THE PEOPLE OF the Medicine Sect Pavilion began assessing talents the day after Elder Leo made the announcement. There were already five long lines in the capital city's square, and at the front of each line sat a representative from the Medicine Sect. Each had a crystal bowl placed before them on a table, shimmering faintly in the morning light. They were using the bowls to evaluate those who wished to participate in the upcoming competition—an event that had already stirred the entire empire into a buzz of excitement and anticipation.
"I wonder what kind of magic user I'll turn out to be after I take the assessment," Lily said, half-curious, half-bored, as she bit into a forkful of creamy pasta. Her gaze, however, was fixed entirely on the crowd outside.
To avoid drawing unnecessary attention, she'd used mascara powder to obscure her real appearance. The same went for the two male figures who accompanied her—Shadow Guard Loid and Prince Zak. As for her beautiful maidservants, she had ordered them to remain back at the estate. She didn't need an entourage. Five people were already a crowd in her eyes.
"Y-you're taking the assessment too?" Prince Zak asked, visibly nervous.
No. He wasn't just nervous.
He was incredibly anxious!
His palms were sweating. His breathing was shallow. This was his first time leaving the palace and mingling with ordinary citizens. Though a small part of him was excited by the new experience, the larger part was tangled up in nerves. His heart was pounding so loudly that he thought even passersby might hear it, like an unending stampede of warhorses charging inside his chest.
"Please give it a try then, Young Miss," said Shadow Guard Loid. His tone was curious and calm, but his eyes shone with intrigue. He truly wanted to know what would happen when the enigmatic young lady placed her hands upon the crystal bowl.
Lily sighed and shrugged, lifting her shoulders indifferently. "No, the result is most likely none," she said simply. "I just want to try it. I've never done it before." She took another bite of her food and chewed absentmindedly. "But I already know the outcome. I won't have any magical energy, anyway."
She leaned over slightly, peering down at the people below the restaurant's upper floor. The square was crowded and lively. Some people who failed the assessment walked away with downcast faces, while others who passed jumped in joy, some even crying from happiness.
"Loid," Lily called, her voice carrying a note of familiarity. Since the two of them were now 'close' in a sense, she figured she might as well drop the formalities. After all, he was working with her for free and helping her in a variety of ways. It would be poor form not to treat him at least a little better.
"Yes, Young Miss?" Shadow Guard Loid answered respectfully, gently raising his teacup and taking a slow sip.
Lily narrowed her eyes.
Why was this man slowly turning into a copy of his master? That calm posture. That aristocratic finesse. She frowned. It was slightly irritating.
"Why don't you explain the concept of magic to us?" she asked, then shot a quick wink at Prince Zak. The boy's eyes immediately lit up. He looked less anxious and more excited again, his earlier worry momentarily forgotten.
"I thought Young Miss already understood magic?"
The corner of Lily's lips twitched. Oh? So this shadow guard was teasing her again?
But since he was offering his service without asking for anything in return, she'd be generous and offer a little honesty.
"I was born and raised here in the mortal world," she admitted, clearing her throat. "So when I said I don't understand how things work in the Earth Realm or that I don't have magical energy—I was telling the truth." She sipped her juice. "The Pei family may be descended from an ancient bloodline, but only on my great-grandmother's side. My great-grandfather's bloodline..."
Her voice trailed off, but her eyes glinted darkly.
Shadow Guard Loid nodded. "But Young Miss was able to create a life crystal, was she not?"
Lily blinked.
Then she clicked her tongue. "My grandmother came from the Earth Realm. It'd be weirder if I didn't have at least a little magic running through me," she replied. "A tiny spark, at best."
"But you said you had no magical energy?" Shadow Guard Loid countered flatly. Still, he had to admit—even from his perspective—he couldn't feel a single thread of magical energy from her body. It puzzled him greatly.
Then again, everything about Duke Pei's wife had always been cloaked in mystery. She had never appeared publicly, yet the duke somehow had a child. No one ever questioned it directly—he was Duke Pei, after all—but speculation was inevitable.
So his wife must have come from the Earth Realm?
That would explain a lot.
Lily rested her chin on her palm. Her voice was lazy when she spoke. "Who knows? I've been wondering that myself lately." The truth was, she could do basic magical tricks, but she lacked the overflowing spiritual energy that most magic users had. And she was fine with that.
Actually, she preferred it.
If people expected her to be talented, they'd also expect her to act accordingly. It was much better if they saw her as ordinary. That way, she could sleep in peace without unnecessary expectations weighing her down.
