Chapter 7 – Farewell to Saint Lumina

The next few days at Saint Lumina were surprisingly peaceful.

After Father Aldrich discovered Mina practicing blood magic, he made one thing very clear.

She was allowed to practice.

But she was not allowed to experiment recklessly.

And most importantly—

She was not allowed to sneak into dangerous forests again.

Mina had agreed.

Mostly.

Her blood magic was still strange to her.

She could move blood.

She could gather it.

She could make it float.

But whenever she tried to create complicated shapes, the blood would wobble and fall apart.

So instead of trying to do everything at once, Father Aldrich encouraged her to focus on one simple technique.

A technique based on the very first thing she had done in the forest.

Shooting blood forward.

Mina stood outside behind Saint Lumina with a small container of blood in front of her.

She raised her hand.

“Okay…”

She concentrated.

The blood slowly rose.

A few droplets gathered together.

Mina pointed toward a wooden target.

“Blood Shot!”

THWIP!

A small projectile of blood flew through the air and struck the target.

Mina's eyes sparkled.

“I did it!”

Father Aldrich, standing several steps away, nodded.

“Again.”

Mina raised her hand.

“Blood Shot!”

THWIP!

Another shot.

Then another.

And another.

At first, her aim was terrible.

One shot hit the ground.

Another flew past the target.

One somehow hit a bucket.

Mina stared at the bucket.

“...That wasn't where I was aiming.”

Father Aldrich tried not to laugh.

“You'll improve.”

Mina narrowed her eyes.

“I will master this.”

And she did.

She practiced every day.

She learned how to gather the blood quickly.

She learned how much force to use.

She learned how to change the direction of the projectile.

She learned how to aim.

Most importantly, she learned how to control her magic without losing concentration.

Eventually—

She could fire one Blood Shot after another with incredible accuracy.

One afternoon, Father Aldrich placed several wooden targets around the training area.

“Try hitting them all.”

Mina smiled.

“Easy.”

She raised her hand.

One shot.

THWIP!

Another.

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THWIP!

Another.

THWIP!

One by one, every target was struck.

Mina lowered her hand.

She proudly adjusted her crimson hair.

“I told you.”

Father Aldrich smiled.

“You've mastered it.”

Mina's eyes widened.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Mina clenched both fists.

“Yes!”

She jumped into the air.

“I'M A MAGIC GENIUS!”

Father Aldrich laughed.

“You still have much to learn.”

Mina landed.

“...I'll pretend I didn't hear that.”

---

Eight Years Later

Time passed.

The little girl who once chased a chicken around the churchyard was no longer little.

Eight years had passed since Mina first discovered her strange ability.

She was now fifteen.

Her crimson hair had grown to just below her shoulders, and her childish face had matured into that of a teenager.

Her red eyes were brighter than ever.

She still wore her beloved crimson witch hat.

It had become slightly worn from years of use, but Mina refused to replace it.

It was the first thing she had bought with her own money.

And to her, it was special.

She had also grown considerably taller.

Sometimes, Sister Elena would look at her and shake her head.

“You were so tiny when I found you.”

Mina would always laugh.

“And now I'm taller than you!”

Sister Elena would immediately respond:

“That doesn't mean you can stop listening to me.”

Mina would then become suspiciously quiet.

Because she knew that was true.

Over the years, Mina had grown up surrounded by the people of Saint Lumina.

The children she once played with had grown older.

The younger children who arrived afterward now looked up to Mina.

She had become someone they admired.

She helped around the church.

She cooked.

She studied.

She practiced her magic.

And, whenever she had free time, she read books about the outside world.

Adventurers.

Monsters.

Dungeons.

Cities.

Guilds.

Treasures.

Ancient ruins.

Mina had always been fascinated by them.

But now that she was fifteen, that curiosity had grown stronger.

She wanted to see the world herself.

She wanted to become an adventurer.

And there was one place she wanted to visit first.

Shadowveil City.

A massive city filled with adventurers, merchants, travelers, and people from all across Eternia.

Most importantly—

It had an Adventurer's Guild.

Mina had read about it countless times.

The guild was where adventurers registered themselves, accepted quests, earned rewards, and built their reputation.

To Mina, it sounded like the perfect place to begin.

There was only one problem.

She needed permission.

So one evening, Mina stood in the church hall.

Sister Elena was folding clothes.

Father Aldrich was reading.

Mina took a deep breath.

“Everyone…”

Sister Elena looked up.

“What is it?”

Mina clasped her hands together.

“I want to become an adventurer.”

The room became quiet.

Father Aldrich lowered his book.

Sister Elena stopped folding the clothes.

Mina continued.

