But the prayer did not end there.
"And please help my sister become friends with His Highness the Archduke. May they always get along well and never, ever quarrel. May they be happy together and have beautiful children—children as beautiful as my sister."
"*Mariel!*" Asella's face flushed crimson with embarrassment.
"What is it, sister?" The girl interrupted her prayer and tilted her head in innocent confusion.
However, Asella had already composed herself, forcing her expression into something neutral.
"That's enough. Let's have some more cookies. They're absolutely delicious."
"But I haven't finished my prayer yet."
"That was quite sufficient."
"Do you already feel your body getting stronger?"
"Do you truly believe Hernia will hear our prayers?"
"*Certainly!*" Mariel declared with absolute conviction.
Asella smiled—partly skeptical, partly touched—and slid the plate of cookies closer to the child. However, the girl showed no signs of calming down. She climbed briskly onto her chair and continued speaking, crossing her legs so they dangled above the floor.
"You'll see, sister—you'll heal very soon! You can't just let someone have bruises like that. They hurt terribly and make it hard to use your hands properly."
Suddenly, Mariel's eyes widened. She began blinking rapidly, as though she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Hm...?"
"Mariel? What is it?"
Now the girl's mouth fell open.
Asella's gaze slowly followed her sister's line of sight. Her hand, which had been reaching for the teacup, had become slightly exposed again—revealing the skin of her wrist.
Perfectly clear. White as fresh snow.
She couldn't believe her eyes. With trembling fingers, she quickly pushed back the lace of her cuff. A terrible suspicion had crept into her heart, causing her hands to shake uncontrollably.
The bruises that had been clearly visible on her wrist just moments ago were rapidly fading—dissolving like ink in water—and disappearing entirely.
When Asella compared that hand to the one Mariel hadn't touched, the difference was undeniable. Her wrist looked as though it had been healed by a temple priest.
_The power of healing?_
Asella raised her head and stared at her little sister with dawning horror. Mariel appeared equally stunned, gazing back at her like a frightened rabbit caught in lamplight.
"Mariel, you..." Asella covered her mouth with her hand. The realization struck like lightning, piercing her entire body from crown to sole.
She had suspected this might happen eventually. But not now—not at the worst possible moment. Mariel's birthday was still a month away. Yet her healed hand stood as silent, irrefutable witness to the truth.
Mariel had awakened her supernatural powers.
---
Night had fallen, and darkness blanketed the earth while distant stars twinkled with cold indifference in the vast sky above. A little girl sat alone at the table beside her window, gazing out at the shadows and reflecting on the extraordinary events of the day.
_My sister looked so pale. Almost sick. But she'll be alright... won't she?_
Almost immediately after Mariel's prayer, the wounds on her sister's arm had begun to heal with unnatural speed. The moment Asella realized what was happening, she had turned as white as a plaster wall.
"Mariel, do you remember what I asked you to do? Don't tell *anyone* about this. Don't even *think* about using your abilities on anyone else."
"Yes, sister. I remember. I won't tell anyone."
"Try to avoid physical contact with other people. You might end up using your healing abilities without even realizing it. It's sad, I know. But we have no other choice. We must be extremely careful."
Each time Asella repeated her warnings, Mariel had nodded obediently, her expression solemn.
But in truth, she hadn't awakened today.
However, Mariel had her own circumstances—circumstances that prevented her from being entirely honest with her sister. A soft sigh escaped the girl's chest.
_I haven't yet decided which ability to keep as my own._
If it weren't for the bruises marring Asella's skin, the secret of her awakening could have remained hidden much longer. But Mariel couldn't ignore the fact that her older sister was in pain. She *refused* to ignore it.
_I wanted so badly to heal her completely. But I only had enough strength for one arm._
Mariel sighed with regret.
While pondering her next steps, she suddenly heard a soft knock at her bedroom door.
"Young lady? May I come in?"
"Come in." Mariel quickly scrambled up from her chair and slipped beneath the blankets.
