Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“All right. Let’s begin.”

“Yes, sir!” Tina and Ellie’s voices filled the room. I was glad to hear that they sounded like their usual cheerful, energetic selves.

It had been two months since my arrival at the Howard mansion. I had been worried about how things would turn out at first, but...

“We did it!” both girls shouted as they turned to me in unison, like small animals waiting for praise. They had conjured seven remarkable flowers between them—six by Ellie, and one by Tina.

“Tina, you’re missing part of your flower because your spell formula got sloppy,” I noted. “You should aim to be both fast and precise. Also, you used too much mana. Always remember to keep it under control.”

“Y-Yes, sir.”

“Ellie, are you still struggling with lightning and light? Have faith in yourself—they’re really nothing to be frightened of. But if you simply can’t do it, then there’s nothing to be done; we’ll just work on improving with other elements. Picture yourself creating your spells silently and give it another try.”

“Y-Yessir.”

“Sir,” Tina objected a beat later, “I can’t help feeling that you’re being soft on Ellie but not me.”

“It’s just your imagination,” I said. “Isn’t that right, Ellie?”

“Y-Yessir. Uh, um...” Ellie stammered. “You’re very nice, Allen, sir.”

“Then be nice to me too,” Tina demanded.

“Out of the question.”

“What?! That’s unfair! It’s mean! It’s favoritism! I must protest!”

“Tina...” I gave an exaggerated shake of my head and reminded her of the reality of the situation—of the gigantic flower-shaped ice sculpture currently piercing through the ceiling and roof. They had only just been repaired after the incident a few days earlier.

And yet, I didn’t feel cold. I couldn’t even begin to guess where the military had planned to use the ice-resistant barriers that the professor had sent me, but they were coming in incredibly handy here.

I see... So, these spells were meant for times like this. They really are impressive.

“Do you think,” I asked Tina as I cast an ice spell to seal the hole in the roof, “that a girl who blows away ceilings, roofs, and barriers every time she casts a spell needs someone to be nice to her?”

“She does! She absolutely does! In fact, she isn’t getting nearly enough kindness! I believe this is negligence on your part, sir! Now, give me a big hug! And be quick about it!”

A categorical declaration?! And what an attitude.

I had a sneaking suspicion that she was slowly but surely coming to resemble a certain someone I knew. She didn’t seem to assign herself so much as an iota of blame. Should I have taught her differently? Of course, the somewhat sullen expression on her face was so adorable that I would pardon her in an instant. She definitely reminded me of a small animal.

That reminded me—I hadn’t received another letter from Lydia since that first one. Had I touched a nerve by complaining about the checks? I doubted that anything was wrong—she definitely would have informed me otherwise—but I was still a little worried. You’d never guess it, but it didn’t take much to make her depressed. That said, I was going to have my hands full with the final stage of the girls’ training. If she wasn’t going to reply, I supposed I would just have to ignore her; I wouldn’t put it past her to march over here if I gave her too much attention.

Tina, what are you looking at me like that for?

“Sir,” she said accusingly after a stony silence, “you were thinking about another girl just now, weren’t you?”

“Nothing of the kind. Ellie, please continue. Tina...why don’t you come with me and apologize to Mr. Walker?”

“N-No, thank you. I can’t help feeling that you, Graham, Shelley, and everyone else have been awfully hard on me lately. I improve with praise, so please give me much, much more. I can’t believe I’ve finally learned to cast spells, but all anyone does is scold me...”

“I think I’m giving you your fair share of praise. Now, let’s be on our way.”

“Oh, you’re so mean...” Tina grumbled. She was evidently a little frustrated, but that didn’t stop her from taking my hand when I offered it to her.

Good grief. Even the way she puts up a front reminds me a little of— Hm?

I felt something soft press against my other arm. I turned my head to find that Ellie was clinging to me.

“I-I’ll come with y—”

I goggled back at Ellie in spite of myself, at which point she blushed and dropped her gaze. Maybe she had gotten embarrassed. She was indeed adorable beyond a shadow of doubt—so adorable that I would have loved to preserve her reaction in a recording.

There came a light bump on my right arm next.

Oh. Yes, yes. Don’t be so quick to become competitive, Tina. In your case, it can be a little painf— No, I’m sorry; that was a slip of the proverbial tongue. That being the case, why don’t you stop trying to freeze me at close range? It’s awfully chilly.

✽

“Again, sir?” Mr. Walker asked after a long pause.

“My sincere apologies. Her control is improving little by little, though. I’m sure that she’ll never endanger the entire greenhouse again.”

“I-I’m sorry...” Tina stammered.

“G-Grandpa, Lady Tina didn’t mean any harm, so, uh, um...”

Mr. Walker had been working in his office when we came to report that we had made yet another hole in the roof that day. His hands stopped sorting papers and a look of exhaustion crossed his features.

Yes, I’m all too well acquainted with that feeling.

The force of Tina’s ice spells made it hard to believe that she had been unable to use magic until just recently—they tore through military-issue ice-resistant barriers with ease. I was sure that the repairs would cost a fortune.

“In any case,” I consoled the head butler, who looked as though he had a pounding headache, “I took emergency measures to seal the hole. I think my work should hold up until spring.”

“Thank you,” Mr. Walker replied after a moment. “Incidentally, Mr. Allen...”

“Yes?”

“May I take your current...condition as a declaration of war against me?” he asked me in a low voice, his eyes narrowing.

“Oh, well... Ah ha ha...”

I couldn’t keep the strain out of my voice. Tina and Ellie were currently clinging to my arms, and Mr. Walker’s expression of disapproval only made them cling tighter. I had asked them to let go as we left Tina’s room in the greenhouse, but they had steadfastly refused. I had a suspicion that they were starting to become just a little willful...not that them being clear about what they wanted was a bad thing.

“You may not, Graham,” Tina objected. “If you lay a hand on my tutor...I’ll freeze you.”

“N-No, grandpa!” Ellie added. “If you hurt Mr. Allen again, I-I’ll lose my temper!”

