The Enlightened hall, once filled with whispers, had now transformed into a silent courtroom. One by one, students stepped forward… and one by one, they were judged.
The first student had finished.
A black-haired young man with sharp eyes returned to his line. A cold aura still lingered faintly around him.
"He's… incredible…"
"His mana control is clean…"
"If I'm not mistaken- that's Frontera, right?"
Whispers spread.
Professor Ryan wrote something on his sheet. Reginald stepped forward slightly.
"Felix Frontera. Class: Rogue. Grade: 3."
Silence.
Then,
"GRADE 3?!"
Several students tensed instantly.
Reginald crossed his arms. "There's no need to announce everything. Class and grade are sufficient."
Ryan didn't lift his head. "Faster this way."
His tone was flat, but heavy.
Reginald glanced at him, then chuckled lightly. "You want them to realize it that quickly?"
"Do as you wish, old Chimera."
"Next… Aider Erizon."
Some students frowned.
"Who?"
"Not that famous…"
But from afar, Omnia narrowed her eyes. "Erizon… Baron nobility."
Aider stepped forward casually, even waving lightly toward the line.
"Wish me luck," he whispered to Blane.
"No."
"Cruel."
He stood before the crystal.
Reginald gave a short nod.
Aider extended his hand.
A green light appeared… then flowed into the crystal.
The Observer Crystal spun.
Bright green spread within it.
Ryan wrote quickly. "Enough, Return."
Aider didn't move.
Instead, he leaned in slightly. "So… where am I?"
Ryan closed his eyes briefly. Took a breath.
"…Aider Erizon. Knight. Grade 3."
Silence.
"AGAIN?!"
Aider grinned widely. "Yosh!"
He returned with light steps.
Ryan rubbed his temple. "How many more…"
Reginald chuckled. "Enjoy it. They're still children."
The evaluation continued.
Name after name was called.
"Elyria Athena — Knight, Grade 3."
Elyria exhaled softly. "I thought it would be lower…"
Ketty beside her smiled. "Your standards are too high."
"Qurra Ebby — Knight."
"Only Knight? Did the other classes go extinct?" someone muttered.
The called student simply shrugged.
"Aida Erizon — Sparta, Grade 3."
Aider immediately perked up. "Same level as my little sister!"
Aida glanced at him flatly from afar. "Don't talk."
Aider covered his mouth. "Understood."
"Blane Evalin — Knight, Grade 3."
Blane let out a long sigh as he returned. "I'm starting to hate that number."
Cillian glanced at him. "You're focusing on the wrong direction."
Blane turned. "What do you mean?"
"Look below. Many are Level 1 and 2."
Aider suddenly appeared between them again. "True. I heard the lower ones are more common."
They fell silent.
"…Why doesn't that make me feel better, idiot?" Blane muttered.
Names kept passing.
Until,
"Omnia Griff."
The atmosphere shifted.
Some students even held their breath.
"That's her…"
"The only daughter of the Grand Duke…"
"From the Griffend family…"
Cillian stared straight ahead.
So it's true…
That name was never erased.
Only he was.
Omnia stepped forward.
Calm. Elegant. Yet… carrying an unseen weight.
Her hand rose.
Golden light burst forth.
Blinding.
Several students reflexively covered their eyes.
The light was warm… yet heavy.
Like something… sacred.
When it faded,
"Omnia Griff. Knight. Grade 3."
Whispers rose again.
"Should be higher…"
"At least grade 4… for Omnia," Elyria whispered.
Ketty added softly, "Or… maybe everything is capped at 3?"
Omnia returned.
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
"Nothing," they answered in unison.
Omnia didn't press further.
The evaluation continued.
"Ketty Feats — Knight, Grade 3."
"Hans Harold — Archer, Grade 3."
"Kai Hasperr — Sparta, Grade 3."
"Giless Vallois — Rogue, Grade 3."
