The sun was already hiding behind the distant mountains, tinting the sky orange and red, but the training yard of Casa Valemortis remained illuminated by the soft light of the magical candles that lit outside the mansion. Elyandra, with her impeccable posture, was standing in the center, surrounded by symbols of energy that glowed in shades of blue and silver. Her hands raised, her fingers almost touching the air, she tried to concentrate on the essence of mana inside her body. Each movement was carefully calculated, as if he were trying to touch something he could not see.
Beside him, Dalia Vernhardt watched with an attentive and impassive gaze. She knew how difficult it was for Elyandra to comprehend the mysteries of mana, and more specifically, the secrets of divine magic that she was beginning to understand. The tutor knew that the young woman had an exceptional talent, but the biggest challenge was to get her to connect with the magical energy that flowed almost imperceptibly.
"Concentrate more, Elyandra. Feel the energy around you. Don't force it, just... Allow it to come into you.
Elyandra closed her eyes, breathing slowly, feeling the flow of energy in her veins. "That doesn't make sense... How am I going to understand this? Everything I know about magic is what I've learned in games... In that world, mana was just a number, a statistic... Here, it is real." The thought cut through her mind for a moment, but she didn't allow it to distract her. "Focus... Focus like in the old days, when I had to calculate everything in the millisecond."
She knew her mentor was watching, so she forced herself to stand her ground, trying to understand what was going on. "Divine... I'm the Saint, that's what they told me... I have to be able to control that... To dominate." She concentrated more, but her thoughts continued to wander.
Dalia, with her posture always rigid, noticed the slight hesitation in Elyandra's movement. She knew her student was trying to follow the instructions, but her mind was split.
"Don't get lost in your thoughts." Divine magic requires purity of intention, and you know what that means. Remember who you are, Elyandra.
She hesitated for a moment, but then continued:
"Your mother... She was a priestess. Although she was a very capable priestess, she does not have an affinity for divine magic.
Elyandra stopped moving her hands for a brief moment, but went back to the motion, trying to hide her curiosity. She knew that her mother, Altheria, had always been a reserved woman, and despite her title as a former priestess, there was never much talk about her past.
"But... why is she not a Saint? Elyandra asked, her voice softer than usual, but still imbued with a sharp curiosity. "Everyone says that the chosen ones of blood are predestined. So how could the mother have been a priestess and not a saint? She has the same blood as me, right? It has the Ancient Blood.
Dalia remained silent for a moment, her eyes watching the young woman with a mixture of patience and caution. Elyandra could see that she was struggling with her own words, but as always, the owner kept her composure.
"She's not going to tell me, is she? Something about my mother is more complicated than she lets on." Elyandra thought, but her curiosity was now sharper than ever.
"Your mother..." Dalia began, reluctantly, her voice calm as always. "She no longer has an affinity for any magic. His mother was a priestess by her own willpower, not by natural gifts. She... she did what she could to follow the path of the Church, but the magical bloodlines were not generous to her.
Silence filled the courtyard for a moment, while Elyandra processed the revelation. This was something she didn't imagine she would hear. She knew that her mother was somewhat strict and even secretive about certain aspects of her life, but this was information that seemed to take the floor off her certainty about what she knew. She looked at her owner, trying to understand the depth of this statement.
"And... Isn't that a problem? If my mother no longer has a magical affinity, why is she still connected to the Church and my blood? Elyandra asked, a twinge of doubt seeping into her voice, but her tone was like that of any nobleman who was looking for information that would benefit him.
Dalia took a deep breath before answering.
"The Church, and especially the High Church of Divine Light, uses your blood as a tool of power. They saw their mother as a valuable piece, but without true divine magic to guide her. His mother, in a way, was a leading figure who... she was more of a symbol than a true spellcaster.
Elyandra couldn't hide her surprise, but, like a good noblewoman, she quickly masked her expression.
"I see... So, my mother was a... a figure of power, but not a Saint. Elyandra's voice sounded almost indifferent, but inside her, a fire lit. "This story is making me even more curious. What else does my mother hide from me?"
The gentle wind blew through the practice yard, causing the magic sails to sway slightly. Elyandra, with her hands outstretched to the sky, tried to capture the essence of the mana that pulsated in her body, but something in her mind continued to unsettle her. The revelation about her mother kept in her head, and the thought of her true nature, of who she really was, only expanded.
