"Welcome, honored guests."
Calliope, who had been sitting leisurely in a chair, suddenly stood up to greet them.
She narrowed her eyes slightly.
Her gaze first landed on Ryuu, then shifted and settled on Raven Eltharion.
Her first impression...
Confirmed—they were outsiders.
This incredibly luxurious store belonged to the Herte Familia,
much like how the Hephaestus Familia managed weapon and armor sales.
Only here, they specialized in magical tools, grimoires, and high-end magic staffs.
"Are you two… adventurers, by any chance?"
She asked tentatively.
Raven and Ryuu exchanged a quick glance.
"You're… mistaken."
"We're just traveling merchants passing through, looking to purchase a few items."
Ryuu, who wasn't great at lying, looked full of holes in Raven's eyes.
"Hah?"
"Pfft... tsk…"
Calliope couldn't help but chuckle.
Then suddenly, her tone shifted.
"You're the 'Skyfeather Demon Lord' from the Dungeon City of Orario, aren't you?"
"And your companion..."
"No matter how well you disguise yourselves, my magical eyes see right through you~"
"Miss Gale."
Ryuu's expression stiffened slightly, her sky-blue eyes locking onto her.
"You know us?"
Raven raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"You could say that."
"Not long ago, Orario held a War Game, right?"
"I didn't attend, but merchants who did told me your name."
"'Heavenly Demon Lord'… If I'm not mistaken, you're a magic-user."
Calliope kept her faint smile, calmly explaining.
"Allow me to introduce myself."
"I am Calliope, princess of this nation."
Princess?
Raven glanced at her with new interest.
The Magic Kingdom of Altena was, indeed, a monarchy.
As one of the great powers of the lower world, it had a population of over 500,000.
Their ruler, the God of Magic Herte, was the nation's spiritual and political leader.
All mages and spellcasters were granted Falna under Herte's name—
they were the kingdom's combatants.
The rest of the people—those running businesses and supporting society—
were non-combatants.
The monarchs and Familia leaders had always been personally appointed
by Herte through divine right.
"Now then, shall we test your magic power?"
"Place your hand on the crystal orb. The result will be clear immediately."
Calliope looked at him with great interest.
The massive azure crystal orb—
Once infused with magic, it would glow in three different stages:
Green: Common
Gold: Rare
Red: Supreme
If no color showed—it meant the person was utterly talentless.
Only a red response would qualify one to purchase the legendary staff.
...
Raven's eyes flickered with thought.
After a moment—
"Alright."
He approached the crystal orb.
With mild curiosity, he placed his hand upon it.
"Well then, let's begin the test."
Calliope's lips curled into a slight smile as she gestured.
The elf clerk from earlier quietly moved to the corner and pressed a hidden switch.
In the next instant—
Raven's expression stiffened.
All the magic he had stored within him was instantly drained into the crystal orb.
The orb—
Immediately turned red.
But that wasn't all...
The red soon turned into a brilliant rainbow, and its glow surged skyward.
A blinding aurora of color burst out, nearly dazzling everyone in the room.
Calliope's expression changed drastically.
Even as the light nearly blinded her, she couldn't hide her delight inside.
She had never seen someone trigger such an intense reaction during the test.
Even her magic level—
at best—only produced a gold glow.
She had never once seen anyone trigger red, let alone rainbow.
All she could think was…
"As expected of the Heavenly Demon Lord."
The quality and sheer quantity of magic he held—
it was nothing short of legendary.
"This human…"
"Our Magic Kingdom must have him."
Calliope's thoughts surged with excitement.
As the light finally faded—
"So… am I qualified?"
Raven withdrew his hand and took a deep breath.
"You are."
"From that reaction, you are indeed a rare, once-in-a-generation genius."
"Would you be interested in joining our Magic Kingdom?"
Calliope asked brightly, extending an invitation.
Ryuu, who had remained quiet until now, suddenly narrowed her blue eyes sharply.
"Heh, what a funny joke," Raven chuckled.
"I'm just here to buy something—let's not get ahead of ourselves, shall we?"
"So… let's talk numbers. How much for that top-tier staff?"
The flat-out rejection seemed expected, but Calliope's expression still darkened.
"In that case, I'm afraid…"
"I'll have to make you stay by force."
"—Bind them, invisible threads of chaos."
"—Shadowfang Claws!"
Without warning, she chanted a short incantation.
Raven and Ryuu both tensed.
She was casting—
Rare shadow magic.
"Alright then…"
"I guess I'm done playing nice."
Death.
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