As they walked together, Beatrice was still sulking.
Arms crossed, cheeks puffed out like a child denied a treat. She dragged her steps just enough to be noticeably annoying, shooting Verena the occasional side-eye.
Verena sighed. She had to admit... ditching Beatrice like that was a bit rude.
And, though she hated to acknowledge it - this girl, whom she had once despised, was probably the closest thing she had to a friend in this world.
"Fine, I'm sorry," Verena muttered, glancing away like the apology physically pained her. Then, after a pause, she added, "In exchange... you can study . I suppose I do need help from your expertise, after all."
In an instant, Beatrice's pout vanished. Her eyes sparkled. "R-Really?!"
Before Verena could second-guess her decision, they were already on their way to Beatrice's house—again.
The mont they stepped inside, the sa peculiar but oddly welcoming atmosphere greeted her.
The estate slled faintly of parchnt and old ink, mixed with the soft scent of dried herbs. The corridors were lined with towering bookshelves, each one stuffed with thick tos and fragile scrolls.
Familiar faces greeted them.
Maids barely reacted this ti as if already resigned to Verena's repeated visit. A butler gave a polite nod and took away their bags before disappearing down a hallway.
Finally, they entered the library.
"So, how exactly do I dissect you?"
"Can you maybe not phrase it like I'm a frog in a biology class?" She slumped into her chair, rubbing her temples. "I still don't get it..."
"Well, first thing's first—where's the obsidian stone?"
"Left it at ho." Verena waved a hand dismissively. "But that's not the issue. I don't understand how my power works. One ti, I said sothing and felt sothing happen... but I can't seem to tap into it properly."
Beatrice humd, tapping her chin. "You do know how Connections work, right? I think the problem isn't your power—it's that you're struggling to actually Connect with your Zodiac."
"Great. So I have commitnt issues with my own damn magic."
Connections were forged through consistent practice, requiring individuals to embody the core traits of their Zodiac alignnt and Sun Rising.
Mastery ca not just from raw talent, but from weaving their magic into daily use, threading power through repetition until it beca as natural as breathing, as effortless as sewing stitch after stitch.
That's why it was called Zodiac Weaving because magic wasn't just granted, it was intertwined with the Zodiacs themselves.
Power stemd from celestial placents and alignnts, and true mastery lay in learning how to weave those cosmic threads into one's own will.
But that was the problem.
Ophiuchus had no established core traits. No guiding principles, no well-docunted affinities.
It was an enigma, an outlier in a system built on predictability.
Beatrice gasped, eyes widening as she stared up at the ceiling in realization. "I... I think I've figured it out!"
"Figured what out?"
"How your power might work!" Beatrice leaned forward, excitent bubbling in her voice. "Ophiuchus has no defined traits, right? That's why it's so hard to connect with!"
"And?"
"And that ans its power isn't fixed. It's fluid. Your strength is tied directly to your mindset and self-perception. Who you are, what you believe yourself to be... That's what shapes your magic!"
It all clicked into place.
The duty of a Conduitor was to channel the will of the stars.
But Ophiuchus...
Ophiuchus had always been the outcast, the forgotten one, forever yearning to be part of sothing it was denied. It had no fixed identity, no predefined path, just like her.
A transmigrator. A glitch in the system.
If she wanted to connect with Ophiuchus, she couldn't rely on sothing predetermined.
She had to carve her own place in this world. Define herself. Forge her own identity. Stray away from fixed structure. Only then could she wield its power.
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