Mercedes Caulis – Ceremonial Hall:
The hall abruptly quieted. Everyone went still at the sudden offer.
From the broken arena below, Yuno looked up at Aaron on the floating platform and repeated his unexpected proposal.
"Will or the throne?"
Aaron nodded plainly. "Precisely."
Yuno furrowed his brows. "Didn't you just say my challenge was invalid… so why?"
The crowd focused on Masterias Noah, awaiting his response.
He answered indifferently. "It is. And that is why you may only choose one."
"But—"
"But nothing." He cut Yuno off. "The tower is a place where we nurture the best of the best for the Fated day. As long as one has proven their worth and committed themselves to stand with us, they will be rewarded."
The King of Magia, Vander, looked over the crowd. "Similarly, the inability to establish yourself or any hint of opposition with our goals and policies will result in you being given nothing—and even punished mercilessly."
Many faces among the crowd forced out ugly, shaky smiles.
Aaron then turned his attention back to Yuno. "With your challenge being invalid, absolute authority for the placement of the Vander and any personnel in this tower returns to me. I have acknowledged your worth and so welcome you as one of the Five Wands, if you desire."
He briefly looked at Will, still pinned under Finn. "Or you may remain an ascendant and take the boy, if you please."
Zeo snarled. "Hey—"
"Silence, Zeo." Aaron cut him off coldly. "Accept your defeat and don't disgrace yourself any more than you have."
The Wand of Lightning ground his teeth before snorting and averting his gaze.
Tch!
Aaron paused a moment before turning back to Yuno. "You're naturally also free to do neither—and perhaps even schedule a formal challenge with the tower. Because I've judged this trial inadequate from the start, your annual challenge quota remains unused."
The crowd exchanged hushed murmurs, many waiting with bated breath for Yuno's decision.
Were they actually going to see a new Vander crowned in person? And by extension, another lose their seat through something other than death or some incident?
That wasn't your everyday scene.
Yuno didn't make his choice immediately. He narrowed his eyes.
"Acknowledged my worth? …Have you by any chance been watching this entire time?"
The crowd stilled. They sized up the leader of the magical world once again, all thinking the same thing.
Hey, if you were watching this whole time, isn't this challenge valid? What's with all this drama?
Aaron's eyes twitched. Then he shook his head flatly.
"I've seen you in action for six years. I'm well aware of what you're capable of."
The crowd's stares grew more convinced.
Aaron pretended not to see it. "This is merely consolation for Cariott accepting your challenge without proper protocol."
He turned to the Wand of Fire.
"The other Vander have always been a mess, but I thought at least you would know the rules, Cariott. I'm disappointed."
Cariott Wiseman's lip twitched.
Is this old man really putting the blame on me?!
Incindia Barham sighed inwardly and dipped his head in insincere apology.
"Forgive me, Lord Masterias. I will do better in the future."
Aaron nodded, satisfied.
Patri's smile grew wider, and his punchable face proportionately.
The crowd exchanged wry glances.
Yuno squinted, looking past Aaron and the Light Faction to the hallway they came from.
His mana sense and ki picked up something—something familiar.
He almost cracked a smile.
Just like Nacht said… Well, I shouldn't trouble Aaron too much.
He didn't know what the Old Man was thinking, or what he was really up to, but he didn't care much either way.
Yuno nodded. "Very well. I have made my decision."
The room froze. Aaron raised a brow.
"I don't suppose you'll be going through the proper channels for a retrial?"
Yuno actually briefly considered it.
He still felt a bit ticked off with Zeo. If he did a formal challenge for Zeo and Zeo alone, he could take his seat, no problem, but…
Yuno looked over his shoulder at his squad, focusing on Arvin.
I kept this guy waiting for too long. Time to keep my promise.
Will stiffened from the bleachers as he tried to speak.
"Mmph!"
But Finn slapped his jaw shut, muffling his voice completely.
Will struggled, but he couldn't free himself.
He knew if Yuno chose him, nothing would change for Elfaria. So he tried to plead his case with the Wind Chief through sheer will.
Yuno felt the flicker of ki and looked to the stands. His golden eyes locked with Will's magenta pearls.
In an instant, they exchanged an entire conversation with one look.
For a moment, hope burned in Will's eyes.
Yuno sighed. He felt a bit bad for Will. Being his brother's disciple didn't make things any easier.
But… his responsibility was to the Wind Faction.
Yuno clenched his fist.
I let the Golden Dawn down. Everyone… but me and Captain Vangeance are gone…
His squad had high hopes—for him to defeat and repel the invaders from their home, and one day become Wizard King.
But at the beginning of the fight, after being stripped of both grimoires and losing his connection to Bell, at the most critical part of the war… he was nearly as useless as the average magic knight.
Perhaps if he had bothered to train with grimoireless magic like Mereoleona, or wasn't too prideful to learn mana method from Heart, he could have taken a stand before things became irreversible.
Yuno Grinberryall had many regrets.
He couldn't become the King and savior his squad dreamed of.
So at least… I'll become the Wand my new squad can take pride in.
Yuno turned back to Aaron and shook his head.
"No. No I won't."
And that flicker of hope died from Will's eyes.
Thump.
Aaron tapped the bottom of his staff on the platform.
"Then? What will it be?"
Yuno straightened. "I choose the throne!"
Silence fell.
The collective heartbeat of the crowd quickened.
Aaron looked across the arena, focusing on Zeo, Cariott, and Ellenor.
"Any objections?"
His gaze didn't once linger on Elfaria, and that was a kind of hint of things to come.
Elfaria hung her head bitterly.
Zeo folded his arms behind his back, chuckling.
"I got none. Prettyboy's the real deal."
Cariott smiled as shady as always.
"For once, I'm in agreement with the savage. Holding up the sky must be left to the best of the best."
"..." Ellenor's gaze passed over Yuno. Then she looked up—not at Aaron, but at Patri.
