Nakielos is a world flourishing with magical power, where the gods dwell high in the heavens, silently watching over the various races on earth while protecting the entire world.
Elves, dwarves, beastmen, and humans.
People of all races enjoy the protection and blessings of the gods while offering their devout faith to the divine beings.
...
...
Tap, tap, tap...
Two sets of footsteps, one ahead of the other, echoed through the solemn interior of the church.
A gray-haired, elderly priest led a young acolyte with a slightly childish face to stand before the divine statue inside the church.
The two gazed at the statue, standing quietly in reverence.
Before long, the young acolyte began to look around impatiently.
"Nachard, maintain your reverence in the presence of God."
The young acolyte's body trembled, and he straightened up with a slightly embarrassed expression.
"I'm very sorry, Father..."
The young acolyte lowered his head and apologized in a low voice.
The priest's expression remained unchanged as he spoke gently: "Recognizing one's mistakes and correcting them promptly is a sign of good character. Nachard, you are a good child, and that great being will forgive you."
"Because that great being is full of compassion, this compassion illuminates the world, dispelling the darkness that shrouds it, healing people's wounded bodies and souls. We bathe in divine light and enjoy eternal peace and tranquility..."
Ah, here we go again.
When will I ever get transferred to the central cathedral? If I stay stuck in this backwater place, my life will truly be over.
Watching the priest begin his lengthy discourse, his wrinkles becoming even more pronounced, the young acolyte couldn't help but complain inwardly.
"...Even insignificant mortals like us receive that great being's care, as long as our hearts are devout... Nachard? Nachard, Nachard."
"Huh, huh?"
The young acolyte, whose mind had been wandering, snapped back to attention.
"Yes, Father, I'm here!"
"Were you daydreaming just now?"
Faced with the priest's inquiry, the young acolyte quickly shook his head.
"No, no, I was just... I was just deeply contemplating your teachings and got absorbed in them, haha."
The young acolyte laughed awkwardly while offering a weak explanation.
"Is that so?"
The priest's tone carried a hint of doubt.
"Of course it is! Ah, by the way, Father, I've always had a question."
The young acolyte decisively changed the subject.
"A question? No problem, go ahead and ask."
The young acolyte hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a tone that tried not to sound offensive:
"The divine being, ever since leaving the earthly world, has never descended again... Will the divine being... truly descend again?"
This question wasn't just the young acolyte's doubt, but the shared concern of many church members.
The priest fell silent for a moment, his expression carrying hints of reminiscence, then becoming firm and devout.
He slowly closed his eyes: "Nachard, the greatness of the divine is beyond our imagination. Although it has been long since we heard their voice, the protection we have today is genuine. I firmly believe..."
"...I firmly believe that the day of that great being's return will surely come."
Dong! Dong! Dong...
Just then, the church bells rang.
"It's time. Let us offer our prayers to that great being!"
With that, the priest clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and bowed his head toward the divine statue with a solemn and reverent expression. Behind him, the young acolyte did the same.
In the spacious interior of the church, the two men's lengthy prayers gradually filled the air.
...
Dong! Dong! Dong...
When the church bells spread throughout Terix Town and reached the Kayestal mansion, the Kayestal family did not stop their activities to pray silently as usual.
At this moment, the head of the Kayestal household, Alaric Kayestal, was pacing back and forth in the courtyard with a nervous and anxious expression.
"Isn't it ready yet? Isn't it ready yet..."
Seeing his father's agitated state and constant muttering, Gareth shook his head helplessly.
"Father, could you please stop pacing in front of me? This isn't the first time, after all."
Alaric stopped, grabbed Gareth's shoulders, and shook him vigorously.
"I know, of course I know, but I can't help worrying! Moriel, Moriel she..."
Ah...
Gareth was speechless inwardly.
This troublesome old man is really troublesome!
"Wah! Wah! Wah..."
Just then, a loud cry came from inside the house.
"It's born, it's born!"
Alaric's eyes lit up suddenly. He released Gareth's shoulders and rushed into the house, with Gareth immediately standing up as well.
"Wait, Father, you can't go in yet..."
"Oh! Master, you can't come in right now! Please go out quickly!"
"Don't be like this, let me see my child quickly! Is it a boy or a girl? How is Moriel?!"
"Please leave immediately!!"
"Ah..."
Hearing the chaotic commotion from inside the house, Gareth couldn't help but hold his head.
My father really is...
New Divine Calendar, Year 777, July 7th, Day of Rest (Sunday).
In Nakielos, Terix Town of the Venkio Empire, the seventh daughter of the hereditary knight lord Kayestal family—Velira Kayestal—was born into this world.
※※※
"Heave-ho, heave-ho..."
In the Kayestal family's storage room, seven-year-old Velira was whittling a wooden stick with a small knife.
