Mobuseka:Leon's Adventure

As they continued their conversation, Leon and Olivia grew more comfortable with each other. The tea party was still ongoing, and the atmosphere became increasingly relaxed.

Leon mused to himself, "It seems all my preparations weren't in vain. This tea party is actually turning out quite well."

Suddenly, Olivia lowered her gaze to her cup and spoke, her voice laced with uncertainty.

"You know, Leon… Ever since I enrolled in the academy… no matter what I do, things never seem to go the way I want. And every day, I find myself wondering… Did I really make the right choice coming here?"

"Of course, you did!" Leon exclaimed unexpectedly, his expression turning serious.

Olivia flinched at his sudden outburst.

"B-but…" she hesitated, stirring her tea absentmindedly. "Everyone keeps saying that I don't deserve to be here… I know it's just because I'm a commoner…"

"Oh, don't pay any attention to that," Leon waved dismissively, finally deciding to take a seat at the table. He looked over his handiwork with satisfaction—the neatly arranged tea set, the aromatic tea, the carefully prepared snacks—all contributing to a warm, inviting atmosphere. "Sooner or later, the academy will start accepting more commoners. The fact that you were admitted this year means that more will follow."

"What…?" Olivia blinked in confusion. "But… why?"

"It's simple!" Leon raised a finger as if about to explain something of great importance. "You might not realize it, but the world is changing. More and more rulers are starting to understand that a person's worth isn't determined by their birth, but by their skills and abilities. The Kingdom of Holfort is no exception. You must've noticed that many nobles in the academy are… well… let's just say, not the brightest?"

"Ah… um…" Olivia fidgeted, unsure how to respond. She felt uncomfortable admitting it, but even she had noticed that some nobles, aside from their etiquette training, weren't particularly knowledgeable. However, outright calling them fools felt wrong.

"I'll take your silence as a 'yes,'" Leon smirked at her expression. "Anyway, the kingdom will eventually start looking for talent among all people, not just nobles. That means more commoners will be admitted to the academy in the future."

He paused, watching her reaction, then leaned forward slightly.

"Alright, let's change the subject. How's your studying going, Livia?"

Olivia hesitated for a moment before her face turned somber.

"Well… I want to learn more about magic…" she said softly, staring into her cup. "But there's so much I don't know… The unspoken rules, the academy's customs…"

She fell silent, gripping the hem of her skirt nervously. Then, after gathering her courage, she continued.

"Lately… people have been bullying me. They ruin my textbooks… It's been really hard…"

Her voice trembled more with every word, and tears began forming at the corners of her eyes. She blinked rapidly, trying to hold them back.

Leon listened carefully, then, to Olivia's surprise, he suddenly smiled.

He already knew about these hardships—he had faced something similar himself. Thanks to his mother and his sister Jenna, he had been thrust into the world of noble traditions when he received the title of viscount. They had drilled into him countless rules and social conventions, essential for surviving in aristocratic society.

Jenna, in particular, had been relentless… of course, in exchange for a generous payment. But he had to admit—she had done a good job. His mother had taken things even further, dragging him to operas and theaters, insisting that it would help him understand the culture of the upper class.

And one time, during one of those visits, Leon experienced firsthand the true beauty of high culture.

---

Flashback

Leon sat in a spacious theater box, watching the performance on stage with little enthusiasm. The grand hall was filled with elegantly dressed nobles, and his mother, Luce, smiled gracefully, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

Then, a man in a ridiculous costume resembling a tree stepped onto the stage and began to sing loudly.

Leon couldn't hold it in.

"Pff—Ha-ha-ha!" His laughter burst through the solemn silence of the theater. "What the hell is this?!"

Luce immediately pinched his arm, urging him to be quiet, but it was too late—Leon was beyond saving.

"H-he's a tree?! Ha-ha-ha-ha! A singing tree?!"

He covered his face with his hands, trying to regain composure, but to no avail. Even his mother, despite her best efforts, struggled to suppress a smile.

When the singer suddenly began belting out an aria in an unfamiliar language, Leon snorted again.

"Mom, is that… German?!" he gasped between fits of laughter.

By this point, the surrounding nobles were furiously hushing him, their glares sharp enough to pierce steel. Under their judgmental gazes, Leon fought to regain his composure. But when he glanced at his mother—who was barely concealing her amusement behind her fan—the urge to laugh hit him like a tidal wave.

"This is awful…" he muttered, pressing a hand to his forehead. "How long is this thing?"

Luce, still composed, turned to him and calmly replied:

"Four hours."

Leon froze. His amusement instantly vanished.

Slowly, he turned back toward the stage, finally grasping the depth of his mistake.

"…Oh, shit."

And thus began the longest evening of his life.

---

End of Flashback

Snapping back to the present, Leon looked at Olivia. She still seemed upset, but he already knew what to do.

"I think I can help you, Olivia," he said confidently.

Her eyes widened with hope, and a radiant smile spread across her face.

"Really?!"

"Ugh… so bright…" Leon shielded his face with his hand, as if trying to protect himself from the blinding light of her happiness.

For a moment, a thought crossed his mind.

"Is she… an angel?"