The eyepatched elf smiled at her.
She sighed and nodded plainly. "No opposition here."
Aaron's gaze grew solemn.
"Very well. And so it shall be."
Thump!
He tapped his staff once more.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Outside the Tower:
Bzzt!
All across Paradise—Urbus Rigarden, Terralis, Samios, Alfswood, Garzaronso, and even the tiniest towns and fringe communities—people paused.
Anywhere with a maser or tower-linked comms system, a glowing projection burst to life.
Unless you lived deep in the boonies or somewhere so remote you still hunted with a stick, odds were you were now staring into the solemn face of Aaron Masterias Oldking.
A magical screen. A worldwide message.
He was staring right at them.
People froze.
Confused.
Startled.
And under it all—nervous.
It was rare for the World Projection to be used.
The last time was six years ago, to announce the death of Albis Vina Yulvar. A few months later, it was used again to name his successor: Elfaria.
Four years before that, it had declared the deaths of every Magia Vander and the beginning of the Great War.
The World Projection wasn't even used for Terminalia.
Even the annual festival to reinforce the Great Barrier hadn't made the cut.
So the message could only mean one thing.
Something big had happened.
And big was usually bad for Paradise.
Aaron's calm, cold voice filled the air.
"My people. I, Masterias Noah, hereby announce the crowning of a new Great Mage."
Everything stopped.
Markets. Classrooms. Battlefields. Even tavern brawls. Silence spread like a fog.
"The Wind Chief has proven his worth through means of challenge and praxis. By my authority, I grant him the title of Wand of Wind, and the name of the Wind Emperor. On the Ninth of Carnsmoon, Yuno Solphis Grinberryall has ascended to the seat of Magia Vander."
"WHAT?!!"
The world echoed in collective shock.
In Garzaronso, Charmy spat out an entire mouthful of tea.
"Ptffgh— Yuno?!"
In Terralis, the mayor stared at the screen for a moment before quietly returning to his paperwork.
"Hmph. About time."
In Samios, their mayor grinned to himself. "Hmm… perhaps a little celebration is in order."
In Alfswood, the elves hardly reacted, only committing the name to memory.
"One more Rhizanth worthy to converse with," someone murmured.
In Rigarden, Workner adjusted his glasses, flustered.
"W-was that the cause of the noise earlier? An ascendant challenge…? I wonder how Ed feels about this…"
Even inside the Tower, those unaware of the ongoing ceremony nearly dropped everything in disbelief.
Several Wind Faction mages physically restrained themselves from barging into the hall, grinning from ear to ear.
Aaron, unconcerned by the reactions, ended the message without flourish.
"That will be all."
Bzzt.
The projection vanished.
Silence lingered, broken only by a few breathless whispers across the globe.
"W-wait… if Sir Yuno's a Great Mage now, then—"
"...Who lost their seat?"
At the Upper Institute, one of the High Mages already got to work drafting a headline for tomorrow's paper:
NEW VANDER CROWNED: WIND EMPEROR RISES.
They would soon have to discard it, as a second headline of nearly equal grandeur would need to be included.
A shocking announcement was immenent—one that would launch the Urbus Bugle into generational wealth.
They just had to wait one more day.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Ceremonial Hall:
Thump.
Aaron tapped his staff again.
"It is done."
He looked at Yuno with dry amusement.
"Although it doesn't need to be said, due to your gall… as the new Solphis Neamhain, the Wind Emperor Staff is now yours to use as you please."
Yuno coughed awkwardly. "Ahem. I'll keep that in mind."
A few snickered.
From the Wind Faction bench, Arvin Olus' eyes slightly moistened as he studied Yuno's back.
Gharzela… if only you could see us now!
Clap!
Emma started the applause. Monica forced herself to join in.
Soon, cheers broke out across the hall.
"Congratulations, Great Mage Yuno!"
"You are more than worthy of your station!"
"I always knew this kid was special—"
"No you didn't. You bet on Elfaria. Now that I think of it, you owe me money."
"Nonsense! Don't slander me!"
Yuno's eyes twitched.
Aaron slammed his staff down again.
"Silence."
The crowd gulped and dipped their heads.
Aaron looked past them, toward Sarissa and Elfaria.
His gaze softened—barely—but softened nonetheless.
"I suppose you know what this means, Elfaria?"
She clenched her jaw and stiffly nodded.
"Y-yes, Aaron."
Aaron sighed.
"I hereby revoke your designation as Wand of Ice and Albis Vina. You may continue to use the Ice Empress Staff."
Sarissa clenched her fist.
Elfaria's throat hitched.
From now on, she was simply Elfaria Serfort.
Something she had once dreamed of becoming again… but not like this.
Not before she and Will could reach their dream.
Will shivered.
Elfaria nodded again. "Thank you, A—Lord Masterias."
She wasn't even qualified to call him by his first name anymore.
"The Ice Faction must clear out of the Third Stratum immediately. From now on, it is Wind Faction territory."
Another nod.
"Y-yes, Lord Masterias. It will be done."
Aaron turned to Zeo.
"Then, Will is yours. Satisfied, now?"
Tears pricked at Elfaria's eyes while Zeo smiled in glee.
"Very."
He raised a hand toward the neutral bleachers across the broken stadium.
A silver glow outlined his palm—and Will's figure lit up to match.
Finn climbed off Will with a grin as the boy lifted into the air, drifting across the hall under Zeo's levitation magic.
"Aah?!"
Will flinched as Zeo caught him, wrapping bloody arms around him and smiling through broken teeth and swollen eyes.
"You're going to come quietly, right? I won't have to drag you to my side kicking and screaming."
Will clenched his jaw, glancing past her to Elfaria.
The tears streaming down her cheeks. The slight shiver in her shoulders.
It broke his heart.
What hurt more was the way she avoided his gaze, too ashamed to meet his eyes.
No… don't look like that. Y-you didn't fail me… it's the other way around!
Will clenched his fist.
