﹡ ⊹ ⊰ Chapter 8 ⊱ ⊹ ﹡
Why is that person here?!
He looked a lot younger than I remembered, but this was definitely the Clerivan Pellet I know.
His tall stature, an upright posture as if he had a cast on his waist, and his eyes raised at the tips.
In this Lombardy, few people can maintain such resonance.
"What brought you here, Clerivan?"
My father was scratching his head, looking confused.
I would be like that, too. Clerivan Pellet was a very capable, but very busy person, overseeing the management of Lombardy.
At least in the future I know he was.
To the point, I can count on my two hands the times I see Clerivan's face while working with my grandfather.
He's right under my grandfather and reports to him most of the important affairs.
"May I go in?"
"Of course. Come in.”
My father is still waiting for Clerivan in the middle of the parlor, and I quickly pretended to pick up the book and read it.
I don't know why.
I just thought I had to do that.
I fixed my gaze somewhere on the letters that filled the side of the book and raised my ears.
As if conscious of me, Clerivan looked at me at the side and sat across my father.
"What brings you here? Did my father relay some urgent message for me..."
“No.”
"Then."
Even though Clerivan was an employee of my father's family, Father's attitude towards Clerivan was very different from his dealings with Dr. O'Malley.
That alone gave me a rough idea of the position of Clerivan in Lombardy.
At least, it was clear that the son of Rulhac was not a person who could do it at will.
Why did such a person visit my father?
"The reason I came here today is not to see you Lord Gallahan, but Miss Firentia."
Huh?
Me?
I endured all of my might to not look over there.
"You mean you came to see Firentia...?"
"Yes, that's right."
It seemed that I could feel the gaze of my father and Clerivan towards me.
Somehow, my forehead was itching, but I flipped the page as if I was still reading.
“Then it must be about the lessons.”
Lessons?
What lesson?
Unlike me, who is still confused, my father halted his head.
"It hasn't been confirmed yet. Today I'm here to talk to Miss Firentia for a bit if that's okay with you?"
“Yes, it's alright.”
Apart from understanding why Clerivan came today, my father seemed quite embarrassed, coughing a couple of times, and then called me.
"Tia, come here."
"Yes."
Like a kid who has been reading all the time, I assumed an expression that didn't know anything.
Then I thought about where to sit for a moment and went to sit down on my father's lap.
Because I am seven years old now.
If you're a real seven-year-old kid in a room with strangers, you'll want to stick to your father as much as possible.
As expected, my father lifted me and sat me on his lap gently.
Then there was a moment of silence.
To be precise, I and Clerivan faced each other and said nothing.
I just stared at Clerivan, who said he came to talk with me and didn't say anything else.
It was because I couldn't say my greetings first. After all, I didn't know if I had met him before or not.
“…Indeed."
After a while, he looked at me with his squinted eyes and muttered inaudible words, bowing his head a little while he was sitting, and greeted me first.
“It's nice to finally meet you, Firentia. I'm Clerivan Pellet."
Thank God.
I haven't met him before.
I bent my back with a sigh of relief deep down.
"Hello, my name is Firentia Lombardy."
Saying my greetings, my body bent forward but I nearly stumbled as I bowed my head too politely.
After all, the body of a child with a large head is very uncomfortable.
“Lord Gallahan. Can I talk to Miss Firentia for a moment, just the two of us?"
The form was that of a question, but it wasn't really asking my father's consent.
In other words, he was told to go out.
"Tia. Mr. Clerivan says he has a few things to ask. Dad will be in his room for a while.
My father gently stroked my hair and explained to me.
"Yeah."
I expected to some extent, but I'm a little nervous about having to talk to Clerivan alone.
The sharp gaze that seemed like scrutinizing me from head to foot is also very burdensome.
I felt as if I was lying on the experiment table.
When the door of my father's room closed, Clerivan stood up and brought something.
It was a book called <People of the South> that I was reading a while ago.
“Do you know what I do in Lombardy?”
Knowing that, I'm not so nervous.
However, which kind of job did Clerivan Pellet be in charge of when it comes to children?
I shook my head excessively.
“I'm teaching the younger heirs of the family who will lead this Lombardy in the future.”
Ah!
That kind of lesson!
Now I understood the conversation between my father and Clerivan.
By the time I turned nine years old, I began to take lessons from a teacher for a while.
But the teacher at that time wasn't Clerivan.
Before that, did he move to another job?
