A Letter from Roxy —
My Dearest Sylphie,
Winter seems to be especially long this year. Even the mail has slowed down.
I remember the last letter I received from you was describing the snowy scenery of Buena Village. And now it's already late spring. Time flies so quickly.
So, how have you been lately?
In your last letter, you mentioned that your hair had grown to your shoulders. Is it even longer now?
You once said you wanted to try braiding it once it reached your shoulders…
I don't think you need to.
Alan once said in a letter to me that straight, shoulder-length hair suits you better, as it makes your long ears look very charming.
That description has made me a little curious to see what a white-haired Sylphie looks like.
I hope that the next time we meet, you will have grown your hair out long and gracefully.
You must look very beautiful, right?
My life recently has been different from last year, when I was always fighting in labyrinths. I am now living a stable life in the royal palace. Maids bring me daily necessities on a regular basis, and my work mainly consists of teaching magic to the prince…
During this process, I can't help but think of you all.
And I have come to a conclusion.
Different people do have different levels of talent in magic. This is an objective fact.
The prince has a huge talent gap with you all when it comes to learning magic. The comparison has become especially obvious during my recent lessons, and it has made me feel a little disappointed in him. I often can't help but speak to him with scorn.
And his reaction is also very strong; he often talks back to me.
But I have adjusted recently.
I remembered my experience teaching you all magic. If I only had Rudeus as a student, I would inevitably be stuck in this mood. But the experience of teaching you made me realize that I shouldn't be like this.
Your talent and Rudeus's talent are also different, aren't they?
And what about Alan? Although I've never seen him use magic, he once told me in a letter that his talent for magic is very poor… but his talent for swordsmanship is so unforgettable.
So, people's talents are just different.
Alan also told me not to be too harsh on the prince. It seemed from his words that he was afraid I would damage his confidence.
So, after thinking for a few days, I decided to change my teaching method. Instead of scorning the prince's shortcomings, I would focus on praising his strengths.
The effect…
has been very obvious.
The prince's attitude has changed a lot recently. He clearly shows me the respect a student should have for a teacher, and his form of address has changed from just 'Roxy' to 'Teacher.' His interest in magic has also grown day by day, and his personality has become a little calmer.
Thanks to this, my teaching work has also become much easier.
But it still can't compare to how easy it was to teach you and Rudeus.
But that just proves that you are also a genius, Sylphie, doesn't it?
So you must have confidence in yourself.
You know I'm not just talking about magic, right? ;)
Well, since we're on the topic of magic, I must fulfill my duty as a teacher.
Have you been keeping up with your magic studies lately?
I imagine your considerable talent in healing magic has progressed by leaps and bounds.
Speaking of which, I remember the sight of you following closely behind Alan when he was practicing his sword, wanting to heal the physical damage caused by his techniques…
As I write this, that image has already appeared in my mind.
It's a beautiful thought.
I wonder if you are already serving as tutors for the young lady in the city of Roa as I write this letter?
Oh, right. That's because Alan told me in his last letter that he was going to take you all to the lord's mansion in Roa.
To be honest, I was a little surprised when I learned this news.
I had thought that after a few years of studying magic, he would try to send you all to the University of Magic for further studies, and then he would come… um… do what he wanted to do.
But I didn't expect Alan to choose to take you all to the lord's mansion to continue your studies.
Then again, there would be better educational resources there, and the salary should also alleviate a large part of the financial pressure on the knight's family, right?
But he didn't tell me how long you all plan to stay there…
One year? Two years?
Or perhaps longer?
The lord's mansion…
is Alan's home.
Thinking of this, I remember that it's been a long time since I've been home.
It seems that Alan's relationship with his own parents is not very good either…
No, rather than not good, it's more that he doesn't have any real sense of them as his parents.
These past few days, I've been thinking, when he was weighing the educational resources and financial burden, did he also have, deep down, that 'anticipation' he often talks about for the parents he has never met?
But I can't tell from his letters. His wording is as casual and natural as ever.
But there is one thing that concerns me.
He refers to his own little sister, whom he has never met, as…
'the young lady of the lord's house.'
It's a little worrying.
If you can, could you help me keep an eye on his condition?
Today is April 11th. Spring is in full bloom in the Shirone Kingdom.
There are many beautiful flowers planted in the back garden, and the scenery is lovely.
But I have no mind to look at them…
Lately, I don't know if it's because life in the Shirone palace is too boring, or for some other reason, but past memories keep popping up in my mind, making me miss the time in Buena Village.
The knight's house in Buena Village;
The bedroom where I lived for two years, and where Alan lived for almost two years;
The hillside outside the village, with its lush green trees;
The 'territorial declaration' with my name added to it;
The times we spent together, when I told you all about my past experiences.
But even though we were only together for a short two weeks, I feel like it has taken up a very long part of my life…
Do you think it's because I'm getting old? Is that why I'm so prone to reminiscing about the past?
Based on experience, this letter should arrive in the Fitoa region a little faster than in winter, probably in about two months. After all, the winter snow has long since melted.
Correspondence will also become much easier.
In every sense, this is good news.
— Roxy.
Sylphie's Reply —
Dearest Teacher,
How have you been lately?
I received your letter yesterday, and I was very happy.
Thank you for your concern.
About my hair… thank you for your advice. I also realized a while ago that perhaps it's better to stick with a style that suits me.
Mmm… to be honest, I wanted to try braids because of you… it seems everyone has high praise for your water-blue braids, which made me want to try them too…
But recently, as I've been looking in the mirror more often at the lady of the house's place, I also think that shoulder-length straight hair might suit me better.
The next time we meet, you should be able to see my hair.
And I've grown taller recently, quite a bit taller than before.
