My life studying in the temple continued. It's more or less the same as my previous lives. I did not have to spend much time or effort completing my coursework. If I still couldn't master the spells after studying the same thing for the third time, not counting the life I ran away across the sea, then I would really be a great fool.
It's one nice day where I laid on my bed reading, patting Isobel, when the temple started shaking. I sat up and hugged Isobel close to me. Rachelle was breaking the seal. She had gotten hold of the first shard. It's really nearly time, soon she would start her quest to find other shards.
I went to my desk and wrote a note. I had to do my job as a spy.
"Isobel," I called the little kitten over. "I need to pass this note to the high priest." I placed the note on the desk.
"Meow." Isobel jumped onto the desk and placed its paw on the note. Within seconds, the note disappeared into a puff of black smoke. As expected, that's why he asked me to send news to him through Isobel. That's what happened in my second life too.
"Now, Isobel, stay in this room. I will be back soon. How I wish I didn't have to go out and act surprised!" I ruffled Isobel's sleek black fur as I rolled my eyes.
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"Rachelle, do you really have to leave?" I asked worriedly.
"It's my fate," she said with a sacred expression on her face. She was clutching the shard she found in the wind temple with her hands. "The shards out there are calling me. I can feel them." She closed her eyes at that moment. "It's my fate. I have to help them!"
You have to help a shattered jewel? I bit back the comment.
"Rachelle... that's very... nice of you. I worried about you. It's a pity I am not more accomplished. If I go with you, I will probably drag you down. But I will support you from afar!" I squeezed her hand in support.
"Odette... don't worry Henri is coming with me and..." she whistled and then a huge white dog tumbled out from the bush beside us. Rachelle bent down and hugged the huge dog around its neck. "I met Lucian in the forest near the temple. When I met Lucian, he was nearly dying." Rachelle sobbed. "Poor Lucian, luckily, Lucian is getting better now."
I took a brief glance at the huge dog with white fur and blue eyes. Lucian might look like a dog now, but turned out he was under some sort of a curse. He was human. He became another of Rachelle's loyal suitor.
"Be safe, Rachelle!" I waved my handkerchief as farewell. Once meeting Rachelle, I realized I had an increased rate of using my handkerchief.
"Odette, I will keep you updated!" she shouted back as Henri ushered her into a carriage, the huge dog jumped into the carriage to join her and they're gone.
I stood there until their carriage was gone from sight and returned to my room. I took out my cloak from my wardrobe.
"Isobel, let's go on an adventure! If I remember correctly, the first target is the fire temple. We can just wait in the town the temple is situated." I placed Isobel into the cross body bag I had prepared for her, put on my cloak and headed out to the stable.
The priests in the temple did not really care where us pupils went as long as we showed up in the final choosing. Me sneaking out was nothing, they were used to me not staying in the temple since I was young. I had already told Sarah I was going on a quest to find herbs for a potion alone, she would not come finding me for now.
I climbed onto my horse and then set out on a different path as Rachelle. This route I was taking would still reach the town where the fire temple was, just a little bit of detour. I did not want to follow the footsteps of Rachelle, she was sure to attract troubles. If I remembered correctly, she met a prince and a priest of the fire temple on her way there. Nope, not gonna meddle in their mess.
It's only now that I could cheat. I never lived till she had collected all the shards, or if I had I was on another continent all together. So I only knew the first two or three places for sure.
The sun was setting when I stopped for rest. I tied my horse to a tree and then started setting up a fire for the night. I placed a thick mat on the ground and then settled down with a sigh. Who would have thought there's a day where spoiled heiress Lady Odette would spend the night in the wild?
I was having my dinner of bread and cheese and playing with Isobel when I heard a sound of cawing. Isobel replied with a small tilt of its head and then meowed at a certain direction. In a second, a black carriage appeared on the road. It's a carriage with no coachman, just two black horses leading the way. The carriage stopped in front of my mat and then the carriage door swung open.
"Mind if I join you?" asked the man sitting elegantly in the carriage.
After a brief pause I replied with a smile, "It's my pleasure, high priest."
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Author's note
A new arc. Are you excited? Do tell me what you think!! The story is getting close to 3k! Thank you so much for your support! See you next time!