The massive doors of the royal palace opened with a deep, resonant groan.
Riven stepped inside with steady, unhurried steps—quiet, confident, completely unshaken by the sea of eyes that immediately locked onto her.
She wore black trousers, a loose black shirt, and at her hip hung the dark steel sword her mentor had gifted her years ago. The blade swayed lightly with every movement, a subtle reminder that she was not a guest… she was a weapon.
Her footsteps echoed in the marble hall.
Whispers followed her.
"Is that the girl?"
"She looks too young…"
"Seventeen? Eighteen?"
"That presence… it's unsettling."
Riven ignored all of it.
When she reached the center of the throne hall, she stopped—In the middle of the throne room away from the royal family.
The king, Aldric, sat tall and golden-haired on his throne, his expression unreadable.
Beside him, Queen Seraphina watched Riven with cool silver eyes.
Behind them stood the two princesses—
Lyria, the elder, graceful and silver-haired and eyes ,
and Evanna, the younger, blue-eyed and curious.
Just as Riven lifted her gaze to meet theirs…
the temperature in the hall shifted.
Behind her, unseen by all but felt by two—
Morrivayne appeared.
A tall spectral outline, red hair flowing like wildfire, black horns curving backward, crimson eyes glowing through the veil of the spirit-world.
The king's fingers tightened on the arm of his throne.
The queen stiffened almost imperceptibly.
They couldn't see Morrivayne.
But they felt her power —
an ancient, predatory aura, like something watching them from behind the veil.
Riven did not react,
Morrivayne smirked behind her, arms crossed.
"Let the mortals stare," she murmured in Riven's mind.
"I wonder how long before they beg you to spare them."
Riven kept her face expressionless.
"Step forward, Riven Nightthorn," the king commanded.
She did.
His voice carried authority, but Riven's presence swallowed the hall more completely than any royal decree.
The king said in a calm voice, "Do you know why you were summoned?"
Raven answered confidently , because of the incident that occurred three days ago.
sorry for using excessive force and destroying the street.
The king said, "This is not the reason I summoned you."
Rather, the power that you used.
We tried to find information about your ability but found nothing, and your teacher said nothing either, so we had no choice but to summon you.
he asked directly:
"What is your ability and magic?"
Riven blinked slowly, then answered calmly:
**"Copying.
I can reproduce any ability I witness—perfectly."**
A ripple of shock ran through the hall.
Even the queen leaned forward slightly.
The king exchanged a glance with his wife, then asked:
"And your lineage? Do you know who your true family is?"
Riven 's voice stayed even:
*"No I don't know . And it doesn't matter.
The orphanage is my only home."**
Morrivayne laughed—low, mocking.
"Look at you, little liar," she whispered in Riven's mind.
"Pretending to care… The moment you decide to, that goddess will rip everything from you."
Riven answered her silently, coldly:
"I don't care about them. Even if they all died tomorrow."
"But I need to act like I do."
"…Clever girl." Morrivayne purred.
The king continued:
*"Your powers are… dangerous.
Tell me, Riven —should we consider you a threat to Aurelia?"**
Riven raised her chin slightly.
"If I wanted to harm this kingdom,
you would know already."
Silence.
The king inhaled sharply.
"Then what do you intend?"
"To protect the people who raised me.
The orphanage is my family.
As long as they're safe, Aurelia is safe."
Something in the queen's expression softened—but only a little.
The king leaned back and said;
"Then fight for us.
Join my forces.
I will bestow titles upon you—and reveal to the kingdom that you saved
She said calmly :
"No.
I need fame, titles, or a place in your army.
I'm a hunter.
I travel.
I work alone."
The refusal stunned the council members around the throne.
But the king did not argue.
He simply studied her.
It was then—while answering another question—that Riven's eyes drifted.
Not once.
Not twice.
But repeatedly…
toward Princess Lyria.
Elegant.
Silent.
Still as a silver statue.
Until finally, the king noticed.
"Riven ," he said sharply,
"why do you keep staring at my daughter?"
The hall froze.
Lyria stiffened.
Riven sighed and answered bluntly:
"Because the princess doesn't look well."
Gasps echoed.
Riven continued, voice cool and clinical:
"Her energy is unstable.
She's suppressing pain—or illness.
The king's expression hardened.
"There is nothing wrong with her."
Riven 's gaze didn't waver. She didn't believe ,
but she let the matter drop.
" If you say so, Your Majesty."
Morrivayne's voice curled in her mind like smoke:
"The eldest princess… interesting.
You noticed something the healers didn't."
Riven only replied:
"…I notice everything , Like the soldiers with their hands on the hilt of a sword, ready to attack me at any moment.."
The tension in the hall lingered like a storm waiting to break.
And the king realized—
Riven Nightthorn was far more than a wandering hunter.
She was a force. a silend one
A dangerous one. But not an enemy .
Not yet.
The king said ,
Please consider my offer to join my forces.
and i will wait for your reply.
you may leave now.
After Raven left the throne room
The queen said, confused؛
I've never heard of the ability to copy magic .
Do you think she's lying?
The king said, lost in thought؛
. I also haven't seen the ability to copy, but I've heard about it once . My father told me a story when I was young; he said it was a very rare ability.
and he said that a wandering man once appeared out of nowhere and had a unique ability ( copy ). He traveled around the world and gathered powerful Abilities.
He could use all kinds of magic; he was so strong that he could fight an entire army single-handedly.
Silence fell upon the throne room.
Anxiety and fear began to spread among the council members and nobles as they whispered about whether Raven was an enemy or an ally.