The line between Lenna and Violet had vanished entirely, leaving Lenna adrift in an unfamiliar sea of thoughts and memories. Everything that was Violet now hummed within her, vivid and raw—like whispers in a crowded room that didn't belong to her. Yet Violet herself was absent. No voice, no emotions, no presence. It was as though Lenna had walked into a house frozen mid-life: the chairs still pulled out, the meal half-eaten, but its occupants nowhere to be found.
Every movement in this borrowed body felt alien. The shift of Violet's hips as she walked made Lenna stumble internally, struggling to align her mind with her surroundings. Her hands felt unfamiliar, as if she were puppeteering a marionette. It was grounding, but just barely.
The village of Carmine unfolded before them, nestled in a valley of gently sloping hills. Smoke curled lazily from chimneys, and the murmur of villagers—a mix of laughter and work songs—filled the air. The fields surrounding the village shimmered with life, their neat rows of crops thriving under irrigation channels that wove like veins through the earth. Lenna's breath caught as she took in the sight, her curiosity momentarily overshadowing her discomfort.
"Impressive, isn't it?" a farmer called, his voice warm and thick with pride. He tipped his wide-brimmed hat, pausing his work to address them. "All thanks to the princess's ingenuity. Without her, we'd still be struggling to grow half this bounty."
Lenna glanced at Ava, her brows knitting together. "Princess?" she asked quietly.
"The Baron's daughter," Ava explained, her tone clipped. "She's no ordinary noble—practically a genius or so I have heard."
The farmer chuckled, catching the exchange. "You'll see soon enough. Her mind's sharper than any blade." With that, he returned to his work, leaving Lenna with more questions than answers.
The group pressed on toward their destination, a freshly constructed building standing tall amidst the rustic charm of the village. Polished wood gleamed in the sunlight, and a sign above the door read: Carmine Academy of Magic. The moment Ava pushed the door open, the faint hum of magic spilled into the air.
Inside, the hall was spacious but simple, the kind of place where function reigned over grandeur. At the far end stood an elf with striking green hair that seemed to shimmer in the light. Her emerald eyes swept over the group, sharp and discerning. She stood with an easy authority that made it clear she was used to being in control.
"Hello, sis!" Ava said her tone vibrant
"Welcome," the elf said ignoring Ava, her voice carrying authority. Ava looked at her in disbelief. "I'm Maggie, head of this academy and your examiner." She continued her gaze lingering on Lenna, before narrowing slightly as though trying to solve a puzzle. "You're... different," she murmured, almost to herself. Then, she straightened, dismissing whatever thought lingered. "I'll inform the Baron of your arrival. In the meantime, let's begin the aptitude tests."
The group was led into a side room filled with peculiar instruments. At the center stood the mana meter, an orb of transparent crystal perched on a pedestal. Its interior shimmered faintly with light, and etched into its surface was a numerical scale, ranging from 0 to 1,000,000. Beneath the orb, tiny markings glowed softly, pulsating in rhythm with the ambient magic of the room. Surrounding the orb were thin, golden filaments that extended like veins, connecting it to the pedestal below. Maggie stepped to the side and gestured toward the device.
"This is the mana meter. Place your hands on it, circulate your mana, and it will measure your magic power," she explained. "The brighter it glows, the higher the numerical reading, the greater your capacity. After that, we'll move on to the spirit attunement analyzer."
She motioned toward another device in the corner. It was a circular platform, its surface engraved with intricate markings that pulsed faintly. Six crystalline rods stood upright around its edges, each one a different color: red for fire, blue for water, green for earth, white for air, gold for light, and black for dark. Maggie explained, "The spirit attunement analyzer will identify your elemental attributes by resonating with your soul's natural alignment. The rods that light up will indicate your affinities."
Nova stepped forward first, her confidence evident in the sway of her stride. She pressed her hands against the mana meter, and the orb flared brightly, illuminating the room in a brilliant light. The numerical scale rapidly climbed, pausing at 150,000. Maggie nodded approvingly.
"150,000 magicules. Exceptional." She gestured toward the spirit attunement analyzer. Nova stepped onto the platform, and almost instantly, the red and white rods ignited with vibrant light. "Fire and air," Maggie announced. "Welcome to Carmine Academy."
Jace was next, his movements more hesitant. He approached the mana meter and placed his hands on it. The glow was dimmer but steady. The scale climbed to 100,000. "100,000 magicules," Maggie noted, her tone neutral. Jace stepped onto the analyzer platform, and the blue and white rods flickered weakly. "Water and air attributes, but they're... underdeveloped" she said, her expression softening. "Sadly you can't be a mage but with time and effort, you might find your path, maybe a knight like our Baron? He was in the same situation as you. But for now, you'll need to explore other skills."
Cara followed, her determination shining through. The mana meter glowed steadily at 80,000 magicules, and when she stood on the analyzer platform, the blue and white rods lit up. Maggie smiled faintly. "Water and air again. Solid potential. You'll do well here."
Lenna stood quietly, her hands trembling at her sides as Maggie beckoned her forward.
"Violet, it's your turn. Please place your hands on the mana meter," Maggie said with an encouraging smile. The others watched curiously, murmuring softly among themselves.
Lenna hesitated but stepped forward. She pressed her hands onto the device as instructed, but nothing happened. The mana meter remained inert, its needle unmoving. A heavy silence settled over the room.
Maggie frowned. "That's… peculiar. The mana meter isn't registering any magic from you. Let's try again. Focus this time—try to channel your mana into the device."
