From the pages of an old newspaper:
*Countess Marisanne Thorneval was the only daughter of the late count. She had always been regarded as a brilliant woman, admired above all for her unwavering determination. Raised in a chaotic household, marked by her parents' constant quarrels, she had learned early to live with disorder and tension. Yet the solitude and anguish of being sidelined by her own family never extinguished her desire to inherit the title of countess.*
Acherine placed the newspaper on the table and, looking up at her mother, asked, "Why did you ask us to read this old newspaper?"
Alaric picked up the newspaper from the table, squinting at the lines; after a few moments, he set it back down without saying a word.
The three of them were seated around the dining table in the breakfast room, an elegant and modern space, furnished with sobriety and order.
Marisanne occupied the head of the table, composed and authoritative, while the other two sat at her sides, under the warm light that filled the room and highlighted its understated refinement.
Marisanne smiled, observing the two seated in front of her, and said, "I would like you, when you go to today's assembly, to leave a strong impression as you announce that you will inherit the title of countess."
Alaric's eyes widened at the declaration. Before he could say anything, Acherine spoke first: "Yes, I will do my best."
Marisanne picked up her cutlery, and as she cut a bite from her plate, she said, "Breakfast has its own special moment, don't you think?"
Acherine nodded, while Alaric opened his mouth and, after a moment of hesitation, asked, "Isn't it too much for Acherine? Even though we are in the neutral faction, we can't know what they will do once they find out about this news."
Marisanne stopped her hands mid-motion and looked up; her previous smile vanished.
With furrowed brows, she said, "Alaric, my dear, I am proud of you for many things, but your constant fear of those in power saddens me."
Alaric's face stiffened; he lowered his head and, his shoulders trembling, murmured, "Sorry, Mother. I will be more careful."
The smile immediately returned to Marisanne's face, and in a lively voice, she added, "Don't worry. Let's start eating; I've been looking forward to having breakfast with both of you."
Acherine picked up her cutlery and began to eat; Alaric did the same.
And so, the three of them began their day having breakfast together.
…
Corvian closed the Bible, put it back in its place, and knelt at the kneeler of the pew.
Eyes closed, hands clasped, no words left his mouth. His prayer was silent; yet, even with his eyes shut, he felt the light and sensed his connection with God.
After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and stood, walking toward the exit.
The church pews, once empty, were now partially filled. No one spoke aloud, but every now and then the rustle of Bible pages or the faint creak of the benches could be heard.
Some whispered prayers under their breath, while others stared at the floor, waiting for the bishop to arrive.
Just outside, Corvian squinted and raised a hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight. With a sigh, he started walking toward home.
His vision, now clear, allowed him to calmly take in the familiar surroundings.
Corvian walked through the streets. The buildings were modern, with a few ancient towers scattered here and there.
Suspended crystals lit the roads, while floating lights marked shops and passages.
Here and there, practical spells could be seen: doors opening on their own, streetlamps lighting up as he passed, small magical effects hidden in the city's details.
The ringtone of his phone, which he had turned on just after leaving the church, began to ring.
Corvian picked it up and, seeing the name 'Director of the Orphanage', answered.
He brought it to his ear and heard the voice on the other end. "Sorry to disturb you, Your Excellency. Is everything well on your side?"
While listening, Corvian noticed a suspicious movement in an alley.
After a second of hesitation, he replied, "Yes… and you? Are the children doing well?"
The director answered in a low voice, "Yes, they're really looking forward to seeing you."
Then his tone shifted slightly, growing darker. "But the doctor said Lisette only has a few hours left… and her first request was to see you."
Corvian stopped as he walked toward the alley. A tightness in his chest, his eyes lowered.
Silence followed for a few seconds before he said, "Tell her I'll be there soon."
They exchanged polite farewells and ended the call. Corvian lifted his gaze back to the alley and resumed walking slowly.
The tightness in his chest did not fade, but his focus remained on the moment.
He reached the alley. He heard the sound of deep breaths, not caused by pain but by exhaustion.
The alley was narrow and dark, with tall walls on both sides. At the far end, a body lay motionless on the ground.
Kneeling over it was a young girl, the blade embedded in the body. Corvian stopped, observing the scene before him.
The girl released her grip on the blade embedded in the body and stepped back a few paces, then curled up on her knees and began to cry, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Corvian sighed and approached her. The girl heard his footsteps, turned, and saw someone coming closer.
She rushed back to the blade still embedded in the body, pulled it out, and held it in front of herself.
Corvian saw her try to put on an aggressive expression, but the tears and her trembling body betrayed her.
He didn't get too close, keeping a distance that wouldn't frighten her, and lowered himself, placing one knee on the ground.
The little girl in front of Corvian was small and thin, with light purple, slightly messy hair falling over her shoulders.
She had large blue eyes, swollen from crying, and a face red and wet with tears.
Her small body trembled slightly, giving the impression of a tired, frightened child, too fragile for the situation she was in.
Corvian spoke slowly, in a reassuring tone. "Vaeris, calm down. It's me, Corvian. No one will hurt you now that I'm here."
Hearing the familiar voice, Vaeris looked more closely at the figure in front of her.
The blade slipped from her hands, her crying grew louder, and she threw herself toward Corvian.
He opened his arms as well and held her in a gentle embrace, lifting her into his arms.
Standing up, Corvian looked down at the body on the ground, holding Vaeris with one arm while extending the other toward the motionless figure.
From his palm, a flame erupted and began to consume the body. Then he brought it toward the blade on the ground, and the flame consumed it as well.
Hearing that Vaeris was still crying, he asked in a calm voice, "Do you want to get some ice cream?"
The little girl, still leaning against Corvian's shoulder, lifted her head and looked at him, nodding slowly.
Having received confirmation, Corvian turned and headed out of the alley.
Along the way to the ice cream shop, Vaeris calmed down slightly. Now more at ease, she asked in a soft voice, "Aren't you going to ask why I was there… or why I did it?"
Corvian, eyes on the ice cream shop sign as he walked toward the door, did not answer.
The ice cream shop was bright and orderly. Behind the counter, the tubs of ice cream floated slightly, ready to serve anyone who pointed to their desired flavor.
Small stations allowed adding syrups or decorations with a gesture of the hand, making ordering quick and simple.
Corvian and Vaeris stopped in front of the counter. She pointed to a cup of blue ice cream, and he chose a red one.
With a wave of his hand, the servings floated into the cups before them. Then they moved to a free table to sit.
They began eating. Corvian finished his ice cream quickly, and seeing that Vaeris was still eating, asked, "Do you want to keep eating while we walk back to the orphanage?"
Vaeris, hearing the question, blushed slightly in her eyes.
With tears streaming down her face and a slightly trembling voice, she said, "Big brother… I was bad. I started to relax. Lisette is sick at home and asked me to bring you to her, but I stayed with you first."
Corvian sighed, took a napkin from the table, and with her sitting next to him, bent slightly to wipe the tears from her eyes.
As he brushed her face, he said, "You don't need to feel guilty. We'll do our best to pray and ask the Lord for her healing."
Vaeris, after hearing his words, lowered her gaze and murmured softly, "But can the Lord really help her? Nothing has worked before, and none of the skilled healing mages succeeded."
Corvian, finishing wiping her tears, replied calmly, "Don't worry. Everything will be fine. Let's go."
They walked toward the orphanage, Vaeris eating her ice cream along the way.
After she finished, she grew drowsy, so Corvian carried her in his arms, and she fell asleep.
Shortly after, they arrived in front of the orphanage.