Inside Tent 24, all the Amberwood Village kids were engaged in excited discussion. The atmosphere buzzed with curiosity and anticipation. The tent was spacious enough to accommodate 18 children, arranged based on capacity, with water and snacks placed on a table for them.
While munching on a baked sweet potato, Anto asked,
"Will they send Eren back to the village?" She glanced at Anne.
Anne pondered for a moment before replying,
"They won't. If they planned to send him away, why would they have his luggage brought to the tent?" she reasoned.
"Maybe they just want to check his condition—why he doesn't have a Verse. After that, they'll send him here. It could just be a formal admission check," Mark added.
"They already did a formal check when we were in our village. Why would they do it again here? And if they were going to, why didn't they check us as well?" Noah said in disgust.
"They'll probably just expel the senior who brought him here. What a waste of space and time for the instructors," another girl sneered.
Anne grew irritated. It had become a form of entertainment for them—mocking Eren at every opportunity.
"Why do you all keep trying to get rid of Eren? He's from our village. Even if you don't consider him a friend, why do you always act so disgusted by him? What has he ever done to you?" Kalara snapped.
"We're the ones who will be humiliated because of him. Once we get to the academy, everyone will know about the guy with no Verse, and they'll look down on us just because we come from the same village," another girl added.
Anne asked her friends to ignore the others.
Inside tent
Charlotte looking at the documents of the eren with serious look on her face.
"Eren, you don't have a formal Verse to awaken. Without a Verse, you cannot produce flame, and without flame, admission to the academy is impossible," Charlotte said indifferently.
"Without a Verse and flame, you will be an ordinary person. Our academy does not admit mundane individuals because they won't be able to learn anything."
Eren grew nervous. 'So, this is it… I'll end up living my life in the village after all. What will I do without the others?' He sighed inwardly. 'Maybe I'll take up crafting like my mother. I refused before, but it's probably the only way to make a living.'
"Once you graduate from the academy, you will have to serve the kingdom. You may travel through harsh regions and face countless dangers. Without power, you will not survive," Charlotte continued
"So, I suggest you return to your village and live a peaceful life. What do you say?" She looked at Eren, her tone indifferent.
'Well, I guess it's time to go back. I wonder how Leo will react after not seeing me for so long. Eren chuckled to himself. 'He'll probably be thrilled, but Klara… she'll definitely be disappointed.'
With that, Eren stood up, his expression gloomy, ready to leave. But before he could take a step, Charlotte gestured for him to sit back down, her eyes scanning a document.
"It says here that you can produce fire even without a Verse," Charlotte remarked, glancing at Eren.
He nodded.
"Alright, show me what you've got. If I'm impressed, I will reconsider your admission."
Eren's heart pounded. 'This is my one chance. Either I stay here, or I go back home.'
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and focused. He had first discovered his ability by tuning in to the rhythm of his heartbeat, so he did the same now, gathering every ounce of his concentration.
Slowly, he extended his hand, palm facing upward. Silence loomed in the tent.
Thirty long seconds passed, the tension thick in the air. Finally, a small, candle-sized flame flickered to life on Eren's palm. Sweat dripped down his forehead, his breathing grew heavy, and he struggled to maintain the flame as if his life depended on it.
Seconds passed—each one feeling like an eternity. Then, the tiny flame flickered out. Eren's arm dropped as he gasped for breath.
Edward and Charlotte remained silent, their expressions unreadable. Seeing their indifference, Eren immediately assumed he had failed to impress them. But strangely, he didn't feel too disheartened anymore. 'I've already accepted returning to the village and learning crafting from my mother.'
Charlotte flipped through the documents again, her brows furrowed in thought.
"Eren, it is impressive that you can produce fire without a Verse. But at the same time, compared to other awakened children, it is not extraordinary."
She leaned back. "The chubby kid who just left? He awakened two different Verses and has access to two different flames. Some call it a miracle."
Eren was stunned. 'So, he was telling the truth? The strongest awakener of this generation—wow.'
"But again, without a Verse, one shouldn't be able to produce flame. That is a fundamental rule of the world," Charlotte said, tapping her fingers on the table.
"Are you absolutely certain you cannot see any Verse?" she asked again, as if trying to confirm something.
Eren simply shook his head. He wasn't worried about admission anymore. 'Maybe I'll miss my friends, but that's all.'
After a brief pause, Charlotte turned to Edward. "What is your opinion on this matter?"
Edward took a moment before speaking. "Esteemed Fünflicht, while Eren is not as remarkable as the other children, he is unique in his own way. He can produce fire without a Verse—something unheard of."
He paused. "Perhaps, given time, he will awaken a Verse that is just beyond his reach. That is my opinion."
