The hospitality at the Maiol household was extraordinary.

  At dinner, in addition to the familiar faces, Maiol’s younger brother, who was four years her junior, also joined them.

  It was clear that this brother adored Maiol. He sweetly called her "big sister" and was quite the charming, affectionate boy.

  The meal was vish, featuring ingredients such as Magic Boar meat and Great Radish soup, all of which were expensive yet absolutely delicious.

  When Seneca took her first bite, she thought her cheeks might fall off from the sheer deliciousness of the food, but with the quantity of dishes, she quickly became overwhelmed. Reflecting on how accustomed she had become to luxury, she felt a little guilty, yet she made an effort to finish everything.

  Later in the evening, they were granted the privilege of a bath.

  Though it didn’t seem like they bathed every day, simply having a bath in the house was impressive in itself. Seneca savoured the warm water slowly, and then the two of them shared a rge bed, falling into a peaceful, deep sleep.

  ...

  The next day, Seneca and Maiol set out together to locate the former mayor and his wife from Cordoba vilge.

  With a general idea of the location from the letter’s address, Maiol would guide Seneca as they sought the couple’s home.

  After Cordoba vilge had been destroyed, the former mayor and his wife had moved to Lusitania to live with their son, who worked there.

  Maiol mentioned that the couple’s house was in a district where the middle css resided, so they were likely living comfortably.

  Though they could have gone directly from Maiol’s home to their destination, they decided to take a slight detour for some sightseeing.

  Everything was fresh and new to Seneca. Even the rge shops had smaller retail outlets. It was truly fascinating to visit these stores and browse their goods.

  Many people in the area knew Maiol, so there were no issues, even if they didn’t buy anything.

  Seneca had a particur fondness for nuts. In particur, she loved acorns so much that she jokingly thought she could transform into a squirrel if she really tried. As they entered a shop selling nuts, her eyes sparkled with excitement, and she bought small amounts of various types.

  ...

  Soon enough, they arrived at the former mayor’s house.

  As they neared, Seneca began to feel increasingly nervous and became quieter.

  Once they reached a certain area, Maiol said, "It should be around here."

  With no further details, they had no choice but to ask around.

  Scanning the area, Seneca spotted a middle-aged man and approached him.

  "Excuse me, do you know where the home of Mr. Andar and Mrs. Lucia, the Gofsai, is located?"

  "Oh, I know them! Go straight down this road, turn left at the end, and you’ll find it right there. Do you two have something to discuss with them?" the man asked.

  "I was once cared for by Mr. Andar when I was a child," Seneca expined.

  At this, the man squinted slightly and replied, "Could you be from Cordoba?"

  "Yes, that’s right," Seneca confirmed.

  "I see, I see. That must have been tough. Actually, I too have been helped by Mr. Andar. Be sure to pass on my regards," the man said, waving his hand before walking off in the opposite direction.

  Following his directions, Seneca and Maiol soon saw a familiar woman sweeping in front of a house.

  "Mrs. Lucia!!!" Seneca cried out, tears streaming down her face as she rushed to embrace the middle-aged woman.

  ...

  It had been five years since Lucia left Cordoba vilge.

  She had come to Lusitania, where her son worked, and had steadily worked her way to a stable life.

  Her husband and son both worked diligently and earned a good income.

  Lucia, using her skills, helped out occasionally by making sweets and jams.

  There was no dissatisfaction with her current life. However, there was lingering regret.

  It was about the two children she had reluctantly let go, despite having vowed to protect them. Fearful of the surrounding opposition, she had ultimately let go of them, which haunted her.

  Those two children were treasures to Lucia. Not because they were exceptionally talented or strong, but because Lucia loved them purely for who they were. She had showered them with affection as if they were her own.

  Eus, Anna, Unius, and Helwia—four exceptional individuals. Eus and Anna had moved to Cordoba after her husband’s insistence.

  Eus, who had always dreamed of travelling the world with his siblings when they grew older, had seemed full of hope. If he had returned to adventuring, what kind of man would he have become now?

  Yet, the brave youth perished in the service of the future, while those like Lucia—skilled only in cooking—had somehow survived.

  At times, such thoughts pgued her mind.

  Seneca and Lucius, like blood siblings, had adventured together every day.

  Lucia sometimes felt a pang of sadness, wondering if the day would come when these two would also leave her side to begin their own journey. But they left much sooner than she had expected.

  No, they hadn’t left her. She had let go of them.

  Lucia still believed that her husband’s decision had been correct. He had upheld his duty as vilge chief and had no choice but to relinquish the role of guardian to Seneca and Lucius.

  But, just because it wasn’t the wrong decision, Lucia still couldn’t understand if it was the right one.

  In the end, Lucia had done nothing. Now, the only comfort she found was in the occasional letter from Seneca. The weight of guilt, however, still hung heavily in her heart.

  To think that such a sweet girl would step into the harsh world of adventurers...

  To think that such a quiet boy would walk a path filled with demons...

  Lucia could do nothing but pray for their safety.

  ...

  "Mrs. Lucia!!!"

  She heard a voice.

  It came from nearby, but somehow echoed as though it was coming from far away, carrying a unique resonance.

  She recognised that voice.

  The moment she tried to turn around, someone suddenly hugged her tightly.

  Normally, her body would instinctively resist such contact, but for some reason, it didn’t feel unwelcome.

  It was a girl.

  Though her face wasn’t visible, the sunlight caught her silver hair, making it shine.

  The girl buried her face into Lucia’s chest, rubbing her head and snuggling in affectionately.

  There was only one girl in the world who would behave like this.

  Lucia gently pced her hand on the girl’s head and slowly began to stroke it, saying softly:

  "Seneca, welcome home."

  ...

  Maiol stood a little way off, watching Seneca and Lucia embrace and reunite.

  Tears began to well up in Maiol’s eyes as she watched the scene unfold.

  She couldn’t understand the feeling of not having parents.

  She couldn’t fully grasp the longing of someone who clung to those who took them in as if they were their own mother.

  She had never experienced such overwhelming joy at another's safety, never felt the need to embrace someone repeatedly with such fervour.

  Yet, tears continued to fall.

  Perhaps it wasn’t necessary to understand these feelings, and perhaps it was normal to experience emotions one couldn’t fully comprehend, Maiol thought.

  Just as Seneca held emotions only she could understand, there were likely many feelings in the world that Maiol could never fully grasp.

  This wasn’t coldness.

  What mattered was trying to understand with warmth, Maiol realised with certainty in that moment.

  So, once Seneca and Lucia had calmed down, Maiol took a deep breath and stepped forward, saying:

  "Mrs. Lucia, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Maiol. I look forward to your guidance."

  With a greeting that wasn’t often used unless in formal situations, Maiol left Seneca and Lucia at a loss for words, and an awkward silence fell over the moment.

  Needless to say, beads of sweat began to form on Maiol’s forehead as she tried to maintain her composure.