At that time, Gwen managed to sneak away from her sect for a rare walk in a village nestled at the foot of the mountain. Her master and senior disciples were always urging her to focus on her training. They never invited her to join them on the battlefield, preferring that she remain secluded in their remote sect. The monotony of study and solitary practice had begun to wear on her. Feeling stifled, Gwen decided to venture down to the village below.
Gwen wore the sect's customary uniform: a plain white dress adorned with a gold belt around her waist. Unlike the men's long sleeves, the women's uniforms had short sleeves, which were covered by a delicate, transparent lace fabric. She didn't bother to doll herself up, but she kept her face clean. Even so, she looked striking—like an exotic flower blooming among the others. Her green hair, like shady grass, flowed beautifully, and her hazel eyes sparkled with mischief, reflecting her excitement at sneaking away. She was unaware of the attention she was about to attract.
Two drunken men, intoxicated by alcohol and lust, noticed her. They were too drunk to recognize her sect uniform and only saw her as a vulnerable young girl. Without a word, they surrounded Gwen, pushing her into a dark alley away from prying eyes.
One of the men grabbed her mouth, while the other began to rip at the lace on her sleeve. But just as the fabric was about to tear completely, blue flames erupted from nowhere, enveloping Gwen. The man holding her was instantly burned, his body reduced to a charred, lifeless husk. The second man, quick to react, jumped back, narrowly escaping the flames that could have consumed him too. Seeing his friend's fate, he fled in terror.
"Tsk. My clothes got dirty because of them," Gwen muttered, annoyed. She wasn't concerned about the dead man or the assault she had narrowly avoided. Instead, she was irritated that her plans had been interrupted. "Master is right, going down the mountain without seniors is troublesome."
Though Gwen considered chasing after the second thug, she decided it wasn't worth the trouble. Her mood was ruined, and she simply wanted to return to the sect. What she didn't know was that her senior brother, who had been keeping an eye on her, had witnessed the entire incident. He arrived just in time to catch the fleeing man.
"Touch my precious senior with your filthy hands? You will pay for this," he growled, his voice full of fury. His usual appearance as a hero seemed to vanish, replaced by a dangerous expression. He was like a demon king on a hunt, eager to punish his prey.
A scream echoed, but no one knew what happened to the thug who had dared to attack Gwen. What was certain, though, was that anyone who angered the first disciple of the Heaven Sect would meet a miserable end.
At the moment, the maid who worked for Master Rocco didn't know what had happened. She assumed Gwen's indifferent demeanor was because she had closed herself off emotionally. The truth was more complicated—Gwen simply barely had emotions and would feel nothing over trivial things that happened in her life.
Later, Gwen walked down a familiar corridor toward the hall where she had sought Master Rocco. Once seated on a comfortable sofa, she wasted no time in asking the elderly man about his intentions.
"Master Rocco, thank you for your hospitality," she said, her voice calm but curious. "But I have some questions. Why did you bring me here? And is this room really mine now? You mentioned I did something to you and your people—what exactly did I do?"
Master Rocco smiled kindly and motioned for the servants to leave. He activated a soundproof magic device to ensure no one could overhear them.
"You are the Space Master," he began. "And I know the man who appeared in the sky is your guardian. A few days ago—"
"Wait a minute," Gwen interrupted firmly. "I need to make something clear. That person is not my guardian. I don't even know him."
At that moment, far from Gwen, the man in question sneezed loudly. "Ah! My Gwen Gwen must be talking about me again," he muttered with a grin, scratching his itchy nose.
Back in the Nether Plane, Master Rocco regarded Gwen with a raised eyebrow. "Oh? But it seems he knows you well. He came to see me a few days ago and told me to support you in his stead."
Gwen frowned. "I've never heard of this. You have no obligation to support me."
"That's true," Rocco agreed. "But things might change if I were to adopt you as my daughter."
"Daughter?" Gwen repeated, surprised.
"I'm over fifty years old," Rocco explained with a hint of sadness in his voice. "My wife and I never had children. Then, an accident took her life. It's been twenty years since, and I've been alone. If you're willing to be my daughter, I will dedicate myself to you, just as your master and seniors do."
Gwen was silent for a moment, reflecting on his words. She often found her master's and seniors' affection overwhelming, but the thought of having a father figure was not entirely unpleasant. Most importantly, she would have a comfortable place to stay without worrying about money.
"Okay," she said at last. "I'm willing to be your daughter."
Rocco's eyes filled with tears, surprised by her quick acceptance. "Well, then. You can call me father—or uncle if you prefer. It would be strange for you to call me master like everyone else."
Gwen hesitated for a moment, then, with a slight sigh, said, "Father."
Rocco's heart swelled with happiness, though he could detect there was no heartfilling in his new daughter's tone. "Good, good. Let's have breakfast together. I'm sure you're hungry."
The two of them made their way to the dining hall, where the cook had prepared a delicious meal for Gwen. As she sat down, her eyes sparkled with delight at the spread before her. Though she didn't speak much, she eagerly answered her new father's questions as they ate together.
After breakfast, Master Rocco smiled warmly at her. "So, my child, how would you like to celebrate your birthday?"
Gwen's heart sank at the mention of her birthday. She had once looked forward to it, thanks to a bet with her senior brother, but now she couldn't care less about celebrating.
"No need to celebrate," she said flatly. "My birthday is still a long way off."
Rocco chuckled. "Ho-ho, I heard your birthday is in just twenty days. And this—"
Gwen's eyes widened when she saw something floating above his palm. She instinctively checked her pocket and realized her book was missing. It dawned on her.
"It seems these are the 100 new friends you've made since you arrived in Zelia," Rocco continued. "Your brother said you should celebrate your birthday with all 100 of them."
Gwen's face drained of color. Even from a distance, her annoying senior brother still managed to meddle in her life. She sighed in frustration.