---A Request Made in Silence
The Awakening Hall still carried the soft echo of a miracle.
The orb had dimmed, the pillars had quieted, yet the air held a lingering awe—like incense burned in an ancient temple.
King Alistair stepped forward.
He did not raise his voice.
He didn't need to.
A king who spoke with certainty never required volume.
"Before we conclude this ceremony," he said slowly, "I request your loyalty in a matter of great importance."
The nobles straightened subtly.
The knights lowered their heads.
Priests folded their hands in respectful silence.
Alistair's gaze moved across them with calm gravity.
"You may speak of the Crown Prince's elements—Water, Ice, and Gravity."
His tone softened. "They are his pride, and the kingdom's joy."
A ripple of agreement moved through the assembly.
"But," he continued, voice deepening, "his potential must remain hidden."
Silence tightened around the hall.
"This world," Alistair said quietly, "is far more ambitious than peaceful. If other nations learn of a Limitless potential… they may attempt to chain him through diplomacy, marriage alliances, or darker means."
He didn't glare.
He didn't threaten.
He simply stated truth.
"I will not allow my son to be used."
Something gentle flickered across Queen Elara's eyes.
A faint breeze of Spirit mana brushed the hall—soft, protective.
No noble dared speak.
Not from fear, but from understanding.
One by one, silent thoughts rose—
House Kynos:
The king is right. The prince's future must be guarded.
Captain Seraphine:
A treasure like that cannot fall into another kingdom's hands.
Aevon Patriarch:
Aravell must shield its rising star.
An Elemental Priest:
Potential that reaches the heavens should not attract the greed of mortals.
Princess Aria:
"I'll bite anyone who tries to take my brother!"
Queen Elara's hand gently pulled her daughter closer, hiding a quiet smile.
The High Priestess stepped forward, pressing her hand over her heart.
"On behalf of the Elemental Church," she declared, "we vow to seal this truth. It shall never leave these walls."
Then—
As if bound by instinct, by loyalty, and by something deeper—
The entire hall bowed.
Nobles.
Captains.
Priests.
Knights.
Their voices, united, filled the chamber:
"We swear to safeguard the Crown Prince."
Arcanis did not move.
But something in his gaze softened—
just a fraction.
The smallest sign of a future king acknowledging the weight of an entire kingdom standing behind him.
---
— A Formal Farewell
As the oath settled like a warm mantle over the hall, nobles stepped forward with courteous grace.
"If His Majesty allows," said Lord Thale, bowing deeply, "we shall take our leave. Preparations for the Crown Prince's coronation begin today."
The king nodded gently.
House Kynos followed.
House Aevon.
House Lunara.
Lady Lunara paused, offering a serene bow to the queen.
"We will return for the Crown Prince's birthday celebration—to witness his coronation with honor."
Queen Elara smiled softly. "We await it."
Then the captains approached.
Serion knelt, fist pressed over his heart.
"I will reinforce the northern frontlines, Your Majesty. Let no threat near the capital."
Vareth bowed steadily.
"I will fortify the outer barriers. The prince's safety will not falter."
Lyris grinned gently.
"I will organize naval patrols. If trouble comes by sea, we will greet it properly."
Seraphine inclined her head with scholarly calm.
"I shall begin researching the resonances observed today. There is much to understand."
Rheon…
Simply disappeared.
Everyone accepted this as his way of saying:
"I'll handle the shadows."
After that, noble heirs bowed.
Priests offered blessings.
And gradually—
Family by family—
Group by group—
The Awakening Hall emptied, its earlier brilliance replaced by a warm, settling quiet.
Only the royal family and their elite knights remained.
---
Scene 3 — Whispers Through Vaelhold
Far beyond the palace walls, the kingdom stirred.
Footsteps echoed on stone streets.
Messengers rode swift horses.
Doors opened at dawn.
And all carried the same news:
"The Crown Prince has awakened!"
"He awakened three elements!"
Yet beyond that—
Nothing.
No whispers of resonance.
No murmurs of Limitless potential.
No dangerous rumors.
The palace had shielded the truth perfectly.
In a baker's shop, an old woman murmured,
"They're hiding it. Must be something precious."
At the docks, a fisherman leaned on his net.
"Three elements… the prince must be strong."
In the market, a merchant whispered,
"The royal family knows what it's doing. We trust them."
Across the city—
in homes, taverns, streets—
the same sentiment echoed beautifully:
"Protect the prince."
"Protect the future."
Aravell had always been peaceful.
But today, Aravell was united.
---
Scene 4 — The Truth of the System
In the now-quiet hall, the High Priestess approached Arcanis with soft steps.
"One final matter remains, Your Highness," she said. "The explanation of the System."
Arcanis nodded politely.
She lifted a hand, shaping a glowing white rune in the air.
A simple interface appeared before him—plain, minimalistic, functional.
"This is the basic System Interface given to all awakened individuals," she explained.
"It records your level, elements, skills, and growth."
Arcanis listened.
Calm.
Composed.
But inside—
The Imperial Codex stirred.
Golden runes unfurled behind his eyes.
A soft whisper formed in his mind:
> [Your System surpasses all others.]
[Root Access Granted.]
His real interface—
ancient, alive, breathtaking—
was nothing like the simplistic box the priestess showed.
He hid it effortlessly.
"I understand," he said with a polite dip of his head.
The High Priestess smiled warmly, unaware of the difference between a mortal system…
and a divine one.
"May the elements guide you, Crown Prince," she said. "You carry the hopes of Aravell."
She bowed, robes whispering like gentle wind, and stepped away.
One by one, the priests and remaining attendants left the chamber.
Until finally—
Only four hearts remained in the hush of the hall:
The king.
The queen.
The princess.
The prince.
And the future waiting for him like an open horizon.
The ceremony was over.
But the world had only just begun to change.