Mr. Walker groaned. “But Lady Tina, Ellie, must you keep ahold of his arms? If you would only release him—”

“We don’t want to!” the girls shouted in unison.

Mr. Walker collapsed onto his desk with an agonized grunt.

I can’t explain it... He was such a distinguished head butler when I first met him, and yet now he looks like no more than an old man grief-stricken at being robbed of the young lady and granddaughter he’s tended to for so long. All right, that’s enough messing around. I’d better get to the point.

“Tina, Ellie.”

“Yes, sir!” they answered together.

“I have something to discuss with Mr. Walker. Would you please return to the classroom ahead of me?”

“Sir.”

“Allen, sir.”

Both girls hesitated for a moment before addressing me pointedly.

“You needn’t be so concerned,” I assured them. “I won’t be long.”

They didn’t seem all too happy about it, but they let go of my arms and exited the room, shutting the door behind them. I was glad they were willing to be reasonable.

Oh dear.

I tilted my head to one side, and a knife hand strike passed through the space it had just occupied. “The least you could do is warn me,” I said.

“Prepare yourself, Mr. Allen.”

“No, thank you. I have a rather serious matter to discuss with you.”

“...Please be seated, sir.”

How chilling. I knew that he hadn’t seriously intended to harm me, but I wouldn’t stand much of a chance against him in pure hand-to-hand combat—nor would I stand much of a chance against Mrs. Walker, thinking about it. The two defied belief. The duke might be the “face” of the House of Howard, but it was this old couple who administered its internal affairs. That was why I needed to come to an understanding with them now, less than one month before the entrance exam.

Mr. Walker set a cup of fragrant black tea on the table before me.

“Thank you very much.”

“Now, sir, what did you wish to discuss?”

“Let me get straight to the point—I’m already confident that both of those girls will be admitted to the Royal Academy and place highly on the exam. I can’t pretend that Tina—excuse me—”

“Please, Mr. Allen. Speak freely. As far as Lady Tina is concerned, no one could ever take your place now. Everyone in the mansion understands that—not least of all my wife and me. None of us would object to your omitting her title...although I suggest you still refrain in my master’s presence.”

“Thank you. That’s quite kind of you. I can’t pretend that Tina has mastered control, but I’m certain that she’ll manage with another few weeks of practice. As for Ellie... Were her parents magically talented too?”

“They were both incredibly gifted,” Mr. Walker acknowledged after a moment of silence, “although they refused to inherit the Walker name and instead became doctors in the royal capital. Ellie’s father was the orphaned son of an old friend of mine. He and my daughter were raised together from a very young age. I had simply assumed that he would follow in my footsteps, so it came as a great shock when he announced his intention to become a doctor. He grew into a fine man, but during an epidemic in the capital...”

So, that was the whole story. It was no wonder that the Walkers doted on Ellie.

You can rest in peace, I mentally told Ellie’s parents, whose faces I had never even seen. Your daughter is growing into a kind, healthy young woman. Someday, she’ll be one of the most renowned sorceresses in the kingdom.

“My sincere apologies.” I bowed my head to Mr. Walker. “I didn’t mean to dredge up painful memories.”

“Not at all, sir. I don’t mind.”

“As I was saying, I don’t believe Ellie has anything to worry about. In particular, the silence with which she casts her spells is nothing short of magnificent. I’m told that you and Mrs. Walker are teaching her the fundamentals of hand-to-hand combat. I am instructing her as well; I hope that I can count on your continued support.”

“Of course, sir. We are truly grateful for all that you’ve done; I never imagined that Ellie would make such dramatic progress. As the head of the Walker family, words cannot express my gratitude. Now...” Mr. Walker paused for a moment as he shifted gears. “I take it that your chief concern is my master?”

“It is.”

Since my arrival, I had been giving the duke and Mr. Walker daily reports on everything that happened to Tina and Ellie. These reports were delivered either in person or in writing on occasions when it proved impossible for us to meet. Both men had initially been on the edge of their seats, swinging from joy to concern as they listened. They had even given me follow-up reports. And yet, when I’d informed the duke that Tina’s mana had gone out of control and that she had subsequently cast a spell of her own volition for the very first time, he had only come to see her magic with his own eyes on a single occasion. He had left the mansion shortly after and hadn’t returned since.

I understood that there had been a landslide in the duchy and that it had blocked the only road to a nearby village, leaving it isolated. The duke had apparently set out to the scene of the disaster to deal with the situation, but he was taking much too long to return. Repairs to the road had been completed relatively quickly, from what I understood, and yet the duke remained away from home. I understood that he must have many demands on his time—he was the head of the House of Howard, the guardians of the north, after all—but I couldn’t help growing suspicious. There had certainly been joy on the duke’s face when Tina had demonstrated her spellcasting ability, but his confusion and sorrow had been noticeably more apparent.

“I believe that both Tina and Ellie have developed a sufficient command of magic,” I continued. “They won’t have any trouble with the written test either. As I said earlier, I’m confident that they might even place highly, depending on their performance in the practical. And yet...” I paused a beat as I thought over how best to phrase what was on my mind. “Excuse me, but what are Duke Walter’s feelings on the matter? I can’t understand the striking change in his attitude since Tina learned to use magic. And assuming that he is dealing with issues in his duchy, he ought to be able to do so more effectively from this mansion. It’s as if—”

“Mr. Allen,” the head butler interjected, “your concern is quite reasonable. However...might I suggest that this is a decision for my master to make?”

“Then, if he were to forbid the girls from going to the royal capital... No, I suppose it’s pointless to hypothesize. Very well. When will he return?”

“I don’t know,” Mr. Walker admitted. “My apologies, sir.” He must have been conflicted as well, since his face was a mask of distress.

The matter was out of my hands. For the moment, all that I could do was to continue the girls’ lessons and ensure that they were well prepared. I rose from my seat and was about to quit the room when I suddenly recalled something.

“There’s just one thing that I’d like you to tell me about,” I pressed. “Assuming that you know the answer, that is.”

“What is it, sir?”

