Sophia: So, tell me, how did you become friends with my son?
Celia: Well… I wouldn't say we've been friends for a long time, but I consider all my classmates to be friends, so…
Sophia (smiling): I see. You have a heart of gold.
Celia: Please don't flatter me, ma'am. Anyone can consider their neighbor a friend, can't they?
Sophia: Of course, miss. But it depends on what we mean by "friend," wouldn't you agree?
Celia (laughing): You're really funny, ma'am. But—could you stop using formal address? It makes me a bit uncomfortable, you know?
Sophia (teasing whisper): For a princess, it's the least I can do. Or would you prefer I call you "Your Highness"?
Celia (surprised): By Gabriel! No! You'd put me in quite an awkward position in front of everyone… But how did you know I was a princess? Your son recognized me, too.
Sophia (nostalgic smile): Oh, him! He probably saw it right away. As for me, it took a bit longer to piece it together: your shyness, the way you try to hide your feelings, your upbringing… and that unforgettable face. Now, how did you find the meal?
Celia (eyes lighting up): Exquisite! It's the first time I've tasted such flavors. And yet, I eat these same dishes almost every day at the palace… Oops—I mean at home. Not to flatter you too much, but you've truly awakened my taste buds. I can still taste it on my tongue. In my humble opinion, you run one of the best restaurants in Murnia.
Sophia (knowing smile): You're too kind, Princess. However, if you want to speak in public without drawing attention, it's better to be straightforward. You mentioned earlier that I could help you with a school assignment, correct?
Celia: Yes! I admit, after such a hearty meal, it's easy to lose track of time and priorities. All right, I'll get to it. It's a class assignment on war heroes. I chose your husband—well, your late husband. Excuse me.
Sophia: No need to apologize. It's fine—as long as I can help a princess. What are your questions?
Celia (serious): How generous you are, ma'am. Very well, I'll begin then…
...
Hans and Nal had been walking for about twenty minutes, having nearly circled the entire town. Murnia, a small town in Orlas with roughly three thousand inhabitants, was divided into five main districts: The Saviour's Square, Sunflower Road, the Choirs, Flower Stream, and the administrative zone at the center. It was in this last district, where they were now, that the Royal Palace, the Bach, the main hospital, the Agronomy Institute, the Delibat, the Padinat, and many other public buildings stood, including the police station in front of which Hans stopped abruptly.
Nal (exasperated): Wait! You're leading me on a wild goose chase. You've spun me these far-fetched stories—my father wasn't dead, things about Gifts, who knows what else… I'm following you, and where are you taking me? To the sheriff!
Hans (amused): What did you expect? Secret facilities hidden away? Don't make me laugh! The more ordinary a place looks, the freer you are to do anything there.
Nal: So if I understand correctly, only the general public knows nothing about Gifts?
Hans: Not at all, brat. You've got it all wrong. Murnia is a small, peaceful town in Orlas, and Orlas itself is a very tranquil Lumland. If you add to that the fact that it has the lowest number of Gifters of any inhabited Lumland, you see how encountering a Gifter in Murnia is almost a miracle. Even Lob-Chen, the capital, counts only a few hundred Gifters.
Nal (surprised): You catalog Gifters all over the world?
Hans (smiling): We try, at least.
They arrived at the entrance of the building. Hans walked past the guard, an ordinary-looking man with sharp eyes. He greeted him briefly.
The Murnia police station, though modest, occupied a decades-old building. It had only five officers: the sheriff, his deputy, two patrol officers, and one front-desk clerk. The clerk, visibly pleased to see visitors, greeted Hans warmly. He checked Hans's ID, then opened the glass gate to let them in.
Reception Officer: Welcome, Hans Landman. You know where to go.
Hans: Thank you. The boy's with me.
They entered a corridor with walls yellowed by age. The floorboards creaked under their steps. The dim lighting made the atmosphere almost ghostly. Nal eyed everything around him with suspicion.
Nal: So this is where your headquarters is hidden?
