Chapter 154 - Elara, Sebastian, and Saint Tiffania
Elara Asalon:
"This year, we have many talented individuals, as well as several superior nobles," I commented, looking over the files.
Rose looked at me, and I nodded back, both of us understanding the importance of those young talents for the future of the continent.
"I'll start with the demi-human kingdom," Rose said, opening up specific files. "The standout here is Thyra, the niece and apprentice of Director Victoria."
All eyes turned to Rose as she spoke about this promising young demi-human.
That unique demi-human... I'd already set her file aside as well.
Sebastian picked up Thyra's file, scrutinizing the details. "She embodies all the powerful traits of the Black Wolf tribe. Besides her rare bestial form, she's a Transmitter mage of earth and water elements, which allowed her to awaken the exclusive mud element of her race. And from what I've heard, she loves being in the thick of battle," he remarked, impressed.
Marco nodded. "The bestial form is extremely rare among demi-humans. I heard that when she was born, she stayed in that form for a while, which might explain why she's a bit more feral than other demi-humans typically are," he added.
I suppose that might explain the rumors of her being a bit... unusual.
Rose picked up another file. " From the Elven kingdom, I set aside those elves with common dual elements and focused on someone with a rare talent who truly caught my attention. This is Princess Syvis Rhiannon, with a rare talent for the plant element—uncommon even among elves. What's remarkable is that she can both heal and attack, striking a perfect balance between offense and support on the battlefield. Her abilities make her an exceptionally versatile asset."
I examined the photo of Princess Syvis, the heir to the elf kingdom.
Queen Agnes has shown a lot of interest in her.
"She's very beautiful," Marco commented, looking at Syvis's file.
"Hey, show some respect to my future queen," Tiffania muttered from the armchair, making everyone chuckle, myself included, as I saw Marco blush a little.
"Who's next?" Sebastian asked, eager to move on.
Rose continued, "From the human realm, we obviously have Princess Melina. She wields the same rare fire magic as Elara, but in addition, she controls the Wind element. In time, if she can combine the two, she has the potential to surpass Elara in power. Fire combined with wind can create something devastating."
"I agree," I said, nodding slightly, acknowledging Melina's great potential.
We continued to review the files as Marco looked curiously at the documents.
"Why do these superior noble files have so much redacted or blacked-out information?" he asked, still puzzled.
"Personal details like arranged betrothals, plebeian parent names, criminal records, military ranks, wealth, and properties are restricted. Only high-ranking political authorities have access to such data. Even at an academy like this, they wouldn't make those details available to just anyone," I explained.
He seemed surprised.
"But why redact a plebeian parent's name?" Marco pressed.
"Because a plebeian isn't significant enough to be highlighted in a document. Nobles who marry commoners often see them as 'surrogate vessels' meant to produce an heir," Sebastian added. "If a noble has an heir with another noble, wealth would need to be divided between the two families. Many opt to marry commoners solely to produce a child, ensuring the inheritance stays intact. For commoners, simply marrying into nobility is considered reward enough."
We continued examining the students' profiles as Rose picked up another file.
"I found another interesting student. She's also a high noble, named Chloe Evenhart. She's an Emitter and Summoner with Water and Wind elements. This means she can create ice golems," Rose noted.
"I heard she demonstrated that during the admission exam," I added as we all studied her file.
"She's from an agricultural duchy, and it's the farthest one from the Royal Capital," Sebastian remarked. "Luckily, she can create golems to aid in combat. Normally, someone from an agricultural duchy would focus on farming or just enjoying the family fortune."
Marco picked up another file.
"It looks like the Evenhart family has two members studying here this year. Besides Chloe, there's another heir," he said.
"Oh, yes. His name is Nathan Evenhart," Sebastian noted, grabbing Nathan's file.
"Nathan Evenhart…" murmured Tiffania as she sprang up from her chair.
"He's a Thunder element user, as well as a Transmitter and Emitter. With a rare element and those two mana categories, he could become a good mage with proper training. Maybe he could even be a candidate for a Knight, along with the others we've considered," Rose said.
I glanced at his file. "A Thunder element user—it's rare. I've only met a few in the Capital," I remarked while continuing to review his profile.
"They're from an agricultural duchy, so I doubt they've had much formal combat training. Without solid training, magical talent is wasted. The previous students have had good educational backgrounds and opportunities to hone their skills, but these two will need to work hard. Fortunately, they're at this academy," Sebastian analyzed.
I continued reviewing Nathan's profile as Sebastian spoke. "The boy isn't the main heir, but if I suggest that he could have a shot at becoming a Winged Knight, it might motivate him to train with the other knights during his free time here at the academy. What do you think, Elara?" he asked.
The prospect of becoming a Knight who could ride an Asalon could make anyone eager to prove themselves.
"You're the recruiter here, so I'll leave that to you," I replied.
"Are you sure? There are better options…" Tiffania cut in, moving to sit on the table. "Think carefully before you suggest it."
Why is she suddenly so interested? She's never intervened like this before.
"Relax, we're just reviewing the students. There are stronger options like Viktor Saul. He's a skilled Water and Fire mage," Sebastian noted. "He's one of my top picks. I'm just giving a little push to some of these newcomers, getting them excited about the possibility of one day riding an Asalon," he said with a laugh.
Marco held Viktor's file, "Viktor Saul is talented. As the heir of a military duchy, he's had access to powerful spells since he was young. Just having a rare element or being able to summon an ice golem isn't enough. In battle, without solid training, those things won't save you," Marco pointed out.
"Exactly. Wasted talent is useless," Sebastian remarked with a sneer. "They're nobles from an agricultural duchy, so they don't have the same access to magical and military knowledge. Their family are Builder Mages—what could they possibly do in a life-or-death fight? Water a plant?" he scoffed.
He wasn't entirely wrong. Agricultural families naturally leaned towards peaceful pursuits like cultivation and construction, which put them at a disadvantage when it came to intense military training and battle. Their field experience was more about land maintenance, resource management, and magical construction. They likely had some basic military and magical training due to their high noble status, but it couldn't compare to the rigorous preparation and destructive power of mages trained for war.
"That can change," I replied pragmatically. "Over these five years at the academy, they'll learn to control their powers and undergo training. Plus, they passed the combat test, which shows potential. Of course, they can't compare to us, who've had military training since childhood. But that's no dealbreaker. If the boy doesn't get too comfortable in his family's wealth, he could be molded into a soldier. The queen wants to focus on recruiting as much talent as possible, and I have the freedom to pick as many as I wish."
Sebastian separated a few files, continuing, "Aside from Viktor, we've got Edmund, heir to a military duchy, and my dear highness, Alice. The Grand Duke's daughter is an Summoner and Emitter with the water element. She has immense mana capacity and access to advanced long-range spells. She can create multiple water golems, and they're incredibly powerful. Alice is a true prodigy in her element, and her golems are lethal. Unfortunately, Princess Melina is still a ways behind, even with her offensive element. She's got work to do."
It was a pity that my sister, Melina, wasn't as strong yet. Having a rare element didn't automatically make someone powerful. Alice, with her water element, demonstrated remarkable offensive power. Though she didn't dedicate herself to swordplay, no one could approach her for a direct attack. Even I would find her golems a challenge.