To be laughed at so bluntly by the boy who, just a moment ago, had been staring her down with such solemn suspicion… even if she wasn’t particularly thin-skinned, it was still a bit much to handle.
However, after this outburst, the heavy, oppressive atmosphere that had filled the carriage earlier dissipated significantly, making her feel… inexplicably less tense.
“Alright, I know it sounds a bit…” she muttered, momentarily failing to find the right words to describe her bizarre combination of “grand ambition” and “claiming to be ordinary.”
“A bit… unique,” Helen finished for her, suppressing his laughter, though he continued to watch the girl’s slightly embarrassed expression.
This girl, who had just emanated a terrifying Dragon’s Might and claimed she would wipe out the Disaster, now showed a spark of vitality that actually matched her appearance. She no longer seemed like a mystery shrouded in mist and danger.
Silence returned to the carriage for a moment. Helen hesitated, his orange eyes stealing a few glances at Aurelia as if he were weighing something in his mind.
He was young and had grown up in an environment like his family’s, making his thoughts deeper than those of his peers. But that didn’t mean he lacked a boy’s curiosity, especially regarding this contradictory and interesting savior of his.
“Um… Aurelia…” he finally spoke, his tone cautious and testing. He seemed a bit uneasy, as if knowing he was about to ask an intrusive or rude question. “How… how old are you this year?”
Realizing it might be inappropriate, he quickly added, “I mean, you look… a bit older than me? But specifically… uh… I just…”
Aurelia hadn’t expected him to ask that and blinked in surprise.
[Is this little guy… actually shy? Well… it makes sense. A noble young master probably thinks asking a girl’s age is quite rude. At least, that’s how light novels and TV shows portray it.]
***
Based on the fragmented memories of the original owner and her own intuition, this body was roughly seventeen or eighteen years old. In this world, that meant she was on the verge of leaving girlhood behind and entering early adulthood.
As for Helen… he looked to be about fourteen or fifteen, maybe even younger.
“I’m probably seventeen, or… eighteen? I don’t remember clearly; it’s been a long time since I had a birthday.”
She gave a rough figure, which wasn’t exactly a lie. The original owner’s memories regarding birthdays were indeed vague. The only clear memory… was likely a winter when she found an unopened cake a noble had thrown into the trash.
With that cake, she had managed to celebrate a happy birthday, though… she probably hadn’t even known if it was her actual birthday.
“Seventeen or eighteen…” Helen repeated softly, lowering his orange eyes as he fell into thought.
Within his generation of the Christ Family in Shadowlight City, he had several older brothers who were much older than him and only an infant younger brother. Sisters were rare, and all had been married off to distant lands for alliances.
To him, the word “sister” was a distant and blurry concept, representing detached etiquette and familial duty rather than affection.
But now, as Helen looked at the girl who had saved him—someone who possessed incredible Force yet called herself an “ordinary person,” and who could get embarrassed and blush—a thought quietly surfaced.
She was older than him; that much was certain.
She had saved him, and while she had her own reasons, the debt was real.
Addressing her as just “Aurelia”… felt too formal now, especially after their conversation and that unexpected laugh. Besides, his first impression of Aurelia wasn’t bad.
She was strong, gentle, and clever, with a youthful air that slipped out occasionally. However… that last part wasn’t something Helen would find appropriate to say.
“Then… how should I address you from now on?”
“Huh?” Aurelia was stunned again.
[How should I know? Can’t you just use my name? Is there some special way to say a name?] Aurelia thought to herself, though she gave Helen an awkward but polite smile.
“You… can call me whatever you want. I don’t mind.”
***
Helen lowered his head, seemingly deep in thought.
The sisters of the Christ Family in Shadowlight City were distant, blurry figures—polite nods in a ballroom, or cold names on a marriage alliance list. They had never given him any real warmth or protection. To him, the word “family” didn’t carry warmth; it was a cold symbol of responsibility and exchange of interests.
But the person before him…
She seemed very strong, with a talent that could easily handle the Power of Calamity, something the whole world found troublesome.
Yet, she was also in a wretched state, covered in wounds, claiming to be an “ordinary person” struggling to survive.
She spoke with a gentle tone, showed embarrassment, and said absurdly… and somewhat interestingly… things about being an ordinary person who would wipe out the Disaster.
She saved him without asking for anything in return, simply stating her predicament and proposing a cooperation.
She wasn’t like any sister in his memory, nor like the delicate or arrogant women of the nobility. She was… different.
After enduring familial betrayal and a life-or-death escape, this difference held a strange attraction for him—a chance to temporarily set aside status and calculation to interact in a simpler way.
Even if… it was only temporary, or even a pretense.
One thought became increasingly clear. In the upcoming escape and survival, which were destined to be anything but easy, he needed a title that was easier to say and more natural to define her.
Perhaps… it was a faint, deep-seated yearning for a simpler, more direct human connection. A companion he could lean on briefly, someone he could lower his guard with, even if the relationship started with interests and disguises.
Then, a title that left Aurelia standing frozen in place escaped Helen’s lips.
“Then, may I call you… Sister Lia?”