When I placed my hand on the orb, I expected something glorious.
A radiant burst of light. A swirl of color. A dramatic reveal that would confirm everything.
But…
Nothing happened.
The orb in front of me remained completely black. Not even a dim glow.
I stood frozen. So did the rest of the hall.
A wave of murmurs swept through the crowd.
Melon, usually all smiles, hurried forward to inspect the orb, her cheerful demeanor replaced by visible anxiety. More staff joined her, whispering, prodding, trying to figure out what went wrong.
"I… I apologize for the inconvenience. Please wait just a moment!" Melon announced, her voice slightly cracked despite the magical amplification.
"Is the orb broken?" Lee's voice called out from the balcony above.
"There's no way it's broken," Mark replied beside him. "That orb is magically reinforced with ancient mana."
Evelyn leaned closer to William. "William…"
