Feeling the gazes directed at her, Joanna thought to herself,
“Speaking is much more enjoyable than I expected!”
It wasn’t just about talking.
Understanding the children’s hearts and telling them the words they wanted to hear was a joy in itself.
All of this was thanks to the book—no, the Gospel—that Lord Dantalion had bestowed upon her.
[Conversation is about understanding others, thinking, and expressing one’s heart.]
[Do not deny sorrow, anger, or worry. All emotions are necessary to make a person truly human.]
[Do not deny others’ happiness, and do not hide your own. When happiness is shared, the walls between people crumble.]
These were the teachings written in the scroll that Dantalion had given her.
Of course, they were a reinterpretation of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s sermons, restructured in Dantalion’s style.
But just because words were printed on paper instead of carved into wooden blocks didn’t mean their depth had faded.
Making friends meant breaking down the barriers of the heart and reaching out to others.
Most people didn’t think about it that deeply, but Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s definition of a friend was profoundly intense—almost excessively so.
Once she broke down the walls of her heart, getting close to the children wasn’t difficult at all.
“—And so, the troll knight fell into a deep slumber in the arms of the princess, cradling the human heart he had long dreamed of.”
“Waaahhh!
The troll knight is so pitiful!”
“The princess, too!
She just wanted to be with the one she loved!”
“I’ll never judge anyone based on their appearance again!”
Children, in their pure innocence, had boundless imagination.
A slightly adapted fairy tale had captured their hearts in an instant.
Seeing the children moved to tears, Joanna felt a sense of pride.
“It still only works on kids, but at this level, I think I can say I’ve really improved at storytelling.”
In truth, it wasn’t just a slight improvement—it was an enormous one.
Did people really think it was easy to mesmerize children just by speaking well?
If they were kids her own age, maybe.
But keeping the attention of seven- and eight-year-olds was no easy feat.
That’s why…
“Ahem!
You’re…
Miss Joanna, correct?”
“…Who are you?”
It was a task so difficult that it could even make a full-grown adult weep uncontrollably with emotion.
A man named Johannes, his face a mess of tears and snot, sniffled as he approached Joanna.
It was unsettling.
A grown man, sobbing as he approached?
Definitely suspicious.
No way was she going to let the kids get involved with such a strange adult.
“Kids, I’ll tell you another story next time, so let’s head inside for now.”
“Ugh, that weird man ruined all the fun!”
“Take responsibility!”
“You’re ugly!”
The children’s pure-hearted insults struck Johannes right in the conscience.
“Noona and the weird uncle have important things to talk about, okay?
Go inside and have some snacks.”
Johannes waved his hand, picking his ear nonchalantly.
His experience as an academy instructor hadn’t been for nothing—compared to the insults he’d heard from his students, the kids’ words were practically adorable.
Grumbling, the children reluctantly headed back into the orphanage.
They really didn’t want to go, but since Joanna had asked, they made a big concession.
As soon as they were inside, Joanna’s face turned ice-cold.
“What do you want?”
“Where did the sweet storyteller from a moment ago go?”
Johannes asked in bewilderment.
He pulled out a medal from his pocket and waved it in front of her.
“You know what this is, right?”
“The Three-Headed Dragon Medal, awarded to instructors of the Imperial Academy.
So what?”
“…Huh?”
Johannes blinked in confusion at her unexpected reaction.
It wasn’t just any medal—it was the Three-Headed Dragon Medal, one of the highest honors in the empire, personally awarded by the Emperor himself.
Most kids, upon seeing it, would have widened their eyes and stared in awe.
“There’s no guarantee that an Imperial Academy instructor is a good person.”
“Are you really a kid?
Most would get excited just seeing this medal.”
Feeling slightly awkward, Johannes scratched his head and put the medal away.
It seemed his student had exaggerated when describing her.
This girl was far more cautious than expected.
“My name is Johannes.
You already know I’m an academy instructor… but I’m also the mentor of your father, Clove.”
“…I see.”
Joanna immediately discerned that he was telling the truth.
As her wariness faded slightly, Johannes raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
“She didn’t let her guard down even after seeing the medal, but she believed me without any proof?”
Back in his youth, Johannes had made a name for himself as a mercenary.
The mercenary world was a dirty, treacherous place where betrayal was common.
But there was one person he couldn’t forget—someone who could detect lies as if they had a sixth sense.
When they became close, he asked how they did it, and the answer had been grim.
It was a skill born from years of childhood abuse at the hands of their parents.
“No way Clove would be like that.
His wife, then?
No… it’s more likely from her biological father.”
What mattered now was that this girl had potential.
Johannes, his old habits kicking in, unfastened the sword from his waist and handed it to Joanna.
“You asked Clove for a recommendation to the Imperial Academy, right?
Then try drawing this sword.”
“If I do, will you give me the letter?”
“Do you think it’s that easy?
But if you manage, you might earn yourself a chance.”
Joanna nodded and unsheathed the sword.
It was plain and unadorned, but the marks on the blade and the faint killing intent it exuded made it clear—this was no ordinary weapon.
Johannes casually widened the distance between them, then swung the empty scabbard through the air.
“Think you can use it?
Sorry, but that’s the only sword I’ve got on hand.”
“It’s fine.
I haven’t neglected my training under my father.
More importantly, what do I have to do to get the recommendation?”
“The condition is simple.
Use any method you want—just block one of my attacks.”
At that moment, Johannes’ entire demeanor changed.
Joanna instinctively adjusted her stance, swallowing dryly.
It felt as if a cold blade were grazing her throat, sending shivers down her spine.
She instinctively knew—it didn’t matter what weapon he held.
