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Translator : DarkAmethist

Editor : Hierarch, Bzk, CidraInu

TLC : Kyureki

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“I missed the timing to come out…”

The sad Sister quickly defeated her opponents and watch over the development in Alfilis’ side.

By the way, the men who attacked her were beaten till their face unrecognizable, stripped all their belonging and thrown to manure tank in the stable.

“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and a b.a.s.t.a.r.d for another.”

Of course, that doctrine is not from the church she belongs.

“However, to think she is that skilled. She is almost as strong as a battalion commander in our church’s knight order I guess?? In addition…”

The unnatural range and power of the dagger she threw. It’s impossible for a dagger to fly like that in around 20 meters distance thought Anoren.

“Ah, Sister, here!”

“Wah!”

Anoren was startled because Alfilis suddenly called out to her.

“Sister, let’s go before we were questioned by the others. I don’t want to be praised like before…”

“Tha-that’s true. Let’s go.”

Anoren brought the horses while still being bewildered. Then they immediately get on them and ready to leave that town. However, at that time, the old gatekeeper called them.

“Please wait, missus.”

“What is it, Mr. Gatekeeper?”

“I won’t hold you long since you seem in hurry. Are you going to Mishia? My son has an inn in that place. If you plan to stay, show my letter to him. He will let you stay for free.”

“Really? Thank you very much, mister!”

“Don’t mention it. It seems this town will become peaceful for awhile after all. Or rather, this is too cheap as a reward.”

“Then we will gladly use it. Erm, may I know your name mister?”

“Viz is my name.”

“Thank you very much, Mr. Viz. I am Alfilis. Then if the destiny allows, let us meet again somewhere!”

“Surely.”

The old gatekeeper Viz, smiling and waving his hand, sent them off. Receiving kindness from others, Alfilis was in a good mood.

After that, they had taken quite a distance from Izu, but the Sister is somewhat silent. Even when Alfilis talked to her, Anoren replied half-heartedly. Alfilis became suspicious of her and watch her with a worried look.

“What happened, Sister?”

“Hm, nothing.”

“Of course it’s not nothing. Are you feeling sick? Should we take a rest?”

“I don’t need… or I might, let’s take a break after all.”

As if she has resolved herself Anoren turned toward Alfilis. Since she showed unusually serious expression Alfilis also prepared herself.

“Let’s sit on that rock.”

This area filled with gra.s.sland. Since this place is in the middle of the continent it was well developed and there were quite the amount of people pa.s.sing by. They can see caravans both in the front and in the back, and horses’ neighs can be heard here and there. So, of course, they can’t just stop there. That’s why they leave the main road for a bit and sit in the rock hidden from the highway.

Anoren starts to talk with a bitter expression.

“Alfi, perhaps this will be hard to answer, but may I ask anyway?”

“I will answer the best of ability.”

Alfilis can sense the importance of this talk. Her expression turned serious.

“This morning, I know I did something bad but I saw a bit of the seal on your body.”

“As I thought. And then?”

“It is not an ordinary seal. There are many seals in this world, be it ceremonies for certain races or seals for criminals. There are also magic seals or family seals. Even some royalty have a seal to identify themselves.”

“This is not my specialty so I can’t grasp the detail, except the type of the seal. Furthermore, it was to seal magic power, a type of brand.”

“…Then?”

“A brand type of seal is the type that shows the strongest effect when carved in the body. It will obstruct the magic flow in the body and give strong burden to the host but at the same time, the effectiveness is high. And you, it was carved in almost all the surface of both of your arms right?”

“…Also in one part of my back and my chest.”

“That shows how big your magic power is. Normally just one seal in one arm is enough to make a magician unable to use magic semi-permanently. Even with that many seals, you still can use magic, right?”

“Why do you think so?”

“The flying range of your dagger. Looking at how you throw it, it is impossible to reach that range. You should have used wind magic or something similar.”

“So you even aware of it. Then, what is now? Get rid of me?”

“That will depend on you.”

Anoren gaze become even more severe.

“What do you want to do, really? With that kind of power, you can do almost everything you know? Become an officer in a country, or join the magic a.s.sociation. No matter which you can achieve it easily. And you can also use that power to make people follow you and turn into something like a demon king.”

