It didn't take me long to understand what it all meant. That the branch I had broken off had become my magic staff, and gave me power, I have never even dreamed of. I left my school in Quenti and returned to the family villa in Virsel. Partly because I felt a certain responsibility as the last living descendant of the di Cortello family, and also because the Ashkaant Academy of Witchcraft was located in the same city. I was confused by everything and truly had no idea what I was supposed to do. I became a witch simply because I felt it was expected of me. I accepted this fact. Reluctantly, but I did. In my free time, I also tried to manage the family's remaining estate. There was pitifully little left. There wasn't enough money to repair the villa or to pay for new servants. I often wandered through the abandoned, crumbling hallways and sat despondently in the garden.
As for my studies, I did fairly well at first. I enjoyed attending lectures. They covered many fascinating subjects I could never even imagine as an ordinary girl. It was like discovering the world from a completely new perspective. However, my popularity at Ashkaant did not improve at all. I was still lonely and pushed away by others, and it was still all my own doing.
As months and years passed, I gave up any attempt to maintain or restore the status of the di Cortello family. I accepted it as an inevitable fate. Even the most powerful empires and civilizations eventually turn to dust and are forgotten. I believed that my family had reached that point too. And instead of trying to delay it as much as I could, I only senselessly hastened it.
I started frequenting local taverns with a group of "friends" who were just fools leeching off my money. It was crude and boorish entertainment, but in those moments, under the influence of alcohol, I felt happy. I could forget the constant guilt gnawing at me. Yet the more I spent from the family's fortune, the deeper my guilt grew, and the more I had to dull my mind. I kept sinking deeper and deeper. Gradually, even the last thing that had kept me somewhat grounded—my studies—began to lose its meaning. My former interest faded like morning mist, and I tried desperately to hold on to it. I barely scraped through the final—sixth year of study. I passed the final exams with the following grades: Good, Sufficient Sufficient, and Commendable. I received the Commendable grade in the history of magic exam with Professor Axel. She was one of the few teachers who hadn't completely lost faith in me. I think I was inwardly grateful to her for that. The thought that someone still believed in me warmed me. That's why I truly prepared for that exam more than any other. Looking back now, I feel like the others let me pass simply because they wanted to be rid of me once and for all.
Only a few months after graduation, I squandered the last of the family's wealth and ended up on the streets when the house was seized due to debts. I trudged through the mud of the streets, with my only possessions being a once-elegant, now filthy and foul-smelling dress and my staff, which barely earned me a living. While mages were often respected, they were not indispensable. Sometimes I performed street magic shows, but I didn't have a permit, so I always had to be cautious. I also helped out in taverns, but I had a bad reputation, as I drank away all the money I earned and was rarely sober while working. Eventually, almost no one wanted to hire me. I was grateful just to be allowed to sleep in the stables. Otherwise, I slept on the streets. I couldn't even be disappointed in myself anymore. I simply existed. I was the local drunk, clown, witch, and former heir of the di Cortello family.
I occasionally ran into former classmates. Most didn't recognize me, and those who did either turned away in disgust or laughed in my face. I didn't care. I didn't care about anything anymore.
One time, after earning a decent amount from a street performance, I got terribly drunk again. I don't know how I got there, but I was lying alone in a dark alley, in a muddy puddle—or maybe something worse. It smelled horrible, and the stench made me nauseous. I knew that if I sat up, I'd probably throw up. The looming, rickety silhouettes of buildings rose above me like giants swaying side to side. I remember wondering when houses started to sway like trees in the wind. I focused instead on the sky. Strangely, I could see the stars quite clearly. It looked like a river of black filled with tiny flames. I liked it. I smiled. I must have looked like an idiot. I clenched my hand around my staff, which I still had with me. No matter how drunk I was, I always had my staff. Always. I couldn't take a step without it. Sometimes, it felt like it was the only thing keeping me sane.
A shadow blocked my view of the stars. A human figure stood tall, blending with the darkness of the sky and surrounding buildings. I tried to focus on it, but it was difficult.
