Andrew sat in Headmaster Magnus's office, reviewing the report on the new students.
The academy year had only just begun, yet the results of the initial assessments had already revealed several promising talents.
Among them, one name had particularly caught his attention.
A young man from the lower class.
A commoner with Delta-rank magical affinity.
To any noble family, that would have been considered an exceptional gift.
Delta-ranked individuals formed the foundation of the kingdom's great magical bloodlines. For generations, the most powerful families had carefully arranged marriages and rigorously trained their heirs to preserve that level of magical affinity.
But discovering a Delta outside of a recognized bloodline was something entirely different.
No family name.
No renowned teachers.
No resources that could explain his development.
That young man represented exactly what the academy had been created to find.
Hidden talents before they could be claimed by a noble house... or a foreign nation.
"A case like this proves why affinity testing is necessary," Andrew remarked as he set the report down on the desk.
Magnus nodded.
"Years ago, someone with talent like his could have gone unnoticed his entire life."
The prince remained silent for a few moments.
Then he picked up the report again.
"And yet, even a Delta is still far from certain exceptional cases."
Magnus immediately knew who he meant.
"Sofía The Mondring."
The name alone was enough.
Even years later, she remained one of the greatest magical phenomena ever recorded in the kingdom's history.
Both of her parents belonged to Delta-ranked bloodlines.
According to everything scholars understood about magical inheritance, their child should have remained within the expected limits.
But Sofía had been born with Omega-rank affinity.
It wasn't simply an improvement from one generation to the next.
It was a leap that no scholar had ever been able to fully explain.
And as if that anomaly weren't enough, her power had developed along an entirely unconventional path.
She hadn't awakened an elemental affinity.
Instead, she had been born as a Beast Controller.
An extraordinarily rare specialization, even among users of unique forms of magic.
While most Beast Controllers could barely maintain one or two stable contracts with magical creatures, Sofía could sustain three simultaneous bonds.
Her existence had forced the kingdom to reconsider everything it believed it knew about the limits of magical talent.
It was after her appearance that the royal family ordered mandatory affinity testing for every applicant to the academy.
They could not afford to let another talent like hers grow beyond the kingdom's influence.
Although, in that particular case, the decision had come too late.
By the time the Crown realized Sofía The Mondring's true value, the Douglas family had already acted.
They had welcomed her into their household.
Protected her.
And secured her future alongside the heir to the duchy.
Andrew looked once more at the report on the young commoner.
"Very well, Magnus," Andrew said firmly. "I'd like to meet this boy."
"Of course, Your Highness. He's assigned to the Class E dormitories."
Andrew raised an eyebrow slightly.
"A commoner?"
"Yes, my lord."
Magnus nodded calmly.
"His education is lacking, and he's received very little formal training. However, his talent is undeniable. He possesses Delta-rank affinity with the Wind element and a mana reserve comparable to that of a level twenty warrior."
Andrew remained silent for several seconds.
"With affinity like that, he'll learn spells much faster than most students."
"Exactly. Given proper resources, it won't take long before he surpasses a large portion of the nobility."
A faint smile appeared on the prince's face.
"Then we must ensure that talent grows beneath the kingdom's banner before some noble house attempts to claim him."
Magnus inclined his head.
"I thought you would say that, Your Highness."
The two left the office and headed toward the student residential district.
From the main pathway, Andrew looked over the academy's one hundred and twenty-four buildings, home to its one thousand six hundred and ninety students. Beyond them stood the central building, where the most advanced classes were taught and the kingdom's future pillars were trained.
As they walked, Andrew surveyed the grounds.
"How curious."
Magnus glanced at him.
"Is something wrong, Your Highness?"
"Years ago, the academy existed solely to educate the children of the nobility. Now it also seeks hidden talent among commoners."
Magnus smiled faintly.
"Times changed after Duchess Sofía's case."
Andrew nodded without taking his eyes off the road.
"And the kingdom cannot afford to let another talent like that slip away."
"Here, in Classroom 1-38E, you'll find Asher," Magnus explained. "The young man with Delta-rank magical affinity. His gift is extraordinary. Even with unlimited resources, reaching his level of affinity would be nearly impossible. It makes him truly unique."
Andrew nodded, understanding that this wasn't merely about training another student.
It was about cultivating a talent capable of changing the kingdom's balance of power.
"Would you like me to call him out now?" Magnus asked.
"No. Let's greet the entire class first. Then we'll ask him to come."
Andrew walked through the classroom, greeting each of the forty-three cadet-level students, who responded with brief, respectful bows.
Once the formalities were over, he asked Asher to accompany him to the faculty room.
The young man entered with obvious nervousness.
Magnus was already waiting beside a wooden table.
Resting atop it was the affinity test report from that morning.
Andrew picked up the document and studied it for a few moments before looking up.
