Chapter 30: Nikola’s Choice and Her First Test

“Um… Lady Daisy, Nikola is still quite young. I fear she might struggle with demon hunter tasks directly. Perhaps… she could come to our church and train with us first?”

“That, however, is entirely up to little Nikola to decide.”

Having spoken, Daisy turned her gaze to Nikola, and Lucia followed suit. While Lucia wished for Nikola to join the church and be by her side, she knew the ultimate decision rested solely with Nikola herself.

Given the circumstances, the answer was already quite apparent.

“Sister Lucia, I apologize, but I still wish to register as a demon hunter.”

Nikola’s refusal to Lucia was immediate and unwavering. After all, the identities of Nikola and Lovelenica could not coexist; joining the church would undoubtedly expose her true nature.

“Very well…”

Upon hearing Nikola’s unhesitating reply, a hint of regret crossed Lucia’s features. This was, after all, Nikola’s personal choice, and Lucia had no authority to intervene. All she could do was honor her decision.

“Heh, since your mind is made up, let us proceed with the registration now.”

Daisy let out a soft chuckle, her gaze fixed on Nikola with evident satisfaction. She then escorted Nikola to the front desk, instructing the Front desk lady to assist with the registration. Yet, she hadn’t entirely forgotten Lucia. Daisy had, in fact, overheard Lucia introducing herself to Nikola just moments before.

“Lucia, was it? Ah, so you’re the esteemed Saintess of the Church. You appear quite concerned for little Nikola. Why not join us and observe?”

“Ah… no, it’s not quite like that…”

As Daisy spoke, Lucia evidently misinterpreted the ‘concern’ in Daisy’s words as a different, more personal emotion. Nevertheless, despite her protests, Lucia trailed behind Nikola and Daisy.

In truth, Daisy held no particular interest in the skirmish between Nikola and Scar-face. Her attention was captivated instead by Nikola’s unwavering resolve to fire a weapon at such a tender age—a feat that transcended mere possession of a powerful armament.

Even with a potent weapon, it proves worthless if one lacks the courage to wield it against an adversary. Yet, Nikola, confronting those menacing, seemingly brutal demon hunters, had attacked without a flicker of fear or a change in her expression, a testament to her inherent bravery.

At this juncture, Daisy couldn’t resist a playful jab at Nikola.

“Why are you on the verge of tears now, discussing demon hunter registration? I heard you were quite different when you were striking that man just moments ago.”

“Uh… c-combat, of course, is entirely separate from other matters, ahaha.”

Nikola awkwardly raked a hand through her hair. Her earlier tearful tone had been a calculated performance—partly to feign helplessness, partly a genuine tremor of nervousness. Reflecting on it, her acting skills seemed rather commendable.

Arriving at the front desk, the Front desk lady, whom Nikola had so recently rescued, retrieved a sheet of parchment and a quill from beneath the counter. Unlike the intricate contracts of a notary office, this parchment served merely as a registry for Nikola’s personal details.

Nikola meticulously inscribed all the previously fabricated information onto the parchment. Following this, Daisy resumed leading her through the grand hall’s long corridor.

They traversed the length of the corridor, arriving at the guild’s inner sanctum. Here, the presence of demon hunters was noticeably sparse. The various rooms lining the passageway served different purposes: some for conducting demon hunter evaluations, others for the intricate research of arcane potions.

To qualify as a demon hunter, one’s physical prowess and magical aptitude required testing. While the entry bar was considerably lower than that of the three other organizations, a certain standard still had to be met.

Daisy ushered Nikola into one of these rooms, where the initial assessment would focus on Nikola’s magical capacity.

At the room’s core stood a stone pillar, roughly a head shorter than Nikola, upon which rested a perfectly transparent, pale blue crystal orb.

“Simply place your hand upon it, then channel your magical energy.”

“Understood.”

Nikola offered a concise nod. She had, in the memories of her original self, witnessed similar testing procedures during her induction into the church. Consequently, the current assessment held no particular unfamiliarity for her.

However, Nikola dared not unleash the full extent of her magical power. While she remained uncertain of her strength as a bloodkin, she knew unequivocally that she was formidable. Reaching Tier 3 or even Tier 4 at her tender age would undoubtedly raise suspicion, so she opted to channel only a minuscule amount of her energy.

Nikola gently rested her hand upon the crystal orb, slowly, deliberately channeling her magical energy into its depths. The orb responded with a soft, subtle luminescence, a glow that was far from blinding. Evidently, Nikola possessed exquisite control over her magical output.

“Oh? It appears little Nikola is not as frail as one might assume. To possess nearly Tier 2 magical reserves at such a tender age is quite impressive.”

Daisy’s surprise was palpable. It seemed Nikola not only harbored the courage to confront formidable foes but also possessed a remarkably keen innate talent.

Following this, Daisy guided Nikola through a series of additional assessments, each designed to gauge her physical attributes.

Nikola, however, displayed no abilities that transcended the ordinary. Indeed, her physical conditioning seemed, if anything, slightly inferior to that of an average person.

This, of course, was the meticulous outcome of Nikola’s careful manipulation. Given her visibly youthful appearance and seemingly undeveloped physique, it was only logical for her physical aptitude to fall slightly below that of an adult.

Consequently, Nikola’s sole truly remarkable attribute remained her substantial magical reserves.

Nonetheless, for Nikola’s apparent age, this level was exceptionally impressive, and Daisy expressed considerable satisfaction with her test results.

Upon the completion of the tests, Daisy escorted both individuals back to the main hall. By this time, the bustling clamor had fully returned, and no one spared them a glance—or rather, no one dared to.

Once the post-assessment data was duly recorded, the Front desk lady, using both hands, presented Nikola with a bronze emblem.

“Miss Nikola, this is your demon hunter’s emblem. Please ensure its safekeeping.”

“Understood.”

Nikola acknowledged, accepting the emblem. Instead of affixing it to her chest immediately, she retrieved it into her ring. Her registration as a demon hunter was not for ostentation, but purely for ease of movement; the emblem could simply be produced whenever necessary.

“I have considerable faith in you, Nikola. I am confident you will blossom into a truly formidable demon hunter. Should you ever require my assistance, simply inform the Front desk ladies, and they will relay your message to me. I shall then reach out to you.”

“Understood, and thank you, Lady Daisy.”

Having successfully completed her registration as a demon hunter, Nikola finally emerged from the guild hall alongside Lucia. From this day forward, she was officially Nikola, the demon hunter.

After such an extended sojourn within the hall, the sky outside had deepened into a more profound twilight, and the streets below were noticeably sparser with pedestrians.

Though immensely satisfied with her newly acquired demon hunter status, Nikola harbored lingering questions regarding Lucia’s unexpected presence. Thus, mustering her courage, Nikola turned to Lucia and inquired.

“S-Sister Lucia, why did you suddenly appear at the demon hunter guild today? Do nuns typically frequent such establishments…?”