The Story of a Poor Lady Being Mistaken as the Saint

 3: Let’s Work, Sophia!

TL note: This chapter is from multiple POVs, so the author wrote it in the third person POV.

My daughter is too amazing.

That was what the current Baron Gracia, Parn Gracia, always thought.

Firstly, his daughter’s ability to talk came extraordinarily fast. Saying “I am hungry” and “My back is itchy” – phrases expressing ego – was quite the feat for a one-year-old. Next, there was her dexterity. When she turned three, she entered the mountains in the back, made traps, and hunted animals. Moreover, her method of draining the blood from the animals was perfect. Her skills were like that of a real hunter or adventurer who had been dungeon-diving for five years.

Moreover, her skill with magic was rather high. The Gracia family had always been skilled at fire and water magic, so he decided to teach his daughter beginner-level magic like [Fire Ball] and [Aqua Ball] when she turned five.

“I did it! Okay, Father, teach me intermediate-level magic next!”

“O-okay…”

Even though they were small, the projectiles of fire and water flew with proper speed and precision. Parn watched on in shock.

Sophia should’ve been a beginner, yet she successfully used beginner-level magic in one go. This wasn’t impossible, but it was still hard to believe. While they were the first magic skills anyone learned, it normally took a year of training to be able to use them. A five-year-old who didn’t even have full control of their thoughts or emotions should take even longer. In truth, Parn was ten when he first could use beginner-level magic after continually practicing since he was eight. At that time, he gave up since he had no talent. Even now he couldn’t use intermediate-level magic. Unlike her father, Sophia silently continued her magic training, and when she turned ten, she could perfectly use intermediate-level magic. Furthermore, she concocted medicine with the effects of water magic and sold them. Parn was surprised by how popular they were in the nearby city.

Oh, how mind-blowing of a genius Sophia was, he thought. Additionally, she never let any of this go to her head as she always acted cheerful towards her family and the people on our land. Her red hair was like a burning fire and her blue eyes sparkled like the water’s surface. She smiled at anyone and everyone. She was like the sun shining over our land.

When did the father start to feel this kind of respect for his daughter? If she didn’t hunt or sell her wares, the Gracia family would be in a far worse state.

The people also deeply adored Sophia. She didn’t discriminate against the sick or the exiled but interacted with them. Because of the medicine she graciously gave them as gifts, they could live on this barren land with smiles on.

Parn and the people believed that Sophia Gracia was indeed a saint who descended upon this land.

Therefore, Parn wondered if a girl as wonderful as her should be stuck in this remote area. Sophia was so kind-hearted! He was certain that she would continue to work for this land without complaining and quietly live her life to the end without marrying anyone.

“Let this girl’s talents stagnate in this place? No, we must not let that happen! Think about it! My daughter, Sophia, wasn’t even ten years old when she exhibited talent teaching herself magic skills and building hunting traps. She even concocted medicine herself using materials from animals! I tell you, she was born to be an adventurer! No matter what others may say, I believe she will become a grand adventurer whose name will be carved in history, harumph! So, people of this land, do I have your support!”

“Yeaaah!”

When Sophia would soon turn 15, Parn and a group of the people on his land gathered in a meeting and enacted our plan.

That name being: “Plan to make Sophia a legendary adventurer!”

Parn was sure that if he told his kind-hearted daughter to become an adventurer, she wouldn’t agree. There was no doubt that she would continue to work for this land and let her talents stagnate in this barren place. He wouldn't be able to stand seeing such a young genius end up with nothing. That was exactly why Parn and the people of the land planned this. They didn’t care if she grew to hate them. They would lead her to the path of becoming an adventurer by making some natural reason to earn money quickly.

As such…

“S-sorry, Sophia. To tell you the truth… you see, I have been ill for some time. I might not even have long to live!”

“N-no way! You’re lying!”

As Parn watched Sophia fall to her knees in shock, he felt like vomiting from the guilt. In truth, he wasn’t sick. Rather, because of the wild game meat she hunted, he’d been full of energy as of recently.

And the people added their side the next day.

“Sorry, Princess Sophia! To tell you the truth, there’s an illness going around and it’ll be difficult for us to pay this year’s taxes!”

"Wha?! That can’t be! No, impossible… Was it my medicine’s fault?!”

“Oh, no, no, no! Rather, we’re all chipper because of your medicine! Err, I mean, we’re not feeling very well now! Cough, cough!”

The people watched as she turned pale and thought, “We’ve done a very mean thing (feigning sickness, of course).” But they simultaneously felt proud. A heartless aristocrat would shout, “You useless lot. Maintaining your health is also your job,” but before Sophia would condemn others, she would reflect on if there was any issue with what she did. Oh, to think that there was such an aristocratic lady out there with such a strong sense of responsibility! Parn just wanted to announce to the whole world, “My little princess is so splendid!”

If the truth behind the “plan to make Sophia an adventurer” got discovered, Sophia might hate her father. But Parn didn’t care. After all that she had done so diligently for this land, he wanted to send her off to the wide world out there! He wanted her to use her magic, which was far wasted on driving away wild animals in the forest, to defeat terrifying monsters to her heart’s content. That was what he and the others believed. And just as they had planned, Sophia magnanimously announced, “I understand. I will save you and our people!” and prepared to leave in several days.

Oh, what a gallant daughter! She was indeed the one who should be called the saint! The view the people in the Gracia territory had of Sophia had finally escalated into the realm of worship.

On the other side…

“Uwaaah! I don’t wanna!!! I really don’t wanna be an adventurer! Even after doing it for five years, I was at the bottom of the bottom! I’m not suited for it! I may have my previous round’s memories, but I’m still nervous!”

On the night before my departure, Sophia bawled her eyes out on top of her bed. Everyone around her thought that she had the making of an adventurer, but they were mistaken. She was a “former adventurer” so her behavior from that time carried over as a habit. But her father and the people around her weren’t aware of this, and she couldn’t refute becoming an adventurer due to another misunderstanding on her part.

“Sniffle, sniffle… In my previous round, Father, let alone everyone else, wasn't this sick! This is definitely because of the failed medicine I went around distributing! Uwaah! I’m sorry, everyone! But I thought it would be a waste to throw it out! Ooooh!”

Thinking that the epidemic spreading among the people was her fault, she cried even louder. She brazenly announced to herself that she would become a “bright, cheerful girl”, but she was originally a timid, gloomy one. She was accustomed to getting hurt but was terribly weak against the guilt of hurting someone else.

“Uuuh… I’ll be punished if they find out. I’ll work hard to pay for any medical feeds, so pwease forgibe me, eberyone…!”

And thus because of misunderstandings between both parties, Sophia decided to return to the world of adventuring against her wishes.