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Chapter 14 — Blessings Under Glass
The laboratory wing of the academy lay beneath the eastern spire, carved directly into the bedrock beneath the city. Unlike the grandeur of the lecture halls, this place was built for containment—thick mana-insulated walls, transparent crystal partitions, and rune arrays layered so densely they hummed constantly.
The air smelled of alchemical reagents and ozone.
Students filed in quietly.
Each workstation was separated by semi-transparent barriers, forming individual testing cells. At the center of the chamber stood a raised platform where three faculty members waited.
One Human.
One Machinari.
One Noctyri.
The message was clear.
This was not a theoretical lesson.
Professor Halvek—the Human—stepped forward first. His hair was iron-grey, his presence unassuming, but the mana density around him was precise to the point of discomfort.
"Today," he said evenly, "you will use your blessings."
A ripple of excitement ran through the room.
"Controlled environment," Halvek continued. "You will activate your blessing, measure output, strain, and efficiency. You will fail safely here—or die unsafely later."
He gestured, and crystal slates floated up before each student, displaying personalized parameters.
"Blessings," he said, "are not magic spells. They are functions. Systems bound to your soul."
Kairo's slate activated silently.
---
Blessing Analysis — Subject: Kairo
Known Blessings:
"Copy Blessing"
"Evolve Blessing"
Classification: Unknown / Anomalous
Restriction Level: Observation Only
CIEL overlaid additional data.
[External measurement systems cannot fully register evolved blessings.]
[Recommendation: Minimal surface activation.]
Kairo acknowledged internally.
Around him, students began.
A Beastkin boy activated enhanced musculature—veins bulging, claws extending. Sensors flared green.
A Machinari girl detached her forearm, replacing it with a humming mana-barrel. Output stable.
A Drakari noble unleashed a wave of pressure that rattled several barriers before being forcefully suppressed.
Gasps followed.
"Royal-grade," someone whispered.
Faculty noted calmly.
Then—
Aurelia Fencrest stepped into her cell.
Silver hair tied back, posture perfect. She placed one hand on the activation glyph.
"I will demonstrate," she said clearly.
Her blessing flared.
---
Blessing: "Mirrored Dominion" — Royal Grade
Effect:
Reflects hostile mana-based actions within a limited radius.
Converts reflected force into internal reinforcement.
Weakness: Delayed response window.
A translucent dome shimmered around her, reflecting ambient mana particles like drifting stars.
Applause followed.
Aurelia lowered the barrier and turned—her gaze landing precisely on Kairo.
"You," she said lightly. "Slum-born."
The room stilled.
"Your slate says observation only," she continued. "Why?"
Several nobles leaned forward.
Halvek did not interrupt.
Kairo met her gaze calmly.
"My blessings are not suitable for demonstrations," he replied.
Polite. Flat.
Aurelia smiled.
"Or you're hiding," she suggested.
A Noctyri student snorted softly.
Pressure built—not mana, but expectation.
CIEL processed.
[Social provocation detected.]
[Risk of escalation: Moderate.]
[Optimal response: Partial disclosure.]
Kairo nodded once.
He stepped into the center of his cell and placed his palm against the glyph.
"I will activate a fragment," he said.
Halvek's eyes sharpened.
Kairo focused—not outward, but inward.
"Copy Blessing" responded instantly.
Not copying.
Scanning.
The lab shifted in his perception.
He saw blessings as layered structures—loops, triggers, inefficiencies. Aurelia's Mirrored Dominion appeared elegant but rigid, with exploitable delay points.
He selected something simpler.
From earlier—during the sparring arena.
A Beastkin's reflex enhancement.
Copy.
A whisper echoed through his soul.
[Copy Successful.]
[Source: Beastkin — Minor Blessing: "Predatory Reflex"]
He let it manifest.
---
Blessing Activation: "Predatory Reflex" (Evolved Fragment)
The world slowed—not dramatically, but cleanly.
Movements sharpened. Sounds separated. Mana flow became readable.
Sensors spiked.
"What—?" the Machinari professor muttered.
Kairo deactivated it immediately.
The entire activation lasted less than two seconds.
Silence followed.
Halvek stared at the readings.
"That reflex enhancement," he said slowly, "has no strain curve."
Murmurs erupted.
Aurelia's smile faded slightly.
"You copied it," she said, not asking.
"Yes," Kairo replied.
"And evolved it?" she pressed.
"Yes."
That did it.
The Machinari professor leaned forward, mechanical eye whirring.
"That violates known blessing limitations."
The Noctyri instructor's shadow stretched subtly toward Kairo.
Interest.
Halvek raised a hand.
"Enough."
He turned to Kairo.
"You will submit to additional monitoring," he said. "Voluntarily."
Kairo nodded.
"That is acceptable."
Aurelia studied him anew—not with disdain now, but calculation.
As the class ended, whispers followed Kairo out of the lab.
"He copies blessings."
"That's illegal—no, it's not."
"Why hasn't anyone killed him yet?"
"Because he hasn't threatened anyone."
From a balcony above, a second-year watched silently.
Leonhart Vale's expression was unreadable.
"This year," he murmured, "is going to be noisy."
CIEL's voice surfaced calmly.
[Conclusion: You are no longer invisible.]
[Recommendation: Prepare for indirect conflict.]
Kairo adjusted his sleeve and walked on.
Visibility was not danger.
It was opportunity.