If only I was stronger… these guys wouldn't dare to boss me around!
Zeo's eyes widened as he felt the flicker of ki within Will.
"Not answering? Fine then. We can duke it out. I desire to fight you, after all."
"?!"
Will looked up at him, stunned.
Zeo licked his lips. "Don't pretend. I know you can tell I'm being truthful."
He patted his chest.
"Come on. Show me your best. Right now I'm injured—you won't get another chance to escape me."
Will's hand twitched near his sheath.
He was debating it. Inwardly, fiercely.
Aaron frowned.
"Zeo!"
His gaze shifted to Will.
"And you as well. Don't do something stupid you'll regret."
Will stiffened.
He could feel all the eyes on him now.
Unkind. Sharp. Ready to strike him down the moment he dared raise a finger against a Vander.
As a Colorless, he had no right.
Will slowly lowered his head.
Zeo raised both hands with a grin.
"Alright, Old Beard, alright. Relax. I'm just kidding."
He then patted Will's shoulders. "Now let's get you changed up into some real clothes—"
"Wait!"
The hall froze as everyone turned back to Will. He had cut Zeo off, but he didn't look at the Wand of Thunder. Instead, he stepped forward, eyes trained on Aaron.
"L-Lord Masterias, I-I know I have no right to speak, but please—I have no interest in joining Thorzeus Fasce!"
Elfaria, Colette, Wignall, Sion, and Lihanna all slack-jawed. Will!
Edward Serfence couldn't help but crack a smile from his spot. Oh, this should be good.
As one of the many educators who had the great displeasure and headache of tutoring Zeo Thorzeus Reinbolt—if only for a year or so—he didn't have much fondness for the Wand of Thunder.
Finn chuckled. "And the show continues."
Ceridwen sweatdropped. "Aren't you worried your Sword might get broken?"
Finn shook his head. "Nah. He seems pretty sturdy."
Guilford looked ready to skewer Will. "How dare he reject Great Mage Zeo's offer! It is the greatest honor."
Komari laughed softly. "The kid's got spunk, I'll give him that."
Zeo, meanwhile, watched Will closely, his smile widening. The boy was just making him want him more.
Aaron nodded calmly at Will. "Correct. You have no right to speak."
Will's lip twitched as he tried to plead.
Patri chuckled. "You have been selected by a Vander. The Vander must only follow two rules: the right of challenge, to consistently prove themselves worthy of their seats—and to prioritize holding up the sky. Besides that, they may do as they please. If a Vander wants you, you have no right to refuse."
"But—"
Patri held up a hand to silence him. "Moreover, the part of proving your worth in the tower sometimes works against you. We've seen what you're capable of, so we won't let you waste your talents here on the bottom floor as a Colorless."
Tch. Kreutz clicked his tongue in displeasure.
"Nor amongst the non-Vander factions."
Tch. Colette clicked her tongue as well.
Will clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. "B-but there are other Vander who want me!"
Patri smiled. "Who? Lord Masterias hasn't given you his blessing."
Lefiya chipped in. "Neither has Lady Ellenor."
Ellenor snorted. "Not that I ever will."
Will looked ready to argue, but Patri cut him off again.
"Elfaria is no longer a Vander. Her authority has fallen beneath them and so her opinion is mute. Moreover, Yuno has forfeited the right to claim you, so there is no one left—"
"Yes there is!"
Will cut him off, surprising Patri, then pointed his hand forward before the elf could say anything more.
Toward the Fire Faction.
I can't believe I'm doing this. B-but everything started because of Zeo! So even if it means joining someone I despise, I won't give him the final laugh!
"I-I accept Lord Cariott's blessing!"
Ceridwen and Finn went wide-eyed. Huh? Didn't expect that.
Elfaria froze. W-wait Will… that guy… ew, that guy sucks!
Sion blinked. Really Flunkee?
The hall went silent. Cariott Wiseman turned around to face Will.
"My, my. The surprises keep coming. Is today a holiday, Logwell?"
The blindfolded adjutant shook his head behind his Vander. "None that I'm aware of, Lord Cariott."
Zeo paused before stepping forward and whispering darkly in Will's ear.
"Of all the ways to escape me, you choose this, Phonyface? Kid, I don't know if you're brave or suicidal."
Will gulped.
Cariott stepped forward, pointing his staff at Zeo once more.
"Step back, Savage. The boy has made his choice. And I don't recall ever rescinding my blessing for him. He is coming with me."
Fwoosh.
Flames danced around his robe.
Bzzt.
"Hah!" Zeo snarled as lightning crackled around him. "No one can put a lid on my desires. If I don't get him, no one does."
Thump.
Guilford, Komari, and Lihanna stepped up behind Zeo.
Logwell, Leopold, and Sion did the same behind Cariott.
Creirwy looked ready to pull her hair out.
"Gah! It's one thing after another… I swear I'm just about to quit! No one listens to me anyways!"
Patri scratched his cheek.
"Hmm. This is truly troublesome."
He turned to Aaron and shrugged.
"Seems like you walked yourself into a wall, King."
Aaron's eyes twitched. This is all your fault!
If Patri had shut Will down immediately instead of giving him a chance to speak, none of this would have happened.
Aaron briefly wondered whether that was a coincidence or not, but he didn't think about it for long.
Thump!
Aaron slammed his staff down again, this time with a visible tick on his forehead.
"Would you please stop fighting for a moment?!"
Zeo gave him all but the middle finger.
"Your meddling is useless, Old Man! Nothing changes till I get the boy!"
Cariott pinched the bridge of his nose, as if he'd come face-to-face with something foul and disgusting.
"How vulgar. Honestly, where did they find such a savage?"
Zeo grinned, unfazed.
"Off the street, just like you!"
Cariott frowned.
"Please don't compare me to you."
Aaron's patience was running thin.
"Enough! Cariott, you forfeited your right to Will by not participating in the previous challenge!"
