This is not good, I think.
　I don't know where Clarice and the others are in the mansion, but someone must have heard Esther's screams.

　The naked little girl is screaming when she sees me, though, that's what's happening now.

　If someone came in here, they would definitely think I was trying to do something to Esther.

　I was going to hurriedly lock the door of my room, but before I could do so, the door opened.

'Oh, Solon-kun, I just heard a girl scream. I thought I just heard a girl scream...

　Saint Sophia stared at me with her jade-colored eyes, then shifted her gaze to the back of the room.
　At the desk at the back of the room, Esther was shivering, looking every bit as much as she was.

　Esther was staring at Sophia with frightened eyes.

　Sophia made a shocked expression.

''So, Solon-kun........ Finally, he even put his hands on this little girl........''

I'm not gonna hurt you...

"You never did anything to me in school!

'That's because I was too old to do anything about it. I didn't do anything to him either.

　I entered the magic school when I was 14 years old. The other classmates were around twelve years old, so I was later than most.

　And Sophia, who skipped a grade, was five years younger than me, and she was nine years old in her first year. At the time, I was amazed that there were so many little girls in my grade.

　Sofia was an outstanding genius, but with all the older people around her, it must have been pretty tough at the time.
　Even though she was not inferior to me in terms of her magical abilities and desk-based studies, it doesn't mean that she was mature in terms of personality and thinking.
　Moreover, the people around her were jealous and didn't understand her because she was a genius.

　So, in her first year, Sophia often missed school and stayed in her dormitory.

　The headmaster of the school at the time, an elderly man named Glenn, was concerned about her and took him into consideration.
　He chose one of her classmates to be her caretaker.

　Many of the noble classmates were proud, and many of them were bullying Sophia, so a commoner would be a good choice.

　It would be especially convenient if they were somewhat older, well, normal in character, and also a servant who seemed to have served a nobleman's daughter.

　In other words, it's me.

　I was me and I was older than the people around me, so I was slightly floating, and I had plenty of time to deal with Sophia.
　Sophia was quiet, and she was a good girl, thank God. And she missed me a lot, which made me happy at the time.
　I remember as if it was yesterday that Sophia used to beg me to pat her head.

　It was about the same amount of time that I helped Creon, who was being bullied, and we became friends.
　So the origins of the Knights of St. Sophia lay in the first year of this magical school.
　All three of them really didn't have any power at the time.

　Now, Sophia is already in her late teens, and she's getting quite close to being an adult woman.
　And on top of that, she's the chosen saint of the Imperial Church.

　But the impression of Sophia when she was a little girl is still vivid in my mind.

　I smiled.

'Do you think I'd do something terrible to a little girl like this, Sophia?　Was I that kind of guy?

'It's not fair to ask that question. You have always been kind to me, Solon, and you have always protected me, but...

Well, I hope you can trust me now. I'm in a bit of a situation.

　Sophia nodded honestly with a persistent and honest nod and gently approached Estelle.
　Estelle shivered.

　Sophia bent down and smiled gently at Estelle.

'It's okay. I'm not a scary person and neither is he.

But....

What did this man try to do to you?

　Sophia asked, and Esther glanced at me.

　I swung my sword at Estelle and cast a coma spell just before that.
　So Esther shouldn't have any memories from that point on.

　And when I woke up, I was naked and in this study.

　Esther made a face and craned her neck with a look of "that".

"I'm alive...?

　Sophia said to Esther curiously but slowly.

'Yes. You're alive.'

　Estelle stared up at Sophia with her blue eyes.
　Then tears appeared in Estelle's eyes.

''I'm really alive, aren't I?

　When she murmured that, Esther broke into sobs and began to cry quietly.
　Sofia shouldn't know anything about the situation, but she seemed to have realized that there was something unusual about the situation.
　Sofia gently hugged Esther.

'It's okay.'

You're not going to kill me or try to do anything terrible to me, right?

I don't. I am, you know, a saint of the Church.

A saint?

Can you tell if it's Saint Sophia?

　Estelle's tear-stained eyes widened and she nodded her head in agreement.

　The hero Sophia was a well-known name throughout the empire, especially for girls like Estelle, who must have been a dream come true.

'The saint is an ally of girls like you. Just as I myself have been protected by older boys in the past.

　Sophia said softly, holding Esther in her arms and stroking her head gently.

　I couldn't help but smile at her, but I couldn't be relieved.

　The arrested July Party and their families must have all been executed.　
　Estelle's life was barely spared, but she was the daughter of the rebel Polos.

　In accordance with Filia's wishes, Estelle is to be hidden in this mansion.

　However, the fact that someone who shouldn't be alive is in this mansion is not without danger.
　If it is exposed, the position of Filia and I will be in extreme danger.

　On the other hand, the remaining forces of the July Party could come after me as an enemy for making it look like I killed Polos' beloved daughter in front of the public.

　The July Party will advertise the death of young Esther as an imperial atrocity in a big way.
　If that happens, I could be attacked by them as one of the agents of the Empire's brutal executions.

　Esther's presence poses a danger to us in a double sense.

　Just as I was turning my head, Filia came back into the room with her clothes.
　And when Filia saw Estelle crying and Sophia holding Estelle in her arms, she said, "Ah! I murmured quietly.

'I would have liked to have reassured Esther like that, just like her sister...'

I have a feeling that Sofia is better suited to the role of sister.

　I shrugged my shoulders and laughed, and Filia puffed out her cheeks as I said it with a laugh.

'Even I can do that!'

''Then Filia-sama needs to grow up to be worthy of it. In this case, I think Filia-sama was a little less calm in trying to help Esther.

　I said as softly as I could, but Filia was a little sluggish.

'I'm sorry...'

'There's nothing to apologize for. But you see, it takes more than motivation and passion to help people. Do you know the saying, 'Thou shalt have a hot heart and a cold head'?

No. Hot hearts and cold brains?

'Exactly. That's what the old scholars said. A passionate heart that wants to save people and make justice a reality. In order to reach that goal, one must have a calm mind that can theoretically figure things out. Both of these are necessary for a person.

I mean, I have a hot heart, but I lack a cool head. That's what Solon is trying to say, isn't it?

Well done. That's what I mean.

　I said that and patted Filia's head.
　This time, Filia's attempt to save only Esther might not necessarily be the right thing to do as an imperial family member.
　However, Filia is equipped with a passionate heart for saving people.

　That is evident from the fact that she put herself on the line and tried to help me.

　Filia twisted around, tickling and shying away as she stroked my silver hair.
　I chuckled.

''If Filia-sama can remember her hot heart and be able to think things through calmly, I'm sure she'll be a fine member of the royal family.