As I was walking to the center, a voice suddenly called out to me.
"Well, well, look who it is, it's little Caelith" a familiar sneer cut through the air, his voice laced with mockery. I paused briefly, then turned casually to face the tall, scowling figure blocking my path. He seems familiar, but I can't seem to quite remember who he is.
"Who are you again?" I asked nonchalantly
At that moment, I could see his grin twist into a frown.
"That's cute, you're going to pretend that you don't recognize me" His voice slowly filling with anger
I look at him again, feeling an odd sense of familiarity. His features were sharp, with a hint of arrogance in his expression. Blond, tousled hair framed a face that was firm and slightly angry, giving off an air of superiority.
Then it finally clicked
"Oh, you're Zarek Kael"
Zarek Kael—the name brought back distant, unpleasant memories. In my past life, he was always a pain in my side, someone who loved messing with me at every opportunity.
"What do you want?"
"Listen up," Zarek hissed, his voice seething with rage. "I don't know where you suddenly got that bravado, but you better know your place." He stepped closer, his gaze drilling into mine
"You're nothing but a peasant," he spat, his words laced with venom. "Do you really think you belong here? Spare yourself the embarrassment and scurry back to your sister, where you belong."
Honestly, it's kind of sad, that I even let someone like him mess with me in the first place in my previous life.
A twisted grin spread across his face, "Speaking of your sister," he drawled, his tone turning mockingly sweet, "I hear she's been working all kinds of odd jobs."
"Let me guess—she's probably selling herself just to keep her pathetic little brother afloat, isn't she?"
I froze.
I had been barely paying attention to his yap session, tuning him out, like I had so many times in the past. However, that last remark got under my skin. I wouldn't let anyone insult my sister, not when she sacrificed so much.
And that smirk—Aldric Vyrath's smirk. For a moment, their faces overlapped, and the rage I'd tried so hard to bury clawed its way to the surface.
But drawing attention now would be reckless. I swallowed the anger, letting it simmer beneath the surface.
Zarek caught the change in my expression and leaned in, his smirk widening.
"What, did I hit a nerve?"
"Holy shit, are you done talking?" I snapped, my patience wearing thin.
Like a chameleon, Zarek's face somehow managed to change color again—this time a deep, furious red mixed with hints of dark purple
"Seems like you're asking for a beating"
Zarek's fists clenched tightly at his sides, his knuckles turning white, closing the distance between us. His punch came fast, but to me, it felt as though time had slowed down. It made sense, though—I had just awakened my core, and my body had been integrated with mana, heightening my senses.
With a sudden shift, I casually pivoted to the side, narrowly dodging the punch as it whizzed past me.
"Wha—" Zarek's voice caught in his throat as he stumbled slightly forward
But the sight of me standing there with an indifferent expression only seemed to fuel his anger further. He raised his fist again, preparing for another punch, but froze mid-motion when a voice suddenly called out.
"Stop right now." A smooth yet composed voice rang throughout the court.
I glanced at the source of the voice and saw a young woman— long silver hair cascading down her back, shimmering softly like moonlight. Her presence exuded effortless elegance, her movements graceful and composed.
I recognized her instantly as Lyra Evermoon.
She was a prominent figure in my previous life who rose through the ranks uncontested and managed to earn the title Celestial Moon. If I recall correctly, her father was the Duke of Ascalon, so her family held a significant political position in the Federation.
Zarek turned around and upon seeing her face he started to sweat profusely. The once arrogant facade had now been replaced with panic.
"What do you think you're doing right now?"
His breath hitched as his eyes darted back and forth, desperately trying to come up with an excuse.
"If it isn't L-lady Lyra, h-how can I help y-you on this gracious o-occasion?" he stammered, his voice trembling.
"What is your name?" she asked, her voice laced with a hint of irritation.
"Z-Zarek Alcore"
"Alcore…" She muttered to herself. "Isn't your father the Viscount overseeing this region, am I correct?"
"Y-yes!" Zarek blurted out
"Why were you trying to assault that boy over there?" she said, her calm, icy voice cutting through the air. Her piercing blue eyes glanced at me standing there with a blank expression as if nothing had happened.
"Don't you think it's a disgrace to your family to attack someone in the midst of such a major event?"
Zarek's face turned pale as he desperately tried to find a way out of this situation, but lucky for that bastard, the rite was about to commence.
Lyra sighed, "I'll overlook this transgression, but just so you know there won't be a next time," she added, her voice leaving no room for argument.
"T-thank you, Lady Lyra. I'll keep that in mind," his voice trembling as he bowed deeply and ran off into the crowd.
Seeing that the situation was resolved, I sighed, though a small part of me felt disappointed. It was a shame I didn't get the chance to land a punch back on his smirking face.
I made my way to the long line of participants, from all corners of Ascalon, eagerly waiting to have their mana capabilities assessed.
This year, the council decided to change their ceremony procedures to take place all across the federation instead of its capital like the years prior. From sheer luck, Eldreth was chosen first.
The air buzzed with a mix of excitement and tension as the line inched forward. Some participants stood confidently, their eyes gleaming with anticipation, while others fidgeted nervously, muttering prayers under their breath.
I looked ahead and saw a display made by Malrick, ranking the participants based on their potential. A frown crept onto my face as I examined it.
"He really is a scum, huh?" I muttered.
"Parading the participants with low mana affinity for all to see."
"B rank, pretty good," the examiner said, as the person in front of the line started jumping in joy. Many looked at the man with envy—others watched with impatience.
Not everyone was that lucky.
I watched on as many participants walked away dejectedly, their faces pale with disappointment and frustration.
Around them, quiet whispers of mockery and scorn could be heard, with those showing strong mana affinity boasting childishly and lightly mocking those who didn't.
I sighed
Man, I just want to get this over with already. The thought echoed in my mind as I shifted impatiently.