Cariott held up a finger.
"Ah, but you already declared that challenge invalid. So me not taking part in it is irrelevant."
Aaron's face darkened.
"It's a matter of principle. By not competing, you demonstrated that Will is not someone you're willing to go that far for. And so he is better served under someone who is."
Cariott shook his head.
"Incorrect. I simply didn't want to dirty myself in the ring with the Sloth and Savage. You understand, right?"
Elfaria's expression darkened.
Zeo howled with an unhinged glare.
"What was that?!"
Cariott beamed.
"You heard me."
"Cariott!" Aaron growled lowly. "Are you defying my ruling?"
The Wand of Fire paused.
He debated it inwardly.
Aaron had already soured his mood earlier by criticizing him. And he was never one to pass up an opportunity to mess with Zeo…
However, as a staunch realist, he understood the tower didn't need more internal friction. Will was merely using him to escape Zeo—not exactly an endearing reason to butt heads for the boy's sake.
So he backed off.
"That was not my intention. Forget I said anything."
Aaron sighed in relief while Zeo cackled.
Pah.
He slapped Will's back as the depressed boy slumped his shoulders. He understood—no one would be standing up for him. Being weak was a crime. One he'd have to face alone.
"You got any other tricks for me, or will you finally come along?"
Will clenched his fist, then turned and walked past Zeo, saying nothing.
Instead, curious eyes watched him storm over to Elfaria, who averted her head, unwilling to meet his gaze.
But he grabbed her shoulders and shook her frame.
"Elfie. Look at me!"
"Umm…" Slowly, Elfaria turned to face him, her face dirty, eyes puffy and teary, sporting an ugly and equally depressed frown.
"W-what is it?"
Will sighed and forced a smile. "We'll meet again one day. I promise. So please… wait for me, just a little longer."
Elfaria's throat hitched as she hung her head.
Is there any point anymore… the promise was for me to wait for you at the top, and now I'm not even there…
Still, she lifted her head and mirrored Will's smile. "A-alright, it's a promise. I'll be waiting."
She couldn't lie to Will. His heart ached, but he didn't say anything as he turned back to Zeo.
"I may not be capable of much now… but promise me you'll never fight with Elfie—or any of my friends—again."
Will's expression slowly hardened. "If that's not a promise you can keep, then consequences be damned, I will take you down here and now!"
Zeo paused, then threw his head back in laughter. "Bwahaha! You've got some nerve! But I like that!"
He placed a gentle hand on Will's head and ruffled his hair. "Fine. It's a promise."
Bzzt.
Lightning crackled from Zeo's hand, and Will's Gloria slowly changed—from a colorless garb into a black outfit with golden epaulets, just like Lihanna's.
"From this day forth, you belong to the Thunder Faction. Prepare yourself, boy, 'cause I do anything but take things slow and easy."
Will nodded. "Yes sir!"
Watching the aftermath unfold, Ellenor finally let out a breath.
"Finally."
Snap!
"Lefiya! Filvis!"
"Yes, Great Mage Ellenor," the two elves replied in unison, already raising their staffs high.
Fwish!
"Alfs Alheim!"
The air shimmered. Fantasy wove itself into form as magic blossomed in the heart of the ceremonial hall.
An ethereal forest emerged—glowing trees swaying in a wind that didn't exist, surrounding a crystal lake so clear it seemed to reflect souls.
Alheim. The forest of healing, sacred realm of the elven homeworld.
Its presence washed over the injured like a silent wave.
Scars faded from flesh.
Bruises melted into nothing.
Dislocated bones popped back into place with quiet cracks. Internal bleeding reversed, wounds sealed shut without a trace.
Swollen flesh smoothed out.
Fractured teeth and shattered jaws knitted themselves whole.
One by one, adjutants stepped forward, snapping their fingers. With each snap, a burst of white light replaced tattered robes with pristine garments—clean, fitted, and regal.
Team Lihanna stared, awe-struck by the forest's shimmering majesty.
Wignall blinked.
It's beautiful… and yet… compared to Elysia… Alheim almost feels underwhelming.
He kept that dangerous thought to himself. If word of that ever reached the High Elves, he wouldn't even know how he died.
Fwish!
Just like that, the illusion dissipated.
The glowing trees faded. The lake dried to mist. The ceremonial hall returned to its battered, cracked self—echoing with silence.
Zeo clicked his tongue and stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets.
"Well, if that's all, we'll be going—"
"Not so fast."
Huh?
Zeo halted.
Everyone else froze, too, turning toward the source of the interruption.
Patri.
The elf offered a serene smile.
"Please return to your seats. Lord Masterias has an announcement to make."
Kreutz arched his brow.
Does this have something to do with what Lord Masterias has been up to on the first floor…?
A ripple of confusion passed through the crowd, exchanging glances filled with silent questions.
Still, they obeyed.
One by one, they filtered back to their original spots.
Except for one shift.
The Wind Faction drifted toward the Ice Faction's floating platform. Yuno took Elfaria's throne without hesitation, while the Ice Faction trudged across the hall, heads lowered, toward the Wind Faction's former bleachers.
Elfaria sat stiffly on Yuno's chair, her gaze fixed forward, refusing to meet her subordinates' eyes.
And then they waited.
As the last murmurs died down, silence settled over the ceremonial hall like a thick mist. Aaron adjusted his hodd slightly from where he stood and gave a subtle nod to his adjutant.
"Patri."
The eyepatched elf smiled faintly. "Yes, Your Excellency."
He extended a single hand toward the shattered floor of the arena—splintered stone, blackened scorch marks, broken chunks of what was once a proud battleground. His lips parted, and his expression turned grave.
"Rid thyself from this glorious realm. Disperse to nothingness, and meet your end… Dissolvere Masterias."
Dong!
A ghostly bell chimed from nowhere, echoing through the hall. A massive, glowing spell circle bloomed into existence atop Patri's palm—elegant, complex, and unnervingly still.
