Morning came quietly to Arcana Academy.
Eren woke before the bells rang. As he stared at the stone ceiling, a strange sensation filled him—as if the academy's walls themselves were watching him. The dormitory was full; the other students were fast asleep. Their breathing was steady. The magic within them rested calmly, like embers hidden beneath ash.
Eren felt none of that.
No warmth.
No vibration.
No sigil awakening.
And yet, despite everything, he could feel that something inside him was awake.
When the first bell rang, whispers followed.
"That's him."
"The one without a sigil."
"I can't believe he's still here."
Eren rose silently and walked with the other students toward the main lecture hall. The hall was vast; stone pillars stretched toward the ceiling, and pale magical symbols drifted through the air. Hundreds of sigils reacted subtly to one another, creating an almost invisible pressure that filled the space.
Eren stood outside that pressure.
Professor Althar stood at the front of the hall, arms crossed. The moment he stepped forward, silence fell.
"Magic," he began, his voice sharp and precise, "is control. Without structure, power becomes chaos. And without a sigil… magic is failure."
Many gazes turned toward Eren.
Althar continued, "Today, you will learn the foundations of magic. Sigil activation. Wand alignment. Verbal focus."
Eren listened, yet something inside him shifted uneasily.
Professor Lyenne stood near the back rows. She was silent, but her eyes were fixed on Eren. When Althar finished speaking, she spoke in a calm yet clear voice.
"Professor Althar," she said, "the foundation of magic is not control alone. Perception is also required."
Althar frowned, but he did not object.
The lesson began.
Students activated their sigils. Wand tips glowed. Incantations echoed. The air filled with orderly currents of magic.
Eren looked at the empty crystal in front of him.
"No need to try," someone behind him mocked. "The result is obvious."
Eren did not respond.
He touched the crystal.
Once again, nothing happened.
But this time, it was different.
Although the crystal showed no reaction, Eren felt the magic. Something was not touching him, not approaching him… it was examining him.
"Step back," Althar said sharply. "This lesson is beyond your level."
Eren withdrew his hand. The crystal was intact. But Lyenne paused. Her eyes locked onto its surface.
"Just now…" she whispered. "The crystal breathed."
Althar turned sharply. "You're mistaken."
But Lyenne was certain.
When the lesson ended and the students began to disperse, Eren headed toward the exit. He was almost at the door when Lyenne's voice stopped him.
"Eren Valek."
Eren turned.
"Do not accept everything you learned today as truth," Lyenne said. "Especially from those who tell you that you are weak."
Eren hesitated for a moment. "Is the Silent Sigil really… useless?"
Lyenne's gaze hardened. She glanced around to make sure no one was listening.
"Some powers," she said slowly, "are not forgotten because they disappeared… but because they were feared."
In that moment, Eren understood:
Not everything taught in this academy was true.
And the Silent Sigil was not a worthless power, as they claimed.
It had simply been buried.