Before long,
"Finished!"
Velira held the whittled wooden stick above her head, her young eyes sparkling with light.
"My magic wand!"
"Hey, ha! Magic bullet~!"
After waving the stick and striking a few poses like a real magician, Velira dropped the small knife and headed outside.
Clang! Clang! Clang...
Passing through the courtyard,
In the yard, Alaric was sparring with Gareth and Korvan using wooden swords.
"Too slow! Your sword movements are too slow, completely unsightly! How do you two usually practice?! It's painful to watch! Can you even call yourselves descendants of the Kayestal family like this?"
Seeing Alaric engaged in his usual "beating" game with her older brothers, Velira wasn't the least bit surprised. After all, since she could remember, her father had often "beaten" her brothers this way, and to her, this seemed like a normal way of communication.
Passing by the group.
"Father, Brother Gareth, Brother Korvan."
Velira politely greeted them.
"Oh, Velira, going out? Don't go too far!"
Alaric turned around, and seeing his little daughter, his expression immediately became gentle and kind.
"Yes, Father! I'm going out!"
"Oh, be careful on the road!"
Watching his little daughter walk away with small steps, humming a little tune while waving her wooden stick, Alaric didn't turn back for a long time.
"Hey hey, old man! The differential treatment is too much, isn't it? Why are you so gentle with Velira but just scold us harshly?!"
"Yeah, exactly!"
The panting Gareth and Korvan complained loudly.
"Hah?!"
Alaric's eyes narrowed as he turned around with a fierce expression.
Thunk! Thunk!
With two dull sounds, Gareth and Korvan clutched their heads and rolled on the ground in pain.
Alaric pointed at the two brothers with his wooden sword and roared: "You two idiots still have the nerve to complain?! Starting today, each of you will double your daily practice!"
"No, please no—!!!"
The brothers' mournful wails echoed through the courtyard.
...
...
"Witch~, witch~, the strongest witch~, defeat all evil~..."
In the depths of the mineral mountain forest south of Terix Town, sunlight filtered through the sparse canopy, casting scattered light on the forest path.
Velira hummed her completely tuneless self-composed song while heading deeper into the forest.
As the youngest daughter, although she was doted upon by her parents and siblings who saw her as a well-behaved girl, Velira was essentially a restless person.
For instance, the secret paradise she was about to visit was a place that even the adults in town wouldn't easily enter.
If her parents knew that their little daughter's idea of "not going too far from home" differed so vastly from theirs, they might ground her.
But whether she forgot to mention it or instinctively felt that telling them would lead to trouble, Velira had never told anyone where she went on her solo outings.
"La~! La la~!"
Velira reached the depths of the forest. After passing through some bushes, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a small lake.
The lake water was clear and tranquil, shimmering gently in the sunlight.
"Heave-ho!"
Velira climbed onto a large rock by the lakeside.
Pointing her wooden stick at the lake surface,
"The witch, Lady Velira, has arrived!"
The forest remained silent...
After holding the pose for about three seconds, Velira felt no embarrassment whatsoever.
Slowly lowering her wooden stick, Velira nodded.
"Well hidden indeed, monster. Even after hearing the great name of Witch Lady Velira, you remain unmoved. Praiseworthy!"
Suddenly, Velira thrust her wooden stick forward with force.
"Magic bullet—!"
A gentle breeze blew across the lake surface, creating small ripples, but the forest remained silent.
Magic bullet...
It didn't come out.
"Oh, unexpectedly clever, monster! You actually saw through my feint. I'll acknowledge you for now, but—"
Velira raised her wooden stick high, her eyes becoming serious.
"From now on, it's for real."
"Magic bullet—!!!"
Splash!
A large amount of water splashed up, and the previously calm lake surface became turbulent.
"Hmph, this is the magic bullet attack of this great witch lady! How about it? Are you afraid now, monster!"
Velira proudly lifted her small chin, while her right hand holding the pebble was quietly hidden behind her back.
The ripples on the lake surface soon calmed down.
"Oh? Even after facing this great witch lady's magic bullet attack, you can still hold steady? I really underestimated you, but my attacks don't stop there! Take this, monster!"
Velira crouched down, picked up another pebble, then threw it at the invisible "monster" while waving her wooden stick.
Splash!
Splash!
Splash...
The lake surface rippled again and again.
After a long while, the tired Velira lay down on the rock.
"What an exhilarating battle!"
Velira propped up her upper body with her hands and sat on the rock, looking at the lake surface ahead.
"You're a powerful monster. Let's save the final battle for next time."
With that, she casually picked up another pebble and threw it at the lake surface.
At that moment, Velira had no idea that the pebble she was about to throw would lead her to encounter an event that would change her entire destiny.
Splash!
As the pebble hit the lake surface and created ripples just like before,
Then,
The wheels of fate began to turn.