Bindewald, nodding in agreement, backed the High Bishop up. “Indeed, and she attacked me as well. A mere commoner clad in blue robes beyond her means launched mana at me, a noble. Out of anyone, this child deserves punishment the most.” Bindewald pointed at me as well, then let out his disgusting croaky laugh. It was the same noble logic that Shikza had used: no commoner should ever, ever defy a noble.
“Now then, High Priest. Capture Myne. Ensure that she cannot use her mana,” the High Bishop demanded.
The High Priest gave a sigh before walking toward me. Dad squeezed my hand tightly as we watched him slowly approach, and I squeezed his back.
“I see that you let your mana rampage again, Myne.”
“There were extenuating circumstances.”
“So it seems,” the High Priest murmured as he looked down at me, his eyes sad and full of sympathy. More than anything, that showed that he wouldn’t be able to protect me.
“...High Priest, will I be punished for this?”
“You did attack the High Bishop and an outsider noble, after all. I imagine that you, your family, and all of your attendants will be executed.”
“I’m sorry, Dad...” I said while looking up at him.
Dad let out a short laugh. “I was prepared to die back when you first joined the temple, and I’m prepared to die now. Don’t sweat it.” But I couldn’t help but panic.
“If only I had gone all-out with my mana and killed both the High Bishop and that toad before the High Priest had come out. That would have gotten rid of all of the evidence,” I said jokingly with a shrug.
The High Priest nodded, a brief flash of pain on his face. “Unfortunately, since you are both incompetent and incapable of properly finishing a job, it is too late for you to hide evidence now.”
The High Priest was the most reliable of all the nobles I knew, and even he said he couldn’t save me. It was hard to think of anybody else who would be able to help.
“In the end, Brother Sylvester’s charm didn’t help at all. I guess you can never trust a man who says he’ll help you,” I sighed as I pulled out the chained necklace charm from behind my robes. There was still a golden fire swaying within the black stone, but that was all. Just like Bindewald and the High Bishop had said, I would be executed for defying nobles as a mere commoner.
Brother Sylvester, you liar, I thought to myself while looking at the necklace.
The High Priest bent down to look at it. He stared at the stone for a solid second, then widened his eyes in disbelief. “Myne, where did you get this?”
“Brother Sylvester gave it to me as thanks for letting him go on a fun hunting trip in the lower city’s forest. He said it’s a charm.”
“I see. That is quite the charm, I must say. It will make things a lot easier,” the High Priest said, his flat expression now replaced with a slight smile. Apparently the charm was so powerful that the High Priest was confident he would be able to send both the High Bishop and Bindewald packing.
I’m sorry for doubting you and calling you a liar, Brother Sylvester.
As I internally thanked Sylvester, the High Priest slowly looked between Dad and I. “However, it will only be of use if you are prepared to steel your resolve.”
I looked up at him. If there was a way to save my family and attendants, all those who had supported me up until now, then I was willing to do whatever it took.
“Steel my resolve for what?”
“...Being adopted.”
“By Lord Karstedt? If so, I’ve already...”
Before I could finish my sentence, the High Priest shook his head to interrupt me. “Not Karstedt. Sylvester.”
My future adoptive father wouldn’t be the reliable Karstedt, but the unpredictable man-child Sylvester? The thought was so surprising that all I could do was look at the High Priest, my eyes wide and jaw dropped. For a second I thought he was joking, but his golden eyes were deadly serious.
...Sylvester’s adopted daughter? He was the kind of person to start poking my cheek on our first meeting and demand I chirp “pooey,” but I had met him enough times to know that he wasn’t a bad person. Not to mention, Sylvester had given me this charm because he wanted to protect me. If he actually could save both my family and my attendants, I wouldn’t mind becoming his adopted daughter.
“...I’m ready. If it means saving everyone, I’ll do it right away.”
“Myne!” Dad yelled with widened eyes, but I just shook my head.
“Sorry, Dad, but I want to protect everyone. I hope you can forgive me.”
“That is all I needed to hear,” the High Priest said, dropping a ring with a yellow stone slotted into it onto my palm. The stone was much larger and more transparent than the feystone of the evidence ring that had just broken; I could tell at a glance that it was much higher in quality.
“Myne, pray to Wind for protection. Pray to protect what you care about from my mana.”
“From your mana, High Priest?” I asked while looking up, and he flashed me an evil grin unlike any I had ever seen him make before.
“Yes. If that door over there is
