"Battle Rage, Rank A!" Eldrin said in a voice full of admiration.
"This is a rare talent that allows you to drastically increase your strength, speed, and physical endurance whenever your anger hits peak. In the entire kingdom, only one person possesses a power like yours, and that's Captain Gideon."
Dito already looked bigger and more muscular.
"HAHAHA! That's perfect for me!"
King Thorian smiled broadly, his eyes sparkling.
"Amazing! You have talent equal to Captain Gideon!" His face beamed with pride.
He looked at Dito with confidence.
"You and Gideon will be the pillars of the kingdom's defense! Together with Eri and the others, the future of our kingdom will be even brighter!"
Eldrin also nodded in satisfaction, his expression full of hope.
"With Eri and you, we already have two heroes with amazing talent. And there are still three more who haven't been tested!, Today truly brings blessings to Aethelgard!"
My heart sank even further. Dito, who had always pushed me around in the school hallway and liked to hide my books, now had terrifying physical strength.
How could I possibly escape his cruelty now that he had superpowers? He had the strength to crush me with a single blow…
A chill ran down my spine, reaching all the way to my fingertips. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck bristle.
It felt like my body knew first that this world would not provide a safe place for me.
After that, Sari stepped forward. I watched Sari walk forward hesitantly. Her brown hair flowed slowly with her movements. Her face clearly showed her nervousness, and her lips were slightly pursed.
When her trembling hand touched the crystal ball, a soft green light suddenly emanated, calming the atmosphere in the room.
"Nature Affinity, Rank B!" Eldrin announced with a smile.
"An ability that is in harmony with nature. In this day and age, only a select few are gifted with such a talent."
King Thorian smiled warmly, his eyes sparkling.
"Nature Affinity! What a wonderful ability. Imagine, you can talk to the trees and animals in the forest. It will definitely be very helpful on our journey later!"
Shaking his head in amazement, he added, "I have always admired people who can understand nature like this. You are truly blessed with an extraordinary talent."
Sari nodded, a small awkward smile tugging at her lips.
Although Sari was always with Eri and the others, she was not like them, who liked to tease me. She just stood quietly, watching from a distance with a hesitant gaze.
Maybe all this time, she's just been going along with the flow, carried by Eri's momentum out of fear or lack of choice.
But now, with the opportunity laid out before her, who knows… in this harsh world, she might finally find her own path.
I'm not sure if that path will lead her to something better, or to something far worse.
Now it was Maya's turn. In my heart, I hoped that Maya would get a bad talent. At least rank E or D. Let one of them experience what it's like to be ordinary.
She walked towards the orb with a firm step and her head held high. "I'm sure my abilities won't be inferior." The orb emitted a clear blue light that rippled like water.
"Aqua Magic, Rank B!" said Archmage Eldrin appreciatively.
"This is a very rare evolution of the Water Magic talent."
"With this talent, you can freely control water in various forms and direct it however you like. Even today, I have never seen a wizard with such a high level of talent for controlling water."
King Thorian also nodded slowly, his face showing deep appreciation.
"what a rare and noble gift. Your mastery over water will bring great benefits to our kingdom."
He continued in an authoritative voice, "With this power, you can protect our borders, help with agricultural irrigation, and even become the guardian of the balance of nature."
Maya puffed out her chest, then looked at me with a condescending gaze. "Water is the most elegant element. It perfectly suits on me."
No way...My stomach felt like it was being turned upside down. How could she have a rare talent?
I remembered when Maya deliberately spilled water on my uniform. And now… she can control water? That meant she could drench me whenever she wanted.
Just thinking about it made my whole body tremble.
Seeing them all gain such extraordinary powers made me feel very worried. Eri now had Sacred Magic, and it was a legendary talent, which would surely make her even more arrogant.
Dito had gained the battle rage ability at level A, which made him even stronger and more terrifying.
Although lower than the two of them, Sari and Maya were also no less formidable. Sari had acquired Nature Magic, a rare talent possessed by only a select few, while Maya had acquired Aqua Magic, which was an advanced evolution of Water Magic.
Eldrin said that both of these abilities were classified as rare talents.
How could I even begin to imagine life in this new world? Even back at school, Eri, Dito, and Maya had already been my nightmares.
Sari sometimes seemed hesitant, but even she stayed silent.
And now… with rare talents in their hand they would surely create new methods of torture more cruel than I could ever imagine.
Again, the mere thought of it made my body tremble uncontrollably, as if a fear sharp enough to pierce my bones was tearing through me.
I really wish I had strong powers. So that I wouldn't always be the weakest and always be their target.
I really wish I had the strength to face all of this… or at least enough power to protect myself from their cruelty.
As hope still lingered in my mind, my attention was suddenly drawn to a figure moving forward.
Now it was Mr. Anton's turn to step forward. I noticed his hesitant steps. Maybe he was nervous, just like me.
In my heart, I hoped Mr. Anton would discover a great talent. He couldn't protect me at school before, but maybe here, in this new world, he could help me.
He approached the orb with heavy, hesitant steps. His face still radiated worry and doubt. When his hand carefully touched the crystal, a steady brown light emanated from it.
"Terra Magic, Rank A!" exclaimed Archmage Eldrin with a voice full of admiration.
"This is a rare evolution of ordinary Earth Magic! This ability allows you to not only control earth and stone, but also manipulate mineral structures at a higher level. A very solid and defensive power!"
My heart was pounding. Mr. Anton had also gained a great power. Now it was just me who hadn't been tested yet.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my restless self.
King Thorian nodded slowly, his face showing deep appreciation.
