Chapter 3
1425words
"A dangerous and mysterious man…" she whispered. Who was he really? Had her father truly sent him? And could Avril have actually sabotaged her awakening ceremony as he claimed?
Questions swirled in her mind, but Isabella pushed them aside. Today marked a crucial turning point—her entrance examination for the Valencia Royal Academy of Magic.
The academy stood as the continent's magical sanctuary, drawing the empire's most gifted practitioners to its hallowed halls. Isabella's original memories were filled with bitter rejections, her dreams of attendance crushed by her supposedly "inferior" magical aptitude.
"Today, I reclaim what's rightfully mine." Determination blazed in Isabella's eyes.
The royal carriage rolled away from the palace toward the academy on the capital's outskirts. From a distance, it resembled a divine vision—hundreds of white towers piercing the clouds, their surfaces etched with glowing magical runes.
"Your Highness, we've arrived," Martha announced, barely containing her excitement.
Isabella descended from the carriage, instantly aware of the many eyes tracking her movement—some curious, others contemptuous, and several burning with undisguised hostility.
"Isn't that Princess Isabella? What's she doing at the entrance exam?"
"The 'useless princess' thinks she can enter the Royal Academy? With her pathetic magic?"
"I heard she caused a stir at yesterday's ball, but that was just dumb luck."
Isabella ignored the whispers, straightening her spine and gliding toward the examination hall with the grace of a swan crossing still waters.
The examination hall opened into a vast circular plaza dominated by the Magic Sensing Stone—a three-meter-tall black crystal that could precisely measure magical attributes and talent levels.
The ranking system ascended from F through E, D, C, B, A, and finally to the legendary S, SS, and SSS tiers.
Commoners typically registered below D-rank, while noble children generally achieved C or B rankings. A-rank marked true prodigies. S-rank and above? Those were the stuff of legends.
The examiner, an elderly man with a flowing white beard, was none other than the academy's vice principal, Master Alfred—also Mage Evan's uncle.
"Next, Lady Beatrice von Klaus."
A tall young woman in fire-red fitted attire stepped forward. Her short golden hair framed sharp, calculating eyes. As daughter of the empire's most powerful Duke Klaus and loyal follower of Princess Avril, she carried herself with practiced arrogance.
Beatrice placed her hand on the crystal, which immediately erupted with dazzling crimson light.
"Fire system, A-rank talent!" Master Alfred announced, admiration evident in his voice.
Gasps of amazement rippled through the hall. A-rank talent guaranteed her status as one of the academy's priority students. Beatrice lifted her chin proudly, shooting Isabella a smug, challenging glare.
The next several candidates registered mostly B or C-level talents.
"Next, Her Highness Princess Isabella von Rosenblad."
When Isabella's name echoed through the hall, a hush fell over the crowd. All eyes locked onto her, hungry for the anticipated humiliation.
"Watch this—she won't even register at F-level."
"The empire's embarrassment. Let's get this over with so she can crawl back to her tower."
Isabella ignored the jeers, approaching the crystal with measured steps. She extended her right hand with deliberate grace.
As her fingertips met the cold surface, she closed her eyes, recalling the moment Lucas had shattered her magical restraints.
"Reveal yourself, my true power!"
Initially, the crystal emitted only a faint white glow, dimmer even than F-level.
"Ha! See? Utterly worthless!" Beatrice crowed mercilessly.
Then, in the blink of an eye, everything changed.
BOOM!
A blinding silver pillar of light erupted skyward, bathing the examination hall in radiance bright as midday! Seconds later, a golden beam joined it, the two powers spiraling together in a breathtaking helix of gold and silver!
Cracks spiderwebbed across the black crystal's surface, the ancient artifact struggling to contain such overwhelming power.
"What in the—" Master Alfred leapt to his feet, his record book clattering to the floor.
"Dual magic talent?!" he stammered in disbelief. "The silver aura is… the legendary Moon God Prophecy system, S-rank! And the golden one—Light system, A-rank!"
S-rank Prophecy system! A-rank Light system!
The hall fell into stunned silence.
Jaws dropped as minds struggled to process the impossible. The "useless princess" they'd mocked for years possessed talent that could reshape the empire's entire power structure!
