The place where Vivi and Lilion’s first lesson would be held was the study. Lilion, who stood in front of the door adorned with a red jewel, looked back at the knights on both sides.
“We greet Lord Lilion.”
They, who made a hand salute, informed him that the student who desired learning had arrived at the study.
“…It’s been a long time.”
The Vivi he faced was still not an ordinary rabbit.
Its fur, as white as snow, had been mottled as if it had rolled around in some pile of ashes, and even in the midst of that, it wore the bow tie that Meimi had prepared, as if trying to be polite.
Vivi, who was sitting on a rectangular desk, politely bowed low.
Unlike the unpleasantness felt when not knowing it was a beastfolk, Lilion, who unknowingly thought it was rather polite, smacked his forehead.
‘You must not get swayed.’
Hadn’t he decided not to get swayed by the rabbit’s suspiciousness even before entering? However, from the point of teaching the rabbit, Lilion’s common sense was already losing its bearings.
“I’m late in introducing myself. I am Lilion Feyant, father-in-law of House Head Valence, father of Edith Grace, and grandfather of Ahin. I also served as the dean of Belhelm Academy.”
When he took his seat, an awkward silence flowed. In truth, as long as human Lilion did not open his mouth, this would be a forever silent lesson.
Ahem- He cleared his throat and began to speak.
“I still find you suspicious.”
‘I know.’
Vivi also did not expect that they would become comfortable with each other. It was merely that their interests aligned due to the intersection called Ahin. Vivi, who tried not to lose courage, nodded firmly.
‘Lord Lilion, I’m telling you again, that bunny defeated a black panther with mere fighting spirit. You heard the rumors about the spar, did you not?’
‘You, why do you keep rambling in my ear so annoyingly!’
As Lilion’s head shook vigorously, Everine’s brainwashing kept coming to mind. Whether he had been entranced in that short moment or not, the thought that the fist-sized rabbit’s fighting spirit was no ordinary thing surged in.
“Before the lesson, I have one thing I wanted to ask you.”
Lilion took out the gossip paper in question from his grayish-white robe.
“Was the rabbit beastfolk in the article you?”
Faced with the gossip paper, which she hated to even look at, Vivi’s pupils trembled.
‘Lady Nymph, I heard that this time you would have Lord Lilion as your teacher. Let me prepare a backpack for the lesson.’
‘Everine, don’t do that. The nymph disliked it.’
How much Ahin and Everine had teased because of that gossip paper. They had giggled so loudly, it had been a racket.
Vivi immediately picked up the lightweight nib pen that Ahin had gifted. It had been specially crafted so that a rabbit could stand on two feet and use it.
When Vivi tried something, Lilion, holding his breath, watched the movement closely.
On top of the gossip paper, Vivi moved to her own article and, slash slash, crossed out the word Nymph solemnly.
“The rabbit beastfolk is indeed you, but you are not a Nymph. Was that what you meant?”
Vivi, who put down the nib pen, nodded her head.
“I had not believed that part from the start.”
Although Vivi had desperately wished for someone to say that, when Lilion actually said it, she felt discontent.
“I do not know the detailed circumstances, but from what I had roughly heard from my grandson, it seemed that you needed Perenium to become human. Judging from that, this part was true.”
Borrowing the nib pen, he underlined the part where it stated that Ahin Grace had bestowed a mansion upon a dancer.
“The market value of Perenium far surpassed the price of a mansion owned by a mid-level noble.”
Confronted with this unbelievable truth, Vivi’s black pupils trembled.
Thud, Vivi plopped down, and her lips trembled softly. Though she had known it was expensive, she never imagined it would be to that extent. If Ahin ever decided to charge a fee, she might quietly become a salad in place of the debt.
“Why are you like that, are you hurt anywhere?”
Lilion, who had spoken without much thought, was flustered by the unexpected reaction.
‘No, no.’
Barely calming herself, Vivi brought out the backpack that she had received from Everine. It was a backpack that had small portions of paper for note-taking.
Sensing that this signified she wanted to proceed with the lesson, Lilion nodded seriously.
“First, I want to know what level you are at. I heard that you devoted a lot of time to reading. Let’s first check what kind of books you mainly read.”
Lilion had quite a few other matters he was curious about, but decided to postpone them for now.
If things went on like this, it would be much more efficient to ask after Perenium was made and the rabbit returned to being human.
Vivi, who agreed with his thought, climbed onto Lilion’s palm. It meant to be lowered from the desk.
After trembling his hands, he soon regained composure and lowered Vivi onto the floor.
Step by step, Vivi and Lilion crossed the wide study side by side. The scent of sunlight that seeped through the windows eased the atmosphere between the two even slightly.
Lilion repeatedly lifted and lowered Vivi to the bookshelf he indicated. Each time, the cotton ball-like touch felt in his palm created cracks in his firm heart.
After several repetitions, thick books were piled up on the desk like a tower.
「Deepening of Continental History」, 「A Study on the Evolution of Beastfolk」, 「The Evolutionary Theory of Herbivorous Beastfolk」….
A storm surged in Lilion’s red eyes as he checked each volume one by one.
“Did you really read all of these?”
Vivi, who had taken a seat at the desk once again, awkwardly scratched her temple.
Seeing the young rabbit feeling embarrassed, he rubbed his face with dry hands. By this point, he could not distinguish whether the place he stood was a dream or reality.
“Let’s see now.”
Seated, Lilion engraved Arabian numerals from 0 to 9 on the small pieces of paper Vivi had brought. After lining up all ten sheets of paper in order, Lilion murmured quietly.
“The Elington War.”
A flash appeared in Vivi’s eyes as she grasped his intention.
Tap, tap, tap, Vivi accurately pinpointed the numbers of the year in which the war had occurred with her forepaw.
“…Quite something.”
Considering the possibility that the first might have been a fluke, he deepened the question further.
“The time when the Deer Clan’s rebellion broke out during the Gragor era.”
This time as well, without a moment’s hesitation, the forepaw picked out the perfect number. Drip, a line of cold sweat trickled down Lilion’s temple.
“…The year when Dr. Euston first advocated the Evolutionary Theory of beastfolk.”
Tap,
“The date on which the first chairman of the Continental Neutral Committee was carefully selected!”
Tap, tap.
The speed at which he posed questions and Vivi selected answers gradually accelerated.
After about an hour passed, both Lilion and Vivi, who had run without rest, panted for breath.
“You did not back down an inch.”
‘Grandfather, you were the same.’
Vivi, having poured out all her passion, had long since tossed away even her bow tie.
“You did well. All of them… were perfect answers.”
As a dean, Lilion could not hide the thrill he felt.
At this level, Vivi could easily rank among the top at Belhelm Academy, and even aim for early graduation. Was she not a talented figure?
His ambitious goal of investigating the suspicious rabbit faded white. With the proper foothold, this talent could take wing and soar.
“Let’s begin the main lesson now.”
Thump, Lilion, who had stacked the books high, was unexpectedly fired up about developing talent.
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