I figured, the best way to evade all responsibility with regards to the water disaster, as a toddler, was to sleep through it all.

Thankfully, the green-eyed child was separated from me before my toddler-size patience exploded on him. He was lucky my hands were too weak to yank out of all of his disgusting brown hair.

I could certainly try to use a flamethrower and shave it clean off him; however, there was a possibility of that becoming a second disaster in one day, and this time it would be hard for me to escape blame, so I held back.

If I got to see him alone next time, it would be the death of that brown hair.

It was a certain stroke of luck that my Father's hair was also brown, but it was a lighter shade, closer to blonde, kind of brown. I did not feel much killing intent towards my Father's hair, just annoyance now and then.

I was lying comfortably in the arms of my caretaker lady, a small distance away from my Father, who was spiritedly talking with the butler.

The green-eyed child was standing on the other side of Father, next to a man with the same sort of look as Father's. However, Father's eyes were stark red like the colour of blood, while his eyes were a gentle and mild green. It was a forest green colour, but not completely different from the green-eyes child's eyes, which were a bright green that shone like emerald.

It was a misfortune that his hair was also of the same shade of brown as that of the green-eyed child. I had the urge to send quick dye bottles to their house everyday just to ensure that brown colour was forever erased from my life.

Well, no more poking around. I had better not look over their direction too often. The green-eyed child, at every moment that he was not talking to his parent, he would immediately look over in my direction. I could not tell exactly what that look of his meant, but I did not want to test it out.

I closed my eyes again. Hopefully I could spend my night in the Second Reading Room from now on. Making that water vortex had been singularly useful in this one aspect: for now I did not have to sleep in that boring small room anymore.

...

"Sir Marcus, the only remaining possibility was that your daughter had been the one responsible for this incident."

"What kind of cr...impossible things are you saying, Hector! Charlotte is only a few months over one year old; she could not even speak properly, let alone perform chantless magic!?"

"Brother, please calm down, there must be an explanation..."

"Roland, I am very grateful for Keith. If he had not been there to take Charlotte out of there...Leticia...Leticia's child could have died in there!"

"Sir Marcus! Please do not utter Miss Leticia's name so easily! Duke Howard had yet to accept Miss Charlotte as his legitimate granddaughter yet!"

"He had no right! Going as far as to forbid treatment on the child of his daughter...if he still insisted on rejecting her existence, then I might as well have been wasting my time. If Leticia no longer meant anything to him, I might as well take it away from him for good!"

"Brother!"

"Sir Marcus!"

...

It was a long time until I opened my eyes. I had a strange feeling, that a lot had happened when I was (busy) asleep.

The first thing that struck me was that, I was sleeping on a remarkably comfortable bed, with a super luxurious blanket! I had been so used to paper-thin blankets that it had moved me considerably upon the sight of a proper blanket that was fluffy and warm.

I looked around, and recognized the interior of Miss Clara's room. I could guess the reason why I was brought here post-disaster, but I did not know why I was given the privilege to sleep here leisurely instead of being brought back to my new sleeping location.

I had, a bad feeling about it. But the softness of the blanket was all that mattered to me then.

While indulging in the comfort of my bed, I nearly squeaked out loud at the sight of sharp green eyes gazing at me at the corner of peripheral vision.

Those green eyes, were vaguely familiar...

It was Miss Clara, in her normal attire, sitting at her tea table, looking at me from afar with a complicated look on her face. She was deep in thought about something, and it concerned me in some way, but I really could not guess what it was. I only knew that it was an issue that she was having trouble deliberating.

She looked at me, then looked away, then looked at me again, then heaved a heavy sigh.

What did I do? I was completely injury-less this time, so she definitely did not need to use her magic on me. The disaster also never reached her room, so what exactly was causing her to be in such a dilemma?

And...where was Father?

As if sensing my unease, Miss Clara made her way over. She regarded me silently for a while, then began speaking. I could tell she had resigned to whatever was causing her problem, but her voice was firm.

"Charlotte, you are my apprentice from now on."

???

"Due to some circumstances, I need to assume guardianship over you instead of that irresponsible grandfather and father of yours..."

Father, he had...abandoned me?

"Though I did wish for a disciple with holy power as strong as yours, I'd never imagined...it would be Leticia's child. If she was here, she would have never let you become a holy maiden. To think I have to break my promise to her in such a way..."

I have, holy power? The power to burn people alive? How exciting.

