The estate had settled into a semblance of normalcy after the confrontation with the slavers from a few weeks ago. Though Zoran had his suspicions about what exactly had happened, the girls hadn't exhibited anything too out of the ordinary—at least, not yet.
They were still themselves, albeit more energetic, more focused. They absorbed knowledge faster, moved with sharper precision, and their stamina had noticeably improved. Zoran credited it to the lingering effects of the mysterious light that came from him from when he was unconscious. As long as nothing dangerous happened, he saw no reason to worry.
That assumption wouldn't last long.
---
Mira was always the most active of the girls, never one to idle for long. When she wasn't helping out around the estate, she was off climbing trees, racing through the forest, or trying to ambush her sisters just for fun. Today was no different.
She crouched low, her tail flicking behind her as she scanned her surroundings. A mischievous grin tugged at her lips. Fiore was sitting by the riverbank reading. The perfect target.
With silent steps, she climbed the nearest tree, using her natural agility to maneuver through the branches. Her plan was simple: get behind her, then pounce.
Then, something strange happened.
Mira leaped from one branch to another, but instead of her usual graceful landing, she overshot her jump—by several meters.
"Huh—!?"
She flailed mid-air, her body twisting unnaturally fast to correct herself. But before she could even process what was happening, she plummeted straight toward the ground.
Instinct took over.
Her hands shot forward, and suddenly, they weren't hands anymore.
Black claws extended from her fingers, her muscles tensed, and she twisted mid-fall with unfathomable flexibility. Her body landed in a perfect crouch, claws digging into the dirt.
Her ears twitched. The earlier panic from the fall was gone as a sense of calm washed over her.
She wasn't hurt.
She looked down, staring at her hands in shock. Her claws gleamed in the sunlight, sharper and longer than before. Her breath came out in soft, controlled exhales. She could feel everything—every movement of the wind, every vibration in the ground.
"Mira?"
Fiore's voice made her snap her head up. The half-elf was watching her with wide eyes, her book forgotten in her lap.
Mira flexed her fingers, and with a simple thought, the claws retracted back into her normal hands. Her pulse was still calm, as if her body had already accepted this as natural.
She grinned.
"Ohh… this is so cool."
---
Unlike Mira, Fiore had spent the past week deep in thought. She wasn't one to ignore strange anomalies.
Something had changed within them after the light incident. It wasn't just increased stamina or sharper senses—there was something else. She could feel it circulating in her body.
And she was determined to figure it out.
That's why she sat by the riverbank, book open, hands resting on her lap as she tried to channel her mana. If something had changed, then she needed to confirm it with an experiment.
She focused, thinking back to some of the magic spells she had learned long ago.
A small fire spell should have been simple.
She envisioned a tiny flame, no bigger than a candlelight, flickering to life in her palm. Her mana responded instantly—too fast.
BOOM!
A massive fireball exploded from her hands, forcing her to fling it toward the river before it could burn the grass.
Her heart pounded.
"What—?"
She hadn't even chanted an incantation. She had only thought of fire, and the mana had responded with a destructive explosion.
She swallowed hard and decided to try again.
This time, she envisioned water. Immediately, the sky darkened, and rain began to pour—only above her head.
Fiore froze.
"This… this isn't normal."
Before she could react further, the wind suddenly surged around her, lifting her slightly off the ground.
"Fiore!"
Mira's voice snapped her out of it, and as soon as she lost focus, the elements immediately calmed. The rain stopped. The wind faded. The magic dispersed as if it had never been there.
She sat on the grass, breathing hard, her mind racing.
Fire, water, wind—all without effort.
She wasn't just able to use magic.
She could wield every element.
---
Elara was not happy.
She had been watching Mira dash through the trees like a wild beast and Fiore conjure elements like a goddess. Meanwhile, she still felt… normal.
As the eldest, she always thought of herself as the leader of the girls, and it was frustrating for her to not have any powers yet when Fiore and Mira had awakened theirs.
She crossed her arms, standing near the entrance of the estate, watching as the others continued their activities.
"This is ridiculous," she muttered under her breath. "I wish I also have some sort of powers."
And her wish came true sooner then expected.
It was dinner time and the girls were all being rowdy about Mira and Fiore's new powers. Elara, who is in quite a bad mood, grumbled in frustration. "Ahh you're too noisy! could you be quiet for while!"
A second later, absolute silence fell.
Not a single person could speak.
The realization hit Elara almost immediately.
She turned to see the other girls panicking—their mouths moving, but no sound coming out.
Her heart pounded.
"No, no, no—um—speak! Now!"
Instantly, the silence shattered.
The girls gasped and stumbled off their chair, some touching their throats as if checking if their voices had returned.
Everyone turned to stare at her.
Elara took a step back, horrified. "Did I just…?"
Zoran, who had been watching from nearby, narrowed his eyes.
"Elara." His voice was calm, but there was an edge of realization. "Say something else. Something harmless."
She swallowed hard.
"…Let there be wind?"
A sudden gust roared through the estate, strong enough to rattle the windows.
Elara's breath caught in her throat.
"I… I have my own power?"
She became excited. Unlike Mira and Fiore, this wasn't just raw strength or talent.
This was absolute control over reality with her words.
With this power, she could absolutely protect her family.
---
With three of them awakening, the rest of the girls grew both excited and nervous.
Nysa huffed, crossing her arms. "Hmph! I bet mine will be even cooler!"
Hanna fidgeted, her wings twitching. "I… I don't know if I want something that strong."
Sylvie simply clung to Zoran, grinning. "Hehe~ I wonder what mine will be~"
Zoran, however, felt something heavier settle in his chest.
He had suspected that this light of his was affecting the girls, but this was beyond what he anticipated.
These weren't just small boosts.
They were unfathomable powers.
And there were still three more girls left to awaken.
His mind raced. If this kept going… what would they become?
And more importantly…
How would the world react once they found out?