The traditional concept of “ye” (礼) originates from the distinction between different positions.
It is the act of sitting in different places, wearing different clothes, and using different words to distinguish between those who are higher and those who are lower.
This became solidified and turned into norms.
As society grew larger, there emerged multiple layers of distinction between the high and the low, and with each new level, the rituals (ye) became more refined.
The ritual of greeting the emperor involves placing one’s hands on the floor and bowing one’s head.
However, when the palms are facing up, it is the proper greeting for the emperor, while if the palms are touching the ground, it is a greeting for the king or crown prince.
This, too, is a form of ritual that arose from distinction.
Originally, the highest form of greeting was placing one’s hands on the floor and bowing one’s head.
This was when the king was still the highest person.
But with the emergence of the emperor, who was higher than the king and made the king his vassal, a new form of ritual arose.
To show greater respect, the fragile palm was entrusted to the ruler’s treatment.
And now, the greeting involves bowing one’s head with the palm facing up.
In the presence of the current emperor, even though she is a child abandoned as an orphan, the girl who carries his blood asks:
“Why are you doing that, Melrit?”
The girl smiles.
“If you do that, it’s like I’m the emperor, isn’t it? I’m just a normal girl with not even a trace of that color.”
“Uh, yes, uh…?”
Melrit is taken aback.
The hair and eye color of Eli, whom she looked up at, had returned to a completely ordinary black.
“Okay, get up.”
“Uh…?”
For a moment, Melrit wondered if she had been dreaming.
Eli extended her hand.
Melrit took it and stood up.
From the small hand, she could still feel the lingering trace of tremendous mana.
‘This isn’t a dream.’
She was truly of royal blood.
But having been in an orphanage…
‘Was she abandoned? If so, on purpose? Or by mistake?’
Even if it was the latter, the situation would already be complicated.
The emperor already had a legitimate heir, and not only that, but she had been designated as the crown princess.
Moreover, if Melrit’s memory was correct, the crown princess was currently 13 years old, two years younger than Eli.
The Empire’s laws recognize the right of succession for the firstborn, regardless of gender, and make no distinctions based on the type or presence of marriage.
In other words, even if Eli were an illegitimate child, all succession rights would still belong to her.
Even if she were the child lost by mistake, she would be a person who could shake the Empire to its core, possibly even plunging it into civil war.
But…
‘What if it wasn’t a mistake?’
‘What if she was abandoned on purpose?’
‘Wizards are forced to reveal their lineage due to their hair and eye color.’
‘So, abandoning a child intentionally would be practically impossible.’
There is only one possible way.
To seal the mana sensitivity and the original color before the child is born.
It is something most wizards wouldn’t even attempt.
After all, a wizard’s talents can break through most seals and blossom.
‘But if the one who gave birth to the child was the greatest wizard of all, the emperor?’
And the current emperor, who had never been complacent with his own blood, had continued to develop and improve his skills to become the most powerful and outstanding wizard in the Empire?
He might have been overly confident.
Even if it was his own blood, he might have thought the child would never be able to break through and blossom the seal he had placed.
Thus, he couldn’t just leave an illegitimate child to die but might have sealed her away before birth and abandoned her.
If that were true, Eli’s existence would stir the Empire into an even greater whirlpool than a mere mistake could ever do.
Melrit was quick-witted.
Once she grasped the possible scenarios and outcomes, fear crept in.
‘What should I do?’
“Melrit. Are you alright?”
However, as the girl’s hand touched her cheek, all her anxiety and fear faded away.
“…Yes.”
Melrit tried to steady her breath and answered.
“I’m alright, I’m okay now.”
No matter what happened, she had already deeply etched into her heart who she should follow.
“Good.”
Eli smiled.
“Could you help me?”
Eli’s request was about how to conceal her hair and eye color when using magic.
“Do you remember when I asked you to keep a secret?”
“I remember.”
“Melrit. Please. Treat me as you did before you saw this color.”
It was a request, not an order.
“…I’ll try, I’ll try my best.”
“Wonderful.”
When Eli complimented her, Melrit felt as though she had been praised by a professor in front of a class, and her face flushed red.
“Melrit.”
“Uh, yes?”
“I don’t intend to reveal this color yet.”
“…Not yet.”
“Yes.”
There would come a time when she had to reveal it.
But that time had to be carefully chosen.
“Can you help me use magic while keeping my current color?”
“Let me check first.”
“Feel free to speak.”
“I’ll check.”
Melrit buried her hand in Eli’s hair.
It was hard to believe that someone could endure the harsh orphanage life with hair as lush as this.
A pleasantly cool and soft texture.
Mana’s flow is…
“I found it.”
“Seems to be tied up very tightly.”
“Tied up?”
“Yes, it is. A long time ago…”
“2 or 3 years ago?”
“No, really long ago… Hmm, as long ago as your age, Ellie…”
“Hmm… I see.”
Ellie gave a wry smile.
