The morning sun was already shining through the room's window, drawing luminous patterns on the floor. Seraphina flipped through her book and, with a precise movement of her hands, closed the volume gently. She closed her eyes for a moment, in brief reflection. When she opened them, her voice sounded calm in the silence of the room:
— It seems you woke up early again, didn't you? — she said, addressing Elyandra's empty and impeccably made bed.
In the middle of the campus, Elyandra was running at a steady pace, sweat dripping down her face. Her eyes fixed on the path ahead barely noticed the passage of time. After running for what seemed like hours, she finally stopped. Panting and tired, she thought: "How long have I been running?" She looked up, took a deep breath, and calmed her expression. She observed her surroundings and, with a sigh of determination, thought: "All right… let's get back to what matters."
Heading back to the dormitory, Elyandra came across Seraphina, who was watching her in silence. They stared at each other for a few seconds, a dance of gazes that Elyandra quickly broke, readjusting her posture to her usual perfection.
— Good morning, Lady Vancroft — said Elyandra, her voice polite and serene. — I hope you had an excellent night's sleep.
Seraphina approached, her eyes fixed on Valemortis's golden ones.
— I have nothing to complain about — she replied, her tone neutral, almost calculating. — But what about you?
The question echoed in Elyandra's ears. She paused for a moment, reorganizing her thoughts in search of the ideal answer.
— I had a relapse — she confessed, a slight shift in her voice, but quickly regaining her composure. — But I believe I'm already feeling better.
Seraphina moved even closer, her superior gaze trying to unravel the other girl's soul.
— Intrusive thoughts… I didn't imagine the Saint would have something like that. Usually people who follow the faith… are quite upright. — The word "upright" sounded almost like a test, a subtle provocation.
Elyandra noticed that gaze that seemed to force her to reveal something, as if Seraphina wanted her to show a weakness, a secret. "This girl… what exactly is she thinking?"
She raised her hands to her hair, untying it from the tight bun she used for training, imitating the style of her former trainer. The white strands flowed down her shoulders, soft and loose.
— Do you also have these kinds of thoughts? — Elyandra asked, turning the question back, her eyes fixed on Seraphina's. — I didn't imagine you would be like the others.
Seraphina crossed her arms, a slight twitch of irritation on her face.
— Like the others? Well… that offends me a little. But we're debating common sense. Nothing I said goes beyond the standard thoughts of this empire.
"Common sense… damn, she's right," Elyandra thought, a pang of bitter recognition. "These are the ills of having lived in times where religion and devotion weren't something so sickening."
Elyandra smiled, a smile that carried a hint of melancholy.
— You're not wrong in your point of view, Lady Vancroft. But I am not the Saint.
For the first time, Seraphina showed a look of genuine astonishment. Her eyes widened.
— What do you mean? You are clearly a Saint. Your eyes are living proof of that.
At that moment, an even more serene and determined smile crossed Elyandra's face. She took a determined step forward, now looking down at Seraphina, her noble and confident aura filling the space.
— My characteristics do not necessarily define me, Lady Vancroft. In a way, yes… I am a Saint, and I also wear the pure-blood earring. But that is not what defines who I am. My name is Elyandra, Elyandra Valemortis, a high-caste noble, daughter of the leader of the Empire's military affairs. I forge my own path, no matter what fate has in store for me. I will walk it making my own decisions, whether it leads to the Church or away from it. Elyandra will always be a Valemortis.
She walked past Seraphina, an eloquent silence hanging between them. Without looking at her, Seraphina murmured:
— You really are a strange person, Lady Valemortis…
Elyandra stopped, without turning around.
— People are strange. That is what makes them normal. Those who receive the privileges of knowledge become strange.
Seraphina ended the conversation with a reflective air.
— What makes us strange are our actions.
Elyandra, already walking away, let her last words echo in the air:
— And also their consequences.
Seraphina smiled slightly as Elyandra moved away, the figure of the Valemortis growing smaller on the path to the dormitory, leaving behind a trail of intriguing thoughts.
The early afternoon sun was already brightening the skies, pouring golden light over the academy's training fields. The students were gathered once again, and Elyandra, along with the other high-caste nobles, was already in line. This time, she was not first — a pleasant feeling of being just another face in the crowd.
Once again, the groups were separated. Armand Velacroix appeared in front of Elyandra's group, a restrained smile on his face.
— Greetings, noble aspiring students! I must say I am very excited about today's test. I hope you are as excited as I am!
