Chapter 37: Chapter 37

He had a sincere expression on his face.

I was bewildered, and Salik straightened up, a dejected expression on his face.

“Allow me to reintroduce myself. I’m Salik, and starting today, I’ll be teaching you the Elvish language.”

“Elf…? Huh? Aahh!”

Because of everything Shabelle did and said yesterday, I entirely forgot that an Elvish language teacher was supposed to come today.

I can’t believe an Elf even came here personally!

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I heard you were going to arrive today…… It’s…”

“It’s okay, Inaila, if you simply forgot.”

“No, yesterday…… Sigh.”

I merely bowed my head, attempting to justify myself.

“Please accept my apologies. I should have requested that the employee notify me when you came. Why did you come to the flower garden yourself?”

Salik grinned.

“The maid said I should wait because you would come within 10 minutes, but you didn’t come for more than an hour. I came personally to talk to you because I thought the class was no longer needed.”

I hid my face behind my hands.

I took a longer walk than usual because I was thinking a lot.

No, even if I was taking my time walking, they should have informed me if the teacher had already arrived.

When it comes to the cause, the issue is my attitude toward teachers, which used to be the same.

Since I had never stopped what I was doing when the teacher came, the employees did not necessarily inform me.

“I am deeply ashamed of myself.”

I can also understand why he teased me when we first met.

I called him to ask him to teach me how to study, but I didn’t show up.

Besides, my current attire is light, so welcoming outside guests was not too formal.

However, in the current situation, asking him to wait while I prepare appears to be more problematic.

“If you’re still going to have the lesson, let’s get in.”

I followed Salik’s green hair heading to the mansion ahead of me.

Despite the fact that his hair was long enough to reach the ground, it fluttered instead.

With Salik, I went right to the classroom.

There were already written instruments and books prepared, as well as empty teacups that appeared to be traces of Salik’s waiting.

I felt really bad.

Salik stared at me and remarked as I sat like a criminal waiting for my sentence.

“You’re not quite what I expected to hear.”

“It’s likely that what you’ve heard is correct. Now, as Krenberia’s successor, I’m going to do everything I can for my people and the Empire…… But I have nothing to say because I showed you my bad side from the beginning.”

“I’m sad because Inaila is excessively sorry. Then, if it’s like this, will it help you feel better?”

“Yes?”

“Why don’t you grant my request later, Inaila?”

“That’s a little……”

What do you think a person who made fun of me about marriage would ask for?

When I expressed my concern, Salik seemed dissatisfied once more.

“You don’t appear to be particularly sorry.”

“If you ask me to touch your ears, it would put me in a difficult situation.”

Salik’s eyes were wide open.

“Do you see me as a man, Inaila?”

“I believe the teacher first saw me as a lady.”

Although I was joking, Salik’s cheeks flushed.

I felt like my head was cooling down as I saw him ashamed, restless, and not denying.

Why is it that the world is so full of perverts? Except for Karpel, they’re all perverts.

“Usually… It’s usually not like that.”

“About what?”

“We don’t consider people of different races to be the opposite gender.”

Isn’t that to say there aren’t times when there aren’t?

I’m hoping it’s not right now.

He’s a teacher, and I’m his ‘little’ student.

Salik, who was becoming increasingly agitated as he watched me be cautious, took the book from me and opened it.

“Let’s have a class.”

“Yes.”

With a face entirely disfigured by his pasture, Salik sighed and inquired.

“……Why are you interested in learning Elvish?”

Because your race is going to invade the Empire, so I’m going to stop that.

I couldn’t answer in this manner, so I gave him a sidelong glance and inquired as to why he was asking such a question, and Salik continued to speak quietly.

“Learning will be more efficient if you concentrate on your area of interest. Inaila, you can also get more information if you require it. If you’re interested in elves’ culture, for example, learning about their festivals, seasons, and culinary culture will be more engaging.”

I remembered the botanical encyclopedia I had seen when I learned about food culture.

The ingredients were the main focus of the illustrated book for me.

“Oh, there was a book I was studying by myself.”

“Could you please show me?”

“Yes.”

I replied and entered the classroom.

Karpel, on the other hand, was standing right in front of the entrance.

‘What brings him here?’

I had grown accustomed to Karpel appearing out of nowhere and staring down at me at this point.

I believe I would find him standing like this if I opened the door to my closet.

“What are you doing here, Karpel?”

“What about you?”

Why did he return the question’s reply?

But, because I didn’t have any power, I answered pleasantly.

“I’m going to bring the book I’ve been reading.”

Karpel gazed into the classroom with his eyes lifted.

Karpel stared inside over the top of my head without tilting his head because I was standing in front of him.

It hit me that I was short.

It’s understandable given our gender and age differences, but I felt a strong feeling of defeat.

I can’t believe I’m a failure……

“Let’s all listen in on the class.”

“Do as you please.”

When Salik answered, Karpel tried to get in, so I had to get out of the way.

I wasn’t able to get out till he walked inside.

When I entered my room, the desk was carefully set with books, notes, and memoranda.

I used to read diplomatic materials, but I couldn’t show them to outsiders.

I was embarrassed to show other books about Forest Elves and Elysium, so I returned to the study with only a vocabulary book and an illustrated book I read while studying on my own.

When I knocked and opened the door, I felt the cold air somehow.

I glanced at the Karpel, which looked even fiercer today, and sat in my seat to avoid him.

“This is the book I’ve been reading lately.”

“It’s an illustrated book I made.”

“What?”

Salik pointed out the first letter of the word densely written at the bottom of the book.

“Can you read it?”

“Green willow tree.”

“It says Elysium per Salik.”

“Ah……”

I focused on character interpretation, so I didn’t know how to read it yet.

“Elves write down the names of all the people who participated in making the book at the bottom of the cover.”

“Did you make this, teacher?”

“Yes, I made it with the help of my friends.”

It was very amazing to meet the author of the book in person.

Is this how it feels to meet Favre?

(T/N: The author of The Favre Insect Period.)

There was no way that my father would give me a poor man as a teacher, but I didn’t know he would invite a famous scholar.

“That book…… It seems quite old.”

“Yes. It was first published 83 years ago.”

It’s not just a long time ago.

Because of our different races, Elves live longer than humans.

Why is such a man to be my teacher?

As a harmless little kid who looked like an elf, my mind evaporating, I straightened my posture and asked politely.

“Sa-Salik-nim. I’m a beginner who can’t even read letters well. Is it okay for you to make time to teach me like this?”

“If I don’t do it, there won’t be anyone who will teach you, Inaila. Because of what happened 10 years ago, Elysium elves couldn’t enter the Empire.”

“Salik-nim is……?”

“Except for me.”

Why is Salik excluded?

I was staring blankly at him when I heard Karpel’s low, submerged voice next to me.

“Salik of Elysium was once a scholar of the imperial palace.”

Reflexively, I turned my head toward the direction of the voice and looked at Karpel.

As soon as I encountered his eyes, who was staring at me like a stab, I quickly turned my gaze to the book as if I were a prey caught in a trap.

“When His Majesty ascended to the throne, he forbade him from entering the Imperial Palace, but he did not expel him out of the country.”

Salik said bitterly.

I raised my head.

“Isn’t it Salik who was doing research on the improvement of varieties produced?”

Salik looked at me with a surprised face.

Then, when I glanced at the illustrated book with the memos on each page I was interested in, Salik nodded once.

“Yes.”

‘The multiracial scholar invited to the imperial palace is Salik.’