Magical Girl

Chapter 7

The laborers were collecting the belongings of the dead, piling them up into a small mountain beside Steward Neil.

Neil suddenly noticed a laborer acting suspiciously. He rushed over, grabbed the man by the arm, and barked, “What are you hiding?”

The laborer reluctantly surrendered the item he had nearly pocketed, only to receive three lashes from Neil’s whip.

“Please, spare me, Steward. It’s just a worthless gold-plated ring,” the laborer pleaded.

At that moment, Marlene recognized the item. She stepped forward and, summoning her courage, said, “Steward Neil, that ring is mine.”

Neil looked at her with disdain. “You think I’d believe that? The women of Auderin will say anything to get a man to part with his money.”

Just then, the Ash Priest, who had been silent, spoke up, “Goddess bless, Steward Neil. You should return it to its rightful owner.”

Since it was the Ash Priest speaking, Neil sneered but threw the ring back to Marlene.

The Ash Priest glanced at the ring meaningfully, his voice gentle, “It seems you’re recovering well. Indeed, you are a child with magical potential; the elixir worked effectively on you.”

Marlene hesitated as she approached, a look of confusion on her face. “Ash Priest?”

He gave her his usual soft, professional smile. “Early this morning, a mage’s messenger arrived in Auderin with a message, telling me that on this road, there was a child with magical potential, and a magical beast. I hadn’t expected,” he said, his gaze turning so warm that Marlene felt an odd sense of kindness, “that the child with magical potential would be you.”

But behind his gentle expression, the Ash Priest recalled the events of early dawn—a sudden flock of black ravens appeared above the Auderin chapel, swirling like a tornado through the sanctuary and extinguishing the sacred candles that had burned for over twenty years, symbolizing the light of the goddess.

As the elder nun screamed, the ravens disintegrated into ash and vanished, leaving behind a brief message from a mage, which quickly blew away in the wind.

A mage leaving a magically gifted child in the care of the Temple of Light? It went against everything the Ash Priest knew. Whether it was the threat of a magical beast or a child blessed with magic, the Ash Priest couldn’t ignore it. That’s why he wasted no time, notifying the Rod family, gathering a group, and riding through the night to reach the scene.

However, upon seeing Marlene, his suspicions vanished. He had initially thought this “blessed child” might be a trap left by the mage, but he hadn’t expected it to be a child he knew. Children like Marlene, those born with magical potential in a barren land, were as unremarkable as a dry bone. They did possess magic and could learn holy arts, but their limited talent meant they would never go far. Perhaps that was why the mysterious mage hadn’t taken her with him.

Inside, Marlene was filled with questions, but outwardly, she remained crestfallen and expressionless, as though the Ash Priest’s words were too overwhelming to comprehend.

The Ash Priest continued, “Of course, I can understand your surprise. To be blessed by the goddess is indeed a rare and fortunate occurrence. There has never been a magically gifted child in Auderin. No one ever thought a chosen one could emerge here—there isn’t even a holy crystal to test for magical power…”

In her mind, Marlene heard a familiar, pleasant voice echoing: “A future mage shouldn’t die here…”

Marlene, recalling the words, couldn’t help but murmur, “…a future mage?”

“No.” The Ash Priest interrupted her sternly. “Under my guidance, one blessed with magical power should become a temple maiden, not a mage.”

He continued, his tone softening as if reminiscing about something pleasant, “You are at just the right age. You should enter the temple, listen to the holy words, learn the sacred arts, and dedicate your life to the goddess. Like me, you’ll travel to every corner of the continent, spreading the teachings of the goddess.”

If she could live like the Ash Priest, it wouldn’t be so bad, Marlene thought. The Ash Priest was always a special presence in Auderin. He seemed to have little in the way of wealth, yet he lived comfortably, and everyone respected him. If life as a temple maiden could be as carefree as his, that would be ideal.

Marlene replied cheerfully, “Then I truly am lucky.”

The Ash Priest retrieved a letter from his saddlebag. It was sealed with silver wax and bore a golden signet.

“I cannot stay away from the chapel for too long. The Rod family’s guards need to continue transporting goods to Jetugara. You can go with them, and I’ll instruct them to look after you. The matter of the magical beast needs to be reported to the temple in Jetugara immediately. I entrust this letter to you—it must be delivered.”

The Ash Priest then took a blank piece of parchment from his belongings and wrote a few lines with a quill. Unfortunately, Marlene couldn’t read, so she had no idea what he had written. He quickly folded the parchment, and since he didn’t have sealing wax, he tapped it with his long staff. Instantly, a ring of runes appeared on the seal, holding it shut.

Seeing Marlene’s astonished look, the Ash Priest handed this letter to her as well. “When I was studying at the temple, I had a friend named Wald. He now serves at the temple in Jetugara. When you arrive, give him this letter, and he will arrange for you to learn the sacred arts at the temple.”

Marlene’s eyes lit up. With this, it was as if she held a pass. If Ash’s friend held the same position in Jetugara that Ash did in Auderin, she would surely find things very smooth upon her arrival.

She took the letter and sincerely thanked him, “Ash Priest, this letter means so much to me. I am truly grateful.”

The Ash Priest nodded, and, thinking of the mage again, he added, “Don’t mention this letter to anyone else. I trust you can manage that.”

The Ash Priest had his concerns. Most people were ignorant and easily frightened. He had spent considerable effort convincing the townsfolk that the flock of ravens was not an omen of disaster. If people learned that a mage was involved, there would be even more rumors. The matters of the magical beast and this uncertain blessed one should be left to the temple in Jetugara, with as few people as possible knowing the details.

The Ash Priest said, “Remember that it was the goddess’s mercy that allowed you to survive. Don’t waste the goddess’s protection, and make sure you choose the right path.”

Marlene looked down at the letter in her hands. The paper was fine and resilient, adorned with white velvet flowers symbolizing the goddess’s mercy. It was the most exquisite paper she had ever seen.

She traced the delicate patterns with her fingers but couldn’t help thinking, the goddess’s protection? Really? Where was the goddess when Mirian died? When Carl beat her? When she was nearly torn apart by the beast?

It wasn’t the goddess who saved her, but two strangers whose names she didn’t even know.

The goddess’s protection? Marlene smiled to herself. Perhaps the Ash Priest had received it, but someone like her had never been so fortunate.