Chapter 5

Scene — “Where silence weighs more than words”
Plaza of the Rising Dragon Kingdom — Main Gate
9:47 a.m. — No one speaks. But everyone feels what hasn’t yet been said

Six young women walked through the plaza,
blue eyes, golden hair,
their steps light but steady beneath the morning sun.
And then—
just in front of the kingdom’s entrance—
their eyes met his.

A tall young man.
White hair.
Golden eyes.

Princess 1 (whispering) 
“…It can’t be…”

Princess 4 (holding her breath) 
“Is that him…? Tell me I’m not seeing wrong…”

Princess 6 (frozen) 
“Those eyes… golden… just like ten years ago…”

And all of them, without another word, remembered.

Memory — when they were eight
A baby in the arms of a dark mage.
The roar of the dragon Rhazkar.
The shadow spear.
The silence.
The stabbing.
Their bodies on the ground.
His voice never screamed.
His tears fell slowly.

Mage 1 —
“No magical pulse!”

The tremor.
The sky breaking.
Voices without language.
Judgment descending in the form of five angels.
The decree.
The new breath.

Angels —
“Return his soul… not as a child, but as judgment.”

The baby rose as a boy.
Eight years old.
No crown.
No name.
But he was no longer among them.
The mages took him.
They stayed.
And he never returned.

Present
Kagayaku stopped in front of them.
He said nothing.
He didn’t need to.
The six looked at him.
One of them stepped forward without thinking.

Princess 2 (voice trembling) —
“…Brother…”

Scene — “Where the garden witnessed what Lileth never imagined”
Amber Mist Inn Gardens / Entrance to the Academy of Magic
10:43 a.m. — Warm breeze, enchanted leaves, filtered light… everything feels calm, until Lileth stops

The garden glowed between paths of luminous stone,
roots intertwined like ancient promises,
and treetops that sang softly.

Suspended fountains shimmered in the air,
casting golden glimmers across the magical walls.
Birds with enchanted feathers crossed the sky in silence,
as if honoring what was about to be revealed.

Lileth walked beside Kagayaku.
They didn’t speak,
but the silence wasn’t empty.
It was weight, waiting… destiny.

In front of the runic gate of the academy,
six girls spoke softly.
Robes embroidered with moon-thread,
no crowns…
but each carried the presence of someone who doesn’t need titles.

Lileth (stopping, confused but curious) 
“…The princesses of Arathen…? I wasn’t told you were coming…”

Princess 2 (eyes shining, as if something long held finally released) 
“We thought you’d never return… not like this… not here.”

Princess 1 (holding back tears, voice soft but breaking) 
“Do you know how many times we imagined this moment…?
And still… it feels like a dream that doesn’t belong to us.”

The six approached slowly,
as if the universe allowed that step without interruption.
They surrounded Kagayaku.
They embraced him.
And the air seemed to bow in silent respect.

Lileth (still, lips parted, gaze unfocused) 
“…What’s happening…?”

Princess 3 (looking at her with sincere kindness, almost apologizing with her eyes) 
“You didn’t know… did you, Lileth?”

Princess 5 (still touching Kagayaku’s shoulder, voice tempered by memory) 
“He’s our brother.
We grew up together,
in ivy-covered courtyards and halls full of history.
And one day… he left.
They told us he had to go.
But they never said when he’d return.”

Princess 4 (nostalgic smile, eyes lowered to the magical mosaics) 
“Sometimes leaves would arrive.
Unsigned letters.
Just drawings, his sketches…
As if he wanted to tell us he was still here.”

Merchants beneath enchanted awnings paused their hands.
Voices turned to whispers.

Merchant 1 (arranging fruit, eyes narrowed) 
“That young man… brother to the princesses? And no one knew?”

Baker (to his companion, surprised as if the bread had baked with a different fate) 
“I saw him days ago. Thought he was just another apprentice.
But now… he seems like someone who carried everything without showing it.”

