Chapter 1500: Chapter 936: Maria’s Dream (Part 1)_2
Especially in the eastern continent where the Life Church’s power is weaker.
Greed moves hearts; as long as the benefits are substantial, no risk is too great for some to dare take.
For this reason, every time the girl embarked on a journey, she always concealed herself well.
Although as a peak Great Mage just a step away from the Golden Rank, the girl was not particularly afraid of such plundering.
But often...it is better to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Draped in a clean coarse fabric robe, with her golden hair tied up into a high ponytail, the girl left the wooden cabin.
Warm sunlight streamed through the gaps in the forest, casting a colorful glow on the ground.
The girl looked up at the sky; it was clear and boundless, the entire dome appearing as though freshly washed, transparent and blue.
Fluffy, cotton-like clouds slowly drifted by, occasionally obscuring the golden sun.
Beside her, the gentle sound of trickling spring water joined the joyful birdsong, creating a natural symphony.
Listening to the melodious tunes, the girl’s somewhat unhappy mood gradually calmed...
This was a lush green forest.
The girl’s home was situated within the woods.
The cabin was not large, surrounded by a low fence, with some commonly used magic plants planted around it.
A winding clear river flowed from afar, passing by the cabin and extending into the distance.
The fleeing noble and knights had disappeared at the end of the winding stone path.
The girl turned back and took one last deep look at the home she had lived in alone for nearly four years, sighed slightly, and left the woods.
Beyond the woods was a vast wheat field.
Golden waves of wheat extended far into the distance, split into two sections by the winding stone road.
In the fields, farmers and women could be seen laboring diligently.
Whenever they saw the girl carrying her luggage from afar, they would set down their work and greet her warmly:
"Good morning, Miss Maria!"
"Lady Maria! So glad to see you!"
"Miss Maria, thank you for helping treat my child’s illness last time, here are some fruits we just picked from our field, please take some back!"
"Oh? Lady Maria, where are you headed this time?"
These farmers were villagers from nearby, greeting the girl warmly and respectfully.
And the girl responded with a smile:
"Good morning, Uncle Beluk."
"Aunt Misha, I’m glad to see you too!"
"Haha, Grandpa Brun, it was just what I should do, no need to be so formal."
"Um...Aunt Catherine, I’m going on a journey, it might be quite some time."
"A journey? Are you...are you leaving here?"
The villagers were surprised by the girl’s words and quickly asked.
The girl hesitated for a moment, then nodded:
"Yes, I’ve stayed here long enough; it’s time to embark on a new journey."
Upon hearing her words, everyone displayed expressions of reluctance:
"Why? Miss Maria, is it because you’re not happy living here?"
"Miss Maria, you helped cure my father’s illness last time, and I haven’t had the chance to properly treat you to a meal yet!"
"Exactly, exactly, you’ve helped us so much, we haven’t had the chance to properly thank you yet."
"Indeed, if Miss Maria leaves, who can we turn to for guidance when we encounter questions we don’t understand?"
The villagers spoke one after another, their eyes filled with reluctance as they looked at the girl.
Looking at these simple and sincere villagers, the girl’s gaze softened even more.
She clearly remembered when she first arrived here alone, unfamiliar with everything.
At that time, the wars in East Segis had not yet completely subsided, and all the residents were deeply wary of professionals.
At that time, the Life Church had nominally become the Guardian of the Segis World, but in reality, they had not yet reached this village, resembling a utopia.
However, after more than three years, she was now able to blend in with the residents here.
Now, she had been accepted by this village on the easternmost part of the continent, becoming one of them.
And nowadays, the presence of Life believers is becoming increasingly common in East Segis.
The girl really liked it here, liked these simple residents.
Before leaving that cage, she had never been genuinely treated like this, and she had made quite a few friends here.
But she knew her identity had been discovered, and those unsatisfied nobles would keep hounding her.
She was well aware of those people’s faces and didn’t want to stay here to bring trouble to the villagers.
’If only the teacher were still around...’
At a certain moment, the girl would have this thought in her heart.
But she quickly shook her head, casting aside this somewhat dependent thought.
The teacher is the teacher, she is herself.
She must ultimately grow, and within these almost four years, she had already proven that even without the teacher’s company, she could walk alone.
"Maria, I have accompanied you on the continent for three years. You are now an adult; no one’s life journey can always be accompanied, you need to learn to walk it on your own."
"Continue walking, Maria, pursue the path your heart desires, find the meaning of your life, chase your true dreams..."
"You are not a puppet; the only one who can decide your future is yourself."
Recalling the teacher’s teachings before they parted ways, the girl felt deeply moved.
So many years later, she had always pondered the teacher’s words until settling in this village on the edge of the continent, until through her own efforts, being accepted by people she would never have approached, she then gradually had some ideas.
But ultimately, the time for farewell had arrived.
These villagers were ordinary people.
She didn’t want everyone’s life to be affected because of her.
Thinking this, Maria smiled warmly:
"As the Elves say, the world is full of partings..."
"Thank you all for taking care of me all these years; I’m leaving, until we meet again."
After speaking, she continued to carry her luggage and walked towards the distance.
"Miss Maria!"
The villagers followed quickly.
But soon, they were blocked by a gentle magic power, forced to watch her leave from afar.
Midwalk, the girl suddenly turned back again.
She looked at the villagers who were seeing her off, smiled slightly, and said:
"Also, I heard the Life Church has officially set up a temple in the nearby town, and Priests have moved in."
"Life Church...is different from other churches, don’t worry they will exploit the people like the Eternal Church, and don’t worry they will lack principles and strength like those small churches."
"They...are worthy of trust and reliance."
Saying this, even the girl herself wasn’t aware of the slight anticipation and admiration in her expression.
"Alright, goodbye everyone, until we meet again!"
After speaking, she smiled again, leaving the land she had lived in for years.
Embarking on a new journey, the girl didn’t know where her destination lay.
However, she didn’t care where that destination was.
In ten years, except for these few years, she had spent most of her time wandering the continent.
She had seen landscapes she never saw as a child, met people she never could have met in the past.
She had witnessed a side of the world she didn’t know, gradually realizing why that magnificent empire had collapsed overnight...
However, before leaving this region entirely, she still needed to meet someone.
Someone she hadn’t known for long, but cared about very much and deeply respected.
Maria didn’t hesitate and headed straight for the largest human settlement nearby—Bonn Town.
There was the newly built Life Temple in this Easternmost Land.
