Chapter 5: Bianka's Exclusive Mission

"Knock, knock—"

"... Um, who?"

A few crisp knocks on the door woke up Maria who was still asleep. She asked in a dazed, hoarse voice.

"It's me. Maria, what happened to you today? Didn't you go to the appointment? Your friend even contacted me."

The person outside the door appeared to have heard Maria's vague response and explained helplessly.

"Huh?...!"

Although she heard a familiar voice, Maria was not fully awake until she looked up slightly and saw the clock hanging in her room. She sat up with a start.

The time on the clock was already 10:30 in the morning. If it were a normal day, sleeping in would not have been a problem.

But today was different—today, Maria and her friends from the workshop had an appointment to meet at 8 o'clock in the morning.

"Ah, I... I'll get up now, Aunt... Sister Zofia!"

Fully awake, Maria opened the quilt and got out of bed, not forgetting to shout toward the door. However, she almost let it slip in her anxiety.

Then, Maria quickly folded the quilt, took care of herself, and finally opened her door.

"Good morning, Sister Zofia."

Maria looked at the blonde Kuranta standing at the door of her room with a puzzled look, scratched her hair, and said a little embarrassedly.

"It's not early at all now. Your friends and I thought something had happened to you."

Looking at the child who had obviously just gotten up not long ago, Zofia frowned slightly, with a hint of disapproval in her tone.

"Sorry... I accidentally overslept today and made you worried, Sister Zofia."

Hearing this, Maria lowered her head obediently and began to apologize. Although Maria still hadn't figured out why the two alarms in the morning didn't wake her up.

However, she is not the kind of person who likes to attribute her mistakes to others. Oversleeping was her own fault. Since it's her problem, she will naturally admit it and correct it.

"You should not apologize to me, but to your friends who were worried about you. Be more careful next time and don't make this kind of mistake again. Wash up and go find your friends." Seeing Maria actively admitting her mistakes, Zofia's tone softened.

Then, she remembered something and continued, "Speaking of which Maria, you seem to have been obsessed with mechanical technology recently."

"Yes, Sister Zofia, I..."

Originally planning to wash up, Maria stopped after hearing her aunt's words. She was startled again and hurriedly turned around to explain.

However, before she finished speaking, Zofia's voice came again.

"If you like it, then do it. I have no objection. However, you can't fall behind too much in swordsmanship. I will supervise you."

"Hey... Great!"

Hearing this, Maria, who was originally in a hurry to explain something, froze and couldn't help but cheer softly after a moment.

Obviously, she didn't expect Zofia to say this suddenly. She thought Zofia wanted to stop her.

"Ah... Go wash up quickly, what a sight."

Looking at her own child who looked silly in front of her, Zofia sighed helplessly and then said.

"Yeah!"

This time, Maria didn't hesitate at all and ran all the way to wash up. There was even some excitement in her steps.

"..."

Looking at Maria's happy back, Zofia's blue eyes quickly flashed with a trace of helplessness and melancholy.

---

At the same time in the hotel—

At this moment, both Sakura sitting on the sofa, and Mobius who was studying hard, had some strange expressions.

The reason why they both showed such expressions was because of the voice of the system that had just come to their minds at the same time.

[Task: Get a knight's lance forged by Maria Nearl as a gift (task limited character: Bianka)]

[Task reward: 6th Divine Key: Black Abyss White Flower]

[Task time limit: until the target character dies.]

...

"Doctor, it seems that our fate with Miss Maria has not ended yet."

Finally, Sakura couldn't help but stretch out her hand to support her forehead helplessly and said in a low voice.

"...So what? What does this mission have to do with me?" Mobius calmed down her expression a little, then put on a nonchalant expression and said indifferently.

"That's what I said, but forget it..."

After hearing what Mobius said, Sakura shook her head helplessly, then remembered something, and continued to ask, "Should we summon Bianka now? With her personality, she should not like or even hate this place."

"Heh~ hate? I think in a sense, some people here should hate Bianka more~ After all, she is a knight."

In response to Sakura's question, Mobius suddenly chuckled and then lowered her childish voice and said sarcastically. When mentioning a certain word, she even used stress.

"That's true. After all, Bianka's strength is there."

Hearing this, Sakura nodded in agreement. If a person is just an ordinary knight with no power, then she should really hate this place or even be afraid of the power and threats in the dark here.

But when that person is Bianka, the meaning is completely different.

She has the ability to practice her own justice and the power to practice her own way of protection.

Here, those things that threaten others are vulnerable in front of her.

Even if Bianka's strength is not fully unlocked now, the power she can use here is completely sufficient in the eyes of any identity.

"Hmm, so just release it boldly. If there is anything, let the forces led by the Grand Knight worry about it," Mobius said to Sakura carelessly while looking at the information in her hand.

"Okay."