“Long time no see, Sylphiette.
Oh, and you brat, why are you here again?”
On a still-cold early spring morning, Paul Greyrat was already training shirtless in his spacious yard.
Holding a sword, he enthusiastically greeted the boy and girl outside the low wall.
Gawain led the slightly reluctant-to-go-out Sylphiette by the hand like walking a small dog, entered through the gate, and calmly refuted the unserious strong adult in front of him:
“You were the one who called me over, Paul.”
Paul sheathed his sword and chatted casually:
“I just didn’t expect you to bring your sister along.”
After saying that, he immediately looked at the green-haired little girl and explained:
“Of course, our house welcomes you, Sylphiette.
It would be even better if you could become friends with my Rudeus.”
Only then did Sylphiette find a chance to speak.
Paul was also somewhat familiar to her, and with her brother by her side, she wasn’t too timid as she tried to greet loudly:
“Uncle Paul, good morning.”
Faced with the little girl, Paul’s attitude was very gentle.
He immediately bent slightly and waved to her with a smile.
Seeing this, Gawain immediately hid his sister behind him and continued:
“I think the same.
Sylphiette doesn’t like going out much, and Rudeus doesn’t like going out either.
It would be good if they could become friends.
Also, since you called me here today, there should be progress regarding the tutor matter, right?
Sylphiette will also be studying together later, so I brought her to see the candidate.”
Looking at the brat’s little movements, Paul couldn’t help clicking his tongue, but he still nodded, inviting the children inside while asking curiously:
“It’s only been one winter, right?
Sylphiette already learned reading and writing?
That’s fast.
Is literacy that easy to learn?”
He probably thought of a certain old friend who still couldn’t write his own name.
Gawain shook his head:
“More or less.
It progressed alongside learning magic.”
After all, reading and writing was just one subject in Sylphiette’s foundational education.
Being able to finish common characters in a bit over one season was already remarkable, helped by the limited vocabulary of the Human Language.
Entering the house, Lady Zenith and the maid Lilia were cleaning up the kitchen together, seemingly just finished with breakfast.
Rudeus was not on the first floor.
Seeing guests arrive, Zenith immediately came forward to greet them:
“Long time no see, Gawain, Sylphiette.
It’s probably Sylphiette’s first time visiting our house, right?
You’re welcome to come play anytime.”
Toward Zenith, Gawain’s attitude was much more polite.
He greeted her courteously:
“Aunt Zenith, it’s been a while.
How has your health been?
Sylphiette and I will be troubling you frequently from now on, so please bear with us.”
Sylphiette was completely her brother’s little follower.
Her tone and attitude were over ten times softer and cuter than when facing Paul.
Tilting her small head, she showed a sweet smile:
“Aunt Zenith, good morning!”
Although Zenith had met Sylphiette several times before, the Sylphiette of the past clearly did not have such lively energy and adorable demeanor.
The still-young Zenith was instantly struck in the heart, crouching down excitedly and happily stroking Sylphiette’s soft green hair.
Seeing Sylphiette getting along well with Zenith and seeming very happy, Gawain could only reluctantly release his sister’s hand.
He gave Paul a look and sat at the dining table to discuss matters.
Just then, Lilia also brought tea and snacks.
Paul took a sip of hot tea and got to business:
“The magic tutor applying this time is a middle-aged scholar who has studied magic for many years.
He graduated from Ranoa Magic University, specializes in Water magic, and was also a former advanced adventurer.
Don’t reject him so easily again!”
Gawain met Paul’s family in September last year, just a few days after becoming Laws’s adopted son.
At first, Paul’s eldest son, Rudeus, seemed unhappy about Gawain’s appearance, always avoiding him and even unwilling to greet him.
The scenario Paul imagined—two boys learning swordsmanship together under him, pushing each other to improve, becoming close comrades—never happened.
Instead, Rudeus seemed to be using shyness as an excuse to avoid learning swordsmanship.
Until about a week after Gawain started learning swordsmanship, when he demonstrated the stance of a magic swordsman with Paul’s permission, Rudeus—who had been secretly watching from the second floor while also practicing magic—became instantly excited.
Clearly, the worldview he feared—that children who learned magic would be hung and burned—did not exist.
Although someone later realized that Gawain was older than him, and Gawain being allowed to learn magic didn’t mean he would be allowed—one oversight, and he almost got himself killed.
In short, the excited Rudeus exposed the fact that he could use magic, though only basic magic.
Then he became both fellow and teacher with Gawain.
At that time, under Paul’s suggestion, the two families planned to split the cost of hiring a magic tutor to teach Rudeus and Gawain.
The request posted at the Roa City Adventurers’ Guild was taken three times within just one month.
It seemed that some noble family in Roa City was also searching for a suitable magic tutor, and all had been rejected.
The teachers who were turned down seemed to take this village request mostly for psychological consolation.
In the end, they were rejected twice and also thoroughly humiliated by Gawain in academic or logical debates.
Not only did some teachers cry on the spot, some even decided to give up magic and return to farming.
The scene was very unpleasant.
After that came the heavy snow season.
The adults of both families were busy, and the request was naturally halted.
It was only restarted by Paul now, in early spring.
Gawain also took a sip of tea.
The tea leaves at Paul’s house were far better than the wildflower tea at his own home.
After putting down the cup, he stated:
“My stance remains the same.
An incompetent teacher will only mislead children.
Paul, you don’t want Rudeus’s talent to be wasted, right?”
Last year, after Gawain’s explanation, Paul’s family fully understood how astonishing their eldest son’s talent was, and how remarkable his discovery had been.
Of course, Rudeus himself still didn’t quite feel it.
But Paul still felt helpless:
“If you two weren’t still too young, Zenith and I would have pooled money to send you directly to Ranoa Magic University.
Gawain, our village is just a small place on the edge of the kingdom.
It’s already good enough that teachers are willing to come.
Just endure it.
According to you and Rudeus… um… learn dialectically?”
Gawain eventually accepted Paul’s advice:
“Fine, I’ll try.
But if Rudeus or even Sylphiette feels it’s too much, I will continue to reject them.”
Paul felt like he wanted to pray after being tossed around like this.
Son, I’m counting on you.
Near noon, Gawain, dressed in white, was fiercely debating with a balding middle-aged man, while Rudeus seized the chance to drag his finally dressed cheap father aside and whispered:
“Father, this teacher isn’t very good.”
You brat.