Back in Galister, chickens had been stuffed into coops, shutters were barred, and there was just silence.
Only the anxious talking of mothers and the restless stamping of livestock could be heard as Brunhilda sat by the window, nose practically pressed against the glass.
Her glasses fogged from her breath, but she refused to wipe them.
"Do you see him yet?" She asked her mother for the fifth time.
Elen stood behind her with her arms crossed over her chest. Her face was calm as ever.
"...Not yet."
Brunhilda squinted harder.
[Come on, Dad. Don't tell me something got you. If my reincarnation journey ends with me becoming an orphan at twelve, I'm suing God for false advertising!]
Just as that thought passed, movement could be seen at the treeline.
Two figures emerged from the forest path—one tall and broad-shouldered, the other more thick with a pointed hat swaying in the breeze.
Brunhilda's jaw dropped.
"...Is that... a witch?"
Elen widened her eyes.
Roderick walked calmly beside the stranger with mud all over his clothes, as if strolling back from nothing more than chopping firewood.
The witch, by contrast, looked like she'd stepped straight out of one of Brunhilda's bedtime stories—long blonde hair flowing behind her, green robes catching the sunlight, and staff in hand like a declaration of sorcery itself.
The villagers began peeking out of doors and windows, confused.
"Magic?"
"A witch?"
"Why is Roderick with her?"
Elen unbolted the door before Brunhilda could even shout.
She stepped outside as her expression of a storm was barely restrained.
"Roderick Blackwood!" She yelled as her husband drew close. "Would you care to explain why you've brought her into our village?"
The witch jumped at the sharp tone, slowing to a halt beside Roderick.
"Oh my, is she your wife?" She asked, leaning down ever so slightly toward him. "She seems... fiery."
"...Seraphina, please don't." Said Roderick, a bit worried.
Brunhilda, meanwhile, couldn't keep her eyes off the witch.
[No way. A real witch! An actual staff-wielding, spell-slinging, magic-circle-having witch! And she's... stacked, like, seriously stacked! Is my new life going from cozy slice-of-life to fantasy anime real fast?]
She nearly drooled before shaking her head.
"Mom! Dad's fine! And he brought home DLC content!"
"Brunhilda!" Elen shouted, practically scandalized as she tugged her daughter behind her. "Do not speak nonsense!"
Seraphina let out a nervous laugh, adjusting her oversized hat.
"A-Apologies for the disturbance earlier. I... may have overdone things while defending myself from goblins. I didn't mean to frighten anyone!"
"Overdone?" Elen repeated, eyeing the smoke still drifting up from the treeline. "That's one way to put it."
Roderick stepped forward, raising a hand to calm the gathering villagers.
"She's not an enemy. Just a traveler who ran into trouble. For now, she'll be staying under my watch until we figure things out."
The villagers exchanged uncertain glances, talking to one another quietly.
[Oh boy, here it comes. Suspicious stranger with dangerous magic? Classic trope. Next thing you know, she's either gonna be the new big bad or my quirky mentor. Please let it be quirky mentor, I don't have the stamina for Demon Lord arcs yet.]
Brunhilda pushed her glasses up as her eyes sparkled with excitement, now leaning toward her mother.
"Mom, we can't just kick her out! She's a real witch! Don't you realize how rare that is? She could teach me magic!"
"You don't have Soul Points, Brunhilda." Elen said, mildly frustrated.
Brunhilda flinched as the reminder stung more than she wanted to admit.
Seraphina tilted her head, studying the girl curiously.
"No Soul Points, you say? Hmm. Perhaps... that's not as rare as you think."
Her emerald eyes remained on Brunhilda, and for a second, it felt as though she saw something no one else did.
Brunhilda shivered as her earlier excitement became an uneasy stare.
[W-Wait. Did she just... sense something?]
The crowd remained in the square, staring and even questioning Roderick, but he gave them a firm nod; the kind that told them to go about their business.
Slowly, doors shut and shutters closed again, though not without plenty of peeking eyes.
Elen's frown deepened, but she didn't argue in front of the villagers.
Instead, she turned on her heel, pulling Brunhilda toward their cottage.
"Inside. Now."
Brunhilda stumbled after her, still stealing glances at the witch with stars in her eyes.
Roderick followed with Seraphina trailing behind him, staff in hand.
She tried to smile at a curious child peeking through a crack in the door—but the boy squeaked and vanished.
"...Charming little place you have here." Seraphina muttered as she ducked into the cottage.
The air inside smelled like herbs and firewood, the normal spell you'd get in a commoner village like this.
It was cozy, simple, and so unlike the chaos of the battlefield outside.
Elen immediately shut the door behind them, leaning against it with her arms crossed.
"Well?" She demanded with her eyes darting between Roderick and Seraphina.
The witch removed her hat politely, setting it against the wall before giving a graceful bow.
"My name is Seraphina Verde. I'm a wandering mage, and a Witch of flame. People know me as a terrible cook, but I'm very good at knitting!"
She looked up with a sheepish grin.
"At your service."
Brunhilda's jaw dropped.
[Witch of flame? Knitting? She really is DLC content—a bonus character with hidden talents!]
Roderick scrubbed at his muddy face with a cloth.
"She was attacked on the road. Her carriage is wrecked, her horse gone. I couldn't leave her there with a bunch of goblins nearby."
