The sun brightly illuminated the surroundings, and birds chirped happily throughout the air. As the light reflected off the structures of the Royal Church, it gave off an aura of majestic holiness—a powerful display of superior authority intended for the believers.

  Inside, many children were participating in the Grace Ceremony. Parents watched quietly, their nerves apparent, as the children closed their eyes and extended their small palms toward the ancient monolith.

  When the monolith glowed with a faint light before fading, the children opened their eyes, wide with shock, as a small inscription appeared upon the stone.

  The nun overseeing the Grace Ceremony stepped forward to translate the contents. "It seems you have the elements of Water and Stone. Congratulations!" the nun exclaimed with a smile.

  Upon hearing her statement, the child happily lifted both arms into the air and rushed toward his parents, excitedly disappearing into their embrace.

  "Saria, it’s your turn," the nun called gently.

  The sudden call startled young Saria. Although she was terrified of the Grace Ceremony, her parents comforted her; her mother patted her head while her father offered a thumb’s up and a reassuring smile. Bolstered by their love, Saria managed to find her courage. She rose from her chair and walked straight to the monolith, extending her arm and closing her eyes as she reached out.

  In that moment, a massive, brilliant light illuminated the room, blinding the parents, the children, and the nun alike. As the radiance dissipated, everyone, including Saria, slowly opened their eyes.

  The text on the monolith was unexpectedly long, far longer than any other children had received. For that, the nun began to translate the inscription. "For this world is destined to face such peril, as the child of the Underworld has been born, your light shall pierce the very darkness. As it is your destiny to be the Child of Light, your power shall become Holy Magic."

  The moment Saria heard the nun utter the final words of 'Holy Magic', her eyes widened in horror. She had never expected such an outcome... that she was the next Child of Light.

  As the light consumed the scene of her memories and the sound of birds chirping in the morning air took hold, Saria’s hands slowly twitched, a sign of her waking from sleep. She opened her eyes to the familiar sight of her bedroom ceiling before sitting up in bed.

  "It’s been that long, huh..." Saria mumbled to herself, staring intensely at her left hand. "The Child of Light... a literal 'chosen' title. And yet..." She clenched her hand into a tight fist, her frustration evident.

  At the same time, Carol, drying her wet hair with a towel, opened Saria’s door with a look of satisfaction. Noticing Saria was finally awake, Carol called out. "Took you long enough. Having a dream so good it kept you in bed this late into the morning?" she asked, her tone laced with its usual sarcasm.

  "Huh?" Saria’s eyes widened in shock for a moment before she turned toward Carol, slipping back into her usual demeanor. "A-am I really that late?" She chuckled nervously. "It seems I’ve been sleeping quite a lot lately, don’t you think..?"

  Although Saria’s nervous tone seemed normal, Carol’s expression hardened instead. She began walking toward Saria.

  "Uhm... Carol..? Why do you look so angry?" Saria asked, confusion taking hold of her.

  Despite the question, Carol didn't bother to answer. Once she reached Saria, she stopped and gripped her shoulders with both hands. Saria startled at the sudden contact.

  "D-did I do something wrong..?" Saria asked once more, her confusion escalating.

  Carol stared intensely for a moment before letting out a long sigh and releasing her grasp. "How about we take a little walk? I’m quite curious about this territory and its culture."

  Upon hearing the sudden request, Saria blinked her eyes repeatedly as the birds outside chirped even louder than before.

  As the two girls walked outside the church for the first time, Carol stretched her limbs, groaning as she released the tension from her body. Saria, however, only looked away, feeling far more nervous than she had before.

  "Oh. About Rurin," Carol began. "There's no need to worry about her. I already explained the situation to Miss Hana, and she said she's going to handle it. Though... her expression was much more tense than I expected."

  "I-is that so..?" Saria murmured, still unable to look directly at Carol. Suddenly, she stopped walking. Noticing her abrupt pause, Carol turned her body toward Saria, looking confused.

  "Uhm... Carol? I know this is rude of me to ask, but... why do you try so hard to help me?" Saria asked. Her expression darkened, the weight of her guilt making the question difficult to utter.

  "Helping you?" Carol snorted in amusement. "I'm not helping you, dummy. I just find the culture around here to be quite interesting."

  "Liar," a single word escaped Saria’s lips. She clenched her fists in frustration. "You just want to know about my past, don't you?"

  "Even if I didn't want to know, did you think I would just sit back and do nothing?" Carol countered, her tone turning cold and harsh. "That event from yesterday already has me frustrated, especially that 'sheep for our Lord' line that armored guy said to Rurin."

  "That's..."

  Carol let out a heavy sigh of disappointment, acting as if the conversation were a waste of time as she turned back toward the path. "Every system has its flaws, you know? Even if some so-called 'prophecy' says the Child of Light is destined to fight the Leviathan, doesn't mean the chosen ones can't defy their destiny."

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  Hearing Carol’s words, specifically her perspective on prophecy, Saria lifted her head. She gazed at Carol, her eyes widening in realization. She pressed her lips together, lost in deep thought, before finally speaking again. "...I think I know where the library is. You want to know about the culture here, right..?"

  Carol drew a smile across her face the moment she heard Saria’s proposal. "Yeah, I really want to know," she said. Just then, the loud tolling of a bell from the Royal Church echoed throughout the territory. "Along with how such 'Holy Magic' came to exist in the first place."

  At the same time, inside a hollow, library-like structure, a girl with long, dark blue hair sat reading. She wore the clothes of a nun, yet lacked the white veil. She flipped through the pages with anticipation, the sound echoing through the empty hall.

