Ash read the letter again for the third time. Of course, because she was a drop-out it took her some time to understand the words, but she got through it.

Dear Savior, it opened.

I truly hope your training is going well. However, something has come up that requires your immediate attention. Please, travel back to Jade as soon as you are able to. I am certain Satsuhiro must have some horses on which he can get you back to the city. Once here, I will explain what is happening and why you are needed.

With respect, Varcon.

“Well, this doesn’t sound shady at all.” She stated, sarcastically. “So, what the fuck does he want?”

“Impossible to tell with that little amount of information,” Satsuhiro said. “I am fairly certain though that, whatever he wants or needs you for, it’s not a mission. Still, we’ll have to go and see.”

“I don’t think you understand,” Ash said, “he hates me. This has ‘trap’ written all over it.”

“There’s not really another choice.” Satsuhiro pointed out. “Varcon doesn’t have the authority to treat you like a servant, but refusing an actual mission like this could very well stand as treason.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes. You work for Jade, Ash. As a Savior, your sole duty is taking these sorts of missions. Outside of that, you’re free to do whatever you want to, but not when it comes to this.”

“The way you’re saying it though kind of sounds like he could get me to do anything he wanted to, he’d just have to call it a ‘mission’,” Ash told him, making quotation marks with her hands.

“In a way that is correct,” Satsuhiro said, “but if any request he makes is too unreasonable, you can appeal it to the Royal Council. The issue is… Well, you’re a half-demon.”

“Ah…” Ash understood. “So, basically, just off that they’d be likely to let Varcon do whatever he wants?”

“Exactly. Still, there are limits. I’m sure the Council wouldn’t be so spiteful towards you as to make you do every single thing he wants. But, with this… I don’t think just going there is something you’d be able to appeal.”

“So, I should just go and let him take my head off?” Ash asked.

“We don’t know what he wants,” Satsuhiro replied. “We’ll have to see.”

“Fuck.” Ash sighed. Well, nothing about this sounds good, but apparently, I can’t really say no. “Alright then. Let’s go get it over with, I guess. So, you’ve got horses?”

“No shit,” Satsuhiro nodded and Ash rolled her eyes. “Do you know how to ride them?”

“No.” Ash shook her head.

“If we come back without any problems, I think I’ll teach you then.”

“Oh, why?”

“Seriously?” Again, he gave her one of his now-signature “are you stupid?” looks. “You’ll likely have to buy your own at some point.”

Hearing Satsuhiro saying that made Ash realize that it should have been obvious she’d have to learn about that, but in truth, she was still internalizing the fact that she would be traveling all around Nova soon. It wasn’t the kind of thought she was used to.

“We may as well get going,” Satsuhiro said.

“Ah… Maybe I should raise my Sword Proficiency up a little more.” Ash stated. “Keiko?” Ash called out to her and the blindfolded girl nodded.

“Alright, go ahead,” Satsuhiro replied.

As Ash and her trainer walked out to the field, Ash shook her head. What the fuck does that guy want with me? She wondered.

A small amount of time later, Keiko helped Ash reach Proficiency 4.

Swinging her sword around in the air, she found that her movements were far more comfortable than before. She and Keiko walked back to the front of the farm where Satsuhiro was waiting for them. Metsumi was on another horse with their daughter in front of her.

“Keiko, you’re with Metsumi. Ash, you’re with me.”

“Okay,” Ash helped guide Keiko to Metsumi’s horse and then, with some instruction, hopped behind Satsuhiro. Whoa, this feels weird.

“We should be there in about two hours. We’ll probably stop for a few breaks so the horses can rest.”

“Alright.” Ash took a deep breath. “Well, let’s go see what the hell this guy wants.”

—

In the Church of Magia, Varcon was praying to Magia’s statue when a deacon came up to him.

“Your holiness, the Savior requested to speak with you.”

“I see.” Varcon nodded, the deacon bowed and left. Varcon turned his attention back to the statue. I still remember, my lady. The day you saw fit to guide me to you, the day you changed my life. Varcon closed his eyes, recalling images from that day.

It was a cold winter day when he was just fourteen years old. Varcon was walking through the city, aimless. At the time, he was just a student with what many hoped was a bright future ahead of him. Like everyone else in Jade, he was just looking to make those around him proud.

Varcon walked past along a stone street when he got the sudden desire to visit the Spirit Garden’s District. It was a sight most people tried to see every now and then, and as for him, it had been some time since he’d viewed the spirits as they floated by the giant tree.

He passed through a gate and soon, he was approaching the park-like area, but there were others already here. He watched as a group of men and women dressed in gold and white kneeled in front of the spirits. All of them but one who was standing in front of the group.

Varcon approached them and watched to see what was happening. Then, the only one who wasn’t kneeling said:

“Magia gives all of us a purpose. As she created this world and those who live in it, as she blessed them with life so too did she bless them with meaning.”

Varcon’s eyes widened. He’d heard about the deities a little in school, but he’d never visited a church before, or heard a sermon, as his parents weren’t too fond of the faith. He walked closer and the man who had been speaking, a kind-looking old man with long black hair and a hunched back looked over at him.

