"Hm? Oh, no! No, I'm here with my brother!" She lifts her hands pacifyingly and laugh a little bit. It's sweet that people worry and care about her enough to ask, as this certainly isn't the first time it's happened. "We live together quite close to here, in fact...but our living situation was rather different before coming here, you see. It was far more communal, so learning skills to take care of oneself is a bit trickier than anticipated, but we're managing, both Shadow and I learn quickly."

They're both incredibly smart, and Maria's good with machines. Honestly, her baking will probably be better than stovetop cooking, because baking is so straightforward and follows a strict formula and process, and is essentially science if you really think about it.

"I appreciate your concern, you're very kind, um...?" He never did give his name, did he? Or did she forget?