Right in front of me, Brest started blaming Glenn. It was so sudden that everyone in the room could only listen to their exchange without interrupting.
Since this had turned into a home visit for a problem child, I had intended to bring up the matter only with the relevant people as much as possible, but it no longer seemed like we were in a situation for that.
It appeared that Brest and the others, who had withdrawn from the academy on their own, left because they held a grudge against Glenn. I had thought the reason for the bullying was because they resented that Solare, whom they had looked down on, was more skilled than them, but perhaps that wasn't it.
"I... I never intended..."
"Intended what? Are you going to claim it's not favoritism, when you, the headmaster yourself, taught only that one kid separately?"
When Brest declared this, Glenn finally slumped his shoulders and stopped moving. Glenn probably had no such intention, but how other students perceive things depends on their individual interpretation, that much is true.
However, even if that were the reason, it doesn't justify bullying Solare. Thinking this, I opened my mouth.
"Brest. Putting aside the matter with the headmaster for a moment, the reason we came today is different."
"No, why would we switch topics when we haven't finished this one yet?"
He refused to allow the change of subject. It couldn't be helped. It seemed we had no choice but to discuss this until he was satisfied.
"Then allow me to address the matter concerning the headmaster first. Headmaster Glenn taught Solare magic simply because Solare asked him to. Isn't that right?"
"U- umm. Solare had a strong desire to learn magic, you see. It seems attending lectures alone wasn't enough for him."
I confirmed this, and Glenn nodded in agreement. Brest snorted at that.
"That's exactly favoritism, isn't it? You're basically admitting you openly discriminated against someone who isn't your own grandchild."
At those words, Glenn became visibly dejected. Seeing him like that made me feel a bit irritated.
"Wait a moment. Like any instructor, if someone asks to be taught magic, they teach them equally. Did you ever ask Headmaster Glenn to teach you magic?"
When I asked this, Brest sighed irritably.
"As if I'd learn magic from a half-elf like him. If anything, since I, an elf, am attending this academy specifically, shouldn't he be showing me what kind of magic he's teaching as a matter of course?"
Brest declared this, and some members of the Guard, who must have been eavesdropping, stirred. It was an outrageous opinion, even for them. However, his mother, Pier, nodded as if it were perfectly natural.
"Of course. Causing great trouble to your family back home, abandoning your country, and then treating the child of Aqua Vitae nobility poorly is simply inexcusable. Don't you feel ashamed of the elven blood flowing through you, even if it's only half?"
She brandished this completely unreasonable logic. Even Glenn was left speechless by that.
"...Madam. If you had been born a half-elf, how would you feel if someone said that to you? One cannot choose where or to what race they are born, so I believe looking down on someone for that reason is wrong. If anything, one could interpret that you and Brest are the ones discriminating against Headmaster Glenn."
I told them this as if trying to reason with them, but both of them glared at me, their eyes narrowing.
"...You are a rather crude person, aren't you? If you had proper education, you would understand the situation by considering the status difference between an elven noble and a half-elf, wouldn't you? Even if you spout nonsense about birth, I am an elf and Glenn is a half-elf. As for you, you're just a human, correct? I believe it's not discrimination, but distinction."
Pier declared this triumphantly, and Brest laughed out loud.
"Hahaha! Mother is right! My father is one of the foremost mages in the elven nation, you know? People like you are no match for us. If anything, you should be bowing your heads and begging to learn magic from us, don't you think?"
Brest said this with a loud, mocking laugh. From his words, he seemed to have a strong sense that elves were something special. Certainly, many are beautiful, long-lived, and possess excellent aptitude as mages.
But that still doesn't make it right to look down on other races.
Thinking this, I looked at them both in turn.
"There are humans, dwarves, and beast-kin who surpass elves. Why do you arbitrarily decide that elves are the superior race?"
When I asked this, they both looked dumbfounded for a moment, then immediately burst into laughter.
"Is this the first time you've seen a human? Are they all this foolish?"
"You couldn't even beat the guards here, you know."
They said this, laughing loudly.
"...Do the members of the guard force think the same?"
I asked, curious, but the guards exchanged glances and wore troubled expressions. They didn't answer, but it didn't seem like Brest and his mother represented general elven common sense.
"...Very well. Then, if you'll allow me the impertinence, I shall demonstrate that human mages also possess a fair amount of knowledge."