Nearby soldiers stopped.
The weight of their armor was nothing compared to the weight of the silence they heard.

Soldier 1 (adjusting his gauntlets, deep voice) 
“If he was trained far away…
there are things he knows that even our books have forgotten.”

Soldier 2 (without raising his voice, as if the air itself listened) 
“Sometimes… those who stay silent are the ones who know the most.”

Lileth didn’t move.
She watched Kagayaku surrounded by six presences
who knew versions of him she had never imagined.

And she… remained outside.
Not because they excluded her.
But because no one thought it needed explaining.

Lileth (thinking, no strength in her chest to say it aloud) 
“Brother…
Six princesses.
And I… not a single clue.
Was this something he chose not to tell me…?
Or something everyone chose to hide?”

Scene — “Where no one announced him, but everyone felt him”
Plaza of the Griffon Red Guild / Ryndhal – Arastría Academy in the distance
11:03 a.m. — The sun shines through magical stained glass. But what draws attention… doesn’t come from above. It comes from him.

The six princesses were still speaking with Lileth beneath an enchanted pergola that breathed light.
Soft laughter.
Whispers between comments.
Lileth tried to understand how someone like Kagayaku had been so close… and yet so far.

But he didn’t interrupt.
With his hands behind his back, he walked slowly through the plaza.
His steps were calm,
but every stone seemed to remember him.

Magical street beside the guild
The plaza was adorned with red banners,
merchants shouting offers for glowing scrolls,
and soldiers drinking from floating fountains.

Merchant (murmuring) 
“That white-haired boy? He’s alone… but he’s emitting something strange.”

Soldier (adjusting his glove) 
“No insignia. But he seems to have more presence than the captain…”

Kagayaku, without looking, brushed past a group of adventurers descending the stone steps.
The collision was minimal… but enough to cause discomfort.

Adventurer 1 (turning with annoyance) 
“Hey! Watch it! Can’t you see where you’re walking?”

Adventurer 2 (arms crossed) 
“No idea where he came from, but he acts like he’s something…”

Kagayaku simply exhaled.
No gesture.
No word.
He passed between them as if the air itself made way.

He continued toward the black building with floating runes:
the Griffon Red Adventurers’ Guild.

Magical mission board
The board floated in front of the main wall, scrolls spinning slowly.
Tracking missions in the Mirror Forest,
escorts through stable portals,
and bounties for nocturnal creatures with lunar fire.

Kagayaku stopped in front of a scroll marked in red.
He didn’t touch it.
He simply observed.

The elven mage
A few meters away, an elven adventurer ,silver hair, amethyst eyes, gloves with astral symbols   was giving instructions to her group.

Mage (looking at her enchanted map) 
“If we enter through the ruins’ flank, we’ll avoid the gravity seal…”

Suddenly, she stopped.
The map trembled slightly.
Her eyes shifted.

Mage (whispering) 
“…What is that…?”

Warrior of the group (confused) 
“What’s wrong?”

Mage (looking at Kagayaku) 
“I feel… something.
An ancient energy.
A field…
that isn’t contained.
But it’s not hostile.
It’s… dense. Immense.”

The entire group turned.
And there he was.
White hair.
Calm posture.
And then —the golden eyes.

Mage (barely breathing) 
“Those eyes…”

Archer of the team (blinking quickly) 
“Who walks like that… among class S missions and acts like he carries nothing?”

Mage (not looking away) 
“It’s not how he walks.
It’s what he doesn’t say.”

Scene — “Where silence was nobility… and the adventurer pushed too far”
Griffon Red Adventurers’ Guild — Mission Board / Kingdom of the Rising Dragon
11:17 a.m. — The sun crosses the stained glass. The scrolls float calmly. But tension is about to erupt

Kagayaku remained still.
In front of the mission board.
The scrolls vibrated with names of creatures, ranks, and rewards.
His golden gaze read in silence, unhurried.
The crystal runes above the board trembled softly, detecting energy.

