In the fortress's Tree Hall, bright sunlight streamed through a skylight, illuminating an extinguished fire pit. Specks of dust floated in the light.
"I."
During their morning reading session, Count Brand stood atop a tree stump that still sprouted green leaves and twigs. With an oak branch in his beak, he pointed to the Common Language characters written on a flat wooden board.
"Eye."
Beneath this wooden board, which served as a makeshift "blackboard," the little Slimes were huddled in a clump, pressing close to a mother Slime. They bumped into one another, releasing pheromones, looking for all the world like students trying their best to read along.
Count Brand listened, completely baffled. Of course, it couldn't understand the Slimes' pheromonal communication. But as the court tutor entrusted with a great mission by His Majesty, it had to maintain an image of being erudite and unflappably composed in front of its students.
