Leaving the dining room, Fleur looked calm and stoic as her face was riddled with no emotions. However, deep inside she contemplated: "The academy..."
One of the parting wishes of the Grandmother to her was to attend the academy. Although Fleur didn't know if the Grandmother had truly parted or not, she would gladly live for herself in her one year of freedom.
Additionally, she gazed at the marking left by the Grandmother depicting a coiled white snake that formed a spiral.
She did not know what the Remembrance was used for or what potential it holds, so Fleur determined that she had to gain more knowledge before attending the academy.
"A few weeks, at the very least.. I have to get accustomed to this body."
Walking in the near endless hallways, Fleur found herself confused.
'Is this a maze?!'
It had been 10 minutes, at least, when she had left the dining room. Perhaps some sort of enchantment was bound to this location. However, Fleur shook her head.
After a few more minutes, she arrived at the main lobby. It looked spacious and as exquisite as the aforementioned areas. Seeing that no one is around, Fleur thought to herself that it would've been easier had someone guided her.
Alas, in an instant, the shadows beneath her feet began to tremble. An emanating figure came from within, shaping upwards while looking akin to the doll-like maids.
Fleur remained composed, but her heart raced faster than before.
"May we be of your service, young Grandmother?"
"I'm not a Grandmother yet.. Do not address me as such." Fleur brushed her off.
"Understood, then what shall we address your reverence?"
"Just my name will be fine."
The doll-like maid nodded her head in agreement, "Understood, Madam Fleur.."
Fleur looked the maid straight in the eye, noticing its lifeless hue.
Then, she shook her head, not gazing a little longer as she felt that if she did, something would've encapsulated her mind.
"What shall I address you?"
The maid bowed her head, "Address us as you may, Madam Fleur."
"Then.. Iris, If I may ask, how should one determine their Attunement?"
"That.. Madam Fleur, shall be answered very soon. I must take my leave."
Dumbfounded, Fleur paused for a second before absorbing what Iris had just said.
"Wai-"
In an instant, the door entrance to the main lobby swung open. Winds came forth, as it revealed an endless field of wheat in the distance.
However, a figure stood in the front of the entrance, two arms crossed while maintaining a sense of elegance.
"So you are.. Fleur? The supposed 9th Grandmother?"
Fleur took a step back, putting her guard up upon the sight of the individual.
Her eyes adjusted to the light beyond. Now, she noticed a tall woman dressed in black drapes, her body covered entirely in a dark manner. All except for her mouth.
It was red, alluring, and most of all.. seductive.
"And you are?" Fleur asked, her tone as cold as ice.
The woman dressed in black took a step forward, the world seemed to shake uncontrollably.
Then, in a blink of an eye, Fleur found herself inside a marble of complete darkness.
She looked around, noticing a red light permeating the darkness that covered the entirety of a marble.
Then, she heard a silent whisper behind her ears.
"This is a test. This marble will radiate the color of your Attunement. For now, it is dark.." The voice softly whispered, placing Fleur in a state of comfort, "Try to raise your hand forward."
Fleur was filled with urges of raising her hand forward. However, he ultimately didn't listen to the whispers.
"Defiant.. I like it, but it is of no matter."
Suddenly, Fleur's arm raised forward.
"Knggh!" Fleur gritted her teeth in pain from the forced movement. But then, a soft cushion covered her hands, making her feel as if she had touched a cloud.
A second later, the colors of the marble began to change. It turned from black to red, and then from red to orange.
The orange hue coagulated, slowly turning into yellow. After a few moments, the color change stopped.
The soft whispers resounded once more, "Yellow.. Very few options for Attunemen-"
Before the whispers could finish, the yellow marble radiated. Reflections began appearing, turning the color into a more grandiose look.
For a few seconds, the marble reflected the sweltering sun.
"I see.. A variant.. It is already mysterious enough for a succubus to be Attuned to elements of yellow in contrast to the usual pink.. However, to think that not only did you Attune to the unusual but from a variant?"
