"......Eh?"
Pier let out a stupid-sounding voice, while Brest and Seabas blinked rapidly. For a moment, silence filled the room, but soon confused voices emerged from the guards.
"......Wh-what? What's happening?"
"Th- she's not human, is she some kind of demon king from legends or something......"
Someone voiced such a rude impression, so I glanced at them and silenced them.
"Im-impossible...... I've never even heard of magic like this......"
Brest muttered this quietly, but it resonated clearly in the silent room. Looking down at him, Glenn nodded slightly and spoke.
"......This is the capability of a senior instructor at Fiddiq Academy. Now then, is Aoi-kun truly in a position to bow her head and beg to be taught magic......? Rather, shouldn't the elves, who never leave their mountains and spend their time unaware of how much other countries have advanced, be the ones bowing their heads to Aoi-kun and asking her to teach them magic?"
Glenn said this, theatrically shaking his head from side to side. It seemed Pier and the others' astonishment had gone to his head, but we mustn't lose sight of our purpose.
We didn't come here today to wound elven pride.
"Headmaster, this is no time for such jokes. We are here for a home visit today to discuss Brest's behavior and his extreme elitism."
When I said this, Glenn's face tightened and he made himself small.
"......I have no excuse. I got carried away. I thought, 'This is what happens when you mock half-elves and humans, serves you right'...... I am unfit to be headmaster......"
Perhaps coming to the elven nation had made him emotionally unstable; Glenn muttered to himself and hunched his back. Watching him from the corner of my eye, I turned back toward Pier.
Pier flinched and stiffened.
"Will you listen to our discussion now? Or do we need to demonstrate more magic?"
When I asked, Pier opened her mouth as if to say something, then quickly closed it. Eventually, she averted her gaze resentfully and answered.
"......I suppose I'll at least listen to what you have to say."
"Thank you."
She granted her consent reluctantly, and I expressed my gratitude. Before entering the main topic, I checked on Brest's condition; he glared at me with an irritated expression.
"......Then, I will briefly explain what happened at the academy."
With that preface, I conveyed the bullying Solare had endured and that Brest was one of the individuals who led it. I also gently explained that Glenn hadn't discriminated against anyone, but rather that Brest, because he looked down on non-elves, didn't attend lectures properly and consequently lost to Solare in grades.
Pier listened silently to my account, then opened her mouth discontentedly.
"......I understand what you're saying. However, that's just the opinion of your half-elf, isn't it? It's not evidence that Brest did such things."
Pier clearly defended Brest. Believing in one's child is a proper parental emotion. Deep affection is a good thing, but I think sometimes one must acknowledge mistakes and scold the child.
"Madam Pier. There are many witnesses and much testimony. There is no doubt that Brest bullied Solare on the grounds that he is a half-elf or has elven blood."
When I said this, Pier pouted and spoke.
"It's a fact that his elven blood is diluted, isn't it? He wasn't mocking him, just stating facts, correct?"
Pier became defiant. Nodding at that, I decided to convey my own opinion.
"I don't think diluted elven blood is a problem, nor do I believe looking down on someone for it is acceptable. Conversely, how would you feel if humans discriminated against elves? If we treated half-elves with more human blood as superior to elves, elves would suffer bullying for being elves. Just as Solare experienced, Brest would be pointed at and laughed at, have stones thrown at him. If told that was normal, would you accept it?"
I tried to help her understand Solare's position through analogy, but Pier's face turned bright red with rage.
"D-don't say such ridiculous things! Why would anyone claim elves are inferior......"
"If we were to assign superiority based on magical knowledge and skill, that possibility exists. I'm sorry to say, but in this room, aren't there few people who could defeat Headmaster Glenn and me in magic?"
When I countered, Pier couldn't immediately retort and fell silent. Instead, Brest spoke up.
"M-my father would make mincemeat of people like you! Besides, Headmaster Glenn is called the greatest mage in the human world, so it's only proper that the greatest mage among elves should be the one to face him!?"
Brest argued back desperately, but this was the development I wanted. If I could meet the greatest mage in the elven nation, I would be truly honored, albeit for different reasons.
"Who might that be? I would very much like to meet them."
When I leaned forward and said this, Brest gasped and stepped back.
At that point, Seabas raised one hand and interjected.
"......If you ask who the greatest mage is, in the elven nation everyone would answer the King's name. The name of the Elven King, His Majesty Rivett Founders Travel."
"The Elven King...... Then let us meet this His Majesty Rivett. I suppose we cannot meet him immediately, so perhaps after arranging an audience for another day."
When I answered Seabas, Pier, the others, and even the guards all froze with their eyes wide open. My casual remark about meeting the King was probably beyond common sense. Having recently met royalty and dignitaries from various countries, my sense of normalcy had become dulled.
As I inwardly reflected on this, Seabas shook his shoulders and laughed.
"What an interesting person. The humans I've met were a bit more timid, I think...... But His Majesty is curious, so if his schedule isn't full, we can probably arrange a meeting relatively quickly. I think you'll be able to meet within a few days. Shall I inform the Imperial Guard Mage Corps that the greatest mage from the human nations has arrived and wishes to greet His Majesty?"
"That would be helpful. However, I must travel to another country tomorrow. I'll return in five days; may I ask you to let me know what becomes of this by then?"
When I said this, Seabas tilted his head.
"......Travel to another country tomorrow? Even to a town near the border of the Court Highland Federal States, a one-way trip would take a week. How do you intend to travel?"
He questioned me as a matter of course. Before I could answer, Glenn nodded expansively and replied.
"That is the normal reaction. However, astonishingly, Aoi-kun's flight magic boasts speed and duration among the world's finest. I was also amazed, but it took less than a day to travel from the Verted Kingdom to this country. In fact, it didn't even take half a day. This is truly extraordinary."
When Glenn answered, this time everyone's time truly stopped.
