THE CHOOSEN ONES

**"Be My Student."**

Edwin Ronald, the greatest mage of this age, the Tower Master, and the rumored leader of the Demonic Cult, was a man known for his ruthlessness. He was the kind of person who wouldn't hesitate to eliminate anyone who stood in his way.

And yet, here he was, standing in front of me, asking me to be his student.

*Me.* The person who had come here to kill him.

"Y-you're joking, right?" I stammered, my voice trembling with disbelief. He tilted his head slightly, his crimson eyes studying me with an unsettling calmness.

"Do you already have a teacher?" he asked, as if this were a perfectly normal conversation.

*That's not the point!* I screamed internally. T

His man was supposed to be a lunatic, a dangerous figure who dabbled in dark magic and demonic pacts. And yet, here he was, casually offering to teach me magic.

"No, but—" I started, trying to find the right words to refuse. Before I could finish, he nodded and extended his hand. "Then become my student. I will teach you."

*What is happening?* My mind raced. Was this some kind of trap? Was he planning to sacrifice me to some demonic entity? The thought sent a chill down my spine.

"Ahem, I think you're mistaken. I have no talent for magic," I said, trying to sound firm. But Edwin didn't seem convinced. He stepped closer, and I instinctively tensed, ready to defend myself.

"You have the most chaotic magic running inside you," he said, his voice low and steady. "Someone has done something to your mana core, which is why you can't use magic."

My eyes widened. *What?* I had no mana. That's what I'd always believed. But Edwin's words planted a seed of doubt in my mind. Why would he lie about something like this?

"Aura and mana can't reside in the same body," I countered, my voice tinged with suspicion. Unless, of course, you were Ezekian Nordwyn. But I didn't need to tell him that.

Edwin's red eyes gleamed like polished rubies, and I couldn't help but notice how unusual they were. In my 48 years of life, I'd never seen anyone with eyes like his. Was it because of his pact with demons?

"You're right," he admitted, stepping back slightly, perhaps sensing my unease. "But you're the second different case I've seen."

*Second?* My curiosity piqued.

"Who?"

The question slipped out before I could stop myself. Edwin's expression darkened for a moment, but he quickly masked it. "You won't recognize him even if I tell you," he said, his tone tinged with annoyance.

I couldn't help but wonder if I should press further, but I decided against it. Instead, I turned to leave. "I have no reason to become your student, Old Man," I said, trying to sound dismissive.

"Are you sure?" He called after me, his voice calm but laced with something I couldn't quite place.

I stopped in my tracks, my mind racing. Killing him would solve one problem, but it would create a dozen more. The mages would go on a rampage, and the empire would be thrown into chaos.

"If you want to kill me, just say it. There's no need for all this drama," I snapped, turning to glare at him. But Edwin didn't flinch. "Why would I kill you?" he asked, his tone almost innocent.

Before I could respond, a high-pitched voice interrupted us. "PAPAAAAAAA, I'VE FINALLY CREATED CLOUDS USING MAGIC!"

A young boy, no older than eight, came running into the room, his face beaming with excitement. He had brown hair, neatly braided, and his black eyes sparkled with joy.

*Claude?* My heart skipped a beat. This was the same Claude I knew from the future, but he looked so different. There wasn't a single scar on his arms or hands, and he seemed... happy. The Claude I knew had been marked by years of abuse and experimentation. But this boy? He was radiant.

Edwin's face lit up as he scooped Claude into his arms. "I told you, my pumpkin pie. You're a genius," he said, kissing Claude's chubby cheeks. Claude giggled, and for a moment, I forgot why I was even here.

But then it hit me. *This doesn't make sense.* The Claude I knew had suffered immensely at Edwin's hands. But here, in this moment, Edwin looked like a loving father. There was no trace of the cruelty I'd heard about.

My gut twisted. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

"Sir Edwin Ronald," I said, bowing my head slightly. Both Edwin and Claude turned to look at me. "Who is she, Papa?" Claude whispered, but Edwin didn't answer. He was waiting for me to speak.

"Please take me in as your disciple and teach me about magic," I said, my voice firm and sincere.

