A Powerful Martial Artist Reincarnates as a Nun Knight

When Sophia’s group disembarked from the St. Maria along with the other passengers upon reaching the Catalonian port city of Valencia, they planned to secure passage from there through the Strait of Gibraltar and Cadiz toward Lisbon – the capital harbors of the Portuan Kingdom.

However, they first assisted Captain Benjamin handling the administrative procedures regarding their subjugation of the Menorcan pirate haven. That feat, accomplished by a single passenger galleon, represented an extraordinary accomplishment – its unfolding events so fantastical that simply recounting them strained credulity without substantiation.

Of course, the sheer magnitude of presented evidence – liberated civilians, captured vessels, imprisoned pirates and amassed treasures carried aboard – precluded dismissing the St. Maria’s claims out of hand. Combined with Sophia and Hildegard’s revelations as Church-appointed Paladin Knights, the Valencian authorities ultimately could not reject Captain Benjamin’s report and petitions so cavalierly.

Subsequent handling fell under Benjamin and the local administration’s jurisdictions. After concluding those preliminary formalities before departing the governing offices, Sophia’s group returned to Valencia’s streets – already abuzz with Menorca-related rumors proliferating among the recently disembarked St. Maria’s passengers and crew.

“News certainly travels swiftly.”

Conra marveled at the ubiquity of Menorca conversations among the crowded thoroughfares despite the St. Maria only recently docking.

“Well, they did acquire considerable fortunes from that island – everyone rushing to convert those gains into currency would naturally disseminate such widespread gossiping.”

“So wealth propagated those rumors, did it?”
“An astute observation.”

Praised by Sophia, Conra surveyed their surroundings with rekindled appreciation. She had recently begun supplementing his education with lectures regarding money’s pivotal role within worldly affairs alongside its moral implications and repercussions throughout one’s life.

Tangential concepts like supply-and-demand dynamics, monopolistic versus non-monopolistic markets, tragedies of the commons alongside free-rider dilemmas, trade imbalances, currency exchange arbitrage, NIMBY versus PIBBY phenomena, inflation versus stagflation, conflicting profit motives and ethical principles, pragmatism versus romanticism – all gradually intertwined into these financial seminars despite remaining largely uncodified within this realm’s current socioeconomic theories.

While initially just overhearing Conra’s lessons alongside a few inquisitive merchants, administrative clerks and even Captain Benjamin himself, Sophia ultimately welcomed anyone eavesdropping on that shared enlightenment.

‘If disseminating that knowledge aids elevating humanity’s collective capacities, then so much the better.’

Sophia permitted those interlopers, believing humanity required prioritizing substantive growth beyond merely absorbing other categorized peoples into an expanded demographic scope. Clearly perceiving circumstances while systematically formulating appropriate responses – essentially cultivating rigorous philosophical and institutional foundations – represented the vital next evolutionary transition.

In any case, the St. Maria’s disembarked passengers had swiftly achieved local stardom amid the glistening fortunes and embellished heroics accompanying their return. Everyone envied their legendary windfall while fawning over the principals basking in such public acclaim and adulation.

Of course, Sophia’s group maintained a reserved distance – preferring productive activities over gladhanding complete strangers and finding far greater value conducting their daily regimens alongside Conra’s educational curriculum.

While a prominent port city, Valencia also flourished as an agricultural powerhouse – the region’s protracted scorching summer climate perhaps contributing to its prodigious cultivation of produce like grapes, oranges, figs, olives alongside staple cereal crops including rice, einkorn, emmer, chickpeas and lentils.
The prolific harvests naturally inspired Valencia’s culinary arts – abundance inevitably stimulating creative gastronomic innovations while the ingredients required for enhancing those very flavors grew abundantly throughout the surrounding countryside. Supplemented by readily available seafood alongside an international confluence of cultures befitting Valencia’s maritime heritage, the region achieved renown among gourmets as a must-visit travel destination before life’s end.

Savoring the local octopus paella alongside salt cod cheeks simmered in olive oil complemented by traditional Hiberian beverages like horchata and agua de Valencia, Sophia’s group could not deny this city’s distinguished culinary pedigree.

“This salt cod cheek dish in particular possesses a remarkably intriguing texture.”

Ezio’s remark accurately captured their unanimous assessment – the fish’s gelatinous constituents seemingly melting into the olive oil it simmered within, imparting an engaging jelly-like consistency more akin to avant-garde culinary artistry than merely sustaining nourishment. An indulgent delicacy intended for unhurried appreciation rather than simply sating hunger.

