However, Adina’s mind was still developing slowly, and she couldn’t be expected to think like an adult overnight. The members of the Dark Divine Hall understood the folly of rushing her development, so they deliberately kept her from appearing in public.
The official explanation was that Adina was frail and needed to recuperate, but in reality, they were giving her a quiet space to grow. How could the great and powerful Dark Saintess open her mouth and sound like a little child? She had none of the awe-inspiring, domineering presence she once possessed when she dominated the battlefield. That would never do.
Therefore, in addition to her few Holy Beast tutors, nearly all the Elders of the Dark Divine Hall served as Adina’s teachers. Her daily routine was an endless cycle of lessons, magical training, and more lessons.
Adina had a patient temperament, and the memories Tan You shared with her were mostly about the study of Magic Arrays. She went from being utterly bewildered at the beginning to gradually starting to see the intricacies of the art.
Tan You, for her part, was getting a kick out of it. These members of the Dark Divine Hall were usually so imposing and powerful, yet when she started teaching them mathematics, not a single one could understand it.
Eventually, Tan You couldn’t help but wonder, ’Am I teaching them math, or am I speaking gibberish?’
The raven chimed in, "I think it’s because they’re all very mature Mages. They already have a firm understanding of the world. It’s hard for them to suddenly grasp a completely new subject."
"But a little child like Adina has never been exposed to it before. She’s a blank slate, so she’s able to accept what you’re teaching."
Adina stroked the slender body wrapped around her wrist. "Yaya, I’m not a little child. I’m... I’m seven... no, eight years old now."
"Pfft..." A soft chuckle sounded from nearby. Adina glanced out the window and saw the First Elder, Second Elder, Third Elder, and others, along with Fiers and Davidson, all with smiles on their faces.
They had come to watch Adina study, only to arrive just in time to see her, with a serious expression on her little face, insisting that she was eight years old.
Adina didn’t get angry at being laughed at. She simply stared at them with her azure eyes, looking a little wronged.
Fiers loved to tease her the most. "Adina, I’m heading out in a bit. A new pastry shop just opened in the market. Want me to bring some back for you?"
Tan You facepalmed. Although Adina was a quiet girl, she was also a very polite child. The first time she met this group of Mages from the Dark Divine Hall, she had gone down the line calling them "Uncle," "Grandpa," and "Grandma."
This delighted the group from the Divine Hall so much that they walked with a new spring in their step. As a result, they all loved to tease her, making her the undisputed darling of the Dark Divine Hall.
Adina pouted. "Uncle Fiers, I’m not a little child anymore..."
Davidson’s shoulders couldn’t help but shake with laughter. Only a little child would constantly insist to others that they weren’t a child.
The First Elder, Second Elder, and the other Mages watched Adina with faces full of affection. Although the Saintess was now a different person, this little Saintess was wonderful in her own right. A Saintess who had grown up right under their noses undoubtedly felt closer to them.
Tan You had to interrupt them. "Alright, that’s enough. I still have to give Adina her lesson. Or would you all like to listen in on some mathematics? Fiers, where did we leave off last time? We were on equations, weren’t we?"
Fiers immediately made a run for it. "Oh, I just remembered! Davidson and I have plans to go drinking. We should get going."
Davidson added, "Yes, that’s right. Your Holiness, Fiers and I will take our leave now so we don’t delay Adina’s lesson."
The Elders, also fearing they’d be dragged into a math lesson by Tan You, each found an excuse to leave. Soon, the area around Adina was quiet once more.
Adina rested her chin in her hands. "Everyone is so nice. It’s much more comfortable here than it was with the Edmonds family."
Tan You tapped Adina’s forehead. "You still have the energy to be thinking about the Edmonds family? It seems your workload is too light."
Although Tan You was just a Soul Body, Adina still played along and dodged to the side. "Teacher, don’t knock me on the head. I’m not that smart to begin with."
"Nonsense, I think you’re very clever," Tan You said with a faint smile. "Yesterday we covered equations. Today, we’ll start on linear equations with two variables..."
Soon, as Tan You lectured, the Holy Beasts in the small room began to slump over, one by one, and soft snores filled the air. Even the Netherworld Snake coiled around Adina’s wrist started seeing stars before falling onto the desk with a soft THUD.
Only Adina’s eyes grew brighter the more she listened, and she scribbled notes nonstop.
Time flew by. For the members of the Dark Divine Hall, the war between Light and Dark felt as if it had happened only yesterday. But for the people of the Imperial City, it was already a distant memory.
Ten years had passed, and the nobility of the Imperial City had undergone a major reshuffling. For example, the Edmonds family, once at the zenith of their power, had gradually faded into obscurity over the past decade. The families that were once close to the Divine Hall of Light had also seen their power wane.
After the Twilight of the Gods, it wasn’t until two years ago that the Divine Hall of Light was re-established in the Imperial City. But despairingly, very few children with a talent for the Light Element had been born in the last ten years. In contrast, the Dark Divine Hall had seen a surge in the number of children born with an affinity for the Dark Element.
Of course, this ratio was only among the population with magical talent. In reality, the probability of awakening any magical talent at all was still extremely low.
"Today is a joyous day! Let us all celebrate Adina turning twenty-two, and also celebrate her becoming an eight-star Mage!" the First Elder said, raising his glass. He looked at Adina, who had shed her childish naivety and grown into a composed and capable woman.
Adina raised her glass to the First Elder as well. "Thank you, everyone. I’m finally twenty-two. I hope that in the future, I can stir up storms and make waves just like my teacher."
Tan You smiled. "The Divine have long since returned to their places. You don’t need to save the world. The only thing you need to do is fulfill your role as the Dark Saintess and work hard to raise the next generation."
The First Elder sighed as well. "Although the Divine Hall has taken in many talented children over the years, they are ultimately too young to support it. And we... we are growing old. We don’t know how many more years these old bones of ours can hold on."
As the First Elder spoke, his eyes kept darting toward Tan You, but she refused to take the bait. "Davidson and Fiers are in the prime of their lives. And First Elder, just this morning you were sparring in close combat with the Second Elder. How can you say you’re growing old?"
"Besides, things are peaceful within the Divine Hall. There’s no need for the First Elder to worry so much."
The First Elder knew Tan You wouldn’t be baited so easily. He wasn’t angry. "Fine, fine. Our Saintess is as sharp as ever, I see."
Even though Adina had come into her own, the members of the Divine Hall had grown accustomed to addressing Tan You as "Her Holiness, the Saintess." As for Adina, they called her "the Little Saintess" or simply by her name, making it easy to distinguish between the two.