  "This Ender... is she walking with Carol..?" she mumbled to herself, continuing to flip the pages. "Nonetheless, it proves my hypothesis." She closed the book, revealing a worn, ancient cover. "That I really have returned to the past."

  Now in the city center, Carol took a moment to rest, sitting down on a bench. She watched with mild surprise as a crowd of citizens gathered in the square, praying with anticipation before a massive stone figure.

  Meanwhile, Saria, who had been buying food at a small bakery, walked toward Carol while holding a dessert in each hand. As she approached, she offered one to Carol. "Here. I’m sorry if it’s not much."

  "Nah, it’s okay. It’s not like I’m a huge eater anyway," Carol stated, accepting the dessert. She ate it bit by bit, nodding in pure enjoyment afterward.

  Watching Carol’s almost childish delight, a slight grin crossed Saria’s face. She sat beside Carol and began eating her own dessert.

  For a moment, they both watched the crowd in prayer, a heavy silence hanging between them.

  "Hey, Saria," Carol began. "Is this what you did during your childhood? I mean, praying all day like them to this supposed 'God'?"

  "Well, it’s been the culture here ever since the Royal Church was established," Saria replied. "Even if an outsider wouldn't understand, it's considered a necessity for the citizens here."

  "An act of gratitude to God, huh..." Carol fell into deep thought before another question formed in her mind. "Say, Saria. Does everyone here know that you are the Child of Light?"

  "No. Not yet, at least," Saria explained. Her focus shifted to the dessert gripped in both of her hands. "The Royal Church won't announce it yet because of tradition. They only reveal the Child of Light’s existence to the world when the Flame Eclipse War draws near."

  "I see. What about the people you were close to as a child?"

  "The ones I was close to..?" The moment Saria repeated the question, a sharp flashback pierced her mind.

  "I don't think I want to play with you anymore," a young boy stated, his expression twisted in disgust.

  "Yeah, me neither. I don't like it when someone suddenly becomes a 'big shot'," a young girl added. Her expression remained flat, refusing to look directly at Saria.

  "But..!" Young Saria’s voice cried out, trying to find a counter-argument she didn't have.

  "Sorry, Saria. Everyone knows the tales. The Child of Light is an omen that attracts dangers like the Zarikh or the Leviathan," another boy said, as Saria began to quietly sob. "But you must be happy, right? To be the 'Chosen One.' Wasn't it your dream to be a hero who saves people?"

  As the scene faded, Carol watched Saria quietly sobbing in the present, her tears falling onto her dessert. Carol’s expression hardened with worry. With a deep sigh, she stood up.

  "Here," Carol offered, holding out her handkerchief. Saria snapped back to reality, turning her head toward her friend.

  Without a word, Saria hesitantly took it and wiped away her tears.

  "Feeling better?" Carol asked, her voice softening in an attempt to comfort her.

  Saria nodded silently.

  "Come on. Let’s go."

  At Carol’s word, Saria finished the rest of her dessert and stood up, and they continued their search for the library.

  Arriving in front of the library, which appeared quite empty and abandoned, Carol blinked repeatedly in confusion. "Uhm, are you sure this is the library, Saria?"

  "I-I think so. I don't remember much, but this is the only library that exists in this territory," Saria explained, glancing at Carol, who returned the look. "Though... I don't know why it was abandoned."

  In that moment, a mature female voice answered Saria’s question instead. "It’s because every citizen here is more tempted by their faith than learning history and the truth."

  Hearing the unfamiliar voice, Carol and Saria turned their heads in unison toward the source. It was a girl with long, dark blue hair in nun’s attire, leaning casually against the doorframe.

  "Uhm, who are you?" Carol asked, curious about the girl’s unfamiliar appearance.

  "Just a rogue nun passing through. You can call me Sarah," the girl stated.

  "Nice to meet you. I'm—"

  Before Carol could even offer her name, Sarah answered for her. "Carol, wasn't it? I heard that an 'Anomaly' like you endured a year-and-a-half-long trial in prison back then."

  Upon hearing that, Carol’s expression hardened for a moment, before she snorted in pure amusement. "Are you sure that was me? And how the hell do you know my name?"

  "Let's just say... a certain someone told me," Sarah replied, maintaining her calm expression.

  "I see," Carol answered, her tone growing harsher. "Was that 'someone' a creepy guy in a green hat who sent you here?"

  "A creepy guy in a green hat, huh..." Sarah fell into deep thought at the question, only to chuckle quietly. "I guess you could say that."

  (What a weirdo... though... why does her vibe feel so similar to Saria’s?) Carol thought, a look of worry surfacing on her face.

  "Since you two are here, why don't you enter the library?" Sarah offered with a smile. "I imagine there’s something you want to know, am I right?"

  With Sarah extended the invitation, Carol decided to enter first, while Saria following close behind.

  When Saria tried to pass by, Sarah leaned in and whispered, "I wonder what you’re going to choose this time, Child of Light."

  The words weren't a threat, yet they inflicted a sense of genuine horror. Saria’s eyes widened. She stopped just past Sarah, not daring to look her in the eye despite being brave enough to ask: "What... what do you mean by that..?"

  "I have faced many things in my life. I have seen both the unexpected and the terror with my own eyes. So be aware of this," Sarah turned toward the library, walking away and leaving Saria behind in the doorway. "You, too, will experience a horror so great you'll wish for death. All because of one singular choice you’ll make in the future."

  As Sarah slowly disappeared into the shadows of the library, Saria fell into deep thought. She looked down at the ground, clenching her hands in frustration as Sarah’s words struck her heart like a blade.