Our family mornings are earlier than most people in King's Landing.
　Elsa will be the first one to wake up among the girls.
　She wakes from her bedding just as the sun is still up, when the dregs of the night are still in the air.
　She has a morning discipline. She hasn't missed a day of it since she was in the village. It's probably what keeps her strong now.

　Anna is the next one to wake up.
　She reads every newspaper in King's Landing until breakfast.
　As guildmaster, she needs to keep an eye on what's going on in the world. Her efforts have helped her get to where she is.

　As for me...
　I'm up before the girls. Because I have to get ready for breakfast. I had to make sure they have a good day ahead of them.

　And Meryl is the last one awake.
　If Elsa wakes up before sunrise and Anna wakes up as soon as the sun rises, Meryl is still under the covers when the sun is up.
　After Elsa and Anna went to work, I went to Meryl's futon.

"Meryl. You gotta get up now.
Nyahhh. A little more ....... Just ten more minutes.
I've been repeating that question for two hours now: ....... I made breakfast. Get up and eat early or it will get cold.
Daddy. I'm gonna open my mouth.
Hey, hey, hey. ......

　I'm not Merrill's personal caretaker: .......
　No, in fact I am.

"You're going to be late for Potions Academy if you don't.
It's a beautiful day and I'm taking the day off.
So you're going on a rainy day?
"I'm going to take the day off in the rain, I'm going to get wet and catch a cold. Rain or shine. The wind can't help. That's the kind of person I want to be: ......
After all, you're not going on any day of the week!

　Huh, and that's when I was sighing. 　
　Knock.
　There was a knock on the front door.

"Yes?

　When I opened the door, there was an adult woman standing in the doorway.
　A cool beauty with tied-up hair and glasses.
　She was dressed in her school uniform.
　She exuded an air of seriousness.

"Let's see. You're ......?
Nice to meet you. My name is Irene. I'm a teacher at the Academy of Magic. Is this the right place for you, Merrill?
Yes. Meryl is my daughter.
Speaking of which: ......
I'm Meryl's father. My name is Kaiser.
Really. You're so young, you look like an older brother. Mr. Kaiser. I've heard so much about you.
Is this a rumor ......?
Yes. Meryl used to tell me. She said she loved her daddy. She said she was going to marry her daddy after all.
Ha ha ......

　So that's what Meryl's been spouting around.
　It's embarrassing.

So what's going on in my house, Irene?
I'm here to pick up Mr. Merrill, the slacker.
So that's what happened.

　I knew what I was doing, and I turned back indoors and called out.

'Meryl. Your magic school teacher is here to pick you up.
Please tell me I'm not here.
I heard you, Mr. Merrill.
'Whoa!　You scared the shit out of me.

　Before she knew it, Irene was standing at her bedside, and Merrill jumped up, startled.
　Her shoulders were peeking out of her soiled pajamas.



Now let's go to school. As a special student, you are obligated to go to school. I'm not leaving until you say yes.
'Yee-hah!　I'm not going to the school, right?
Why?
Now that I get to live with my dad. If I go to school, I won't be able to live apart.

　Meryl came to my side and squeezed my arm.

"She's a total f*cking dumbass.

　Irene lifted the vine of her glasses as if she were dumbfounded.
　As a parent, I had no choice but to apologize.
　Irene clasped her hand to her chin for a moment, thinking.
　Then, as if an idea came to her, she said.

"Then I'll tell you what.
Hmm?
'You don't want to be separated from your father, do you, Meryl? So you would go to school if your father was at the school?
"What?

　Meryl and I both blurted out.

"Irene. What the hell is going on ......
Mr. Kaiser. Would you be willing to teach at the Magical Academy?　If you do, I'm sure Mr. Merrill will attend the school.
Is this your teacher?
"Of course. We'll pay you accordingly. No skill in magic is necessary. At a minimum, you should be able to cast a spell.
I do have a background in magic, though.
So, that's all right then. What do you do for a living, Miss Kaiser?
'I don't have a regular job, but ....... An instructor in the Order and a few adventurers.
I see. Then I'd like to ask you to be a part-time instructor. That way, you'll be able to balance your other work.

　Irene said, and then.

What do you think?　Will you accept?
Hmmm ......
'My dad's going to be a teacher?　Then we can make out in the school!　Then I'll go to the school too!

　Meryl said in a spirited voice.

"Meryl said I'd like to do it and I'll take the job.

　So if you can get Meryl to go to school properly.

Thank you for your cooperation. As for teaching, it's basically fine if you're with the permanent instructor. It's just that we're a magical school. If someone who doesn't have magic power is here for a long time, their health could suffer. So, let me check to see if you have magic.
I understand.
'Then will you touch this crystal?　If one has magical powers, they will glow according to the amount of magic they have.

　Irene took the crystal ball and held it out in front of me.
　I touched the crystal ball with both hands. The crystal ball senses my magic and releases light. The light born in the center of the crystal ball instantly spread out over the entire ball.

What a powerful light......!　I can't believe it!　This amount of magic - far surpasses me and other instructors ......!
　Irene had a look of disbelief on her face.
'Mr. Kaiser!　Would you please come with me to the school as soon as possible?　I'd like to introduce you to the headmaster at least once!
'What?　Oh, yes.

　I had to head to the Magical Academy in a hurry.