The students exchanged glances, some whispering about what the test would be. While everyone traded looks and whispers, Elyandra kept her head lowered, staring at her surroundings. Her mind worked tirelessly, imagining the nature of the test that awaited them.
Armand, with a wide gesture, instructed everyone:
— Now, form a paired line!
Soon, the nobles gathered side by side, one behind the other, forming an almost perfect square. At that moment, Elyandra discreetly scanned the area around the group and did not see Eliora. "Eliora isn't here…" she thought, a pang of curiosity quickly suppressed. "Did she go back to the Church? Well, I won't think too much about it."
Armand then pointed his finger at the first student in the corner line, a student who was on the opposite side from Elyandra. She watched him approach the professor. Armand led him to the center of an octagon that looked more like a battle ring. In the middle of it, a pre-made magic circle glowed softly, indicating the test location.
— You stay here in the center — Armand said to the student. — Get into whatever position feels most comfortable.
The student stopped at the indicated spot, motionless, his face showing remarkable confidence and stability as he waited patiently.
— Let's go, this test is something simple — said Armand. — We will test each of you and measure your magic levels. This way, we will know if you are truly capable of entering the academy.
— Whenever you're ready — the student replied, his voice firm.
— Let's begin then. Start with your mana flow — Armand instructed.
The student nodded and brought his hands together. A subtle glow began to emanate from his body as the mana flow intensified. The other students watched the one being tested with steady gazes. Elyandra stared at him, observing the student's concentration deeply and noting the stability of his mana flow. Armand circled the boy, staring at him firmly, his subtle smile never leaving his lips.
— Very good… don't break your concentration now — Armand continued, his voice almost melodic. — Tell me… what is your affinity? Of course, there are many types of affinities, not that you need to know them all, but let's go. We have earth, water, fire, wind magic — the most well-known. Then there are the more extravagant ones: divine, darkness, demonic, spiritual, gravitational, and environmental. Environmental magic is quite comical, so to speak. You can do a lot of things outside the box with it. But anyway… continuing, and finally we have those I like to call adapted magics, such as ice, sound, blood, and even crystal magic. With these magics, you can do a lot, like making earth sculptures with earth magic or summoning monsters with demonic magic.
The student, who until then had maintained impeccable concentration, broke part of it with the professor's long and apparently random explanation. He stared at Armand, somewhat bored.
— That's basic knowledge, isn't it? — he asked, a hint of arrogance in his voice.
Armand smiled even wider.
In Elyandra's mind, she thought: "Wrong… complex magics like environmental, crystal, or blood are very specific. Because of that, they are not widely explored, since our citizens usually always have a very standard type of affinity. But that's not the point here."
— Your test is over. You may return to the group — said Armand, turning to the group.
The student didn't understand what had happened.
— What do you mean? The test is already over?! — he shouted, euphoric and incredulous.
Armand retorted, his voice intensifying and his gaze becoming more severe.
— Yes… I've already seen what I wanted. You may withdraw.
The student swallowed hard, his euphoria turning into shock, and returned to his place, head lowered. While all this was happening, Elyandra saw the smile on Armand's face and broke into a cold sweat. "It was very clear. The moment he stopped to question the professor, his mana flow was interrupted for an instant. He ended the test simply because his mana flow broke for a moment?" she thought. "This scoundrel literally gave a long explanation just to see if he would lose concentration…"
Elyandra's trembling smile hid itself as she watched another student being called to the circle. She thought again: "So he's going to eliminate anyone for the slightest possible failure… this really is madness." As soon as she finished that internal monologue, she heard Armand's voice again saying:
— Your test is over.
Once again, another student returned to the group with an uneasy face. A drop of sweat ran down Elyandra's face, leaving her in a long mental monologue.
The test continued for several hours, a purgatory of expectations and eliminations. From that huge group of students, the vast majority had already been tested and discarded, their faces showing a mix of frustration and humiliation. Only a few students had passed Armand's relentless tests, which left Elyandra apprehensive. She broke into a cold sweat as she waited for her turn. Many of these feelings were intensified by having witnessed so many eliminations; even the few who had passed did not make it look easy. In fact, some seemed surprised to have been approved, as if it had been nothing more than a game of luck. Elyandra took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.
It was then that she heard Armand say:
— Your test is over.
Elyandra had not noticed that the eliminated student was the last one before her. She closed her eyes, trying to relax, when she heard Armand call her name.
— Lady Valemortis.
