I could somewhat understand why Viola had brought up such a thing. She had taken her role as an adopted daughter a bit too seriously.

Quesa had another name.

‘Naya Gale, the nun who becomes a dream and hope for the countless children in the slums.’

Though she had never claimed to serve a particular god, to the people in the slums, Quesa was a nun. She generously donated to the starving and even ran a non-profit organization called ‘Morning Sun’ for their sake.

‘A character who can never tolerate the hungry.’

Quesa was a person like two sides of a coin. As the head of the Quilton family, she could be endlessly cold and cruel, yet as the nun of Morning Sun, she was warm and gentle.

Someone who knew how to care for the poor and sometimes raised her voice against injustices.

‘She couldn’t ignore the plea of the children in the slums asking to share a meal and once stayed in the slums for 30 days because of it.’ Naya (Quesa) had a particular weakness for being asked to share meals. Perhaps it was due to her own memories of poverty from her childhood spent scraping by.

“Nephew, you know my other name, huh?”

“Of course. Everyone who should know does.”

“How did you find out?”

“Through information traders.”

“Liar. They can’t be that loose-lipped.”

Quesa narrowed her eyes. “If there really are such loose-lipped folks, I’d kill them all. I’d snap the necks of every information trader you came into contact with. Can you take responsibility for that?”

It was a test for Viola. Viola shrugged as if she had expected as much.

“It’s a lie.”

“Then how did you find out?”

“I know the person who made her mask. There’s an exceptionally talented disguise artist in Winter Castle.”

“So Seivan blew it, huh?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

Quesa was caught off guard. “I’ve been in and out of Father’s study several times.”

“In Heron’s study?”

“Yes, there were various documents in the study, and there was a budget expenditure report related to Seivan. Estimated costs and a yearly cycle. From that, I inferred it had to do with masks.”

The more special the mask, the shorter the replacement cycle. It had to be replaced or repaired at least once a year.

“The chemicals for maintaining the masks were sent to ‘Morning Sun’ every month, so I was able to confirm that the person creating Naya’s face was Seivan Marcos.”

Quesa looked as if she couldn’t believe it. Medea would, but…

How could a mere 13-year-old like Viola have gone in and out of Heron’s study several times? “So you mean to say you figured out I was Naya from just one document?”

“Aunt never said she was Naya, but I’m grateful you admitted it yourself.”

Quesa stared blankly at Viola for a moment before bursting into laughter. “Heh, you’re a cheeky little thing.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Quesa chuckled and stroked her chin, then asked more questions. “So, it seems you spent a lot of time with Heron?”

“Yes, he talked to me several times. Over the past year, we also spent a lot of private time together.”

“…….Did he not mention Jin-an at all?”

Quesa was both a rival and a friend to Heron. On the battlefield, they were comrades who could trust each other’s backs, and she was a friend who knew Heron from his old days.

“He never mentioned it directly, but it didn’t seem like he was using Jin-an.”

“Is that so?”

Quesa fell into thought for a moment. ‘Jin-an had only failed to work on one person.’

That was Rael, the one Heron truly loved. The connection had only faltered when he was with Rael.

‘Is Heron changing?’

Is that why Sister Isabella is becoming more anxious? To even commission the assassination of a little child? “You said you were hungry?”

“Yes, I am. A lot has happened at the Black Temple.”

“Let’s talk about what happened while we eat.”

Quesa reached out her hand. It seemed Quesa’s shadow stretched out—drawing something in from the forest.

It was a four-legged beast resembling a pig, but its body was completely hairless.

Viola could tell what that beast was.

‘Nubian?’

Known for its tender meat and lack of odor, it was considered a delicacy among gourmets. However, its armor-like skin was hard and it moved swiftly, and since it thought of humans as prey, it was a target even seasoned hunters avoided. ‘Did she manage to find and hunt a Nubian in this vast forest?’

Viola gulped unconsciously. Plus, had she stripped off all the skin that was tougher than most armor? Hunting a man-eating beast like this so easily?

Viola shuddered.

She suddenly imagined getting caught in that shadow.

‘I don’t even want to imagine that.’

Surely, there was no benefit in being entangled with the absolute beings of this world.

It was a world where merely breathing could get your head taken.

“Do you like barbecue?”

During the hold-your-breath moment waiting for a right timing, Selbin quickly cut in. “Yes!”

