Filia was still pliant on me, her face turning red.
　I froze, not knowing what to do.
　If anyone saw me, they would definitely misunderstand me.
　I don't think anyone would believe me if I told them I was playing "father and daughter.
　And the actual witness wasn't going to believe me.

"What's going on here?　Solon?

　A beautiful voice, somewhat low in tone for a woman, but beautiful, echoed in the room.
　When I turned the door of the room, a beautiful woman with red hair and red eyes was standing there.
　It was 'Lucy the Crimson', a professor at the Imperial School of Magic.

　Lucy made a troubled face and compared me and Filia.
　The imperial princess who would be her student was blushing and hugging her own student.
　I don't know why Lucy is here, but I'm sure she's confused.
　Before I could utter an excuse, Filia smiled and asked Lucy.

'Are you jealous?'

I mean, I don't envy you.

Yeah. So it's okay for me and Solon to stay close to each other like this?

Not good!

　Then Lucy blushed.
　Lucy briskly walked over to us.
　Then she grabbed me by the shoulders.

'Get a grip, Solon,' she said. You're her teacher. You have to tell him no to this kind of slutty stuff!

No, no, not slutty...

　Filia watches happily beside me as I almost explain.
　Filia pulls away from me and then interrupts me.

'But even Lucy was flirting with Solon a lot when he was a student, wasn't she?

"Wow, I don't do that with my students!

'I thought you were stroking her hair, hugging her, and giving her a lap pillow?'

'How do you know that!　Solon spoke!

　I shook my head and Filia stared at Lucy with zit eyes.

'Hmm. That's really what Lucy was doing.

Did you just lead them on?

　At Lucy's words, Filia nodded.
　Lucy's face grew redder and redder, and she fell to her knees in embarrassment, perhaps because of her embarrassment.
　I thought to myself that Lucy, the genius, was being completely pushed around by Filia.
　Lucy is a little older than me, but she was still something of a girl when Lucy became my mentor.
　So we were more of a friend than a master and student. I don't know if that's the right way to be a master and apprentice, though.

　Aside from that, Lucy doesn't use respectful language to the Imperial Princess Filia, and Filia treats Lucy rather casually.
　It was Lucy that brought Filia and I together.
　But I haven't asked her what Lucy and Filia's relationship is.
　I'm not sure if it's a good idea.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but I'm sure it's a good idea.

Cousin?

'My mother was a slave 'demon', but she had another formal mother to hide that. So that stepmother was Lucy's aunt.

So you're saying that my aunt was the emperor's consort.

　Lucy supplemented Filia's explanation.
　It's complicated, but the bottom line is that although they're not related by blood, they're related to each other.
　Otherwise, no matter how much Lucy is the daughter of a prestigious great nobleman, she wouldn't be able to easily come to the depths of the imperial palace like this.
　Lucy may have changed her mind and said with a serious look on her face.

''Anyway, you'll have to explain to Solon exactly what you were doing to a 14-year-old girl's apprentice.

I didn't do anything.

　I said that and tried to get Filia to agree with me, but she had already retreated to the back room.
　She'd started to get dressed at some point.

　I chuckled and Lucy glared at me.
　After we faced each other for a while, Lucy sighed and whispered.

''It's nice to get along with the Princess, but it's best to do it in moderation.

Wasn't it the doctor who introduced me to Lady Filia?

Yes, but I think we need to keep our distance. But I think we need to keep a proper distance.

I'm sure that's true.

　I nodded vaguely, and Lucy looked into my eyes with concern.

'It's you who gets too close and gets hurt. Your apprentice will leave you one day, and you won't need your mentor anymore. The deeper the attachment, the greater the hurt.

　Lucy said to herself.
　In other words, it sounded like she was talking about Lucy herself.

　I couldn't help but ask back.

'Will you miss your student, Lucy-sensei?'

My student is you, right?

　Come to think of it, you're right.
　I was the first apprentice of the still-young Professor Lucy, and the next one of Professor Lucy's apprentices hadn't graduated from wizarding school yet.
　Lucy whispered.

'Do you think I'm going to miss you?'

I'd be happy if you thought I missed you.

'If you think so, you should have stayed in the imperial capital all the time and not created an Order.

　Lucy murmured and stared at me with her beautiful red eyes.

'Both Sophia and Creon were so sticky with you, so helpful to you, and then they walked away from you. Even Filia could have done that. You will always be the one who will be hurt then. It must have been hard for you to be expelled from the Order, wasn't it?

Even if I was hurt, I don't think I did anything wrong.

Why?

　I spun the words as I thought about it.

'Sophia and Creon were both unreliable in the past, but now they're both fine adventurers that everyone admires. The two of them don't need me now. But if it's because of me in the past that they're able to play an active role, then I can be proud of that.

''Well you're more of a leader to the core than an adventurer.

Is that so?

Yes. And I'm not like you. You want to keep the important things at hand. I'm not cut out to be a teacher.

　Lucy smiled sadly.