"What d'you want?" I mumbled incoherently.
The figure knelt, and a flame lit up at face level. I recognized that strangely rich, playful flame. It wasn't ordinary—it was magical. I shielded my face because the light was too intense. It hurt my eyes.
"What's your problem?" I whimpered.
A shadowed hand gently brushed greasy strands of hair from my forehead, revealing my pale face. I heard a deep sigh.
"Mnou… I almost didn't recognize you. I've seen beggars who looked better." The words didn't sound mocking or scornful—just matter of fact.
I still didn't understand who was speaking or why, and I didn't have the strength to ask. I just muttered something and, with great effort, pushed myself up on my elbows. My head spun immediately, but I tried to endure it. My vision was still too blurry to recognize who it was. In the light of the flame, I saw only bright red hair, gleaming small, elegant glasses, and a staff in hand. Even with these clues, I couldn't identify the mysterious figure. I collapsed back into the mud and shut my eyes.
Before I drifted off into a restless sleep, I felt as if I were floating in the air. In my state, I attributed it to the alcohol, but in truth, I was resting on someone's back, lightly levitating above it.
I woke up buried in a sea of white blankets, as if I were lying in a flock of heavenly sheep. The sheets smelled of cinnamon. Suddenly, I felt a cool breeze on my face. I carefully opened my eyelids.
I was in a modest yet elegantly furnished bedroom. The few pieces of furniture were made from richly dark mahogany wood. They bore finely carved floral motifs. It looked like all the pieces came from the same craftsman. The bed I lay in had massive, sunset-coloured canopy curtains. The window was wide open, and cold air flowed into the room. It was pleasant. I actually felt surprisingly well. I was still a little sluggish, but I could sit up and stretch without much trouble. I yawned widely and rubbed my eyes. In that moment, something clicked in my brain, and very important questions surfaced: Where am I, and how did I get here? The last thing I remembered was the stinking night alley where someone had found me. Yes, that's it! But who was it?
I didn't even hear the door open, but someone had entered the room. I shot them a frightened look as a terrifying thought crossed my mind: What if I'd broken into someone's house? The woman standing in the doorway, however, looked completely calm—and even a little pleased.
"So, you're finally awake?" she said rhetorically and continued. "I'm glad. You look much better. I hope you feel well enough not to throw up all over my bed. The stairs were enough. I'll have to throw out that carpet."
I squinted at her in confusion and breathed out in disbelief: "Professor Axel? Is… is it really you?"
"Of course it's me, silly. Who else would it be? And yes, it was me who found you in that puddle last night."
"I… I don't understand. Why did you help me? How did you find me?"
"To answer your first question—why wouldn't I? Any good teacher would do that for their student." I doubted her words. I was convinced the rest of Ashkaant's faculty would've gladly left me there to rot, but I didn't interrupt her. "As for the second answer—I heard about you from one of the students who saw you there. You were slowly becoming famous as a notorious drunk and fool. I had to do something."
"To stop me from disgracing the name of the renowned and respectable Ashkaant Academy of Witchcraft?" I asked a little sarcastically. I knew I should be grateful, but it just slipped out.
"No, just to stop you from humiliating yourself in front of others—and more importantly, in front of yourself."
I lowered my gaze into the blankets. I think I blushed all over. I wanted to snap back with something witty, but no words came out.
The professor sat at the edge of the bed and said: "Mnou, I'm not here to judge you. We all have our lives and problems, and we all deal with them differently. I don't know what you've been through, but I believe it wasn't easy. So let me say it again. I'm not here to judge you or mock you."
The more she reassured me, the more embarrassed I felt. With every word, the weight of my sins grew heavier. I wanted to bury my face in the pillows and block out the sound. Why? Why did you save me? You should have left me there to rot.
"I can't solve your problems for you. That's up to you. The only thing I can do is offer you a helping hand. Will you take it or not?"
I wanted to shake my head and decline, just to disappear from that room, that house, and away from the eyes of the woman I believed saw nothing but a wreck in front of her. But I still said nothing.
