A concerned voice came from overhead, accompanied by the system that had scanned Ressa's physical condition more times than she could count.
"System, I'm fine. You're going to scan yourself into a malfunction if you keep this up," she muttered.
"Thank you, Duke. I'm fine."
Thinking she was still in the Duke's arms, Ressa rushed to her feet. The warmth that had filled her embrace vanished.
Augustus was left with a surprising urge—to hold her again.
"Ressa!!!" Evelina and Theodore yelled out in unison, their hearts finally settling after confirming she was safe. Especially Theodore and Gabriel—seeing that scene just now filled them with frustration and guilt. They hated their own weakness, hated that they couldn't protect the one they wanted to keep safe. If the Duke hadn't saved Ressa, they would have lost her again.
"I'm fine, don't worry, everyone. Evelina, you're not hurt, are you?" Ressa asked, recalling how someone had accidentally bumped into Evelina while fleeing. Fortunately, the guards had been right beside her—otherwise, being trampled could've ended badly.
"Don't worry," Evelina replied with a reassuring smile. "I know basic magic. When I fell, I cast a shielding spell. It's nothing serious."
The city center, once bustling with activity, had mostly quieted down after the incident. The Duke had to report the matter to the Emperor, forcing the hero's welcome celebration to end prematurely. After bidding farewell to Evelina, Ressa returned home with Theodore and the others.
On the road, silence hung between them—what had just happened weighed heavily on everyone.
Before boarding the carriage, the head guard stepped forward, then dropped to one knee along with the others.
"Young Master Theodore," he said solemnly, "we failed to protect Lady Ressa in her moment of danger. We are willing to accept whatever punishment you deem fit."
Seeing this, Ressa quickly stepped forward and said, "It's alright. You all did your best in that situation, and I'm fine. If you truly feel the need to make up for it, then train harder. The more prepared you are, the less danger there'll be next time."
"Yes, thank you, Lady Ressa," the guards replied in unison, their voices filled with renewed determination.
Noticing the gloomy expressions on Theodore and Gabriel's faces, Ressa gently tugged at their sleeves and said with a soft smile, "Aren't I fine now? Don't worry~"
"I just hate that I'm still not strong enough," Theodore muttered, clenching his fists. "If I were, I could've rushed in, protected you myself, and fought off those black magicians."
"Me too! I'll go back and practice harder. Ressa, I'll become a powerful wizard!" Gabriel exclaimed, determination burning in her eyes.
Thinking about how powerless she felt in that moment, she couldn't wait to get home and start training. She was determined to become the strongest wizard, so she wouldn't have to rely on her brother to protect her—and she could protect Ressa herself.
Hearing Gabriel's determination, Ressa smiled warmly and said, "Sure, I'll be waiting for the day you become the strongest wizard!"
What Ressa didn't know was that, in the future, Gabriel would indeed become the strongest wizard. But if that was the price to pay, he would have preferred that her younger brother didn't have to suffer for it.
The scene just now had deeply shaken Ressa. If only she could find a way to protect herself, she thought. That way, she wouldn't be such a burden to everyone, and they wouldn't have to worry about her so much.
"Ressa, I just read that the system has been upgraded with an additional safety mechanism to protect the host. So, when you're in danger, the safety defenses will automatically activate, and no matter how much damage is done, it won't hurt you!"
"I also checked the system and found another 125 points, so we have a total of 160 now. I saw a low-level healing potion in the shop that heals 35% of damage. Would you like to redeem it?"
"Redeem!" Ressa quickly decided. Having a potion in her possession would be a safeguard, even though the healer's potion could also heal, it wasn't as reliable as the system's. Having one on hand would offer extra protection if something happened.
"Ressa, once you redeem it, you only need to recite it in your mind when you want to take it out. If you don't need to use it, you can put it back just as easily."
The atmosphere finally settled as the system activated the protection mechanism, ensuring that no harm could reach Ressa. At least now, everyone could stop worrying about her safety.
After arriving home, Ressa retreated to her room and pondered, "System, my family members have magic. Does that mean I do too?"
"Of course," the system responded confidently.
