Two weeks had passed since Valensia's inauguration.
Always seated at her desk, she had spent the entire time poring over the documents I had given her. I’d been summoned a few times to answer questions about the clan’s management, but no one had seen her leave the room.

The previous clan chief had been a lively, sociable person. I used to spend the whole day walking through the village with him, talking to the locals. They now seemed sad and confused that their new leader didn’t show herself, and they started to believe she simply wasn’t interested in them.

Concerned by how much time she spent locked away, some villagers asked me to prepare her a good meal.

Used to cooking hearty dishes, I gladly agreed—after all, the leader’s health was a top priority.
A beef stew had been simmering for nearly five hours, filled with onions and carrots. I was carefully slicing apples for the pie when someone entered the kitchen like a gust of wind.

"Hmm, it smells amazing in here!" Valensia said cheerfully.

She eyed the stew, then turned to me. Suddenly, her gaze shifted—becoming serious. She stepped forward quickly and grabbed my hand.

"Oh sh*t, Elder, you cut yourself—I'm so sorry!"
What was she talking about?
I looked down. Blood was dripping from my finger. I hadn't even noticed.

"Come on, let’s take care of that."
"I… Chief Valensia, it's nothing."
"And stop calling me 'Chief'—just call me Valensia, that’s enough."
"Really, it's just a scratch."
''What? Elder doesn’t even feel pain?'' she said, a playful twinkle in her eyes.

I lowered my head and followed her, grumbling:
"I’ll miss the meal I’ve been cooking for hours…"
"What a tragedy! Hurry then—shall I carry you or something?" she asked, feigning concern.

Was she teasing me?
"I’m old, not crippled!" I replied, pretending to sulk.

"You’re really not squeamish, Elder" she said as she finished bandaging my wound.
"I told you, it was nothing. But… thank you. Now I need to get back to the kitchen."
"I’ll watch you run around, then," she said with a wry smile, her eyes sparkling with a mischief that was hard to miss.

Luckily, the meat hadn’t burned. I returned to the pie—dinner time was fast approaching.

Astur knocked on the door before entering.
"Valensia's always in her office! Doesn't she ever come out?" he asked, visibly exhausted.

"Really? She came into the kitchen earlier. I think the smell attracted her," I replied with a chuckle.

"Hahaha! Of course. Nothing like a good meal to get her moving. I'll go get her. If she already knows what’s waiting for her, it’ll be a piece of cake."

I went back to arranging the dishes in the reception hall.
Valensia was already seated when I arrived, surrounded by Astur, Asra, and a few of the village’s former councilors.

Once she was served, her expression changed completely.
The cold, hard demeanor disappeared. Her eyes sparkled with delight.

I know I’m repeating myself… but her face—there was something so familiar about it.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my chest.
I staggered slightly, but Valensia caught me before I could fall.

"Elder? Are you alright?"

"I..."

"You must be hungry after all that work. Come on, sit down."

The pain vanished as quickly as it had come. I sat down and managed to enjoy the meal.

But that pain… what was it?

Our village, isolated in the mountains, hadn't experienced a major attack in fifty years. Yet, upon her arrival, Valensia gave several instructions to strengthen our defenses. This was clearly her main objective. Her directives were clear, precise... and she even participated in the manual labor.

It was from that moment on that the villagers understood her interest in them. And their perception changed. They were delighted.

The village was surrounded by ramparts. To the north, the only access gate opened onto a plain reachable via a steep path. To the east and west: impassable mountains. To the south, a swamp, a sparse forest... then a dizzying cliff. A thousand meters high, according to Valensia. Inaccessible to anyone who wanted to attack us from there—but, in case of danger, an ideal means of escape.

She had air mages install handholds on the wall and required all the villagers to take climbing courses.

The village itself wasn't attractive. It held no treasures, no rare resources, and no real military potential. Was that why the instructors had sent Valensia here? After all, she was the valedictorian of her class. Perhaps they were afraid of entrusting her with a more influential clan...

Besides, I still didn't know what wish she had made.
Was it related to her arrival here?
"I don't like fighting," she had said.
And what if her wish had been, precisely... to be the leader of a village forgotten by all?

One day, I would learn the real reason.