Blane dropped his shoulders. "I'm out of words."
Cillian crossed his arms. "Of course. That's either the upper limit… or the illusion of one."
Blane glanced at him. "You talk like an old man."
"But you sound like a child."
"…"
Aider commented lightly, "Wow…"
Finally at the last name.
Ryan checked the list.
"Last… Cillian Magnus."
Silence.
"Magnus?"
"From the Magnus family?!"
Blane turned sharply. "You-"
Cillian cut him off. "You're hiding something too, Prince of Varkon."
Blane froze.
"…Fair enough."
Aider nodded in satisfaction.
Cillian stepped forward.
Hundreds of eyes followed him.
From the back,
Elyria stiffened. "Omnia…"
Omnia turned.
"His hair…"
Silver.
Red eyes.
Ketty's mouth opened. "That-"
"Impossible," Elyria cut in quickly.
"Yeah… impossible…"
But Omnia didn't answer.
Her gaze never left him.
It wasn't just resemblance.
There was something else.
Something… too familiar.
Too close.
A tear fell.
"We're… sorry…" Ketty whispered, panicked.
Omnia slowly shook her head.
"No…"
Her voice barely audible.
"It can't be wrong…"
Before the crystal,
Cillian raised his hand.
No hesitation.
No emotion.
Mana flowed.
And,
The crystal… reacted.
Not just spinning.
It trembled.
Violently.
Light… did not appear.
Instead,
Darkness.
Dense.
Deep.
As if swallowing the surrounding light.
Several students began trembling.
"What is that…"
"This… isn't Light…"
Reginald tensed.
Ryan stopped writing.
For the first time, both of them… were shocked.
At the same time...
[In the Mage hall]
Alyssa stood before her crystal.
Her fan closed.
Her eyes calm.
Mana flowed.
And,
The same darkness.
Some time before the distance in the Enlightened hall...
The Mage hall proceeded… too quietly.
Not because everything was orderly.
But because of one simple, ironic reason.
Vynessia was in the room.
The Imperial Princess.
A symbol of elegance, authority… and something subtler than both.
Nobles who normally lacked restraint suddenly remembered etiquette. Their voices dropped a level. Even insults turned into half-swallowed, venomous whispers.
Interesting. Humans can be polite… when something sufficiently terrifying is present.
"Rover Durcheim."
A black-haired boy stepped forward. His gaze was straight, though his shoulders held a slight tension.
Whispers began.
"A commoner…"
"He passed the selection?"
Rover didn't turn.
His hand touched the crystal.
Mana flowed.
The crystal spun fast, stable.
Light emerged.
The professor wrote.
"Enough, Return."
No dramatic announcement.
But when he returned,
Several faces changed.
Especially those who had nearly mocked him earlier.
Unfortunately, etiquette held their tongues. How tragic, being a noble forced to restrain oneself.
"Theo Welcott."
A brown-haired boy stepped forward with a casual stride that was a bit too casual.
Rover glanced at him. "Don't embarrass yourself."
Theo grinned. "I always look good."
Mana flowed.
The crystal spun.
A light nearly identical to Rover's appeared.
Professor Selene spoke briefly. "Magitech. Grade 3."
Theo smiled broadly. "Same field."
Rover exhaled. "Damn."
"Nice to be together."
"No."
"Liar."
A vein pulsed slightly on Rover's forehead.
Whispers returned.
"It's them…"
"The ones who caused trouble earlier…"
"The youngest son of Welcott… with a commoner?"
Meanwhile,
Vynessia sat calmly.
Her eyes were closed.
A gentle smile rested on her face.
The same expression since the beginning.
Perfect.
Too perfect.
"Ferris Wheelie."
The atmosphere shifted slightly.
A red-haired boy stepped forward with confidence that bordered on irritating.
"Watch and learn," he said quietly.
Mana burst outward.
The crystal reacted.
Crimson light flared.