She looked at Dalia, who was watching her with unwavering calm, and a new doubt arose in her mind.
"Dalia..." Elyandra began, her voice more serious than ever. "What, in fact, does it mean to be a Saint?" Why am I seen as one?
The owner did not respond immediately. She looked at Elyandra with a look that mixed concern and a certain caution. He knew that the young woman was beginning to question not only her training, but also the very meaning of her role in this world.
Dalia then took a step towards Elyandra, her words calm but firm.
"To be a Saint, Elyandra, means to be chosen by the Goddess of Divine Light. It is a direct link to divine power, a rare and unusual affinity with divine magic. It's not something that can be forced, which is why many people, including your mother, never achieve that degree of connection.
Elyandra concentrated, listening intently, but her mind was ablaze with so many questions.
"And how does this manifest itself?" How can I control this? Why am I seen as one? I don't understand the relationship between being chosen and having... magic.
Dalia watched Elyandra's questioning with a thoughtful look and then spoke in a soft but authoritative voice.
"Saints, unlike priestesses, are born with an unusual ability to channel divine magic. Their power is not simply a skill they develop. They are born with it, as a gift from the Goddess herself. They possess something called "pure divine affinity," which is beyond any learned or developed power. Priestesses, on the other hand, are dedicated to the word of the Goddess and have an affinity for divine magic, but to a more limited degree. They use this power to guide people, to heal and to spread divine light. As for the saints... they not only spread the word of the Goddess, but act as their own instruments, channeling divine magic in its purest form.
Elyandra frowned, processing Dalia's words. Then, a thought hit her like an arrow.
"So, my mother... she was a priestess, but not a Saint... Isn't that it?
Dalia nodded slightly, with a nostalgic look.
"Exactly. Her mother always had an affinity for divine magic, but she was never born with the purity necessary to be a Saint. She was, yes, a great priestess, but her path was different. She used her skill to teach and help others, not to act as a channel for the Goddess.
Elyandra, as always, couldn't contain herself. There was something else she wanted to know.
"And how does the divine affinity manifest itself?" What does it mean to be born with "pure affinity"?
Dalia watched her with disconcerting calm, before answering accurately.
"The Saints are born with the golden eyes of the Goddess, Elyandra. His eyes are the mark of his direct connection with divinity. There have only been three Saints in the history of the Empire of the Divine Light. They were all children, all born with an unusual affinity for divine magic, and all possessed golden eyes. Just like you.
Dalia's last sentence made Elyandra stop for a moment. Her fingers stopped moving the mana chains in the air, and she looked at her owner with momentary surprise.
"Golden eyes...?" Elyandra murmured, as if testing the idea. "What happened to these Saints?" They... Disappeared?
The tension in the conversation increased, the air seemed to cool, and Elyandra felt a growing unease. She wanted more answers. She needed more. But before Dalia could answer, a sound of firm footsteps approached, interrupting the moment.
"What are you discussing, my daughter?" A strong, authoritative voice burst into the air, making Elyandra turn around quickly.
It was his father, Lord Valemortis, with his imposing bearing and stern gaze. He entered the courtyard with his dark velvet cloak fluttering behind him, his eyes watching the two with a mixture of curiosity and control. Dalia immediately straightened up, bowing a little.
"Mister Valemortis," she said, greeting him with her usual seriousness. "Everything is in order, as always.
Elyandra, for her part, did not hide her slight frustration at the interruption, but, like a well-trained noblewoman, her face softened, and she bowed slightly.
"Father. Elyandra's voice was serene, but full of curiosity. "Why did you interrupt?" She didn't say it in words, but her eyes conveyed it clearly.
Lord Valemortis fixed a piercing gaze at his daughter for a moment, before replying:
"That's something for later, Elyandra." There are other issues that need to be discussed.
Elyandra felt the taste of frustration on her lips. She wanted more answers, more information about her true nature, but she knew that her father would not allow the conversation to go down that path. With a controlled smile, she simply nodded.
"Of course, Dad. As you wish.
Dalia, always attentive, noticed the tension and quickly changed the subject, taking advantage of her father's presence to redirect the focus.
"Elyandra, let's continue with your training. Divine magic, like any power, requires precise control. Let's focus on channeling your mana.