I wonder if you'll be surprised when you see me again?
The last time we met, I was just a short Sylphie with short green hair.
About my talent for magic, your direct praise of me as a 'genius' is too much of an exaggeration. Rudeus and Alan are geniuses. I might still be lacking a little. But to receive your approval makes me a little happy…
My magic level has been improving all along, and your judgment is also very accurate. It is indeed more obvious in my healing magic. Perhaps it's because I don't like to see others get hurt.
Mmm, that's right, just like when I wanted to use healing magic on Alan under the tree.
I don't know why, but whenever I write to you, I can always express my shyness and become very frank.
But I can't do it with others.
It seems I still need to be a little more resolute, a little more frank.
In that case…
I'll start right now!
I want to say…
The next time we meet, could you praise me like you praise the Prince of Shirone?
Whether it's my hair, my magic level, or even my ears.
I would be very happy.
As expected, it's still embarrassing to say such things…
But I don't plan to rewrite this letter.
It's not shameful for you to see this, Teacher.
Because you are someone I deeply respect.
It is now June in the Fitoa region.
It has been two months since we came to the Boreas estate as tutors.
A few days ago, Alan, Rudeus, and I returned to Buena Village for a bit. I even asked my father and mother if there were any letters from you… To be honest, I was a little disappointed when they said no.
But two days after we came back, I received your letter. Reading it, I finally realized that you already knew we were at the Boreas estate.
Thinking about the timing, Alan must have written to you in the winter…
I didn't expect… that he had made the decision so early… [Ink blot]
Sorry! I got distracted…
Alan is very methodical in his work. It really makes you can't help but have confidence in him…
Back to going to the Boreas estate!
According to the content of Alan's letter to you, it seems he had long planned to take us to Roa City, but…
we were not brought to the Boreas estate by his choice, but were suddenly picked up by his biological father—Lord Philip.
This seemed to have caught him off guard as well, and the situation at the time was very rushed and tense… but in just one afternoon, he managed to get things back on track according to his original plan and bring us to the Boreas estate… [Ink blot]
Sorry, Teacher, I got distracted again…
What I mean to say is, Alan's identity has basically been discovered by Lord Philip and the lord of the domain—Lord Sauros.
That's the situation so far.
Just as you thought… although Alan doesn't show it on the surface, and his words and actions are the same as before, he has shown some obvious signs of discomfort. And this discomfort became apparent on the second day we arrived at the Boreas estate…
He is at ease with Lord Philip, Lord Sauros, Lady Eris, and Ghislaine…
But when he faces Lady Hilda, you can clearly feel a rare sense of confusion…
It's not that Lady Hilda is a bad person.
On the contrary, she is an elegant, witty, and very charming lady… and she is also very friendly…
And over the past two months, I have gotten along very well with Lady Hilda.
In summary, I think it might be precisely because of this—that she is the one among the Boreas adults who shows the most goodwill towards Alan, the one who is most like family.
This, in turn, has left Alan at a loss.
And in this situation, his mental state has also been affected, to the point where his Sword God Style skills have suffered. According to Ghislaine, it's because his heart is no longer resolute… his 'desire' cannot burn…
Rudeus came to me, wanting to help Alan, but I refused.
Because I have great confidence in Alan.
But it has been two months now, and the situation has not improved…
I am also getting a little anxious.
But every time I go to Alan and suggest we talk privately, his expression becomes a little flustered. Seeing that, I don't know what to say.
Although I might sound like I'm complaining…
But…
Could you also praise Alan in your letter? I think…
he might just reignite his 'desire' in some aspects.
Finally.
According to Lord Philip, we might not just be staying at the Boreas estate for one or two years…
It's very likely we will be here for four years.
In that case…
If you miss us, Teacher…
Would you…
come back and see us?
We also miss you very much.
I have never forgotten my 'adventurer' promise with you.
— Sylphie.
August.
Shirone Royal Palace.
The flowers mentioned in the letter in the back garden had long since withered, but in their place were lush green trees.
Night fell as usual.
Roxy was hunched over her desk as always.
At this moment, after a long day of work, she had untied her water-blue hair, letting it cascade like a waterfall onto the desk.
Through the gaps in her hair, her trademark cool expression…
looked a little stiff.
In her hand was Sylphie's reply.
And on the desk was an already opened letter from Alan.
Roxy stared at the last few lines of the letter in her hand, her expression dazed for a long time.
The wind from outside the window leaped through the window, striking her face.
Roxy suddenly slapped her cheeks, as if to psych herself up.
She reached out.
And pulled a fresh piece of letter paper from the side.
The scratching of a pen sounded.
My Dearest Sylphie,
I received your letter today.
I'm glad I mentioned Alan's situation in my letter to you. In his letter that arrived with yours today, he didn't mention anything about what happened at the Boreas estate.
He's really the type to only report good news and hide the bad.
The current situation is indeed a bit tricky. I want to give some suitable advice, but thinking about it, it's already August, and I'm in Shirone. By the time the letter gets there, it will probably be October.
Even if I propose some advice…
it might be too late.
The letter is in your hands. What was going to happen has probably already happened.
But why did you want me to praise Alan?
And what's this about reigniting his 'desire'…
What is that about…
Why is the Sword God Style so strange…
To get back on topic.
Although the memories of our time together are still fresh in my mind, if I think about it carefully, it has been a long time since I've been separated from you all. I think perhaps my age of forty has given me some illusion of time, making me feel that two years have passed in the blink of an eye.
The Sylphie of today is much more… mature than before.
I'm sorry, in my last letter, I couldn't help but treat you like a child and write to you with the attitude of a teacher.
Perhaps I should also be more frank in the future.
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