Magic : Unbroken

"Hey, Count… don't you have an explanation for this?" Duke Caelan said solemnly, his voice like a blade cutting through the silence.

A chill swept through the room as his mana leaked out, forming sharp ice thorns along the marble floor. The air felt like gunpowder — one spark away from an explosion.

The others didn't dare speak. Not because they had nothing to say, but because they feared becoming collateral in this escalating storm.

Vice Commander Aerydn, who had earlier been grinning and joking, was now drenched in cold sweat.

At first, he'd just been teasing Count Ashenward. But then — then — he remembered something critical.

Wait… the Duke's sister is engaged to the Count's son, isn't she?

The marriage had been delayed due to some unspecified "complications." Aerydn had brushed it off as politics.

But now, after seeing Reinhart — a boy who looked eerily similar to the Count's son — a terrifying realization dawned on him.

Oh no… Count, you're so doomed. He's going to skin you alive, Aerydn shuddered, remembering just how ruthless Caelan could be on the battlefield.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" The room temperature plummeted with Caelan's words, his voice now carrying the weight of a glacier.

(๏ᆺ๏υ) ← Aerydn internally.

Count Ashenward was utterly speechless. Truth be told, this was just as much a shock to him. Even he hadn't been aware of Reinhart's origins until recently.

Thankfully, someone dared to break the ice.

Alaric Thorne, the merchant leader — and the weakest man in the room — stepped forward with the kind of bravery that comes only from desperation.

"Gentlemen… perhaps this is a matter better discussed after the meeting," he suggested, his voice respectful but strained.

Duke Caelan's frosty gaze turned toward him. "What do you know?"

The merchant leader, Alaric, nearly melted on the spot.

Count Ashenward quickly stepped in, trying to salvage what was left of his dignity.

"Duke Caelan, I swear, I'll give you a full explanation once the meeting concludes," he said earnestly, while suppressing the primal urge to flee.

When I get my hands on that bastard… I'll whip him to death!

Duke Caelan gave a cold nod. "Very well. I'll be expecting it."

Though the situation settled slightly, the lingering pressure in the room was enough to keep everyone sitting straighter than usual.

The dean of the academy, wisely choosing neutrality, said nothing. This was a family matter — and not one he was brave enough to get involved in.

The scene shifted to Leon.

He was standing just below the altar, waiting for his turn.

The altars around him were silent, except for the soft hum of magic in the air, as most of the children were already done with their awakening and had moved toward the next part.

The stone beneath his feet felt cold, yet his palms were sweaty.

His heart thumped loudly in his chest, almost like it was trying to escape.

Every beat echoed louder and louder, making it harder for him to think clearly.

He clenched his fists and tried to steady his breathing.

Breathe in... breathe out...

Calm down... just breathe... he told himself.

He closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves.

But no matter how deeply he breathed, the pressure wouldn't go away.

Then—

"Next!" the instructor's voice echoed through the hall.

His body jolted slightly.

It was his turn.

His legs felt heavy as he walked toward the steps. Each step up the altar felt longer than it should.

The silence around him made it worse — too quiet, too focused.

Doubt started creeping in.

What if I don't awaken anything? What do I do then?

He had seen both of his friends awaken amazing powers.

And now, standing here, it felt like all eyes were on him.

What if I'm different? What if I'm not enough?

Fear wrapped around his chest like chains.

But then… a memory — soft and warm — floated into his mind.

His mother's gentle voice. His father's comforting smile.

"Leon, just be happy, my child."

Those words settled his heart like a calming breeze in the middle of a storm.

His fingers, which had been trembling, slowly stopped.

The fear didn't vanish, but it no longer controlled him.

He reached the top and stood in front of the instructor.

The man gave him a small nod. "Name?"

Leon swallowed his nervousness and answered,

"Leon." His voice cracked slightly, but he said it.

The instructor smiled a little and checked the list.

After a moment, he waved Leon forward.

Leon stepped inside the altar.

It was quiet — almost too quiet inside.

He just stood on the center stone as the instructor began pouring mana into the altar.

As mana began to condense inside, making the whole environment different, Leon suddenly felt something unlock inside him.

Crack! Crack!

Leon heard chains tearing apart inside his body and something trying to get out — but it was restrained again by a different set of chains this time.

He was confused by these sensations happening inside his body. Although he could feel it all, he could do nothing on his own.

The stone glowed faintly at first, then brighter.

The awakening had begun.

Suddenly, the altar buzzed with energy.

Light rippled through the air, and everyone leaned forward, waiting...

But then—nothing.

No element appeared.

No fire, no water, no wind, no light, no shadow. Nothing.

Just... the buzzing sound. And then silence.

The buzzing should've meant something awakened. But now, everything had gone still again.

The hall grew awkwardly quiet.

People looked at one another, confused.

If someone failed to awaken, the altar didn't react at all.

But Leon's altar had buzzed — so why wasn't anything showing?

Even in the luxurious observation room, the mood was tense.

"Umm… strange. Why didn't he awaken anything?" Aerydn muttered, narrowing his eyes.

"Could the altar be broken?" he asked, unsure.

But nobody answered him.

The tension from their earlier argument still lingered.

Count Ashenward kept his mouth shut.

Duke Caelan sat stiffly, clearly still upset.

Then, suddenly —

Dean Harland Evermere let out a loud, echoing laugh.

"Hahaha… even I missed it for a second."

His eyes sharpened with interest.

"But the boy… he did awaken something."

He tapped his finger against the armrest, then sent a quick mana message to the instructor below responsible for Leon's awakening.

"Let that little guy enter the academy. He has talent — no need for him to go through the second test. Just enroll him."