In front of the Nubian barbecue, Selbin’s tongue became even shorter.

*

Quesa clapped and laughed heartily as she listened to Viola.

“So, that’s why the Black Temple crumbled. Wow. The news journalists are about to get busy, huh?”

The Black Temple. The ruler of the first floor.

The Dark Magician Dexial.

And with that, the tales of ancient heroes Halcon and Arge.

All these elements were topics that intrigued people. “Nephew, you’re going to get famous again.”

Indeed. It seemed that her claim of growing up to be White Bellatu wasn’t just empty words.

An exceptional kid with insight and analysis, capable of swaying public opinion and people’s hearts.

Quesa defined Viola like that.

“By the way, to think the sword of the ancient hero Halcon was hidden there. That black sword held by the Partner Sword is that sword, right?”

Quesa shifted her gaze towards Tundra. The look in Tundra’s eyes as he gazed at Quesa was not kind.

“Hey, your eyes look like they could eat someone. I told you, I’ve neatly given up on this request.”

“Still, the fact that you threatened my princess remains the same.”

“I’ve heard a lot about the Partner Sword. But I’ve never heard of someone who’s known as a martial artist to this extent.”

Quesa hummed and stroked her chin before speaking again. “Did you perhaps train in the ‘Sacred Ground of the Ancient Warriors’?”

Tundra nodded. “Yes.”

“Then it’s settled,” Quesa clapped her hands.

“How long were you inside?”

“Ten years.”

At that, Quesa’s eyes widened. “What? Ten years? No way, don’t lie.”

“It felt that way, but I’m not sure if it was really ten years.”

“How insane.”

Quesa told several stories. “Do you know who the person who lasted the longest was? It was Heron. He endured five years in there. In terms of outside time, it was only a week, but Medea managed to stay close to that time, and Hixson, known as Black Mirror, was around that long too, as were Sword Monarchs.”

Those who were known as the Absolutes in this world typically lasted about five years. But ten years…? “Is it possible to maintain one’s sense of self for that long?”

“It would have been impossible normally.”

Tundra’s gaze turned towards Viola. It was a completely different look than when he looked at Quesa.

“But I was able to endure because the promise weighed heavily on me.”

Quesa pressed at her temples as if suffering from a headache. She could partly understand why Isabella would want to eliminate Viola early on.

It felt as if the heroes were gathering around Viola.

‘The Partner Sword, she’s really shocking.’

I mentally battled against Tundra. ‘Could I win against the Partner Sword now?’

I felt I had to clash to find out. ‘The odds are 60 to 40. I’d probably win.’

However, it was difficult to claim that it was simply a matter of skill. Experience in war and battle, and the judgment that comes from it.

That would be what determined the outcome. ‘As time passes…’

The odds would gradually decrease. Tundra was still young after all. “Heron wasn’t even like this at your age.”

Sighing deeply, I said, “I really wonder how the world is turning out like this. That kid is so infatuated with Viola that he acts like he’d give his life for her.”

The time spent with Viola was short, yet it left a strong impression. Heron, Hixson, Zeno, Tundra, and Selbin.

I heard that she was also a benefactor of Louis Varten and had captured Selina’s affection entirely.

‘They say she has ties with Kaiser too.’

I intentionally didn’t delve into details. The Mercenary King Kaiser was Quesa’s former lover, and I had purposely been ignoring news related to Kaiser.

‘He’s forming a powerful influence that isn’t visible.’

It was a completely different move from the usual Bellatu. Suddenly, I became curious.

“Nephew, what kind of world do you dream of?”

“Well…”

I never really had such grand thoughts. I just want to live thinly, long, and happily.

Still, there was a world that Ah-rin had dreamed of. “A world where children aren’t abandoned and don’t cry from hunger.”

That one statement left a deep resonance in Quesa’s heart. Come to think of it, this child had mentioned coming from the slums.

“And?”

“Even so, when someone is abandoned and left alone, a hand can reach out to them, at least someone.”

“…….

“A world where the abandoned child can take that hand and stand up again would be wonderful.”

Kang Han-jun had done that for her during her childhood. Thanks to him, she was able to live.

Tundra tightened his grip on the hilt of the black sword.

‘I’ll be by your side.

In that moment of reaffirmation.

Quesa suddenly pulled Viola into a hug.

Her movements were quick and stealthy, reminiscent of a wildcat.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Tundra extended his sword.