“I've been thinking about it for a long time.”

She looked toward the window.

“I want to travel outside Willowbrook.”

“I want to see other cities.”

“I want to meet people.”

“And…”

She smiled.

“I want to experience the world for myself.”

Sister Elena stared at her.

For a moment, she didn't say anything.

Then she walked toward Mina.

Mina smiled nervously.

“Sister Elena?”

Without warning—

Sister Elena pulled her into a hug.

Mina froze.

“Eh?”

Sister Elena held her tightly.

“You've grown up so fast…”

Mina's expression softened.

“Sister…”

“I still remember carrying you into this church.”

She gently rested her cheek against Mina's hair.

“You were so small.”

Mina smiled.

“I probably cried a lot.”

“No.”

Sister Elena laughed softly.

“You barely cried at all.”

Mina blinked.

“Really?”

“You were always strangely brave.”

Mina looked down.

She suddenly remembered the river.

The forest.

The wolf.

The years she had spent here.

This place had been her home for as long as she could remember.

Saint Lumina wasn't just a church.

It was where she grew up.

Where she learned to read.

Where she learned about Eternia.

Where she discovered magic.

Where she made memories.

And Sister Elena…

She was the person who had raised her.

Mina hugged her back.

“I'll come back.”

Sister Elena closed her eyes.

“You'd better.”

“I will.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

Sister Elena slowly pulled away.

Her eyes were slightly wet.

Mina noticed.

“Are you crying?”

“No.”

“You are.”

“I am not.”

“You definitely are.”

“Mina.”

“Okay, okay!”

Mina laughed.

Father Aldrich quietly smiled from nearby.

Then Mina looked at Sister Elena again.

There was something she had wanted to say for years.

Something she had never quite managed to say.

She opened her mouth.

“Sister Elena…”

“Yes?”

Mina hesitated.

Then smiled.

“...Mom.”

Sister Elena froze.

Mina's face became red.

“I mean…”

She looked away.

“You've basically been my mom this whole time…”

Sister Elena's eyes filled with tears again.

She immediately hugged Mina once more.

“Mina…”

Mina laughed softly.

“Mom…”

This time, she said it without hesitation.

Sister Elena held her tightly.

“My daughter…”

Mina closed her eyes.

For a few moments, neither of them said anything.

They didn't need to.

---

The Day of Departure

The following morning came far too quickly.

Mina packed her belongings into a travel bag.

Clothes.

Food.

A few books.

Some money.

A small first-aid kit.

Her magical supplies.

And, of course—

Her crimson witch hat.

Mina placed it carefully on her head.

She looked at herself in the mirror.

Fifteen years old.

Ready to leave home.

“...Wow.”

She smiled.

“I actually look like an adventurer.”

She picked up her bag.

It was heavier than she expected.

“Okay…”

She struggled to lift it.

“Maybe adventurers need stronger arms.”

She dragged it across the floor.

SCRAAAAAPE.

A child passing by looked at her.

“Mina, what are you doing?”

“Leaving dramatically.”

“Oh.”

The child nodded.

“Okay.”

Mina stared.

“That's it?”

“Yes.”

“...I expected more.”

The child walked away.

Mina sighed.

“Kids these days.”

She finally made it outside.

Everyone from Saint Lumina had gathered to see her off.

Father Aldrich stood near the carriage.

Sister Elena stood beside him.

Mina looked at everyone.

She smiled.

“Thank you.”

Her voice was quiet.

“Thank you for everything.”

Father Aldrich nodded.

“Take care of yourself.”

“I will.”

“Don't trust strangers too easily.”

“I'll be careful.”

“Don't enter dangerous forests alone.”

Mina paused.

“...I'll try.”

Sister Elena immediately glared at her.

Mina raised both hands.

“I mean it!”

Everyone laughed.

Mina stepped toward the carriage.

Then she stopped.

She turned around.

“Mom.”

Sister Elena smiled.

“Come home safely.”

“I will.”

Mina climbed into the carriage.

She sat beside the window.

As the carriage began moving, she waved.

“Bye!”

Everyone waved back.

Mina kept waving until Saint Lumina became smaller and smaller in the distance.

Eventually, she couldn't see it anymore.

She lowered her hand.

For the first time in her life—

She was truly leaving home.

Mina looked ahead.

Her red eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Shadowveil City…”

She smiled.

“My adventure starts there.”

The carriage continued along the road.

Beyond the hills.

Beyond the forests.

Beyond everything Mina had ever known.

And somewhere far ahead waited a massive city filled with adventurers.

Shadowveil City.

The city of guilds.

The city of travelers.

The city where Mina's new life was about to begin.