"Hey, who are you to Lady Apotheosis?"
Suddenly, a voice startled Kian, coming from just a few inches away. He instinctively tilted his head toward the source and was met with the sight of a lively young girl, her face looming close to his.
"Ouch!"
Startled, Kian jumped up, colliding headfirst with the girl. Both of them winced as the impact sent a sharp pain through their foreheads.
Kian rubbed his head and looked at the girl more carefully. She appeared to be around his age, perhaps 13 or 14, dressed in well-maintained servant attire. Her hair was neatly tied back, giving her a disciplined appearance despite the mischievous gleam in her eyes.
"At least help me up, jerk!" she snapped, holding her nose, which had turned slightly red from the collision.
"Ah, sorry, sorry!" Kian stammered, quickly extending a hand to her. He helped her to her feet, steadying her as she dusted off her clothes.
She glared at him for a moment but then questioned, "What's your name? And what is lady Apotheosis to you?
"My name is Kian," he replied cautiously, still unsure of who the girl was. "I've just started working as Mistress Apotheosis' servant today."
"Huh?"
The girl gave him a scrutinizing look, her brows furrowing slightly.
"Why did she choose you after so long? You don't seem like anything special, honestly," she muttered, her tone tinged with doubt and a hint of jealousy.
Kian shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe because I'm not as talkative as you."
The girl's face fell.
"Hey, that's mean! I'm not talkative; I was just curious about you!" She puffed out her cheeks but quickly recovered her cheerful demeanor. "Anyway, my name is Lilia. I'm a fellow servant from your neighborhood. Nice to meet you... We'll probably be seeing each other often!" She offered a bright smile, extending her fair hand for a handshake.
"Whatever... I've got work to do," Kian muttered, waving his hand dismissively at her, clearly uninterested.
Lilia was stunned by his bluntness, then narrowed her eyes and snorted. "You're really a jerk!"
After that, Lilia jumped onto the fence like an agile cat, swiftly leaving Apotheosis' house.
---
Kian, now alone, felt a rush of excitement to finally test his mysterious new Talent. He entered the house and hurried to his room, eager to experiment in secret.
Once inside, he scanned the space for something simple to use. Spotting a small wooden bowl, he decided it was perfect for the test.
In the dim light of the kitchen, he placed the bowl carefully on the ground and took a step back.
"Let's see what this Talent can really do," he muttered under his breath, his voice a mix of curiosity and anticipation.
"Buzzz..."
He summoned the black metallic Millstone, its ominous form hovering just above his hand. The air grew slightly heavier as the millstone appeared, its subtle hum reverberating in the silence.
Taking a deep breath, Kian focused his eyes on the bowl. "Alright... let's test it out." He directed the Millstone's power toward the bowl, eager to see the result.