---

“Huh, I had some expectations after hearing the story, but she’s truly a bold young girl.”

In the reception room of the Valencia Church dormitory, Sophia burst into laughter and kept exclaiming in admiration. It was already dawn.

After handling most of the problems related to Maria and the slums with their innate martial power and authority, the master and disciple had returned to the church with the young girl and were listening to her story.

Sophia was very fond of this young, spirited, and clever girl. Despite not having martial power herself, Maria had judged the situation wisely and acted without hesitation. Such mental fortitude wasn’t something just anyone could possess.

“If we’re talking about the strength of the heart, she’s even better than Conra.”

“No, why are you dragging me into this again, Master?”

Conra protested with triangular eyes, but Sophia just smirked and roughly ruffled his hair.

Seeing the harmonious relationship between the priest and her apprentice, Maria’s feelings were incredibly complicated. She couldn’t quite understand the situation she was in.

“There’s something I’d like to ask.”

“Speak. I’ll answer.”

As if sensing Maria’s hesitation, Sophia allowed the question with a calm demeanor. Once permitted, Maria immediately brought up the doubt she had been holding back.

“Why did you save me?”

In the world Maria had lived in, no one saved others without a reason. Everyone was too busy surviving, so helping others without benefit was an absurd luxury. Logically, Conra and Sophia, who had come to save her, must have had something to gain from saving her.

The problem was that, honestly, there was no benefit in saving a mere slum girl like her.

In a world where nothing is free, Maria had been saved by someone, yet she didn’t know the reason. That was what was frustrating her.

But Sophia’s answer to Maria’s question was somewhat unexpected.

“That’s the question of a weakling.”

“Huh?”

A weakling’s question? What did that even mean? Maria felt her mind spiraling into confusion at Sophia’s bizarre response. Conra, who was watching, noticed Maria’s state and gave a bitter smile.

“Haha, a bit bewildering, right? But that’s just how the Master talks, so there’s nothing we can do.”

Conra immediately jumped into the conversation and began explaining Sophia’s words to the confused Maria.

Generally, weighing gains and losses is a kind of habit, an inertia. And that inertia is formed in environments where survival is difficult without considering gains and losses. In other words, it’s something formed in the weak.

On the other hand, those who have never felt threatened in their survival from the beginning don’t necessarily attach reasons to their actions. They act if they feel like it and don’t if they don’t. Natural-born strong individuals are accustomed to acting without reason.

“I see…”

That explanation was enough to leave Maria stunned. Having rarely been in a position of strength in front of others, Sophia’s attitude was something beyond her understanding.

“It’s not easy to understand quickly. Inertia is like that.”

Still, Sophia, who had taken a liking to Maria, wasn’t concerned. Misaligned parts could be adjusted step by step, and lacking parts could be filled in. Honestly, unless one was a natural-born strong individual like Sophia herself, it was common for people to be like Maria.

And Sophia had a more urgent matter to decide on first. As always, she got straight to the point without beating around the bush.

“Child, how about becoming my disciple?”

“Huh?”

Literally caught off guard by the abrupt proposal, Maria was taken aback.

“I mean it literally. Like Conra here, would you like to become my disciple and attendant? If you do, I’ll protect you while you’re under my care, and I’ll pass on my vision to you.”

Maria’s eyes widened at Sophia’s proposal. She could clearly understand the content of the offer. Even though it was thrown at her abruptly, the main point itself was clear enough to be understood.

Certainly, the offer was attractive enough for Maria. She had vaguely heard that Sophia was a high-ranking figure in the Church Order and a superhuman with considerable power and skill. Being under Sophia’s guidance and receiving her teachings would undoubtedly be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for someone like Maria.

The only downside would be that if Maria became Sophia’s disciple, she could no longer stay in Valencia and would have to follow Sophia on a wandering life. But that wasn’t a big deal for Maria. She had no particular attachment or expectations for the land of Valencia anyway.

Her memories of this land were only of the painful and unpleasant days spent in the slums. If she could leave, she would welcome it without hesitation.

But because of that, there was something she needed to confirm first.

“Are you offering this out of pity for me?”

If it was an offer born out of mere pity, she would refuse, even if it seemed presumptuous. For Maria, relationships had to be mutual. Even if the other party expected nothing from her, she couldn’t affirm it herself.

Fortunately, Sophia’s reaction was different from what Maria had imagined.

“Huh? Since when has pity been a reason to take on a disciple? Do I look like the type to take on just anyone as a disciple without thought?”

Seeing Sophia’s incredulous reaction, Maria felt relieved. As long as it wasn’t out of pity or whim, it was fine. In fact, it was more than fine—it was something she would kneel and bow for.

