Morning sunlight stread through the tall windows of the dining room, casting everything in warm golden hues that should have felt peaceful. Instead, I felt like I was walking into a performance where one wrong move could bring the whole charade crashing down.
Six days until the academy. Act natural, Marcus. You’re still the innocent prince who definitely didn’t spend last night discovering you have supernatural sexual abilities.
I entered the dining room to find Mother and Lyanna already seated, sharing what looked like important correspondence over their morning tea. They looked up as I approached, and I caught the way Mother’s violet eyes imdiately scanned with that familiar intensity.
Level 180 Ascendant.
"Good morning," I said with a gentle smile, settling into my usual chair. "I hope I’m not late?"
"Perfect timing, actually," Mother replied, though her gaze lingered on with curiosity. "We were just discussing so rather extraordinary news from the academy."
That doesn’t sound ominous at all.
Lyanna looked up from the letter she was reading, ice-blue eyes bright with excitent. "The immortals have issued an unprecedented summons. They’re calling back every genius, princess, heir, and top-tier young talents from all six empires."
Wait, what?
"Called back?" I asked, genuine confusion replacing my careful act. "For what?"
"That’s what makes it so extraordinary," Mother said, leaning forward with the kind of intensity she usually reserved for major political developnts. "The academy is opening an entirely new educational path. Sothing they’re calling the ’Transcendence Track.’"
Transcendence? That sounds... significant.
As if summoned by our conversation, Cassandra appeared in the doorway. She looked... different. Not obviously so, but there was sothing in the way she carried herself—a subtle contentnt that seed to radiate from her very being.
And she’s walking a bit carefully. Probably still feeling the effects of last night.
"Sorry I’m late," she said, moving to her seat with deliberate grace. "I slept more deeply than usual."
Understatent of the century.
"Perfect timing, dear," Mother said. "We were just discussing the academy’s announcent. It affects all of you."
Cassandra raised an eyebrow as she took her seat. "All of us?"
Lyanna practically vibrated with excitent. "They’re opening a new path for potential immortality candidates. The immortals believe they’ve discovered sothing in the forbidden regions that could change everything."
Immortality candidates? Forbidden regions? This just got a lot more interesting.
"What kind of discovery?" I asked, leaning forward with genuine curiosity.
"They’re being deliberately vague," Mother replied, holding up an official-looking docunt with the academy seal. "But they ntion ’breakthrough discoveries in the nature of transcendent advancent’ and ’preparation for expeditions into previously forbidden territories.’"
The forbidden regions. Areas that even immortals approach carefully. What could they have found?
"The really unprecedented part," Lyanna continued, "is that they’re specifically requesting the most powerful young generation from every empire. Princess Seraphine, Princess Glaciana, Princess Amara—all the potential heirs are being recalled imdiately."
She paused, her ice-blue eyes gleaming with sothing like anticipation. "Including both of us."
Wait, what?
"Both of you?" I asked, looking between my sisters.
"Cassandra’s SS-rank puts her in the top tier of her generation," Mother explained with obvious pride. "But Lyanna..." She smiled with the kind of maternal satisfaction reserved for truly exceptional achievents.
There’s sothing in that smile. Sothing bigger than just being proud.
"Lyanna is SSS ," Mother said simply.
The words hit like a physical blow. I stared at my twin sister—quiet, analytical Lyanna who I’d thought was Level 95 Grandmaster—and felt my entire understanding of my family shift.
SSS . That’s... that’s like most empresses. That’s legendary-tier power.
"SSS ?" I managed to say, my voice slightly strangled.
Lyanna shrugged with characteristic understatent. "It’s not written on my forehead or visible in my aura. I prefer to keep it quiet."
No fucking wonder she’s so analytical and observant. She’s not just smart—she’s operating on a completely different level than everyone around her.
"Quiet?" Cassandra laughed, though there was sothing like awe in her voice. "Lyanna, you’re considered one of the three most promising individuals of the entire younger generation across all six empires."
Three most promising. In the entire world. My twin sister.
"The immortals specifically requested her by na in the initial召回令," Mother continued. "She’s in the sa tier as Princess Seraphine and the other imperial heirs, despite being a generation younger than most of them."
