She stuttered as she introduced her preliminary research on the “Purification and Enhancement of Holy Light Factors in Light-based Healing Magic,” demonstrating how to use less mana to trigger a purer, more soothing healing halo.
Her demonstration was not particularly brilliant, but her “effort to overcome her nervousness” and her “display of talent” won her plenty of applause and kind smiles. This was especially true when she “accidentally” spilled some mana powder and apologized in a frantic, blushing mess, which made her seem “genuine and adorable.”
Freya watched coldly.
There was nothing special about Irina’s demonstration itself, but that crystal ball in her hand… it seemed somewhat similar to a type of sensing crystal commonly used by the Holy Temple.
Moreover, during the demonstration, Freya felt the Mana Heart Crystal in her chest throb very slightly, as if it were being vaguely pulled by some kind of related or repelling force.
‘This is definitely not a coincidence!’
As the presentation session neared its end, Ross walked to the center of the hall once more.
He wore a smile as his gaze swept across the room, lingering for a brief moment on Freya.
“I thank all of you young talents for your wonderful shares.”
His voice was gentle yet possessed a rich, penetrating quality.
“The exploration of academia is endless, and the essence of power requires us to pursue and align with it with a heart of reverence.”
His tone shifted.
“Taking this opportunity today, the Holy Temple has also prepared a small interactive session. Perhaps it will bring some inspiration to everyone.”
He gave a signal, and two Theocrats came forward carrying a small platform covered in white silk. The silk was pulled away, revealing a primitive-looking stone disc carved with silver runes. In the center of the disc, a small fragment of a crystal, about the size of a fingernail and emitting a soft, pure golden light, floated quietly.
“This is a ‘Holy Light Shard’ from the resonance core of a Holy Sword replica,” Ross introduced, his voice carrying a hint of solemnity.
“It contains extremely pure, divine light power. Scholars of the Holy Temple believe that true power lies not only in mastery, but in ‘resonance’ and ‘alignment.'”
His gaze swept over Freya, whether intentionally or not.
“Therefore, we invite all young friends present who are interested in light magic and holy power to voluntarily step forward and try to touch this shard with your hand to feel its power. This is not a test, but a rare experience that might help you perceive the characteristics and… potential direction of your own mana more clearly.”
A low murmur of discussion broke out in the hall.
Touching a Holy Sword shard?
This was no ordinary experience!
Immediately, several light magic students from the Royal Academy and the Holy Temple’s affiliated academies stepped forward excitedly to try.
They carefully placed their hands above the shard. The shard emitted light that waxed and waned, reflecting their faces filled with either surprise or disappointment.
The strength and stability of the light seemed to indeed reflect their affinity with the power of the Holy Light.
Under Ross’s encouragement, Irina also stepped forward “timidly.”
When her slender fingers lightly touched the edge of the shard —
*Hum!*
The Holy Light Shard suddenly erupted with an unprecedented, stable, and bright golden glow, almost enveloping Irina entirely!
The light lasted for several seconds before slowly receding, and the shard itself seemed to have brightened slightly.
Irina withdrew her hand, her face filled with “unbelievable” joy and a hint of “apprehension.” Her pink eyes looked toward Ross, as if seeking confirmation.
The entire audience was in an uproar!
Such a strong resonance reaction!
A gratified and admiring smile appeared on Ross’s face as he took the lead in applauding.
“Student Irina, you truly possess a unique talent and have an extraordinary affinity with the power of the Holy Light.”
Amidst the praise, Irina lowered her head shyly, her face flushing. However, her slightly trembling shoulders and tightly clenched hands seemed to leak her inner excitement.
Freya’s heart, however, sank to the bottom.
Irina’s “performance” was flawless, and that strong resonance… was likely not as simple as “talent”!
That shard, and this so-called “experience session,” were simply a stage custom-made for Irina! It was meant to prove Irina’s “value” and “uniqueness” to everyone!
Next, Ross’s gaze finally turned toward Freya without any attempt to hide it.
“Freya — “
His voice was still gentle, but it carried an expectation that brooked no refusal.
“As one of the most outstanding mages of the Central Academy, you have a unique understanding of the essence of energy. I wonder if you would be willing to also try and feel the power of this Holy Light Shard? Perhaps it will bring you some… different inspiration.”
Ross’s words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring cold ripples in Freya’s heart.
The eyes of the entire room focused on her in an instant. Those scrutinizing, curious, expectant, and even schadenfreude-filled gazes were like countless invisible needles pricking her position.
Holy Light Shard… resonance test…
‘This is definitely not some “friendly experience” or “academic inspiration.”‘
‘This is clearly a blatant probe directed at me!’ It was a stage meticulously arranged by Ross and the Holy Temple. They wanted to expose the characteristics of her special Mana Heart Crystal, which might be related to the secrets of the Holy Sword, right in front of everyone’s eyes!
If she refused, it would be a sign of weakness, of fear, or of having a guilty conscience. It would play right into their hands and bring pressure upon her father and her family.