An annihilation spell. And not a simple one.
Fwoom!
A wave of radiant energy burst outward from the circle. Like a sweeping tide, it rolled across the ruined arena, bathing everything in cleansing light.
Ssssh!
The audience winced as the debris began to disintegrate with a hiss—burned out of existence not by flame, but by pure magical erasure. Shattered tiles, loose beams, even the bloodstains—all reduced to glowing motes that scattered like fireflies.
Brows rose.
Whispers flickered across the crowd. What's he doing?
And then, the light vanished. Patri lowered his hand.
A collective breath caught in every throat.
Because where there had once been a ruined battlefield… now stood something else entirely.
"…There's another floor?" someone murmured.
A second layer of flooring—translucent glass, shimmering faintly—lay beneath the original. Etched into its surface was a massive, intricate magical circle pulsing with residual power.
"I knew something was up," Ceridwen muttered under her breath, arms folded.
Finn chuckled. Now for the final act.
It wasn't confusion that took the crowd. It was recognition.
"…The Mercedes Mirror?" Charles whispered, leaning forward.
Kreutz adjusted his glasses, lenses catching the gleam of the array. What exactly did Lord Masterias have the dwarves build…?
The Mercedes Mirror.
A legendary magical array dating back five centuries. Designed not to destroy, but to expose. A device that forcefully activates the user's latent magical potential, drawing out everything hidden beneath the surface—and displaying it for all to see.
Back in the era just before the Great Barrier was raised, the Mirror had been widely used to root out the gifted… and conscript them to face the Heavenly Invaders.
Promising talents were marked and dragged into the Mages' ranks, willing or not.
Elfaria's jaw clenched. Her hands curled into tight fists in her lap.
She remembered that circle all too well.
It was the same array they had used to trap her. To trick her. To test her.
To claim her.
Will stared at the design, expression tight.
He knew what it was.
He had read about it more than once in the academy.
But only now, seeing it in person, he had the sudden inexplicable urge to go down there and punch it.
To break it.
To destroy it.
Zeo folded his legs in his lap. "Oi, Old Guy, what's this all about?"
He slumped back in his chair.
"Are we checking out Prettyboy's full power or something?"
Yuno twitched and clenched his jaw from across the platform.
"Obviously not. And stop calling me that!"
Zeo shrugged with a careless grin.
"No can do. And it ain't like I came up with that nickname. Settle your beef with who did!"
Yuno forced a smile.
He knew who.
But he just couldn't touch them right now. Nor get involved with them in any way.
Aaron sighed at their bickering, already sensing this would be a recurring pattern.
He turned toward the hallway he'd come from and parted his lips.
"Come in."
Thump.
Thud.
Thump.
The ceremonial hall quieted as the footsteps approached.
Soon, several figures came into view.
Four in total, each wearing imperial blue garb with off-white trimming.
At the lead was a beautiful woman in low heels and a one-piece dress, her silver hair overflowing down her back.
Will's brow shot up.
Mrs. Silva! What are you doing in the tower?!
Walking at her sides were a shy-looking black-haired woman in a robe-styled cut, and a plain-looking man in a more traditional suit.
Ms. Hivernelle?! Mr. Coqus!
Trailing just behind, adjusting his collar and wearing a uniform like the rest of the 401st—still in matching colors—was a familiar head of icy blue hair.
Jul—
"JULIUS?!" Lunais and Jhorua yelped in unison from the Ice Faction bleachers.
The latter called out.
"W-where have you been? And w-what are you wearing?!"
Twitch.
Julius sweatdropped slightly and averted his gaze.
"Hmph."
He didn't know what to say.
He'd let the next few minutes speak for themselves.
The ice mage wasn't in the best mood.
He'd joined this new faction only to find out there was another No-Talent there—and a baby.
Then he freaked out.
Only to be swiftly put in place by said No-Talent.
And the baby.
Dammit… What do they feed infants nowadays? Even a baby has more magic power than me!
Remembering how Will told him Elfaria invented Ars Weiss at age two, Julius no longer thought much of it.
Whatever, maybe I'm the one who's lacking.
And speaking of Elfaria…
His gaze passed over the defeated and still-depressed Albis Vina, toward the neutral stands, and landed on Ceridwen.
Didn't this Witch tell me to challenge her as my rival?! How am I supposed to do that if she's already lost?!
Julius Reinburg felt a bit cheated.
His grand vision of climbing to the top of the tower and taking Elfaria's throne for himself?
It went up in smoke in a little more than four hours.
Ceridwen sweatdropped and ducked her head under her witch hat, whistling to herself.
S-sorry, Julius… but you really can't blame me for this, right? I mean, who could've seen this coming?
Julius snorted and stopped beside Kezōkaku Ginnojōmorifuyu and Mikuriya Fumito behind Noelle.
Thump.
Aaron tapped his staff again, silencing the murmurs across the hall as he stroked his beard.
"I'm sure many of you have questions. Allow me to finish speaking first—hopefully, they'll all be answered."
The crowd blinked, then stiffly nodded.
Aaron looked faintly satisfied and pointed behind Noelle toward Julius, Kezōkaku, and Fumito.
"I'm sure at least some of you recognize one or more of these individuals, so I won't get into introductions."
He then turned back to the crowd and gestured to Noelle. "This is Noelle Silva. From now on, these three will be under her purview—as the leader of the new Water Faction, Fluvia Silva."
Aaron's voice was calm.
The crowd's reaction was anything but.
"HUH?!" the 401st cohort roared.
"New faction?!" several high mages joined in, aghast.
Will nearly lost it. Starting a new faction? Mrs. Silva?! What? Why? What happened to your quiet life? A-and where's Shishō?!
Patri raised a hand. "Enough of the noise. You aren't children. Act like adults and speak your piece one at a time."
Silence fell over the hall as Sarissa nervously stepped forward, raising a hand.
"L-Lord Masterias, if I may?"