“Looks like His Majesty wanted to make sure I could never use magic again, huh? Like a cripple.”
“!!”
Melrit was shocked.
Ellie’s sharp judgment, despite having spent her whole life in an orphanage, and her calm attitude, even though her father had abandoned her and tried to make her into a cripple…
“Ellie.”
“You don’t need to comfort me. I was prepared for that. It’s not like I wasn’t torn out from the inside.”
“Ugh…”
Melrit had no words.
‘In fact, abortion would have been the simpler and more certain solution.’
‘If it weren’t for the Emperor’s pity and arrogance, Ellie would have disappeared before even receiving a name.’
“So, does that mean my magical talents are so remarkable that His Majesty personally broke the seal and allowed me to use magic?”
“Well, yes. Exactly.”
That was the truth.
It was arrogance, but the Emperor was a wizard who could afford such confidence.
If it weren’t for the ridiculous situation where his daughter’s talent surpassed his own, the seal would have remained permanent.
“I might have been a little too full of myself. It’s embarrassing.”
Ellie turned her face away and laughed.
“Anyway, now things make sense. Thank you, Melrit. I think I can handle the rest.”
“Uh? What do you mean by that…?”
***
“Based on the past seal, establish the following new restrictions.”
Again, that mysterious language.
The same language used when dealing with the Marquis and his subordinates.
‘What kind of structure is this?’
It was a language never heard of anywhere on the continent.
Of course, it couldn’t be a natural language.
So, it’s an artificial language.
It must have been created directly.
‘A child in their early teens created this artificial language?’
Creating one’s own magical language was something every wizard tried at least once.
But it was rare for it to yield meaningful results.
For example, if one were to create a magical language with 100 words, they would have to create 100 new phoneme combinations and memorize them thoroughly.
A mistake could cause magic to activate improperly and harm the caster.
It didn’t stop there.
One would also have to establish basic grammar rules.
But even with all that effort, only simple magic would be possible.
There were just as many students who had their magical languages undone as there were those who tried creating one.
‘And at such a young age…’
Being born with enormous mana was a talent.
‘But creating an entire language and using it to cast magic without errors at such a young age?’
‘A genius.’
Not only did she have an abundance of mana and a refined sense for magic, but her intellect was extraordinary as well.
She was the seed of a great wizard, someone who would only appear once in a thousand years.
Melrit realized clearly.
No admissions officer would find a seed like this again.
Because, no matter what genius or talent they found in the future, compared to Ellie, they would be nothing.
“‘Gather, water in the atmosphere, and form a raindrop.’”
A magical command in Ellie’s unique language.
Ellie finished her spell, and mana stirred.
The magic had been activated.
To the casual observer, the girl showed no visible change, but Melrit cautiously asked.
“What exactly… did you do?”
“Hmm… I’ll show you. Want to try extending your hand?”
“Hand?”
Melrit obediently extended her hand.
Ellie placed her fingers lightly on it.
A light touch.
The shape of her fingerprint seemed to be felt.
“‘Water in the air, gather and form a raindrop.’”
A raindrop appeared on Melrit’s palm.
It was a simple magic.
“…Ah.”
Melrit finally realized what Ellie had been trying to show.
Her hair and eye color hadn’t changed.
Even though she had used magic.
“That’s right. I made it so that up to a certain level of magic, the black color would remain.”
A wry smile.
“I would have preferred it if everything stayed hidden, but it didn’t go as planned.”
“Does that mean…”
“‘Underground water, break through the earth and rise.’”
The ground shook beneath their feet.
“Uh? What? What magic is this—Aah!?”
Water shot up.
Transparent droplets scattered in the air.
A cool sensation as the droplets touched her skin.
“If I use magic like this…”
The white-starred girl, now back to her true appearance, spun around.
“It becomes obvious.”
The magic ended.
The rising water fell to the ground, and the white star hid behind the black veil again.
“As long as I’m careful, I don’t think it will be noticed within the academy. What do you think, Melrit?”
“That, that’s…”
Melrit mumbled in a daze.
“I… think that’s true.”
“Thank goodness.”
Ellie smiled and brushed off the water droplets from Melrit’s shoulder.
“That I succeeded, and that I timed it perfectly.”
“Uh? Timing?”
“Can’t you feel it? Listen carefully to the northwest.”
“Northwest, huh…?”
“Over there, that way.”
Flustered, Melrit tried listening carefully as Ellie directed.
Then, she heard it.
The sound of the academy’s strongest wizard flying toward them.
“Uh? Why is the Dean coming this way?”
“Did you forget? Melrit sent a letter to the academy.”
“Ah! That’s right… yes…”
It was easy to forget.
After all, a royal bastard appeared out of nowhere in front of them.
“Hahaha!”
Ellie’s laughter echoed clearly.
Even though her star had already disappeared from view, Melrit felt as though she could see starlight in her laughter, and her heart skipped a beat.