A strong-built adventurer, old reinforced armor, arrogant demeanor, descended the guild stairs.
He noticed the white-haired youth… and didn’t like seeing him still.

Adventurer (slapping Kagayaku’s shoulder as he passed) 
“What are you doing standing there, dreamer?
This guild’s for those who act, not those who just stare.”

No response.
Kagayaku glanced sideways for a moment…
then returned to the board.

Adventurer (frustrated, shoving him again) 
“Huh? Deaf?
Move, useless.”

Another shove.
Stronger.
But Kagayaku didn’t move.
Not a step.
Not a gesture.

The air around them grew heavier.
Murmurs in the guild faded.
Two merchants stopped arranging magical crates.
A pair of soldiers watched closely.

Then, from the side hallway, a knight of the Royal Court of the Kingdom of the Rising Dragon appeared.
Shining armor, deep blue cape, sword engraved with draconic symbols.

Knight (raising his blade and pointing it at the adventurer) 
“Stop.”

Adventurer (annoyed) 
“And who are you…?”

Knight (firm voice, without raising it) 
“This young man you shoved… is not just anyone.
He is Kagayaku.
Legitimate prince of the Kingdom of Arathen.”

The hall fell silent.
Only the scrolls floated… and the echo of that word: prince.

Knight (stepping forward) 
“And if that’s not enough…
he’s also the slayer of the minotaur from the Smoldering Valley Frontier.”

Immediate reactions
Elven mage (softly, watching from the nearby table) 
“…I’ve heard of that creature.
No one came back.
How…?”

Merchant (to the apprentice helping him) 
“That boy who doesn’t speak… is the one who did that?”

Scene — “Where fear didn’t come from the strike… but from what wasn’t seen”
Griffon Red Adventurers’ Guild — Mission Board Zone / Kingdom of the Rising Dragon
️ 11:26 a.m. — The air stopped. The guild too. And fear… arrived without warning

Kagayaku remained in front of the board.
Golden eyes.
Straight back.
No words.
No movement.
Just watching the floating missions.

The arrogant adventurer, still burning with humiliation, couldn’t take it.
He gripped his sword tightly.
A black blade with an ignited core.
He raised it.
And shouted.

Adventurer (furious, trembling) 
“Lies! All of it’s lies!”
“I don’t care who defends him!”
“I’ll make you talk!”

He pointed the sword directly at Kagayaku.
The guild froze.

Kagayaku didn’t turn.
Didn’t change expression.
He simply slid his hand to the hilt of his sword, hanging on his back.
He drew it.
With a motion so clean…
no one saw the cut.

And then, without sound…
the adventurer’s sword fell to the ground.
In pieces.
Five fragments.
Perfectly sliced.
Without Kagayaku moving more than necessary.

Immediate reactions
Elven mage (stepping back, voice breaking) 
“What… what was that?! I didn’t see anything! Nothing!”

Soldier 1 (hand trembling on his hilt) 
“The sword… it split! But he didn’t even move!”

Soldier 2 (looking at the royal knight, eyes wide) 
“That wasn’t magic! That was… something else!”

Elven mage (to her team, tears in her eyes) 
“I didn’t see him move! I didn’t see him strike!
But the sword… was already broken!”

Merchant (covering his mouth) 
“What kind of technique is that?!
Who cuts without showing their movements?!”

Adventurer (on his knees, gaze lost) 
“My sword…! My sword…!
What are you…?!”

Kagayaku sheathed his sword.
He didn’t look at anyone.
He didn’t speak.
He simply left the guild,
without saying a word to the adventurer.

Scene — “Where the rest was already paid… but so was the house”
Kingdom of the Rising Dragon / Path to the Castle / Royal Residence of Arathen
9:03 p.m. — The night falls calmly. But Kagayaku… not so much

After a while, Kagayaku had paid for a room at an inn.
The moon floated above the enchanted rooftops of the kingdom.
Magical lanterns lit the paths in bluish tones.
Kagayaku walked alongside his six sisters, crossing the crystal bridge that connected the plaza to the upper district.

