Chapter 9: Eyes of the Nobility
The sun rose over the Grand Astral Academy, bathing the spires and terraces in golden light. But beneath the radiance, tension brewed like a storm cloud. Everyone was talking about one name.
Aether.
In the Noble Dormitories…
"He outshone Seraphina?"
"Full elemental affinity? Even the Headmaster doesn’t have that."
"And over 900 mana pool? That’s triple the royal prodigies!"
Noble-born students like Arden Verlain (heir of House Verlain, Fire affinity, Class 3) and Lyria Montessia (Beast-tamer noble, Class 2, Light/Nature affinity) were shaken.
They had trained with private tutors since childhood, consumed premium elixirs, and bore noble bloodlines. Yet this boy—with no crest, no entourage, no whisper of lineage—had shattered every metric they believed sacred.
Some nobles began whispering:
“Is he the child of a hidden lineage?”
“Was he raised by dragons?”
“Or worse… a secret weapon of a rival kingdom?”
Meanwhile, in the Prodigy Circle…
Princess Seraphina stood beside a golden-haired boy, Kael Drosven, wielder of lightning and the Empire’s third-ranked prodigy.
"What did you see, Seraphina?" Kael asked, brows furrowed.
She looked distant. “He wasn’t using his full power.”
Kael blinked. “How do you know?”
“When the mana reacted to him… it bent. Not surged. He was holding it back. Even the pillar nearly exploded.”
Kael’s jaw tensed. “That’s... dangerous.”
Lecture Hall – Magical Theory: Elemental Flow
Professor Marnel Quell gestured as floating glyphs circled above the chalkboard. "Today, we’ll focus on elemental integration—combining two compatible elements. Aether and Water, for instance, often harmonize to create Mist Formations or Freezing Fields."
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
In the back row, Aether sat with his chin in his palm, expression unreadable. But in his mind...
[World Management Menu Opened]
Eidheria: World Level 3 [Mana Density: 4.5 x Normal]
New Resources Available:
-- “Living Ironroot Trees” (Nature + Earth Affinity)
-- “Mana-Silver Streamfish” (Water + Magic Affinity)
-- “Terrain Add-on: Glowing Crystal Caves”
-- “Creature: Nightveil Wolf (Carnivorous)”
[Daily Chest Contents: 2,000 Mana Crystals, x4 Spell Bloom Seeds, 1 Achievement Token]
Aether blinked slowly, mildly interested.
Nightveil Wolf : “A lean, silver-coated wolf species attuned to lunar mana. Known for their silence, high perception, and eerie howls that disorient aggressors. Natural pack hunters with a strong territorial bond.”
Aether muttered under his breath.The plains needed watchers. Not just grazers and brutes… something cunning. Something fast.
He tapped a mental prompt and selected the Wolf. Ten units were added near the Ashen Plains. Just beside the riverbed where mana pooled from the Ironroot grove.
While Professor Quell droned on about mana threads, Aether continued:
[Deploy “Ironroot Trees” – Confirmed]
[Deploy “Mana-Silver Streamfish” – Confirmed]
[Deploy “Nightveil Wolf” – Confirmed]
In Eidheria, The plains shimmer as magic coalesces into ten wolf-like figures. Their fur gleams like liquid moonlight, paws silent even on stone. The leader steps forward, a scar running down its eye, then vanishes into the grass. Aether gave a small internal nod.
“Solid ecosystem. Good nap instincts.”
Combat Practice Arena: Group Evaluations
Students were paired off to showcase elemental control. When Aether was called, his opponent was Brion Vex, a Class 3 fire mage from a knight family, known for his arrogance and "combat intensity" (read: overcompensation).
Brion smirked. “Let’s see if the prodigy’s all talk.”
The match began.
Brion unleashed a barrage of flame spears, roaring like a dragon.
Aether flicked a single finger.
A miniature cyclone burst forth—spiraling, absorbing, and extinguishing the fire mid-air. The flames curled like petals into steam.
Gasps echoed.
Then Aether casually waved again. The condensed water froze into hovering daggers—glimmering, sharp.
But he didn’t launch them.
Instead, he turned his palm and evaporated the spell into harmless mist.
It wasn’t arrogance.
It was... restraint.
Brion gulped. “I-I yield.”
The instructor stared. “You didn’t even cast a spell formation…”
Elsewhere…
Inside a private chamber, Headmaster Dorian Vaelthorn poured jasmine tea into a porcelain cup. His face was calm, but his eyes burned with thought. A glowing crystal floated beside him, flickering with a projection.
An old woman appeared—hair silver, eyes sharp like moonlight blades.
“He possesses all ten affinities. Complete synchronization. Limitless potential. But he is... restrained,” Dorian said.
The woman frowned. “Is he... unstable?”
“No,” Dorian said. “He’s deliberate.”
“Then watch him closely,” she whispered. “He may be the key... or the end.”
That Night – In Eidheria
Aether stood on a crystal platform overlooking his world.
Forests shimmered under moonlight. Rivers glittered like molten mana. A Stoneback Bour yawned and rolled into a bush, causing a mild landslide. Another tried to chew on a tree and got lightly zapped by a spirit.
Aether smiled faintly
[New Feature Unlocked: Evolution Node]
Species Upgrade Tree Available
-- “Ironroot Tree” → “Mana-Linked Groveheart”
-- “Streamfish” → “Silvercurrent Levi”
Upgrade Cost: 1 Achievement Token + 400 Mana Crystals
Execute? [Yes]
“Yes,” Aether said aloud.
As the upgrade activated, glowing pulses rippled across Eidheria. The Ironroots morphed into radiant Grovehearts, their roots whispering ancient hymns. The streamfish grew sleeker, faster—now shimmering like blades of silver mist.
In the distance, a Stoneback Bour attempted to chase a glowing moth and ended up somersaulting into a shallow creek.
Above him, the stars of Eidheria shifted.
The world was growing.
And so was the Architect.
