As the siblings followed Kent into a carriage, Ansu noticed the surroundings becoming increasingly dilapidated as they traveled.
Looking out the carriage window, Ansu thought to himself that they were back in the Black Harbor District again...
The place where this 'master' lived was quite humble.
Vera, however, didn't think much of it; she was already fantasizing about becoming a transcendent powerhouse and gallantly protecting her brother in the future.
Ansu looked at her; the young girl had her eyes tightly shut, her hands clasped in front of her chest glowing with a faint shimmer, as a trace of sacred aura lingered throughout the carriage.
Vera had always possessed a talent for the Holy Light, and after Freya had patiently taught her some methods of prayer and casting, Vera proved herself a genius, learning the ropes in less than a week.
Vera suddenly opened her eyes and found her brother staring at her, letting out a triumphant giggle. "Brother? Well? Am I learning these Holy Light divine arts quickly?"
"Fast!" Ansu nodded in praise. "Many low-ranking clergymen in the Church can't even grasp the power of holy light after decades, yet you've mastered it in just a week. My sister is truly amazing!"
Watching the power of holy light in Vera's palms, Ansu thought silently.
In the current system of transcendent power, the power of holy light was indeed the mainstream; or rather, the divine power granted through prayer to the five righteous gods was the only way for most people to obtain transcendent power.
Therefore, things like magic, which obtained power through self-study and researching the source of the world, were naturally rejected by the Church, as it shook the very foundations of their faith.
"I'm not that amazing, I've only just started~" Vera beamed with a happy smile after being praised by her brother.
If her talent in this area was truly that good, then that master should also think highly of her later...
Since the journey was long, Vera recalled another matter her brother had mentioned.
He said that before he went on a business trip with his academy professor, his female boss would visit them, saying she wanted to celebrate the siblings' successful move...
"Brother..." At the thought of this, Vera's face clouded with gloom. "Does that boss of yours really have to come? What does our move have to do with her?"
Coming over to join the fun just for a housewarming, honestly...
Because of this job, her time with her brother had already decreased; did that woman have to annoy him in their personal life every day too?
"Well..." Ansu thought about his invitation to Celia and didn't know how to explain, since he was hoping to let the two get along and perhaps reform the witch in the process...
"Vera... isn't it a good thing for a boss to care about her employees and subordinates?" Ansu said earnestly.
"It's not easy to find a well-paying job these days. Look at Old Joanna's dad from next door; wasn't he fired just for offending his boss? So, your brother really treasures this opportunity."
Ansu glanced at his sister's expression and, as expected, after framing it as a matter of survival, Vera finally seemed less repulsed.
"Fine then, for the sake of the money..."
Vera thoughtfully considered her brother's position. "I don't want you to lose this job either, since we only moved back to this big house because of your new job... if she wants to come, then let her come."
Of course, it would be even better if her brother earned enough money to resign from that female boss in the future...
In a few years, her brother would graduate from the Benalu Royal Academy. With his status as a top student in alchemy and magitech, he could find a high-paying job anywhere, whether in the Royal Capital, Benalu, or even other countries.
By then, he could definitely say goodbye to that overbearing female boss.
Although his sister agreed easily, Ansu still worriedly cautioned her, "Vera... my boss sometimes has a bit of a temper... if she says something that spoils the mood, don't take it too heart..."
"I heard she's a noble lady?" Vera huffed, crossing her arms. "That's just how these nobles are, they never treat us like people! Brother, you don't need to plead for her. If she really says something unpleasant..."
Vera's little face suddenly turned cold. "Hmph! I'll show her!"
Ansu felt helpless; he wanted them to get along, not to start a fight...
"Anyway... I've talked to her before, and she'll control her temper. Besides, my boss actually likes you quite a bit." Ansu looked at his clearly skeptical sister and could only plead, "Good sister, dear Vera, let's just finish this dinner peacefully and harmoniously, okay?"
Vera fell silent for a moment, and seeing her brother like this made her sigh inwardly.
Would her brother really plead with her like this for the sake of an outsider...
It seemed he truly liked this job.
"Alright... Brother, I promise you." Vera put on a smile again and nodded obediently. "Ms. Hailey is so good to you and is your superior, how could I make things difficult for her?"
"Really?" Ansu was still a bit uneasy.