"Asher, do you know what it means to possess Delta-rank magical affinity?"
The young man slowly shook his head.
"No, Your Highness. I only noticed that the instructors seemed very surprised when they saw the results."
Andrew exchanged a brief glance with Magnus.
"That's understandable. Most commoners are never taught about these things."
He placed the report in front of Asher.
"Tell me something. Do you know what all human beings have in common?"
Asher thought for a moment.
"Everyone has mana?"
Andrew nodded.
"Exactly. We're all born with the ability to store and use mana. However, that doesn't mean everyone can become a mage."
Asher frowned slightly.
"It doesn't?"
Magnus spoke.
"Most people never develop an elemental affinity. They can strengthen their bodies with mana, use magical artifacts, or even activate certain scrolls, but they'll never synchronize with an element."
Andrew pointed to the wind symbol printed on the report.
"Only a portion of the population is born with a natural connection to an element. That's what we call magical affinity."
Asher lowered his eyes to the document.
"So... does affinity mean someone has more mana?"
"No."
Magnus answered immediately.
"That's a very common misconception."
He stepped closer to the table.
"Affinity doesn't increase the amount of mana you possess. It improves how efficiently you use it."
Andrew picked up a quill and drew two small circles on a sheet of paper.
"Imagine these both contain exactly the same amount of water."
He pointed to the first.
"This represents a mage without exceptional affinity."
Then to the second.
"And this one represents a mage with superior affinity."
He drew a line extending from each circle.
The first was thick.
The second much thinner.
"If they both cast the same spell, they'll achieve the same result."
He looked back at Asher.
"But one of them will waste far less mana in the process."
Magnus smiled slightly.
"Which means he'll still be casting spells long after the other has exhausted all of his mana."
Asher's eyes widened slightly.
Now he was beginning to understand.
Andrew wrote six words across the paper.
Alpha.
Beta.
Gamma.
Delta.
Epsilon.
Omega.
He slid the sheet toward Asher.
"These are the six affinity classifications recognized by the kingdom."
His finger slowly traced down the list.
"Alpha is the most common among mages."
"Beta and Gamma are uncommon."
"Delta appears only among a small number of the great noble families."
Asher looked up.
"And Epsilon?"
Andrew paused briefly.
"The known cases can be counted on your fingers."
Silence settled over the room.
His finger descended to the final word.
Omega.
Andrew laid the quill on the table.
"In the entire history of the kingdom, there has only ever been one."
Magnus folded his arms.
"They are individuals capable of changing the course of wars... and in some cases, the destiny of the nation."
Asher looked down at the list again.
Then back at Andrew.
"So..."
He swallowed.
"I'm... Delta?"
Andrew nodded.
"You are."
The young man stood motionless.
Magnus smiled with quiet satisfaction.
"You were born with a gift that many noble families would gladly wish upon their own heirs."
Asher slowly lowered his gaze.
Until that morning, he had considered himself just another commoner.
One student among hundreds.
Now he finally understood why they had summoned him to this room.
Andrew folded his hands atop the table.
"Don't confuse potential with power."
He waited until Asher looked up.
"Without discipline, you'll remain an ordinary student."
"Without training, someone with lower affinity will still be able to defeat you."
He paused.
"But if you develop that talent..."
His eyes locked onto the young man's.
"The royal family is willing to invest in your future."
Asher's heart began pounding.
Those words weren't merely praise.
They were an opportunity.
And a responsibility.
Back in the Class A training area, Andrew walked beside Magnus while watching the students train.
"Who's responsible for the group Asher studies with?" he asked.
"Lord-ranked Knight Francisco, my lord."
Andrew remained silent for several moments before answering.
"Transfer him to Cristian's training group."
Magnus raised his head slightly.
"Magister Cristian?"
"Yes. I want him to oversee Asher's development."
Andrew continued walking with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Asher is no longer just another student. The moment he agrees to serve the royal family, he'll begin the path toward becoming one of our knights."
He paused briefly.
"Provide him with the finest resources we can afford—combat techniques, weapons, potions, and access to high-level monster meat. I want him to advance in rank as quickly as possible."
Magnus nodded.
"Understood, my lord."
After a moment, however, he spoke again.
"His new status will cause resentment. Many noble students won't accept a commoner receiving such treatment. They'll likely try to humiliate him... perhaps even bully him."
Andrew didn't even slow his pace.
"Then Cristian will remind them exactly where they stand."
His voice remained calm.
"The academy doesn't exist to treat everyone equally. It exists to discover talent and transform it into the kingdom's strength."
He looked toward the training fields, where dozens of students were practicing with their weapons.
"A talentless noble will never hold the same value as a prodigy capable of strengthening the royal family."
Magnus remained silent.
Those words perfectly summarized Andrew's philosophy.
Birth granted privilege...
But talent determined who deserved the kingdom's investment.