Princess Filia said she had met me once before, but I had no idea.
　But I had no idea.

Do you remember the first time you met me, Solon?

I'm sorry to say that...

　Clarice told me that she had met Filia a long time ago, and I tried to remember, but to no avail.
　In the first place, I don't think I've ever had the opportunity to meet with a princess who has been in the Imperial Palace for so long.

　He thought about asking Filia about this someday, and wondered if he should wait for her to tell him.

　Filia smiled.

'Right. It's no wonder you don't remember. Four years ago I didn't call myself an imperial princess, and besides, it was only a little bit, really.''

　Four years ago.
　It was the year when I and Saint Sophia graduated from the magic school.
　I have been to the palace.

　I'm sure you've heard of this.
　This was the custom in the early days of the Imperial Academy of Magic.

　Filia gently pulled away from me.
　And then she held up her index finger in front of her.
　I'm sure you'll find a small fire on her fingertips.

"This is the magic Solon taught me.

　Filia whispered shyly.

　At that moment, I remembered.
　That's right.
　Indeed, I had taught a little girl magic back then.

　After the emperor's audience was over, I saw a girl as we were leaving the palace with a crowd of graduates.

　She was sitting in a small chair in the garden, all alone.
　She was a lovely looking girl with silver hair.
　The clothes she was wearing were made to fit her size and were of the highest quality.

　It was unnatural for a girl of the aristocratic class to be in a corner of a garden outside the Imperial Palace, probably without one of her attendants.

　Curious, I stepped off the path a bit and asked the girl, "Are you all right? I called out to him.
　The girl was heartbroken and wanted me to stay with her.
　And it was Filia.

'I was sneaking out of my room in the palace at that time,' he said, 'because I wanted to see the outside of the palace. I wanted to look out of the palace.

　But young Filia didn't have the courage to go further than the gardens of the Imperial Palace.
　Besides, due to the complicated structure inside the Imperial Palace, she didn't even know how to get back to her room.

I didn't even have Clarice around at the time and I was really worried. I was really worried that no one would come looking for me.

　That's when I appeared.
　And little Filia asked me to teach her magic.

　I thought for a moment, and while I waited for my guardian to arrive, I thought it would be good enough to teach her, so I did her a favor.
　I taught her some very rudimentary magic until one of the maids came looking for me.

'So you were able to use fire magic to brew tea,'

　I remembered the day I first visited the Imperial Palace as Filia's tutor.
　Filia was using her magic to boil water for a cup of tea.

'Solon gently taught me magic, and then he said to me. 'You have a talent for magic,' he said. You'll be a first-rate wizard.'

　Yes, I did say that to the girl.
　And then I told her my name. I am Solon, a wizard who is about to become an adventurer.

You are the first person to ever tell me I can be great like that?　They said I was a useless girl who was the son of the devil, just another one of the many princesses. I thought so too. But you know...

　I wasn't.
　Even if I hadn't been, I think anyone with a certain amount of eyesight could have seen that Filia was talented.
　But I happened to be Filia's first teacher.

─ That's why I wanted to become a wizard. No, to be exact, I wanted to be like the wizard who taught me magic back then.

So you were looking for a mage as a tutor.

'If it were true, I would have liked to learn from Solon himself again. But I didn't think it was possible for me to hire Solon, who is the second-in-command of the Order of St. Sophia.

'But I'm no longer the vice-captain of the Order, and then I get to be Lady Filia's tutor.

I feel very fortunate to have Solon as my mentor, he was and still is very kind. He was and still is very kind.

　Filia had met me once in the guise of a maid, but that, according to Filia, was going to be a test to see if I hadn't changed.
　And the result was that I passed, and she seemed to think I was still the same kind person.

　Filia smiled softly.

I'm sure you'll be able to learn a lot about magic and everything else from now on. It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get to know each other.

　Just when I was about to answer Filia's words.
　A strange sound like a rumbling of the earth echoed through the mansion.