🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter: 1
Julai took a deep breath, trying to calm her trembling body.
‘This might really be my last chance.’
She looked down at her rough, calloused hands.
“Please… if there is a god, just give me one thing.”
She prayed desperately. If only the water symbol would appear on her hand, her life could change completely. If only she were chosen as the successor today.
“Let’s begin.”
Crown Prince Wyatt Craytan announced solemnly.
The final trial to decide the successor of Water.
The selection ceremony began inside a room where only the successors of the four elements could enter.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Julai bowed politely and clenched her fists. From her tightly held hands, a stream of water rose.
“Understood, Your Highness.”
Yulia, standing beside her, spoke in a soft, gentle voice and smiled brightly. A stream of water also appeared from her hand.
One by one, the others in the room stepped closer to the round table. Each positioned themselves at one of the four corners formed by the streams of water crossing the table.
Wyatt, standing to the left, moved his hand. Flames danced and flared on his open palm.
Dante Audrian, on the right, also moved his hand. Unlike the flames, wind blew around him, stirring the air and rustling his hair naturally.
“Is it my turn?”
Clazen Whityon, who had been grinning, stepped forward. From his hand, earth appeared. A small, hopeful sprout grew from the mound of soil. The power symbolized the land that nurtures all life.
“Yulia, you go first.”
At Clazen’s words, Yulia stepped forward with a proud smile, and her stream of water surged higher. The forceful stream of water radiated pure elemental power.
‘No…’
Despair blossomed in Julai’s heart, slowly consuming her. She shook her head desperately and gathered all her strength into her hands.
But deep down, she already knew.
No matter how hard she tried, she could not surpass Yulia’s power.
The difference was obvious.
She hated it.
She did not want to lose to Yulia.
Julai Rive.
An orphan who had grown up in a foster home, constantly told she should never have been born, had manifested the power of Water at eighteen and had been adopted by the Rive Count family a year ago.
Life in the Count’s house was harsh. Ignored like in the orphanage, she endured torment from Yulia, the Count’s only daughter, and the neglect of the Count couple.
The one thing that allowed her to breathe was the Room of Four Elements.
Fire. Wyatt Craytan, the heir of Fire and Crown Prince of the Ilenum Empire.
Wind. Dante Audrian, the heir of Wind, top graduate of the academy, and a level-7 high mage.
Land. Clazen Whityon, heir of Earth, and owner of the empire’s largest trade guild.
Here, Julai had the chance to form new bonds.
‘…I thought it was a chance.’
Meeting the successors was not because she was the adopted daughter of the Rive family.
It was because she was the successor of Water.
She had believed she could forge bonds through her own power. She endured injuries, waited patiently, and tried to maintain relationships.
Perhaps even that was a luxury she could not afford.
Three weeks ago.
Yulia, the only daughter of the Rive family, manifested the power of Water.
When Yulia gained her power, attention naturally shifted from Julai to her. And Yulia’s power was far stronger than Julai’s.
Her last hope.
‘I can’t let Yulia become the successor like this.’
Julai pressed her lips, drawing blood, and focused all her energy. Her stream of water grew larger and larger.
“Oh, impressive.”
Clazen Whityon whistled.
Wyatt and Dante watched the duel expressionlessly, as if it didn’t matter who won.
Bitter.
…Was it all just a mistake to think they had opened their hearts to me?
When Yulia furrowed her brows, her water surged even more. A mocking smile spread across her face.
Julai thought:
‘God is unfair.’
She had everything.
Beauty.
A noble family.
A smooth path in life.
She was known in high society, leaving an impression on nobles including the Crown Prince.
And now she had even taken this.
It’s too unfair.
‘I can’t go any further.’
Her eyes blurred from overexertion. Julai rubbed them and gripped the table. No one offered support or concern.
She inhaled deeply, glancing around.
Wyatt. Dante. Clazen. None of them cared about her condition or even her expression.
“Is that the limit of your power?”
Dante urged her, eager to see her power. They were focused solely on measuring the strength of Julai and Yulia.
Exhausted, Julai struggled to breathe.
‘It’s hard to breathe.’
While she tried to steady her panting, Dante suddenly sprang forward toward Yulia.
“A symbol has appeared.”
“Really?”
Wyatt strode toward Yulia and seized her hand. Normally careful about unnecessary contact, he made no exception this time.
Yulia blushed at the sudden touch.
Julai saw the symbol shimmer on Yulia’s hand. The undulating wave pattern, the mark of the successor, appeared.
…It was over.
‘I was nothing, after all.’
If they intended to take it back, they shouldn’t have given her hope in the first place.
Why did God give her false hope?
Julai bit her lip.
Wyatt raised his unignited hand.
“Seems that’s all.”
She realized it too, but lingering regret remained. Julai gathered her remaining courage and raised her hand.
“I can still do it.”
“No. You’ve lost.”
Dante Audrian, fist clenched, said coldly.
“Now it’s clear. Julai Rive, you are not the successor of Water.”
Each syllable from Dante’s mouth was sharp and cruel, like a confirmation of her defeat.
“The first daughter of the Rive family, Yulia Rive, is the Water heir.”
“My power… it’s water too. It appeared before Yulia’s…”
She tried to speak, but her voice had no strength. She was completely drained.
Julai pressed her lips and took a deep breath to stop herself from crying. If she cried now, everything would end.
This was the last space where she could still be herself.
She did not want Yulia to take even this away.
“Julai, manifesting first doesn’t make one a successor. Even history has examples of those whose powers appeared later.”
From Clazen’s hand, the sprout grew instantly into a rose. He sniffed its fragrance, opened and closed his eyes, and smiled gently. The previously tense atmosphere lightened slightly.
“You must accept your defeat. That’s the Julai I know.”
Clazen’s smile and words filled Julai with resentment. Once the easiest person to approach in this room, now she hated him.
…It seems deceiving her was unavoidable, but not even that was true.
Clazen would greet everyone with a smile, whether she was present or not.
“There’s nothing more to discuss.”
Dante ended it sharply.
“From next month, Yulia will take over the duties of the successor.”
Wyatt turned on his heel.
“That’s all for today. Yulia Rive, come alone next week. This place is confidential; take no one with you.”
At Wyatt’s words, Julai felt as if a stone had fallen into her chest.
“Julai Rive, you are banned from entering here.”
No.
“…What about the training I’ve received?”
“Not needed. Useless now. Your powers will fade gradually since the successor is decided.”
She remembered Wyatt’s cold words when she first entered this room:
[We are the successors of the four elements. No one else may enter. The successors are only us.]
She had liked the thought that she was special.
“There’s nothing more you can do here.”
Her place in this room was gone.
Dante stepped forward and unexpectedly held out his hand.
‘What…?’
Julai grasped it reflexively. Dante waved it a few times and let go. Adjusting his glasses, he said:
“This is your final farewell. You won’t see us again.”
“Won’t see…?”
“Do you think so? I’m a busy mage, he’s the Crown Prince, and Clazen runs a guild. You wouldn’t have the chance to see them normally.”
His words were as sharp as ever, yet they bruised her heart.
“Dante, you shouldn’t speak like that. It’s been a pleasure, Julai Rive.”
Clazen kissed the back of her hand and bowed politely. Julai looked around, feeling as if everyone else had disappeared.
She wanted at least eye contact, a sign they cared even a little.
‘…Huh?’
Their eyes were empty.
Nothing.
No regret. No longing.
…Not even a fleeting hesitation.
‘Ah….’
Julai finally understood.
What she had believed was affection, bonds, or friendship—was all an illusion.
To them, she was just:
A Water successor candidate.
Someone they were obliged to meet.
Nothing more.
