"Each lineage is different, its way of awakening is totally unique for everyone, but in all of them there is one condition that is vital: to awaken the lineage, you must do it within your soul, you must search for it yourself, no one can help you, you must take this step yourself. But since you please me, I will give you a piece of advice." She laughed softly and raised a finger: "Instinct, follow your instinct, each soul is different in each person, look carefully, search and delve into it, that's all I can tell you, the rest depends on you." She smiled brightly: "By the way, let me warn you, you must awaken your bloodline before you arrive at the academy. It will be a problem for you if you don't succeed, so make an effort, young aspirant!" With those last words, the mantle of stars disappeared completely...
Looking at the starlight that gradually disappeared... I thought deeply about the lady's words...
"That will be all, you may rest, aspirant Nox, tomorrow morning we will depart for the academy." Cristina's words pulled me out of my thoughts, and I returned the gaze: "Alright."
Leaving them in the room, I returned to my room for the last time. It's a bit nostalgic; after all, I've lived here until now. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I think about what will happen for the rest of my life... On one side, and more importantly right now, is awakening my bloodline; it's the main goal I have right now...: "Look carefully, search and immerse yourself, but the most important word is instinct..."
I'm not sure what it really refers to, but it's better to leave it for tomorrow. Right now I feel extremely mentally tired, so much information to process in just one day... Lying down on the bed, I just stare at the ceiling for no particular reason, until my eyelids begin to feel heavy, and I drift into unconsciousness.
*****
"Please, accept it." The young Cristina extended her hand; in it was a high-quality white bag. She looked deeply at the man in front of her...
"I don't think I should..." The old man Colder hesitated...
"You must do it, it's my way of thanking you, please don't refuse." Cristina kept insisting: "The church is not in good condition, I can clearly see it: leaks, damaged walls, and lack of food. Don't do it for yourself, do it for the children you care for, they need it, and you, sir, know this very well."
He sighed, the old man Colder sighed deeply. It was totally true what the young lady said. Although he tried to hide it as much as he could, the young woman's eyes could not be deceived. Potatoes and vegetables were running low, the cold was starting to come quickly, and winter was approaching. If those cracks in the walls weren't fixed, the cold would be a big problem for both him and the children... During winter, food is much harder to obtain, crops freeze, and it starts to snow, which makes it harder and moistens the wood. The cold is no joke, everyone does their best to survive in those harsh conditions, and sometimes the children can get sick...
The old man Colder put on a stiff smile, looking at the young woman: "Nox rejected it, right?"
Cristina was surprised at first: "Indeed, he didn't accept it." She nodded her head: "But you must do it," she said with a determined voice...
The old man Colder, without further hesitation, took the small bag from the young woman's hands, smiling awkwardly: "Hehehe, Nox is a good boy, very polite, straightforward, and hardworking. He holds a grudge against young Charlotte, just like the other children. Please don't misunderstand him."
"I understand, my younger sister was very inconsiderate... I will try to talk to her." Cristina sat down in one of the chairs: "If you don't mind, I would like to speak with you about Charlotte, if it's not too much trouble."
The old man also sat down in one of the chairs: "Excuse me, miss, but isn't it better for you to rest? Tomorrow a long journey awaits you." The old man Colder looked at her with concern.
"You don't need to worry about that, in fact, I feel much better, my body recovers energy much faster than normal." Cristina said very politely...
"You are very kind to our kind of people, I must say I'm surprised." The old man Colder laughed softly.
"My parents taught me to be considerate, they are very strict about it."
"Well..." The old man sighed a little and put on a sad smile: "I remember the first time I saw her, she was a very beautiful baby, silver-white hair and white eyes, very adorable and tender. She was outside, right at the church doors. Nox was the one who found her. At that time, he always went outside trying to find work. Charlotte was in a small basket, tangled in high-quality clothes. Back then, and even now, I can't understand how her parents were able to abandon such a lovely baby... who knows." He took a sip of water...
"She was a very intelligent girl. By the age of 5, she was already learning to speak and write. She was very studious, but she never lost her playful side and the cheerful air around her. She was a very happy child, always smiling all the time. The people in the village adored her, calling her 'little princess.' They treated her very well. I always knew she was special, her mana inside her was as bright as the sun, that's why I began to instruct her in magic. She learned very quickly, and to my surprise, her mana was very beautiful... With that, and with the passing of time, she developed her potential even more. Her mana had the ability to heal people, which was very useful in this village since I'm no specialist in it. Because of this, she earned even more affection from the villagers. Her magic began to become even more impressive, to the point where she could surround her mana around her body. She was a very bright star for this humble village. Because of this, I thought that for such a brilliant girl, the empire was much better, where she could fully exploit her potential. I was the one who sent the letter to the empire, and because of this, they took her. I do not regret my decision, I knew I did the best thing for her."
The old man Colder looked through the window, sinking into his thoughts: "I was right, after all, she was adopted by a family, a great ducal family, descendants of the goddess of light. I am very happy for her, I hope she finds whatever she is looking for. I know she is much safer in the empire, under the shadow of a great sister like you, Miss Cristina."