Evelyn looked at my body as if she could see into the very depths of my soul. Her intense gaze alone sent a shiver down my spine and made me gulp nervously. There was something terrifyingly powerful and yet mesmerizing about her.
Her older sister was just as strong—perhaps even stronger. Evelyn, the Queen herself, had already reached the realm of a 7-Star Mage, a height most could only dream of. Now, standing in front of me, she attempted to assess my talent.
However, her expression quickly turned from calm curiosity to astonishment. At first, my aura glowed with the blue light of a low-tier talent. But the next second, it surged upward—changing, evolving—making it impossible for her to determine its limit. When she tried again, the same thing happened. The talent reading would begin, then climb higher and higher, seemingly without end.
Her interest was immediately piqued.
With a thoughtful smile, she let her eyes travel over my body again. There was a thin layer of mana forming a barrier over my skin. Her eyes sparkled. She could also tell that I hadn't been a mage for long—my aura was too raw, too unrefined.
"You're using the barrier incorrectly," she said, her voice elegant yet firm. "Don't add layer upon layer. Instead, fuse the mana together. That way, you'll reduce consumption and increase strength."
Hearing her advice, I quickly sat down on the grass and closed my eyes, focusing. I followed her instructions, breathing slowly, guiding my mana with precision. Two minutes passed in silence.
Then Evelyn's smile widened.
She didn't say anything at first, but I could tell from the look in her eyes that she was impressed. Even though she hadn't seen the full extent of my abilities, it was clear she was pleased with how fast I learned.
As I successfully fused the barrier into one cohesive form, I noticed the difference instantly. My mana consumption dropped drastically, and the barrier felt denser—stronger.
I stood up and bowed deeply, my smile bright with gratitude. She nodded at me with a soft smile, but then her eyes caught something unexpected.
There, on my neck, was a slave mark.
Her smile faded slightly. She hadn't noticed it before. If not for the mark and being told I was a servant, Evelyn would have thought I was a young noble—no older than fourteen—given my features and aura.
A boy like this… with such extraordinary talent and almost otherworldly beauty… a slave?
She was thoroughly surprised. Her eyes lingered on my face, reading the innocence and naïve trust in my expression. She said nothing about the mark. Perhaps she feared it would wound me emotionally.
"Tell me, boy. What's your name?" she asked, her voice rich and alluring, yet gentle.
"Ma'am, you can just call me Akashi," I replied sincerely.
She nodded and, with a wave of her hand, summoned a spell. A shimmering blue flame enveloped her elegant body. The flames danced gracefully around her, wrapping her form in light. My breath caught as I watched.
Her beauty became even more divine in that moment.
The flame surged upward, crawling along her body until it reached her forehead—there, a glowing blue horn formed. I stared in awe, my eyes shining with excitement and curiosity.
She noticed my fascination and chuckled softly. With a gentle pat on my head and a snap of her fingers, the flame vanished. She sat gracefully on a nearby bench and began to explain.
"It's a high-level spell called Exorcist," she said. "With your talent, you should be able to comprehend at least five percent of it in three days."
I nodded eagerly, absorbing every word.
"In that form," she continued, "every one of your physical and Spell will increase sixfold. But be careful. The mana consumption is also six times higher. If you use it carelessly, your body could explode."
Still, I nodded, undeterred.
She smiled, then helped me train my mana. For three hours, she guided me through techniques and theories. After that short period, she noticed something remarkable—I was already on the brink of advancing to the 1-Star Mid Layer.
And soon i reach 1st Star mid Layer
She also noticed my Mana is not ordinary and clearly stronger than the normal 1st star mid layer
She smiled again, clearly pleased.
"To use Exorcist, you only need to reach the 1-Star Peak Layer," she said. "Even if you can maintain it for just five minutes, it could be enough to survive an enemy far stronger than you."
Yes, I had talent—but what use was it if I didn't bloom?
She could sense I had been at the early layer for some time already, so my rapid progress seemed reasonable to her. With that, her training was complete. As the night began to fall, she handed me a scroll with notes and left gracefully, disappear determination
shadows.
I looked at the scroll. It detailed the Exorcist spell thoroughly, but my current mana reserves were too low to attempt it.
The scroll also said she would train me in three days atleast on the same spot here in garden at early in morning
Still, I didn't waste time. Even though it was already dark, I didn't sleep. I sat under the moonlight, repeatedly exhausting my mana and then allowing it to replenish as I studied the spell over and over again.
Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
Slowly, as the night deepened and the stars watched silently, I continued my solitary training.
A strikingly beautiful girl with long flowing hair and violet-indigo eyes stood not far from me. Her face was sculpted like a goddess, yet her expression was cold as ice. Every step she took seemed to lower the surrounding temperature.
She moved like a ghost, quiet and detached. The kimono she wore had elegant black and pink lines, swaying gently with her graceful movement.
She saw me—a boy who looked quite young, with fragile features and a body that seemed small and delicate. My otherworldly beauty caught her attention. Curious, she concealed her mana completely and stood hidden in the shadows, watching intently.
I had no idea anyone was near. I kept training, depleting my mana and looking at the scroll, repeating my routine endlessly.
The girl's expression remained unreadable, even when her heart felt a flicker of surprise.
After watching me for about thirty minutes, she saw me breakthrough—to the peak of the 1-Star Layer. Not only that, but she noticed something peculiar: my mana was unusually strong and incredibly dense.
Before long, I collapsed in exhaustion, my chest rising and falling softly. I looked fragile… almost ethereal.
Intrigued, she quietly drew a polished, blue-glowing sword. With a wave, a silent beam of light shot toward me. I didn't notice it, but suddenly my recovery rate doubled. Confused, I touched my chest with closed eyes, wondering what had changed.
When I opened my eyes, I looked around.
Nothing. No one. Only silence and the pale glow of the moonlight.
The mysterious girl, her expression unchanged, turned away. With graceful leaps, she vanished into the night like a butterfly on the wind. Her lips curled slightly into a mysterious smile as her silhouette faded into the darkness.
And I, still unaware of the beautiful eyes that had watched me that night, continued to train—my heart burning with a quiet, relentless determination.