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Roxy's Letter
Dear Sylphie,
Winter feels especially long this year—even letters seem to travel slower.
The last time I heard from you, you were describing the snowy scenery of Buena Village. Now, it's already late spring.
Time flies, doesn't it?
How have you been lately?
In your last letter, you mentioned your hair had grown to your shoulders. Has it gotten even longer now?
You once said you wanted to try braiding it when it reached that length, but I don't think you need to.
Allen mentioned in one of his letters that straight, shoulder-length hair suits you best—it makes your long ears look especially charming.
That description made me curious about how you'd look with white, flowing hair.
Next time we meet, I hope you've grown it out gracefully.
I'm sure it'll be beautiful.
My life lately has been quite different from last year's constant battles in labyrinths. Now, I'm settled in the royal palace, with maids attending to daily needs, and my main work involves teaching magic to the prince.
During this time, I often find myself thinking of you all.
And I've come to one conclusion:
Talent in magic varies from person to person—that's an undeniable fact.
The prince's aptitude for magic is leagues behind yours and Rudy's. The gap becomes painfully obvious during lessons, and I sometimes catch myself feeling disappointed, even snapping at him.
He, in turn, reacts defiantly.
But recently, I've adjusted.
I remembered my experience teaching you.
If Rudy had been my only student, I might've remained stuck in that frustration. But teaching you made me realize—people are different.
Your talent, Rudy's talent—they weren't the same, were they?
And Allen? Though I've never seen him use magic, he once admitted in a letter that his magical aptitude is poor. Yet his swordsmanship is astonishing.
So, I've come to accept it.
People excel in different ways.
Allen even advised me in his letters not to be too harsh on the prince, worrying I might crush his confidence. After some thought, I changed my approach—focusing on praising his strengths rather than criticizing his weaknesses.
The results?
Remarkable.
The prince's attitude shifted noticeably. He now addresses me as "Teacher" instead of just "Roxy," and his interest in magic has grown. His demeanor has also mellowed slightly.
Thanks to this, my workload has lightened.
Though it's still nothing compared to how effortlessly you and Rudy learned.
But that just proves it, doesn't it?
Sylphie, you are a genius.
So, have confidence in yourself.
And you know I'm not just talking about magic~
Speaking of which, as your teacher, I must ask:
Have you kept up with your magic studies?
Your talent for healing magic must've improved significantly by now.
It reminds me of how you used to follow Allen around, ready to heal his injuries from practicing the Twenty-Four Strikes…
Just writing this, that image pops into my head.
It's a fond memory.
By the time you read this, have you already started tutoring the young lady in Roa?
Ah, right—Allen mentioned in his last letter that he'd take you all to the lord's estate.
Honestly, I was surprised.
I thought after a few more years of magic training, he'd send you to the Magic University before pursuing his own goals.
But instead, he chose to continue your education at the lord's mansion.
Well, I suppose the resources there are better, and the salary must ease the knight's family's financial burden.
Though he didn't say how long you'd stay…
A year? Two?
Maybe even longer?
The lord's mansion…
That's Allen's home.
Thinking about it, I realize I haven't been back to my own home in ages.
Allen, too, seems to have a strained relationship with his parents.
No—strained isn't the right word.
It's more like… he doesn't feel any real connection to them.
Lately, I've wondered—when he weighed education and finances, was there also some unspoken "expectation" toward the parents he's never met?
His letters don't reveal much, though. His tone is as casual as ever.
But one thing stands out.
He refers to his biological younger sister as…
"The young lady of the lord's house."
It's a little worrying.
If you can, keep an eye on him for me?
It's April 11th here in Shirone Kingdom, where spring is in full bloom.
The palace gardens are filled with beautiful flowers.
But I haven't had the heart to appreciate them.
Maybe it's the monotony of palace life, or something else—but memories of Buena Village keep resurfacing.
The knight's house.
The bedroom I lived in for two years, then Allen for nearly two more.
The hills outside the village, the lush trees.
The "Territory Declaration" with my name added to it.
The nights during our training camp when I told you stories of my travels.
Even though we only spent two weeks together back then, it feels like those moments took up so much more of my life.
Do you think it's because I'm getting old? That's why I reminisce so much?
This letter should reach Fittoa faster than the winter ones—probably in about two months.
After all, the snow has long melted.
Correspondence should be smoother now.
In every way, that's good news.
—Roxy.
Sylphie's Reply
Dear Teacher,
I hope you're doing well.
I received your letter yesterday—it made me so happy.
Thank you for your kindness.
About my hair… Thank you for the advice. I've come to realize lately that maybe sticking to what suits me is best.
Honestly, the reason I wanted braids was… because of you.
Everyone always praises your blue braids, so I couldn't help but want to try them too.
But lately, seeing myself more often in Lady Hilda's mirrors, I've started to think straight, shoulder-length hair might be better.
Next time we meet, you'll see for yourself.