“Alright. Then I’ll become your disciple.”

At Maria’s final decision to become Sophia’s disciple, Sophia burst into laughter.

“Hahaha, good! Then let’s perform the ceremony right away. Conra, since this is Maria’s first ceremony, you’ll help your junior sister.”

“Yes, Master!”

Conra, who had been watching, also got excited and promptly responded to Sophia’s words. Following Conra’s guidance, Maria knelt on one knee, and Sophia proceeded with the ceremony to appoint Maria as her second disciple and attendant. Hildegard and Esiocles, who had heard the news, were present as witnesses.

And watching this scene were the spirits Gabrielle, Ariel, Saraswati, Esras-Hermes, Lichia-Kukunis, and Rugus-Artaeus.

{The ceremony to form a master-disciple bond in this era is quite simple.}

{In this case, it’s closer to a master-apprentice relationship than a simple disciple relationship. Still, it’s quite modest.}

At the comments of Sophia’s spirit Lichia-Kukunis, Conra’s spirit Rugus-Artaeus chimed in. To their remarks, Sophia’s spirit Ariel interjected.

[…….]

{Indeed, did she prioritize meaning over form and deliberately keep it simple? Well, it’s hard to imagine that woman going through complicated procedures herself.}

Lichia-Kukunis seemed to nod in agreement at Ariel’s words.

+++++

And so, the eventful night passed. At dawn, Sophia left the dormitory, saying she would arrange additional ship passage for Maria, leaving Conra in charge of her.

Seeing Sophia off, Conra turned to Maria.

“Hmm, hmm. Junior sister, how do you plan to spend your time until the Master returns?”

As he called her “junior sister,” Conra felt his face heating up for some reason. Perhaps it was because he wasn’t sure how to treat Maria, who had become his new sibling in the master-disciple relationship. The boy diagnosed himself and decided to consciously get used to calling her “junior sister.”

“Well, how about you, senior brother?”

Tilting her head and asking back, Maria’s expression made Conra’s cheeks itch.

‘Senior brother, senior brother… Huh, it’s a strangely uplifting title.’

Somehow, the title “senior brother” sounded really good to him, and Conra answered Maria’s question.

“The Master told me to stay with you this morning. Normally, I’d spend the time training.”

“Then why don’t you train as usual? I think it would be good for me to observe and get a sense of what I’ll need to learn in the future.”

Hearing Maria’s words, Conra’s expression brightened immediately. Honestly, the boy was just happy to spend time with his new junior sister. Letting her observe his training meant they could spend time together doing something he enjoyed, which made him very happy.

Seeing Conra’s visibly pleased expression, Maria sighed inwardly.

‘Senior brother is big but still a child.’

The brave and sharp figure who had climbed the stairs to save her last night was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the boy’s face was filled with an innocent, radiant smile. But Maria didn’t dislike this side of Conra at all.

‘No, in fact, this pure and bright side might suit him better than any other.’

Thinking that such a pure and bright person had made such a fierce expression to save her last night, Maria felt a strange ache in her chest.

In the young girl’s heart, the thought that she didn’t want to see this person sad began to grow.

+++++

“Huh, really. I don’t know if this is coincidence or fate.”

Sophia frowned as she examined the object in her hand. It was a token related to her second disciple’s identity, which she had seized from Adrian while raiding Niue de Corb last night.

The token, made of ebony, had a name engraved in silver.

“Maria Francesca Isabel Isabella de Gloria Joanna Antonia de Cruz y Hortas. Why is the name of the missing Princess of Catalonia engraved here? Gabrielle, what do you think?”

[……?]

“Right, indeed. Everything flows according to its course. For now, we’ll keep this a secret. Kukunis, I’ll need your cooperation too.”

{Don’t worry. I know how to keep a secret.}

Even if Maria’s true identity was the Princess of Catalonia, the current situation in the Kingdom of Catalonia wasn’t stable enough to send her back unprotected. Adrian had apparently planned to become Maria’s husband and gain something from the Kingdom of Catalonia.

But a mere slum boss like him had no chance of succeeding. It would only shorten his own life.

Silently gazing at the token in her hand, Sophia soon smirked and stuffed it into a leather pouch. So what? Maria Francesca was no longer an orphan from the back alleys or the missing princess of Catalonia.

‘The current Maria is simply my second disciple, Sophia de Chazel.’

Feeling a bit sorry for those still searching for the missing princess, Sophia repeated to herself that she would take care of the girl for now and cheerfully raised the corners of her mouth.

 

---