Most heirs moved quickly through the process, floating and falling back to the ground with ease.
Alain was next, his unusual red eyes that bore no resemblance to his father seemed to lose their distant color as the blue light washed over him.
A bead of sweat formed on his brow, his muscles tensing involuntarily. The light seemed to penetrate deeper, reaching something within him that caused him to wince in pain.
"What's happening?" Leonardo asked, his voice tight with concern as he noticed Alain's struggle. "I don't know," Anna replied, her eyes wide with shock. "The others went through so quickly, but Alain... it's like something's wrong."
Alain's breaths grew shallow, and his face contorted as if he were resisting something. Yet, just as suddenly as it began, the light released him, and he fell back to the ground, walking off as if nothing had happened.
The other heirs, preoccupied with their new skills under the guidance of their guide, paid no attention to Alain's minor cries.
However, Marquis, who stood only a few people away from Alain, couldn't ignore what he was witnessing.
"Is he okay?" Marquis mused aloud, his concern genuine despite their differences. They may not have liked each other much, but Marquis couldn't stand to see anyone in pain.
Finally, Alain fell back to the ground, shivering for a bit and walked away as if nothing had happened.
"What did you do?" Henri demanded, his anger quickly reigniting as he turned toward Beaugois.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Beaugois replied in a blank tone, clearly unbothered by Henri's outburst.
"You need to learn to mind your own business," a younger boy chimed in unexpectedly. He looked younger than most of the other heirs around him, his expression calm but firm.
He wears a flowing robe made of finely woven fabric, dyed in deep indigo and gold, colors that represent wisdom and power in his culture.
On his head, he wears a modest headdress crafted from woven reeds and adorned with bright feathers in shades of turquoise and crimson.
Around his neck is a necklace made of carved jade stones, he hold it.
His wrists are adorned with gold bangles that jingle softly as he moves, each inscribed with protective runes from tradition
He wears simple sandals made from soft leather, laced with cords that wrap around his ankles. The sandals are designed for agility and comfort, reflecting the boy's practical nature
"You dare speak? Zorion" Henri shot back, his voice laced with disdain.
If this quest had taken place at least 20 years ago, Zorion would be a mere heir, Henri might have responded differently, but now, Zorion simply leaned back in his chair, uninterested in further conflict.
Freya, unable to contain her amusement, burst out laughing. "Hahaha! You're going to end up like your wife soon!" she jeered.
Most of the room was silent, the darkness masking their presence completely.
For some reason, Henri was the only one bathed in light, while even Alphonse, with his shimmering blue hair, and some of the jewels they wear, was shadowed. Were they always like that? Henri wondered to himself.
He sat at the furthest chair away.
Henri scoffed, turning his attention back to the heirs receiving their unwritten skills. Only a few more stood in front of Trysson now.
"Anna, Elara," Mei-Ling called out as she approached them, her expression neutral but her eyes sharp.
Her guide stood at the queue for the unwritten skills, waiting patiently."Mei!" Elara exclaimed, her face lighting up with happiness at the sight of her best friend.
"I wanted to ask where you all plan to go after the meeting," Mei-Ling inquired, her tone polite but distant."I'm not really sure," Anna replied thoughtfully.
"We're going to discuss it with Father first."
"Alright then," Mei-Ling said flatly. Her gaze shifted to Leonardo, and her eyes narrowed slightly, her expression turning cold. Leonardo felt a pang of confusion—he had thought he made a good impression on her.
As she walked away, Leonardo's thoughts churned. "I always hated royals," he thought bitterly.
"They sit high and expect everything to go their way. Why does she look at me like that?"He lingered behind Anna and Elara as they continued to chat with Mei-Ling, his mind preoccupied. "It's ironic," he mused, "being called the same thing I hate..."
"I always hated royals..." Leonardo thought to himself. "They sit high and expect everything to go their way."
As Anna and Elara continued to converse with Mei-Ling, Leonardo couldn't help but think, "It's funny how I'm called the same thing I hate." He watched from behind them as it became Marquis's turn.
"Did I really hate the guide?" he pondered. "Or was it the way they acted?"
As Marquis floated above the ground, Leonardo's amber eyes dilated, struggling to focus. "Maybe it's the way they acted," he repeated, his mind wandering. "The cave, Agnite... They acted high and mighty, yes..."
He hit his head lightly, frustrated with how easily he'd forgotten. He sighed deeply.
"Leonardo!" Anna's voice snapped him back to reality.
"Realm to Ghent," Elara added with a giggle.
"Was he daydreaming?" Mei-Ling asked, her tone puzzled. It seemed they had been calling his name multiple times.
Leonardo's amber eyes refocused as he returned to the present moment. "He's back," Anna said with relief.
"What happened?" Elara asked, her tone sincere this time.
"Ah, I was just thinking about stuff," Leonardo replied, laughing it off as he stepped forward, watching Marquis's display.
Compared to everyone else, Marquis's performance was extraordinary. He rose gracefully, the elements seeming to favor him, with tiny lights swirling around him, unlike anything anyone had seen before.
His hair floated ethereally, and his entire outfit seemed to defy gravity, fluttering as if it could fly on its own. When he finally landed, it was almost angelic, as if the very space around him made way for his presence.
"Interesting..." a voice echoed, genuinely intrigued.
Next, Ryuji floated from the floor, even though he had fainted earlier. Then came Adad, Itami, Mei-Ling's guide, and a few other notable figures. Finally, it was Trysson's turn.
"Everything is complete," the voice declared, its sound vibrating through the entire room. "The meeting is officially over."
"Finally," Beaugois muttered, stretching his back in annoyance.
"Even the translator seems to break sometimes," Ashur commented, glancing at his hand.
"You all wouldn't survive with my accent!" Freya said, laughing.
"My accent is still here," Sir Eadric added, trying to justify himself.
"Maybe go back to your roots," Inti suggested.
Alphonse and most of the heirs began to scatter, their previously organized crowd now dissolving into chaos.
Marquis walked over to the girls.
"Marquis," Leonardo called out.
"Now we can introduce ourselves properly," Marquis said with a smile.