“It’s about the books in the archive. There’s a name that I’ve occasionally found written on the last page. Would you tell me whose it is?”

“I believe you have already guessed, sir.”

“I see... Thank you very much.”

Well, I suppose I’ll have to do something about this after all.

✽

After dinner, I took one volume from the top of the pile on my desk and began making my way through that day’s haul from the archive. Anko was curled up on my other chair.

Oh my, this will be tricky. There’s a sealing spell on this one, and I can already tell that it contains an astonishing quantity of mana. They keep something like this sitting on a shelf? I’m at a loss for words.

I was glad for the opportunity to read so many and such a variety of works during my stay at the ducal house. It had been some time since I’d last been so fortunate, considering that I had cut down on my reading time to prepare for the court sorcerer exam. I couldn’t help my bibliophilia, even if the albatross had called me “the very definition of dull” because of it. She could be heartless, especially considering that she was quite the avid reader herself.

The book I was currently trying to read was a slim, old volume. As with most of my recent reading material, it predated the War of the Dark Lord. Tina had gained the ability to cast spells, but there was a chance she might lose it again at any moment. I wanted to have countermeasures ready, if possible, but the identity of the thing that had been preventing her remained unknown.

Back when she had lost control of her mana, I had suspected the lost great spell Frigid Crane. Thinking back on it with a cooler head, however, I couldn’t help wondering whether I’d just been daydreaming. Had that thing even been a spell? It had felt more like I was confronting a living creature. I’d questioned Tina herself about it, but she had told me that she hadn’t heard a voice and that she hadn’t seen the being that had attempted to manifest because she’d had her eyes squeezed shut.

Then there was the one word I had been able to make out: “key.” Did it refer to Tina? If not and it referred to me instead, I was at a loss; such things were beyond a humble commoner such as myself.

In any case, there was nothing wrong with adding to my store of knowledge, and there were few collections of old and rare books on the subject of magic to match this one, even in the royal capital. The Leinster archive had impressed me as well, but I suspected that it contained more old account books and statistical records, relatively speaking. The House of Leinster was accomplished economically as well as militarily.

A reserved knock interrupted my musings.

“Come in,” I told my late visitor. “It’s not locked.”

The door swung slowly open, and in came two girls in their nightgowns. They had jackets on, but the outlines of their bodies were still apparent. Tina still seemed much like a child; she was only thirteen, so I supposed she had a lot of growing to do. Ellie, who trailed after her, on the other hand... Now that I saw her in her nightgown, her femininity was hard to completely ignore. She was only a year older than Tina, but the difference was... Ahem.

“Good evening. What’s the matter?” I asked.

“Well,” Tina began hesitantly, “Ellie says that she can’t get to sleep.”

“L-Lady Tina, th-that’s not fair! You just told me that book we read together frightened you so badly that you can’t sleep, so you came to my room and— Eek!” Ellie was in such a fluster that she stepped on the hem of her nightgown and seemed in danger of once again falling over.

“Whoa there,” I said as I rushed to catch her. “That was a close one.”

This girl really is prone to tripping. Wait. Oh no. I dropped that old book I was studying. I recommend against touching it, Anko; I suspect it’s quite dangerous.

I felt something soft against my arm, and I could tell exactly what it was—especially because Ellie was wearing thinner garments than usual. I hurriedly attempted to release her, but she was actively holding on to me.

Um...

“Allen, sir. Y-You see, um, I...”

“All right, that’s quite enough!” Tina interjected, forcing her way between us. She pushed Ellie aside and grabbed hold of my arm herself. “Ellie, you tripped on purpose, didn’t you?”

How odd... Why does this feel nowhere near as soft? Wait, no! I have a premonition that I’ll end up frozen if I pursue that line of thought, and no one knows better than I do to trust my intuition at times like this. Don’t think about it. That way lies disaster.

The two girls continued to fool around, unaware of the less-than-courteous thoughts running through my mind.

“Th-That’sh...” Ellie stammered for a moment before finding her words. “That’s not true. I-I would never think anything so presumptuous as wanting Mr. Allen to hug me, or— Ah!”

“You’re such a liar! And you’re just as bad, sir! That look on your face was...indecent. And you didn’t react at all when I grabbed your arm. I request—no, demand—a do-over! This instant!”

Oh dear. They’ve dragged me into it.

“Girls,” I replied with feigned exasperation, “it’s late, and you should both be in bed. You’ll never get any taller if you don’t get your beauty sleep. You can stay here if Tina really is frightened, but only for a little while. I’ll warm up some milk for you both, so please let go of me.”

“Y-You have it all wrong. I’m not the least bit scared.” Tina began to protest, but then she suddenly turned sheepish. “Well, I am just a little bit. And I can’t help feeling that you reacted differently to Ellie!”

“It’s just your imagination,” I insisted. “Now, take a seat in that chair.”

“Oh, you’re so mean, sir. Dummy.”

I listened to Tina call me names as I picked up the old book I had dropped on the floor. It was then that a thought struck me.

I was wrong. This isn’t a spell book.

It was too thin. Could it be a personal diary? But then why was it sealed with such an unbelievably powerful curse, one that was maybe even on par with a military barrier? If the diary’s owner had gone to such lengths...they must have been an astonishing person. I pondered the diary’s past owner as I stood up and laid it on the desk.

I removed a glass bottle of milk from my room’s icebox, filled two wooden cups from it, and, after a little thought, added some honey to them.

Hm? What is it, Anko? You’d like some too? I suppose I’ll have to humor you. I’ll pour some into a saucer and— What? It’s too cold for you? I thought cats hated hot food.

Despite my exasperation, I warmed the saucer of milk slightly. Anko then began to lap it up with gusto. Much like its master, the familiar was too particular in its tastes.

I turned around to discover that, for some reason, the girls had opted to sit on my bed rather than in the available chairs. Tina was still visibly pouting.

“Here you are.” I proffered them the cups with a wry grin.

“Thank you, sir,” Tina conceded after a final moment of petulant silence. “Oh. It’s warm already?”

“Thank you very much, Allen, sir. Did you use a spell to heat our drinks?”

