Lucian paid them no mind. His footsteps were even, his back straight. But internally, his thoughts returned to the moment before.
’Cassian von Luminaire... Just who are you, really?’ He thought, feeling incredibly amused. He had heard a lot of rumors about Cassian, and almost all of them pointed to a single word, ’Otherworldly Talent’. There were even rumors talking about how the sky was crackling with golden lightning and heaven-blinding light during his birth.
However, Lucian had ignored those rumors as nothing but nonsense. Obviously, this could be the attempt of the Royal family to establish the reputation of their prince, and if it was, then congratulations, cause it surely worked. Despite his negligible appearance before the public, he remained the mysterious yet heaven-defying crown prince of the Luminaire Empire.
However, he couldn’t ignore those words any further, not after meeting the said person first hand and observing him through his powers. There was something mysterious, something abnormal about him that felt out of place.
’I should talk with Father about this.’ He noted it down on the back of his head and focused on the present work. Lucian’s father was one of the dukes of the empire and had met up with him a few times.
Nodding his head, he raised his gaze and glanced forward. Before him stood the massive pillar in full glory, shimmering faintly with otherworldly lights. He could instinctively sense the powerful presence of the pillars, putting pressure against his body. It wasn’t some kind of overbearing or intimidating pressure, but just the natural aura of it.
Reaching the pillar, he placed his hand gently upon its surface, feeling a cold yet refreshing sensation all over his body. The pillar was activated upon contact and responded accordingly. A faint warmth bloomed beneath his fingers, guiding him inside. The crystal pulsed once and swiftly swallowed him whole, sending him directly inside the dream domain, the overseer of the House Selection Ceremony.
The entire room went silent for a while. The candidates who had gathered around the pillars were quietly standing beside the pillars with a curious look on their faces. They all had a single question on their minds: ’Which house will he be assigned to?’
They had seen the assigned house of the Crown Prince and were hoping for Lucian to pick a different house. They want to witness a rivalry between both of them, the one above heavens and the one below heavens.
"Hey, you wanna bet?"
"What?"
"Bet on which house he would be assigned to?"
"Nah, I ain’t interested in him."
"Hmm? Why?"
"Why would I be interested in someone weaker than me?"
His voice was quite low, but, due to the unusual quietness within the room, the other candidates still managed to hear him.
The person who said those words was a massive man, standing at almost 7 feet tall, with a bulky, muscular body and a massive grin plastered on his face. He looked like some sort of barbarian, with a bare upper body, covered in various dark-red tattoos–tattoos of weird animals and savagery of humans. His earthy, brown hair was all messed up and spiky, giving him a raw, crazy look. Even the natural aura surrounding him was quite strong and filled with battle intent.
He ignored the mocking look of those around him and stared intently at Lucian’s fading silhouette, smiling ear to ear with an unusual fighting spirit burning within them.
’He is dangerous.’ His danger instinct kicked in the moment he laid his eyes on him, but he didn’t mind; in fact, his smile grew even wider.
Suddenly–
A bright hum echoed across the space, drawing everyone’s attention.
The crystal pillars ahead shimmered one by one, twinkling with their respective lights, before finally, a single pillar bathed in fiery-red light pulsed brightly, illuminating the entire room.
The heat around the room spiked up and raged uncontrollably, affecting the other participants in the room. Some were sweating mildly while some were sweating profusely, having trouble even breathing.
The pillars had completed their evaluation of his potential and came to a conclusion. Check latest chapters at ⓝovelFire.net
—
The moment Lucian crossed the threshold, a sensation unlike anything he had ever felt gripped him—he felt immensely sleepy. His entire body was urging him to lie down and sleep, relax, and let the process take its course.
He lost himself within the hypnotizing dream, floating aimlessly in the ethereal domain.
Simultaneously, outside, a primal roaring flame ignited from the red crystal pillar, harmonizing perfectly with the divine blessing etched into his very being.
The next instant—
The pillar exploded in brilliant light, engulfing the entire area.
The flames danced around the entrance gate, and from within, Lucian’s body slowly emerged, bathing in the fiery light. The body gently dropped down and landed on the floor, causing him to react immediately. His eyes twitched slightly and jolted open, gazing at the white ceiling above him. He slowly stood up and took a glance at the crystal pillars behind him.
His face masked a look of indifference, but inside, his heart was beating rapidly, excited from the entire ordeal.
He had no clue what had happened after he lost himself inside the domain, but that couldn’t hide the expression that others wore around him.
"—Congratulations!" A deep, thunderous voice boomed from afar, garnering the attention of everyone present.
Lucian blinked and found himself standing inside the great hall again, a crowd of professors and senior students observing from afar.
Dean Zeraphiel himself stood atop the balcony, overlooking everything with a majestic, otherworldly gaze.
"You have been chosen by Ignis House," he declared, voice filled with a power that echoed in every corner of the hall. "The House of Conquest. The House of Unyielding Flame."
The students erupted into cheers, some clapping in awe, others watching with barely disguised jealousy. Various professors also displayed interest in him, including Professor Celestine, who stood beside Cassian.
But Lucian heard none of it.
His eyes sought only one figure.
Cassian had turned away, his expression unreadable.
But Lucian smiled.
’Our paths are intertwined. I don’t know how or why, but I’ll uncover the truth... Cassian von Luminaire.’