The Noble Lady Without Magic Aims to Become an Adventurer! - Chapter 1
“It is truly unfortunate, but we were unable to detect any magical power in Lady Maroa.”
Gailon was at a loss for words upon hearing the priest’s declaration.
“…What does that mean?”
“Lady Maroa has no magical power.”
“That’s a lie. It must be! The testing equipment must be broken! Test her again—do it again!”
At Chas’s insistence, the priest placed the infant on the platform once more, but again, there was no reaction.
“No magical power…”
“Poor thing.”
“How dreadful—she’s the same age as my child…”
As murmurs filled the temple hall, the couple, unable to endure the disbelief and shock, quickly gathered Maroa and boarded their carriage.
A man paced restlessly, awaiting the birth of his child. His name was Gailon Effsee, the Marquis. The sound of a baby crying reached his ears, and he eagerly waited by the door for someone to call for him.
After a moment, the midwife emerged from the room, cradling a baby.
“Congratulations, Marquis. It’s a girl.”
“…A girl? That’s disappointing, but it can’t be helped. Still, she’s adorable, just like Chas.”
“She also resembles you, my lord. With such well-defined features, she’ll grow up to be a beauty. Have you decided on a name for her?”
Otto, the butler standing nearby, entered the room and asked the Marquis, who was now holding the baby.
“Of course, I have. Her name is Maroa.”
Gailon answered with a smile.
As Gailon was busy with royal court duties from morning to night, and Chas struggled to recover from childbirth, Maroa was soon placed in the care of a wet nurse. Despite living in the same mansion, Maroa’s parents rarely saw her, leaving her care entirely to the wet nurse and maid, Violeta.
Violeta, who carried her own child on her back, spent every moment with Maroa, tending to her tirelessly. Perhaps sensing her circumstances even as an infant, Maroa cried very little and rarely caused trouble for Violeta.
Though her parents were absent, Violeta cared for Maroa as if she were her own child, feeling pity for the little girl.
Six months after Maroa’s birth, the day of her magical power evaluation arrived. In this country, all children—noble and commoner alike—are tested for magical power roughly six months after birth.
Today was the designated day for noble children born six months prior to gather at the temple. Maroa boarded the carriage with her parents, heading for the temple.
The temple, usually crowded with commoners offering prayers, had its pews cleared for the special occasion held once a month. In the center stood priests and the magical power measuring device. Nobles lined up in an orderly fashion, greeting one another as they awaited their turn. Gailon and Chas joined the line, exchanging pleasantries with other nobles.
Suddenly, a commotion stirred the hall.
The king and queen entered after Gailon and his family. The queen held the third prince, Prince Sherman, in her arms. Prince Sherman, smaller and frailer than other children, had been unable to attend last month’s evaluation due to poor health and was participating this month instead.
“Your Majesty, please come to the front.”
Recognizing that it would be improper for the king to wait in line, a priest invited them forward. However, as they moved, Prince Sherman began to cry loudly, unleashing magical power. The queen tried to soothe him, but his cries continued unabated.
The magical power emanating from the prince spread throughout the hall, shaking the windows. Maroa, stimulated by his cries, also began to wail.
The priests were astonished by the magic leaking from the prince. Unable to calm him, the royal family decided to forgo the evaluation and return to the castle.
Amid the chaos, it was finally Maroa’s turn. Her parents, still shaken by the commotion, approached the priest with their now-quieted daughter.
“Marquis Effsee, please place Lady Maroa in the basket.”
Following the priest’s instructions, Gailon placed Maroa into the magical power measuring basket, which was said to cause a reaction in the crystal base if the child possessed magical power. But there was no response when Maroa was placed inside.
“It is truly unfortunate, but we were unable to detect any magical power in Lady Maroa.”
Gailon was left speechless.
“…What does that mean?”
The priests exchanged uneasy glances before speaking hesitantly.
“Lady Maroa has no magical power.”
“That’s a lie! It must be! The equipment must be broken! Test her again—do it again!”
Even the usually unshakable Gailon and Chas were rendered speechless. Nobles are almost always born with magical power, and even many commoners possess some. Yet their daughter had none.
Feeling as though their daughter had been branded with a stigma, her parents were devastated.
Despite Chas’s plea, the priest tested Maroa again, but the result remained the same. Murmurs spread among the gathered nobles, adding to the couple’s humiliation.
Unable to endure the atmosphere, the couple hastily left the temple with Maroa, boarding their carriage. Only the sound of Chas’s sobs filled the air as they returned home, their faces dark with despair.
After much discussion, Gailon reached a decision: Maroa would be sent to their estate in the countryside.
In a society that valued magical power, life would be difficult for a child without it. Wishing for her to grow up freely away from scrutiny, her parents decided to send her to Lanloft Village, at the edge of their domain. Maroa would live there with Violeta, her son, and a guard to watch over her.