A generation younger and still considered their equal. Jesus Christ, what kind of family did I reincarnate into?
I looked at Lyanna with completely new eyes. Suddenly her casual dismissal of most people’s opinions, her analytical approach to everything, her subtle confidence—it all made sense.
She’s not just my smart sister. She’s a legendary-tier prodigy who could probably reshape continents if she wanted to.
"So all three of us are being called back?" I asked, still processing this revelation.
"All three of you," Mother confird. "Marcus for his unprecedented classification, Cassandra for her SS-rank mastery, and Lyanna for... well, being Lyanna."
The most powerful ducal family in the empire just beca even more terrifying. And I’m planning to seduce two won who could probably level cities.
This just got significantly more complicated.
"Does this affect Marcus’s enrollnt?" Cassandra asked, and I caught sothing protective in her tone.
She’s worried about being thrown into sothing dangerous. The possessiveness is strong.
"Actually," Mother said, turning to with a mixture of pride and concern, "you’re specifically ntioned by na again. The immortals want you there for the program launch."
Of course they do. The first Unclassifiable male in history would be exactly what they’d want for their mysterious new program.
"That’s... a lot," I said, putting on my best overwheld expression. "I still don’t really understand my own abilities, and now they want for so advanced program?"
True enough. Perhaps I can get theoretical knowledge from the System, but practical understanding is still limited.
Mother’s expression imdiately softened with maternal concern. "That’s exactly what worries . You’re being thrust into situations that even experienced mages would find challenging."
And there’s the opening I need.
"I’ve been thinking about that too," I said, tilting my head with innocent uncertainty. "I know my awakening was unusual, but I don’t really understand what any of it ans. The academy instructors will expect to know things I’ve never been taught."
Perfect blend of genuine concern and calculated vulnerability.
"What kind of things?" Mother asked, her protective instincts clearly activating.
"Well..." I put on my most confused expression. "I don’t understand how my magic actually works, or what being ’Unclassifiable’ ans, or how to control abilities I can feel but can’t access. The awakening gave power, but not knowledge."
Completely true. Ti Magic still won’t respond to , and I have no idea what the locked Ravencrest techniques do.
"That’s a very mature concern," Mother said with approval. "Most young people would assu they knew everything after an awakening like yours."
Because most young n in this world are treated like decorative flowers who don’t need to understand anything complex.
"And with this new program..." I continued, looking genuinely worried. "I don’t want to embarrass the family by being unprepared. Could you... could you help understand my abilities better? I know you’re busy, but I’d really value your guidance."
The perfect combination—appealing to her expertise, her protective instincts, and her family pride.
Mother’s entire expression lted into warmth. "Of course, darling. I’ve been waiting for you to ask, actually. I didn’t want to overwhelm you, but I’ve been hoping you’d seek guidance."
She’s been waiting for to ask. Perfect.
"Really?" I said with grateful relief. "I was worried I’d be bothering you with basic questions."
"Never," Mother said firmly. "Understanding your abilities is crucial, especially now. After breakfast, we’ll go to my study and I’ll explain everything you need to know."
Private ti with the Level 180 Ascendant, under the pretense of magical education. Exactly what I needed.
"Thank you," I said with genuine appreciation that wasn’t entirely acting. "I really do want to understand what’s happening to ."
True on multiple levels. The System, my abilities, this mysterious immortality program—there’s a lot I don’t understand.
Lyanna looked between us with her analytical gaze. "This new program timing is interesting though. Why now? Why recall everyone for this specific discovery?"
Good question. And knowing my luck, it probably has sothing to do with whatever cosmic ga I’m apparently playing.
"The letter ntions ’recent developnts that necessitate accelerated preparation,’" Mother said, scanning the docunt again. "Very cryptic, but it suggests urgency."
Recent developnts. Like the first Unclassifiable awakening in history? Like soone breaking the magical system itself?
Like .
"Well," I said with innocent optimism, "at least if I’m going to be thrown into sothing unprecedented, I’ll have the best teacher to prepare ."
Mother smiled with pure maternal pride. "We’ll make sure you’re ready for whatever they have planned."
Oh, Mother. You have no idea what I’m planning to be ready for.
But you’re about to find out.
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