Chapter 6 – The Little Blood Mage

The morning at Saint Lumina had never felt so quiet.

Mina sat at the dining table with her arms crossed.

Her crimson hair was messy.

Her eyes were half-open.

And her entire expression screamed one thing.

I am innocent.

Unfortunately, Sister Elena did not believe that expression for even a second.

“Mina.”

“Yes, Sister Elena?”

“Where were you last night?”

“I was sleeping.”

Sister Elena stared at her.

Mina stared back.

Silence filled the room.

“Mina.”

“Yes?”

“You were not in your bed.”

Mina slowly looked away.

“...My bed was lonely.”

Sister Elena placed both hands on the table.

“Mina.”

“Okay! Okay! I went outside!”

“And where did you go?”

“...Outside.”

“Mina.”

“...Very outside.”

Sister Elena closed her eyes.

Father Aldrich, who was eating breakfast nearby, nearly choked on his drink.

“Very outside?”

Mina nodded seriously.

“Yes.”

“That is not a location.”

“It was for me.”

Father Aldrich covered his mouth.

He was trying very hard not to laugh.

Sister Elena, however, was not amused.

“You went into the East Forest!”

Mina immediately lowered her head.

“...Yes.”

“You went into a dangerous forest alone!”

“Yes.”

“You took a wooden sword!”

“Yes.”

“And a lamp!”

“Yes.”

“You encountered a monster!”

“Yes.”

“You rescued a missing child!”

“Yes.”

Sister Elena paused.

“...Wait.”

Mina blinked.

Father Aldrich also stopped eating.

Sister Elena slowly looked at Mina.

“You rescued the missing child?”

Mina nodded.

“And you fought a Treant?”

“Technically...”

Mina raised one finger.

“I mostly ran away from it.”

Father Aldrich laughed.

Sister Elena looked at him.

“Do not encourage her.”

“I am sorry.”

Mina quietly smiled.

Sister Elena sighed.

“You were lucky. Extremely lucky.”

Mina lowered her head.

“I know.”

“You could have gotten hurt.”

“I know.”

“You could have gotten lost.”

“I know.”

“You could have—”

“I know.”

Sister Elena narrowed her eyes.

“You're not going to do it again, are you?”

Mina looked at the ceiling.

“...Define 'again.'”

“Mina!”

“Sorry!”

The lecture continued for what felt like three entire years.

By the time Sister Elena finally finished, Mina felt as though she had completed another monster quest.

Except this monster was called:

Sister Elena.

And it had unlimited dialogue.

Afternoon

After lunch, Mina finally returned to the market.

She had her reward money safely tucked away.

Two gold lumens.

She had already used part of it earlier to buy the red witch hat she had been staring at.

And now—

She finally had it.

The beautiful crimson witch hat sat on top of her head.

Mina stood in front of a small shop window and admired herself.

She turned left.

Then right.

Then left again.

She adjusted the hat.

She tilted it slightly.

Then she tilted it back.

“Perfect.”

She smiled proudly.

“I look like a real mage.”

A passerby glanced at her.

Mina immediately stood straight.

Act natural.

She walked away.

Three seconds later, she spun around.

“IT'S SO COOL!”

The shopkeeper laughed.

Mina hurried away before she embarrassed herself any further.

She eventually returned to Saint Lumina.

But there was something else on her mind.

Something she couldn't stop thinking about.

The forest.

The wolf.

The blood.

And the strange thing that happened when she was cornered by the Treant.

Mina sat underneath a tree behind the church.

She placed her hands on her knees.

“Okay...”

She looked at her palms.

“How did I do that?”

She remembered the moment.

The wolf's blood had been nearby.

Then somehow...

It moved.

It floated.

And when she reached toward it—

It obeyed her.

Mina stared at her hand.

“I can move blood.”

She paused.

“...Apparently.”

She looked around.

Nobody was nearby.

Mina smiled.

“Well then.”

She stood up.

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“Time to experiment.”

The First Experiment

Mina went back inside and found a small glass container.

She had no intention of hurting herself or anyone else.

She simply needed something to practice with.

Then she remembered something she had seen at the market.

A small bottle of animal blood used by some hunters and alchemists.

Mina returned to the market and bought a tiny container.

She carried it back to the church like it contained the greatest magical treasure in the world.

She placed it on a table.

Then she stared at it.