Princess 2 (looking at him with a nervous smile) 
“Kagayaku… wait a moment.”

He stopped.
The six surrounded him.
The night breeze moved their cloaks embroidered with the emblem of Arathen.

Princess 4 (soft laugh) 
“We forgot to tell you something… important.”

Princess 1 (crossing her arms elegantly) 
“You don’t need to sleep at the inn.”

Princess 6 (taking his arm) 
“Dad gave us royal funds to establish a residence here.
We have our own house.
Big.
Comfortable.
And with space for you.”

Kagayaku (stopping, dry tone) 
“And you tell me now?
After I paid.
You could’ve said something earlier!”

Princess 3 (covering her mouth, laughing) 
“Oops… we forgot.”

Princess 5 (looking at the ground) 
“We thought you’d stay with Lileth…”

Princess 1 (shrugging) 
“Well… at least the inn has good tea.”

Kagayaku (sighing) 
“…Whatever.”

Entrance to the Castle of the Rising Dragon
The group arrived at the grand enchanted marble gate.
Royal guards greeted them respectfully.
Lileth stopped in front of them.
The princesses surrounded her.
Kagayaku stayed a few steps behind.

Lileth (looking at the group) 
“Thank you for walking with me.
Truly.”

Princess 2 (smiling) 
“We’re entering tomorrow too.
But you… already have your moment.”

Kagayaku watched her.
He said nothing.
But when she turned to enter…
he raised his hand.
A minimal gesture.
But clear.

Lileth (looking at him one last time) 
“…Goodbye.”

Princess 6 (softly) 
“Good luck, princess.”

Royal Residence of Arathen — Kingdom of the Rising Dragon
The sisters and Kagayaku walked along the private path.
The house appeared among enchanted trees.
Tall.
Spacious.
With white stone walls and roofs of nocturnal crystal.

Eight bedrooms.
A library with floating shelves.
A kitchen with magical ingredients.
A living room with sofas that adapt to the mood of whoever sits.

Princess 1 (opening the door) 
“Welcome home, Kagayaku.”

Princess 6 (entering with him) 
“This time… you’re not alone.”

Kagayaku (looking inside, arms crossed) 
“…Next time, tell me before I spend gold.”

All (laughing) 
“Yes, yes, yes!”

Scene — “Where the prince studies… and the abyss demands blood”
Royal Residence of Arathen / Private Library — Kingdom of the Rising Dragon
Simultaneously: The Abyss — Non-human, unsealed plane
11:07 p.m. — The house breathes calm. The other plane… does not

Royal Residence — Library
The six princesses were already in their rooms, bathed, relaxed, some asleep.
The house was silent.
But Kagayaku wasn’t sleeping.

In the library, he walked among floating shelves.
His fingers traced ancient titles, until one stopped him.

“Advanced Elemental Manipulation Magic — Volume III”

He took it.
Sat down.
And began to read.

Diagrams, formulas, unsanctioned techniques.
His golden gaze absorbed each line with precision.
No noise.
Only knowledge.

The Abyss — Non-human plane
In a place that doesn’t belong to the physical world…
the Abyss stirred.

Shadow creatures crawled between floating columns.
Dark mages walked across bone bridges.
The air was dense.
The ground… nonexistent.

Two human figures, black robes, thick beards, eyes completely dark, spoke before a living stone altar.
Their voices didn’t tremble.
But the surroundings did.

Man 1 (deep voice, emotionless) 
“The core is at the academy.
Sealed.
Protected by three magical layers.”

Man 2 (reverent tone) 
“For the arrival of our lord…
Dullminior.”

Whispers echoed in the background.
Voices without form.
Tongues that belong to no known plane.

“The core calls…”
“The blood waits…”
“Dullminior… will come…”

Chronicle of the Origin: The First Hero and the Awakening of the Abyss
Narrator — solemn tone, resonating across planes

Before time, when the stars danced without names and the world didn’t know the word “war”…
…there was the Abyss.

