"But-I still want to be your assistant and help you with your experiments-"
"Those aren't mutually exclusive, darling. Our findings so far have shown that the source of magic is also hidden in genetic information. We're already moving toward the secrets of life. All you need to do is set a goal of your own while helping me-you're not my appendage. I hope that one day, your name will appear in a journal all on its own."
An immense happiness, tinged with a bittersweet ache, flooded the girl's chest.
She looked at Vaughn, her eyes glistening.
Then-gurgle!
The protest from her stomach instantly ruined the emotional atmosphere. Hermione flushed with embarrassment, then broke into a smile through her tears under Vaughn's gentle gaze.
"Very hungry, aren't you?"
"I'll ask Hokey to make you something."
"I-" Hermione felt awkward. After all, not long ago, she had sworn that eating food made by House-elves amounted to exploitation and enslavement.
"Well-"
Of course Vaughn understood what was troubling her. He reassured her, "Until we've found a real solution and awakened the elves' awareness, there's no need to ignore practical circumstances over a difference in beliefs and forcibly impose a moral standard everyone finds hard to accept. You can't stop eating forever, can you?" Of course she couldn't.
"So don't let it weigh on you too much. If you really feel bad, you can visit the kitchens more often and bring Hokey and the others snacks and fun toys-treat them as friends, without forcibly challenging their beliefs and traditions, and they won't resist."
As Vaughn spoke, he summoned Hokey.
Sure enough, when she heard Vaughn say that he had persuaded Hermione not to force freedom on them anymore, her attitude changed.
Hokey's attitude transformed at once. When Hermione awkwardly greeted her in a quiet