The name hung in the air like an invisible pressure.
"Ariven Valerius. Step forward."
For a moment, no one moved.
Then—
Soft footsteps could be heard.
Ariven stepped forward.
No smile. No nervousness. Her face was expressionless, her eyes sharp—too sharp for a seven-year-old.
Her gaze swept across the hall.
And for a moment—
Some people felt… uneasy.
"That child…" Veyron Solen murmured softly.
"Strange," Elira added, frowning. "Her gaze is like—"
"—a hunter's," Fenric Ignivar cut in.
—
Ariven stopped in front of the Testing Stone.
She didn't touch it right away.
Instead, she glanced toward Corvus.
Then toward the crowd that had previously laughed at Naivre.
Then—
Toward Naivre himself.
"It's okay," she said softly.
Brief. Stiff. But enough.
Naivre didn't answer.
But Iggo smirked slightly behind him.
"Finish them off, Riv."
Ariven snorted softly.
—
"Touch the stone," said Elder Argus.
Ariven obeyed.
Her small hand pressed against the crystal's surface.
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Some people began to sigh, bracing for the next disappointment.
But then—
HUUUUM—
A subtle vibration spread.
Not from the stone.
From… Ariven.
Transparent, almost invisible waves swept out from her body like ripples on the surface of water.
Slowly.
But thoroughly.
And when the waves touched them—
An immediate reaction appeared.
"Ugh—!"
Elder Marthus Solen jolted, his hand reflexively pressing against his chest.
"What is this…?" he whispered.
Lyra Ignivar tensed.
"This feeling…"
Selene Pyrel narrowed her eyes.
"It's like… being read."
—
Inspector Luminara Helios raised an eyebrow slightly.
For the first time—
Her expression shifted distinctly.
"Spirit sense…" she murmured.
—
The wave continued to spread.
Touching everyone in the hall.
And the effect was the same—
A feeling of being laid bare.
Not physically.
But deeper.
As if their intentions, emotions, and even their surface thoughts… were laid bare.
Some branch family members immediately turned away.
Others held their breath.
While those with high power—
Stared at Ariven intently.
—
Amidst it all—
Ariven stood still.
Her eyes slowly changed.
More focused.
Sharper.
As if the world around her… had opened up.
The flow of mana was visible.
The movement of breath was felt.
Heartbeats…
Intentions…
Everything.
—
Elder Argus gazed at the Testing Stone.
The symbols appearing this time were different.
More complex.
More… sparse.
He read them slowly.
Then raised his head.
"No classical elements detected."
The hall fell silent again.
But this time—
There was no laughter.
Only full attention.
"Power: Spirit Sense."
He paused.
As if giving everyone time to comprehend.
"High-level spiritual perception. The ability to detect the flow of mana, emotions… and intent."
Several people immediately tensed.
"…killing intent?" Jorvan Cinderfall asked softly.
Argus gave a slight nod.
"That included."
The reaction shifted.
From curiosity…
To wariness.
—
"Innate talent," Argus continued.
This time, his voice was slightly heavier.
"Battle Instinct."
Total silence.
—
"A body with a natural response to combat. Optimal movements without the need for conscious thought."
He looked at Ariven more intently.
"This combination…"
He didn't finish.
But everyone understood.
Dangerous.
Extremely dangerous.
—
"Little monster…" muttered Fenric Ignivar.
"She'll read every move her opponent makes…" added Selene softly.
"And react before the opponent even realizes it," continued Lyra.
—
On the balcony—
Lady Serene covered her mouth.
"She… is still seven years old…"
Kaelen didn't answer.
But his eyes—
Sharp.
Proud.
And… alert.
—
Iggo whistled softly.
"Whoa… that's so cool."
Naivre looked at Ariven.
For the first time—
He saw something even his Clarity struggled to fully decipher.
An instinct.
Something… alive.
—
In the middle of the hall—
Ariven shifted her feet slightly.
Unconsciously—
Her posture changed.
Lower.
More stable.
Like a fighter.
As if her own body… was choosing the best position.
Several elders immediately noticed.
"She hasn't even been trained…" muttered Rhygar Valerius.
"Yet her body already knows," Myrra replied softly.
—
The transparent wave slowly faded.
But its effect lingered.
Everyone now saw Ariven…
In a different light.
Not as a child.
But as—
A future threat.
—
Elder Argus tapped his staff once more.
"The assessment is complete."
He looked at Ariven for a few seconds longer than the others.
Then he said:
"Combat potential… very high."
—
Ariven pulled her hand away from the Testing Stone.
She didn't smile.
Nor did she seek recognition.
She simply turned…
And walked back to her older brothers' side.
—
For the first time that day—
The three siblings stood together…
Not as objects of ridicule.
But as something far harder to define.
—
Throughout the hall—
No one spoke loudly anymore.
Only soft whispers.
"The first child, the anomaly…"
"The second child, the marksman…"
"And the youngest…"
"…a monster."
—
On the other side—
Borin Valerius leaned back in his chair.
His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest.
His eyes narrowed.
A smile slowly returned to his face.
But this time—
It wasn't pride.
It was a calculation.
—
And in that sweltering Sun Hall…
Something began to shift.
Attention.
The balance of power.
And perhaps—
The very future of the Valerius family itself.