‘This is a man who could kill me with just a twig.’
An instinctive certainty that required no proof.
That certainty stripped away Joanna’s arrogance and ignited her fighting spirit.
She had originally chosen the sword out of necessity, but at some point, she had fallen in love with its allure.
Raising her sword skyward as if to pierce the heavens, she focused entirely on her opponent’s movements.
“I’m coming.”
With those words, Johannes’ figure seemed to vanish.
The moment she registered his disappearance, a violent gust of wind howled around her.
Blades of grass and dust swirled into the air, obstructing her vision.
One blink.
In that split second, Johannes’ scabbard was already aimed at her throat.
Staring at the approaching scabbard, Joanna had a single thought.
‘I’m going to die.’
It was not just a scabbard—it was a sword in its own right.
A dreadful, creeping sensation coursed through her spine, stabbing into her brain.
She felt as if she were standing on the precipice of death, an overwhelming powerlessness pulling her downward.
But—
“This is a life that was already meant to be lost once!”
Tearing herself away from the crushing sense of helplessness, her sword shone with a crimson hue, like the rising sun.
The flower of faith that had been planted deep in her heart bloomed in full, its roots extending through her veins, flooding her body with power.
With fiery red hair billowing behind her, she took a step forward—toward death itself.
Boom!
Her foot slammed into the ground, leaving a deep imprint.
From the cracked earth, crimson chains surged forth, wrapping around Johannes.
The chains would shatter instantly under his overwhelming skill, but that didn’t matter to Joanna.
As long as she could aim her sword at his throat, it was enough.
A scarlet flash, brimming with searing heat, shot toward Johannes’ neck.
“Heh, would you look at this little brat?”
Johannes burst into laughter at her audacious choice.
She wasn’t even his blood, yet she resembled her father so much.
With a single step forward, he shattered the chains and swung his scabbard to meet Joanna’s sword.
KWAANG!!
The impact wasn’t just a clash of steel—it was a collision of sheer force.
The strain was too much for Joanna’s fingers, and blood seeped from beneath her nails.
Her fingertips, digging into the hilt, screamed in agony as if they would split apart.
But her determination knew no surrender.
Fueled by pain, her will burned even hotter.
“If you don’t want your fingers broken, loosen your grip.”
“!?”
Along with his warning, a murky gray aura enveloped Johannes’ scabbard.
The aura, woven together like countless fine threads, consumed the scabbard and took on the shape of a blade.
At that moment, the balance of power shattered.
Joanna’s sword was sent flying high into the sky.
Her fingers cracked, broken nails scattering like crimson petals.
THUD!
With explosive speed, Joanna launched herself toward Johannes’ face.
With a mere tilt of his head, he dodged the kick and swept her supporting leg out from under her.
She crashed to the ground, but before she could rise—
“Guh!?”
“You’re like a wild horse, aren’t you?
How does someone like you tell such touching stories?”
Johannes scratched his head, looking down at her.
He had expected a refined young lady, but his student’s daughter was nothing short of a born warrior.
Was her real father some barbarian from the northern wastelands?
Given her uncanny ability to detect lies, the idea wasn’t completely out of the question.
“…I lost.”
“Are you calm now?
Don’t go reaching for a dagger or something.”
“I haven’t even had my coming-of-age ceremony yet, you forgot?”
Handing her sword to Johannes, Joanna pulled herself up.
Her neatly arranged appearance was a mess—her carefully tied hair had come undone, and she was scratched up all over.
She looked just like that neighbor lady after getting into a fistfight with her husband’s mistress.
With her torn clothes, she hastily tied back her hair and held out her hand to Johannes.
“Give me the recommendation letter.”
“I don’t feel like it.”
Joanna stared at Johannes as if he had lost his mind.
He had beaten a child into this state, and now he was saying he wouldn’t give her the letter?
Grinning, Johannes pulled a potion from his coat.
“You think instructors carry recommendation letters around all the time?
Maybe a resignation letter.”
“Then when will you give it to me?”
“You’ll be fourteen next year, right?
Then you can prepare until then.”
According to imperial law, a 14-year-old girl could be legally recognized as an adult—if she was a noble.
It was a loophole often used by aristocrats to enroll their children in the academy early.
Since knightly families were also nobles, Joanna would qualify.
“Honestly, I’d like to admit her right away.”
It was disappointing.
It had been a long time since he’d found someone this promising, and now her age was an obstacle.
But at least next year wasn’t too far away.
If he backed her with a recommendation, he’d have an interesting student for at least three years.
Tossing the potion into her hand, Johannes moved on to another thought.
“What divine blessing does this girl have?”
He was no priest, but his frequent visits to churches had made him sensitive to divine power.
He had encountered numerous clerics and holy knights at the academy.
But Joanna’s divine energy—if it was divine—was unidentifiable.
It didn’t match any god he knew.
“Why are you staring at my hand like that?
Do you have that kind of preference?”
“You little brat… I like curvy older sisters, okay?”
“You’re way too old to be calling them ‘older sisters.’
More like—”
“AAGH! Don’t you dare finish that sentence!”
This was what happened when you were raised surrounded by those kinds of people.
Recoiling in horror, Johannes quickly sorted out his thoughts.
Given her sharp personality, asking her directly would only put her on guard.
But at least she didn’t give off the sinister aura of a heretical god—so she was probably aligned with something normal.
Just to be safe…
“Hey, have you ever thought about worshipping the God of the Sword?
A human who ascended to divine status—truly remarkable—”
“No thanks.”
“…..”
If he had known this was coming, he wouldn’t have teased her earlier.
His student’s daughter was an even bigger pain in the ass than he’d expected.