The clatter of cutlery had long faded, replaced by soft goodnights and the creak of doors closing one after another. Dinner had been warm, filled with smiles and quiet conversation. After all the revelations that took place in one night plus Leon's return from the Trial World, rest was not a luxury it was a necessity.
Steam curled from the bathroom door as Leon stepped out, towel draped around his neck, damp hair clinging to his forehead. The cool air of his room kissed his skin as he changed into his night clothes with lazy, practiced motions. His mind, however, was far from idle.
He thought back to what his mother had told him at the dinner table. She had once planned to reveal the truth. If he hadn't received the trial resonance by eighteen, she would have sat him down and told him everything but fate had taken a different turn.
But Leon didn't care.
Was there a twinge of sadness knowing he didn't share the Kael bloodline? Maybe for a second. But it passed like a fleeting shadow.
They had raised him. Loved him. Fed him. Trained him. He was forged in their fire, shaped by their discipline and held by their warmth.
Bloodline? That was just ink on a forgotten scroll. What mattered was real and tangible. His mother's embrace. His father's teachings. The way his sister stood by him no matter the trouble.
He pulled his shirt down over his head.
No... something would have to be seriously wrong with his head to let something like blood redefine his identity.
He was a Kael. Through and through and nothing would ever change that.
Climbing into bed, Leon grabbed his phone and flopped onto his back, thumbs flicking across the screen. As a message from Elizabeth popped up.
"Did you get home safe?"
A grin tugged at his lips as he replied.
The two chatted for a while—nothing deep, nothing heavy, just the easy flow of two people who knew each other too well. Eventually, her replies stopped.
She'd fallen asleep.
Leon turned off his phone, plugged it in, and let it drop beside the bed with a soft thud.
But a thought crept in, uninvited but gentle. 'I wonder who my real parents are...'
He yawned.
As the Sleep pulled at him like a tide, and he surrendered to it, letting his thoughts drift into the quiet hum of his dreams.
****
In another room of the Kael household, silence reigned. A girl lay on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
She wore a short, white sleeveless nightgown dotted with tiny strawberry patterns. The gown clung lightly to her form, hinting at her curves—shapely hips and a modest bust.
Her long, raven-black hair was tucked neatly into a black bonnet, and her azure eyes remained fixed on the ceiling, unmoving.
Valeria Kael didn't blink or shift.
'At this rate… Leon will become so strong that I won't be able to protect him anymore.'
A quiet sigh escaped her lips as she finally turned on her side, curling slightly toward the wall.
She remembered it clearly. She had only been five years old when her mother brought a baby home.
She hadn't understood much back then, but while her parents spoke in private, she had crept over to get a peek at the child nestled in her mother's arms.
The moment her eyes landed on baby Leon, her tiny voice had whispered just one word.
"Cute…"
From that day on, she made herself a quiet promise she would protect him no matter what.
That childish resolve had only deepened with time. As Leon grew, she watched him become kind, hardworking and fiercely devoted to their family.
And with each year, her reasons for guarding him grew beyond just that long-ago promise.
She trained harder than anyone. Even after awakening her Extraordinary talent and surviving the trial world, she didn't ease up but instead she intensified her training.
Because deep down, she knew one simple truth:
In this world, the only thing that truly matters… is power.
That truth shaped her. As She grew more reserved and distant. But she didn't care. So long as she could protect Leon, that was enough.
But now…
Leon had awakened a power that dwarfed her own. A power that would soon surpass her.
'And when that day comes… what happens to my purpose?'
She closed her eyes, but the question lingered.
Only sleep could silence it.
****
Inside a well-lit office lined with bookshelves and framed Federation emblems, Overseer Eddine Kronenburg sat before a large screen, the soft hum of the video-conference filling the room.
On the screen, dozens of overseers from across the Federation training centers appeared in neat squares—each one a key figure responsible for molding the next generation of Trial Takers.
The meeting was in full swing. Discussion flowed smoothly—plans for the upcoming session, curriculum adjustments, and most importantly, how to manage this year's newly resonated candidates.
The last time they had all gathered like this was during the Trial Summoning in the Capital. Now, it was time to prepare for the new cycle.
Once the official matters wrapped up, the tone shifted. One overseer, a lean man with silver-rimmed glasses, leaned back with a proud smile.
"I must say, I'm extremely pleased with my last year's batch," he announced. "Our top candidate cleared his first trial in just four days."
The room buzzed instantly.
"Impressive! Congrats on your success," said one overseer.
"From here, you'll only move upward," another added.
A round of congratulations followed. There was awe in their voices—four days. That was brushing against legend.
Almost on par with the current Governor himself, who had famously cleared his first trial in just a single day.
Eddine remained silent, sipping from a glass of lukewarm water. The envy in the room was palpable, but none of them showed it beyond tight smiles.
Even without direct rewards, it has been proven analytically that a fast-clearing candidate would gain prestige. And prestige eventually led to privilege.
The overseers continued sharing.
"Mine finished in six days. Not bad, considering his lack of background."
"Well, mine did it in five. A magnificent girl—her control was terrifying."
Brags were mixed with complaints. Before, someone steered the spotlight.
"Ah, we've only been talking about ourselves," came a smug voice it was Overseer Harlan. "We almost forgot about Eddine. Tell us—how fast was your top candidate?"
The screens went quiet. All attention turned to Eddine. Harlan wore a mocking smile, thinly veiled under politeness.
Eddine's jaw tightened.
This bastard knew exactly what he was doing. Eddine had been the one talking big before the Trial Summoning. Talking about 'record breakers' and 'future legends.' And now...
It was like being served dogshit on fine china. And he had no choice but to eat it.
After a brief pause, he gave a tight nod. "Nine days."
He was referring to Adrian Peer.
The silence stretched. Then came the quiet judgment behind composed expressions.
Nine days?
And this guy was bragging like he had the next Governor?
No one said it out loud. But he knew what they were all thinking it.
"That's… good," one overseer finally said. "Well, I've got to prepare my center. The new year waits for no one."
Others began logging off, one by one.
The last to leave was Harlan. His smile hadn't moved an inch. "See you next cycle, Eddine," he said smoothly, before blinking off the screen.
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A/N: Please send power stones and leave reviews.
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