Not common darkness.
An endless pit where exiled entities lay.
Prison.
Tomb.
Oblivion.

Until it was opened by an arcane of light.
A curious sage…
Who broke the seals, unaware that each shattered rune released horrors without judgment.

The First of the Night emerged.
Deformed shadows.
Balance shattered.

Nations fell.
Seas dried in terror.
Skies bled fire.

And in the midst of chaos… he was born.

The First Hero
Nameless.
Only cries among ruins.

The sages of Irvalion saw in his golden eyes a prophecy:
“Where the world breaks, a soul will be born with the will to restore it.”

Touched by all elements.
His body: mortal.
His spirit: will of the firmament.
His sword: judgment incarnate.

The First War of the Abyss began.
Armies of fallen kingdoms followed him.
Each battle became legend.
Each word, a promise.

And when the abyss began to close…
he arrived.

Dullminior — Lord of the Empty Core
Not beast. Not god.
Living manifestation of the end.
Born from the fear of all worlds.

The duel lasted three days and three nights.
Cracked continents.
Broken skies.

The First Hero, exhausted, wounded, fell to his knees.
He looked at the enemy.
Bleeding, steady.

“It doesn’t matter if I fall…
for in my path, a Last Hero will come.
And his fire will know no limits.”

Dullminior didn’t respond.
He simply raised his blade of void…
And with a final slash…
extinguished him.

His body was swallowed by the earth.
His name, erased.
But his legacy…

Remains in the stars.
Waiting for the Last Hero to awaken.

Scene — “Where destiny broke… and was repaired in silence”
Royal Residence of Arathen / Gardens of the Kingdom of the Rising Dragon / Enchanted Central Fountain
12:14 a.m. — The stars watched quietly… while someone chose to change the inevitable

The beginning of the night
The house slept.
Kagayaku closed the tome of advanced magic, placed it back on the floating shelf, and walked slowly down the hallway.
The shower wrapped him in vapor of lunar essence.
Silence.
Routine.
An exhale upon exiting.
His sisters’ doors already closed.

He entered his room.
Turned off the light.
Sat at the edge of the bed.
And his gaze…
lost among the stars that stared back at him.

The scream
A voice tore through the air.
Sharp.
Trembling.
From a mother… on the edge of horror.

The princesses woke.
The soldiers activated the seals.
Kagayaku walked without hesitation.
The night greeted him with something that should never have happened.

The enchanted fountain
A woman knelt among floating roses.
Her hands trembled.
She held her child.
Lifeless.
The boy’s eyes open.
Empty.
Sad.

Mother (trembling) 
“Why…?
Why my child?!
There’s no blood… but he’s gone!”

Princess 2 (paralyzed) 
“There are no wounds…
but no magic either…”

Soldier (looking around) —

Kagayaku approached.
The surroundings dimmed.
And he raised his hand.

Time stopped
Everything froze.
The air.
The tears.
The breath.
Only Kagayaku moved.
The entire world waited.

The reversal of fate
The fountain, minutes earlier.
The child playing with enchanted water.
Tiny lights danced on his fingers.
Laughter.
Childhood.

A figure slid behind him.
Gray cloak.
Sharp dagger.
Assassin’s silence.

Kagayaku appeared.
Sword in hand.
A vertical slash.
No sound.
But absolute.

The head fell.
The body collapsed.
The water didn’t lose its glow.
The child… lived.

Kagayaku lifted him.
Wrapped him in his cloak.
Protected him.
Snapped his fingers.

The scene returned
The woman no longer felt her child’s weight.
She looked at her arms.
Empty.
She broke.

Mother (voice shattered) —
“Where is he?! Where?!
Gods, don’t take the only thing I have left!”

Kagayaku emerged among the soldiers.
The child in his arms.
Breathing.
Looking.

(breathless) 
“…No… it can’t be…”
Her eyes filled.
“My child… he’s… he’s alive!”