"Tomorrow morning, the ship The Lark is setting off on a trading journey. It will pass through almost the entire archipelago, and its final stop is the island of Kalkha. A small fishing isle. I recently heard that the witch Ux, who lived there, passed away. She was once my teacher here at the academy. She left behind a small, cozy house. I don't think anyone would mind if someone moved in—especially a witch. It's always good to have a witch nearby, don't you think?" She patted me kindly on the back. "Think it over. I don't mind if you want to return to that Virsel slum, but I think something better would do you good. A place where you can gather your thoughts. Start over."
The following morning, I marched towards the harbour alongside Professor Axel. A thick fog hung low over the docks, and the dampness clung unpleasantly in the air. I noticed indistinct silhouettes of sailors, occasionally brushing past us, only to vanish back into the mist. There was an odd, almost eerie calm all around.
I didn't talk much with my companion. I didn't feel like speaking, and she respected that. I was ashamed. It felt like I would never be able to repay her for everything she had done for me. I might never even see her again. And what would be waiting for me on that tiny island, anyway? I had no idea—and the uncertainty made me truly nervous.
Finally, we reached the end of the solid wooden pier, where the waves were crashing furiously against the planks. To our left stood a smaller but well-kept trading schooner. I could hear the crew shouting to each other as they loaded and organized cargo. A man in a wide red hat, crowned with a ridiculous heap of decorative green feathers, spotted us. He climbed up onto the pier and chatted with my teacher for a moment. Then he gave me a brief nod before returning to his duties. I just stood there, frozen like a statue.
"Captain Polyneu doesn't mind taking you aboard," the professor informed me. "Well… maybe he does mind, but we've known each other for a long time, and he owes me more than one Favor."
My saviour rummaged through her ornate satchel and pulled out two things—a hefty coin pouch and a crumpled piece of black fabric, or something like that. She handed me the pouch first.
"This should get you through the journey and help you start over. It's not much, but it should be enough."
I wanted to object, to refuse the gift, but Professor Axel didn't give me a chance. She continued right away:
"And this…" She began straightening out the strange bundle, and before I even realized it, the lump had transformed into a crumpled, pointy witch's hat. Without asking, she planted it squarely on my head.
I hesitantly adjusted it. I felt utterly ridiculous wearing it.
"Do I really have to wear this, Professor? No one wears these anymore…" I murmured.
"Not here in the center of magic, among sorcerers and the latest fashion, perhaps," she said, "but on remote islands, a pointed hat still marks a true witch. I think it suits you. But if you want to toss it overboard, be my guest—that's no longer my business."
The hat was made of a pleasantly soft material, and despite its slightly shabby appearance, I actually rather liked it. I decided to let it sit proudly on my head.
A shout came from the Lark: "We set sail in a few minutes! All aboard!"
"Well, this is where we part ways, Mnou di Cortello…"
"Just Mnou…" I interrupted, perhaps a bit abruptly—but I needed to say it.
The professor smiled. "Then just Mnou. I don't know what lies ahead for you, but I wish you only the best. Don't let your past or your mistakes consume you. There's no use tormenting yourself over things you can't change. Focus on what you can change. That's the only thing that matters. And I believe you can do it. I always have."
Tears welled up in my eyes. I pulled the brim of the hat down to hide them. I still didn't understand why she had done all this for me. I didn't believe I was someone who deserved it. I wanted to tell her that—but all I managed to whisper was, "Thank you. Thank you for everything."
Professor Axel smiled again, gently, and gave a small nod.
With my head bowed, I walked across the plank onto the swaying deck and made my way straight to the stern. The ship rocked on the waves and slowly pushed away from the dock.
I held on to the hat to keep it from being snatched by the wild sea wind and gripped my staff tightly in the other hand. I watched as the now-blurred silhouette of Professor Axel faded and disappeared into the fog. She had kept her arm raised in farewell gesture the entire time.
And so, in that mist, my old life disappeared with her—and I began anew.