The sound of her name hit the girl, making her open her eyes in surprise. Her spine went cold, and her legs seemed to lose strength instantly. She stared at the professor with a somewhat dazed look. Armand, with his peculiar smile, said:
— It's your turn now. Could you come forward?
Elyandra swallowed hard, clenching her fists with silent determination.
— Yes, right away — she replied, her voice firmer than she expected.
She walked to the magic circle, stopping in front of the students who suddenly seemed like a huge audience. Elyandra felt nervousness consuming her, but she fought to maintain her noble pose, the perfect facade that could even fool Armand.
— Very well — said the professor. — You may take whatever position is most comfortable. Whenever you're ready, we can begin.
Elyandra listened to Armand's words and thought: "Comfortable…" Without hesitation, she knelt in the middle of the magic circle. It was a noble posture, learned from her master, that combined reverence and contained power. The students were impressed; some whispered about a high-caste noble kneeling, which left some astonished and others disturbed. Armand saw this and, for a moment, his smile gave way to a more serious expression, a glimpse of something deeper in his eyes.
Elyandra closed her eyes.
— We can begin.
She began to channel her mana flow. Some students watched with intrigued eyes. Elyandra had trained her flow so much that her mana aura was not dense and turbulent, but fine and continuous, like a calm lake under moonlight. Armand began to circle her, hand under his chin as he stared at the young noble.
— The Empire is truly intriguing, don't you think? — he said, his voice carrying a thread of provocation. — I mean, we are an unmatched power, we have one of the most powerful magical military forces in the world. One could even say we are unbeatable.
Elyandra heard all of it but did not hesitate to retort.
— We are indeed a strong empire, Professor Armand, but that does not mean we are unbeatable.
At that moment, some nobles in the audience were startled, and others even exclaimed:
— What kind of talk is that?!
— What does she mean by that?!
— How dare she say something like that?!
Their agitation was clear to Elyandra, but she was not too surprised. Armand stopped behind her, his voice in a lower tone, almost a whisper.
— How intriguing. I didn't expect to hear something like that from you, Lady Valemortis.
— I am someone very focused on logic — Elyandra replied, her voice calm and firm. — We are powerful, but power means nothing if it is in the hands of someone poorly educated.
Armand continued to circle her, his smile subtly reappearing.
— Poorly educated… are you referring to our Empire?
— No… — Elyandra answered, with a touch of caution. — That's not exactly what I meant. I believe that any empire without good management can fall, no matter how powerful it is.
Armand let out a light laugh, a hoarse and satisfied sound.
— Yes! Yes, that is a great truth, Lady Valemortis. I cannot say you are wrong. Any structure only stands if it has good pillars.
He stopped and crouched in front of Elyandra, his presence intensifying. His dense and powerful mana clashed against hers. This startled the girl for a moment, a chill running down her spine, but she managed to hold on and not interrupt her mana flow.
— And what do you think of the Empire's current management? — Armand asked, his eyes fixed on hers.
Elyandra's golden eyes suddenly opened, meeting Armand's. She kept her gaze firm.
— I apologize if I do not answer in the way you would expect, Professor Armand, but I cannot answer that question.
Armand brought his face closer to hers, the distance shrinking.
— Really? May I know the reason for that?
— I do not have knowledge that goes beyond theory — Elyandra replied, her voice unshakable. — I believe I cannot judge something without experiencing it first.
She finished her answer with a serene, almost imperceptible smile. Armand stared at her for a moment and smiled equally, stepping back and laughing softly.
— That's true, that's true — he said, still laughing. After calming down, he asked: — Well, it's quite obvious to anyone, but why don't you tell us your magical affinity, Lady Valemortis?
Elyandra heard the question and thought: "I can't say I have two affinities. Not many people know about my magical nature besides a few trusted people from House Valemortis, so I need to say only what is necessary."
— My magical affinity is, as many already know, divine magic — Elyandra replied.
Armand nodded in agreement.
— Of course, of course, that is to be expected.
Armand then stood up, a spark of curiosity in his eyes.
— Tell me, how does your affinity work? — he asked, while Elyandra remained focused on keeping her mana flow stable.
— Divine Magic is a very peculiar type of magic — Elyandra began, her voice soft but firm. — I can say that it is a magic that chooses its user, so to speak. Some people can use it freely; those people are called Saints. Some others can use a much more restrained part of it; those people are known as Priestesses. An interesting point about this is that only women are blessed with this gift.