The boy reached out.
The mother embraced him tightly.
She cried.
She trembled.

Mother 
“I don’t know who you are…
but you… you gave him back to me!
Thank you! Thank you… even if my soul shakes!”

Kagayaku didn’t speak.
He simply walked a few steps.
Dropped the assassin’s body to the ground.

The body fell with disdain.
No glory.
No mercy.

Princess 5 (trembling) 
“…That body… wasn’t here a second ago.
Did he… did he bring it from another moment?”

Scene — “Where fear didn’t come from the enemy… but from the brother who stopped time”
Gardens of the Kingdom of the Rising Dragon / Enchanted fountain under full moon
12:24 a.m. — The child is safe. The assassin lies silent. But no one can stop looking at Kagayaku

The fountain continued to cast spirals of water.
The decapitated corpse of the assassin lay as a resolved threat.
The child trembled in his mother’s arms.
And everyone present… feared to look.
But they did anyway.

Princess 2 (still, voice breaking) 
“He did it.
He really did it.
No spell… no seal…
He just appeared… and cut.”

Princess 5 (eyes locked on the body) 
“I was right next to him…
and I didn’t see him move!
Nothing!
As if the world obeyed before he even spoke.”

Princess 4 (breathing heavily) 
“Kagayaku… you…
since when can you… stop everything?
Like that?”

Patrolling mage (to her companion, eyes fixed) 
“That energy… isn’t taught.
It isn’t summoned.
It isn’t learned.
It’s feared.”

Lead mage (voice barely audible) 
“I saw him look…
and time surrendered.
That… that’s not human.”

Court knight (hand trembling on his hilt) 
“I wasn’t ready for this.
No matter how much war you’ve seen…
when someone decides fate like that…
you just pray they don’t look at you.”

Young soldier (whispering to his companion) 
“Is that him?
Is that the prince?
The one who stays silent…
but makes the world listen anyway?”

Princess 6 (barely murmuring, eyes fixed on her brother)                                                 Kagayaku…did you kill that man…                                                                                                               before he did it?                                                                                                                                              Did you rewind everything… for that child?”

Princess 3 (hands clasped, as if praying) 
“I don’t know if I should hug you…
or fear you.”

Mother (child clinging to her, lips trembling) 
“I…
I saw him dead.
He was cold.
He was gone.
And you… you brought him back.
But that corpse…
you didn’t kill him here.
You pulled him from another moment.
And that…
that’s terrifying.
But thank you.
Thank you…”

And then… Kagayaku, who had remained silent the entire time, turned toward them.
His golden eyes under the moonlight shone brighter than the enchanted lanterns.

They weren’t calm eyes.
They were eyes that had already seen what no one should.
And had already done what no one believed possible.

Princess 1 (murmuring as if the air broke inside her) 
“…Brother…
I didn’t know you could… do this.
Now I don’t know what else you can do.”

Old soldier (without lifting his gaze) 
“I won’t look at him again.
Not because I don’t respect him…
but because I already fear him.”

Scene — “Where the mages arrive… and royalty laughs (except one)”
Ceremonial Plaza of the Royal Academy / Kingdom of the Rising Dragon
7:00 a.m. — The air smells of magical incense, fresh nerves, and sisterly sarcasm

Nighttime reminder…
Kagayaku, in a neutral voice, almost as if speaking through the wind:
“…Rest.”

Everyone looked at each other as if they had just seen someone argue with time—and win.
And then yes… they went to sleep.
More or less.

Now: 7:00 a.m. sharp
The plaza in front of the Academy is packed.
120 applicants.
All nervous.
Some overly groomed for a magical exam.
Others smelling like a misfired spell.

Floating portals spin slowly.
Runes vibrate like they’re hungover.
And the magical clock counts down the 30 minutes before the start.

Kagayaku is already there, serious as an enchanted statue.
Beside him, Lileth —Princess of the Rising Dragon— in her ceremonial cloak and diplomatic smile.
Kagayaku’s six sisters surround him, all dressed up, wide awake, and far too chatty for this early hour.

