Chapter 178 On the other hand...
{TL: By Creed}
Sofia and Aisha walked through the town hand in hand.
“Hehe~”
They were supposed to be heading to Lila’s house, but along the way, the enticing aroma wafting from the direction of the marketplace distracted Aisha.
In front of a street vendor selling grilled meat skewers, Aisha’s tail wagged so furiously it seemed it might snap off.
But Aisha was a good girl.
Soon, she came to her senses, remembered they had a destination, and apologized, saying, “I’m sorry.”
A little child trying so hard to resist temptation.
And that child was her beloved daughter.
What kind of parent would ignore such an innocent desire?
And so, Sofia bought the meat skewers.
Which brings us to now.
“Nom.”
Holding the skewer in her free hand, Aisha took a second bite.
The meat was grilled to perfection, tender and soft enough to melt in the mouth. It must have been simmered beforehand and then finished off with a seared crust to lock in the flavor before being served to customers.
“Aww~♪”
Aisha looked completely blissful, her tail wagging energetically back and forth.
Seeing her daughter like that, Sofia also wore a delighted expression.
My daughter is the cutest in the world.
She’s the best. She’s unbeatable.
Aisha is the world’s greatest treasure and the ultimate angel.
Sofia was entertaining these absurd thoughts when—
“Outta the way! Move it!”
Suddenly, the town was thrown into an uproar.
A man with bloodshot eyes was struggling against knights. He held a baby in one arm and a sword in the other.
“Hey! Don’t do anything stupid!”
“Let go of the child!”
“Shut up, shut up, shut up! This kid is mine—my child! Mine, you hear me?!”
The man’s eyes were wild, and he shouted with such force that he was practically foaming at the mouth.
He was holding a child. Was he facing a divorce? Had he been stripped of custody rights? Refusing to accept it, had he turned to violence?
Sofia quickly grasped the situation and drew the sword at her waist.
“Aisha-chan, stay here for a moment, okay? Make sure you don’t leave my sight.”
“Okay. Mama, do your best!”
“Of course.”
Fueled by her daughter’s encouragement, Sofia beamed at Aisha. Then, her expression turned icy as she shifted her gaze to the man.
“I don’t know all the details, but…”
She stepped forward, one step at a time.
“Hey! Don’t come any closer!”
“Don’t you see? If we provoke him, he’ll—”
“Wait a second. Isn’t she…?”
The knights, noticing Sofia’s approach, called out in warning but quickly recognized her and looked astonished.
“Who the hell are you?! Don’t come near me!”
The man also noticed Sofia and pointed his sword at her.
“This kid is mine! I’ll raise them myself! If you’re trying to take away my happiness, then all of you are my enemies!”
“Wah…waaah…”
The baby, frightened by the man’s yelling, began to cry.
But the man didn’t care; he kept shouting and swinging his sword wildly.
Sofia’s gaze turned as cold as absolute zero.
“As a fellow parent, I can somewhat understand the fear of being separated from your child…”
Sofia gripped the hilt of her sword tightly.
“But a parent who makes their child cry is unfit to be a parent!”
The figure vanished in an instant.
Both the knights and the man were left dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events.
Where did she go?
Frantically, they scanned their surroundings, but it was already too late.
“Gah!?”
In a flash, Sofia had moved behind the man and struck his side with the flat of her sword.
She felt the impact of bones cracking.
The man crumpled to the ground, and before he could take the child down with him, Sofia swiftly rescued the baby from his grasp.
“There, there. It’s okay now,” she said softly.
“...Uuuh.”
When Sofia smiled gently at the child, the tears stopped soon after.
Though she was still learning, Sofia was a mother. She had become adept at comforting children.
“Thank you for your cooperation! Hey, restrain that man immediately!”
“Yes, sir!”
The knights quickly snapped out of their daze and rushed over to Sofia. At the same time, they restrained the man writhing in pain on the ground.
As this happened, Sofia’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
That sword… doesn’t it resemble a cursed blade?
“Here, please take the child,” Sofia said, handing the baby to a knight who seemed trustworthy.
“In the name of the knight order’s honor, we will ensure this child is returned to their mother.”
After passing the baby over, Sofia began to turn away when one of the knights addressed her hesitantly.
“By the way… if I may ask, are you the famed Sword Saint, Lady Sofia Ascart?”
“You’ve heard of me?”
“Of course! No one else has ever become a Sword Saint at your age, Lady Ascart.”
“That’s a little embarrassing, but thank you,” Sofia said, her tone modest.
“Actually… if you have a moment, there’s something we’d like to consult with you about.”
“A consultation? Hmm…”
Sofia had already informed Lila that she would visit her today.
Would it be right to break that promise now?
However, the knight’s expression was earnest. This wasn’t some trivial request, like asking for an autograph or hearing stories of her exploits.
“I have another engagement after this… Could it wait until later? Maybe in the evening or at night?”
“Yes, that would be fine! We’ll be at the knight order’s branch the entire time, so please come by whenever it’s convenient for you.”
“Understood. I’ll see you later, then.”
What could this consultation be about?
Sofia frowned slightly, sensing an unpleasant premonition.
TL Note: What's next?
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