Eren's respect for Edward skyrocketed. 'So there's still hope?'
After a long silence, Charlotte looked at Eren.
"Alright, Eren from Amberwood Village. I will allow you to attend the academy—on one condition."
She leaned forward, her gaze sharp. "At some point—whether in a year, a month, or even next week—I will come looking for you. If you have not improved your strength to a level I find acceptable, I will expel you from the academy."
Her words carried weight, and Eren felt their gravity
"Do you have confidence that you can grow stronger? If you believe in yourself, then stay. If not, leave now and live a peaceful life in your village. What is your answer?"
Eren's mind raced. 'If I stay, I'll have to improve. But what if she checks next week?' He hesitated. 'But there's no harm in trying, right? Even if I get expelled, at least I'll experience academy life for a while.'
He took a deep breath. "I will stay and prove my strength."
Charlotte studied him for a moment before nodding. "Very well. I wish you the best in the academy. We will meet again soon."
She turned to Edward. "Do you have anything to add?"
"Nothing, Esteemed Fünflicht," Edward replied.
Eren stood up, resisting the urge to bow—he didn't want them laughing again. He walked calmly toward the tent's flap when Edward called his name.
Eren turned around, expecting the question—the one Edward had asked Jorlen earlier. 'Right, would you sacrifice your friends and family for world peace?'
Eren thought about it. 'There's no way I'd sacrifice my mother. Not even for the gods. And as for my friends… definitely not. Well, maybe Anto—she'd probably agree to be sacrificed if food was involved.' He smirked at the thought.
But to his surprise, Edward asked instead, "What is your favorite food?
The room fell completely silent. Eren blinked. He thought for a moment, then simply answered, "Chicken soup."
"Good. You may leave."
Eren didn't dwell on it and walked out of the tentAs he stepped outside, he noticed a large figure standing near the main tent entrance.
'Oh, it's the chubby kid.'
Jorlen waved at him, and Eren furrowed his brows in confusion. 'Why is he still waiting here?'
Resisting the urge to ignore him, Eren walked toward Jorlen.
"Are you waiting for someone?" Eren asked.
"I'm waiting for you, man," Jorlen replied with a calm expression.
Eren didn't know what to say. He had no interest in befriending strong kids—getting involved with them only led to trouble. 'How do I get away from this guy?' he thought.
Jorlen observed Eren's silence as if trying to read his thoughts. "Hey, let's go for a walk after you settle into your tent. We won't be departing for the city until evening—some of the kids from other villages still need to arrive."
'Wait… how does he know that?' But Eren kept his thoughts to himself. He didn't want to offend a strong or possibly noble kid.
"Let's go to your tent first," Jorlen said.
Eren hesitated to refuse but ultimately relented. The two of them started walking toward Tent 24.
…
Charlotte was silently reviewing the documents of the other kids when she suddenly asked,
"Edward, tell me the prophecy."
She continued looking at the documents, a smile on her face.
Edward was reluctant to recite the prophecy. "Esteemed Fünflicht, even though I have awakened my fourth Verse, I am not strong enough to speak the prophecy," he said.
Charlotte didn't react or show any expression. She simply understood.
"You can't say that, Edward. You are destined to be a figure whom future generations will praise for your valor—how the ********* had once bowed before you."
"Not without your name, Esteemed Fünflicht," Edward replied, considering the possibilities.
Charlotte smiled calmly while Edward stood near her, beaming with pride.
Edward cleared his throat. "Hmm… let this day be remembered by the future in my name," he declared in a proud tone. "Well, I can only recite two lines."
Charlotte nodded.
Edward cleared his throat again and recited:
"When embers sleep and Verses fade,
A silent wick shall glow unmade."
Before he could finish the last word, Edward fell to his knees, blood pouring from his mouth.
Charlotte remained unfazed by his condition. Outside, dark clouds gathered above the tents for the briefest moment, sending a ripple of fear and commotion among the children.
"You are very brave, Edward," Charlotte said. "You are worthy of the praise of future generations."
"Now, tell me the meaning of those two lines of the prophecy," she commanded.
Though Charlotte had asked for an explanation, Edward did not obey immediately. He remained on his knees for a long moment before gathering the strength to stand—his expression filled with the satisfaction of having accomplished something great.
"I will paraphrase what my master told us," Edward said.
Charlotte did not interrupt him. She simply stared at the dark space beyond the tent's flap, waiting for Edward to speak.
Edward took a deep breath and said,
"When the world's powers die out, and the grand flames are nothing but cold ash...
A boy who shouldn't even have a flame will still hold a tiny, forgotten flame."