“Yes, although it’s a bit different from ordinary temperature control, so you need to get a knack for using it. It’s a little trick for when you want a hot drink in a hurry. I’ll admit though—I’m not sure why, but drinks taste far better when heated in a pot. I’d suggest that you take that little extra time and effort if you ever make some for your future husbands.”

“Husbands, sir?”

“Ah...”

Tina and Ellie both shot me repeated glances, their cheeks noticeably flushed. Perhaps that had been too exciting of a thought for young ladies their age. I mused over this as I walked over to one of the free chairs, but no sooner had I taken a seat than Tina started patting the bed with one hand. Ellie was staring at me as well, though I couldn’t say for what reason.

“Why won’t you join us, sir?” Tina asked—though it came across as more of a demand. “Your simply adorable student is right here.”

“Th-That’s right! And, um, her adorable maid too...” Ellie seemed to become less and less confident in her words until, soon enough, her voice faded out completely. She then let out an embarrassed little cry.

“No,” I replied flatly. “You’re both growing young ladies, so you really shouldn’t be visiting a man’s room at this time of night. Men are wolves, after all.”

“You looked awfully happy to hug Ellie just now,” Tina pointed out accusingly. “Are you a wolf too, sir?”

Ellie’s eyes widened at the idea.

“That’s a secret,” I replied to Tina after a pause. “Ellie, is something the matter?” The maid had collapsed onto the bed and was groaning with her face pressed into the blankets.

What have we here? Well, she doesn’t seem ill, so I think I’ll leave her to her own devices.

“It’s late and you have a full day of lessons tomorrow, so please go to bed once you’ve finished your milk. If you’re simply too afraid, then you may stay for a little while longer—I’ll be up anyway, after all. But only if you’re quiet. I’ll be in trouble if Mr. and Mrs. Walker find out.”

“I-I told you, I’m not that scared of...” Tina let her words trail off and then changed the subject. “Have you always read so much, sir? Even before you got here?”

“I’ve always liked to read; it’s just about my only hobby that’s actually useful. As you know, I don’t have a great deal of mana. Supreme spells are obviously beyond me, and while I might be able to formulate advanced spells, I’m not capable of activating them.”

I wasn’t able to become the best at swordsmanship, magic, or academics—not that I was complaining—but I thought that I could at least read as much as the next person.

On that note, I dispelled part of the seal on the diary I was attempting to look at. When I gingerly opened it, however, I found that its pages were pitch-black.

Well now... Unreadable already?

The author had certainly been thorough, and I couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of kinship with them. I tore away another small part of the spell to reveal an incomprehensible string of letters.

A cipher...? Whoever wrote this really didn’t want anyone else to read it.

Two sealing spells and now this code. It was going to be tough to decipher immediately. I knew that many old books were imbued with spells, but what could justify this level of security?

I closed the diary and placed it atop the pile of documents I was saving for later; anything that would take time to read through could wait. I made up my mind that I would foist the diary on the professor or the headmaster at a later date, assuming I could convince the duke to lend it to me.

Next was... No, I knew this wouldn’t work. I stood up, scratched my head, and then scooped up Tina, who had been happily watching me the entire time. She was still light as a feather.

“Huh? Um, s-sir?”

“There.” I gently tossed her into bed, pulled the covers over her, and then moved my chair to the bedside. “Please go to sleep; I can’t concentrate with your eyes on me. Don’t worry, though—I won’t go anywhere. You too, Ellie. Feel free to sleep here tonight. I don’t mind.”

“Y-You mean it, sir?!” Tina exclaimed.

Ellie giggled and said, “Excuse me, Lady Tina,” before burrowing under the covers beside her with a cheerful smile. I could hear them both laughing between themselves.

Good grief...

I picked up the next book in my pile and started to read.

Well now. A magic textbook written approximately two centuries ago. Compared to that diary, it was a quick and easy read. Hm? A bookmark. What’s this? Activating ice spells from underground. So, that’s how they used it...

It wasn’t long before I heard the girls’ breathing fall into a peaceful rhythm. They were sleeping soundly, hand in hand. I want to help them attend the Royal Academy together, I thought from the bottom of my heart as I stroked Anko, who had climbed onto my lap.

When I reached the end of the textbook, I came across a personal bookplate that I had seen on the final page of a great many works over the past two months. No one would collect this many books for their own personal reading—particularly not this many textbooks. These must have been...

In any case, I would need to speak with the duke while I made preparations. I didn’t care who he was; I would make him keep his promise.

✽

I spent several days waiting patiently while I instructed the girls. I was confident that the duke would come to speak to me; after all, there was less than a month until the Royal Academy entrance exam, meaning there wasn’t much time left to apply or make arrangements for travel to the royal capital.

And then, the moment arrived.

I was teaching Tina and Ellie in the greenhouse room that day when Mrs. Walker nervously entered. “Mr. Allen, the master would like to see you in his office,” she said. “Lady Tina, Ellie, I have sweets for you. Please follow me.”

“Very well. Tina, Ellie, please take a short break.”

“Yes, sir,” both girls answered cheerfully.

I couldn’t let anything darken their smiling faces. I was their tutor, after all.

“I’ve given the matter a lot of thought,” the duke announced gravely, leaning deeply into his chair, “and decided not to submit Tina’s and Ellie’s applications to the Royal Academy.”

That was just what I had expected to hear. Mr. Walker, who was waiting deferentially to one side, narrowed his eyes slightly.

“But why?” I asked with a slight look of confusion. “At their current level, Her Highness and Ellie are both sure to earn not only their admissions to the Royal Academy, but even high ranks on the exam. Please, tell me—why give up at this stage? Surely you don’t demand that they place first and second in their class?”

“Nothing of the kind,” the duke said after a moment of silence. “I cannot thank you enough for what you’ve accomplished. I never imagined that not only Ellie, but Tina as well would gain a command of magic. I can see that the professor was speaking the truth when he said that ‘Allen and Lydia effortlessly make the impossible possible.’” He paused again and then added, “As far as Ellie is concerned, I’m perfectly willing to abide by Graham and Shelley’s decision.”