Hans (with a sly smile): It's one of the entrances, let's say.
They entered a nondescript room: a worn desk, a wall-mounted zoner, chairs, and piles of files. At the back, a strange door drew attention. It looked nothing like the other doors in the station—no handle, with a glowing panel engraved with a dragon emblem: the emblem of the Lumland of Yddas.
Hans checked to make sure no one was watching, entered a hidden code, and at the final beep the door slowly opened, revealing a completely different world.
Hans: Welcome to the Gifts Guard.
Nal stepped inside, eyes wide. What he saw defied all logic: a vast, pristine hall bathed in an unreal white light. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all white, in an infinite range of subtle shades.
People in various styles of white uniform moved silently to and fro. All bore the same insignia as Hans.
Nal instinctively turned to see where he had come from…but there was nothing. No door. No police station. Just a brilliant white wall stretching without beginning or end, as if time itself had frozen.
Hans (calling): Hey! Kid! Over here!
Nal followed him to a counter, where a man dressed in white was waiting, seated behind a terminal.
Man at the Counter: Good evening! Your IDs, please.
Hans (handing his): The boy's with me.
The man checked the IDs, then nodded.
Man at the Counter: Here you go: Dan Hans. Dan Seth is expecting you in his office at 6:00 PM.
Nal (thoughts): Dan?… That name… Why did my heart react like that?
Hans: Follow me. We have forty-eight hours and not a minute to lose.
They took an elevator down to the third basement level. The silence grew deeper, almost oppressive. A large, empty white room lay before them, barren except for a door marked "#7."
As they approached, the interior lit up automatically from within.
Hans (opening the door): Tell me, what else did you read about Gifts in your books?
Nal: That depends on what you want to know. You have to be specific to get precise answers.
Hans: How do Gifts work, in your opinion?
Nal: I read that they're awakened through the Holy Energy.
Hans: True, but it's a bit more complex. The human body is nothing without the soul. And the soul is spiritual energy—the same nature as the Holy Energy protected by the priests in Celesta. Every human being holds a part of that energy. After the Devil's Relaxation, the Celestial Being sent us Gifts to defend ourselves. But to use a Gift, you need the spiritual energy contained in our souls. Gifter powers come from using that energy. There are two kinds of Gifts: physical Gifts and cognitive Gifts.
Hans (looking at Nal): You have a cognitive Gift. According to the analysis, yours is called the Probability Gift. That's why you anticipated everything happening around you. With your intelligence, if you fully developed your Gift, imagine what you could accomplish.
Hans (continuing): Physical Gifts require materializing spiritual energy, while cognitive Gifts work from within. However, there are very rare Gifts called Celestial Gifts—they are both physical and cognitive. Like the one your friend has, the one you thought you saved.
Nal (embarrassed): She's not my girlfriend… So she has a Gift too? Which one?
Hans: You'll have to ask her yourself. Now that you know what you are, let's talk about what you will become.
Nal: I understand you want to recruit me. For what?
Hans: To work here—you'll be recruited into the Gifts Guard.
Nal (firm refusal): No, thanks! Spending my days guarding Gifts or Gifters is not a life for me.
Hans: Who said anything about babysitting? Your mission will be much more dangerous and complex.
Nal (interested): You're starting to intrigue me. Tell me more.
Hans: All in due time. For now, I want you to awaken your spiritual energy. That can take days, weeks, months, or even years.
Nal: Wait! I thought I was already using my Gift.
Hans (laughing): Think again. You haven't accomplished anything yet. Those were just unconscious residues. Awaken your energy, and you'll truly know your Gift.
Nal: How does one awaken their spiritual energy?
Hans (smiling): Your patience is admirable. The mat in the center of the room will help. Ignore everything around you. Become one with your soul. Only then will you know what you're capable of. But communicating with your soul requires years of concentration for some. I'll let you begin.
With that, Nal stood still, closed his eyes, sat cross-legged on the mat, and began to concentrate.
Hans, satisfied, left the room in silence.