Nicole finished packing the last of her luggage and stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her attire.

In the mirror was a fifteen-year-old girl. She had a petite and delicate face, a pair of bright and clever eyes, and thick, deep brown short hair. She might not be considered breathtakingly beautiful, but she gave off a sense of unparalleled warmth and closeness.

After adjusting her sturdy leather armor and ensuring her short bow, quiver, and dagger were all in place, she habitually reached for the pendant around her neck, only to find it missing.

The fish bone pendant was no longer in her possession.

She turned back to look at the lazily lying Kuro on the floor and smiled gently. At that moment, a voice came from outside the door. Kuro didn't lift his head, but twitched his ears.

"Nicole, are you ready?" Father Ron stood at the doorway, puffing on his pipe and asking.

"Mhm, I'm almost ready," Nicole walked up to him.

"Though Rivern and I don't approve of your mercenary dreams, you'll be of age next year," the elderly priest held his pipe, half-closed his eyes, and continued his rambling, "We respect every decision you make, and we won't interfere with your life. But also remember, bravery doesn't mean recklessness, and giving up isn't the same as despair. Keep in mind the words I've taught you..."

"Here will always be your home," Nicole and the priest said in unison, "May the Holy Light illuminate your path."

After saying that, Nicole playfully pushed the priest out, saying, "Alright, alright, stop making it sound like a farewell every time I leave."

Ron understood that Nicole was just finding his constant advice annoying, but at over sixty years old, he had long treated Nicole like his own granddaughter, both caring for her and having an uncontrollable urge to guide her.

"You think you know everything? You've got a lot to learn at such a young age. If it weren't for..."

In order to interrupt Ron's lecturing, Nicole put on a frightened expression, pointed at a corner in the hallway, and exclaimed, "Ah, is that a rat?"

"What???" The priest's attention was successfully diverted. "a rat?"

Nicole realized her success and decided to send out the skilled rat-catcher, the big cat Kuro. "Kuro, go catch it !"

Kuro swiftly followed the direction indicated by Nicole and the priest followed closely, panting.

Nicole watched the elderly figure of the priest, feeling a bittersweet smile forming on her face. "You say I'm coming of age, but you've never really treated me like an adult, have you, Father? The Holy Light may not protect me, but I know you always will. Thank you for all your care, Father Ron."

After a moment of introspection, she turned and walked towards another direction in the corridor.

***

Rivern sat at his desk, with a partially written letter before him. He held a pen in his hand, intending to continue writing, but he frowned and hesitated to put the pen to paper.

Just then, a cheerful voice interrupted his thoughts, "Rivern, are you there?"

Nicole stood outside his door, playfully showing only her head, making a funny face.

Rivern couldn't help but smile at her antics. "Nicole, are you ready to depart?"

As he put down the pen to speak, he subtly flipped the letter over, as if not wanting Nicole to see the content on top.

"Yes! I came to say goodbye to you." Nicole gracefully walked to him, completely oblivious to the letter.

"Timing couldn't be better. I have something for you," Rivern said, his face filled with mystery, as he retrieved a medium-sized box from the drawer.

"A gift?" Nicole exclaimed with delight as she accepted the box.

"Open it," Rivern said with a smile.

Nicole quickly opened the box. Inside was a silver hairband, exquisitely crafted, clearly a high-quality item.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Is this really for me?" Nicole couldn't quite believe it.

Rivern didn't say a word. He reached out, picked up the hairband, and placed it on Nicole's head. Then he led her to the mirror in the room.

Nicole then noticed the emblem of the priest guild Dawn Prayers on the hairband - three overlapping angel feathers symbolizing divine power, resembling a blooming flower.

"I had it custom-made at Boselin's shop a few days ago. Look, 'Blossoming Feathers,' it complements your slightly curled hair beautifully."

Nicole admired the hairband, but her expression quickly turned somber. "I'm not a member of the 'Dawn Prayers,' I'm afraid I'm not qualified to wear it."

"What are you saying? You've been a member of the Dawn Prayers for a long time now," Rivern reassured her. "Even though you haven't become a disciple of the Holy Light, you're still a child blessed by the goddess."

Nicole smiled gratefully, but a hint of bitterness passed through her heart. If she truly was a blessed child of the goddess, why did she lack the innate talent for divine magic?

Both Ron and Rivern could use divine magic, while she, who was raised by them, had no connection to the Holy Light. Even though she grew up in the church, Nicole never became a believer. Even the elderly ladies from the tailor shop attended the worship services every Sunday, but she hadn't participated since she was a child.

