Warm Heart
Hehe. Sisilia was in a great mood after snagging a rare item.
'Can't resist an alt account.' One day, she'd blend in with the newbies and cosplay as a total beginner. Something to look forward to.
"It's kinda stiff. Looks a bit like the squad badge."
For reference, Beatrice had gotten her adventurer ID too. She held up her No. 004 card to the sunlight, eyes full of curiosity.
"Lude worked hard on these."
"M-Magus Lude made them?"
"Yeah. Lude's a genius at item crafting."
Regular mages focused on research and creation, while magi engineers handled combat. But Lude was the GOAT in crafting too. Doing both was normally impossible.
Still, as a rare pureblood mage who'd climbed to high knight in the Windsor Knights, he was basically superhuman. Rumors even swirled that he was dragonkin.
—Source: Sisilia. Credibility: zero.
"Must be worth a fortune, then."
"Reissues cost 10 gold. Lude said he'd make 'em himself up to the 100s."
"I-I'll treasure it. Had no idea it was this valuable..."
"Lemme see yours, Betty."
Beatrice shot Sisilia a deeply suspicious look.
"Show me show me show me."
But Sisilia's pestering was hard to ignore. With a sigh, Beatrice handed it over.
Rank: Challenger
"......"
In Sisilia's adventurer rank system, Challenger was the highest tier.
Sisilia stared at Beatrice with utterly deflated eyes.
"Why that look?"
"......Why are you Challenger, Betty?"
"I-I don't know either."
Truth be told, it was obvious why Beatrice was Challenger. She'd designed the top rank—Challenger, meaning "one who challenges"—so that newbies who reached it could join the Windsor Knights.
Of course a Windsor Knight like Beatrice qualified. She was even higher.
But...... was this right?
Overkill. So salty it's bitter.
It clashed with Sisilia's aesthetics. If you needed clout, just flash your Windsor badge. An adventurer ID was about romance.
No fun in skipping the grind, step by step with care.
So—
Snap.
Sisilia snapped Beatrice's adventurer ID clean in half!
"Kyaaah! My 10 gold!"
Beatrice screamed, then burst into tears.
"Get a new one. Match my Bronze. We won't duo later?"
"What's a duo......?"
Fuming, Sisilia dragged Beatrice by the wrist to the guild.
"Reissues are 10 gold!"
"Vice-Captain Sisilia?"
Beatrice eyed her nervously. Don't tell me I have to pay too......? Then I'd have to tattle to Master Chiron for real.
"You think I'm that shameless?"
'Pervert? Yeah.'
Blinking innocently, Sisilia pulled her wallet from her bosom. She was a conscientious superior, after all. She covered drinks on team nights, so covering a reissue fee after breaking one's card was basic decency.
But.
"......Vice-Captain? No way, right?"
"Betty."
Sisilia sweated bullets.
"Lend me 10 gold."
"......"
Sisilia had blown her monthly allowance already.
**
"You have to pay me back."
"Next month for sure. If not, I'll sell my body or whatever."
"......No need. You don't look like you'd fetch much."
Beatrice blurted in horror.
Sisilia sighed in relief. Lucky her creditor had a heart.
"Where to now? We should handle work soon. We have tons piled up."
"Huh?"
Sisilia swapped her apologetic face for nonchalance in a flash.
"'Our work'? That's your job, Betty. Why drag me in?"
"Vice-Captain, I'm gonna hit you."
"......"
Sisilia found Beatrice scary sometimes.
"Where we headed?"
"Here."
Sisilia's destination: an orphanage.
Beatrice paled at the utterly random spot.
"S-Sorry."
"?"
"I-I was so rude...... But orphans? That's too much."
Your parents are alive, y'know!
Sisilia smirked at Beatrice's desperate plea.
Betty's hilarious.
Just a fun jab to tuck away for later.
"This is the orphanage I sponsor."
"......Huh?"
Beatrice gawked, thinking it'd been a savage orphan joke.
"You do that too, Vice-Captain?"
"Yeah."
"Why......?"
Sisilia answered like it was obvious.
"They're pitiful."
"...!"
The Liannen Kingdom held off demons decently, but plenty of kids lost parents to monsters or demons. Sisilia helped where she could—not all, but as many as her reach allowed.