“…I am…”

Alfilis show a faraway look.

“I don’t have any idea on…what I want to do, and what I must do…”

She started to talk slowly.

“I was born in farming cla.s.s. It is not like we are poor, our family was able to eat normally and I was brought up in that kind of environment. However, I have an unusual power. When I was little I don’t know that using that power for my own benefit is something bad.”

Anoren trying to gauge what kind of person Alfilis it with serious expressions.

“Though a part of it was because I was unable to control it, it finally took lives. They were a remnant of a defeated army that reached our village. I thought I would be pardoned because they tried to act violently toward villagers…but I was naïve. Before long a number of magicians surrounded me.”

It was something common in the world Alfilis lived. Though magicians usually used to deal with demonic beasts or demon kings, in the distant past some of them waged war around the world. That kind of magician was subjugated but because of the number of victims, magic started to be seen as something dangerous and some magicians received injustice from common people.

In the end, it even developed till oppression and persecution between common people and magicians, but because of magicians’ managing of their members, they were finally able to take back the trust of people. That’s why they created the Magic a.s.sociation and enforced strict law toward people with strong magic power, which resulted in the current common view.

That’s why anyone who used magic power for bad things, even their own members, they will enforce punishment toward them. There was even special department which focused on magician hunting.

However there’s one thing, disregarding whether it’s small or big, everyone has the power to use magic. And although usually magic can only be used by people who learned that specialized knowledge, there are some gifted people who born with the ability to use magic. For those with splendid talent like that, most of them were brought to the place they belong soon after they were born because people who had the ability to read the stars or foresight will detect them early. For power which can even take lives, normally there’s no way it will be missed, but on the other hand, it can also be said that Alfilis is an exception. In other words, heresy. Born with talent won’t guarantee happiness.

While Anoren thought something like that, Alfilis continued her talk indifferently.

“There were around ten magicians I think. However, my own magic power is certainly far higher than them so they were defeated in an instant. Ah, I didn’t kill them. Because the difference in strength is too wide I don’t even need to do it. At that time, the one who pa.s.sed through that place is my master.”

“By the way, what’s your master name?”

“Aldoryus.”

“Don’t tell me, Aldoryus Serk Rezerwark!?”

“Yup.”

There are many famous magicians in the world, but even among them, Aldoryus is peculiar. When he was young he’d already shown an outstanding magic ability, however not long after he turned twenty he abandoned all magic training. After he retired from magic a.s.sociation he joined a knight order in a certain country, and this time with his martial art prowess he acquired the position of commander of thousand, just a little more before becoming general.

Additionally, he also demonstrated his ability as a civil official, especially in the field of domestic affairs like flood control and city management. Even now his proposal is used as a reference throughout the world. He was popular both in royal court and in the ma.s.ses, the King even give him the t.i.tle of count, but for unknown reason halfway to thirty he left everything he had. And disappeared just like that.

Though some said he is an eccentric with whose train of thought is hard to understand, an oddball, at the same time he is also a legend. To think that person is the one who raised Alfilis exceeded Anoren imagination by a large margin. No, rather, perhaps that kind of person is necessary to raise Alfilis.

Alfilis continued.

“I was defeated in a blink of eyes by Master. Despite being a magician he used top cla.s.s martial arts, his strength was the embodiment of unfairness. Then after that, Master took me into his custody, and with the condition to live separated from human settlements, they spared my life. It seems there’re some things more, but Master didn’t tell me about it. At that time, Master applied this brand on me.”

Saying that, Alfilis suddenly roll up her sleeves and show her the brands. When Anoren looks at them, she realized the left and right one had a different pattern.

“You understand the difference between right and left? The left one is the brand my master applied, the right one I did it myself.”

“You did it yourself? You can do something like that?? That’s insane you know!?”

When applying a brand, both the one who apply it and the one applied will need to pay a large compensation. The applier will lose some function of their body, for example, a loss sense of taste or shortening lifespan. And the one applied will feel an unimaginable pain that won’t reside. That’s why a brand is only used toward demon kings or strong monsters and the worst judgment toward criminal. To use it on oneself can only be said as insane.