“Blood.”

She poked the container.

“Magic blood.”

She poked it again.

“Possibly dangerous blood.”

She moved her finger away.

“Definitely suspicious blood.”

Mina took a deep breath.

“Okay.”

She raised her hand.

“Move.”

Nothing happened.

Mina blinked.

“...Move?”

Nothing.

She waved her hand.

Still nothing.

She pointed dramatically.

“Blood!”

Nothing.

Mina's eye twitched.

“Come on.”

Nothing.

She leaned closer.

“Please?”

Still nothing.

Mina frowned.

“Yesterday you moved without me even knowing what I was doing.”

She crossed her arms.

“And now that I actually want you to move, you suddenly become lazy?”

The blood remained completely still.

Mina sighed.

“Fine.”

She closed her eyes.

Instead of forcing it, she remembered the feeling from the forest.

That strange sensation.

Almost like something inside her was connected to the blood.

She reached out.

And this time—

The blood trembled.

Mina's eyes opened.

“...Huh?”

The liquid slowly rose inside the container.

Mina froze.

“It works!”

The blood floated above the container.

Mina's jaw dropped.

“It actually works!”

She raised her hand.

The blood followed.

She moved her hand left.

The blood moved left.

She moved right.

The blood moved right.

Mina's smile grew.

“Oh.”

She moved her hand in a circle.

The blood spun around.

“Ohhh!”

She made a tiny wave.

The blood became a tiny wave.

Mina gasped.

“I can control it!”

She immediately tried something else.

She shaped the floating blood into a ball.

It wasn't perfect.

It wobbled.

Then—

Plop.

It fell back into the container.

Mina stared at it.

“...Okay.”

She picked up the container.

“Again.”

Shape One

Mina tried again.

She lifted the blood.

This time, she concentrated harder.

“Ball.”

The blood gathered together.

It became round.

Mina's eyes sparkled.

“I made a ball!”

She bounced it gently in the air.

Boop.

Boop.

Boop.

Mina giggled.

“This is amazing!”

Then she got an idea.

“Can I make other shapes?”

She stretched the blood.

It became a thin line.

Then she bent the line.

“Hmm.”

She made a circle.

Then a triangle.

Then a square.

Then a star.

Mina stared at the floating star.

“I can shape it.”

Her eyes widened.

“Wait.”

She remembered what happened in the forest.

The blood had pierced the Treant.

Maybe she could make something sharper.

Mina slowly stretched the blood.

The shape became longer.

Then thinner.

Then sharper.

A small blood blade appeared in front of her.

Mina froze.

“...I can make weapons?”

She stared at it.

The little blade floated in place.

Mina smiled.

“This is getting interesting.”

She quickly dismissed it and let the blood fall back into the container.

She wasn't interested in hurting anyone.

She was interested in understanding what she could do.

So she kept experimenting.

A ball.

A ring.

A rope.

A ribbon.

A needle.

A shield.

A small hammer.

A tiny crown.

Mina placed the crown on her head.

It immediately slid down her face.

“...Royalty is difficult.”

She laughed.

Then she tried making a small animal.

She shaped the blood into four legs.

A body.

A tail.

Two ears.

A tiny head.

Mina stared.

It looked like a very strange dog.

“...Dog.”

The blood dog wobbled.

Mina smiled.

“Sit.”

The blood dog fell apart.

Mina stared.

“...It doesn't understand me.”

She sighed.

“Still cute.”

Father Aldrich's Surprise

Mina continued practicing.

She became so focused that she didn't notice the door behind her opening.

Father Aldrich stepped into the room.

He was carrying a book.

He stopped.

His eyes widened.

In front of him was Mina.

Seven years old.

Wearing a brand-new crimson witch hat.

Standing in the middle of the room.

And controlling a floating mass of blood.

Father Aldrich slowly lowered the book.

“...Mina?”

Mina froze.

The blood froze.

The entire room froze.

Mina slowly turned around.

Father Aldrich stared at the floating blood.

Then at Mina.

Then at the blood again.

“Mina.”

“Yes?”

“What exactly am I looking at?”

Mina smiled nervously.

“...Art?”

Father Aldrich raised an eyebrow.

“Art?”

“Yes.”

She pointed at the floating blood.

“Very... artistic blood.”

Father Aldrich stared.

Mina stared.

The blood floated between them.

