Remembrance

Vivian sat upright at the desk, a pen held lightly between her fingers as she reviewed a trial report on crop-rotation schedules for the newly reclaimed farmland.

The office was utterly quiet.

Only the faint scratch of nib on paper and the orderly morning clamor of Evernight City drifting in through the window.

That accustomed tranquility was broken by an extremely soft, almost hesitant knock.

Knock, knock-knock.

So light it seemed afraid of disturbing anything.

Vivian did not look up.

She merely said in a calm voice, “Come in.”

The door opened just a crack.

A petite figure slipped inside without a sound and gently closed it again.

It was not Aria with her usual reports, nor a clerk delivering documents.

It was the little succubus who was supposed to be enjoying a rare day off today—Luna Te.

Only now did Vivian raise her eyes from the papers, a trace of surprise in her gaze.

Today Luna was not wearing the stern, dark robes that marked her as a teacher.

Instead she wore her favorite pale-lavender dress trimmed with tiny bows and lace.

Her heart-shaped tail swayed restlessly behind her.

Her hands were clasped behind her back.

Her face held a mixture of anticipation and faint nervousness.

“Luna?”

Vivian set down her pen and leaned back slightly, one brow arched.

“I believe today is your rest day.”

“The academy specially rearranged the schedule so you could have a full day off.”

“Why did you come here?”

“Is something urgent at the academy?”

“Ah! N-no, nothing urgent! Everything at the academy is fine!”

Luna hurriedly waved her hands, voice soft and sweet as always.

“The classes are going smoothly. The children—no, the students—are all working very hard!”

“I just… I didn’t really want to go anywhere else.”

“I feel… more at ease here.”

Her voice grew smaller and smaller, ending in a tiny whimper.

She lowered her head and unconsciously rubbed the polished stone floor with the tip of her shoe.

Vivian watched her without speaking at once.

She keenly caught the faint unease deep in Luna’s eyes, and the hidden longing for something familiar.

The Luna of today was no longer the timid little tail that had trailed behind her a year ago, scared of her own shadow.

The founding and running of Evernight Academy had given her important responsibilities.

She had poured all her passion into teaching and become one of the most beloved introductory instructors among the students.

The once-shy succubus had grown capable and confident.

She could now stand on her own.

But precisely because of that, the days when they spent nearly every moment together had become few and far between.

At that thought, Vivian’s gaze softened.

The corner of her mouth curved into a barely perceptible smile.

She gestured to the cushioned chair beside the desk—one normally reserved for Lucia or other occasional visitors, usually left empty.

“Since you’re here, sit down.”

“Don’t just stand there like you’re being punished.”

“Yes! Thank you, Lord Demon Lord!”

Luna’s eyes instantly lit up as though granted a tremendous favor.

A bright smile bloomed across her face.

She walked over lightly, sat down with perfect posture, hands neatly folded on her knees, back straight as a diligent schoolgirl.

Vivian found her attempt at seriousness both childish and endearing, but said nothing more.

She simply returned her attention to the report.

Silence settled over the office once again.

Yet the atmosphere was different now that another person’s quiet breathing filled the space.

Luna did not disturb Vivian’s work.

She just sat there quietly.

But soon she could not stay still.

She quietly moved closer, stealing curious glances at the dense agricultural terms and numbers on the page Vivian was annotating.

Then her gaze drifted to the window, toward the magical signal orb rising above the academy in the distance—marking the start of a new day of classes.

Her eyes grew distant, as if lost in memory.

After a long while, the feelings she had bottled up finally found an outlet.

Luna murmured, almost to herself, “Time really does fly…”

“It feels like just yesterday I was following you through the rubble and ruins, stepping carefully over broken stones, discussing where to put up a simple shelter first…”

Her voice was soft, tinged with nostalgia.

Vivian’s pen paused for the briefest moment.

She gave a faint “Mm” in response.

That small sound seemed to encourage Luna.

She continued in the same gentle tone.

“Back then we were exhausted every day, covered in dust, eating simple meals, squeezing into tiny tents at night…”

“But every step brought visible change—one day we cleared a patch of ground, the next we raised a low wall…”

“And almost every day I could be right beside you, watching you draw plans, listening to you explain things I didn’t understand but thought were amazing…”

She paused.

A trace of almost imperceptible loneliness crept into her voice.

“Now everything is better—the city is built, the academy is open, everyone has proper jobs and homes…”

“But we’ve all become so, so busy.”

“You have endless state affairs, I have endless classes…”

“Sometimes an entire day passes and the only glimpse I catch of you is from across the academy hall when you come to inspect.”

By the end, her tone carried a grievance even she hadn’t noticed.

Vivian set down her pen completely.

She turned to look at Luna.

The little succubus realized she had said something childish.

Her cheeks flushed; she lowered her head in embarrassment, her heart-shaped tail curling inward.

“Are you missing the past?”

Vivian asked calmly, betraying no emotion.

Luna hesitated, nodded slightly, then quickly shook her head.

“Not… completely missing it…”

“It’s just… sometimes I remember how hard it was back then, but it felt… very fulfilling.”

“And I was close to you.”

She gathered her courage and looked up, meeting Vivian’s eyes.

“Of course! Life now is wonderful! Really!”

“Seeing children—ordinary citizens, even mixed-blood children—who might never have touched knowledge in their lives, sitting in bright classrooms learning to read and count, their eyes shining…”

“I feel everything I do is incredibly meaningful!”

“I’m full of energy!”

Her tone grew firm, brimming with heartfelt pride.

“Take little Gru, for example—showing astonishing talent in mathematics and even receiving your personal guidance…”

“That makes me feel every effort we made was worth it!”

“Evernight is changing, and I’m part of that change!”

“This feeling is far more fulfilling than simply following behind you in the past!”

Vivian listened quietly.

She could sense the sincerity and growth in Luna’s words.

The little succubus who once only knew how to cling to her and needed her protection had truly found her own worth and place.

“It seems Teacher Luna really loves educating the young.”

Vivian smiled, a faint but genuine note of approval in her voice.

“Mhm!”

Luna nodded vigorously.

“Sometimes there are naughty students, or older ones who struggle and need things explained over and over…”

“But when they finally understand a concept, or manage to write their own name—however crookedly—the joy on their faces makes everything worth it!”

“And…”

She blinked proudly.

“I’m the most popular introductory teacher at the academy now!”

“Lots of the little ones say my lessons are fun, not stiff like some of the old scholars!”

“Oh?”

Vivian raised a brow, a teasing impulse rising.

“So Teacher Luna has quite a few tricks up her sleeve?”

“Care to share how you get those mischievous little demons to sit still and listen?”

“I seem to recall a certain little succubus who used to doze off in class herself.”

“Lord Demon Lord!”

Luna’s face turned scarlet; she stomped her foot in embarrassed indignation.

“That was ages ago! You’re not allowed to bring it up anymore!”

“And how do you even remember something like that?!”

She pouted, but couldn’t resist sharing anyway.

“It’s nothing special, really…”

“You can’t just lecture dry theory.”

“When teaching letters, I turn them into rhymes or use small illusions to create matching pictures.”

“For arithmetic, I use the stones or fruits they play with as examples.”

“Sometimes I tell fun little stories related to the lesson…”

“The most important thing is to make them feel learning is play, not a burden.”

Her eyes shone with passion.

“Every child is different—some love stories, some love hands-on activities, some need extra encouragement…”

“You have to patiently discover what works for each of them and guide them accordingly—just like you once taught me: teach according to their aptitude.”

Vivian gave a small nod.

True admiration flickered in her eyes.