The dawn that followed in Liria was one of fresh beginnings and bristling anticipation. Throughout the palace, the Eight Nation Leaders and their entourages prepared for a day that would shape the Empire's future: the first formal lessons for Prince Caelum, the boy with Admin Authority.
A Classroom Like No Other
In the palace's grand library, sunlight shimmered through enormous stained-glass windows, painting the marble floor in fractals. Shelves of ancient tomes and artifacts lined the walls. In the center, a circle of power: each leader in their ceremonial garments, poised to teach, observe, and—perhaps—outmaneuver.
Caelum arrived with Queen Mira, who placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. King Alden and Emperor Magnus watched from the periphery, the tension softened only by Mira's encouraging smile. Caelum smiled back, curiosity shimmering in his eyes.
Lady Pyrra started, conjuring a flickering orb of flame in her palm. "Lesson one: All power begins with control. Try to shape the fire, prince."
Caelum lifted a hand. The orb split and spun, its edges softening into glowing butterflies—one landed on Pyrra's nose, causing her to sneeze a cascade of harmless sparks. The others in the circle stifled laughter, and Pyrra conceded with a grudging smile.
Next, Lord Umbra enveloped the room in living shadow. "Lesson two: True strength lies in subtlety. Hide from my darkness, if you can."
Caelum blinked and the shadows, instead of hiding him, rewrote themselves into puppets acting out royal court gossip for all to see. Umbra tried to resist a smirk—it wasn't the lesson he intended, but the boy's interpretation was…original.
Lady Mirene, with a sphere of water hovering above her palm, gestured. "Lesson three: Adaptation. Water becomes what it must to survive—try bending it, young prince."
The water parted into two streams, then, at Caelum's wave, flowed through mid-air, drawing the faces of each nation's leader before coalescing into a gentle, sparkling rain that refreshed all in the room.
Unexpected Problems and Unexpected Growth
As the lessons progressed, the dignitaries began to realize that teaching Caelum was, in fact, learning from him. Each challenge became a game—not of dominance, but of creativity. With every exercise, the boy wove new "subroutines" into the world's magic, finding loopholes, rewriting boundaries, and displaying empathy, mischief, and genuine insight.
Between lessons, Caelum asked unexpected questions:
"Do flames always have to burn?"
"If you hide in a shadow, does the shadow get lonely?"
"What code makes the sky blue?"
The leaders traded awkward glances, some baffled, others inspired. Emperor Magnus, for the first time in decades, found himself both amused and outwitted.
The day ended as dusk painted the horizon deep gold. The circle dispersed, but whispers of Caelum's feats echoed through the halls. The Eight—proud but shaken—gathered for private consultation.
"He's rewriting what we thought was possible," Lady Solaria observed, her golden light now tinged with awe. "Maybe… the role of power isn't to rule, but to reimagine."
King Alden and Queen Mira held Caelum close, watching their son's dreams drift across his face as he slept. Emperor Magnus gazed out at the gardens and murmured, "A new age is blooming. The only question is: will we grow with it, or be pruned away?"