"System, I want to learn magic! I'm going to destroy that group of black magicians!" Ressa's voice was filled with determination. Thinking about what had happened earlier, even though the system assured her there was a protection mechanism in place to keep her safe, she wanted to learn magic and fight back against the enemy herself.
"Alright, Ressa. Healer Paul has a crystal ball for testing magic. You can go to him to see if you have the ability," the system responded, understanding Ressa's resolve. It knew her character well—she wasn't the type to be just a passive recipient of protection. After all, this was the same person who had become the president of a public company through her own abilities in her previous world.
When she arrived at the door of the healer's tower, Ressa ran into Healer Paul's assistant on the way out.
"Elias, is Healer Paul in?" she asked.
"Good afternoon, Lady Ressa," Elias replied politely. "The healer is upstairs reviewing medical reports. You can go right up."
"Okay, thanks."
Ressa knocked gently on the door, and a voice called from inside, "Come in."
Seeing that it was Ressa, Dr. Paul looked a little surprised. But after hearing her request, he set the report in his hands aside.
"Miss Ressa, please wait a moment. I put that crystal ball away—I'll need to look for it. Feel free to take a seat."
"Okay," she replied. Glancing around at the shelves crowded with books and scrolls, she found an empty chair and sat down.
"Let's see... the crystal... ah, here it is. Cough, cough!"
Healer Paul pulled out a dust-covered crystal ball that clearly hadn't been used in years. A cloud of dust billowed into the air as he gave it a quick blow, scattering it even more.
"Here," he said, holding it out to her. "Please place your hand on top of the crystal ball and focus your mind."
Just as Ressa was about to place her hand on it, a familiar voice called from outside the door.
"Ressa, is everything alright? I heard Theo and the others talking about what happened this morning. Did you come here because you were hurt?"
It was the Countess. When Ressa looked up and met her mother's worried gaze, a wave of warmth spread through her chest. In both her past and present lives, this was the one person who had always cared deeply for her.
"I'm fine, Mother," Ressa said gently. "I came here because I want to test my magic. I want to learn... Is that ok, Mother?"
"Of course you can," the Countess said gently. "I was going to ask if you wanted to learn once you'd recovered. But now that you're ready and interested, let's test your affinity first—then we'll see where you're best suited."
Encouraged, Ressa turned back to the crystal. She placed her hand on its cool, smooth surface and closed her eyes, focusing inward.
At first, there was only stillness. Then—suddenly—an image bloomed in her mind: a grand, flourishing tree. Its branches stretched wide, covered in vibrant blossoms of every color. The sight was breathtaking, like a memory from a dream.
But what Ressa didn't know was that the moment she placed her hand on the crystal, a brilliant white light erupted from its core. A sudden, deafening sound followed 'Boom' as if the very air had split apart.
Startled, Ressa quickly opened her eyes. She was greeted by the sight of the crystal shattered on the floor, pieces scattered everywhere. Her mother and Dr. Paul were staring in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Meanwhile, Gabriel, who had been nearby, noticed the strange glow emanating from the healer's tower and the loud noise that followed. Without hesitation, he teleported downstairs and rushed up to the room.
"What happened?" he asked, his voice filled with concern as he looked around at the broken crystal and the stunned expressions.
"Lady Ressa, you...?" Healer Paul stammered, his voice filled with astonishment. Magical crystal balls were not supposed to break under normal circumstances. The only time a crystal like this exploded was when the tester's magical power was too overwhelming for it to contain. The last time this had happened, it was with the Archmage of the Crown. And now, in front of him, Ressa had just become the second person in this world to shatter a crystal in such a manner.
Ressa stood frozen for a moment, stunned by the spectacle.
The Countess, on the other hand, couldn't hide her joy. Her eyes gleamed with excitement. "Ressa, I'll contact the headmaster of Sanctum Arcanum later. We'll go there tomorrow," she said, her voice brimming with pride. The sight in front of her told her everything—an extraordinary magician had appeared in their house, someone whose name could very well be etched in history.
"I'll write a letter to the Rector of Sanctum Arcanum later and tell him about this!" Healer Paul immediately went to prepare it.
Gabriel also reacted, "Oh my god, Ressa, did you burst the crystal ball? I thought it was just a legend, it really burst?"