She didn't understand what faith was or why praying could bring redemption. Her only interaction with the Goddess of Light, Hekarian, was probably when she helped dust off the statue and cleaned the chapel.

Despite this, she was able to wear the emblem of the believers - the "Blossoming Feathers." Her expression of gratitude took on a subtle change.

"Rivern, I..."

Rivern bent down, bringing his head close to her ear as they both looked at the reflection of the two faces in the mirror. Then, he placed his index finger to his lips, making a gesture for silence, interrupting whatever words Nicole was about to say.

"Do you like it?"

"Mhm."

"Then, put it on nicely."

Nicole looked at Rivern in the mirror, a bit absent-minded. There was a gentle smile in his captivating emerald eyes, as if they held an irresistible power, causing her to nod unconsciously.

This priest, who had been with her as she grew up, had no blood relation to her, but for Nicole, he was a special presence—like a brother and a father at the same time. When she was younger, she even announced to her childhood friends that she would become Rivern's bride when she grew up. At that time, she didn't fully understand the concept of being a bride, so looking back now, those bold declarations made her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

She avoided his gaze and dared not look at the bright, sunny golden hair of Rivern in the mirror. Nicole stepped away from the mirror and, as she turned, she caught sight of Kuro squatting at the door, not knowing how long he had been watching.

Kuro saw the headband on Nicole's head and then directed a malicious glance at Rivern, which startled him, causing him to involuntarily take a small step back.

Nicole took a deep breath, as if shaking off the awkward memories of her childhood. Then she turned around, waved goodbye to Rivern, and quickly ran off with Kuro.

Rivern walked to the door, watching them leave, and then returned to his desk, flipping open the unfinished letter.

He sat down, sighed, and picked up the pen, continuing to write:

"Her name is Nicole Shaw. She wears the 'Blossom Feather' headband, and there's a black panther by her side."

He paused his pen, contemplating for a moment, and continued:

"That black panther is no ordinary creature. I sense a faint trace of dark power from it. Moreover, the intimate connection between it and Nicole, along with the inexplicable hostility it holds toward me, deeply concerns me. My instincts tell me that it's not just an ordinary beast. Unfortunately, my magical abilities are weak, and I can't uncover the truth. I have no choice but to ask for your help.

They will head to Northsail and participate in the Beast Tamer Guild's test on the 8th of June. Please send someone to investigate that black panther.

Yours faithfully,

Rivern Rebirth

28th of May, 1264"

***

The sky was covered in a dim shade of gray, indicating that a heavy rain was about to arrive.

Nicole looked up at the sky, then turned back to glance at the church behind her. She couldn't quite fathom the reason, but a feeling of reluctance surged within her.

This wasn't her first time leaving home, yet it was the first time she felt uneasy, as if this farewell marked an eternity of separation.

She turned around once more to look at the modest church behind her. Every brick and tile, even on this overcast day, seemed to glimmer with a faint light on the pointed steeple, and the vibrant stained glass windows held precious memories from the past dozen years.

Taking one final glance at the grand entrance of the chapel, she stepped forward without looking back. Kuro was already waiting by the roadside, silently watching her.

The sky began to drizzle.

Nicole and Kuro embarked on their journey.

In the blink of an eye, the sky gradually darkened, and the rain grew heavier.

"What heavy rain," Nicole sat on a stone under a large tree, propping her cheek with a somewhat gloomy expression. "If this rain keeps up, I'm afraid I won't be able to make it to Northsail before nightfall. What am I going to do about my qualifying race?"

She shook her head vigorously, as if trying to dispel the discouraging thoughts in her mind, and cheered herself on. "I will pass the final test and obtain my beast tamer qualification this year. I can definitely do it, right? Because I already have you."

Just as she finished speaking, a black panther sitting beside her licked her hand resting on her knee, looking at her with deep, mysterious purple eyes.

Nicole returned a gentle smile and reached out to pat its head. "Speaking of which, we met on a day just like this, pouring rain. Do you remember, Kuro?"

The black panther named Kuro emitted a low purr, then nuzzled its head into Nicole's embrace.

Nicole affectionately held it close, snuggling together. "Let's rest a bit longer, Kuro. Rain or no rain, we have to set off soon."

Kuro didn't respond, but lazily swayed its long tail. The movement wasn't like that of a feline but rather resembled a canine.