Elyandra, still restless, took a deep breath and prepared to resume training, but her mind continued to work. "I'm going to find out more. Everything they told me... It is not the end. I know there's more behind it." She looked at her father, who was watching her with an impassive expression, and his golden eyes shone softly. Something inside her was awakening.
The practice yard was lit by the soft light of the magic candles, their flames dancing in the cool evening wind. The starry sky was clear, but the night, as always, seemed filled with a deep, expectant silence. Dalia sat in front of Elyandra, her feet firmly planted on the ground. His eyes were attentive, but the calmness of his posture indicated an absolute focus on training. Elyandra, meanwhile, was just a few steps away, her fingers delicately touching the air, feeling the mana streams flow around her.
"Elyandra," Dalia said, her voice soft but decisive. "Just focus on my words now." All you have to do is relax and connect to the mana. Don't think about anything else. Focus on it as if it were part of you.
Elyandra closed her eyes softly, taking a deep breath. The weight of the world, for a moment, seemed to disappear as she began to concentrate. She felt something strange, as if her mind was expanding beyond her body, as if the air around her was charged with pulsating energy, waiting to be touched.
"Focus... Just in the sis..."
Elyandra's mind floated at Dalia's suggestion. Suddenly, she felt a presence, a subtle current, almost like a mist, enveloping her body. She held out her hands, her fingers moving slightly, as if she were touching something ethereal, something she couldn't see, but which she knew was there.
The sensation was like an invisible thread pulling at his senses. She couldn't touch him, but she could feel him. As if it were a hot current flowing from its interior to the space around it. She imagined the sister as a malleable substance, something she could control, shape, like modeling clay.
"It's like a substance... something dense and flexible..." Elyandra thought, concentrated. She closed her hands, feeling the stream of mana react to her touch, softly, without resistance.
"That's right," Dahlia said, her voice soft but with a firm military tone. "Now, imagine mana as an extension of your body. As if it were his own flesh. Don't try to force anything. Just let it flow.
Elyandra was focused. She could feel the mana molding under her fingers, as if it was forming an invisible sphere in the air. It was not a sphere of pure raw energy, but something softer, more controlled. His aura began to expand slightly, a faint, golden light beginning to trace its shape as a subtle outline around his body. It was as if the mana was adjusting to her, responding to her touch with an almost godlike softness.
Lord Valemortis, who had stopped a few paces away, watched what was happening. He didn't seem surprised. The expression on his face was impassive, but his eyes were attentive.
Dalia, on the other hand, maintained his firm stance, but could not help but make an optimistic comment, albeit in his characteristic style of military discipline:
"Well, we're starting to see some progress. Remember, Elyandra, control is the key. Just don't rush. That's the basics, but it's a good start.
Elyandra, still with her eyes closed, felt a smile appear on her lips. She had done that. The magic was beginning to behave as she had imagined. It wasn't much, but it was enough to feel the power flowing through his veins. She felt she was on the right track, albeit to such a beginner degree. What once seemed like an enigma was now beginning to make sense.
With a faint sigh of satisfaction, Elyandra opened her eyes, feeling overwhelmed by a sense of accomplishment. One more step on the path she had decided to take.
The tutor watched her, as always, with a serious expression, but her eyes conveyed a glint of approval.
"That was good," she said, with a faint smile. "Keep going at this pace. Discipline is what will bring mastery.
Lord Valemortis, who was watching the scene from afar, seemed ready to leave. He stepped forward, ready to leave the courtyard, his countenance unperturbed.
"Elyandra, there's still a lot to do. The training never stops." He paused, looking at his daughter with a slight expression that could be interpreted as approval, but nothing more. "Study well.
Elyandra, still with a controlled smile, watched her father begin to turn around to leave. She called out to him in a low voice, but not enough to break his noble stance.
"Dad...
He didn't answer, he didn't look back. But she, with her eyes fixed on him, felt something different. A little joy inside, although his expression remained calm and controlled. When he was about to leave the scene, Elyandra then turned her attention to Dalia, with a slightly wider smile and a gleam of satisfaction in her eyes.
"What kind of father doesn't notice when his daughter is evolving, huh? His ego is so big that he doesn't even notice simple progress. He must be thinking he is the emperor himself." Elyandra laughed mentally, acidly but amusedly, in a mental sigh, already pushing the idea of her father out of her mind.