Of course, I knew the truth. So my second life was going to be devoted to helping people...again. I could not seem to get out of this role of assisting people...

And I had wished that I could go to the front lines and decimate nations...I guess that's impossible now.

However, for a vengeful spirit to have strong holy power...

Was this a ploy by God of J or whoever up there to contain me within the no-fighting zone so I could, perhaps, dispel my grudge?

.. .. .

Did they not know the saying, the safest place is also the most dangerous place?

. .. ..

Well, it's not like I was going to massacre people indiscriminately when I was supposed to be healing them. I would do my job properly.

..unless, the patient had brown hair and/or brown eyes.

This irrationality of mine, was quite troublesome indeed. Maybe I should look into why I had developed this strange quirk against brown-haired and brown-eyed dudes. Perhaps, some forgotten memories in my previous life...

I could not recall a thing. It was just at the back of my mind, but I had a feeling that something bad would happen if I pursue this any further.

Maybe it would be wiser to gain some defensive power first. I was really helpless against anything and everything in this weak toddler body. I could not even hold a scissors properly to cut off the hair of all brown-haired guys in this world.

That would be one of my aspirations for now.

"Charlotte, what are you thinking of with such a weird smile...no, what am I thinking, talking to a child. I must be sick in my head to believe what Julian told me was true. There is no way a little toddler that hasn't learnt how to speak can understand my words..."

Oh no, please continue talking. I need to know why I had been dumped here with this weird-haired woman.

"You seem normal again...did you actually respond to my words? Maybe it is the abundance of holy power in you that has allowed you wisdom beyond your age."

..I was grateful enough that those holy power had not cooked my brain raw, let alone making me smarter.

"Nevertheless, I need to get this out to someone, even if you can't really respond to me. Sir Marcus, your dear Father, had asked me to take you as my apprentice, to ensure a safe position for you both within nobility and this kingdom."

So it was done out of love...but why?

"A holy maiden is both a coveted existence...and a shunned position. A normal magician cannot become one unless he is significantly blessed by the Gods...and even that, not many would choose to be one. Although you get to always stay in the safe zone...as you would expect, it is not a very exciting job choice for younger magicians after all. And unfortunately, you can only be a holy maiden under the age of 20...which is the most optimal age to develop elemental magic."

Of course, healing people was not very fun after all. On the other hand, burning people to a crisp on the battlefield was much more appealing.

...However, I knew it was my natural calling. Back in my previous life, people had always said I had a nice smile, a gentle, gullible smile...that made it easy for people to take advantage of me. I was best at supporting other people instead of taking matters into my own hand.

Hm, there's no escaping one's fate after all. However, I hope I could still learn the art of elemental magic, for, well, self-defense.

It would be wonderfully convenient if I could learn how to forcefully change people's hair colour as well. I had better ask Miss Clara, no, Master, as soon as I was able to talk. I needed to change that hair colour of Father's and the green-eyed child with haste!

"Well, but for your case, at least you would be safe and grow up well-protected by the Temple. With your potential, you could even aim to become one of the priests...well, it depends heavily on your spiritual connection, so maybe I should teach you how to control your spiritual consciousness first?"

... ... What?

"No wait, maybe it would be better to expand your soul force first...we can't have you exhausting your magic power halfway after all. Oh, I have always wanted a small child with strong potent power to experience with increasing a human's magic capacity...It truly is a blessing from the Gods...!"

I felt like something was wrong with that whole paragraph. I thought, she was torn with the decision whether to accept me or not? What was with this sudden increase in motivation?

And why did I have a very bad feeling about the next few years of my life...?

I had once deemed her as a pushover that just seemed cold outside...could I have been wrong about her true nature all along?

"Oh dear Leticia...I had been struck with the deepest pain when you had left us for our Gods. But I know you would not abandon your dear friend that still had a long way to go until she can meet you in heaven. You had brought Charlotte, no, this dearest angel of a disciple to me. Worry not, Leticia, for I would care for her with the greatest of my love, just as how much I had treasured you before that man Marcus came and took you away."

Wait, did I just hear something very scandalous right now? M-mother in heaven, could it be--

"Charlotte, let us get along well from now...you really do look like you understand every single word I said. Maybe it is better to set up a telepathic connection between us so we master and disciple can overcome the limits of age and start your training immediately!"

No no no no no! I had wanted to experiment with magic, not be experimented on by a lunatic! Father, come back!!!