Four and a Half Weeks Prior

“She’s back,” [Pope] Ennius casually said during dinner while looking at his son and his son’s wife who was making squeals of joy while playing with her little child.

“Who?” Lumius asked, barely raising his eyes from the plate.

“Aurora Claudia,” the [Pope] replied, studying his son’s reaction. Interestingly, the gray–haired third–born barely looked his father’s way, simply limiting himself to stare at his own wife.

“So?” The fifteen–year–old looked back. “Your Holiness, I don’t understand why you’re telling me this.”

“Well, she was supposed to be your wife before I met with Ludmilla’s father.”

At that point, the woman with auburn hair turned with a frown. “I didn’t know of this.”

“My son was engaged for a very brief period, and the girl was barely nine at the time, Ludmilla, darling. You don’t have to worry or be jealous—you’re my grandchild’s mother. Soon, Lumius will be sent to the front, and I hope you’ll be able to come with me to your father’s court on my next trip to the Empire. I’m sure he would love to see his grandchild.”

“It would be my pleasure,” Ludmilla nodded. Then, the [Princess] studied Lumius for a second before turning to her son, who was playing with his nose.

“Should we send her any regards from our family, Father?” Lumius raised an eyebrow. “It was my understanding that she was unable to practice any Light Magic.”

“She is still unable,” the [Pope] smiled. “Nothing’s changed in that regard, it appears. However, the God of Light might have opened a new path to her.”

The [Pope] turned toward another man at the table and raised an eyebrow, “right, Atticus?”

“Yes, Your Holiness. I have received reports confirming she has indeed been able to fully eliminate the plague using unknown magic. I have asked my sources about it, and some say she might have mastered a Lost Skill belonging to Water Magic.”

“Interesting,” the [Pope] nodded. “What course of action has been established?”

“I saw it fit to send her powerful Mana Potions from our best [Potion Makers].”

“That’s a lot of gold to spend on someone we don’t know well,” [Princess] Ludmilla commented from the side.

“[Princess], it is much less than what we’d have to allocate to make sure that the plague wouldn’t keep spreading through the city. From what I heard, she’s restoring hope, which, even if her skills were to fall short, should probably keep the sick ones from assaulting the perimeter we have established.”

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“Keep doing what you are doing, Atticus. I trust your judgment.”

“Yes, Your Holiness,” the [Cardinal] nodded and smiled. “May I request a short leave of absence? I have some informants coming back from their rounds today.”

The [Pope] nodded and gestured for him to go.

“Thank you for your understanding, Your Holiness.”

...

[Cardinal] Atticus looked at the report in front of him and then at the man who brought it.

“Have you told this to anyone else?”

The [Merchant] shook his head, “no, Your Eminence.”

“And you are sure of what you saw?” Atticus pressed.

They were in his study, and the wards there were more than enough to prevent any attempts at spying from indiscreet ears.

“Yes, Your Eminence. It was unmistakable. They all thought I was passed out, but I still had some consciousness. It suffices to say that I could have never imagined that the monastery was harboring someone with proficiency in Death Magic! I swear, Your Eminence, I am deeply sorry about—”

“You’re sorry?” [Cardinal] Atticus frowned. “About what?”

“I’m deeply sorry about being tainted by such magic. I was waiting to speak to Your Eminence to know how I could get rid of the cursed touch of that wench.”

[Cardinal] Atticus, even in his sharp intelligence, took more than a moment to connect the dots.

Shadows take me... this idiot is angry that the girl saved his life using Death Magic.

“Don’t fear,” the [Cardinal] smiled at the man. “Just step forward and close your eyes.”

The man hesitated but then stood up by the side of the [Cardinal]’s desk and closed his eyes.

Atticus stood up, too, approached the man, and placed his hands on the sides of his head.

“You know,” the [Cardinal] started as he channeled his skill, “what’s most worrying about this business is that I fear the [Pope] would have your exact reaction.”

That said, a ball of [Holy Flame] suddenly enveloped the man’s head, incinerating it in an instant.

“We need that girl to take care of the plague,” Atticus sighed to himself. Then, he began reflecting on how long he could keep this detail hidden from the [Pope]. If no one from the quarantined zone had already outed Aurora Claudia, it probably meant she had a way of concealing her magic. However, if she kept doing this well, there was a good chance that His Holiness might decide to force Light Magic back onto her though...

The realization crashed into Atticus.

If the [Pope] tries to Anoint her, the God of Light will either smite us all or order her dead. But in reality, considering the current and all future conflicts in this world, we need that child.

He walked out through the door, reaching for one of his aides.

“Fetch [Princess] Ludmilla and get me some fresh ink and some parchment. I need to send a message to the frontlines.”

I know exactly what I need to do to take care of this.