However, Alfilis expressions still look bright, without a single speck of graveness. On the other hand, Anoren felt it was painful to look at. As if understanding what’s inside Anoren heart, Alfilis said,

“There’s no loss body function though. On the other hand, every time I used the magic power that sealed by the brand, the brand erosion will strengthen.”

“That’s!”

“Right, every time I used my original magic power, the pain will increase even more.”

It should not something that can be said that easily. Imagining the pain Alfilis experienced, Anoren’s body trembled.

“You don’t need to look so worried, I don’t feel any significant pain right now. As long I don’t use magic for a long time, the pain will subside. And since I have not used it for years I almost feel no pain. Only a little throbbing pain sometimes.”

Alfilis explained to her with a faint smile on her face.

“However, because applying this brand to my body, my Master’s lifespan was shortened. Master is the first person who truly cared about me. However, it’s almost as if I killed him.”

“This is my Master’s last will. ‘Live as your heart dictates you’ he said. Many times I thought, he should have said at least one cursing word toward me. However, Master treated me as if his own daughter… For me, he is more a parent than my real parents. This is something that I learned later but the ones who informed the Magic a.s.sociation about me were my own parents. That’s why the brand my master applied to me is something like an oath for me. So I will never forget him. Because if not, I might start to hate my own parents after all.”

“Alfi, you…”

Though Anoren looked at her with a sad look, it was as if Alfilis didn’t notice it.

“That’s why I want to become like my Master and use this power for others. Perhaps there’s someone who will be saved because I have this power. Though I don’t know who that ‘someone’ is, I think of looking for them. I don’t have any desire to use this power for my own gain. Even if you kill me right here right now.”

“Why do you think I must kill you?”

“But if you need to, you can, right? Since you’re stronger than me. And  Sister’s real occupation is something like that after all.”

Alfilis look straight at Anoren.

“(I wonder how much this child…knows about me?)”

Anoren doesn’t know. But it seems Alfilis is even sharper than she imagined. Ignoring her, Alfilis continue her speech.

“Sister’s bearing is completely that of a warrior. I think everyone will realize it if they pay attention to you. Though you said you were interested in me the first time we met, I am also like that, you know? Because, how come someone who I feel like I won’t be able to beat wears a Sister uniform and is helping people? You’re the first person since I started this journey who I feel like I won’t be able to beat even if I use all my power. Though I am ignorant of the ways of the world, my sense as a warrior is pretty sharp you know?”

“I see… As I thought you are not an ordinary person. But you overestimate me, I’m not that strong. Rather than that, are the things you talked before the reason why your hair is black?”

“Is that so? My intuition usually hits the mark, though. By the way, my hair indeed as you guess, was dyed black.”

“What’s the original color?”

Toward her question that sounds like pure curiosity, Alfilis showed a little awkward look.

“That’s… I don’t mind answering, but can you tell me about yourself a bit?”

“Me? That’s fine, but I think there are many things I might not able to answer. Because of my job.”

“Then…are you a real Sister?”

“That’s the truth. I even have fully fledged identification paper, here.”

“Wow, it’s true. Moreover, bishop? The positions higher than bishop are…”

“Archbishop a.s.sistant, Archbishop, and Highest Founder, only three.”

Alfilis stare in amazement, Anoren showed slightly prideful looks.

“You’re really an important person.”

“Praise me more!”

“No way!”

Alfilis turned toward Anoren and said ‘ii’ vigorously. Though that action is a bit off looking at her age, which made Anoren taken aback, Alfilis is still a girl who has yet reach twenty in age, added the fact that it’s the phase child want to play yet she lived in seclusion deep in the mountains and had no friends the same age, most likely she had never talked like this.

Actually, Anoren didn’t have any intention to fight her, but if needed she will, she thought. If needed, she’ll do it with cool-headedness, and she also understood that she must. It is something she gained as someone who experienced battles many times.

In actuality, on her pilgrimage, she also undertakes monster subjugation, and if reinforcements don’t make it, sometimes she will subjugate it herself.  However, looking at Alfilis who opened her heart toward her, for argument sake, if she tried to kill Alfilis right now, she believed Alfilis won’t use her brand, and it made her lose motivation to kill her even more. This girl who is considerably younger than her, it’s even not an exaggeration to call her a little girl, Anoren started to see this female fencer, as her friend.