"Terra Magic... its a truly precious gift. With your ability to control the earth element, you can build the strongest defenses for our kingdom."
Eldrin's face lit up with joy every time the orb emitted brilliant results. The knights exchanged glances full of admiration. It seemed they had successfully summoned a generation of highly promising heroes.
Archmage Eldrin added cheerfully, "With this, there are already five people who have obtained rare talents! How extraordinary!"
Then he glanced at me, his eyes filled with hope. "And there is only one person left who hasn't been tested."
Instantly, all eyes in the room were on me. I felt my legs go weak, my hands cold and sweaty. The memories of Eri and her friends mocking me at school came flooding back.
What would happen if my talent isn't as great as theirs? I couldn't bear to imagine the ridicule I would receive.
With faltering steps, I began walking toward the orb. My legs felt heavy as if they were filled with lead, each step was difficult, and I wanted to turn back.
Along the red carpet, I felt everyone's sharp stares piercing my skin.
It felt exactly like at school, where judgmental stares seemed to wait for my failure, waiting for the moment I would embarrass myself again.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my restless heart. Maybe... this time would be different.
"Now let's see how great that poor girl really is." Eri whispered loud enough for me to hear.
"Touch the orb, kid," whispered Eldrin, but there was impatience in his voice.
I reached out with trembling hands. When my fingers touched the cold crystal surface... but it wasn't just cold. It was piercingly cold, as if it was rejecting my presence.
The orb didn't react at all.
The room fell silent for a few seconds that felt like an eternity.
"Impossible," Eldrin muttered, his brows furrowing.
I touched the orb again, desperate to make sure I wasn't mistaken.
I stared at the crystal ball, pouring all my hope and strength into that single moment.
In my heart, I kept begging, Please... show me something.
Anything… anything. But the result was the same, only a faint gray light flickered and then faded away.
The Archmage took a slow breath.
"No talent detected. Mortal Grade." His voice was flat, carrying undisguised disappointment.
My stomach twisted. It felt like reality had just slapped me.
"No way…" I whispered.
And then... the laughter broke out.
"HAHAHAHA! I knew it!" Eri laughed sharply, her finger stabbing the air toward me.
"Even the gods hate you, Vira. Trash is still trash, no matter the world."
Dito slapped his thigh, laughing hysterically. "I always knew you were trash, but I didn't know you were this stupid! You have no talent at all? Even a rock is more useful than you!"
Maya sneered. "At least on Earth she could clean toilets. Maybe here she'll finally be useful as a servant."
Sari just stood there in silence. She didn't join in the mockery like the others, but she didn't defend me either. Her pitying gaze only made me feel more ashamed. I felt like a wounded kitten that everyone pitied, but no one wanted to save.
King Thorian sat tall on his throne, his expression chillingly impassive. To a king like him, I must have seemed like nothing more than a talentless burden.
Small laughs and jeers spread among them. Even some of the knights and servants wore faint, cynical smiles. My cheeks burned and my eyes began to sting, but I forced the tears back. Not here.
Not in front of them.
Not again.
Mr. Anton tried to intervene, his voice raised in frustration.
Someone snapped back at him.
More shouting followed, Eri, Dito, maybe the others too. Their voices overlapped, sharp, heated, vicious.
But all of it sounded distant to me… muffled, like noises underwater.
I wasn't listening.
I couldn't.
My chest tightened until it hurt to breathe. While they argued, while they boasted about power and authority, I stood frozen, thinking only one thing.
Why am I like this?
Why was I the only one without talent, without strength, without anything worthy of this world?
Everyone else had something.
A glow in their hands, excitement in their eyes, destiny written all over them.
And me?
I couldn't even lift my head.
I heard Dito say something about being "the chosen ones," followed by Eri's triumphant snarl, but the words slid past me like wind. They didn't matter. None of it mattered.
Because the only thing loud enough to hear clearly…
was the thought that kept hammering inside my skull:
I don't even have any talent. Why was I the one brought here?
"Enough," A heavy voice cut through my thoughts, silencing the chaos in the hall.
"Let it be. This world will judge them itself. Power and fate will speak louder than words." He spoke as if he had already dismissed my plight from his mind.
After a few moments of heavy silence, King Thorian turned dismissively toward the servants lining the walls.
"Take them to their respective rooms," he commanded in a calm yet authoritative voice.
"The heroes deserve resting places according to their ability ranks. Prepare the best rooms for those with the highest potential."
King Thorian command was clear, and so was his disregard. He looked pointedly at Mr. Anton, Eri and other, deliberately excluding me from his line of sight.
Several servants immediately bowed deeply, answering in unison.
My vision blurred. My ears rang.Everything around me felt like it was drifting away, voices stretching thin, footsteps fading into a dull hum.
I stood alone, more shattered than I'd ever been. Their mockery earlier had already torn through me, but this… this felt worse. Like someone pressing a blade into an open wound and twisting, slowly, deliberately.
The treatment changed instantly. The knights and servants who had previously looked at with respect, now stared at me with disgust.
What changed?What did I do?Why does everyone act like… like I'm something rotten?
With my last shred of hope, I looked at King Thorian, hoping to see at least a hint of pity in his eyes.
"And... and me?" I asked softly, my voice trembling.
But King Thorian turned his face away, refusing to meet my eyes. With a barely noticeable nod, he signaled to one of the knights, wordlessly handing me over as if I were nothing more than an unwanted task.
The king's cold, stony expression showed that he didn't care about my existence at all.
A knight with a sour face approached.
"You, come with me!" he said curtly, without a smile.