered conversation.
"Oh dear, why does Norn cry so much? She can't be left alone for a second… I remember Rudeus was so easy to take care of… Is it because Rudeus was just too well-behaved?"
That was Zenith's voice. She was at her wit's end with the constantly crying Norn.
"Not at all, Mother. Look! Blaaah~~~"
"Waaah… hehe… hehehe."
"See, Norn stopped crying!"
That was Rudeus's voice. He often made funny faces like that to soothe Norn when she cried, and Norn was very receptive to it.
"Young Master Rudeus is indeed very well-behaved… both as a child and now."
That was Lilia's voice, tinged with a hint of helplessness. She had a clear understanding of Rudeus's precociousness as a child.
"Waaah!!"
A loud cry, it was Aisha.
These sounds pulled Alan out of his mood. He casually crumpled the paper again, threw it into the depths of the drawer, got up, and went downstairs.
Downstairs, Zenith, who had clearly put on some weight after her pregnancy, was holding Norn, preparing to nurse her. She smiled at Alan when he came down.
Lilia and Rudeus, who had been trying to soothe Aisha, stopped what they were doing when they saw Alan appear. They both nodded at him, then went to take care of Zenith.
Amidst the crying, Alan walked over to the baby carriage.
The red-haired Aisha was crying in the carriage, but the moment she saw Alan, she immediately stopped crying, her eyes bright and fixed on him.
Alan found this amusing.
Aisha had been a little imp since she was an infant. He hadn't realized it at first, until he noticed, time and again, that the little girl would only start crying after Norn had started. Only then did he realize something was wrong.
And then he realized Aisha was doing it on purpose.
She wasn't crying because she was uncomfortable or anything, but because of…
An instinctive choice to 'fit in.'
Norn was crying, so as her partner, she should cry too. And it would get the adults' attention.
From this perspective, 'little imp' wasn't quite right. It was just that Aisha was naturally smart, or rather, her thoughtfulness was etched into her instincts. Reading the situation and reacting in the most appropriate way was a 'talent' she was born with.
Alan met Aisha's gaze and smiled, squinting. He leaned over the carriage, rested his chin on his hand, and gently poked Aisha's forehead with his finger, saying softly.
"What, are you bored?"
Aisha reached out and touched Alan's finger, her two small hands trembling up and down.
Alan shook his head, picked up a spoon from the side of the carriage, and used the Flow technique to make it fly and dance in his palm.
Aisha's chubby little face immediately broke into a smile. Her crystal-clear, glass-like eyes darted between the spoon and Alan's face, looking utterly delighted.
After playing with the spoon for a while, Alan put it away and patted Aisha's head.
"Be good Aisha has been smart since she was little When you grow up, you have to speak up if you need something, okay? Don't keep it all bottled up inside That's not a good habit"
Aisha was only a few months old, her short red hair only a finger-joint long. She couldn't understand Alan's words, but she held onto his finger and giggled with the rising and falling tones of a baby.
Lilia, while changing Norn's diaper nearby, glanced at the scene, her expression very gentle.
Outside the window, the snow continued to fall, scattering the faint conversation from inside.
"…It's been a few days since Uncle Rolls called him out… Has he not come back yet?"
"No… I heard there's a monster rampage in the forest…"
—
Nightfall.
Shirone Royal Capital, a certain inn.
Roxy looked at the moonlight outside the window, her half-lidded eyes a bit tired.
On the table next to her were many lotus petals that had been made into bookmarks. Most of them had flaws of one kind or another; not a single one was perfect.
Roxy rubbed her sore eyes and helplessly placed all the petals at her current page in the book, then closed it.
"Time to sleep…"
"These bookmarks are all failures… I was hoping to collect a whole flower… but after several months, I only have one perfect bookmark… I wonder if Alan will like it."
"Am I really that clumsy?"
She blew out the candle on the table, took off her mage robe, and lay down on the bed.
Then she took something out from under her pillow and held it in her hand. A moment later, the sound of even breathing filled the room. Roxy was asleep.
The moonlight poured in through the window like water, illuminating her hand.
In her hand was a delicate wooden doll. Although not as exquisite as the ones Rudeus made with earth magic, the flustered expression on its face, as if it had done something wrong and was covering its mouth, was very lifelike.
Roxy clutched the miniature version of herself and drifted into a dream.
At this moment.
It was the deep winter of Armored Dragon Year 413.
Alan had just turned eleven. Rudeus was six months away from his seventh birthday, and Sylphie was two months away from hers.
The start of the home tutor arc from the original story…
Was six months away.
The end of the childhood arc from the original story…
Was only six months away.
Author's Note:
Misery outside the book, sweetness inside the book, for a little comfort.
5050 words for you. The extra words were written by the god on the left. If you want more updates, please ask him, don't ask me.
We're not close.
Thank you, thank you.
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