“In that case, Her Highness should also be afforded—”

“No. I cannot permit it. I do believe that my girl has learned to cast spells, but she has far too little experience with magic. It would be madness for a child like her to attempt the Royal Academy’s practical exam. You know how much mana she has. She may have power, but can she control it? I’m receiving reports that she’s been destroying the greenhouse roof almost daily, even after the attempt I witnessed. Even if she does manage to pass the entrance exam, she’ll be nothing but a nuisance to the other students. Besides which...” The duke hesitated a third time before shaking his head. “No, that’s no concern of yours.”

“Then why did you hire me?” I demanded of the scowling duke. “It doesn’t make sense.”

He remained silent, so I answered my own question.

“You summoned me here solely as a tool to force Her Highness to abandon her dream of going to the Royal Academy. From the very beginning, you were convinced that my task was impossible. Am I wrong?”

“I regret the way I’ve treated you,” the duke admitted after a long pause. “Of course, I will pay you for your work. I’ll even double—no, triple—your fee.”

“Don’t be absurd.”

Both the duke and Mr. Walker looked at me in consternation. Oh, this won’t do; I put a little too much animosity into that, I realized, and so I forced a smile to compensate.

“With all due respect, Your Highness, Duke Walter Howard...you are utterly blind.”

“...I’m what?”

“First of all, you claim that Tina will be a nuisance to her fellow students, but she’s already learned much in the way of control over the past few days. If the academy would still consider her too much of a nuisance now, they’ll be able to count this year’s new admittees on one hand. My heart goes out to them. Oh, my humble apologies, but I’ve been deceptive in my reports over the past few days; since you refused to return to your mansion, I took the liberty of reusing old ones. You would have spotted that at once if you had been paying them any attention.”

“What?!”

“Second, you aren’t the only person this matter concerns. Tina wishes for this—as does her mother, your late wife. I’m shocked that you would come to such a decision without so much as making an effort to gauge your daughter’s progress for yourself. Can the current Duke Howard, head of one of the Four Great Dukedoms, truly be such a small-minded man?”

“How would you know what my wife would want?! This is no concern of yours! If you’re merely trying to anger me...”

“I do know. The contents of your archive make it obvious.”

I could see bewilderment on his face. It was as I thought—he hadn’t noticed. I chuckled as I thought about Tina’s mother—a woman whom I had never met, but who I was confident had been fond of mischief. Only an avid reader would understand her legacy. But then, she must have had faith—faith that someone would figure it out.

“Third,” I continued, “I made a promise to those girls—a promise that I would get them into the Royal Academy. And I’m sorry to say that I’ve never broken a promise in my life. I don’t care how powerful and important a nobleman you are; I refuse to break my word on your say-so, especially as you once told me in no uncertain terms that you would support Tina if she learned to use magic. You even swore it on your late wife. Was that a lie?”

“Y-You see...”

“I don’t mind if it was. However... Oh, I know. I’ll take out a full-page ad in every newspaper in the royal capital. It’ll read: ‘Duke Walter Howard can’t keep his word even when he swears on his late wife. Regard him accordingly.’”

“Y-You couldn’t possibly—”

“Your Highness, my father taught me that a man who swears on the deceased and still breaks his word is less than scum—that he’s not even worth speaking of and would be better off dead himself, whatever his station. That’s what you’ve just told me you intend for yourself.”

I bowed deeply to the duke, who maintained a wrathful silence. “I implore you, see and experience for yourself what backbreaking efforts your dear daughter Tina has made and just how much strength she’s gained. If you still find her lacking...then that is my failing as her teacher. I will gladly accept any punishment you see fit to assign me for my incompetence and for my impertinence.”

When the duke finally broke his silence, his anger had vanished. “You are...far too kind...” he murmured. He closed his eyes in consideration for a moment and then quietly announced, “Very well. But on one condition.”

✽

“A-A final exam?!” Tina and Ellie exclaimed.

“That’s right,” I casually informed them as we sipped our tea in Tina’s greenhouse room. “Please relax; it’s nothing to worry about.”

I need to stay calm too, I told myself. I can’t afford to let my nerves get the better of me.

“You’ve both worked incredibly hard, and I’m confident you’ll have no trouble earning your admission to the Royal Academy. From today onward, I’m going to give you mock questions I’ve drawn up based on my predictions. I’d like you to solve them in preparation for the written test. As far as the practical is concerned, hardly any of the other applicants will hold a candle to you.”

“And it’s all thanks to you, sir.”

“Y-Yessir. It’s because we had you to teach us.”

“I’m delighted to hear you say so, but this is the result of your daily efforts. All I’ve done is spend night after night reading and give you a little helping hand.”

“That’s not true, sir! I mean... You gave me magic!”

“Th-That’s right, Allen, sir! If not for you, I-I would have been hopeless forever.”

“Thank you for your kind words, but please, try not to sell yourselves so short—although I realize that’s something of a habit of mine as well. Both of you truly are charming, and you have bright futures ahead of you. I’m sure you’ll go on to become even more charming and amazing.”

Both girls let out little exclamations of embarrassment. I had only given them my honest opinion, but for some reason, they were hanging their heads and blushing even more fiercely than usual. I wondered why; I was certain that I was always telling them much the same thing.

“You’re just a little mean, sir, but you always pick times like this to really speak your mind... I can tell that you really mean it... Dummy.”

“Um, uh... You see... A-Allen, sir, I wuv you...”

Tina and Ellie were muttering under their breaths, but I couldn’t make out a word of what they were saying. They did get like this from time to time—as did Lydia, now that I thought about it. Did they all have something in common?

“S-So, what is our final exam going to be?”

“O-Oh! Yesh—” Ellie began, but then she stopped and corrected herself. The way she stumbled over her words always warmed my heart. “Yes, please tell us.”

“Duke Walter told me that, under normal circumstances, he would have liked to test your abilities himself,” I explained. “But he’s a very busy man, and it seems unlikely that he’ll actually be able to make time. Therefore—”

“Oh, I know,” Tina cut me off.