Lenna felt a wave of pressure settle on her shoulders. Everyone's eyes were on her. She bit her lip, closed her eyes, and tried to concentrate. Mana. What was mana supposed to feel like? She imagined energy coursing through her body, but the device still refused to respond.
The tension in the room thickened. Then, unexpectedly, Lenna's hands began to feel cold. She opened her eyes in alarm to see frost creeping across the surface of the mana meter. Before she could react, her hands were frozen to the device, encased in a thin layer of ice.
Maggie's expression shifted from confusion to fascination. "Remarkable. I think I understand now." She turned to Lenna, her voice full of curiosity. "You're a high elf, aren't you? That explains why the mana meter can't measure your power. High elves don't produce mana in the same way others do—it's tied directly to your spirit circuits. But…" Her brow furrowed. "Why is a high dark elf wielding ice magic? Dark elves usually specialize in fire or dark magic."
Lenna glanced at her hands nervously. "I don't know. I can use fire magic too, but I'm not very good at it."
Maggie tilted her head, intrigued. "Fascinating, A spirit elf able to use more than one element. Then can you dispel the ice? Thaw your hands?"
Lenna hesitated. Fire magic… She hadn't used it before, not really. The thought of losing control terrified her. "I… I'm afraid. What if I hurt someone?" she admitted quietly.
"It's okay to feel scared," Maggie said gently. "You don't need to force it. Just try to undo the ice the same way you created it. High elves are deeply attuned to nature. If you focus, you should be able to manipulate the ice directly."
Lenna took a shaky breath and closed her eyes. She imagined the frost melting away, dissolving into nothing. Slowly, the cold subsided, and when she opened her eyes, her hands were free. The ice was gone.
Maggie smiled warmly. "See? You've already started to understand your potential. But as a high elf, your abilities are unique. To measure your magic properly, we'll need to convert your spirit circuits into something the machines can process. That's where I come in." She held out her hands. "I'm a druid, and druids are attuned to the natural flow of magic. I'll act as a medium to translate your spirit energy into mana."
Lenna hesitated but placed her hands in Maggie's. "What do I do?" she asked.
"Just focus on letting your energy flow through me. Release it through your spirit circuits and let me channel it into the mana meter." Maggie's voice was calm and steady, reassuring Lenna.
Lenna closed her eyes again, focusing on the flow of energy inside her. At first, it felt alien—like a river she couldn't quite control. But Maggie's presence was grounding, and soon, Lenna felt the energy shift. It surged outward, flowing through Maggie and into the mana meter.
The machine whirred to life. Numbers on its display climbed rapidly. "700,000… 800,000… No, wait, it's still rising! 900,000!" Maggie exclaimed, her voice tinged with disbelief. The room grew tense as the numbers continued to climb. Then, with a loud crack, the mana meter exploded.
Gasps erupted around the room.
Maggie stepped back, wide-eyed. "This is the second time this has happened. First the princess, and now you!" she muttered.
Lenna blinked in confusion. Princess?
"Wait," Maggie said, her gaze sharpening. "I need to confirm something. For the attribute test, I'll need to directly synchronize with your spirit circuit. Is that alright?"
"Will it hurt?" Lenna asked hesitantly.
"No, not at all. I just need to sense the flow of your energy. It'll feel… natural," Maggie reassured her.
Lenna nodded, and they locked hands again. This time, Maggie's expression turned serious. "Let your mana flow out again, but this time, try to feel the forces of nature around you. Breathe deeply and focus."
Lenna inhaled slowly, letting the world around her fade away. At first, there was nothing. Then, she felt it—a powerful pull, like invisible threads connecting her to the earth, the air, and everything around her. Her eyes flew open as she saw vibrant streams of color flowing from her into Maggie—five distinct hues swirling together in harmony.
Maggie gasped, dropping Lenna's hands as though burned. She stepped back, her eyes wide with reverence. "Your Majesty…"
Lenna stared at her, bewildered. "Why are you calling me that?"
"When I connected with your spirit circuit, I felt the Mark of the Crown. It's the blessing of the Dryad herself, reserved for the heir to the Elven Kingdom's throne," Maggie explained, bowing her head.
Lenna stiffened. "I… I was exiled. I'm not a princess anymore."
"Even so, the mark remains," Maggie said softly. "You are still the crowned princess of the Elven Kingdom."
Lenna's mind raced, but she forced herself to focus. "What about my attributes? What did you learn?"
Maggie straightened. "You have four attributes: water, fire, and two others I can't fully identify. They feel… unfamiliar, as if they belong to a newborn elf still discovering their potential."
The room fell into a tense silence as Maggie mulled over her thoughts. Finally, she let out a deep sigh, her voice tinged with regret. "Lady Violet… I don't think Carmine Academy is equipped to teach you what you need to learn. If I had completed my druid training, perhaps I could have guided you, but as things stand…" Maggie paused, her gaze softening. "Your abilities are far beyond what I—or any of us here—can train. However, there is someone who might be able to help you. Merle, a renowned genius in magic, lives here in Carmine. She might be your best chance."
Lenna's heart sank, a weight settling in her chest. Maggie's words weren't cruel, but they carried a sense of finality that stung. Yet, beneath the regret in Maggie's tone was something else—admiration.
"It has been an honor to meet you, Princess," Maggie added. "You are unlike any high elf I have ever known or heard of."
The words struck Lenna like a blow. Princess. She wasn't just a thief inhabiting Violet's body; she wasn't the same person who had stumbled into this foreign world. She was something else entirely—someone she didn't recognize.
As the weight of the revelation pressed down on her, the world around her seemed to blur, closing in. In that suffocating haze, one question pulsed louder than any other:
Who am I now?
But her mission still remained, find Helen