Shilong Royal Palace.
Under the same moonlight.
Roxy, who looked no older than fourteen, sat at her desk writing a letter in her room.
Her small frame couldn't even reach the ground from the chair; her toes had to rest tense on the crossbar between the chair legs.
Her posture was impeccably upright.
The sound of her pen scratching across the paper echoed softly as characters came alive on the page.
In contrast to her petite appearance, her handwriting wasn't at all delicate or girlish, nor did it possess the ornamental flair of a noble's practiced pen. It was precise, each stroke methodical—reminiscent of the fine handwriting found in hand-copied magic textbooks.
Just like her approach to magic—
Meticulous, even a bit rigid.
But the content of the letter...
Was entirely the opposite of her formal script.
Filled with a charm that matched her dainty appearance.
A far cry from the well-curated phrasing and observations she once penned in the Monster Encyclopedia.
——
Dear Allen,
It hasn't been long since your winter letter last year, and before I even had a chance to reply, you sent another one.
Barely a month apart.
I was a little... hmm, surprised.
Normally, you wait for my reply before sending another, but this time it was two in a row...
If there's anything else you want to share, please feel free to write to me anytime. Hearing about the three of you always makes me feel like I'm a part of it all too.
It reminds me a little of the brief time we spent together two years ago.
Strange, isn't it?
As for what you mentioned in the letter—
You've already completely handled the monster outbreak in the Snow Valley since last winter?
Impressive.
That reminds me of the outbreaks near the Red Dragon Mountains.
During the two years I worked as a tutor at the knight's household, every winter I saw the lord ride out to hunt monsters—it would take him a full week.
The lady of the house always looked worried.
During that time, the atmosphere at home was heavy. Only after his safe return would things go back to normal.
Now that the monsters have been wiped out, maybe there won't be any trouble for a few years.
I'm truly happy for them.
As for the monster hunt itself...
Even though you only briefly mentioned it in your letter, I could tell it was dangerous.
Monsters as far as the eye could see...
Honestly, I've only seen something like that inside labyrinths.
And to think it was an entire snow valley filled with them.
Labyrinths might not even compare to the number you fought.
I'd really like to know more.
If you can,
Please tell me more about what happened next time you write.
I understand it's in your nature to avoid worrying me—just like when you hunted that "Mane Wolf."
But still.
I like feeling involved. It brings back memories of that time.
I hope you weren't injured.
About Sylphy's hair turning white due to a sudden depletion of mana—
That really shocked me.
After reading your letter, I rushed to the archives here in the royal capital and found a case from decades ago in the Shilong Kingdom.
But it involved a human.
Quite different from Sylphy's mixed heritage.
I dug into records about mixed-race lineage. It seems that, compared to humans, mixed-blooded people tend to have superior talents in various situations—
Including physical attributes.
And that human in the record lived a normal, long life.
So...
I think Sylphy will be fine.
Please don't worry too much.
Still, when we meet again, I'd like to examine Sylphy's condition myself.
But what I'm really curious about is...
What kind of accident could've caused her to run out of mana?
Maybe your monster hunt was even more dangerous than I imagined.
Once again—if you can, please share what really happened.
I do worry about all of you.
Hm, I got a little serious without realizing.
Now let me talk a bit about how I've been lately.
First off, about the new student I've taken on at the royal palace—
He's the seventh prince of Shilong, named Pax Shilong.
Just as you guessed, he's quite the handful—a mischievous little rascal. Cute at a glance, but after spending some time with him, I realized how spoiled he is and how that's made him rather unruly.
He's already twelve.
You're only eleven—still younger than him.
But I can't help comparing the two of you...
Why is the gap so big?
I can still see a bit of cuteness in his face, but when I think of you, those words just never come to mind.
Ah—
Sorry, I digressed.
It seems whenever I write to you about my daily life, I always go off-topic without realizing.
My apologies.
Speaking of him, it reminds me of the teaching advice you gave me in your letter.
I have to admit—you were right to be concerned.
Over these past few months, I've caught myself more than once wanting to compare him with Rudy's talent. But remembering your warning helped me hold back.
Just like you said—it could really hurt his confidence.
To be honest with you, at first, I lost a bit of confidence in myself as a magician because of Rudy's chantless casting.
But after meeting you, I started to think...
Maybe the Greyrat family really does produce geniuses.
Ever since we parted ways, none of the adventurers I've encountered—swordsmen or magicians—have come close to your terrifying talent.
It seems geniuses aren't that common after all.
So I'll follow your advice and continue teaching gently, with praise instead of criticism.
Still, there's one thing I don't quite understand...