The following day while the group dispersed to individual pursuits, Conra ventured forth exploring Valencia’s boulevards as he commonly did whenever visiting new locales – well-provisioned with ample allowance funds courtesy of Captain Benjamin’s generous compensation for relinquishing the Menorcan plunder’s lucrative spoils.

People-watching represented one of Conra’s deepest passions. Raised within the ‘Ogma’s Grove’ beside the Burmese hinterlands until age eleven, he had never encountered anyone besides his parents Cethanta and Calliasta until Sophia inducted him as her disciple and vessel. That first encounter embodied his inaugural experience with humanity beyond the singular familiarity of his progenitors.

Hence, whenever accompanying Sophia to new locales, Conra invariably ventured into crowded civic spaces to observe the passing strangers and unfamiliar vistas.

The incident occurred around midday while engaging in that favorite pastime:

“Huh, is it already noon?”

Checking his wristwatch – a compact sundial combined with miniature compass – Conra realized considerable time had elapsed. Deciding to break for lunch, he scanned their vicinity for a suitable eatery.

According to Sophia’s prior advice, the most reliable method for locating authentic local cuisine involved identifying establishments frequented by the resident populace. Fortunately, Conra had spent that entire morning observing pedestrian foot-traffic patterns – roughly deducing which lunchtime refuges attracted the itinerant street vendors.

Those midday diners broadly segregated into two distinct groups:
One contingent casually snacking on bocadillos (sandwiches stuffed with cured hams or sausages alongside fresh vegetables) or hearty tortilla espanolas (thick potato omelets incorporating onions, garlic and chorizo).
The other indulging in heartier menú del día – the traditional Hiberian equivalent of full-course lunch meals.

“Which should I choose…?”

After briefly pondering, Conra reached his decision:

“Splurging on an extravagant midday repast seems rather excessive.”

While lavish extended lunches comprised a cultural norm throughout Hiberia, Conra – born to an Erenian father and Rotaringian mother – found that unfamiliar indulgence somewhat unconventional.
He ultimately procured a bocadillo alongside tortilla espanola within a nearby establishment before exiting with that straw basket – intending to casually dine al fresco while people-watching from a scenic public square.

Scanning for an appealing vantage point, Conra’s heightened senses detected someone unnaturally colliding against him – a small child stumbling into his path.
Reflexively sidestepping to avoid contact, the youth immediately realized his instinctive circumvention had preemptively disrupted the child’s intended trajectory.

And as anticipated:
“Kkkyaaah!”

Losing his balance while lunging through empty space, the child tumbled gracelessly onto the ground.

“Ow…oooww…”

Understandably scraping his knees and elbows from that impromptu faceplant, Conra fully expected imminent tears from the injured child. An expectation only partially fulfilled.

While wincing with watery eyes brimming, the youngster suppressed any audible sobs – retaining composure albeit furtively glancing toward Conra between stifled whimpers.
That atypical restraint from someone who appeared barely seven or eight years old struck Conra as distinctly peculiar.

Yet regardless of those oddities, abandoning an injured child contradicted Conra’s intrinsic nature. Temporarily setting aside his burgeoning suspicions, he swiftly retrieved an ointment salve regularly carried as part of his alchemical kit.

“Hey there, little one. If you don’t mind, I can treat those injuries.”
“N-No, it’s f-fine…”
“But you’re bleeding! Those wounds may fester if left untreated. Please allow me to apply some medicine.”

As Conra persisted through the child’s reluctance, the latter eventually acquiesced with evident resignation:

“I…don’t have money to pay for medicine.”
“You needn’t worry about any fees. I’ll simply apply it myself.”

Yielding to Conra’s insistence, the child relented with visible trepidation:

“I suppose…if you would be so kind.”
“Very well, let me examine those injuries.”

Gently cleaning the abrasions with bottled spring water before applying a thin layer of his handmade salve, Conra announced cheerfully upon concluding:

“There, all done!”

Staring dazedly at Conra’s relieved smile, the child slowly rose while murmuring an awkward departure:

“I…should be going then.”
“Sure, take care.”

Feigning adult platitudes inwardly amused Conra – wasn’t he essentially an older child himself at a mere eleven years old, turning twelve soon? Priding himself on self-aware objectivity, he found this entire situation both comically absurd yet perplexingly intriguing. Regardless of any underlying suspicions, treating an injured child represented the only viable response in his mind. With that accomplished, he prepared locating an ideal dining spot when…

Ggorrrlllluuuurrrggghh.

That thunderous rumbling initially registered as his own stomach until Conra realized the blushing child remained rooted with downcast eyes as the source of those drawn-out gurgling reverberations.

Temporarily hesitating, Conra tentatively inquired with careful solicitude:

“If you’re amenable…would you care to join me for lunch?”