Aaron nodded. "Yes?"
Sarissa cleared her throat, then spread her arms wide. "W-what is the meaning of this? A new faction? And water faction at that? We already have an ice—"
"Exactly. Ice Faction. Not Water Faction," Aaron cut in. "For too long, water mages with little or no talent for ice derivatives have had no place in the tower. This new addition to our ranks will fix that—and nurture more talent for the Fated Day."
His solemn gaze swept the crowd. "The Terminalia proved that certain forces who wish to see this world burn are once again active. We must step up—and invest more time and effort into preparing the next generation."
Monica Orphan and Morta Lattar stiffened slightly in unison.
Sarissa hesitated, then carried on. "B-but even so, Julius and Argenta are—"
"—none of your concern," Aaron interrupted again. "Elfaria was ready to discard Julius' talents over a personal grudge."
Elfaria winced.
Aaron continued. "As for Argenta—you've repeatedly failed to bring her into your fold or utilize her talents. We no longer have the luxury of wasted potential. She, alongside Julius, has willingly joined Noelle—and that is the end of it."
The hall went still.
Will, Lunais, and Jhorua all stared at Julius in synchronized disbelief.
What happened to your dream of succeeding Elfaria?!
Julius could read it on their faces.
If he had the courage to speak, he might've said:
My dream was to succeed Albis Vina. She no longer is—so what does that have to do with me?
As Julius was locked in an internal fight with himself, his friend, and his groupies, Kreutz Harlon grabbed the railings in front of him and yelled across the hall.
"But Lord Masterias! This is starting an entire new faction you're talking about. This is not some casual play! There is no basis for this!"
Aaron replied coolly. "Yes, there is. The original factions were Fire, Wind, Thunder, Ice, and Earth. After the Great Barrier came Light and Dark, and a few decades later the Fairy Faction was founded shortly after the elves' arrival. Are you lacking in the historical department, Director?"
Kreutz flushed red and stuttered. "N-no, my Lord, but with all due respect, those were very special times. Not a single faction has been founded for nearly 470 years! You can't just declare such a thing out of the blue and expect the world to tolerate it!"
"I see." Aaron nodded, unfazed, then turned his head to the rest of the Vander. "Any objections?"
"Nah." Zeo yawned. "Is this damn ceremony over yet?"
Ellenor shook her head. "This is the mages' home. I could care less what you decide to do with it."
Cariott smiled. "I, for one, think this tower could do with a little more shaking up. Desperate times call for desperate measures."
Yuno shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me."
Aaron nodded and turned to the other factions. "Any complaints? Voice them now."
The Dark Faction shivered and bowed their heads collectively. "N-none at all!"
The Earth Faction elders shook their heads profusely. "N-no! We're good!"
The Ice Faction looked awkwardly at Elfaria. The former Albis Vina felt increasingly empty.
She lost her title.
She lost Will.
She lost Argenta.
She lost Julius.
She was going to lose her floor as well by the end of the day.
Speaking of the floor, she sat up in her seat.
"W-where will this new faction go? Sharing an element is one thing, but I don't suppose you expect the Ice Faction to share our sector of the second floor as well?"
The crowd stilled, then nodded collectively at Masterias Noah.
The Four Great Factions occupied floors 3 to 6. Each with one to themselves.
The non-Vander factions shared the second floor.
The Colorless Faction, also dubbed the Upper Institute, ruled the first.
The Light Faction didn't have a floor and usually hung around floor 50.
Floors 7 through 50 were challenge floors—used for testing oneself. Climbing these floors was what it meant to climb the tower.
So the only question left was where the Water Faction would go?
Water was a very bountiful element, unlike Light, so their ranks would surely fill up quickly.
Staying at the top wasn't sustainable. Nor was it appropriate.
Aaron nodded casually. "The Water Faction base has been built on the first floor, at the edge of the Field of Solitude. That is where they shall stay."
Kreutz stiffened. Huh?
Realization slowly dawned on Will. Ooohhh, that's what that was.
Elfaria nodded, satisfied, and the other non-Vander factions let out breaths of relief as they sat back down.
Kreutz, however, started to panic. "B-but sir! The first floor is Colorless territory!"
Aaron sized him up coldly. "And your point is? The Field of Solitude is neutral ground—outside the Colorless Garden's city."
Kreutz shivered under the glare but still held his ground. "T-that being said, the Colorless might not take too well to—"
"To what? Having an entirely new faction available to give them hope to climb the tower again?" Patri cut him off with a rhetorical laugh. "I believe they'll be ecstatic. And very very thankful."
Kreutz froze as he felt and heard some snickers directed his way. People taking great pleasure in his misfortune.
He ignored them and focused back on Aaron. "L-Lord Masterias. A faction isn't just an idea—it comes with a physical price. Money and funds need to be allocated to sponsor their work, training, research, and any other expenditures or needs they may have. Where will this all come from—"
"From you." Aaron cut him off.
Kreutz Harlon blinked. Certain he'd misheard. "I—I beg your pardon?"
Aaron nodded. "You heard me. Or more specifically, from the Upper Institute. Until the Water Faction can become self-sustainable and next year's tower budget is finalized, any and all funds they need or desire will be taken directly from the Upper Institute. This will serve as punishment for trying to sabotage two Bloom competitors."
Aaron's cold gaze bore into Kreutz's frame.
"I'm letting you off very easily here. Any complaints?"
Kreutz nearly wet himself as he broke out in a cold sweat. He shook his head profusely. "N-no! None at all!"
Aaron nodded, satisfied. "Good. Now, I know I got many of you to agree with me—though silencing you with unveiled threats isn't going to last in the long run. So I'll have Noelle do it for herself."
All eyes shifted to her as Patri smiled.
"Mrs. Silva here is a new face for many. That's because she hasn't been a high mage or member of the tower—up until now."
The crowd blanked.
