Roland lay back in the bathtub, letting the hot water melt away the lingering fatigue from his body.
It's strange… he mused, sinking deeper into the warmth. After Enzo left to get me water earlier, it felt like information about my abilities was directly injected into my brain.
Unlike during the trial, where he relied on pseudo-abilities granted temporarily, upon awakening, he now possessed detailed knowledge of his true power. It didn't require study or experimentation—it came to him naturally, as if he'd always known.
'Divine' energy… It's the core of everything. That's the power that surged through me during the fight with the ancient beast.
Unfortunately, the ice powers he once wielded were no longer available to him. They hadn't belonged to him in the first place.
But he hadn't come out of it empty-handed.
He stood up from the tub and walked toward the mirror, droplets of water trailing down his skin.
'Combustion' His eyes locked with his reflection, a quiet fire burning behind them. My unique ability.
Roland body started to radiate a soft glow, the divine energy coursing through his entire body. Slowly the tip of his fingers started to transform into whisps of flames, dancing in the air. Soon his entire body had turn incorporial, fire bursting outwards before quickly dispearsing, only leaving behind a puddle of water where Roland had stood.
Outside his washroom in the main chamber, in the middle of the room, a whisp of flame sparked into existence. It surrounding crackling, as the flame quickly grew larger and larger, before condensing together into a humaniod siloutet. From the flames, Roland walked out the water on his nude body completely dried.
In a matter of seconds, Roland had teleported from the washroom to the main chambers!
Not bad... The name 'Fire Warp' really is fitting for this ability. Roland thought, walking towards the sofa, picking up a slik robe to dress himself.
Roland's unique ability, 'Combustion', was split into two parts: 'Fire Warp' and 'Explosion'.
The former had already proven itself useful, but it was far from perfect. Roland walked to the front of the sofa and plopped down onto it, limbs heavy with residual fatigue. Unfortunately, the range is only about twenty meters… and I can probably only use it two or three times before my divine energy runs out, he thought with a sigh, letting his body sink deeper into the cushions.
The latter—Explosion—was far more straightforward. Roland could imbue an object with divine energy, effectively turning it into a bomb.
To test it, he reached forward and grabbed a red apple from the small coffee table in front of him. He turned it over in his hand a few times, inspecting it, then tossed it lightly into the air. As it spun above him, Roland brought the fingers of his right hand together.
Snap!
The sound echoed through the large room. In the same instant, the apple crackled violently and began to glow—then detonated midair with a loud bang. A cloud of ash and scorched apple fragments sprayed across the chamber, leaving quite the mess behind.
...Maybe exploding the apple indoors wasn't the brightest idea, Roland thought, wincing slightly at the charred debris now littering the floor. Mildly embarrassed, he stood and grabbed a handkerchief, beginning to clean up the aftermath.
Still, a small smile crept onto his face.
Explosion is definitely going to be my main combat ability. While its damage output wasn't overwhelming with just a light touch, its versatility was where the real strength lay.
For example… I could prepare bombs in advance and throw them during battle. That alone gives me a tactical edge.
The longer he held onto an object, the more divine energy he could imbue into it—though, of course, there was a limit, depending on the object's size.
He could also produce a small flame from his hands, however it was of much use.
If I were to classify myself in game terms, I'd be a mix between a magician and an assassin, Roland mused, brushing off the last bits of charred apple. Since my abilities require close contact, a hit-and-run style of combat would suit me best. Swift strikes, quick escapes... Yeah, that's my edge.
A smile crept onto his face. I can't wait to go home and show off my abilities to Eleanor, Father, and Mother.
...
Light rays streamed through the windows of Roland's bedchamber, gently waking him.
Ugh… Roland groaned as he slowly sat up in bed.
Rubbing his eyes, he heard the sound of approaching footsteps from outside the door.
"My lord, are you awake?" Enzo called out.
"Yes… Wait, let me get dressed first," Roland replied groggily.
The night before, he had washed his clothes in the washroom sink, then used his abilities to dry them.
I'm not sure about the other candidates, but I'll definitely be the best-smelling of the lot. Roland smirked to himself, his face caught in a dumb grin.
Now dressed in his white suit and velvet red vest, he stepped out into the main chamber, spotting Enzo seated on the sofa.
"Good morning, Enzo. How was your sleep?" Roland asked with a friendly smile.
"Not bad. The servant quarters here are quite decent," Enzo said, adjusting the monocle on his right eye.
"Better than your personal quarters at the Erkhart estate?" Roland gave him a sly look.
"Haha. Certainly not." Enzo replied, calm and refined as always.
At times like this, it was Enzo who seemed more like the noble between the two of them.
They chatted for a bit longer before getting down to business.
"The head elder has invited all the candidates to join him for breakfast," Enzo reported.
"Oh? When does it start?" Roland asked, raising an eyebrow.
"At nine. You have about thirty minutes until then."
Hmm, that's still quite a bit of time... Maybe I should take a stroll and observe the Imperial Palace. Roland thought to himself.
"Enzo, let's go on a short stroll," he suggested.
"Certainly," Enzo replied standing up with a slight bow.
With that, they exited the room, Roland donning his coat and grabbing his gold-inlaid cane.
...
Cling. Cling. "Hah! Hah!"
The sound of clashing steel and grunts of exertion filled the air.
Roland and Enzo had wandered toward the Imperial Knights' training grounds. From a distance, they watched as knights practiced their swordsmanship and footwork with intense focus.
This is the first time I've actually seen knights in person. They certainly look strong, Roland thought, observing the training with interest. I wonder if I could learn to wield a sword like them... now that I'm no longer frail.
His eyes scanned the field. There are even female knights—like that one...
"Wait a minute. Alice Albertine?!" Roland blurted out, completely taken aback.
There she was—Alice, the cold and noble candidate—dressed in the same training attire as yesterday, her black hair tied into a practical ponytail. In front of her stood the handsome knight who had accompanied her to the palace. And they were sparring.
Cling! Cling!
Their swords clashed with speed and precision, neither giving the other room to breathe. It was clear they both followed the same style—light on their feet, fast, and relentless. A whirlwind of offense and defense.
Their spar looked like a choreographed dance, each move answered with an equal counter. It was beautiful.
I didn't know Alice was such a good fighter... Roland thought, completely immersed.
But the dance soon reached its crescendo. The handsome knight stumbled, losing his balance for a brief moment. Alice seized the opportunity and dashed in to land the finishing blow.
However, the knight twisted mid-fall, flipping into a cartwheel that disarmed Alice with a swift kick—her sword flying from her hand and landing with a clang several meters away.
And with that, the match was decided—the knight barely besting his master, Alice Albertine.