"You don't need to feel disheartened,Mr.Kassadin," Sonia reassured him. "According to the original plan, if Tony doesn't return, my strategies will be implemented in ten years. However, if Tony comes back to Void Island and brings more technology to generate income, this process can be expedited."
Sonia noticed that her detailed projections had indeed impacted Kassadin's mood, so she quickly offered her support.
Harvey understood that Sonia's insights were not a blow to his spirits; rather, he simply underestimated the financial demands of establishing a force.
"It's good to have you here, Sonia," he said, appreciating her presence.
"Why are you saying that all of a sudden?" Sonia's serious demeanor faltered as her cheeks flushed.
"I mean that with you managing the Void Church, I can feel at ease," Harvey clarified.
It wasn't difficult for him to lead the establishment of a force, but managing and developing a growing number of members was not his forte.
With Sonia overseeing the Void Church, not only was everything running smoothly, but she had also considered plans.
With a reliable steward like her, Harvey felt relieved of many burdens.
Sonia, who initially thought that Kassadin's sudden comment meant something else after a year apart, felt her embarrassment turn into a mix of resignation and determination.
"Mr. Kassadin, you've given me this opportunity, so I won't let you down."
Regardless of her internal conflict, Sonia smiled on the surface.
Having been by Kassadin's side for some time, she understood his character well. Changing his perspective wouldn't happen overnight.
"You're already doing great," Harvey reassured her. "But how many hours are you resting each day? Don't think you can fool me; you know I can tell when you're lying."
"About three hours on average..." Sonia hesitated before responding honestly.
"How long has this been going on?" Harvey asked, his gaze narrowing as he remembered the dedication Sonia had shown in the underground training facility.
"..." Sonia lowered her head.
"Sonia, while I've said I look forward to seeing you grow strong enough to stand on your own, I never expected you to push yourself to be that strong so quickly."
"I know you take your responsibilities seriously, but you need to balance work and rest."
Seeing her quietness, Harvey deduced that Sonia had likely been overexerting herself for the past year since he'd been away from Void Island.
Sonia had been managing the island, keeping an eye on members, negotiating deals, and squeezing in training whenever she found a moment.
While he admired her determination, he also felt she was being too hard on herself.
"I know, but you weren't here," Sonia admitted. "I didn't have many activities to fill my time."
"I can't just go out and do whatever, so I focused on training."
Hearing Kassadin's mix of concern and reproach made her eyes flutter as she spoke softly.
Her motivation for expanding the force wasn't just for the other members of the Void Church; at its core, it was about making the church self-sufficient so that she could one day serve under Kassadin without constantly being on alert.
When that day came, he wouldn't be able to use her responsibilities to keep her close.
Sonia was well aware that reaching her goals wouldn't happen overnight, so she meticulously laid out a future plan to follow.
"I'm back now, so you can ease up on your pace and take some time to rest."
"Let's sit down and eat together."
When Harvey heard Sonia's words, he noticed how she was avoiding his gaze and felt a twinge of sympathy.
"But it's not New Year's…," Sonia replied, though she found herself tempted by the invitation.
"Just sit down," he insisted, recalling that their New Year meal had gone awry, leading Sonia to develop feelings for him unnecessarily.
"Okay," she replied, unable to refuse his serious tone.
Sonia took her seat beside Harvey, dressed in a white top and shorts, looking as innocent as a bunny.
"Sonia, I heard you developed a technique called 'Void Sweep'?" Harvey asked, wanting to break the silence.
"Though the name sounds impressive, it just allows people to fly; it's not an exceptionally powerful ability," she said. "But after some of the members in the Void Church learned it, they insisted I come up with a name."
"So, I put a few options to a vote, and they chose 'Void Sweep.'"
Sonia smiled as she talked about the technique, which was quite common among strong warriors and the soldiers of Xandar's Nova Corps.
She had invested considerable effort into researching it.
"Forget the name; the fact that you were able to develop this on your own, without guidance, is impressive," Harvey praised her.
"I saw Reno using the technique you taught him, and he shone brightly in battles against the Chitauri on Earth."
Seeing Sonia's joy while discussing this brought a smile to Harvey's face.
Though flying was not a rare ability among powerful beings, the fact that Sonia created it without any guidance meant the Void Church members no longer had a glaring weakness in aerial combat.
"As long as Reno can assist Tony, that's what matters," Sonia said, pleased to hear praise for her work.