Sophia’s Confession and Iordera’s Reflections

“What a truly kind person… *cough, cough!*”

The potent liquor had caught her off guard, causing her to choke.

Iordera continued, “The story isn’t over yet. After the girl left, she encountered many things on her journey. Then, one day, through a series of coincidences, she met several younger girls.”

“These little girls were unlike ordinary people; they possessed some peculiar physical characteristics. Moreover, they were terribly pitiful, born with innate physiological defects.”

Iordera paused, taking another sip of wine before turning to gaze at the sky outside the window. “It was then that the girl suddenly realized she could approach matters from the elder sister’s perspective.”

Sophia parted her lips, unsure how to respond.

“Well, that’s the story,” Iordera said, a slight smile playing on her lips. “I believe the elder sister wouldn’t want to see the girl she saved stand idly by when others face the same plight.”

“I must live up to her example.”

After speaking, Iordera placed the wine bottle on the floor and fell silent.

“So that’s how it is.”

Sophia felt a tightness in her chest, utterly at a loss for words. Her gaze fell upon the wine bottle on the floor, and she reached out to retrieve it.

Her brother had once told her that when words failed in such situations, drinking was the best course of action.

Drink, then.

*Gulp, gulp, gulp… cough, cough, cough!*

“Sometimes I truly envy people like you,” Iordera mused aloud. “With wealth and power in your family, you have no worries, and can even come to the night market for a bit of ‘training’ when you’re bored.”

“That’s not it! Ah!”

Sophia suddenly cried out, her eyes reddened, and a hiccup escaped her lips.

Iordera was somewhat bewildered, unable to fathom why Sophia was so agitated.

“I lied to you! I’m not some rich young lady from the imperial capital at all!”

As she spoke, not only did she hiccup, but tears welled in her eyes.

Iordera quickly rose, rushing to Sophia’s side to soothe her. “I understand, I understand, please don’t…”

“No! You don’t understand! What do you understand, you understand nothing!”

“Yes, yes, I don’t understand, but you’re drunk…”

“I’m not drunk!”

“Alright, alright, you’re not drunk,” Iordera said, pressing her temples with a headache. “Then let’s speak softly, slowly.”

It was the middle of the night, and a blonde teenager was causing a drunken ruckus. Who could possibly endure that?

While the night market wasn’t prone to noise complaints, walls still had ears. If Sophia were to blurt out something unfortunate, they would face considerable trouble.

Sophia, surprisingly, heeded the warning. She stopped her shouting, only to whimper softly, before raising the bottle to her lips once more.

Iordera was utterly terrified. “Don’t drink any more…”

“I’ll drink! I’ll drink!”

Her voice grew loud again. Iordera quickly released her, a look of utter exasperation on her face. “Drink, then, drink as much as you wish.”

Upon hearing this, Sophia, in a contradictory fashion, lowered her hand and ceased drinking.

Pure defiance.

After a long moment of silence, she began to speak, her words punctuated by sniffles. “My home isn’t in the imperial capital. It’s in a small town in the suburbs, called Rockblossom Town.”

“It’s not prosperous at all; there are no advanced alchemy facilities. But the scenery is beautiful, and the neighbors are harmonious.”

“My brother was a Royal Knight, serving the imperial family, a pinnacle existence within the knightly order. Everyone in our town was incredibly proud of him.”

“Back then, we all believed my brother was a mighty and flawless knight, holding an extraordinary and respected position in the imperial capital.”

“But on that day, my brother, along with our parents, died at the town’s entrance, a death steeped in unbearable humiliation. Their cause of death remains a mystery to this day; all we know is that it was to bury a certain important person’s secret.”

“It was then that I finally understood: the true powers in the imperial capital are not to be provoked. They could effortlessly erase an esteemed family. In their eyes, all those grand pronouncements from the palace—integrity, kindness, honor, and responsibility—were nothing but a cruel jest.”

Sophia released the wine bottle, closing her eyes in a surge of bitter resentment. “I will climb. I’ll claw my way to the top by any means necessary, infiltrate their circles, and no matter what, I will get my answers.”

Iordera listened, her emotions a tangled knot. After a long moment, she reached out and gently touched the young woman’s knee. “Friend—no, lass, that’s just how this world is. Everyone carries a past too painful to recall… Lass?”

The blonde teenager leaned against the wall, eyes closed, a soft snore escaping her lips.

She had fallen asleep, it seemed.

Iordera glanced around, then dragged a blanket from a nearby bedroll to cover her. She then settled onto the bedroll herself, lost in thought.

Having inadvertently learned Sophia’s secret, Iordera found her emotions surprisingly complex.

The girl had uttered so many resentful words, disbelieving this and that, declaring what she would do—a portrait of shattered faith on the verge of turning dark.

Yet, recalling their encounters, Sophia remained the same kind-hearted knight, utterly unchanged. It was just as Hecate had once told her: ‘You may think you don’t care, but you can’t deceive your own heart.’

‘Wait, why am I thinking of Hecate again? How did that woman worm her way into my mind? Chase her out, chase her out!’

‘Perhaps I’ve had too much to drink, and the alcohol is affecting my mind… Yes, that must be it.’

****

A little while later, Grandma Sharp, having tucked the children into bed, emerged from the cellar. Her eyes immediately landed on Iordera, who sat on the bedroll, lost in thought.

“Iordera,” she called out, “come here for a moment.”

Stepping into the sewing room, Grandma Sharp rummaged through some items, then tossed two wrapped packages towards her.

“What are these?”

“The two maid outfits you requested.”

Iordera blinked. “But I haven’t gathered enough money yet…”

Grandma Sharp simply stated, “I had some free time recently, so I just went ahead and made them for you.”

She continued to rummage, then tossed another set of clothes over.

Iordera unfolded them to find a loose tunic and a pair of ultra-short shorts.

The fabric wasn’t silk, but rather resembled nylon fiber—comfortable to the touch and remarkably pliable.

‘And this is…’

“Made to match what you usually prefer to wear,” Grandma Sharp stated succinctly.

A warmth bloomed in Iordera’s heart. ‘Thank you, Grandma.’

“If you have no objections, take them,” Grandma Sharp said, as if she hadn’t heard Iordera, then lay down on her bedroll. “I’m going to sleep now.”

“Alright,” Iordera replied, gathering all the clothes in her small hands. “You sleep, I’ll head out.”

As she left, she deftly hooked the door shut with her ankle.

Such remarkable flexibility!

The night was long and still early, so Iordera decided to take a carriage home with her new clothes and put them away.

She then took a bath and changed into a fresh outfit.

‘High-quality fabric is truly comfortable to wear,’ she mused, ‘and my skills even feel more fluid when I’m wearing it.’

Iordera stepped into an open space and performed an entire combo against the air. Then, before the night fully faded, she returned to Sharp’s Workshop on West Street.

****

The dawn light gradually brightened on the horizon, as night receded from the city.

The young woman groggily opened her eyes.

Her head throbbed, and her memories were hazy.

To prepare for her evening activities, she had made sure to get extra sleep for most of the previous day, even taking half a day off specifically for rest. Logically, she should have been fast asleep all night.

It wasn’t until her gaze fell upon the empty wine bottle at her feet that Sophia finally understood: she had accidentally drunk too much.

“You’re awake,” a soft, childlike voice chirped. “Have some hangover tea.”

Iordera, holding a small cup, offered it to her.