Elen turned to Seraphina.
"And what do you want here? We are not some inn for adventurers to rest their boots, especially for those who use magic."
Seraphina flinched, then clasped her hands together.
"Merely shelter until I can get my bearings. I'll trouble you as little as possible, I swear it. And..." She brightened her expression suddenly. "I can pay. I've gold!"
She fished inside her satchel and pulled out a pouch.
When she dropped it on the table, it clinked heavily.
Elen raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
"We don't need your coin. We only acquire peace."
[Oof. Mom's got more defense than an endgame raid boss when it comes to sorcerers. Even gold crit failed to persuade.]
Brunhilda slid closer to Seraphina, adjusting her glasses nervously as the Witch stuffed the gold back in her satchel.
"Do you really... use magic?"
Seraphina looked down at her and smiled warmly.
"Of course. Though, perhaps I'm a little too enthusiastic with it."
Brunhilda's heart was pumping with excitement.
"Could you... teach me?"
"Brunhilda!" Elen yelled.
Seraphina tilted her head, studying her again with that same strange look.
"...Perhaps." She said. "If your heart burns for it, child." Her expression became unreadable as she stared at Brunhilda.
She froze as goosebumps prickled her arms.
[What does that look in her eyes mean? Does she see something in me? No... she can't! I have zero Soul Points. That's impossible... right?]
Roderick cleared his throat, breaking the moment.
"Enough for now. She stays the night. Tomorrow, we'll see what to do."
Elen exhaled slowly, though her eyes stayed sharp as ever.
"Fine. But only under this roof. And if she tries anything, I will know." She pointed at Seraphina.
Seraphina chuckled nervously, lifting both hands.
"Perish the thought! I'll be on my best behavior."
Brunhilda, however, could hardly sit still.
[It's no surprise that my wholesome loving mother doesn't want Seraphina to stay here. Long story short, everyone in Galister village hated magic because of our culture. Every year we have a festival celebrating hard work, and praying to the God of Strength, Ezbrand, who is the enemy of the Goddess of Magic, Aetheria. My mom is serious about that stuff.]
"I have a question." I asked, facing Seraphina.
"Oh, yes, what is it?"
"Skills and magic, how are they different? I'm just really curious, that's all."
Elen glared at Brunhilda before huffing a sigh and walking across the cottage.
"Ah, so you're unaware of the two? Well, there's a lot to explain." She placed her finger against her chin. "First, there are natural affinities for magic."
"Natural affinities?" I asked.
"Yes. Everyone has a natural affinity that makes them stronger in certain magic—for example, a sorcerer attuned to fire will excel in fire spells, though they can still learn others with less proficiency. There are four known natural affinities; fire, water, wind, and earth! But there are also special ones known as Light and Darkness as well, though it's extremely rare."
[Ah, the classic elemental attribute stuff. No surprise there.]
"Once you find out your natural affinity, you can then learn magic." She raised a finger, proudly explaining. "There's a universal energy system across Arcana known as Spiritus Mundi. Everyone has it stored in their body that allows them to generate supernatural effects known as spells."
[Spiritus Mundi? I was expecting the cliche "mana" trope, but this sounds deeper than I expected.]
Seraphina leaned forward a little as she lowered her voice like she was letting Brunhilda in on a grand secret.
"Skills, on the other hand, are different. They're... well, how to put it simply?" She tapped her staff lightly against the floorboards. "Skills are gifts! You can unlock them inside a Grimoire once you obtain enough Soul Points. People are usually born with some Soul Points that are based on their talent, and in order to get more, it is necessary to hunt dangerous creatures, or enemies with a bundle of Soul Points."
Brunhilda blinked behind her glasses before tilting her head.
"Wait, so skills are exactly similar to an RPG?"
Seraphina paused, blinking in mild confusion.
"...R...P...G?"
[Oops. Gamer slip. Quick, recovery!]
"Uh—like, uh—it's just a term I made!"
"Oh, I see." She chuckled. "I forgot to mention that the skills that appear in your Grimoire will manifest based on your natural talents, and natural affinity."
Seraphina smiled, twirling her staff between her fingers.
"Skills are like a mirror of who you are. A hunter might gain Keen Sight. A farmer might awaken Enduring Strength. A knight may unlock Steel Will. They reflect your path... and can grow as you do."
Brunhilda adjusted her glasses, staring wide-eyed.
[So it is an RPG system! Skills = perks, Soul Points = exp, Grimoire = skill tree menu. Yep, nailed it! Only problem? I've got zero Soul Points. Which means my Grimoire will be a blank notebook if I ever get one.]
Her excitement faltered at that thought, but Seraphina's gaze remained on her.
Elen's voice cut the air sharp as a blade.
"Enough of this. Skills are practical and predictable. Magic is chaos dressed in pretty colors. We do not speak of it lightly in this house."
"W-Wait, I have one more question!" Said Brunhilda, eager as ever.
"Brunhilda Blackwood!" Shouted Elen.
"Okay, okay, my last question is how do you get a Grimoire?!"
"Ah, very good question." Said Seraphina, nervously glancing at Elen. "Well, um... you can only get one if the world recognizes you as worthy. So that means slaying a Mythical Creature."
"Say what?!"