Beatrice's smug smile froze, her complexion cycling from flushed to pale to sickly blue before settling on ashen gray. Her once-impressive A-rank talent now seemed laughably insignificant.
At the crowd's edge, two notable observers watched with equal astonishment.
"S-rank prophecy talent…" Prince Adrian murmured, suddenly aware that his sister had become an enigma he could no longer read.
Beside him, Wizard Evan stared with undisguised fascination. "She's nothing less than… a goddess incarnate."
In another corner, a young man named Leo paused his sword maintenance, his hawk-like eyes locked on Isabella. Though he'd come for the knight division trials, the spectacle before him commanded his full attention.
"Quickly! Summon the Dean!" Master Alfred shouted to his assistant, barely containing his excitement.
Moments later, the air shimmered as an elderly man in a simple gray robe materialized in the plaza's center. Despite his modest appearance, his aura radiated unfathomable power. This was Grand Mage Grinton, the "Imperial Sage" and Dean of the Royal Magic Academy.
Grinton's penetrating gaze settled on Isabella, his all-seeing eyes alight with excitement and satisfaction.
"Child," he said warmly, "welcome to the Royal Magic Academy. From this day forward, you shall be my personal disciple—and the Empire's greatest pride."
The Dean's personal disciple! An honor beyond imagination!
Throughout the academy's centuries-long history, fewer than five individuals had received such distinction—each eventually becoming a legendary figure across the continent.
Isabella executed a graceful bow. "I'm honored by your faith in me, Dean Grinton."
After the examination, Isabella was escorted to the academy's most prestigious residence—the "Star Tower," reserved exclusively for the dean's personal disciples.
That evening, Adrian arrived for a personal visit.
"Isabella, today you… astounded me beyond words." Studying his transformed sister, Adrian's emotions were a complex tangle of shock, admiration, and a barely perceptible thread of regret.
"Brother, I promised I would prove myself," Isabella replied with a serene smile.
"Father has already heard of your talent. He's immensely pleased and plans to bestow the title of 'Imperial Rose' upon you, along with independent territory," Adrian said. "No one will dare disrespect you again."
"This is merely the beginning." Isabella's gaze drifted toward the window. "My ambitions reach much further."
Adrian studied her confident profile, something unfamiliar stirring in his chest. He found himself increasingly drawn to understand this enigmatic sister—to uncover the secrets she kept so carefully hidden.
After Adrian's departure, Isabella climbed to the tower's observation deck, gazing out over the academy's nighttime panorama.
"Impressive, but insufficient."
The familiar voice emerged from the shadows as Lucas materialized silently behind her.
"You again." Isabella didn't bother turning around, already accustomed to his phantom-like appearances.
"Your performance exceeded my expectations," Lucas said, moving beside her. "But tread carefully. Revealing your full power so early paints a target on your back. Your sisters are likely already plotting your downfall."
"Let them try."
"Bold words," Lucas chuckled softly. "What about this, then?"
He handed her a folded note.
Isabella unfolded it to find text written in the same silver ink as the previous night's letter:
"Dear Isabella,*
Congratulations on entering the Magic Academy.*
Your talent is truly surprising.*
However, have you ever wondered why you possess such powerful abilities after crossing over, while I… do not?*
—Your true 'friend'"*
Isabella's pupils contracted sharply. "Is this… from another person who crossed over?"
"No," Lucas shook his head, a dangerous gleam flashing in his amethyst eyes. "This was addressed to me. The writer apparently believes I'm also a traveler from another world—like you."
"What?!" Isabella gasped.
"Fascinating, isn't it?" Lucas mused. "This 'friend' lurking in the shadows seems to know us intimately. Be vigilant, my princess. On this grand chessboard, you and I might be mere pawns in someone else's game."
With that, Lucas melted back into the darkness, leaving Isabella alone atop the tower, her mind a tempest of questions.
Another traveler from her world—who could it be? And what were they after?
And Lucas… he clearly knew more about interdimensional travel than he revealed.
The path ahead bristled with unknowns and dangers. But Isabella knew one thing with certainty—there was no going back.
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