Bright sunlight filtered through the tree shadows and the sheer curtains, casting dappled spots of light in the room.
Arabella felt a bit dazzled, furrowed her brow, and turned over, rolling the blanket up and nostalgically curling back into the soft bedding.
Her consciousness floated to the surface like approaching the sea. The images of two entwined bodies became clear in her mind, and Arabella jolted upright, her face flushing.
She didn't know when she had returned to her room, wearing a lightweight white nightgown. Her body had been meticulously cleaned, and her hair fell softly and smoothly, still retaining a faint fragrance of perfume.
Besides her accelerated heartbeat, she felt no obvious discomfort. There were no traces of their union on her body; everything seemed like just a spring dream.
Except...
She got out of bed and walked over to the full-length mirror. The girl in the mirror almost made her not recognize herself.
Her delicate features, while not overly stunning, had a certain elegance. Her smooth skin and soft, hazel hair, along with the feeling that she had grown a bit taller, gave her an air of refinement.
She wore an expensive lace and tulle nightgown, and aside from still appearing slightly frail, she looked like a noble girl.
On her chest, just below the collarbone, a crimson Sigil blossomed like a enchanting flower against her pale skin.
Arabella touched the mark in a daze, thinking of Dorian, and couldn't help but smile sweetly.
"Awake?" A clear voice startled Arabella. Dorian stood in the doorway, holding a set of black attire.
The changed relationship between the two left Arabella unsure how to face the man who had shared physical intimacy with her. Her heart raced, and after a moment of flustered indecision, she finally managed to muster a smile she considered dignified: "Good morning, Dorian."
Dorian glanced at the blazing sun outside and didn't say much more. The matter of the Contract had exceeded his expectations, but now that it had come to this, one must continue moving forward.
"You were unconscious for two days." He placed the black dress on the bed, looking directly at Arabella. "Since you've rested well, there are things we need to clarify."
The silver-haired man's overly serious expression made Arabella stand up straighter, unable to resist the urge.
Dorian looked at the blood-red mark on Arabella's chest: "You already know about the Sigil. Now that the Contract Ritual has been completed, from now on, you will be my Demon Attendant."
He spoke these marriage-like declarations in a businesslike tone, causing Arabella to blush and close her eyes, unable to suppress a smile.
"Next, you need to know about me." The Priest across from her did not share her lighthearted mood. "I am a High Priest of the Sis Church, and I have always taken on the most difficult and dangerous tasks. Given your current strength, it will be very dangerous for you to follow me.
"Starting today, you will attend classes during the day to learn the basic combat skills of a Witch, and at night, I will conduct special training with you. You must improve your strength in a short time; otherwise, when you encounter formidable Demons, your only fate will be death."
Words like "battle" and "Demon" left Arabella feeling dazed. Although she had some understanding of the duties of executing Witches, facing the reality made it hard for her to grasp.
Seeing that the girl found it difficult to process, Dorian softened his tone slightly: "I will teach you everything you need to know. Change your clothes and go eat something. The days ahead will be tough; you should prepare yourself mentally."
Arabella nodded. No matter what challenges lay ahead, the thought of Dorian by her side brought her some comfort. They had already made a Contract and become the most special existence to each other.
"Dorian…" The girl gathered her courage and looked up to meet Dorian's eyes. "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"
Dorian looked puzzled; he believed he had already covered everything. Seeing the girl's hopeful expression only deepened his confusion as he searched his mind for anything he might have forgotten...
"Do your best."
Arabella placed her forehead in her hand mentally.
Unlike the standardized and clearly ranked uniforms of the Priests, the position of executing Witches in the Holy See depended on the rank of their respective Priest. Thus, there were no particularly strict requirements regarding their clothing.
Most Witches wore a black long skirt similar to a Nun's Habit, prominently displaying the Holy Court's cross emblem. Fashionable Witches often altered their uniforms to their liking, and the Holy See did not pay too much attention to it.
Arabella's uniform style was relatively simple, more fitted than a typical Nun's Habit, with a black skirt embellished with lace lining and a metal cross badge pinned at the collar.
She stood at the classroom door holding several textbooks and took a deep breath before pushing the door open.
It was recess, and Witches in similar uniforms were gathered together, just like ordinary students, chatting idly.
"Hello." She greeted a short-haired girl with her head wrapped in bandages who was closest to her.
The classroom instantly fell silent, and all heads turned to look at her in unison. The air felt oddly tense, and the unfriendly gazes made Arabella's heart race.
She hoped she hadn't done anything wrong. She looked just as ordinary as anyone else, and didn't think she should attract too much attention. Did Witches always pay such close attention to newcomers?
"Uh… hi, everyone." Arabella tried greeting again.
After sizing her up for a moment, some of the girls turned away, and no one responded to her.
In the suffocating atmosphere, Arabella cautiously moved to the back of the classroom to a corner that was the most inconspicuous, finding an empty seat to place her books down.
"Hey? You're going to sit here?" The girl in glasses sitting next to her looked flustered.
Arabella was taken aback and gave her an inquiring look: "Is that okay?"
"It's not that you can't…" The girl in glasses scratched her head awkwardly, "It's just that you're a bit more low-profile than I expected."
"You know me?" Arabella was somewhat surprised.
"There's probably no one who doesn't know you, Dorian High Priest's new Demon Attendant. You're pretty famous," the girl said, her eyes sparkling with gossip. "Everyone has been guessing what kind of Demon Attendant he would finally choose. The result... was indeed earth-shattering."
"Earth-shattering?" Arabella tried to recall what she had done that would warrant such a phrase. During the Contract Ritual, she was about to make a Contract with a Priest she didn't know when suddenly her head throbbed intensely, chaotic memories surged up in an instant, painful and unclear, and then she heard Dorian's voice...
"My name is Nina." The girl smiled and reached out her bandaged hand to her.
Arabella shook her hand in return. Nina had a doll-like face, and her smile revealed two adorable dimples.
The classroom door opened again, and a delicate-looking, slender, pale girl walked in. Her swan-like neck was also wrapped in bandages, and her slightly curled white hair made her look like an elegant crystal doll.
The crystal girl didn't say anything and went straight to sit by the window not far in front of Arabella, propping her chin on her hand and staring blankly out the window.
Arabella recognized her as the girl she had seen in the dorm room before Contract Ritual, and Arabella was momentarily stunned when she thought of the scene of that night's fornication.
"Eugenia has never liked to talk, just ignore her." Nina was already familiar with introducing her classmates. "The girl with the long braid is Evelina, and the one with short hair is Rebecca…"
The Sis Seminary was divided into the Priest Academy and the Witch Academy, with the two districts kept separate. Since the Magic systems used by Priests and Witches were different, the teaching staff consisted of experienced Priests and Witches.
A class in the Witch Academy typically had about twenty to thirty students, mostly beautiful girls. New Witches, after being accepted by the Holy See, would be sent here for necessary training before graduating and officially becoming executing Witches of the Holy See.
Arabella silently memorized the names as she scanned the faces of her future classmates, noticing that quite a few of them had bandages wrapped around them. "Speaking of which… why are so many people injured?"
"You did that."
"Eh?!" Arabella was startled and stood up suddenly, bringing a fresh wave of unfriendly stares.
"You don't remember?" Nina looked at her curiously.
Arabella shook her head vigorously. No wonder people looked at her that way when she entered. "What exactly did I do?" she asked cautiously.
"Well, it's not really a big deal," Nina started counting on her fingers. "You just smashed the Temple, ruined the garden, injured nearly half the people, and publicly stole their idol from them."
"Just that?" Arabella's heart sank. She felt that her days at the academy would not be easy.