[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-born-as-a-witch":3,"chapter-born-as-a-witch-born-as-a-witch-chapter-131":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Born as a Witch",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1702630,2172,"Chapter 131: Special - 4 - Maelin’s Life","born-as-a-witch-chapter-131",131,"\u003Cp>The lantern burned low in the corner of the room. Dinner had been eaten in silence, every bite tasting heavier than usual. Now the family gathered close around the hearth, the glow of the firelight softening their tired faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maelin sat on the floor, knees pulled to her chest, staring at the flames as though they held the answers. Her siblings watched her in unusual quiet, their usual chatter stilled by the weight of the emissary’s words. Finally, it was her mother who spoke, her voice gentle but firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ve been quiet all evening, Maelin. Tell us what sits on your heart.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maelin hugged her knees tighter. For once, her endless words did not come easily. But when she finally looked up at them, all the familiar faces she had grown with, argued with, laughed with, the words spilled out, raw and trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I want to go,\" she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. \"I want to see the Sanctum, to learn what this... fire inside me means. To see the world beyond our village. I’ve dreamed of something like this my whole life.\" She smiled shakily, a spark of excitement breaking through. \"But... I’m scared. Not for me. For you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her father leaned forward, resting his calloused hand on her shoulder. \"We’ve raised you to be strong, Maelin. Stronger than even we realized. You mustn’t worry about us. This family has always found a way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eldest sister nodded, her eyes bright. \"And you’d only drive yourself mad if you stayed here, hiding what you are. We know you. You’re happiest when you’re chasing something new.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of her younger brothers piped up, voice cracking with emotion. \"You’ll come back though, right? You’ll come back to us?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maelin’s throat tightened. She reached over and pulled him into a hug, pressing her forehead to his. \"Of course I will. This is my home. You’re my family. No matter where I go, I’ll always come back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mother, who had been silent, finally spoke. Her hands were busy twisting the edge of her apron, but her voice was steady. \"Maelin, your path has always been a little brighter, a little wilder, than the rest. Perhaps this fire was meant for you, and perhaps the world was meant to see it. Go. Learn. Grow. And when you can, return to us. We will be waiting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tears welled in Maelin’s eyes. She wanted to laugh, to cry, to leap up and hug them all at once. Her heart felt torn, pulled in two directions, yet at the same time filled with a joy she could hardly contain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t deserve such a family,\" she whispered, wiping at her face with a grin that trembled. \"But I promise, I’ll make you proud. I’ll make us proud.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her father pulled her into his arms, and one by one the others crowded around, until she was buried in the warmth of them all. For the first time that day, the heaviness in the air lifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, as Maelin lay down to sleep, she felt both torn and whole at once—aching with love for her family, yet burning with the call of something greater. The fire inside her no longer frightened her. It was a promise, a path, and tomorrow, she would take her first step upon it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first light of dawn spilled into Maelin’s room, painting the wooden beams of the ceiling in soft gold. She hadn’t slept much because of excitement, nerves, and a hundred swirling thoughts kept her eyes wide open most of the night. Her pack lay half-filled on the floor: a few changes of clothes, a small wooden comb, a pouch of dried fruit her mother had set aside, and the curious fireproof plant she had hidden in a cloth wrapping. She didn’t know if she was even allowed to bring such a thing, but the thought of leaving it behind made her chest tighten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of quiet footsteps reached her, and the door creaked open. Her mother, tall but with shoulders stooped from years of carrying water and tending to crops, stepped inside. She held a steaming bowl of millet porridge, the scent warm and comforting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Morning, little flame,\" her mother whispered, placing the bowl on the low table. \"Eat something. You’ll need your strength today.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maelin sat up, hair falling loose and tangled around her face. She gave her mother a bright smile, though her eyes were tired. \"I don’t think I could swallow anything. My stomach’s all fluttery.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mother gave her a look, the kind that softened scolding with love. \"Even a sparrow must eat before it flies.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a small laugh, Maelin took the spoon and managed a few bites. The porridge was warm, grounding, and she felt the knots in her stomach ease a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon her father entered, carrying a folded shawl. His face was calm, but the lines around his mouth betrayed the effort of keeping his emotions steady. \"The mornings on the mountain path are colder than the village,\" he said, draping the shawl over her shoulders. \"It was your grandmother’s. She would have wanted you to take it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maelin clutched it to her chest, suddenly overwhelmed. \"I’ll take good care of it. I promise.