Patri chuckled. "Don't worry, she's created a spell of her own." He paused. Several, at that. "She deserves to be here."
The crowd looked mildly convinced. Keyword: mildly.
Patri then nodded toward the Mercedes Mirror.
"I suppose now it's clear what this is for."
The crowd blinked. Then nodded.
Aaron wanted to silence any dissent by putting Noelle's potential on full display.
It was a simple method. But if she was even slightly underwhelming, it would come back to bite him.
Zeo laughed. "Yeah! This is how it should be!"
Patri nodded at Noelle. "If you may?"
The former princess nearly rolled her eyes as she hopped off the platform and floated down toward the center of the magical circle.
Thump.
And the moment her feet touched the floor—it happened.
Rumble.
The red magic circle turned an ocean blue as the ground trembled. Noelle's mana skipped—a ripple in her rhythm—as her element pulled itself from her body on its own.
Fwoom!
Water surged across the ceremonial floor, rising knee-deep in seconds. And then—"Grooar!!!!"
A massive serpentine dragon erupted from the miniature lake, its body made entirely of shimmering water. Gills flared. Scales rippled. The construct roared, shaking the air.
The crowd froze.
Then they collectively broke into a cold sweat.
"S-so much mana…"
"S-she's like a Vander!"
"A-almost as much as Lady Ellenor!"
"D-dammit, where are all these freaks coming from?!"
Will blanked. He knew Noelle was strong… but not this strong.
And judging from her calm, unbothered expression, he had a chilling sense she was capable of far more.
Ceridwen and Finn whistled, low and impressed.
Finn blinked slowly. He suddenly felt like he'd gotten two for the price of one. Not just a Sword—but a Wand just as terrifying.
Maybe I should become a scout?
Elfaria's jaw dropped slightly. T-the lady Will's been hanging out with… she's not just pretty… she's freakishly strong too?
Good thing she's married…!
Julius' eyes lit up. Any regret he'd harbored about his decision vanished instantly. He was very happy where he was.
The Mercedes Mirror dulled as the dragon dispersed, the water fading into soft motes of light.
But many kept staring at Noelle like she was something unnatural.
Zeo grinned. "I can't wait to fight her!"
Ellenor snorted. "I hope she takes your seat and rids us of you."
Cariott nodded. "I second that."
Yuno chimed in too. "I agree."
Zeo tuned them out as Aaron raised a hand.
"I believe her power speaks for herself?"
The audience nodded, stiff and silent.
"No further objections?"
Another round of nods.
He then turned to look down at Noelle.
"Do you have anything you wish to say?"
Surprisingly, Noelle did. She looked up to the Thunder Faction and pointed.
"Hey Will? Do you want to come with me?"
The crowd froze. Komari forced out a resigned smile, while Zeo and Will blanked in unison.
"Huh?"
Patri whispered at Aaron's side.
"You need to watch your words, Old Man."
Iris sweatdropped, while Aaron's expression darkened.
Oblivious, or uncaring—maybe both—Noelle clicked her tongue as she pushed back her hair.
"You heard me. Just say the word, and I'll deal with this guy."
Zeo dug a hand into his ear, thinking he misheard, then looked back over his shoulder.
"Friend of yours?"
Will forced out a smile.
"M-my Guardian, actually…"
The crowd blinked, surprised.
So she's family?
Zeo paused, then stood up, cracking a smile along with his knuckles.
"I promised you not to fight, but if they challenge me that's another story, right?"
Bzzt.
Lightning crackled over his body as his hair came alive.
Whoosh!
Little bubbles of water floated at Noelle's side as she pointed her wand up at Zeo, unphased.
Zeo licked his lips.
"Alright. Another fight in one day, it must be my birthday."
"Actually, Great Mage Zeo, your birthday is the 7th of Hallasmoon," Guilford raised a finger, matter-of-factly. He knew everything about his Vander—his favorite food, his least favorite, how he liked to sleep, his pastimes when he wasn't fighting, and so much more.
Komari shivered.
Lihanna looked at her curiously.
"Is something wrong, Anna-senpai?"
Komari shrugged.
"I-I don't know, I just got the major ick all of a sudden."
"?" Lihanna cocked her head thoughtfully.
Meanwhile, Will suddenly grabbed the back of Zeo's coat.
"W-wait, don't fight!"
Zeo looked back at him with a dark grin.
"You think I'm going to just let her take you without a fight—"
"N-no! I'm not going anywhere," Will cut him off.
Zeo paused and blinked.
"Huh?"
Will forced out a slight frown—somewhere between a smile and a determined look.
"You heard me… I already agreed to join you, so I won't be taking my word back now."
It's important to keep your word.
Zeo looked surprised as he sat back down.
"Well, I'll be."
Noelle looked up at Will.
"You sure? I can take him."
"Please do," Cariott, Ellenor, and Yuno spoke in unison.
Will forced out a shaky smile. With Noelle's previous display, he actually didn't doubt it much.
It's just… he still couldn't face his master, nor forgive himself if even anything slightly bad happened to her.
Moreover, she was not an ascendant. She was strong, but she was a newbie in the tower. She had no right to challenge Zeo for anything—unless he chose to humor her.
Certainly, there would be complications and uninvited politics involved if she won or even made it a close battle.
Will nodded at her softly.
"I'm sure, Mrs. Silva. I'm fine where I am."
Noelle paused before her expression softened. She nodded back.
"Fine then."
And then she floated back up to her faction— as well as the Light Faction—standing beside Aaron.
She turned to face the crowd.
"If you have any questions for me personally, this is your single chance."
The crowd exchanged wry glances.
Sarissa raised a hesitant hand.
"I-I do. More of a personal curiosity, though."
Noelle nodded gently. "Yes? Go ahead."
Sarissa cleared her throat. "It's just… they introduced you with the Mrs. honorific. So, are you married by any chance?"
The crowd stilled. It was a strange question—but valid.
Marriage was rare for High Mages in the tower. It was a dangerous life.