If she stepped forward, her reaction would be subjected to even harsher scrutiny after the “astonishing” resonance Irina had just produced.
No matter how her Mana Heart Crystal reacted to that shard —
If the resonance was too strong, it would invite greed; if there was no reaction or an abnormal reaction, it would confirm she was an “anomaly” or “flawed.”
There was even the risk of triggering an uncontrollable incident…
She was caught between a rock and a hard place.
Lyra’s body tensed instantly. Her red eyes stared dead at the shard emitting that tempting yet dangerous light before looking back at Ross’s face, which seemed gentle but was actually indisputable. Her hand had already quietly gripped the hilt of the sword at her waist, her knuckles turning white.
Freya’s heart beat steadily in her chest. The Mana Heart Crystal sent out a regular and powerful pulse, as if echoing the shard’s call, yet also as if issuing a warning.
She lowered her gaze, her long eyelashes concealing the cold thoughts churning in the depths of her eyes.
‘I cannot back down.’
‘To take one step back is to face a bottomless abyss.’
She slowly raised her eyes. Her light purple gaze was as calm as still water, and a faint, perfectly measured hint of polite curiosity — the kind a noble girl should have when facing something novel — even appeared on her face.
“His Highness’s proposal is indeed tempting,” Freya’s voice was clear and cold, reaching everyone’s ears distinctly. “To be able to personally feel the power of the Holy Sword is a rare opportunity.”
She paused slightly, turning her gaze toward the shard with a perfectly measured hint of a researcher’s caution.
“However, my perception and method of controlling energy might be slightly different from those of a pure Light-aligned mage. To ensure safety and to avoid interfering with the state of the shard itself, would I be permitted to… use a different method to make ‘contact’?”
Her words were reasonable and fair. She both accepted the invitation and proposed a cautious additional condition, making it appear as though she respected the Holy Temple and had a clear understanding of her own abilities. At the same time, she skillfully shared the potential risks and responsibilities.
A nearly imperceptible flicker of surprise flashed in Ross’s eyes. He had seemingly not expected Freya to respond this way.
However, he quickly regained his gentle smile.
“Of course you may. Freya’s control over mana has always been exquisite, and we look forward to seeing a different method of ‘contact.'” He made a gesture of invitation.
Irina stood by Ross’s side, biting her lower lip slightly. Her pink eyes were fixed on Freya, filled with tension, expectation, and a hint of indiscernible… jealousy?
She seemed to very much want Freya to step forward and touch it directly, so that she could witness any “accident” or “comparison” that might occur.
Freya did not look at her again. She moved with light steps, walking toward the stone disc in the center with an elegant and composed posture.
Lyra followed half a step behind her, like a silent and vigilant shadow.
Everyone’s gaze followed her.
Count Hezdi stood at the edge of the crowd, his face tense and his gaze complex and difficult to read.
Several Holy Temple Theocrats, including Scholar Harold from earlier, all leaned forward slightly with gazes as sharp as hawks.
Freya stopped about three steps away from the disc. She did not reach out her hand, nor did she get too close to the floating Holy Light Shard.
She merely closed her eyes slightly and cupped her hands loosely in front of her, as if sensing the invisible flow of energy in the air.
Then, she began to chant in a low voice.
The incantation was not as intense as an attack spell, nor was it as gentle as a healing spell. Instead, it was a strange set of syllables that carried a certain rhythm and sense of resonance.
As she chanted, a small ball of pure, colorless, and transparent energy gradually condensed between her hands.
The energy ball was not dazzling; it was even somewhat restrained. However, the stable and exquisite mana fluctuations contained within it caused the pupils of many highly skilled mages present to contract slightly.
This was an extremely restrained manifestation of her Mana Heart Crystal’s power — highly purified and compressed. She had stripped away all elemental attributes, leaving only the most fundamental and stable mana.
“This is…”
The young recorder standing beside Scholar Harold could not help but let out a low cry, only to be silenced by a look from Harold.
Freya controlled that colorless energy ball, letting it float toward the Holy Light Shard slowly and steadily.
Her movements were extremely careful, as if she were approaching a fragile treasure or conducting a precise magical experiment.
The distance between the energy ball and the Holy Light Shard gradually closed.
Five inches… three inches… one inch…
At the very moment the two were about to make contact —
*Hum!*
The Holy Light Shard jolted violently. The golden light it emitted suddenly became unstable, flickering as if a stone had been thrown into a calm surface of water.
The shard itself even trembled slightly, letting out a low, humming vibration.
That light was no longer pure. It seemed to be faintly mixed with a trace of a pale, indescribable color.
At the same time, the colorless energy ball Freya had condensed also fluctuated slightly, with ripples appearing on its surface, yet it still maintained its overall stability and purity.
Her brow furrowed slightly, appearing as though she were working hard to control the output and stability of the energy.
Between the two, there was no intense, fusion-like explosion of resonance like there had been when Irina touched it.
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