Ten years had passed since Asta and Yuno first appeared in the church. This time was filled with changes: the number of orphans under the care of the clergy had increased by four. Each new day brought new worries and joys, but for Asta, there was one persistent problem that troubled him. He constantly bothered one of the nuns named Sister Lily.
There were only two adults in the church: the priest Father Orfi and the nun Sister Lily. Father Orfi was a loving father to the children, caring for their spiritual and physical well-being. He always found time to listen to them, support them, and give wise advice. With his kind smile and warm words, he created an atmosphere of trust and safety.
Sister Lily was a woman with a kind heart and strict principles. She tried to create a cozy environment for the children, shielding them from hardships and giving them love. However, Asta could not understand that she could not marry him for many reasons.
First of all, Sister Lily was a nun, and her vow of celibacy forbade her from marrying. Asta saw in her an ideal of love and care that he did not want to let go.
Secondly, Asta himself was only ten years old. At this age, he did not yet realize the seriousness of such decisions, believing that feelings could easily overcome any obstacles. In his eyes, nothing was impossible, and he continued to dream of being close to Sister Lily one day, not even thinking that this dream might be unattainable.
With each passing day, Asta became more persistent in his attempts to gain Sister Lily's attention. He teased her, left little notes with confessions, and even tried to help her with her tasks, hoping that this would change her mind. Sister Lily, in turn, only smiled at his playful antics, understanding that the boy was still too young to grasp the intricacies of his feelings.
Meanwhile, life in the church continued as usual. Sister Lily and Father Orfi cared for the orphans, trying to instill in them love, trust, and hope for the future. Despite his childish fantasies, Asta increasingly realized that the world around him was more complex than he thought, and the love he dreamed of was just part of a broader and more complicated reality.
One day, Sister Lily went to the town of Nern for a temporary ministry at the local church. Father Orfi decided to take this opportunity to talk to Asta about his feelings.
"Asta," Father Orfi began when they were alone, "I need to talk to you about something important. Let's take a walk near the church."
Hearing his name, Asta raised his eyebrows in confusion and followed him, sensing that the upcoming conversation might be significant.
During the walk, Father Orfi, looking closely at the boy, began to express his thoughts.
"Asta, I think I understand you," he said with a sigh. "Why do you love Sister Lily so much? Does she remind you of the mother you never had? But still, your love for her is not quite ordinary. Sister Lily is not just a woman for you; she is your guardian. You are seeking in her the love that should have been yours, but perhaps that is not quite what you think."
Asta frowned, deeply contemplating the priest's words. His inner turmoil prevented him from clearly realizing what exactly he was feeling.
"But I really love her," he insisted, trying to convince himself of the truth of his feelings.
"Yes, you love her," Father Orfi confirmed. "But not in a romantic sense. You are only ten years old, and your love is more like attachment than anything deeper. Sister Lily cannot reciprocate your feelings because she is a nun and has dedicated her life to serving God. Her purpose is not to love in a human way, but to serve."
Asta was about to say something but fell silent, lost in thought. He realized that Father Orfi's words resonated with his internal state.
"Asta," Father Orfi continued, "I will leave you with these thoughts. Try to sort out your feelings."
Father Orfi stood up and left, leaving Asta alone with his reflections. The boy sat in silence for a long time, contemplating the priest's words. Despite their simplicity, he began to understand that Father Orfi was right. His feelings were indeed more akin to attachment than true love.
From that day on, Asta stopped confessing his love to Sister Lily. Instead, he began intense physical training, as that was the only thing he could practice every day. He drank leaf juice, which he believed would increase his magical strength, but no matter how much he consumed, nothing happened. Asta often helped the villagers, showing his strength and endurance. He dragged various heavy objects, assisted on farms, and performed many other tasks. In this way, he earned money for the needs of the church.
One day, Asta decided to help a suspicious merchant. Why? Because the merchant offered him a potion in exchange for help that he claimed would grant him magical power. Seeing this potion, Asta forgot everything else, focusing only on it. He didn't even consider that it might just be a low-level mana restoration potion. The merchant was actually deceiving him, as he had nothing of value to lose—at least, that's what he thought.
After Asta finished helping the merchant, he gave him the potion, as promised. He said that a week after taking it, Asta would gain magical power. As Asta was returning home, he couldn't resist and immediately drank it all. The taste was very bitter, causing him to squint and grimace.
On the first day, Asta didn't feel anything special, so he occupied himself with physical training. On the second day, his throat began to hurt, but he didn't pay it any mind. On the third day, pain spread throughout his body, but he considered it bearable. However, as time went on, he felt worse and worse.
On the fifth day, everyone in the church noticed that he was unwell. He was constantly sneezing, had a fever, and his skin began to take on a pale hue. Father Orfi forbade Asta from exercising and strongly advised him to stay in bed. He was only supposed to rest. They started treating him with traditional methods throughout the day.
But when on the seventh day his condition significantly worsened, to avoid the worst, Father Orfi and Sister Lily decided to invite the local doctor. Although it would cost them a significant amount, they did not think about the money.
When the doctor arrived and saw Asta's condition, he was shocked and quickly began to use his healing magic. However, the magic only worked for a short time, and he experienced mana exhaustion, unable to complete the treatment. Fortunately, this bore fruit, as by the morning of the eighth day, Asta's condition had stabilized.
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I don't particularly like Sister Lily as a partner for Asta, so I've decided to exclude her from the storyline. I hope you like this decision. I will try to release the next chapter tomorrow.