After being informed about all the events that had unfolded due to his own requests, Rudeus was guided by Ghislaine to the guest room where he would await a meeting with Eris' father, the lord of the place.
After a few minutes, footsteps could be heard from afar, and the door was opened by a young man who immediately said, "I'm late; I was in a very important meeting, so I couldn't come earlier."
The slender figure of the man came into view of Rudeus, and Thomas, who was sitting to the side, stood up and said, "You arrived at a good time, my lord. Just now, young Rudeus has arrived."
"Pleased to meet you; my name is Rudeus Greyrat," Rudeus nodded slightly in an attempt to make a good impression.
"Ah, and I am Phillip Bireas Greyrat. I must say that when nobles greet each other, they place their right hand over their chest and slightly bow their heads. Judging by your initial greeting, if you were to encounter my father, he might reprimand you for it."
Following Philip's instructions, Rudeus attempted to mimic a noble greeting and asked, "Is this the correct way?"
"That will do for now. However, I'd like to add that your initial greeting was rather informal. If a blacksmith were to greet my father in that manner, I'm sure he'd appreciate it. Please, have a seat." Philip gestured towards a chair as he settled onto a couch and inquired directly, "So, what exactly do you know about the situation?"
"My father informed me that if I gave lessons to Miss Eris for three years, we would be financially supported to enter Magua University, both me and another person." Rudeus explained what he knew about the arrangement.
"Is that all?"
"That's correct."
"I see..." Philip rested his chin on his folded hands as he contemplated something of great importance. After a while, he asked, "Do you like women?"
"I don't quite reach my father's level..." Rudeus responded promptly and naturally.
"Is that so? Well, that's good to know. You should be aware that aside from you, we have a very special guest here who should not be bothered under any circumstances. He is my daughter's betrothed, whom you will be teaching. So, I would ask that you keep that in mind during your stay here. Do you understand?"
"Of course, I'll only focus on teaching her." Rudeus replied, thinking that if Eris ended up interested in him, it would be a natural outcome of things.
But at that moment, Philip issued one final warning, "I'm glad to hear it. I don't say this to imply you have any improper thoughts about my daughter or yourself. I say it so you're aware of the consequences. I won't be able to protect you if you make a mistake, so as long as you understand that, you're hired."
Rudeus' thoughts shifted to Gilgamesh, considering that this prince was certainly special as a very arrogant man who believed he had no equal, something very likely typical among nobles.
"Currently, my little daughter has changed a lot since the prince came to our home, so she has become more tolerant of people and accepts teachings from teachers who assist her in various disciplines she must undertake. Therefore, you will only be responsible for teaching her magic."
Rudeus, who was still thinking about Philip's earlier words, asked, "Is there any problem with me being young in her teaching?"
"Not at all. It's just that the rumors you'll likely hear after living here might be a bit unsettling. But you should know that each of them is true. So, as long as you know your job and treat Prince Gilgamesh with respect, he won't interfere with or bother you in any way." Philip shrugged indifferently.
"Now I understand it well." Rudeus nodded in understanding.
"To be honest, if you had come earlier, I wouldn't have had any hope that you could manage it. But now I believe you can do it. I'd like you to give it a try," Philip was very sincere on this point.
"I hope I can be once I get to know her." Rudeus remarked with a hint of distrust in his words. If he doesn't get this job, he'll have to look for another way to get into that magic school. Somehow, he needs to make a good impression on this girl named Eris.
"Well, that would be all then. Nothing progresses with words alone, so I will introduce you to my daughter. Thomas, tell Eris to come and see me!" Philip got up from the couch.
When Eris arrived and saw Rudeus, her gaze turned to her father as if asking if this was some kind of joke. She didn't make a scene; she just stared at the boy who was smaller than her with a certain dismay.
"Pleased to meet you; my name is Rudeus Greyrat." Rudeus used the posture Philip had taught him to greet Eris.
"Hmm..." Eris nodded and said disinterestedly, "My name is Eris. You're certainly smaller than me. Do you think you're capable of teaching me magic properly? It's one thing to be talented in a discipline, and another to have the talent to pass on that knowledge to others. You should know that, Father."
"Personally, I believe I have the qualities to be your teacher. I won't know for sure, but it all depends on your willingness to learn magic." Rudeus smiled awkwardly and responded with a hint of irritation.
"What did you say? Do you think you're so good that if I don't learn, it's because I'm not interested and not because of your teaching abilities?" Eris furrowed her brow slightly but still said, "Fine, if your teaching abilities aren't up to par, I won't study magic."
"My friend who's the same age as me is good at magic and understood my teachings. I'm sure you won't have any problems." Rudeus tried to give Eris a small compliment, which, of course, didn't work.
"Who told you that magic is the only thing that exists? Even though it's certainly more powerful and grants you power more quickly, if you face a swordsman of the same level, I doubt magic is superior to swordsmanship. Besides, if I'm only studying magic, it's just because of my father's request, not my own preference." Eris glanced at Rudeus and nodded before leaving the room.
"It went much better than expected; my daughter has changed, and I'm glad for that." Philip said as he left as well.
Thomas on the side said, "It looks like you're hired. Congratulations, young Rudeus."
"Yes, it was easier than I expected." Rudeus showed an expression that conveyed many of his thoughts. He was certainly happy to be hired and that it was easier than expected, but he would have preferred not to live near Gilgamesh, who had been reminded several times to be cautious around him.