"I... see."
Beatrice trailed off.
I didn't know... and suspected her of fat jokes.
She hung her head in shame.
"Sword Princess!"
"You're too mean! You said you'd visit again soon last time!"
"Sorry. Been busy. I'll come more often next time."
"This is your last warning?"
"Yeah."
Sisilia smiled faintly, petting the kids' heads. Beatrice watched blankly, then noticed their clothes.
......That design looks familiar.
Sisilia's casual wear was unique. One-of-a-kind, really—nothing like standard clothes.
Yet some kids wore outfits in the same vein as hers.
Custom orders for them?
"Sis! Race me! First to that tree wins!"
"Sure, sounds fun."
Beatrice shelved her questions, smiling warmly at Sisilia playing with the kids.
Sisilia and a little kid lined up crookedly for the race.
"One, two!"
Sure enough, Vice-Captain has a warm heart...
Whoosh!
Sisilia bolted full speed to the tree!
"!"
"Waaah!"
The kid wailed. Sisilia panicked, flailing helplessly. Meanwhile, a little boy pointed at Beatrice's skirt and giggled.
"Sis has cat-print panties."
Warm heart...
Beatrice's eyes shrank to dots.
"Pathetic."
A haughty voice cut in. A girl in a black dress, about 12—the oldest here, probably.
"Challenging her grand mission with such resolve? Unbelievable."
"E-Elise."
"Scary..."
Sisilia tilted her head at Elise.
New face.
Not one she'd sponsored. Recent arrival, maybe...
Ah. Jerryway.
Probably one of his strays.
"Hi."
Sisilia beamed and patted Elise's head. The girl's icy expression melted into a blush.
"Th-Thank you for visiting."
"Nah, sorry I'm late."
"N-No...! You're my lifesaver, Sisilia. Just your presence is an honor."
"Cute."
Sisilia hugged her tight. Elise startled, then smiled softly.
"You came after my letter?"
Sisilia nodded.
"Yeah. It touched me."
Lie. She'd been too busy to read it.
But per Einstein's relativity, past and future connect. She'd read it tonight at home—so it was basically read already.
Not a lie.
"Th-Then...! I hate to ask, but... my request..."
"Elise, that's cheating."
"Yeah, asking before Sword Princess even offers."
Letter had a favor. Probably clothes.
Sisilia's discards all went to the orphanage. Kids could claim what they wanted.
Wrong sizes or boys' stuff got sold for funds.
Yet oddly(?), rumors spread among the kids.
Fairness is key. My bad.
Only "chosen" ones got her clothes. Blame her one bored coord session.
Now kids didn't pick—they begged with sparkling eyes.
"Just take what you want."
"B-But... I'm new, just three months here."
Elise moped at the floor. Sisilia sighed.
Elise's eyes widened, then welled up. Sisilia waved frantically.
"No no, not sighing at you."
Keep this up and it'll be habit. Fine. Others got something.
Sisilia removed her hair accessory—a black ribbon—and pinned it on Elise's sniffling head.
"Suits you."
Goth loli vibes.
Sisilia's eyes sparkled. Elise looked up, teary-eyed. A drop fell.
"Granting such a selfish wish... This girl vows to repay, even if torn limb from limb!"
General's resolve.
......That much?
Sisilia had mild doubts, but Sword Princess is an angel! Self-praise drowned them.
She petted Elise, meeting her eyes.
"We're similar builds, so my clothes'll fit fine."
Sisilia's silver eyes darkened, recalling last month's donations.
"Yeah. Blacks'll suit you. Pick from last month's batch. Gotta wear it? Promise."
"Y-Yeah, promise."
Sisilia hooked her pinky, finally satisfied. Precious clothes—better on kids than strangers.
Kids swarmed Elise.
"Congrats, Elise. You're one of us now."
"Finally acknowledged?"
"Let's all work hard!"
One of us? Acknowledged? Work hard at what?
Sisilia touched her lips, puzzled. No clue.
Ask Betty. She mentioned a sibling.
But Beatrice was sniffling.
"......Need my clothes too, Betty?"
"Sniff... Sell one and my debt's gone, right?"
Sisilia blinked blankly, then punched her fist into Beatrice's arm.
"Ow."
True, but still.