Edwin's lips curled into a small smile. "She's your papa's student, pumpkin pie," he said, his tone warm. Claude clapped his hands in delight. "Really? PAPA HAS A STUDENT? THAT MEANS—" He turned to me, his big, deer-like eyes wide with excitement. "You're my big sister, right, right?"

I couldn't help but sigh. In the future, Claude had been a troublemaker who never showed me an ounce of respect.

And now he was calling me "big sister." The irony wasn't lost on me.

"You should be here tomorrow at exactly 8 AM," Edwin said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Aren't you going to ask my name, Teacher?" I asked, giving him a cold smile. But

Edwin just shrugged. "I don't think I need to know your name, Foxy," he said, his tone casual.

*Foxy?* My eyes widened as I realized something. The disguising pill I'd taken—the one that turned my hair red and my eyes gray—had worn off. *No! No!* I panicked, pulling at my hair. How could I have been so careless?

"Papa, are you sure it's okay to take her as your student?" Claude whispered, his voice filled with innocent concern.

Edwin chuckled. "It's okay. Genius swordmasters like her are a little... eccentric."

"Eccentric?" I shot back, glaring at him. "That's you, not me, sir."

"If I were in my right mind, I would've never asked the middle child of Dain Obsidian Nyxveil to be my student," Edwin said, his tone casual but with a hint of something darker.

I frowned. "Do you have any bad blood with my father?"

Edwin raised an eyebrow. "Didn't your father send you here?"

*Oh no.* How was I supposed to answer that? If I said yes, he might confront my father. If I said no, how would I explain why I was here? I decided to go with a half-truth.

"Nobody sent me. I came here on my own," I said, scratching my head nervously.

Edwin's eyes narrowed. "Then how did you know—"

"I overheard it in the Imperial Palace," I interrupted. "They said Edwin Ronald is searching for a cure to bring his wife back from the dead."

It wasn't a complete lie. The rumor had been circulating in the palace for years. Edwin's expression darkened for a moment, but he quickly composed himself.

"You kids are truly reckless," he muttered under his breath.

"I'm not a kid!" I protested.

"I'm of your mother's age, Selantia," he shot back, his tone dry.

*Selantia.* My eyes widened. He knew my name. Of course he did. The disguising pill had worn off, and now he could see through me completely. Just wait, Bai Huan, you're going to get your ass whipped for giving me such a pill that only last's for 6 hours.

"Selantia, you have a pretty name, Big Sister," Claude said, his voice soft and sweet.

I couldn't help but smile. "You're right," I said, winking at him.

Edwin looked up at the sky. "You should be here by 8 AM, Foxy," he said, his tone final.

"Yes, Sir. Then I'll leave now," I said, bowing slightly. Claude waved at me, his smile so innocent it almost hurt to look at.

*Damn it, I can't pull his cheeks. I CAN'T PULL HIS CHEEKS—*

"Weren't you leaving?" Edwin's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I realized I was actually squeezeing Claude's cheeks.

I quickly let go and flipped back. "GOODNIGHT, MASTER! I'll see you tomorrow!" I shouted before darting away.

*You're sick, Selantia Nyxveil.* I scolded myself as I jumped over the trees and passed the barrier separating Edwin's mansion from the Eastern Market.

Behind me, Edwin and Claude watched as I disappeared into the distance.

...................................

"Papa, you've refused to take any students before. Why her?" Claude asked, his voice filled with curiosity.

Edwin ruffled his son's hair, a soft smile on his lips. "Because I was waiting for my real disciple," he said.

"Real disciple?" Claude tilted his head, confused.

"You'll understand soon," Edwin replied, his tone cryptic. "I felt something strange from her," Claude mumbled, placing a hand on his chest. "It felt like I've known her for a long time, like she's someone really close to me."

Edwin's expression softened. He knew his son was unusually perceptive for his age. "Then maybe she's exactly who we've been missing for years," he said, his voice filled with quiet certainty.

As they walked back to the mansion, Edwin couldn't help but wonder what secrets Selantia Nyxveil was hiding—and why she had come to him in the first place.