Lily's face fell, her lips trembling as doubt crept back in. Around her, the others exchanged worried glances.
Only Astra remained impassive, her posture relaxed yet unyielding.
"I told you," Astra said evenly, her gaze steady on Lily, "if you don't trust yourself, then no one will."
Her voice was calm, but there was no room for argument.
"First, you must trust yourself. Only then will those powers acknowledge you. If you trust yourself, only then will they choose to entrust themselves to you. You need the mindset that you can do it. That you are capable. These powers are yours. They must listen to you." Her eyes sharpened slightly. "You are their master."
The words struck Lily far deeper than she expected.
She lowered her gaze.
Actually... When she had tried to draw out that energy earlier, doubt had gnawed at her relentlessly.
What if I can't do it?
What if it's all an illusion?
What if I disappoint the princess…?
Those thoughts had chained her heart.
But now—
The princess is right.
If she couldn't trust herself, how could she expect anything—or anyone—to trust her?
No.
She could do it.
She would do it.
She straightened her shoulders and closed her eyes, whispering softly to herself, as if engraving the words into her soul.
"I can do it. I'm the master. They must listen to me. I'm the master… I'm the master…"
Her breathing steadied.
Her heartbeat grew firm and unwavering.
Then—
A soft orange glow bloomed around her right hand.
It was the same hue as the orb she had touched before, warm and vivid. The light expanded, flickering like flame—alive, yet gentle, radiating comfort rather than heat.
Lily's eyes flew open. Her voice trembled, awestruck. "Your Highness… look. I'm—"
"Yes," Astra replied immediately.
"You're using magic. Congratulations, Lily." Her tone softened. "You are now officially on the path to becoming a mage."
Lily broke.
Tears spilled freely as she rushed forward, wrapping Astra in a tight embrace, her emotions overflowing.
"I never thought… I never thought I'd be able to become a mage in this lifetime," she sobbed. "Thank you… thank you so much."
Astra returned the hug briefly, then gently patted Lily's shoulder. "I told you. All of you possess untapped potential. You just had to reach for it."
Lily stepped back, wiping her tears, her face glowing brighter than the magic still fading from her hand.
Melinda, Cassia, Claire, and Ella stared in stunned silence.
Hope flickered in each heart like a newly lit flame—fragile, yet ready to burn brighter.
The thick summer air of the palace garden shimmered with heat and purpose.
The sun dipped low, draping the scene in molten gold as the figures before Astra stood firm, their resolve now unwavering.
Astra observed them quietly.
Each face carried a different emotion—determination, disbelief, awe, and fragile hope.
She broke the silence with calm authority.
"Melinda. Claire," she said. "Your turn. How has your progress been?"
Melinda stepped forward first, her short dark hair was tied into a practical bun and a faint smile playing on her lips.
"I've been reading the book on poison cuisine you gave me, Your Highness," she reported. "I tested several samples using small doses—safe, non-lethal ones. I prepared antidotes beforehand, just in case."
Cassia's eyes widened. "You... fed poison to someone?"
Melinda chuckled softly. "To myself. I wouldn't risk others."
Lily blinked rapidly. "Wait. You poisoned YOURSELF??!!"
"I tested the milder recipes," Melinda continued calmly, "adjusting dosages and ingredients to understand how they interact. The effects were precise. Efficient."
She lifted her sleeve and tapped the skin of her arm.
"Actually… I was born different, Your Highness." she said. "My body doesn't react to most toxins. Even before this, no matter how potent the substance, it had no effect on me. My family forbade me from telling anyone."
A hush fell over the group.
Even the quiet rustling of leaves in the wind seemed to pause.
Astra said nothing. Her expression remained calm, but her gaze lingered on Melinda just a heartbeat longer than usual.
Of course, Astra thought calmly. I already knew.
"My body doesn't reject poison," Melinda continued. "It absorbs it… almost as if it recognizes it as part of me. That's why I can experiment without fear. I can taste, feel, and analyze everything firsthand."
Astra nodded slightly.
"Perfect," she said. "Control and understanding are everything on your path. You're brave, but don't overstep. Always keep antidotes and counteragents within reach."
Melinda bowed slightly. "Yes, Your Highness."
Then Astra's gaze shifted.
It settled on the smallest figure among them—the youngest.
Claire.
Claire looked up with wide eyes, a little startled. She stepped forward hesitantly, twisting the hem of her sleeve. Her voice, as always, was soft and slightly halting.
"I… I read… the book. You gave me…"
Her cheeks flushed deeply with effort. She swallowed, paused, then tried again, the words coming out in fragments rather than a smooth stream.
"I… memorized some. Trying to… understand. More."
A shallow breath.
"Hard. Very."
Another pause.
"But I'm not… giving up. I will… get better. I promise."
Astra gave her a long look—measuring not her ability, but her resolve.
"You've already taken the first step," Astra said at last. "Understanding those concepts is no small feat. Keep going. Learn one a day if you must." Her gaze remained steady.
"Your pace is not the issue. Your heart is."
Claire blinked, then nodded vigorously, relief and resolve mingling in her eyes.
"Yes… Your Highness. I'll… do my best."
Astra turned her attention next to Ella.
Even standing still, Ella radiated intensity. Her posture was straight, her presence solid—like drawn steel waiting in its sheath.
"Ella," Astra said. "You've been progressing faster than expected. But be warned. Even steel breaks if over-forged. Do not burn yourself out. This is a siege, not a charge."
Ella stepped forward and bowed her head, voice firm and controlled.
"Understood, Your Highness. I won't disappoint you."
Astra let her gaze sweep over all of them.
They were no longer the timid girls from the servant quarters. They stood straighter now, shoulders set, gazes firmer. Something had shifted within them—something awakened.
"Starting tomorrow," Astra declared, "the next phase begins. Weapons training. Magic control. Strategy." Her voice hardened slightly.
"And above all—bonding."
She stepped forward, her presence anchoring them.
"From now on, you are not separate individuals. You are a squad. Teammates. If one falls, the others must be ready to carry them."
Their expressions shifted, some afraid and others excited, but all solemn.
"You are no longer merely servants of this palace," Astra said. "From this moment onward, you are my Guardians—my shadows."
A breathless silence followed.
Then, as one, they dropped to a knee.
"We vow to follow you, Your Highness," they declared together. "With everything we have."
Astra's lips curved into a rare, quiet smile—not of joy, but of ironclad resolve.
What stood before her were not merely trainees.
They were seeds—fragile, yes, but fierce.
And if nurtured correctly, they would grow into an unstoppable storm.