It was like watching chaos unfold in real ti.
They had only just managed to get everyone to ingest what so had already started calling the "awakening fruit," and it was becoming painfully clear that the Elders had not been exaggerating when they listed out their reminders and warnings.
"Don’t stand too close to each other!"
"Anyone who has ideas or even relevant family hearsay should inform us so we can make preparations."
"When trying to call forth your ability for the first ti, think about non-offensive moves first. Do not skewer other people."
"I repeat. Do NOT skewer other people!"
"And for the love of all that is holy, do not randomly swing those swords outside of the designated area!"
At the ti, those instructions had sounded excessive. A bit dramatic, even.
Now?
Not so much.
Because as things began to unfold, it didn’t take long for everyone to understand why those warnings existed in the first place.
Even Emperor Xavian, who had co to observe and assess the situation, found himself staring at the temporary testing facility with undisguised disbelief.
He knew he should be focusing on whether any latent abilities might activate in him, but his attention kept drifting back to the sheer commotion happening before him.
People were moving everywhere.
Calling out.
Testing.
Failing.
Yet inevitably trying again.
With the sudden success of Countess Jenna Taylor’s awakening spurring everyone to throw themselves into the task, they were now faced with this—
A scene that could only be described as the physical manifestation of insanity.
Extre (questionable) imrsion.
At this rate, he couldn’t even dare to na the people doing it for the sake of their dignity.
Ahem.
So jumped straight into the prepared pools of water, fully committing to the idea.
Others hugged trees like their lives depended on it, whispered to leaves, or tried to strike up conversations with the beasts that had been coaxed into participating.
A few lay flat on the ground as if hoping to rge with it, while others stared at candles with such intensity that they started going cross-eyed.
There were even those who kept jumping repeatedly, as if waiting for gravity to suddenly answer back.
And then there were others who opted for more understandable thods: weapon testing.
It was, quite frankly, the kind of scene no one would ever willingly recreate under normal circumstances.
As such, one little system felt the need to add a disclair that one should not try this at ho, as footage of the session had to be stored for record-keeping.
Safe to say, for the Emperor of Solaris—who had lived his life studying the past and learning from it—this was rather overwhelming.
Of course, he had tried to prepare himself for sothing unusual, but seeing it unfold in real ti was sothing else entirely.
Considering how few bloodline ability users existed in recent history, watching everyone discover their own abilities would’ve surely shocked even his predecessors.
So yes, despite the very real likelihood of being scolded by the Elders—even as Emperor—for standing idle when he should’ve been focusing on himself, for a brief mont, all he could do was take everything in.
Then, the gawking Emperor heard a sudden outburst that cut through the noise.
"Oh shit!"
"Head Maid Gloria! Your hamr—it’s changing color?!"
The dwarf’s shout instantly drew attention. Heads turned, conversations stopped, and all eyes landed on the Head Maid just in ti to hear—
THUD!
A heavy impact echoed across the grounds as her hamr dropped to the floor.
Actually, more like crashed into it.
It landed with such force that the ground trembled beneath their feet, as if sothing massive had been slamd down from above. For a split second, it genuinely felt like the floor might crack open if not for Elder Shen reacting quickly, placing a stabilizing spiritual barrier beneath it.
The Emperor’s gaze sharpened.
"Try lifting it again," Elder Shen instructed.
Gloria nodded, though she clearly didn’t understand what had just happened. She reached down to pick up the tool she handled every day—
And strained.
Visibly.
Her muscles tensed, her face flushed, and the effort showed as she struggled against the sudden, overwhelming weight.
"!!!"
"Imagine it being lighter," Elder Shen said calmly.
The instruction sounded odd. After all, it was the very sa thing she handled every single day. She not only practiced with it, but also swung it at anyone who dared covet the goods from the bakery!
So how could it suddenly be like this?!
But still, despite the panic, she followed his instructions.
And in the very next mont—
She almost fell backward.
Because the hamr lifted far too easily.
"...What?!"
Cece’s eyes lit up, practically sparkling with excitent. "Oh damn! That’s got to be a difference in mass, right?"
"Wow! You just changed its mass! Try it again! AGAIN!"
The flustered Head Maid swallowed hard, still trying to process what was happening, but she obeyed. She focused again, adjusted her thoughts—
And succeeded once more.
"!"
Cheers broke out. Butler Gary, who was usually calm, clapped in surprise, shouted, and called out in excitent at the successful manifestation.
In the Butler’s mind, this would probably be worriso for the soldiers who liked playing pranks or playing hooky, but that was their problem, not his. So this was still sothing to celebrate.
But the exaltation didn’t last long.
Because—
SPLASH!
A loud burst of water diverted everyone’s attention.
The Emperor, already on alert, turned sharply toward the source.
There, in one of the designated pools, was the youngest Chief of Staff on record, Killian Nox.
Sitting—no, more like plopped, and looking very drenched.
Completely soaked from head to toe.
He had fallen onto his back, knees bent, hands braced behind him, half-subrged in water that clearly hadn’t been that disturbed a mont ago. His expression was one of pure disbelief, blinking as if trying to understand how he’d ended up like that.
Apparently—
A small tide had ford behind him.
And promptly shoved him in.
After a brief pause, Killian raised a hand, regaining so of his composure.
"I’m fine," he said, voice carrying his usual exasperation as he ran a hand through his soaked hair. "But I think the records were right about an affinity with water."
"!!!"
The brief silence that followed shattered instantly.
Cheers erupted again.
Marquise Evelyn was already moving, practically rushing to her son. "Oh my goodness, Killian! Son! You did it!" she exclaid, hands hovering near her face as she bead with pride.
Killian pressed his lips together, looking mildly trapped as his mother hovered over him.
"Mom, it was an accident," he admitted, though there was a hint of understanding in his tone now. "But I think I get what the Elders ant by following the tug. If you can trace it all the way, sothing might actually happen."
A pause.
"I just didn’t expect a tidal wave."
Well, of course he didn’t. In the first place, who would have ever thought about the possibility of randomly calling forth their bloodline abilities?
He could sohow understand Kyle chancing upon it through a wild coincidence as soone who still went to the front lines...
But Killian—
The Imperial official who could now make tidal waves?
Who would’ve thought?
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