The Magical Holy Woman Seraphina - Chapter 64

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Magic Saint Seraphina
64
After Judge Cameron stormed out, having unleashed everything in a one-sided tirade,
“Does that man really conduct trials the same way?”
I asked Cassian, who was clicking his tongue beside me. He glanced down at me and made a subtle suggestion.
“Want to go check it out together?”
“…Why do you phrase everything like you’re asking someone on a date?”
“Come out tomorrow during lunch. Let’s go observe a trial.”
“During lunch?”
“Keep it a secret from Arden.”
“So… during lunch.”
“Since you’re giving up your precious lunch hour, I’ll give you a special allowance.”
“You should’ve led with that. I’m in.”
Besides, today was crawling with reporters — snooping would’ve been impossible anyway.
I nodded in agreement.
Just then, Arden emerged unsteadily from the corner where he’d been hiding.
Beneath the hood pulled over his head, his face was deathly pale.
I spoke to him.
“Good thing you wore that hood.”
If your face had been exposed and Count Cameron had acknowledged you in any way…
Everyone would’ve stared at you with shock. “Lord Arden—you know that man?”
Your reputation would’ve been shredded.
And Arden barely had any friendships to begin with.
“Keep wearing it until you get home. You’re heading straight there, right?”
“Yes. Together with you.”
“That’s why I asked.”
We lived in the same boarding house anyway—it made no sense to travel separately. I nodded and turned back to Cassian.
Cassian grinned and asked,
“The two of you going together?”
Arden answered instead.
“We live together.”
“Arden—you should say we live in different units in the same building.”
“Hmm.”
Cassian’s expression turned subtly amused as he spoke.
“Right. I’ll see you home safely. The night roads are dangerous, after all.”
“Brother, don’t drop dead on the way there.”
He’s three years older than me, after all—who knows when his time might come. Arden’s jab landed, but Cassian didn’t flinch at all.
“Did you know this, Arden?”
“What.”
“A husband dying young is actually good for his wife.”
“Who on earth started that ridiculous rumor!”
“It’s the truth.”
Having neutralized Arden that way, Cassian lifted the back of my hand and pressed his lips to it.
“Then, Miss Seraphina. See you next time.”
“Ugh…”
Disgustingly overdone.
Cassian felt the same way, it seemed—I could feel his lips smiling against my hand.
I barely managed to resist yanking it away.
Beside me, Arden pulled out a handkerchief.
“Quick—wipe it off.”
“Why? Are you jealous because it’s something you can’t do?”
“I absolutely can!”
“You’re a complete perfectionist.”
……
If the two of you are going to keep bickering, I’m leaving first.
“Arden, have you ever been on trial in your life?”
“No, sir. Have you?”
“I haven’t either… but after today, I’m grateful I haven’t.”
The distance from the 3rd District Salon to the boarding house where Arden and I lived was considerable.
But neither of us suggested taking a carriage.
Arden probably didn’t have the money for that sort of thing. As for me.
I don’t know!
I just wanted to walk!
Once we’d put some distance between ourselves and the salon, Arden pushed back his hood.
He pulled away the hood that had concealed his handsome face almost to the tip of his nose, revealing disheveled blond hair. Only then did I notice the gloom etched across his features.
Arden asked quietly.
“If an ordinary citizen goes all the way to court, there must be some injustice they’ve suffered, mustn’t there? But if the judge is like that, who should the people rely on?”
“Right.”
How did that judge end up like this?
Born into wealth, educated at elite schools, given a prestigious position—living as part of the elite his entire life, had he simply lost the capacity for empathy?
If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to just invent a judgment machine, feed it the legal codes, and let it conduct trials?
Arden sighed at my words.
“To be honest, I envy the Magic Saint at times like this.”
“Huh? What?”
“She’s so certain in her own actions. She can act without hesitation.”
…….
I’m not exactly brimming with certainty myself.
“I’m sure the Magic Saint would’ve smacked that judge with a hammer for spouting nonsense.”
…….
I’m not someone that violent…
Well, actually, I am.
Lost in thought, Arden didn’t notice my discomfort.
Arden spoke.
“Did you know this, senior?”
“Hmm?”
“Since I was young, I thought the world was falling apart at the seams.”
“You had good insight.”
“So I promised myself that when I grew up, I would definitely fix this broken world. And of course, I thought I’d be able to.”
But now that I’m actually an adult, I realize how woefully unprepared I am. Arden mumbled.
…….
“I thought everyone, being human, would naturally prefer what’s right and that common sense would prevail everywhere. Only recently did I realize that the standard of common sense differs from person to person. People aren’t like me at all.”
To that judge, probably everything he said was his own common sense.
“Things I thought I’d handled well create problems from directions I never anticipated. Now… I’m not sure if I can do anything well at all.”
…….
Why.
Why am I only two years older than Arden?
When Arden lays out his worries like this, I want to be the kind of senior who can answer, ‘You can solve it this way or that way.’
To be that kind of senior, how many more years would I need to have on him?
I have no idea.
All I, a mere twenty-three-year-old, can do for Arden is this.
I raised my hand and patted his arm.
Arden stopped walking and stared down at my hand resting on his arm.
“…You’ve done this for me before.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Back when we were at the Academy.”
“Oh….”
“You don’t remember, do you?”
“Well. That is.”
Sorry, but I don’t.
“I’m sorry.”
Yet Arden didn’t seem particularly bothered.
Eyes fixed on my hand, Arden spoke as if to himself.
“Your hand is still so small.”
“Hands don’t just grow overnight, do they?”
“Even back then, I thought your hand was incredibly small.”
When Arden moved his arm slightly, my hand slipped down.
As my hand dropped to his wrist, Arden hooked his index finger through mine.
As if we were exchanging some timid handshake, we held our index fingers linked together for exactly three seconds.
Then we jerked apart as if startled.
“Oh, we’re already at home!”
“We made it! Almost there!”
“That was fast!”
“Shall we go in?”
“Let’s do it!”
We pushed through the entrance of the Boarding House, our arms and legs pumping in unison.
“Up the stairs!”
“Right away!”
We bounded up the steps two at a time, trading positions back and forth in a clatter of footsteps.
I was headed to room 206; Arden to 306.
“I’m going ahead!”
I was all but skidding toward the second-floor hallway when Arden called out from behind me.
“Wait.”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t get too close to Cassian.”
“Huh?”
“He’s got a terrible personality.”
……
“I’m going.”
He took the stairs three at a time and vanished from sight in an instant.
……
I drifted into my room in a daze.
“You shouldn’t talk trash about people behind their backs. And your personality’s no prize either, Arden…….”
I muttered to myself while changing clothes, washing up, and turning off the light.
“Worried the world isn’t just? What kind of concern is that for someone your age — you sound like a crown prince contemplating the fate of nations…….”
I was still thinking about Arden as I lay down on the bed.
“Besides, we only shook hands. We didn’t even really hold hands — just our fingers brushed for a second. Why did I panic over that?”
A moment of honest self-examination.
“If a person like Arden were actually crown prince, I’d say the kingdom would be a pretty good place to live…….”
At least in terms of appearance…….
“It’s a shame he’s just a poor royal knight…….”
I closed my eyes, lingering over the thought.
Moonlight poured through the slightly open window.
The heart and wings of the Magic Mirror hanging around my neck caught the white light and glimmered.
That night, I dreamed of Arden for the first time.
Just to be clear — I’m not developing feelings for him or anything.
Just because I happened to think about him before falling asleep doesn’t mean I like him. Right?
Right.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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