while stella and sophia were discussing their plan to explore the city, in the duke office, the duke as well as the head knight ergi and instructur beth, was having a few discussion about their last mission.
"i see, that was quite a lot to take," say the duke who just heard about what happened in their previous mission, from a dragon that their encounter to a demon who were going to destroy the village.
'is already a miracle that they manage to comeback,' though the duke.
"so is the girl all right, ?" ask the duke, the report say that it was her who hold the demon girl until beth manage to enter the village.
"she already recover, though a week worth of day off will surely help her, she already gone through a lot in this mission," throughfully ergi really want to slap himself really hard, since it was his own decision that hurt the litle fox girl, not only that because of that decision itself that stella almost lost her life, and what make it worse is that stella just make an enemy out of a demon, they surely will come for stella life from now on.
"i see, then i will give her 3 weeks worth of vacation, and after that she will begin her training once again with the other," order the duke who then ergi and beth left the room, leaving the duke alone in his office.
meanwhile far away from the naval kingdom, in the demon territory, a female demon was having her wound heal by the doctor.
"i'm sorry even though that we manage to heal your body but the damage that your eye receive from your battle, is out of our reach," say the doctor to the woman who look at the mirror, remembering her fight with the little girl at that time she took an eyepatch and put it on her wounded left eye, while having wicked smile emitting a powerful aura that make every demon inside the room shiver.
"i remember your face, just you wait, i will kill you and have my revenge," say astrella with a voice full of hatred.
in the morning at arbento estate, stella and sophia already decide to explore the kingdom, though the duchess are a little worry of sophia who is going alone with only stella, but her husband stop her and just let the kids have same fun.
"remember kids, don't cause trouble alright, be back at this house at 5, don't be late," say the duchess and she went down and whisper something to stella ear, "protect my daughter alright," say duchess who got stella reply with a nod.
"alright let's go," say sophia who run towars the gate and explore the city.
"so where are we going miss sophia," say stella.
"when we're alone call me sophia ok," say sophia.
"well that," stella who try to decline.
"call me sophia ok," sophia say to stella who just sigh.
"alright sophia, so where are we going, ?" ask stella.
"well i don't know myself," say sophia who make stella look at her with a question look.
"huh,"
"i just want to spend time with my first friend, so yeah, i just got excited and don't even know where are we going right now," say sophia who was a little embarress, since it was her whole idea in the first place.
"well how about we just go around the town then, i also don't know where are we going, so let's make it a suprise for us," say stella who come up with an idea.
"alright," say sophia then the two girl when around the town and to their suprise they were having so much fun that they forget about the time when they suppose to go home.
in the morning, stella decide to go to the duke office to talk about something.
"excuse me, sir," say stella who open the door, and wait at the entrance while the duke was finishing his paper.
"why do you not saying anything, even though i didn't respond to your greeting, maybe i don't even notice you," say the duke to stella who at that time put his pen on the table.
"when i enter the office, i saw briefly that you look at my direction for a moment, before continued your job earlier," say stella to the duke nod of approval.
"i see, so do you have any kind of complain about what happened in the last mission, ?" ask the duke to the little girl.
"no sir, but i would like to have a permission to be an adventurer," say stella to the duke.
"may i ask what reason do you want to become an adventurer, do the salary you receive from your last mission isn't enough, or do you have any complain about the training you were receive," say the duke, as he want to know the reason why stella ask for such a thing.
"no sir, is not because of that," say stella to the duke.
"so what is it, ?" ask the duke.
"in the last mission, i figure that i still had a lot of thing that i lack, i feel like a burden to everyone since they always help me, not to mention the fight that i had with her, make me realized the reason why i want to become stronger," say stella.
"and your reason to become stronger is, ?" ask the duke.
"to portect those who i care about, that why please grant me the permission," say stella who bow her head to the duke.
the duke himself only stood up from his chair, and walk away pass stella, "what are you doing, come on, let's go," say the duke who then they entee the carriage along with sophia who want to accompany them.
"dad, where are we going, ?" ask sophia.
"to the adventure guild, sophia," say the duke to her daughter.
"do you have some business with them, dad, ?" ask sophia.
"no, but your friend here want to become an adventurer," say the duke to her faughter.
"eehh, i though you want to become my maid," sophia said to stella who cheek was form a pout.
"sorry miss stella, but i don't think being a maid is something that i want to do," say stella, who simply doesn't want to wear those maid outfit.
"sophia, even thought stella can't be your maid, she can be your friend, your guardian, so you will be together, as long as you want," say the duke.
"really, you will stay with me as long as i want, stella, ?" ask sophia to the fox girl.
"of course miss stella," say stella who give sophia a smile.
after a few minutes, they finally arrived at the adventure guild building, of course at that time a lot of people, recognize the symbol on the carriage, that make a lot of people crowded that place.
"excuse me," say the duke who at that time in the front of the reciptionist of the guild.
"y-yes, what can i do for you sir, ?" say the receptionist who was tense by the sudden appearance of the duke.
"not for me but this girl want to join your guild, i know for a fact that the guild has a rules where the avarege minimum for a kid to enter the guild is 8 years old, but i can guarantee with my name that this girl is capable enough," say the duke who make the other people to look at stella.