“W-We just have to beat you, right, Allen, sir?” Ellie chimed in. “If we win, then, um, even after we go to the academy, would you—”

“Ellie, didn’t we just agree to bide our time?! We were supposed to ask him together!”

“M-My grandma taught me that all’s fair in love and war!”

“Even Shelley’s against me?! Sir, I won’t hold back!”

“I think there’s been a misunderstanding... I’m not the one you’ll be fighting.”

How unsettling... It appeared that my students had made it their goal to defeat me, and I’d been none the wiser. The way girls thought was— No, that wasn’t quite true. The way the girls around me thought started out laudable and then became steadily more forceful over time. I had hoped that Tina and Ellie wouldn’t go down that same road, but...

“Duke Walter is going to provide your opponent. His choice will be a force to be reckoned with, so don’t let your guards down. Your final exam will take place three days before you’re to depart for the royal capital. Let’s work on as many details as we can in the meantime.”

“Yes, sir!” my adorable students answered. It was too bad for the duke, but for their sake, I wasn’t going to hold anything back.

✽

After a gulp of cold, slightly sweetened milk, I couldn’t resist smacking my lips appreciatively. It was strange how much better it tasted after a hot bath.

I didn’t know whose idea it had been to put an icebox and a large, soft couch one could lounge on in a large room near the baths, but they had known what they were about. They had even made a point of setting out glass cups, although the Howards generally used wooden ones during meals and on other occasions.

I normally took my baths quite late. That day, however, I had decided to try bathing earlier than usual, which had resulted in my having the baths and the lounge to myself. It certainly had its benefits—I typically ended up sharing both with the servants of the ducal house, who more often than not gave me a hard time. They were pleasant people and a pleasure to talk to, at least for the most part, but they could be uncomfortably...persistent in their questions about my relationship with Tina and Ellie. They had lost their tempers when I said that I wouldn’t marry either girl, and then they had lost their tempers again when I had joked that I would. Those two girls truly were well loved...although I suspected that love could be a little suffocating.

The sun had already set, so the world through the large windows was pitch-dark, but the sound of the wind told me that there was a blizzard raging outside. The snow just kept coming down day after day. I personally didn’t mind this cold, however, because the mansion—especially this part of it—benefited from geothermal heating.

From my perspective, the Howard mansion housed two astonishing facilities. One was Tina’s familiar greenhouse, and the other was the massive baths I had just exited, which were large enough to swim in. As one would expect, the baths were divided into men’s and women’s sections. They weren’t filled with ordinary bathwater either—the place was a natural hot spring. I doubted there were more than a few other baths in the kingdom that could match them.

As the story went, the first Duke Howard had been fanatical about bathing to the point that he had decided to build his headquarters over the hot spring. Assuming this was true, I was sure that he and I would have made for good friends indeed.

I didn’t handle cold weather well, partly because I had never been anywhere that got so much snow before, so I truly appreciated the opportunity to thoroughly warm myself every day. It also helped wash away my weariness after a day of work, and I even suspected that it had made my skin smoother. Enjoying a delicious drink of cold milk afterward was another welcome benefit.

I wondered what I ought to do once I returned to my room. I still had more books to read, and I needed to make preparations for the girls’ final exam. I also needed to write her a letter, now that I had a little free time.

As I sunk into the couch and sipped from my glass cup, a girl emerged from the women’s baths. She was dressed in her nightgown, with a cloth bag in her hand and a towel wrapped around her head. And for some reason, she froze when she spotted me.

What have we here?

“Oh, Ellie. Were you taking a bath too?”

“Y-Yessir. Huh? A-Allen, sir... Y-You’re not usually here this early... I-I thought you bathed later...”

“I thought I’d try taking my bath early for a change. Hadn’t you better dry your hair?”

“W-Well, um... Y-You see...” she stammered bashfully. “I-I normally do dry it. I-It’s just that today I, um...”

Her eyes were on my glass cup; it seemed she had been unable to resist the lure of a cold drink after a hot bath. Perhaps she was taking after her tutor.

“What would you like to drink?” I asked her, rising with a chuckle and opening the icebox.

“Oh, um... I-I’ll have what you’re having, shir...”

I poured milk into one of the waiting cups, moved to stand behind the couch with the drink, and then beckoned to Ellie with my free hand. She looked confused.

“Take a seat,” I urged her. “I’ll dry your hair while you drink.”

Ellie didn’t respond; instead, her eyes widened and she started fidgeting. Perhaps she considered it an unwelcome offer.

“I won’t do it if you don’t want me to.”

“I-I do want you to,” Ellie shot back. She then raced to the couch, sat down, and turned her head to look at me. “P-Please, sir. Go ahead.”

“You needn’t be so nervous. Now, if there’s any special way you’d like me to do this, don’t hesitate to say so. But would you mind if I borrowed your brush?”

“N-Noshir.”

I took Ellie’s hairbrush from her and handed her the cup in exchange. The contented way she held it in both hands and sipped at it gave me a warm, pleasant feeling inside.

I’d better wipe her hair dry to begin with, I thought as I unwrapped the towel from her head. Well now...

“Allen, sir?” Ellie turned to look at me, curious as to why I had stopped moving.

“Oh, I was only thinking that you look just as charming with your hair down.”

“Ah... I-I don’t really think sho, shir...” Ellie replied, her nape flushing even redder. We continued to chat as I set about gently toweling her hair, until eventually...

There. That ought to do it.

I formulated a spell with my left hand, raising a warm breeze to blow against Ellie’s head. “Huh?” she said with a start. “I-Is this...? But there’s no air heater here...”

“Oh, excuse me. Did I startle you?”

I set about drying Ellie’s long hair from the roots to the tips while maintaining the spell with my left hand. Ellie must have found it quite pleasant because she partly shut her eyes and let out a contented little moan; she looked as if she might drift off to sleep at any moment. I took her cup from her so that she wouldn’t drop it and set it down on the table in front of her.