Why did you emphasize—twice—that if he ever does anything inappropriate, like sexual harassment, I should instantly use Enkan Enjō (Flame Encircle) on him?
He does say some inappropriate things sometimes, but he's never done anything like that so far.
I think you might be worrying too much.
Hmm...
Could it be...
You're worried about me?
——
At that line, Roxy blinked rapidly.
She stared at her "draft" with a slightly awkward expression. Ever since the "accident" where she ran out of space on a single sheet of paper, she had gotten into the habit of drafting her letters to Allen first.
Even now, the memory made her feel a bit embarrassed.
Just writing "Dear" and immediately scratching it out—how obvious could that be?
Fortunately, Allen never said anything...
Roxy scratched her cheek, her blue hair flowing between her fingers.
She picked up the draft again, skimming through it with her deep-blue eyes.
Then she set the letter down.
She crossed out lines like "Could it be... you're worried about me?" and "I was a little... hmm, surprised." and "Sorry, I digressed again..." and then proceeded to black out every little "hmm" and "ah".
After that—
She reread the letter again and finally nodded with satisfaction.
"This should sound less clingy now, right?"
Roxy blinked, smiled faintly, and picked up her pen to continue.
——
About what you said—that the roots beneath Shilong's national flower are edible—
I gave it a try. Soaking them in sugar water makes them really tasty.
Could it be...
You still remember I like sweets? (scratched out)
As for the "Snowflake of Buena Village" you sent me, I received it. I never imagined flowers could be crafted like that—it's also very easy to preserve.
I was thinking of using it as a bookmark, but considering it might crush the delicate folds, I gave up on that idea.
Honestly, I don't want to damage that "snowflake."
When I look at it, I can't help but think of you—(scratched out) Buena Village's snow.
Still, thank you. I'll treasure it.
As for the "Evil God figurine"? What kind of name is that? Sounds rude...
Don't tell me you don't like the little doll I carved for you. Sure, it wasn't very well-made, but I really tried...
Though the one you gave me—I really like it. I still sleep with it in my hand. (Entire segment blacked out)
Finally—
About when we'll meet again.
Your usual poetic lines.
But still unexpectedly heartwarming.
Very much your style.
I wonder when I'll hear them again in person...
Will it be summer? Or winter?
Honestly... I don't have any gifts to send you this time. I haven't been out of the palace lately.
Sorry.
The Batils Flower bookmark you sent is beautiful.
I didn't expect you to be so skilled with your hands—unlike me, who only managed to make one complete petal out of all the national flowers of Shilong. (Blacked out at light speed)
——
Roxy.
Also—
Stop calling me Blue Mama!
——
Letter finished, Roxy lifted the page and stared at the mess of scribbles and blacked-out lines.
Her face froze, and then she slumped forward in mild despair onto the letter.
"What on earth is this..."
The candlelight flickered before her face, her long waterfall of blue hair cascading over the desk as her expression shifted from embarrassment to troubled.
In front of her, the letter Allen had sent recently still lay on the desk.
The candlelight danced across his handwriting.
——
Next time you write, please send it directly to the lord's manor in Roa. Compared to Buena Village, I think Roa—a larger city—is better for Rudy and Sylphy's growth. They're both exceptional among their peers and should broaden their horizons in a city.
The manor there should provide a good learning environment.
I'll try to discuss this with Uncle Paul. Maybe we can even work as tutors for the young lady of the house and earn a bit to help the family. Ever since Norne and Aisha arrived, I can clearly feel the added financial pressure.
That also means... I'll finally meet my birth parents. I wonder what kind of people they are. Honestly, I don't feel much.
But one thing's for sure—I don't plan to reveal my identity. They probably won't recognize me anyway. My appearance has changed a lot.
Maintaining some distance sounds fine to me.
With this letter, it's as if we've met again.
—Allen.
——
"Allen's family, huh... sent away at birth to the capital, never having met his parents... calling his own little sister the 'young lady of the lord's house'…"
"That's... a little worrying."
At that moment, Roxy lay slumped over her desk. The candlelight flickered in her deep-blue eyes, and for a fleeting second—
She imagined Allen's expression.
Not the usual relaxed one—but a little worn and tired.
Roxy blinked. The illusion vanished.
She straightened up.
The soft scratch of pen on paper resumed once more.
——
Allen.
Are you doing okay lately?
If something's bothering you—
You can tell me.
I'm willing to listen.
I want to listen.
Even if it's through letters.
——
The pen stopped.
A long silence.
This time, she didn't scratch out a single word.
The candlelight swayed.
Her eyes shimmered.
And in the shadows cast across the page—
There was a name.
Allen's name.
(End of Chapter)
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