"Sister Zofia!!!"
"Huh? Didn't you go to find Noah? Why did you suddenly run back?" Zofia had just been about to throw herself into a warm bathtub, her clothes already off, when she heard heavy footsteps outside the door. Maria, dressed in her gear, burst through the bathroom door and shouted at Zofia.
"I want extra training!"
"Ah?!" Zofia thought Maria's head must be broken. "Why?! And you, get out first! I'm taking a bath!"
"Don't bathe yet! Train first! I think my Repentance Sword still has room for improvement!"
"Wait a minute! Wait a minute, I haven't even put my clothes on properly!" Zofia gripped the sink tightly, preventing herself from being dragged out by Maria's monstrous strength. Ever since this child started training, putting aside everything else, her strength had been growing exponentially. "At least let me put my clothes on first!"
And she was getting more and more lawless, actually barging into her bathroom, completely disregarding that she was still naked.
In the struggle, Zofia was truly at her wit's end. So she simply yanked a nearby bath towel, used it as a whip-blade, wrapped it around Maria's limbs, and then pulled sharply, causing Maria to fall to the ground. "You rascal! Listen to me, will you?! Why are you suddenly in such a hurry?!"
Just a moment ago, she had left the training ground looking worried, but after a trip to Noah's place, she was suddenly full of energy. What was going on?
"...I… I suddenly want to improve. Tomorrow's match, I can only win, not lose," Maria mumbled for a while, then casually pulled out an excuse no dog would believe. "Can't it just be that I suddenly awakened and plan to achieve a three-level jump in strength within a day?"
"Do you think I believe that?" Zofia gave her a look that said 'you're an idiot.' Her Maria was good at everything except lying. That momentary blush had already been caught by Zofia. This girl was definitely not asking for extra training because of some desire to improve.
"Anyway… anyway, I just want extra training."
"If you don't explain the reason clearly, I'm planning to rest today. You can train by yourself!" Zofia also got tough, immediately tugging the bath towel in her hand and threatening. "I was already going to take a bath, and then you say extra training. I'll get all sweaty again, and then have to take another bath when I come back. How troublesome."
"...Gulp…" Maria seemed to know she was being a bit demanding, but thinking of Noah's promise that she would agree to anything if Maria won, she felt an endless surge of motivation. She didn't know what she would ask Noah to do later, but Noah's word was her bond, and she definitely wouldn't renege. So whatever she said, Sister Noah would do.
Even if… even if it was…
Maria's mind conjured some scenes that she herself found a bit sacrilegious. Her face flushed, and she quickly patted her cheeks to clear her head. "No, nothing."
"Still saying 'nothing' here. Your face is almost as red as a monkey's butt. Did Noah promise you something? Is she going to give you a new artisan workshop if you win?"
"...An artisan workshop… that doesn't sound bad either," Maria's eyes lit up, but she still shook her head. "No… it's not that specific. In short, there's a reward, and I get to choose it."
"No wonder you're so excited…" Zofia finally understood why Maria suddenly wanted to be so proactive. "Alright, I'll join you then. We can bathe together when we get back."
"Mhm mhm mhm!" Maria nodded excitedly. "Then?"
"Let's go. I'll go change first, then meet you at the garden training ground right away." What else could Zofia do? She had to spoil her own child, of course.
Watching Maria leave joyfully, Zofia, however, had a bit of a secret thought. Maria's excitement clearly wasn't just because Noah promised a reward. More importantly, it was probably because [Noah let her choose any reward], right? Since it was any choice, as an adult, Zofia naturally thought of things only adults would think of. After all, she wasn't some pure character, and she already knew most of what there was to know about that kind of thing.
Although Maria herself probably hadn't thought to that extent… as a dirty adult, Zofia was already fantasizing about all sorts of scenarios.
Ah, as an elder, the education of my juniors is still a heavy and long road.
Zofia didn't think there was anything wrong with Maria's faint feelings for Noah; it was puberty, after all, and it was normal to have a crush on an older peer.
Moreover, at this age, it's easy to let one's imagination run wild; at the end of the day, it's having the desire but not the courage.
Even if Maria won, she probably wouldn't make any excessive demands.
And Noah herself should have a limit; even if Maria made an overly excessive demand, Noah could completely refuse it.
Having motivation is a good thing; Zofia was very much looking forward to the future drama that Maria, Margaret, and Noah might put on for her, like a classic 8 PM show.
Zofia turned around and looked at herself in the mirror; she suddenly felt a sense of frustration—if she wasn't a generation older, maybe she would have gotten involved too?
After all, although Noah herself wasn't aware of it, her attractiveness was no less than Margaret's; she spoke gently, acted decisively, was considerate, and was also loyal and righteous.
It's no exaggeration to say that a person like Noah is hard to find even with a lantern.
If Zofia wasn't an elder, she would have already eaten the tender grass.
Where would Maria and Margaret, those two little brats, even come into it!
But I'm only five years older than Maria...
Zofia sighed, shook her head, threw on her clothes, and headed straight for the garden training ground.
—
Noah naturally didn't know that her promise had earned Zofia extra work.
After a day's work, she rested as usual, leaning against the back of her wheelchair at her desk, while Kuro, beside her, kindly reminded her.
"Haven't you had a massage recently?"
"...Eh? Do I have to now?" Noah shivered, instinctively wanting to refuse.
Kuro's massage was one of the necessary medical procedures to prevent her lower body muscles from completely atrophying.
For Noah, it was not comfortable at all; it even involved a fascia knife.
For Noah, each massage basically meant enduring a wave of intense pain—at this moment, she'd rather not feel anything in her legs.
It was tingly, numb, bloated, painful, and yet she couldn't avoid it...
"...Alright, I guess no one else will be looking for me today... that... don't be so forceful..." Noah thought it was indeed about time, held her breath, and finally slowly exhaled.
"I'm afraid of pain..."
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