“Young man, do you wish to learn of your purpose?'”

Such a question, to him at an age when he was just starting to figure out his place in the world, was too much to pass up. He nodded and stepped forwards.

That was the day he learned of this goddess. Not as a fact, but in a true understanding of her and her ways.

And he fell in love.

A year later, he had announced to his family that he’d seek to live as a priest when he grew of age. They were apprehensive as he was the first in his family to be even remotely religious, but they allowed it, and every evening Varcon would visit the church.

Eventually, when he was 18, he was allowed to become a proper seminarian, someone training to become a priest.

But the higher he rose in the ranks over the years, the more he discovered that he and the others did not see eye-to-eye. Where they wanted to live in pious isolation, he wanted to spread the faith to as many people as he could. Of course, he knew most people were religious already, but that wasn’t what he meant by “spreading” it. He meant the church’s influence, the church’s control.

Why else would Magia have led him onto this path?

“Sir?” The same deacon approached. “The Savior is waiting.”

“Ah, my apologies.” He stood up, with some trouble. His body had already started to grow weary, and now, in his 70s, it was harder to move around as fast.

Still, he walked through the halls to where a muffled roaring was coming from. In one of the rooms deeper into the church, he found Kaori.

Kaori and Ichino Sorya were standing in front of a corrupted level 20 minotaur.

Ichino was a man Varcon met several years ago. He was a mercenary of special talents that Varcon had sent a letter to yesterday, who carried his level 30 status with pride, and wielded the swordstaff at his back with precision. He was one of the parties that Varcon had contracted to procure monsters like this one, today.

Why? So as to level up Kaori as fast as possible.

He wasn’t interested in having her learn at the same pace as those who had come before her, including that hybrid. The sooner she was strong enough to hold her own against even other Saviors, the sooner he could have her carry out his will.

These were not cheap services, at all, and the EXP gained from the monster was shared between Kaori and Ichino. Hence why not many other people could even think of doing this, but as he was convinced this was what Magia wanted, Varcon was ready to spend half the church’s treasury to make Kaori stronger.

Ichino plunged his swordstaff into the minotaur’s chest. The restrained creature roared but wasn’t able to retaliate as its chained arms couldn’t break themselves free.

“Go ahead.”

Kaori nodded.

Transforming Love, she manifested a swordstaff similar to the one Ichino used.

Kaori took a deep breath, staring at the monster. Then, she nodded to herself and plunged her weapon into its neck. Since Ichino was here, Varcon figured it was only logical to have him train her a little with the Swordstaff, and Kaori had reached Swordstaff Proficiency 3.

The creature squealed like any meaningless pig would, but died soon after.

“What level are you at now, Savior?” He asked.

“9,” Kaori replied. “I… this feels strange. Does this count as training?”

“Of course. Now, let me see your stats,” Varcon told her and she nodded.

Level 9

MP: 10/10

Attributes

Strength: 13

Dexterity: 9

Constitution: 10

Intelligence: 1

Wisdom: 1

Luck: 100

“Receiving such blessings always feels too good to be true, but do not worry. Everything is happening as Magia intended.”

“Uhu… What happens now?” The short-haired blonde asked with a strange look.

“Now, we wait for the hybrid to arrive,” Varcon stated. “Then, you fight.”

“Will… Will I be able to defeat her?” Kaori asked.

“Of course. She is…” He placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze, “not as pure as you. All of Jade will see who exactly our goddess has chosen to bless.”

“I just hope I make Lumina proud,” Kaori said with a chuckle. “It still feels so weird. Being a Savior and all.”

“Responsibility tends to feel strange, at first.” He reached over and lightly grabbed Kaori’s left hand. “But you will grow into your role. Have faith.”

“Of course.” Kaori nodded.

Truly such a wonderful girl… Varcon thought.

The door opened and a deacon walked in.

“Father,” he started.

“Yes?”

“Another creature has been brought in.”

“Ah. I see. Good. Take me to it.”

“Need me to come?” Ichino asked.

“Yes, please.”

The two of them walked and followed the deacon who led them outside to where one last cart had just come in. Kaori stayed behind.

The cart was reinforced with steel, of course. The creatures Varcon asked for were too dangerous for regular wood.

He peeked through a small window. A hand banged against the metal bars and he recoiled.

“Good.” He muttered. “This will do nicely.”

“Sir,” another one walked up to her, “the alchemist you contacted also has provided the Red Tear you asked for.”

This made Varcon grin.

A Red Tear was a type of mind control potion. It was extremely expensive, and largely considered a waste since it only lasted a few minutes upon choosing to activate its effects on the person who drinks it. However, Varcon bought it for a reason.

He knew Kaori, by now. She was naive, which he liked, but there was one consequence of that which he wasn’t too excited about. Essentially, there was a chance that when faced with a powerless hybrid in front of her, Varcon feared she wouldn’t have the will to fight the woman.

So, he bought this potion, as insurance.

Magia’s light continues to shine down on me.