Kaeleen touched the crystal sphere, his fingers trembling as the others watched in anticipation. Just a second after making contact, the ball shone with a blinding white light, so intense that those present raised their hands to cover their eyes. The light was overwhelming, enveloping the entire field in a pure glow, but suddenly, something changed.
The bright white slowly darkened, turning into a faint black. A chilling sensation filled the air, which became cold and heavy. Silence fell over the spectators, and all the summoned stood in shock at what they were witnessing. Even Princess Selene, always serene, showed genuine concern on her face. Only Sir Aldric broke the spell of astonishment, clicking his tongue in visible irritation before turning around and walking away without a word.
Kaeleen, shocked by what had just happened, looked around for answers. "What's going on?" he thought, his heart pounding in his chest. When he glanced at Borik, he saw his friend offering him a reassuring smile. However, when his eyes met Selene's, what he saw was very different: fear and worry.
Kaeleen's confidence crumbled. Trembling, he asked in a shaky voice, "Is everything okay… princess?"
Selene swallowed, clearly affected by what she had seen, and responded in an unsettling manner: "Are you… truly human?"
The atmosphere, already tense, grew even more ominous. Everyone present fell into absolute silence, and even Borik's smile vanished, replaced by genuine concern.
Kaeleen, confused and terrified, could barely stammer a response. "W-what? Yes, of course… why are you asking me that?"
Selene closed her eyes for a moment, shaking her head as if trying to clear her own doubts. "No… don't worry. I got carried away by my thoughts," she said, trying to smile kindly at him, though the tension was still palpable.
Finally, the princess took a breath and, in a more steady voice, announced the results: "Kaeleen, you have a great affinity for both Arcane Mana and Dark Mana. The intensity of your affinity is extremely high, indicating that you could potentially master both."
Kaeleen didn't know how to react for a moment. "Mastery?" That word echoed in his mind, filled with a deep meaning he was only beginning to understand. "Could I really become someone in this world…?"
Excited, he began to walk towards the area where the evaluated were waiting. However, before he could move far, Selene stopped him. She leaned in close to his ear and, in an almost intimate whisper, said, "When they send you to me for training, come to see me. I want to talk to you."
Kaeleen froze for a second, his cheeks flushed with surprise. "With… me?" he thought, feeling incredibly nervous. In a timid, stammering voice, he managed to reply, "Y-yes, of course, princess…"
As he walked down to the group, Kaeleen's heart was racing. Borik was waiting for him with a huge grin. "Ah, you did it, kid!" Borik said with a hearty laugh, slapping Kaeleen on the back so hard that he nearly fell over.
"Ow, not so hard!" Kaeleen exclaimed, trying to catch his breath as Borik kept laughing.
"Come on, kid," Borik said, still laughing. "You're already the princess's favorite, and now it turns out you're a prodigy in magic too. Not even I managed something like that."
Kaeleen, caught between embarrassment and laughter, awkwardly replied, "Don't say that! It was just luck…"
Borik pulled him in with an arm, tugging him playfully. "Nonsense! You've already surpassed me, even being younger! In the end, you turned out to be better at everything." Kaeleen tried to smile, though he struggled to breathe with Borik squeezing him so tightly. The scene was a mix of jokes and genuine camaraderie, and for a moment, Kaeleen felt truly happy.
After all the summoned had been evaluated, they were gathered again for the results to be announced. A guard spoke up, dividing the summoned into two groups: those who would be trained by Sir Aldric and those under Princess Selene's tutelage.
As expected, Kaeleen was assigned to the princess. However, to his surprise, Borik was sent to Sir Aldric.
Borik, clearly upset, tried to challenge the decision. "Why can't I go with the princess?" he asked loudly.
Sir Aldric, watching the scene with a mocking smile, silenced him immediately. "You don't get a say here, kid," he responded coldly. "Follow orders."
Just before the situation could escalate, Selene intervened calmly. "Don't worry, Borik," she said with a kind smile. "You'll have time to say goodbye. The groups will separate tomorrow. Spend the night peacefully."
Borik clenched his fists but chose to remain silent. Kaeleen, seeing his friend's frustration, placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Borik. Everything will be alright."
As night fell, Kaeleen and Borik gathered around a small campfire. The summoned nearby were celebrating with laughter and songs, roasting food and sharing among themselves. However, Kaeleen stared into the flames with a sad expression.
"I don't understand how they can be celebrating," he said quietly. "After seeing all those people die… the way they treated us… and yet they act as if everything's fine."
Borik, also staring into the flames, sighed. "It's normal, kid. People don't want to think about it. They just want to forget what happened and cling to anything that makes them feel alive."
As they continued their quiet conversation, a small group of summoned walked past them, casting disdainful glances at Kaeleen. "Did you see? That's the kid who made the princess doubt him. He's probably a monster…" they murmured, laughing among themselves. "Look at his face. Disgusting."
Hearing this, Borik stood up, visibly furious. "Hey! Come back here and repeat what you said!" he shouted.
But before Borik could do anything, Kaeleen grabbed his hand. "Let them go… It's not worth it."
Borik looked at him with a mix of disbelief and anger. "Why do you let them talk to you like that?" he asked, unable to understand Kaeleen's calmness.
Kaeleen lowered his head, his gaze sad. "Because I'm used to it."
The group of summoned walked away, laughing and calling Kaeleen a monster while throwing insults. Borik, still fuming, sat back down next to Kaeleen.
"You shouldn't let them treat you like that," Borik said, unable to contain his frustration.
Kaeleen, with his head down, began to share a bit of his past. "They've always treated me like this… even my own family." He explained how his father had abandoned him and his mother when he was little, and how his mother blamed him for everything, taking out her frustrations on him. The insults and abuse had been constant throughout his life.
Borik listened with genuine concern on his face. When Kaeleen finished, Borik sighed and began to talk about his own past. "It wasn't easy for me either, Kaeleen. My father left us too… and my mother was sick. I had to take on the role of father since I was 12, working construction to support my three younger siblings… We barely had enough to eat, but I made sure they always had something on the table."
As Borik shared his story, Kaeleen listened in silence, feeling a strange comfort in knowing that he wasn't the only one who had suffered in the past. Borik's experiences, though different, were equally painful.
Before they could continue talking, a shout broke the silence. The summoned who had been celebrating were drunk and starting to fight among themselves, raising their voices and causing a great commotion. "It's late, we should go to sleep," Borik said, standing up with a tired smile.
Kaeleen nodded, following his friend to the tent they had been assigned. They said their goodnights and went to sleep, preparing for what the next day would bring.
The next morning, the summoned gathered again to be divided into the two groups. Kaeleen and Borik said their goodbyes with a strong hug. Borik, still a bit upset about the separation, smiled as he gave him a pat on the back.
"We'll meet again, kid. Enjoy your classes with the princess," he said with a hearty laugh.
Kaeleen nodded with determination. "I will. Take care Borik... We'll see each other soon."
And so, with the separation of the groups, Kaeleen departed with Princess Selene to begin his training, while Borik joined the knights under Sir Aldric's command.