I thought I heard a gentle voice in my ear.
　No, it wasn't my imagination.

　I listened to the voice in a daze.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this. But...

　I couldn't hear the rest of it.
　I couldn't be sure if it was a dream or reality.

　A thump, a light tap on my shoulder.
　Then a tug on my cheek.

"Hey, wake up. Hey, wake up, Solon.

　When I opened my eyes, I saw Filia in her nightgown right next to me.
　Filia smiled and looked into my eyes.

　I sat in a chair in my study and watched Filia study the ruins, and before I knew it, she had fallen asleep.
　It was already beginning to get light outside the window.
　I got up from my chair in a hurry.

''Hui, Filia-sama!　I'm sorry!

Solon has nothing to apologize for. I forced myself to come to this room. I'm sorry I was asleep, okay?

No, it's a shameful thing that I wanted to give you a lesson, Filia-sama, but you fell asleep...

Okay. Okay, Solon. I fell asleep with you. Can I give you a good morning kiss instead?

What?

'Didn't Solon wake me up and kiss me good morning before?

'Oh, yes, you did,'

　I was acting in a setting where I was playing the role of the father and Phylicia was playing the role of the daughter, when Phylicia pressed me that the father would kiss the daughter good morning.
　And I kissed Phylicia on the cheek.

　But now I don't,

　Filia says happily.

"Do you want to 'play father and daughter' again?

Please don't make me weary of that.

'Shame. But I'm going to kiss you good morning, okay?　I can't do it in a room with Clarice and Sophia, so it's something I can only do now.

No, it's not like you have to do anything else...?

I want to do it. Now it's my turn to be Solon.

Well. As I said before, those things are for fathers and daughters or lovers.

Yeah. We're neither of those things. But is it really so strange to show our gratitude to our precious master?

Don't you think it would be weird if I kissed Dr. Lucy on the cheek or something?

　My mentor, Lucy, was close to me, probably because we weren't that far apart in age.
　But I never kissed her on the cheek or anything like that.
　Filia nodded her head.

'Hmm. I'd feel a little bad if Solon was doing that kind of thing with Lucy.

Isn't that right?

But I would love for Solon to do that with me. Do you understand?

　Filia looked me up and down.
　When I was confused, Filia smiled.

'You don't have to do anything Solon. He just needs to accept that I'm going to kiss him. Isn't it easy?

No, but, you know...

I can't kiss Solon when he's standing up. I'm shorter than you. Will you sit down?

　I hesitated.
　Is it right to do as Filia says here?

　But I also feel guilty that I've fallen asleep without leaving Filia alone, and it's hard to say no.
　Besides, she'll just kiss me on the cheek.

　I gave up and sat back in my chair.
　Filia looked at me squarely in the eye and blushed a little.

'It's so embarrassing to do it to yourself.

'You're going to embarrass me too, so please don't say things like that.

'Because the last time you kissed me on the cheek or the instep, it was from Solon.

Well, it was.

　Both of us kissed each other, though, in response to Filia's request.
　Filia's gaze was fixed on me intently, probably looking around my lips.

　Filia gently moved her face closer to mine.
　I hurriedly put my index finger in front of my mouth.

　Chomping on the index finger, Filia's lips touch the index finger.

''Filia-sama it's supposed to be your cheek that you kiss, right?

Yeah, right?

Were you trying to kiss my lips just now?

It's just my imagination.

　With that, Filia's face turned bright red.
　Filia's lips touched the index finger she held up in front of her mouth, so Filia is lying.
　She was probably going to kiss him lip to lip.

　But that's indeed not good.
　I stood up and smiled.

'I don't need a bad lying boy to kiss me good morning, you know.

Yeah, Solon. I'm sorry. You don't like it?

It's not that I don't like it.

　I don't think there's a guy who doesn't like being kissed by a pretty girl like this.
　But that's not the point.
　I continued.

'That kind of thing should be done to someone you really like and care about, Filia-sama. It's not something you do to tease your master.

Doesn't Solon care about me?

It's important. He's my important disciple. So, I can't kiss Filia-sama in the normal sense of the word. What I can do instead is....

　Popping, I tapped the encyclopedia on my desk.
　My role is to be Filia's teacher.
　So, I want Filia to become one of the best in magic and other aspects of her life.

''Now, continue your studies!

"Yeah.

'I'll get some snacks and drinks for now. Can you hang in there?

...Yeah. I'll do my best. Solon will teach me how to do it.

Thank you.

　I smiled and made sure Filia got to work, then opened the door to the room and headed to the kitchen.

　As I told Filia, she is a valued apprentice who adores me.
　The only thing I can do is to teach and guide her, and protect her.

　That's more important than stopping the Necropolis attack.

　I was on my way to the kitchen when I suddenly decided I wanted to read the newspaper, so I went to the entrance of the mansion and collected the morning edition of the daily newspaper, The Discourse.

　The newspaper told me that massacres of demons and half-breeds had occurred on the Imperial frontier, and that the war against the Alemany Farren Republic had become even worse.

　Besides, it was also reported that the public execution of the polos of the July Party leaders was scheduled for today.
　The rebel July Party has not yet been destroyed and only some of its leaders have been arrested.
　Its forces posed a major threat to the Imperial government.

　I was surprised when I saw the location where the execution was to be carried out.
　It was right next to the mansion.

　Then, out of the morning mist, a man emerged and stood at the entrance of the mansion.
　A tall man dressed in black, he wore a golden cross on his chest.
　The cross indicated that he was a clergyman of the Imperial Church.

　The man looked at me with dead, empty eyes and then told me.

''I am Father Gapon, the agent and priest of the Emperor's Office Division 3. You are Solon the Magic Swordsman, correct?

'Yes, but...'

"I would like to ask Her Royal Highness Princess Filia to come with me. The execution of a traitor to the July Party is to be witnessed by Your Highness.

　Father Gapon said in a stagnant voice.