"You've arrived."
Aurelia spoke without turning around, her voice calm, cold, and distant.
"Come here."
Ryn said nothing. He obediently stepped forward and stopped in front of the water basin as instructed.
Aurelia still did not look up.
She slowly lowered her left hand into the water.
"Place your left hand in the basin."
Ryn followed her command, lowering his left hand into the clear water before him.
Inside the basin, the water swirled gently.
Several dried leaves floated in a slow circular motion along the current.
The moment his palm touched the water, Ryn felt something seep into his body.
It was not painful.
Not violent.
Instead, a warm sensation spread softly through him, as if some kind of energy was flowing directly through his skin and into his very being.
After a short while, Aurelia spoke again.
"Remove your hand."
Ryn slowly lifted his hand from the basin.
Clear droplets slid down from his fingertips.
A faint bluish-green glow shimmered on his left palm—
not bright, but unmistakably visible.
Aurelia stared at the light in silence before murmuring,
"Bluish green… is it."
She extended her hand.
"Give me your hand."
Ryn obeyed.
Aurelia placed her hand firmly over the back of his.
"Repeat after me."
Her voice became slow and deliberate, each word carrying weight.
"O Athear, the Equilibrium of All Powers,
Who guides neither destruction nor protection alone,
But places all magic where it truly belongs—
Grant your power unto me."
Ryn repeated the words, matching her rhythm and tone,
one phrase at a time.
Suddenly, the bluish-green light flared once more.
This time, it did not merely glow.
It began to shift—slowly taking shape, forming a magic crest upon the back of Ryn's hand.
The lines of the sigil etched themselves in gradually.
The light seeped beneath his skin, then faded away.
It did not burn.
It did not sting.
It did not scorch.
Instead, it felt… strangely warm.
Aurelia withdrew her hand.
"It is complete."
She turned slightly away and began to explain, her voice calm, cold, and precise.
"There are four colors of magical light."
"Red — Destruction."
"Blue — Healing."
"Green — Protection."
"Yellow — Support."
"Women are born with these powers naturally.
Men, however, are not.
That is why they must undergo the Rite to obtain the ability to invoke magic."
Aurelia turned to face Ryn directly.
"Each person possesses only one primary color.
Some rare individuals have two.
This means they can wield magic of those colors more efficiently than others."
She raised her hand slightly, as if laying down a rule.
"If you possess blue, your healing magic will surpass those without it.
But if you force yourself to use red magic, your destructive power will be weaker than someone born with red."
She paused, then concluded firmly.
"Remember this well."
Ryn nodded, listening carefully.
His hand still felt warm.
And he knew—
From this moment on,
his path had truly changed.
Aurelia then spoke again in a flat tone.
"You may only come here to study magic in the evenings."
Ryn lifted his gaze slightly.
"This place is reserved for women.
Your presence during other hours would be… inconvenient."
"Remember this.
Do not come at any other time."
With that, she turned away, offering no chance for further questions.
Ryn could only bow in acknowledgment
before heading back to Richard's home.