The temperature in the room rose slightly.
Some students instinctively stepped back.
Ferris smiled in satisfaction. "No need to thank me, Professor… Astrid… Selene."
Astrid raised a brow. Selene didn't react.
"Class-"
"Pyromancer," Selene cut in flatly. "Elite Mage."
Ferris' smile widened.
"Grade-"
"I already know."
He turned.
Arrogant. But… unfortunately justified.
"Irene Adler."
Whispers again.
"Another commoner…"
"That name sounds so rural…"
Rover flinched slightly. "She…"
Theo nodded. "From earlier."
Irene stepped forward.
Nervous.
Clearly.
Her hand trembled slightly as it touched the crystal.
Mana flowed.
Blue.
Pure.
The crystal spun rapidly.
The light stabilized.
"Enough," Selene said.
Irene bowed slightly, about to step back—
"Class…"
She stopped.
"…Sorcerer. Elite Mage. Grade 3."
Silence.
Some students stared in disbelief.
Irene froze.
Then slowly… her eyes lit up.
She returned to her line with small, uncertain steps.
Rover smiled faintly. "Good."
Theo crossed his arms. "I'm starting to like this girl."
"You're insane, Theo."
The evaluation continued.
Name after name.
"Rose Elwynn — Sage, Grade 3."
"Emilie Brighton — Alchemist, Grade 3."
"Franz Becken — Rune's, Grade 3."
"Tania Saroi — Mentality, Grade 3."
"Emilia Brighton — Alchemist, Grade 3."
"Homer Crisst — Sage…"
No major surprises.
Until,
"Sarah Angles."
Sarah stepped forward.
Before that, she blinked toward Alyssa.
Alyssa simply stared flatly from behind her fan.
Sarah smiled faintly.
She closed her eyes.
Mana flowed.
Light appeared.
Warm.
Bright.
Like the sun.
"That's enough, Professor?"
Selene nodded.
Sarah returned.
A few seconds later-
"Solarmancer. Elite Mage. Grade 3."
Silence.
Then-
"Solarmancer?!"
"Third evolution of Light…?"
Alyssa lowered her fan slightly. "Congratulations."
Sarah immediately brightened, teasing, "So… are we friends now?"
"…Not yet."
Sarah's expression collapsed instantly.
Dramatic. Impressively so.
"Rachel Morgan."
A different aura.
Heavier.
She stepped forward.
Mana flowed.
The crystal reacted strangely.
As if… creating something within itself.
Rachel flinched. "Did I… do something wrong?"
Astrid and Selene exchanged a glance.
A brief discussion.
"Novamancer. Elite Mage. Grade 3."
Whispers erupted immediately.
"Nova?"
"That's… astrology, right?"
Rachel returned to her place, near Vynessia.
She lowered her head. "Thank goodness…"
Vynessia smiled gently. "You did well."
"I'm actually curious about your result, Your Highness."
"No need to be so formal, Rachel."
Only two names remained.
The atmosphere tightened.
"Next…"
Selene paused briefly.
"…Alyssa Magnus."
The room trembled with whispers.
"Magnus?"
"Descendant…?"
"That legend…?"
Alyssa stood.
Her fan covered half her face.
Her steps were calm.
Steady.
She stood before the crystal.
Silent for a moment.
Then,
Mana flowed.
It did not burst.
It did not shine.
Instead…
It consumed.
The crystal reacted.
Trembling.
Spinning unstably.
The light… vanished.
Replaced by-
Darkness.
Deep.
Silent.
As if the space itself… was being pulled inward.
Several students stepped back unconsciously.
Astrid tensed. Selene froze.
Her lips moved slowly.
Barely audible.
"…Ender… Mancer…"
Alyssa opened her eyes.
Her gaze was flat.
As if…
She already knew.
Out there, Darkness is a curse.
In this room, everyone began asking the same question.
Is this…
a curse?
Or… something far rarer than that?