Anyway, the 'lessons' that Clerivan refers to was a kind of succession class and was the first official evaluation platform for Lombardy children to take the next step.
According to the plan of the teacher, the children of the family are gathered and taught together.
At first glance, it would seem like normal tutoring for children, but it wasn't like that at all.
Rather, it was a lot cruel.
There was no set of age at which to attend the lessons.
Only children who were capable of following along with the lessons were given the chance to participate, regardless of age.
Firstly, all Lombardy children are harshly evaluated for their level of competence. As such, the difference in their skills will be revealed the moment they began taking the lessons.
Secondly, there was no determined age when one was to finish taking the lesson.
One day, I was told, 'You don't have to go to class anymore.'
That was my case in the past.
Of course, it wasn't actually a graduation, but I was no longer qualified from attending lessons.
And finally, the evaluations made during each lesson are reported to my grandfather.
In a word, it meant that the current Clerivan Pellet was like a direct link that could connect me and my grandfather.
And that he came here exclusively for me.
"My grandfather sent you?"
I barely suppressed the laughter that seemed to pop out of my mouth, which was reflected in his eyes when he looked at me.
As I stared at myself without any special meaning, Clerivan, who slightly frowned on something he didn't like, asked me as he lay down the book in front of me.
“I heard that you are reading this book.”
"Yes, I've been reading it since yesterday."
"Is that so... If so, do you know what it is about?"
Seems like he's testing me if I can really read this book right now.
I was lucky to read it in advance last night.
I pretended to think for a while before replying.
"I just read it for a bit, but apparently, there are amazing people that are living in the woods in the south of the Empire. This is a book that tells stories about them."
Clerivan heard my answer and seemed a little embarrassed.
You probably thought I was carrying books like a toy.
I understand.
Of course, It was suspicious for a seven-year-old girl to be reading a book that was not a fairy tale or a book that would even make an adult bored.
I looked at Clerivan with a smile in an attitude of 'Ask Anything'.
"What is the name of the author who wrote this book?"
"It says 'Ropilli' on the cover."
“What was the content of Chapter 1?”
“It was told that the author heard rumors about the people of the South.”
“Hmm…….”
Clerivan was lost for words by my unobstructed answer.
I asked with an innocent expression that I didn't know anything.
“Did you come here because you want to read this book? Would you like to borrow it?"
I handed the thick green book to Clerivan and said.
“I'm curious about what's behind it, but I can read it later.”
"Hmm. It's not like that. I've already read it, so you can keep reading it."
"Ah, that's good!"
I laughed, holding the book in my arms, acting as if I'm really happy.
The fun of teasing this person was great, seeing those cold human eyes wavered.
He was looking uncomfortable for a while.
Clerivan, who wore a blunt face again, asked me another question.
“There are three rumors that Ropilli heard. What did he—?”
“Wait a minute, Uncle Clerivan.”
"Y-yes?"
"You are wrong."
I laughed as I raised the tips of my mouth.
“Ropilli is not a 'he'. It's a 'she'.”
"What?"
"If you look at the page in front of the cover, it's listed there. Her full name is Avane Ropilli. She's a female scholar."
“W-what is that now…… .”
Confused Clerivan opens the book and urgently reads the preface down.
Oh, this is fun.
I threw another one toward Clerivan, who couldn't hide his embarrassment.
"You said you already read it but I guess, you only skimmed through it."
His shoulders flinched, then his ears turned red.
I had to bite the flesh on the inside of my cheeks in order not to laugh.
Clerivan, who covered the book with a sound, said with dread while looking at me sitting with a relaxed expression.
“At first, it will be difficult to keep up with the lessons.”
"Yay! I will learn a lot of new things!"
I nodded and said brightly.
"I will not treat you special because you are young. You will be taking classes with your cousins who are older than Miss Firentia."
"I think it will be fun!"
How to make the moon look brighter when the night sky is dark.
I would look smarter next to them!
Excitedly, seeing me running around with my short legs, Clerivan gave up as he sighed a little and said.
“…… And not uncle. Call me Teacher.”
Finally, permission has been given!
Before Clerivan changed his mind, I quickly replied out loud.
"Yes, Teacher!"
I'm going to be taking classes at the age of seven!
Perhaps it's the fastest record there is in Lombardy history?
How will Clerivan report what happened today to my grandfather?
The imagination made me feel better, and I laughed looking at Clerivan.
Reviewed by Lnovels
on
January 04, 2021
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