Princess 1 (watching an applicant trip just from seeing Kagayaku) —
“Did you see that?
He didn’t cast a spell… and still made him stumble.”

Princess 4 (laughing) 
“His power is called ‘I don’t have time for your drama’ face.
Works better than level 5 paralysis.”

Princess 2 (looking at Lileth) 
“You’re giving the speech, right?
Will it be with celestial voice or with ‘I’m condemning your soul to eternal exams’ tone?”

Lileth (raising an eyebrow) 
“Both.
So they feel important… and terrified.”

Princess 6 (to Kagayaku, amused) 
“What do you think of the applicants?
Do you think any of them could… I don’t know… not panic in your presence?”

Kagayaku (staring at the horizon, not moving a brow) 
“…No.”

Princess 3 (quietly to Princess 5) 
“We ask him like he’s going to gift them a smile.
We’ve got better odds of seeing a rock cry.”

Princess 5 (laughing) 
“I swear I saw him move his eyebrow last night.
Not sure if it was magic… or corporal sarcasm.”

Meanwhile, the applicants watch from afar as if witnessing mythological gods deciding their fate.
One tries to eat an enchanted bun, but leaves it half-bitten when he notices Kagayaku looking at him.
Another tries to fix his robe and ends up making it softly explode.

Scene — “Where flirting without context… is basically asking for a funeral”
Ceremonial Plaza of the Royal Academy / 7:14 a.m. — The exam hasn’t started, but someone already lost their turn

The applicants were grouped, nervous, and some… far too confident.
Two guys broke away from the crowd.
One with a dazzling smile.
The other with a “I know everything” look.
They walked toward the six princesses… ignoring the embroidered symbols on their cloaks.

Applicant 1 (whistling softly) 
“Excuse me, is this where they teach magic or where one falls in love?”

Applicant 2 (confident tone) 
“And you… are you part of the test or the final prize?”

Princess 1 (raising an eyebrow) 
“Are you mentally stable… or did you already fail the exam before it began?”

Princess 4 (grabbing Hana by the shoulder) 
“Hana… are you going to let him speak two sentences or should we already consider this a magical threat?”

Hana (the explosive one, no preamble) 
“Three seconds of idiocy…
We shut it down.”

The guy smiled.
Very bad idea.
Hana turned, grabbed him by the collar of his uniform…
And WHAM!
A headbutt straight to the center.
The robe vibrated.
The sound echoed between the magical portals.
The guy dropped like a disconnected statue.
Unconscious.
Maybe wiser—if any neurons survived.

The other applicant froze.
He trembled.
Stepped back.
But as he turned…

Behind him, without warning, stood Kagayaku.
His breath soft.
But enough.
The air reached the applicant’s ear.
He gasped as if being frozen from the inside.

Applicant 2 (gasping, without turning) 
“…You were behind me… this whole time…”

Kagayaku (low voice, no tone) 
“…And you’re still here.”

The guy let out a faint squeal, turned halfway…
and ran.
Literally.
Behind him lingered the scent of shame and premature regret.

Princess 5 (sighing) 
“How useful it is to have Hana and Kagayaku together…
One knocks out.
The other breathes threats.”

Princess 2 (laughing) 
“We should register them as the official academic defense method.”

Scene — “Where the director spoke clearly… and the day stopped being ordinary”
Royal Academy of Magic / Evaluation Plaza — Kingdom of the Rising Dragon
7:50 a.m. — Clear skies. Enchanted marble. And 120 applicants waiting for their beginning

The ceremonial plaza was ready.
Five affinity columns rose at the back, each with its color and symbol: fire, shadow, water, astral, and transmutation.
The applicants stood in formation, divided by elemental affinity.
The princesses of Arathen watched from the eastern flank.
Lileth, princess of the Rising Dragon, stood beside them.
Kagayaku, silent, eyes fixed on the center.