This really takes me back. I used to do this for my younger sister back home when—

“Aaah!” A scream shattered the silence. “Wh-What do you think you’re doing?!”

I glanced in the direction of the cry without stopping what I was doing and was utterly unsurprised to see Tina. It seemed that, like Ellie, she had succumbed to temptation—she had a towel wrapped haphazardly around her head and was frantically waving her cloth bag around.

Hey now. Watch where you’re swinging that.

She strode boldly up to the table, seized the cup, drained it in one gulp, and then smacked her lips in appreciation. “That was delicious. Now... Sir, Ellie, what is going on he— Is she asleep?”

“It appears so, so please, keep your voice down.” I put my right index finger to my lips without setting down Ellie’s hairbrush and winked.

Tina was visibly pouting but took a seat beside Ellie nonetheless. After a brief silence, she announced, “It’s my turn next, sir.”

“Oh really? I don’t know about that.”

“What is there to consider? This is a chance to fondle your ever-so-adorable student’s hair to your heart’s content. You should count yourself very fortunate!”

“You’ll wake Ellie. Also, I don’t quite approve of the way you phrased that. Tsk, tsk.”

“You’re never this strict with anyone else, sir...”

“Not at all. Wait a moment; I’m almost done here.”

It was time to switch the breeze from warm to cool—but first, I wiped a bit of drool from around the happily dozing maid’s mouth with a handkerchief. Once that was done, I sent a brisk gust through her whole head of hair, and she woke up.

“Huh?”

“There we are. Good morning.”

“A-Allen, sir! I, u-um, well...”

“Ellie. You were drooling. Did you know that?” Tina gibed.

“L-Lady Tina! Huh? Uh...” Ellie groaned in embarrassment.

“Hey now. Don’t tease her,” I admonished Tina. “There, all done. What do you think?”

Ellie ran her fingers through her hair, blushed slightly, then immediately stood up and bowed deeply to me. “Th-Thank you very much, sir!”

“It was no trouble, Ellie. You looked adorable in your sleep.”

“Oh, A-Allen, sir... You don’t have to flatter me...”

“I’m being sincere.”

“Huh?” Ellie took a moment to process that before venturing a tentative, “Um, thank you, shir...”

“Sir, Ellie,” Tina interjected after a pause, “aren’t you forgetting about someone?”

Oh dear. This won’t do. I sent a blast of cold air at the pouting young noblewoman. I’m sorry to have to cool you down when you’ve just finished warming up, but...

“Yes, yes. Thank you for waiting.”

“A single ‘yes’ will suffice.”

“...Tina. Please don’t say that. I mean it. I hear it often enough from Lydia already.”

“Sir, I suggest you put your hand on your heart and seriously reconsider your attitude toward your students,” Tina remarked. A beat later, she added, “And why are you so good at drying girls’ hair? It’s strange. It’s curious. It’s suspicious. I demand a satisfactory explanation.”

“Oh, that’s simple—I have a younger sister, and I often used to help her with things like this when we were little.”

“You have a sister, sir?”

“Yes. She’s currently a student at the Royal Academy.”

Tina’s eyes widened. “Th-That means she’ll be our upperclassman when...”

Ellie let out a flustered exclamation. “I-I’m already getting n-nervous!”

While the girls were talking, I unwrapped the towel around Tina’s head and began gently wiping down her hair with it. She didn’t seem much different from normal, but her hair certainly was gorgeous.

Come now, keep your head still.

“Tina, hand me your brush,” I said.

“Just use Ellie’s. She always lets me use it anyway.”

“Very well then.”

I set about gently drying Tina’s hair with a warm breeze. Before I knew it, her breathing had settled into the regular rhythm of sleep. That was quick... I smiled wryly to myself and continued to work slowly so as not to wake her.

Ellie, who appeared to have finally calmed down, sat down quietly beside Tina. “Allen, sir... Does your sister really go to the Royal Academy?” she asked me.

“She does. I got a letter from her just the other day; she seems to be doing well.”

“Th-Then your sister is going to be our upperclassman...”

“I’d love it if you made friends with her. She’s a nice girl, although I know I’m not exactly impartial. Of course, you’ll have to pass your exams first.”

“Y-Yessir. I’ll do my besht—uh, best.” Ellie corrected herself with a little embarrassed groan, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“You truly are charming, Ellie.”

“What about me, sir?” Tina interjected after a moment of silence. She looked up at me with drowsy, half-open eyes—a gesture that was lent a fiendish power when coupled with her glistening hair and extreme youth. I roughly tousled her freshly dried hair to mask my embarrassment, which made her cry out in surprise. “Wh-What is it, sir?! What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing at all. There, all done. Ellie, please comb Tina’s hair for her.”

“Y-Yessir.”

“Y-You ought to finish what you started,” Tina objected. “Besides—is that any way for you to treat me?”

I shot Tina a quizzical look. There was absolute certainty in her eyes as Ellie ran the brush through her hair.

Wh-What in the world...?

“Sir.”

“Y-Yes?”

“You’ll accompany us to the royal capital, won’t you?”

“I suppose so. My job is to guide you both until you’re admitted to the Royal Academy, and I’ll stand by you until that happens.”

“...I wish that weren’t the end, but it’ll do for now. In that case, what will you do about Lady Lydia? I’m told that she’s returned to her family home for now, but I’ve never heard of the two of you being apart for so long before. I’m sorry that it’s partly my fault, but isn’t she sure to return to the capital to see you?” Tina let that statement hang in the air for a moment before she chirped, “I can’t wait to see her. It’s been ever so long!”

I gulped. W-Was Tina threatening to tell her everything, including that I’d just dried two girls’ hair? I-If that happened—I shuddered slightly—there was a strong possibility she would attack me with her sword in earnest, as if she hadn’t gotten me to do her hair any number of times in the past.

“Very well. You win.” I admitted defeat with a sigh and pressed my hands to my temples.

“Oh, really?” Tina gloated triumphantly. “Actions speak louder than words. Now, brush my hair.”

