As Norris entered Ava's room, he immediately noticed how well-prepared it was.
The room exuded a sense of comfort and luxury, with elegant furnishings and tasteful decorations. The walls were adorned with delicate tapestries, and the floor was covered with a plush rug that looked soft to the touch.
A large window allowed natural light to flood the room, casting a warm glow on the polished wooden furniture. Ava's bed was neatly made with fine linens, and a small bookshelf nearby was filled with an impressive collection of books. There was a sense of order and care in how everything was arranged, indicating that for an illegitimate child, Ava was not lacking.
He spotted Ava sitting at a wooden desk, her nose buried in a book. She looked up as he approached, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Norris's first impression of Ava was that she was a lively girl. Her long, curly brown hair was tied up in a ponytail, and her bright green eyes shone with intelligence. She looked like a bundle of energy, and Norris couldn't help but wonder what kind of personality lay behind that innocent-looking face.
"Hello, Ava," Norris said, trying to sound friendly and approachable. "I'm Mr. Norris, your new teacher."
Ava's face lit up with a bright smile. "Hello, Mr. Norris!" she exclaimed, her voice bubbly and enthusiastic. "I've heard so much about you!"
Norris raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? What have you heard?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
Ava leaned in, a mischievous glint in her eye. "I've heard that you're a very powerful mage!"
Norris chuckled, feeling a sense of amusement. "Well, I suppose that's true," he said, smiling. "But first, let's get to know each other a bit better."
Norris had intended to be polite, maintaining a professional demeanor. However, he quickly found himself disarmed by Ava's innocence and liveliness.
Children were a breath of fresh air in this dark world…. Innocent children. Ava's cheerful demeanor made it easy for Norris to let his guard down.
He decided to start his task.
He began by profiling Ava to gauge her abilities and personality.
Norris smiled warmly at Ava. "What's your favorite thing to do in the castle?"
Ava shrugged, taking a book from the shelf and flipping through its pages. "I like reading, I guess. There's not much else to do here."
Norris's eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed Ava's casual treatment of the book. "She handles books like they're commonplace," he thought. "In a world where knowledge is power, that's a luxury not many can afford."
He continued with his questions. "Do you feel particularly close to animals?"
Ava shook her head. "Not really. People here don't keep pets unless they're useful."
Norris mused, "Not compatible with any profession related to animals like Rangers or Druids."
Norris nodded, asking the next question. "What's a typical day like for you in the castle?"
Ava sighed softly. "It's boring. I spend most of my time reading or wandering around. I have breakfast with the Duke every morning and the family members, but after that, I'm usually on my own."
Norris detected a hint of loneliness in Ava's voice. "She lacks attention and connection," he thought. "The servants should be kind to her, but it's not the same as having someone to share her thoughts and feelings with."
He decided to probe further. "Have you ever been outside the castle walls?"
Ava's eyes brightened, but she shook her head. "No, I haven't. But I really want to! I dream about it all the time. I want to see the world and have adventures."
Norris saw the yearning for freedom in Ava's expression. "There's a sense of curiosity and desire for exploration," he thought.
"Do you have any special talents or skills that you're proud of?" Norris asked.
Ava's face lit up with a sense of pride. "I am super strong!" She went towards him and tried lifting him up. Norris was raised off the ground fairly easily.
Norris raised an eyebrow, impressed. "That's quite impressive, Ava," he thought. Her excellent physique and constitution gave her inhuman strength for her age, comparable to that of an adult human. This was considered quite remarkable even in this otherworld.
Despite all this, Ava's cheerfulness was infectious, and Norris found himself smiling.
Norris's expression turned thoughtful. "Ava, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Ava's eyes sparkled. "I want to be a knight!"
Norris raised an eyebrow. "A knight? That's an interesting choice. What makes you want to be a knight, Ava?"
Ava's face lit up. "I want to help people and slay dragons! I want to be brave and strong."
Norris's mind whirred as he processed Ava's response. "She wants to help people? That's not typical of nobles," he thought.
"And slaying dragons? That's a romantic notion, but not exactly practical. Dragons are top-tier beings. They are also intelligent, which means they hold a grudge. She's not been taught in the way of nobles—to view everything from the perspective of interest. Instead, she's being cultivated to be a knight. This makes her still pure-minded, perhaps."
Norris had to give her the grim reality. "Ava, there are different kinds of practitioners and their paths of practice. Knighthood is a path of power that involves borrowing power from an entity through different means such as contracts or bloodlines, becoming a vassal of the entity. So the knights themselves aren't as free as they are shown in the novels."
Ava got angry, her cheeks puffed. "Mr. Norris, don't question my dreams. I've researched it. I've done my research. One way for knights to grow stronger is to absorb power from stories."
Norris mused, at least she's not stupid…no stupid is too strong a word—Naive, she's not naive.
Knights could indeed grow by absorbing legends, which were generated by what people believed. It is a kind of low-level faith. But there's a prerequisite. You must have a land of your own after reaching a certain level, mystically connected to you.
But thinking of Ava's background, he became relieved. This could easily be done.
Norris took a brief look around in contemplation.
Coupled with his new understanding of Ava, he saw more. The room, while filled with weapons and practice weapons, had a little girly touch.
Norris was reminded of Astrid in 'How to Train Your Dragon' from his previous world. Ava, though, is more protected and naive.
He also noticed the knight novels. This made him frown. Knight novels were a platform used by the kingdom to help its knights generate legends. The ones here were most likely not mundane stories but artifacts and relics. The fact that Ava could access these novels meant she was a knight candidate chosen by the kingdom.
Children's minds were easy to cultivate through interest and subtle hints. So most kingdoms and empires cultivated their interests into becoming knights of the state.
Norris felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, he was kind of displeased, knowing that Ava's mind was being shaped towards the profession of knighthood without a say in the matter.. On the other hand, having power was a good thing in this world, and Ava was happy. Freedom could be thought of later.
Norris's thoughts trailed off, a hint of a plan forming in his mind. He would encourage Ava's ideals for now and see where they led. But eventually, he would have to guide her towards a more... practical path. One that aligned with the realities of their world.
"She's still innocent, still pure... She's untouched by the world's rot... still soft clay to shape," Norris thought, a hint of mischief dancing in his mind. He chuckled to himself, imagining a villainous laugh.
"Why does that sound weird?" Norris mused, grinning inwardly. "Like I'm some kind of... bad uncle, luring the child with sweets."
Shaking off the amusement, Norris refocused on Ava. "An optimistic child plagued with a lack of love and attention, probably because of the knight novels that are all the rage now. She is filled with admiration for knighthood. For now, I'll encourage her ideals and see where they lead. But eventually, I'll have to guide her towards a more practical path... one that aligns with the realities of our world. I also need to make sure I give her relative freedom so as not to stifle her independence. Also, I have to make sure she's not misled by whims and instincts. Sigh! Also...." Norris ran a hand through his hair, deep in thought. "Being a teacher is harder than I thought."