The maid entered silently, moving through the room with practiced grace. She placed a crystal decanter of water on the bedside table and adjusted the blankets, pulling them up to the girl's chin.
"Good night, young lady. If you need anything at all, simply touch the crystal ball, and I'll come immediately."
"Okay. I understand."
Hearing the child's obedient response, the maid smiled softly and added, "Very well. I'll be waiting for your call." Her voice had grown noticeably warmer.
"*Wait.*"
The maid, who had been about to leave the room, glanced back at Mariel with a puzzled expression. Then, slowly, her face became utterly blank—devoid of all emotion.
"Whatever you wish, my lady."
At that moment, a faint flash of magical light flickered in Mariel's eyes—a pale, silvery gleam that vanished almost as quickly as it appeared. This meant the power of manipulation had been unlocked.
However, the maid—an ordinary person with no magical sensitivity—noticed nothing at all.
"Do you know where His Highness is right now?" Mariel's eyes sparkled again with that strange, otherworldly light.
The maid's pupils dilated and glazed over, becoming as empty as mirrors reflecting nothing. She was now under the girl's complete control. Until that control was lifted, she would serve as Mariel's hands and feet—a puppet moving according to her master's will.
"I do not know, young lady."
"Then you must find out immediately." Mariel held the maid's gaze without looking away.
"It will be done." The maid nodded with mechanical obedience and departed the room, her face still bearing that enchanted, vacant expression.
As the footsteps in the corridor grew gradually fainter and fainter, the unnatural light faded from Mariel's eyes, which returned to their normal, innocent blue.
She sat up in bed and allowed herself a small, secretive chuckle.
_I wish this had manifested a little earlier._
Mariel's ability to manipulate had only revealed itself that very morning.
_It's not bad. A fairly useful power, but..._
She considered her new ability carefully, her young mind working with surprising precision. _The problem is, to use it effectively, I have to look the person directly in the eyes. And the duration of their loss of control is limited. Besides, if the target possesses a strong will or mental fortitude, it might not work at all._
After careful consideration, Mariel concluded that it would be better to relinquish this particular power in favor of something more suitable.
---
The knowledge of how abilities awakened had been passed down through the Charts family under strictest secrecy for generations. Only the head of the family was permitted to know—outsiders understood only that the Charts' supernatural gifts were bestowed by the goddess Hernia herself.
The reason this secret could never be revealed was quite simple: the information entered one's consciousness simultaneously with awakening. There was no way to learn it beforehand, and no way to share it afterward without betraying the family's most sacred trust.
_How soon will my remaining abilities appear?_
The Charts' magical gifts possessed another unique characteristic. Their powers manifested differently depending on individual traits and temperament. Various types of supernatural abilities existed within the bloodline: elemental magic, hallucination-casting, healing, regenerative powers, manipulation, mind reading, and spirit communication.
_It would be advantageous to possess more power. And better still if I could keep more than one ability._
In the early stages of awakening, abilities revealed themselves one after another, allowing the user to become familiar with each and test their potential. The bearer then chose the ability that suited them best. The remaining powers gradually faded over time, like dreams upon waking.
Currently, Mariel's awakened powers included healing, mind reading, and manipulation.
Sometimes, if a girl was especially gifted, she could retain and utilize several abilities simultaneously. Mariel's mother—Adele Charts—had been precisely such a powerful heir to the family line.
She had possessed incredible power. And something quite rare and formidable as well: the power of *foresight*. It was such an extraordinary ability that in the entire recorded history of the Charts family, only two individuals had ever possessed it: the First Marchioness of Charts... and Adele.
Therefore, Mariel did not hold much hope that such an ability would awaken within her.
_Healing and mind reading are certainly useful. But will they be enough to protect my older sister?_
Mariel wanted *greater* power. A power capable of striking fear into the hearts of those who would harm the people she loved.
_In that case... I think magic would be best._