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her younger brother burst in next, his energy spilling like an untamed river. \"You’re going to breathe fire at people, aren’t you?\" he exclaimed, eyes wide with awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maelin laughed despite herself. \"No! I’ll be learning to control it. Not to set people on fire.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But you could,\" he insisted, puffing his cheeks and pretending to spit flames. Their father ruffled his hair, chuckling softly, though his gaze quickly returned to Maelin, heavy with unspoken words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her sister, quieter and older than the brother, lingered at the doorway before stepping forward. She pressed a small carved trinket into Maelin’s palm, a bird with wings outstretched. \"I made it for you,\" she said. \"So you don’t forget how it feels to fly home.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maelin hugged her tightly, blinking fast to chase away tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When all were gathered, her father spoke at last, his voice low but steady. \"We always knew you were different, Maelin. You carried fire inside you before anyone else could see it. The emissary’s offer... it’s not something every family receives. You must go. Not for us. For you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mother placed a hand over Maelin’s. \"We will miss you, but this village will still be here when you return. Go into the world. Learn. Grow. Carry us in your heart.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maelin swallowed hard. She wanted to argue, to tell them she couldn’t bear to leave them alone, but their faces, all glowing with pride despite the sadness, stopped her. Instead, she smiled, though her voice trembled. \"I’ll go. But I’ll come back. I promise.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The morning bells chimed from the elder’s hall, signaling the beginning of the day. Outside, she could already hear villagers gathering, eager to see her off. She rose, smoothing her clothes, the shawl warm around her shoulders. Her family surrounded her in one last embrace, arms folding over each other until they were a single circle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they let go, Maelin took a deep breath and stepped toward the door, the light of the new day washing over her. She was still torn, half of her wanted to stay rooted in the love of her family, the other half ready to leap into the unknown. But in that moment, both halves burned brightly together, and she carried their warmth with her as she walked out to meet her destiny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maelin’s feet crunched on the path as she walked toward the village’s edge, Seran Valis riding beside her, calm and steady. Elder Thoren followed a few steps behind, keeping a respectful distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they neared the square, the village had begun to gather. Faces she had known since she was a child, the neighbors, merchants, the children who used to chase her around the streets—lined the path, waiting. Some clutched small gifts or ribbons, others just stood silently, hands over hearts or arms crossed in quiet pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her younger brother ran ahead, waving wildly. \"Mae—Mae—come back safe!\" he yelled, breathless and laughing through tears. Her eldest sister held the carved trinket up high, as though showing the whole village that it was hers to keep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maelin waved back, her own hand trembling. Her chest felt tight, but her face was bright with a smile she hoped hid the swirl of emotions inside. She caught her mother’s gaze, strong and steady even as tears glimmered in her eyes. Her father stood behind her, hands clasped behind his back, nodding once as if to say, You are ready.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she walked past, villagers murmured and smiled. Some waved hands, others bowed slightly in respect. Elderly men and women, who had watched her grow from a fiery little girl into a strong young woman, gave quiet nods or soft smiles, their pride plain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ll make us proud, Maelin,\" someone whispered from the crowd. Another voice called out, \"Safe travels, little flame!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the children, normally chasing one another and teasing, lined up to wave, small hands fluttering in the air. Maelin laughed, waving back, feeling a warmth that rivaled the fire in her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hush fell as she passed Elder Thoren, who gave her a small, approving nod. Seran Valis looked down at her from his horse, smiling warmly. \"The world is waiting for you,\" he said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the path cleared of villagers. Maelin’s heart thumped in her chest, a mix of sorrow, excitement, and pride. She looked back once, seeing every familiar face waving, smiling, tears glinting in the morning sun. Some faces radiated happiness for her new journey, some were tinged with sadness at her leaving, but all were proud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The village faded behind her, the path ahead winding toward the distant volcano and beyond. And though the future was uncertain, Maelin felt the fire inside her pulse brighter than ever. She was ready to step into the world, carrying the love, hope, and pride of everyone she left behind.\u003C\u002Fp>",1683,"2026-06-06T14:30:21.781Z",1,"novelbin.me","fc6a9fac5408cc7f3c4916d6822b48189d701c0ce82948a7e0aa49cf5612a13c","born-as-a-witch-chapter-220","born-as-a-witch-chapter-368",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fborn-as-a-witch-cover.jpg"]