The next morning came too quickly.
Rayan barely slept, not because the silk bed was too soft, but because of the black book resting on his nightstand — the Eternum Grimoire.
Every time he blinked, it whispered. Not words exactly, but possibilities… flashes of symbols, strange diagrams, and fragments of incantations.
When dawn broke, a maid arrived to dress him in a silver-trimmed tunic and black trousers. He caught his reflection in the mirror — still the same sharp green eyes of Arian Valcrest. The boy whose life he had stolen. Or inherited. Or… whatever this was.
The Arcana Affinity Test Grounds were packed.
Dozens of noble children stood in line, their robes immaculate, mana flickering around them like faint auras. Servants whispered in the background, nobles exchanged wagers. Failure here meant no title, no support, and no future.
"Next!" the examiner barked.
One by one, the children stepped onto the silver rune circle. Crystals hovered around it, glowing brighter the higher the child's magical affinity. Some blazed like suns. Others dimmed to embers.
When it was the turn of the smug boy from yesterday — Arian's half-brother, Cassian — the crystals shone gold. The crowd murmured with approval.
Then the examiner's eyes shifted to Rayan.
He stepped forward.
The rune circle pulsed faintly under his feet, but instead of the crystals glowing… they flickered weakly. One by one, their light died.
A ripple of laughter spread through the crowd.
"Pathetic."
"No mana at all?"
"The Duke should be ashamed."
The examiner sighed. "Arian Valcrest — magical affinity: negligible. You are hereby—"
Wait.
Something shifted in Rayan's vision. The silver runes beneath him rearranged themselves — only he could see it. Symbols from the Eternum Grimoire appeared, layered over the circle. His heart pounded.
A whisper slid into his mind.
"Do you wish to override the test?"
Yes.
The world darkened. Mana surged up from the ground — not the gentle glow of normal magic, but a black, swirling torrent that made the crystals scream as they cracked.
The examiner stumbled back. "What—?! This… this isn't registered magic!"
Gasps erupted around him. Some nobles stepped away. Others stared in awe.
Rayan's vision cleared, and the crystals… were gone. Vaporized.
"Who are you?" the examiner demanded.
Rayan forced a smile. "Just someone who doesn't like losing."
Far away, on the rooftop of a distant building, the same shadow from last night was watching. This time, Rayan saw glowing red eyes behind the mask.
And deep in his mind, the Grimoire whispered again.
"Page 2 unlocked: The Law of Unseen Chains"