The great hall slowly emptied.
Moments ago it had been filled with nobles, scholars, knights, and officials gathered to witness the evaluation of the royal heir.
Now it buzzed with whispers.
Dangerous whispers.
The words spread like poison.
"A prince without mana."
"Impossible."
"How could the blood of the royal line produce such a disgrace?"
Some spoke quietly.
Others did not bother to hide their amusement.
At the center of it all stood Lux.
Silent.
Calm.
His black hair cast a shadow over his eyes as servants cleared the ceremonial platform where the crystal sphere had been placed.
The examiner avoided looking at him.
The old mage seemed deeply uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, the nobles were far less polite.
A tall man dressed in crimson robes leaned toward another lord.
"So the rumors were true."
The other noble chuckled.
"It seems the heavens themselves have rejected him."
A third noble joined their conversation.
"Without mana he cannot command magic."
"And without magic…" he paused with a smirk.
"He cannot rule."
Not in this kingdom.
Everyone knew the truth.
The Kingdom of Arcturus had not been built by weak kings.
Its rulers were not merely monarchs who sat on thrones.
They were warriors.
Conquerors.
Masters of power.
The founder of the royal bloodline—whose name was spoken with reverence even centuries later—had united the three ancient realms through war and strength.
His descendants had continued that legacy.
And now…
The heir to that lineage had no mana.
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The whispers grew louder.
Lux heard every word.
Yet his expression did not change.
Because none of this surprised him.
Not really.
Far above the hall, seated upon the elevated throne, the king finally spoke.
"Silence."
His voice was deep.
Heavy.
The command alone was enough to crush the rising noise.
Every noble immediately fell quiet.
King Cassian.
The Third King of the Arcturus Line.
A direct descendant of the legendary warrior who had once unified the three kingdoms.
Even seated upon the throne, his presence dominated the hall.
His golden crown rested above sharp eyes that now stared down at his son.
Lux met his gaze without hesitation.
For a brief moment, father and son simply looked at one another.
The hall held its breath.
The king's voice came again.
"Prince Lux."
"Step forward."
Lux walked calmly across the polished marble floor.
His footsteps echoed softly through the hall.
When he stopped below the throne, he knelt in formal respect.
"Your Majesty."
King Cassian studied him carefully.
Not the crystal.
Not the examiner.
His son.
"You understand the result of the evaluation?"
Lux answered without hesitation.
"Yes."
A pause.
The king's eyes narrowed slightly.
"And you feel nothing about it?"
Some nobles leaned forward.
They expected anger.
Shame.
Fear.
Instead Lux simply replied,
"It changes nothing."
A murmur spread again.
But the king did not react.
For a moment something unreadable passed through his eyes.
Then he waved his hand.
"The ceremony is over."
The court official quickly stepped forward.
"The evaluation has concluded! All nobles are dismissed!"
Chairs moved.
Robes shifted.
The nobles began leaving the hall.
But the whispers continued.
Some were subtle.
Others were cruel.
"Pathetic."
"A prince without mana…"
"The kingdom will suffer if he inherits the throne."
Lux heard it all.
Yet he remained silent.
Because another voice spoke to him.
Not from the crowd.
From somewhere else.
"They are predictable."
Lux's gaze shifted slightly toward the tall pillars lining the hall.
The voice was calm.
Almost amused.
Another whisper followed.
"Power blinds those who worship it."
Lux did not react outwardly.
But his thoughts answered.
You were right.
There was a pause.
Then the faintest echo of laughter brushed against his mind.
"Of course we were."
He continued walking toward the exit.
Outside the massive doors, the evening air was cool.
The sun was already setting behind the distant mountains.
The palace courtyard stretched before him.
For a moment Lux simply stood there.
Watching the fading light.
"This is only the beginning."
The whisper returned.
"The game has started."
Lux quietly asked in his mind,
What game?
Silence answered him.
As always.
The voices rarely explained themselves.
They hinted.
They observed.
They watched.
Nothing more.
Lux sighed softly.
"You enjoy this, don't you?"
A faint presence stirred beside him.
Invisible to everyone else.
"We enjoy watching history unfold."
Another whisper joined it.
"And you… are standing at the center of it."
Lux looked toward the distant towers of the palace.
Inside those walls were nobles already discussing his weakness.
Ministers calculating political advantage.
And perhaps…
Enemies.
The kingdom believed today had revealed a failure.
But Lux knew something they did not.
The voices had warned him long before today.
"The vessel is empty."
"Mana will never flow through you."
He had not understood those words at the time.
But now he did.
A prince with no mana.
A royal heir who could not wield magic.
To the world…
He would become a joke.
Lux turned and began walking down the palace steps.
The guards bowed as he passed.
Yet their eyes held confusion.
Perhaps even pity.
The whispers followed him again.
"Tell us, Lux…"
The voice was softer now.
Curious.
"What will you do now that the world has seen your weakness?"
Lux did not answer immediately.
Instead he looked toward the darkening sky.
Then he smiled faintly.
"A weak prince is useful."
The voices went silent.
For once…
They seemed surprised.
Lux continued walking into the shadows of the courtyard.
Behind him, high above in the royal palace, unseen figures were already beginning to move.
Because in the court of Arcturus…
Power never remained still.
And somewhere in the darkness of the palace corridors…
A quiet conversation began.
"Then it is confirmed."
"The prince has no mana."
A second voice replied.
Cold.
Calculating.
"Good."
"That will make things much easier."