"Of course, I'm the most obedient sister~" Vera blinked, showing a sweet and sensible smile.
"When that day comes, I won't deliberately make things hard for Ms. Hailey, nor will I give her the cold shoulder. It will definitely be very warm and harmonious, so don't you worry~"
Although Ansu felt his sister's smile was a bit strange, since she had said this much, he could only nod.
"Mm, that's good then..."
...
The carriage drove through the narrowest alleys of the Black Harbor District, and the ride was bumpy all the way.
Ansu looked at the potholed ground; the roads here had never been renovated and were full of obstacles. This chaotic lower-class slum had basically been abandoned by Benalu City.
After a bumpy ride until two in the afternoon, the carriage finally stopped in front of a dilapidated tavern. Kent, who was driving, stepped down to open the door for them.
"We have arrived, you two."
After walking into the tavern, the murky smell made Vera wrinkle her nose uncomfortably.
The atmosphere in the tavern was also terrible. She looked at two drunks who were fighting while wasted and instinctively grabbed Ansu's finger.
Ansu gripped Vera's hand tightly, leading her as they followed Kent to a small booth in the tavern.
"Ms. Danielle, I have brought the girl the Holy Maiden mentioned. You..."
Kent frowned as he looked at the woman who was slumped over the table, half-asleep and smelling of alcohol.
He gave Ansu an apologetic look, then stepped forward and whispered, "Ms. Danielle? Ms. Danielle?"
"Who is it... can't you see I'm busy..." The woman called Ms. Danielle looked up irritably.
Her glazed eyes landed on Kent's face, and she slurred, "Eh? You brat, you've grown so big now? What... want to have a drink with your big sis?"
Kent's smile was a bit awkward as he repeated what the Holy Maiden had instructed.
"It's like this: there is a girl with a very high talent for the Holy Light. The Holy Maiden hopes you can personally mentor her..."
"Ah, that matter. Freya mentioned it to me..." Danielle's drunkenness seemed to clear slightly. She propped up her chin, her lazy gaze sweeping over Ansu and Vera. "Wants me to take an apprentice, right?"
Vera found that this 'master' before her seemed a bit different from what she had imagined, and she cast a questioning look at her brother.
"Yes, that's correct. My sister, Vera, has a talent for the Holy Light that far exceeds ordinary people." Ansu placed the gifts he had brought on the opposite seat, smiling sincerely. "Master Danielle, I hope you can give her some guidance so this child's talent doesn't go to waste. These are just a small token of our appreciation..."
Danielle gave Ansu's gifts a dismissive glance.
"Talent? There are plenty of people who say they have talent..." She laughed dismissively, looking Vera up and down.
Vera was a bit nervous, but remembering her brother's instructions, she tried her best to stand tall, not wanting to show any weakness.
But after just a moment of scrutiny, Danielle's eyes suddenly became exceptionally sharp.
Vera instantly felt a sense of danger; that cold murderous intent made her instinctively lean closer to her brother.
"The little girl is quite cute..." Danielle clicked her tongue, withdrawing her scrutinizing gaze and glancing at Kent.
"Are you sure she wants to learn Holy Light divine arts and follow the path of a paladin? Which family's young lady is she? To think someone would use the back door to come to me?"
"I'm not a young lady, and I'm not a noble!" Vera clearly felt looked down upon. She set her face and said to her seriously, "Master Danielle, I truly want to learn Holy Light divine arts. I want to become a very powerful transcendent powerhouse!"
"Oh~" Danielle was amused by Vera's expression and shook her head with a smile. "Becoming a paladin isn't something you can do just by thinking about it. The path of cultivation is incredibly arduous; you'll have to endure a lot of hardship..."
The more she looked at Vera, the more she felt this was unreliable. Although the girl said she wasn't a noble, looking at her and her brother's clothing and temperament, they clearly weren't from an ordinary family. Not to mention they could use a connection with the Holy Maiden of the Church to find her, a semi-retired veteran...
Ordinary people couldn't get to know someone at Holy Maiden Freya's level, and the fact that Freya had visited her personally and sincerely for this meant the other party had a significant background.
Therefore, she instinctively assumed this was just playing house with some rich young lady. What Danielle disliked most were people like this, who thought they could order her around just because they had money and power.
Rate on N.U.