The air shifted.
A three-meter whirlwind, jade green, emerged without violence.
The runes on the ground activated.
The wind folded inward.
And the director appeared.

Dark-toned robe with silver trim.
Astral wood staff with a crystal core.
His face wasn’t cold.
It was clear.
No embellishments.
No mystery.

The speech
Director (firm voice, without raising it) 
“Good morning.
Today your evaluation begins.
You’re not here to impress.
You’re here to prove you can hold what you claim to control.”

He walked slowly to the center of the conjuration circle.
The applicants followed him with their eyes.
Some clenched their fingers.
Others lowered their gaze.

Director 
“Three phases.
Each designed to show who you are.
And what you don’t yet know you can become.”

First phase — Elemental exam
Director 
“Basic knowledge.
Practical application.
It’s not enough to cast spells.
You must understand what you’re doing.
And why you’re doing it.”

Second phase — Mana channeling
Director 
“Energy is not power.
It’s stability.
Here we’ll see if you can hold your affinity without breaking.
You won’t be asked to shine.
You’ll be asked to endure.”

Third phase — Elemental encounter
Director 
“Each of you will face a creature designed to counter your element.
If you wield fire…
you’ll fight water.
If you master wind…
you’ll be challenged by earth.
You’re not expected to win.
You’re expected not to break.”

The house columns activated.
Five pillars of light rose behind the director.
Each with its symbol floating above.

House assignment
Director (looking at the applicants) 
“At the end of the three phases, you’ll be assigned to a house.
Not by choice.
Not by desire.
But by compatibility and result.”

· VALDRAK — fire, leadership, war.
For those who face without hesitation, and make decisions under pressure.

· NYLSHAR — shadow, stealth, illusion.
For those who observe before acting, and understand the value of silence.

· EZURAN — water, healing, balance.
For those who sustain, heal, and know when not to intervene.

· KHELVAR — wisdom, astral, mind.
For those who seek to understand before conjuring, and see beyond the physical plane.

· MIRENDAL — strategy, transmutation, secrets.
For those who don’t need to be seen… to be present.

Director (direct tone) 
“The house you’re assigned will be your training.
Your environment.
Your responsibility.
It cannot be changed.
It cannot be refused.
And it cannot be faked.”

The columns lowered slowly.
The conjuration circles activated.
The trial portals opened.
The air began to move again.

Director (stopping at the center) 
“Let it begin.”

Kagayaku remained silent.
But his shadow stretched across the marble as if he had already crossed all three phases.
The princesses watched.
Lileth didn’t blink.

Scene — “Where words were left behind… and bodies crossed the threshold”
Royal Academy of Magic / Entrance to the Evaluation Chambers
7:52 a.m. — The air no longer waits. The portals are open. And the steps… no longer hesitate

After the director’s final “Let it begin,” the plaza didn’t move immediately.
But the silence changed.
It was no longer anticipation.
It was transition.

The evaluation portals opened one by one.
Conjuration circles floated above the marble.
The affinity columns descended to ground level, marking the entrances.

The applicants began to walk.
Not in disorder.
Not in panic.
In sequence.
One by one.
Each toward their assigned chamber according to their element.

A fire-aligned youth crossed the threshold with a firm expression.
His robe vibrated upon contact with the circle.
Red light enveloped him.
And he vanished inside.

A water-aligned girl walked with her fingers interlaced.
The blue portal opened for her.
Her breathing was slow.
But her steps were steady.

A shadow elf paused a second before entering.
He looked toward the columns.
Then lowered his head…
and crossed.

The princesses watched from the flank.
They didn’t speak.
They didn’t comment.
They simply followed the movement.

Lileth (softly, without looking away) 
“They’re inside.
Now… there’s no turning back.”

Kagayaku remained in the same spot.
He didn’t move.
But his gaze followed each entrance.
As if he already knew who would return… and who wouldn’t.

The director didn’t speak again.
His staff touched the ground once more.
The columns dimmed.
And the doors closed behind the last applicants.