Armand nodded, letting out a light, comical snort that showed a hint of male resentment. Elyandra continued:
— Divine Magic is used as a direct channel with the Goddess of Divine Light. It is a very famous magic for being the most effective in treating illnesses or damage caused to living beings, as well as being widely used in combating demonic forces and blessing corrupted zones. The Church even receives requests from other empires for Priestesses to exorcise cursed places or areas with demonic presence.
— Good description — said Armand, evaluating her. — How would you rate yourself in the use of divine magic?
Elyandra thought for a few seconds, weighing her answer.
— I cannot say I am good, Professor Armand. I still have a lot to learn. At my current level, I would say I am below an average priestess.
Armand stopped in front of her again, arms crossed.
— That is clear. Even though this is an academy that seeks only the best among the best, we do not expect you to be perfect. But, of course, you must be above average.
Elyandra stared at him, a drop of sweat running down her face, feeling the pressure. Armand then sat down in front of the girl, a sparkle in his eyes.
— Divine Magic is very well known for its healing factor. Do you already have practice in this area?
Elyandra remembered Dalia, who had cut and intentionally wounded her so she would learn to heal herself, even though it took her a long time to succeed.
— I have some knowledge about it — Elyandra replied.
— Could I ask you to show me? — Armand proposed, an enigmatic smile on his lips.
Elyandra looked a little intrigued.
— What do you mean?
She had already seen other students show examples of their magic to Armand, but in her case, there was no easy way to demonstrate it.
— I could ask you to do something very standard, like creating an orb of Divine Magic and so on — Armand explained. — But that would be very unfair, considering it is something very basic. So, why don't we go for practice?
— Practice? — Elyandra questioned, her voice a little louder.
Armand pulled a dagger from the bag on his back and brought it close to his own finger, cutting it in front of Elyandra. The students in the audience were surprised by the scene, but it was not entirely out of character for Armand's eccentric methods. Blood began to flow from his finger.
— Ouch! Ouch! That hurts a lot — Armand exclaimed, with a theatrical groan. — But luckily we have a divine magic user among us, right, Lady Valemortis?
Elyandra stared at him, breaking into a cold sweat and thinking: "It feels like I'm talking to a crazier version of Dalia. Are there only lunatics in this world?" She swallowed hard and raised her hand, holding Armand's cut finger.
— How cute… your hand is so soft — Armand murmured, a flushed smile on his face.
That broke Elyandra's serious expression.
— Professor! — she said, in a gentle reprimanding tone. — Please take this seriously!
This caused the audience of students to let out a light laugh, breaking the serious atmosphere around them. Elyandra's face darkened, feeling embarrassed. In contrast, Armand stared at her with a somewhat stunned look. He thought: "How fantastic! Of all the students I've seen so far, she was the only one who didn't have a single millimeter of instability in her mana flow. I already made her lose her train of thought twice, and her mana flow remains clean. Elyandra Valemortis… what kind of training did you go through to reach this level of concentration?"
Elyandra brought her hand to her mouth and made a discreet coughing sound to regain her serious tone. She concentrated again, and her hand began to glow as she held Armand's finger. He felt a gentle warmth travel through his finger. In about twenty seconds, the pain he felt disappeared. The girl sighed and released Armand's finger, who noticed that even the blood that had flowed had returned inside the wound, now completely healed.
— Fantastic — he said, amazed. — There isn't even a scar.
Elyandra explained the limitations:
— It is not truly perfect. I need to focus completely on it and cannot be interrupted, otherwise all progress is undone. I still cannot do this without focusing all my magic on a single point at a time.
Armand smiled and stood up. Elyandra looked at him with a somewhat startled face, seeing the enigmatic smile on the professor's face.
— Your test is over — said Armand.
At that moment, Elyandra went into shock. Her mana flow began to calm down until it stopped completely.
— …I see — she murmured, her voice almost inaudible. The girl lowered her head as she stood up and walked past Armand, her gaze covered by her hair and her hands clasped in front of her body.
In her mind, Elyandra hammered herself without reason, thinking: "Where… where did I go wrong? This isn't funny. If I was eliminated… no, there's no way I was eliminated just because I didn't pass one of the tests, right?"
As she descended the stairs of the testing area, Armand said, stopping her halfway:
— Congratulations, Lady Valemortis.
Elyandra raised her face, with small drops of tears that were about to roll down her cheeks. That phrase surprised her, and even without needing to hear more, she understood what those words meant. Her melancholic look gave way to an honest and radiant smile.
Armand then turned back to the line of students, a renewed smile on his face.
— With that said, who is next?