Father Aldrich finally asked:

“Are you controlling that?”

Mina nodded.

“Yes.”

“How?”

Mina thought about it.

“I don't really know.”

Father Aldrich walked closer.

“Do it again.”

Mina raised her hand.

The blood immediately moved.

It formed a ball.

Then a ring.

Then a small blade.

Then a shield.

Father Aldrich's expression slowly changed.

“Mina...”

She smiled.

“I can make shapes!”

Father Aldrich looked genuinely surprised.

“You discovered this yesterday?”

“Yes.”

“And you've already learned to control it?”

“I think so.”

Father Aldrich crouched down.

“Mina, most children your age haven't even begun learning how to properly control their magical abilities.”

Mina tilted her head.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

He pointed toward the floating blood.

“And you're shaping it freely.”

Mina proudly put her hands on her hips.

“Well...”

She adjusted her witch hat.

“I might be a genius.”

Father Aldrich laughed.

“You certainly have confidence.”

“Thank you.”

“That wasn't entirely a compliment.”

“I'll take it anyway.”

Father Aldrich shook his head.

He watched as Mina formed another shape.

This time—

A tiny chicken.

Mina proudly held it up.

“Look!”

Father Aldrich stared at it.

“Is that a chicken?”

“Yes!”

The blood chicken flapped its tiny wings.

Then it fell apart.

Mina gasped.

“NO!”

Father Aldrich laughed.

“It seems your chicken needs more training.”

Mina pointed at him.

“Don't insult my chicken!”

“I apologize.”

Mina gathered the blood again.

This time she carefully shaped it.

Body.

Head.

Wings.

Feet.

Beak.

The chicken appeared again.

It stood on the table.

Mina grinned.

“I did it!”

Father Aldrich smiled.

“You did.”

Mina looked at the little blood chicken.

Then she looked at her hands.

She became quiet.

For the first time since the forest, she wasn't afraid of the strange power inside her.

She was curious.

There was so much she didn't understand.

What was this ability?

Why could she control blood?

Why had it awakened when she was in danger?

And why did it feel strangely natural?

Mina didn't know.

But she knew one thing.

She wanted to learn.

Father Aldrich gently placed a hand on her head.

“Whatever this ability becomes, don't rush yourself.”

Mina looked up.

“I won't.”

“Magic takes patience.”

Mina nodded.

Then she raised her hand again.

“Can I make a bigger chicken?”

Father Aldrich blinked.

“A bigger chicken?”

“Yes.”

“How big?”

Mina thought for a moment.

“...Bigger than Sister Elena.”

Father Aldrich immediately imagined the scene.

A gigantic blood chicken walking through Saint Lumina.

He covered his face.

“Mina, please don't make a chicken bigger than Sister Elena.”

Mina giggled.

“Okay!”

She paused.

“...Maybe just a little smaller.”

Father Aldrich sighed.

“That's not the part I'm worried about.”

Mina laughed.

And once again, she began practicing.

Ball.

Ring.

Ribbon.

Shield.

Blade.

Animal.

Shape after shape.

The strange power that had frightened her only yesterday was slowly becoming something she could understand.

She still had much to learn.

But at seven years old, Mina had already taken her first real step into the world of magic.

And unfortunately for everyone at Saint Lumina...

She was extremely curious.

Very creative.

And absolutely terrible at knowing when to stop experimenting.

“Father Aldrich!”

“Yes?”

“Look! I made a blood hat!”

Father Aldrich stared.

Mina was now wearing two hats.

Her new crimson witch hat...

And a second, slightly wobbly hat made entirely of blood.

Father Aldrich sighed.

“...I think we're going to need a lot more lessons.”

Mina smiled.

“Can we start tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes!”

“You've been practicing for hours.”

Mina blinked.

“Oh.”

She looked outside.

The sun was already beginning to set.

“...Oops.”

Father Aldrich laughed.

“Come on. Dinner.”

Mina carefully lowered the blood back into its container.

Then she followed him.

Her new witch hat bounced happily with every step.

And behind her, on the table, the tiny blood chicken remained standing.

For some reason—

It didn't disappear.

Mina hadn't noticed.

But Father Aldrich did.

He stopped for a moment.

He looked back at it.

Then at Mina.

A small smile appeared on his face.

“Interesting...”

And with that, he quietly followed her toward dinner.