And I've grown taller too!
I wonder if you'll be surprised when you see me again.
Back when we last met, I was just a short, green-haired Sylphie.
About magic talent—calling me a genius is too much! Rudy and Allen are the real geniuses. I still have a ways to go… But hearing you say that makes me happy.
My magic has been improving. Your assessment was spot-on—especially with healing magic.
I suppose it's because I hate seeing people hurt.
Just like how I always wanted to heal Allen under that tree.
For some reason, when I write to you, I can express even the things that usually make me shy.
I can be completely honest with you.
But with others? It's harder.
I guess I still need to be braver. More open.
Well…
Then I'll start now!
I want to say…
Next time we meet, could you praise me the way you do the prince?
My hair, my magic, even my ears—anything would make me happy.
Just thinking about it makes me blush…
But I won't rewrite this letter.
I don't mind you seeing me like this.
Because you're someone I deeply admire.
It's June now in Fittoa.
Two months have passed since we came to the Boreas household as tutors.
A few days ago, Allen, Rudy, and I returned briefly to Buena Village. I even asked Father and Mother if any letters from you had arrived—I was a little disappointed when they said no.
But then, right after coming back, your letter arrived.
From what you wrote, it seems you already knew we'd be at the Boreas house.
Going by the timing, Allen must've written to you in winter…
I didn't realize he'd made the decision so early. (Ink smudge)
Ah, sorry! I got distracted…
Allen is very methodical. It's hard not to trust his plans.
About coming to the Boreas house—
From what Allen told you, it seems he'd always intended to bring us to Roa.
But the truth is…
We weren't "chosen" to go to the Boreas house.
We were taken there suddenly by his biological father—Lord Philip.
It caught Allen off guard too. The situation was rushed and tense…
But even then, he managed to follow through with his original plan in just one afternoon. (Ink smudge)
Sorry, Teacher, I got sidetracked again…
What I meant to say is:
Allen's identity is no longer a secret—Lord Philip and Sauros both know now.
As for how things have been since then…
Just as you guessed, Allen seems unchanged on the surface—his words and actions are as calm as ever.
But he is struggling to adjust.
And that struggle became obvious the very next day after arriving.
He handles Lord Philip, Sauros, Eris, and Ghislaine with ease…
But around Lady Hilda, he acts lost.
It's not that Lady Hilda is unpleasant—quite the opposite.
She's elegant, witty, charming, and warm.
These past two months, I've gotten along with her wonderfully.
The problem, I think, is precisely because she's the only one in the Boreas family who treats Allen with such open kindness—like family.
That's what unsettles him.
So much so that it's even affecting his swordsmanship.
According to Ghislaine, his "desire" has dimmed—his heart isn't as steady anymore.
Rudy came to me, wanting to help Allen, but I refused.
Because I have faith in him.
But two months have passed, and nothing's improved…
Now, I'm starting to worry.
Yet every time I approach Allen to talk privately, he looks so flustered that I don't know what to say.
I know this might sound like I'm tattling, but…
Could you… maybe praise Allen in your next letter too?
I think…
It might help "reignite" his "desire."
Lastly…
From what Lord Philip said, we might not be staying at the Boreas house for just a year or two.
It could be four years.
So…
If you miss us…
Would you…
Come visit?
We miss you too.
I haven't forgotten our "adventurer" promise.
—Sylphie.
August – Shirone Royal Palace
The flowers mentioned in the letters had long wilted, replaced by lush greenery.
Night fell as usual.
Roxy sat at her desk, as she always did after a long day.
Her signature blue hair, freed from its usual braid, cascaded over the table like a waterfall.
But her normally composed expression was stiff.
In her hands—
Sylphie's reply.
On the desk—
Allen's already-opened letter.
Roxy stared at the last few lines of the letter, frozen for a long moment.
A breeze slipped through the window, brushing her face.
Suddenly, she slapped her cheeks lightly, as if to shake herself awake.
Then, she pulled out a fresh sheet of paper.
The sound of pen on paper filled the room.
Roxy's Second Letter
Dear Sylphie,
I got your letter today.
I'm glad I asked about Allen—his own letter didn't mention anything about the situation at the Boreas house.
That boy, always hiding his troubles.
The problem does sound tricky. I wish I could offer proper advice, but by the time this reaches you in October, whatever's meant to happen will have already happened.
But why did you want me to "praise" Allen?
And what's this about "reigniting desire"?
Since when did the Sword God style get so weird…
Anyway.
Even though our training camp feels like yesterday, it's been so long since we last met. Maybe it's my "forty-year-old time distortion" making two years feel like a blink.
You've grown so much, Sylphie.
I'm sorry if my last letter sounded too much like a lecture. I still unconsciously treat you like a child.
I should be more honest too.
This letter's gotten too long—I wanted to keep it concise, but I ran out of time.
I'll finish tomorrow…
T.T
—Roxy.
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