The whispers got closer as if speaking from the insides of Fleur's ears, "I can see why you were chosen.."
Cracks appeared in the distance, shattering the marble into myriad pieces.
Then, Fleur opened her eyes and saw that she was back at the main lobby.
Now, the woman covered in black was face to face with her, grinning from both ear to ear.
"You are Attuned to Gold, or rather.. the color gold," The woman took a step back and brought her fingers to her cheek, "The usual process would be to be Attuned to a color, and then specific elements would show right after.."
"But in your case.. The marble cracked immediately. Out of the many decades that I've served as a Judge, I've only seen one other individual who has their marble cracked.." The woman's mouth moved as if it were animated, constantly showcasing a prowess belonging to that of a Succubus.
"The 8th chose well.. You'd better live up to your expectations, dear child."
The woman turned around and walked slowly but just as she was about to leave Fleur parted her lips and said, "How impudent."
"Hmm?" The woman slightly tilted her head back.
"You barge into my home, acting like it's all yours? Utterly disrespectful."
Fleur walked forward, each step resonating within the empty lobby.
Then, only a few inches away from the women, Fleur gazed up at her.
"Kneel."
The woman's red lips curled up in amusement, "Oho?"
Fleur's eyes showed determination, "I said kneel before your Grandmother."
"But you aren't the Grandmother yet.."
"So what?"
Fleur got closer.
"I said kneel," Her voice as calm as still waters yet as fierce as the striking storms.
"Interesting.."
The woman clothed in black drapes slowly kneeled in front of Fleur, bowing her head to show respect to the next Grandmother, "Are you satisfied?"
As Fleur stared down upon her, she crossed her arms and swiftly turned around and headed to the halls.
Now only left alone in the lobby, the woman stood up and gazed at Fleur's figure.
"Charinah.. Just who did you choose as your successor?"
*
"So many things are happening at once.." Fleur couldn't help but shake her head in distress.
She walked at the endless hall once more, finding herself to be lost again.
This time, however, she knew what to do.
"Iris."
The shadows beneath her feet pulsated.
"Yes, Madam Fleur?"
"Ah- I take it back, call me Grandmother from now on."
Iris bowed and held her hand on her chest, "Understood."
"Yeah. I seem to be lost once more. Since it seems that we are on a field in the middle of nowhere. I order you to fetch me a carriage that can lead me to the city."
"Understood Grandmother, however, I think you may have misunderstood," Iris politely stated as to not offend Fleur in any way.
"What do you mean?"
"We are already in the city. In fact, we are also at several other places at once."
"Huh?" Fleur tried to comprehend what she had just said but it didn't click in her mind.
"This place is the 8th Grandmother's Home, also known as the Labyrinth. It connects every property that the 8th Grandmother owns and serves as an ease of access in terms of travel."
Fleur thought for a second.
'How convenient!'
Then, she asked, "How many properties did she own?"
"Approximately 1198."
Fleur was bumfuzzled, her eyes almost turned wide but she controlled her impulses.
"Is that why the halls are so long?"
Iris shook her head, "Not quite, Grandmother. In traversing these endless halls, you must think of a destination already etched from one of the 1198 properties. If not, then the Labyrinth would choose one automatically."
"Automatically huh.. So how did that woman know which entrance to pass through? Who even is she?"
"That woman.." Iris stopped for a second before answering, "She is one of the Judges in the Mage Society, representing the Succubi. Normally, she assesses every Attunement of every Succubus in the world."
"Was she of high status?" Fleur asked.
"Considering that Judges are known to possess the pinnacle of their respective Attunements, then I would say that she is."
Fleur fell into deep contemplation.
'Pinnacle? One of the Judges in Mage Society? Have I just offended someone of high status?'
Fleur sighed and looked at Iris' direction, "Why didn't you tell me this earlier..
Feeling that she has mistreated a powerful being, Fleur couldn't help but feel flustered.