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Some time after the victory celebration ended, I came to the balcony of the Claudel family mansion.
By the way, thanks to Marius-san's kindness, we were being allowed to stay in one of the rooms in the Claudel family mansion.
"Ah, Orun-san, good evening! I am sorry for calling you out at such a late hour."
When I arrived at the balcony, Sophie, who had been looking up at the moon, noticed me and called out.
"It is no problem at all. Still, you really do love the moon, Sophie."
"Yes, I do. The moon is the motif of the Night Sky Silver Rabbit, after all. When I look up at it, I feel as if I can draw strength from it."
The expression on Sophie's face as she said this was very bright.
"You probably already know, but I was talking with my brother, Marius-san, until just a little while ago. That might have been the first time I ever had a proper conversation with him."
"It was the one he called you for at the victory celebration, right? The fact that you are calling him 'brother' means you have reconciled with Marius-san?"
"Yes. I had always thought that my brother hated me. But after talking with him, I learned that he had actually been helping me."
Sophie then told me about her conversation with Marius-san.
It seemed that the real Marius-san was a deeply compassionate person.
He had built a good sibling relationship with Selma-san and had wanted to do the same with Sophie, but the environment had not allowed it.
Marius-san and Selma-san's biological mother was the former countess, while Sophie's biological mother had been a servant who had died during childbirth.
The former countess, who had a strong tendency toward bloodline purity, had not been pleased that commoner blood had entered the Claudel count family.
In that situation, if Marius-san had been close to Sophie, it would have made her position even worse. So he had maintained an indifferent attitude while secretly working behind the scenes to prevent their parents' negative emotions from being directed at Sophie.
"I thought my only family was my older sister, but that was wrong. From the moment I was born, I had not only my sister but also my brother as proper family. I finally understand that now, and I feel incredibly happy! My place and the place I return to is still the Night Sky Silver Rabbit, but now I have gained one more such place."
"I am glad to hear that."
"Yes!"
Since I no longer have any family, the idea of interacting with family does not quite click with me.
Still, I can imagine that having family yet being distant from them must be painful in its own way.
That is why I truly think it is good that Sophie was able to reconcile with her brother.
"Anyway, the reason I asked you to come, Orun-san, is that there is something I wanted to tell you."
"Something you want to tell me...?"
Not quite understanding the meaning behind Sophie's words, I repeated them, and she nodded once before speaking.
"On the day you became our master, Orun-san, you asked us a question, right? You asked us to tell you about our dreams and goals."
"Yeah, I did. I remember it well. In response to my question, Sophie, you answered that you became an explorer to find your dreams and goals. Does the fact that we are talking about this now mean you have found them?"
"Yes. I have found them. I want to become someone who can illuminate everyone, like the moon that lights up the night."
Sophie answered my question with a bright smile across her face.
"I think there are many people who have gone through painful experiences in the past, like Carol and me. And if the war between the kingdom and the empire intensifies from now on, harsh environments may await the children living now and those who will be born in the future. I want to become an existence that can dispel the darkness of such people and guide them."
"You want to be in a position to guide people. That is a noble dream. But it will be a very difficult path."
"Yes. I believe I understand that. But I have already decided. To achieve that, I will become even stronger, both in mind and body. And I will surpass you and my sister!"
Sophie looked straight at me with clear eyes.
Those eyes were something I could never have imagined from the girl I had met back then.
I see. Sophie now possesses enough strength to move forward on her own.
She no longer needs my power.
That feels a little lonely, but it is surely something to celebrate.
"You have really started talking like that. I will not let you surpass me so easily, you know?"
"If it were easy, there would be no point in chasing after you. In fact, that is exactly what I hope for!"
Under the brightly shining moon, the expression on her face as she laughed was the brightest and clearest I had ever seen from her.