"Enough about me," she said, waving a hand. "Let's talk about magic. Can't you see how eager the little prince is to learn?" She motioned toward Zak, who was practically leaning in with shining eyes.
Shadow Guard Loid hesitated briefly. He wanted to know more about her lineage, yes—but he also didn't want to overstep. He may be helping his master investigate the young lady, but if he got too nosy, he'd definitely earn his master's scolding.
"That guy over there," Loid said, pointing to a man in the third row who had just passed the assessment, "is a fire magic user."
Lily and Prince Zak turned their heads instantly to look.
The man was jumping in the air, waving his arms and shouting with joy. His clothes were neat but simple—likely a commoner, though perhaps a noble in disguise. Hard to say.
"Every individual who has spiritual energy can be classified into five primary attributes," Loid continued. He held up a hand, folding one finger at a time. "Fire, water, wood, air, and storm."
"The crystal bowl doesn't just detect spiritual energy," he explained, "it also identifies which attribute suits the individual. The stronger your cultivation, the more obvious your magic becomes."
Prince Zak listened closely.
However, possessing a specific attribute was no easy feat. Just being told you had fire magic didn't mean you could use it immediately. You had to go through a long cultivation process, climbing the magical hierarchy—represented by the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple.
Purple was the pinnacle.
Once you reached the highest level, you could fully form your spiritual energy core.
"That's too complicated," Lily complained, rubbing her temples.
"Indeed it is," Loid said with a sigh. "Only two out of every ten people can awaken an attribute. And even then, advancing through cultivation is so difficult that many spend their entire lives trying. Some never break through their barriers. Those who fail to awaken or advance are often kicked out of the sects and become what we call 'nomads.'"
Zak swallowed hard and looked down at his legs.
What if he couldn't make it? What if the crystal ball didn't light up for him?
He clenched his fists.
Last night, the witc--- sister Lily had tended to his legs. They weren't fully healed yet, but they were far better than before. He no longer limped when walking. The pain was manageable now. For the first time in years, he could walk like a normal person.
"Don't worry," Lily said, catching his expression.
Zak looked up and saw her watching him.
"You are destined for something brighter," she said with quiet assurance. "If you stick with me and stop relying on foolish, untrustworthy people, you'll become someone great."
Zak's chest tightened. Then he gave a strong nod. Yes! He didn't want to go back to that dark courtyard. He didn't want to be bullied again.
"By the way," Lily said, turning to Loid, "what's the storm attribute, exactly?"
There was something nagging her—like a forgotten memory. She could vividly recall her grandmother stressing the importance of that attribute, but the details were blurry now.
"Storm attribute refers to magics outside the standard four," Loid explained. He raised his palm, and a dark fog began to swirl from his fingers—black, eerie, and humming faintly.
Lily and Zak's eyes widened.
"This is storm attribute energy," Loid said before closing his hand. The fog dissipated into the air. "The three major sects and aristocratic families in the Earth Realm often have storm attributes," he added, though a bit awkwardly.
"So, it's the strongest attribute?" Zak asked, hopeful.
Loid shook his head. "Not necessarily. It depends on the magic itself. Just because you have a storm attribute doesn't make you unbeatable. Take the Medicine Sect for example—they're famous for healing magic, which falls under storm. But it's useless in combat. That's why they need disciples with offensive magic too—to defend their sect during conflict."
Lily and Zak nodded thoughtfully.
Ah, so that's why Elder Leo took in Olivia and her brother. He needed more than healers—he needed soldiers. That also explained the open competition. Maybe it wasn't just about status. Maybe it really was recruitment after all.
Lily was about to make a sarcastic comment about the poor souls who would end up as sacrificial pawns when the crowd outside suddenly erupted in applause.
"What the hell is it now?" she grumbled, leaning forward to get a better look.
"Congratulations, Crown Prince! As expected of our future monarch!" someone in the crowd shouted, and more cheers followed.
"The Crown Prince has spiritual energy?" Lily raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't Young Miss feel it?"
Lily rolled her eyes. "How many times do I have to say I can't sense magic?"
Loid cleared his throat. "Well, the crown prince has a faint trace of spiritual energy. It's weak, but experts can still detect it."
"If my brother has it, then I must—OW!" Zak yelped as Lily smacked him on the head.
"Stop associating your potential with that rotten family!" she snapped. "But... this is perfect timing," she murmured afterward. She laced her fingers together and rested her chin atop them. "The emperor's attention will stay on him for now."
She smirked.
"Looks like fate is finally favoring me this time."