“Very we—”

“There you are, Lady Tina. All done.” Ellie cut my acquiescence short. Her hands moved rapidly, fixing Tina’s hair in the blink of an eye.

Now that was quick work.

“...What was the meaning of that, Ellie?” A disgruntled Tina questioned her maid while I admired Ellie’s handiwork. “I wanted our tutor to do that for me.”

“I’m your personal maid, Lady Tina,” Ellie replied with unusual composure.

“I didn’t ask you to do it.”

“I don’t think you ought to impose on Mr. Allen.”

“Oh, it’s all your fault, sir! You always spoil Ellie and never me!”

“I don’t agree,” I replied. “I’m confident that I’m pampering both of you. However...”

“However?”

“I just can’t get enough of your funny faces.”

“You’re such a dummy, sir! Meanie! I’m through with you!” Tina’s pouting intensified as she leapt to her feet and strode away as dramatically as she had come. Perhaps I had teased her just a little too much.

“L-Lady Tina, wait for me!” Ellie called out. “Allen, sir, um...”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll see you in your lessons tomorrow. Give my best to Tina as well.”

“Y-Yessir.”

And with that, Ellie hurried off after Tina.

Remember to watch your step, Ellie. Now, it’s high time I got back to my room and—

All of a sudden, I could feel eyes on me. I turned to look and spotted a few locks of pale blue hair poking around a corner of the hallway. As I drew closer, I overheard voices whispering.

“H-Honestly, Lady Tina. Why do you take that tone with Mr. Allen? I know he’s really nice, but...”

“W-Well... You’re lucky, Ellie—you got him to do your hair all the way. I didn’t. It’s not fair. It’s not like I don’t want him to—”

“What would you like me to do for you?” I asked.

The girls must have been shocked to see me poke my head around the corner because they seized each other by the hand, turned their backs on me, and then fled as fast as their legs would carry them. Their hair glistened in the light, and as I watched them go, I wondered whether I ought to style it differently for them next time. Then again, I had a feeling that would only lead to more pestering.

As they sprinted off down the hallway, Tina turned to look behind her. Had she dropped something? No, that wasn’t it—she stuck her tongue out and pulled a face at me, then continued running away.

I chuckled; she was still such a child.

Yes, I’ve made up my mind: I’ll spend this evening writing a letter to another child—to Lydia. I’m certain she’s sulking. Whatever I end up doing once I’ve finished my job as Tina and Ellie’s tutor, I’d like to meet with her face-to-face again. That’s the polite thing to do, even if I might not tell her the whole truth about the court sorcerer exam. I’ve received my wages, so I’ll send this one by griffin mail.

✽

Dear Lydia,

It’s been too long since my last letter. I know you’re angry, so let me begin with excuses.

As I informed you in my first letter, I’m currently engaged as a private tutor to the Ducal House of Howard. I believe I’ve already mentioned this as well, but my students are Duke Howard’s second daughter, Tina, and her personal maid, Ellie. They’re both extremely talented, and I have no doubt that they’ll be admitted to the Royal Academy. Yes, both of them.

I’m certain that you’re more knowledgeable about this sort of thing than I am, but it was apparently common knowledge among the nobility that the Howards’ second daughter couldn’t use magic. Well, it wasn’t easy, but matters worked themselves out, and Tina cast her first spell one month ago. It’s quite true; I’m teaching her basic control techniques now.

I’m glad that she can cast spells now, but...her mana is as powerful as yours—possibly a little too strong. She’s also skilled at spell construction. Imagine yourself when you first learned magic, firing off spells at full power and rapid speed. What a nightmare. I doubt that any prospective students who come up against her in the practical will be able to do anything but weep.

That said, she’s still inexperienced and anxious, much like you used to be. She’s no swordswoman, which makes her a little easier to deal with than a certain someone I know, but I still think mana this powerful is quite a problem. So, between teaching Tina to control her mana and advising Ellie, I’ve been swamped with work recently, and I simply didn’t have the time to write to you. I’m sorry.

That concludes my excuses.

I really am sorry. Please believe me—I meant no offense in my last letter. I simply don’t want to make our relationship a financial one.

Oh, enough of that. This isn’t like me.

I’ll be departing the Howard mansion in a few days, so expect my next letter to come from the royal capital. Will I be able to see you there? There are things I’d like to discuss with you, so I hope we can arrange a meeting.

Also...just for your information, once my students receive their exam results, I intend to return to my hometown.

Yours truly,

Allen

(Still a private tutor in a snowbound land.)

✽

Dear Mr. Coldhearted,

I understand your situation...and I’ll admit, I overdid it with the checks, so I’m not mad at you. Not one bit.

I’m also not even the teeniest, tiniest bit bothered that you’re being awfully nice to a pair of girls you’ve only just met, so don’t let that concern you. I wonder, have you ever done anything like that for me? I’m devastated. I can hardly believe that the man I’ve spent these past few years with fancies little girls... Oh, but don’t mind me. I know those children mean more to you than I do.

But in all seriousness, do you really expect me to believe that girl learned magic? She’s never managed to cast a spell in her life. Are you lying? Is this some kind of joke? What kind of trick did you use to—

I’m sure you wouldn’t dare, but you didn’t end up doing the same thing you did with me, did you? Even you must understand what that would mean; I even wrote to you about it. So, I’m sure you found some other way.

But if I’m wrong... Well then...let’s have a nice long talk on a number of subjects. And I still need you to tell me all about how you failed the court sorcerer exam, don’t I? It just makes no sense...

Let’s meet in the royal capital, no matter what.

Also, who gave you permission to hole up in your hometown? I certainly didn’t, and I don’t intend to. The possibility is nil.

Yours truly,

Lydia

(Planning to interrogate a suspected lover of little girls.)

PS: My little sister is sulking because you should have just become her tutor instead. Make sure to comfort her yourself. I’ve spent the past three months putting her through intensive training, so if you think your students are going to beat her and take first place on the exam, you have another thing coming. Don’t forget—you’re no match for me!

Send me a letter when you leave the north! And be sure to address your next one to the Leinster house in the capital.