Chapter-3

  The testing continued, though the excitement from Leo’s and Ren’s results had dulled the crowd’s enthusiasm for the remaining candidates. A steady stream of commoners stepped up to the basin, most receiving only a faint flicker from the runes—if any reaction at all. The few who showed some mana potential displayed little more than weak, unstable surges, not enough to catch the serious interest of the recruiters.

  Among the nobles, the results were more consistent but largely unimpressive. Most had at least some affinity for magic, but their mana pools varied greatly, with only a handful standing out.

  One of the more notable examinees was Lucian Valcrest, a noble from a lower-ranking house known for producing elemental mages. His test revealed a strong inclination toward fire magic, the basin flaring with vibrant orange and red hues. The Valcrest name alone was enough to turn a few heads, though his results, while solid, weren’t groundbreaking.

  Another was Cassandra Vale, a sharp-eyed girl with an air of quiet confidence. When she placed her hand on the basin, the runes glowed with an eerie, shifting silver, pulsing in a rhythm unlike the others. A few examiners exchanged glances, murmuring about rare affinities, but no conclusions were drawn on the spot.

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  Lastly, Dorian Fell, the son of a high-ranking military noble, displayed an immense mana pool—not as large as Leo’s, but still far beyond average. Unlike Leo, however, his mana surged in rigid, disciplined bursts, a testament to years of training. The Royal Academy recruiters made note of him immediately.

  Ren, however, barely absorbed any of it.

  The moment he stepped away from the basin, his mind spiraled. He had expected nothing—less than nothing, really. He had already made peace with the idea of returning home, of laughing off the whole thing with Leo, of moving on with his life.

  But now?

  Now, he had magic.

  Not a mere flicker like most commoners. Something different. Refined. Controlled. Not particularly large, but refined, the examiner had said.

  The words played over and over in his mind, drowning out the rest of the tests. He barely registered the nobles taking their turns. The crowd blurred. Even Leo’s occasional jabs faded into background noise.

  He was a mage now

  And whether he wanted it or not… everything had just changed.