Love stories were common. Dating. Occasional visits at night—more often than you'd think, considering how many were prissy, uptight nobles. Even engagements.
But marriage?
Marriage was rare.
Those who desired holy matrimony usually resigned from the tower to be together, often taking a post elsewhere—usually the academy.
Some quit the magic life altogether. Others waited and married late, after retirement.
Marriage while living on death's door wasn't exactly a recipe for a happy union.
Sarissa herself had once been engaged to someone she sincerely loved. But that, too, fell apart because of the life she lived.
So, she was curious.
Noelle's expression softened. "Yes, I am. My husband's with my baby in our base."
Sarissa nodded. "I see—wait, I beg your pardon. Did you just say baby?"
Noelle nodded, smiling proudly. "Yeah. Seven months and counting."
Sarissa's jaw slackened.
So did the crowd.
Paramount Kreutz was outraged.
"L-Lord Masterias, what is the meaning of this?!"
Aaron sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What now?"
Kreutz sputtered. "W-what do you mean what now? The tower isn't some nursery! Only those who work here in some capacity are allowed inside! Never in five hundred years have we made an exception—not even for the family of a Vander!"
Aaron remained unphased. "Well, I just did." He turned to Creirwy. "Is there an explicit rule against it?"
The arbiter blinked, caught off-guard. "N-no… just tradition," she admitted with a nervous glance. More like an unwritten one.
Aaron nodded. "So there you have it."
Kreutz nearly tore his hair out. "But Sir! If you allow this precedent, the tower could turn into a dormitory! What's next? Nannies? Toy rooms? Feeding hours?!"
Aaron's gaze darkened. Have I been too lenient lately? he wondered. It seemed people had forgotten their place—forgotten that he wasn't in the habit of asking permission. He was issuing a fact.
Noelle stepped forward then, cool and collected, but her voice cut clean.
"Well, my husband and baby are deal-breakers for me. If I don't get to see them once a day—wake up to them, sleep beside them—then I'm out."
Kreutz flushed crimson, scandalized. "Woman! This world is on the brink of destruction! Learn to make sacrifices like the rest of us! You seem young—you can always have another later!"
A hush fell over the chamber.
If Kreutz had once opposed Noelle's recruitment quietly, now he made his stance clear having seen her power. Her attachment, her love, her family—to him, they weren't strengths. They were liabilities. Distractions. Sentimentality dressed in the guise of weakness.
It wasn't an uncommon view in the tower.
Many mages kept lovers or children outside, a safe arm's length away. Visits were rare—reserved for off-days or retirement. If you wanted to live a magical life, you paid the price. You chose the tower, or you didn't.
And yet—Noelle looked at him with pure, undisguised loathing. "Disgusting."
She didn't raise her voice. She didn't need to.
Others responded in kind.
Filvis shuddered. "T-that has to be some kind of sexual harassment…"
Lefiya folded her arms. "Truly distasteful."
Ellenor clicked her tongue. "Ugh. Men."
Selia puffed her chest and struck a pose, hands on hips. "Y-yeah! A few exceptions aside, t-they all suck!"
A ripple of disapproval surged across the hall. Most of the female cohort glared at Kreutz, their eyes narrowed, their mouths curled with scorn.
"He's a pig."
"Has he ever experienced love?"
"Doubt it. Heard he's married to his scalpel and tweezers."
"Maybe he's a eunuch. Paradise knows he's got no balls."
"Eunuch? You're being too generous. I doubt he ever had a pair."
Kreutz turned a sickly shade of white, shrinking under the venom of their contempt.
Aaron cleared his throat, more awkwardly than usual. "A-ahem. Kreutz, I understand your… concerns."
Kreutz looked up hopefully.
"But Noelle will be the only exception."
Kreutz's mouth opened again, but Aaron cut him off with a raised finger.
"Because," he continued, "her case is unique. She was already married and had a child before entering the tower. More importantly, we recruited her. She didn't come knocking."
Aaron's voice sharpened.
"And never interrupt me again."
Kreutz stiffened. "Y-yes, Sir…"
Aaron nodded once, thumping the base of his staff against the platform. A resonant thrum echoed across the hall.
"That brings us to the end of the ceremony. Any final questions?"
Silence.
Creirwy stood with a pleasant smile, turning her attention to the gathered cohort of freshbloods. "Alright, kiddies! I know it's been a long day, but hustle on over to your new factions, get settled, and meet me in the Interim Room in one hour for the finale of our little orientation. Capiche?"
The 401st blinked collectively, then offered a polite chorus.
"Yes, Ms. Sera."
"Excellent," she beamed, clapping her hands.
Aaron nodded toward the room. "If nothing more… you are dismissed."
With a soft hum, the floating platforms began to shift, ferrying the major factions—Vander included—back to their respective towers. The lesser factions began filing out on foot, some grumbling, others starry-eyed.
In the case of the Ice Faction, it was a walk of fame.
Today, the Second Bloom had proven to be more than a symbolic rite. It was history in motion.
A new Vander had been crowned.
One had been dethroned.
A new faction had risen.
And one declaration, earth-shattering in its implications, still awaited the new recruits.
The 401st cohort stood on the edge of something vast—something shifting.
Busy times were coming for the Generation of Disquiet.
Much had already happened.
And the year had just begun.
A year that would, in time, come to be remembered by all who lived through it...
...as the Year of Hope and Loss.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Author's Notes:
[1] Thorzeus Fasce seems to be the better translation of 雷公の杖 since Fasce comes from the Latin words Fasces, meaning rods, while Fudge means soft candy or to falsify in English.
Honestly I don't know what the other scanlation team was thinking when I chose Fudge.
[2] Fluvia is Latin for river, symbolizing adaptability and life, and also sounds floral related, so that's why I chose Fluvia.
[3] If you'd like to chat, discuss the story, or hang out, feel free to join the Discord: https://discord.gg/s3MME8X8ar