The silence that followed struck like a thunderclap, sudden and absolute. Kieran remained kneeling, the folds of his white robe pooling around him, unmoving except for the faint twitch of a muscle in his jaw. For a moment, it seemed as though he hadn't heard. Or perhaps he simply didn't believe it.
Maya stared at her brother, stunned.
He had said no.
To a Perfect Affinity.
To a boy who had just offered himself in service, whose only request was to help his sister.
Even the other aspirants didn't know how to react. A few shifted uneasily, whispering in confusion. Kallen, still kneeling at the back, had buried her face in her hands, shoulders trembling with quiet sobs.
But Ezekiel remained unmoved.
Finally, Kieran looked up. His voice, when it came, was careful. Controlled. But Maya heard the tremor beneath it.
"May I ask why?"
Ezekiel studied him for a moment before answering.
"Because it's not your decision to make."
Kieran blinked.
"Nor is it mine, for that matter."
Ezekiel took a step forward, his dark coat catching the wind, flaring behind him like the wings of a great bird in flight.
"You would bargain away your future to grant your sister one she may not even want. That is not love speaking, Kieran. That is fear."
Kieran opened his mouth to respond, but Ezekiel stopped him with a raised hand.
"I do not question your intentions. In fact, I respect them. But understand this: your sister's fate is not yours to decide. Her path must be her own."
He glanced over his shoulder, his gaze softening as it settled on Kallen. "If she truly desires strength, then I will guide her."
A wave of gasps swept through the group. Even Maya was taken aback.
"But she must ask for it herself."
Ezekiel turned back to Kieran, his voice quieter now.
"You tried to bind her to a future she never chose, even if the chains were made of gold. That is why I refuse. Not because I lack the ability to help her. Not because she is beyond saving. But because I will not take this choice from her."
He walked past Kieran, past the silent line of waiting aspirants, and came to a stop before the girl still kneeling at the back of the group.
Kallen looked up, her face streaked with tears and flushed with emotion.
Their eyes met.
Ezekiel didn't speak. He didn't have to.
If Kallen wanted his help, she knew what to do.
Maya held her breath, waiting. Even in her wildest imaginings, she had never expected the awakening ceremony to unfold like this. Her own moment had yet to come, but already the weight of the day's highs and lows felt almost too much to bear.
Kallen's eyes were still moist, but Maya saw something shift within them. Perhaps it was new determination—or maybe just the return of her usual resolve, restored after being shaken by something beyond her control.
With a swift motion, the girl wiped her sleeve across her face, brushing away the last traces of tears.
"I offer my service to House von Hohenheim and to you, Lord Ezekiel."
The words were the same as her brother's, yet the response was very different.
"I accept," Ezekiel said without hesitation. "From this moment forth, you may call yourself Kallen von Hohenheim. In my service and under my protection."
He placed a hand lightly against her forehead. When he withdrew it, a red mark—no larger than a fingerprint—remained on her skin.
"Rise."
She obeyed without pause, pushing herself to her feet. Her legs wavered for a heartbeat, the weight of the day still heavy on her, but then she steadied. Her usual poise returned, graceful and composed.
Ezekiel had already turned and begun walking back toward the central pillar. After a moment's hesitation, Kallen followed, quickening her steps to match his pace.
He returned to his previous position, now with a new assistant stepping awkwardly behind him on his left.
Maya smiled at the sight.
Leave it to her brother to claim the prized rose of their group, break a dozen hearts in the process, and remain completely unaware of what he had done.
"Next," he said, his voice as calm as if none of the previous events had occurred.
The word seemed to jolt Kieran, who was still kneeling awkwardly at the front. He looked toward his sister, as if struggling to believe what had just unfolded.
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"Wait!" he called out as the next in line tried to step past, torn between rising and remaining where he was. "What about my pledge?"
Ezekiel gave him a measured look.
"There is no need," he said, not unkindly. "Your sister has already secured my help. Your request has been fulfilled."
Kieran clenched his jaw. "Then I would ask for a different request."
Ezekiel raised a single brow. "In exchange for what?"
"My service, once more," Kieran replied.
Ezekiel looked at him for a long, drawn-out moment before nodding.
"Name it."
"I would ask that neither my sister nor I be forced into a marriage against our will," Kieran said. But before he even finished speaking, Ezekiel was already shaking his head.
"Rejected."
Kieran's eyes widened, his imagination clearly running wild.
Ezekiel sighed. "Once again, you ask for something unreasonable. No man or woman under my protection will ever be forced to marry against their will."
Kieran bit his lip. "Then—"
"Enough."
The word was spoken softly, yet it carried a weight that silenced the room. Even Maya, who hadn't been about to speak, felt her mouth snap shut. It seemed the others were just as affected, their faces frozen, their voices caught in their throats.
The only one seemingly untouched by it was Kallen, who glanced around at their stunned expressions with a trace of curiosity. In fact, ever since the moment she had been accepted, she seemed more at ease, as if the pressure crushing the rest of them had lifted from her shoulders.
Was that how relieved she truly was?
"Keiran," Ezekiel said, his voice firm. "If you wish to serve me, then say it outright. There is no point in dressing up basic decency as conditions. If you believe I would only act with honor under obligation, then I am not the person you should serve in the first place."
He paused, letting the words sink in.
"It is time for you to make a choice..."
After that, Ezekiel fell silent. He didn't rush, didn't pressure, didn't attempt to persuade. He simply waited.
Maya glanced between them, her mind racing.
How could her brother act like this?
How could he stay so calm, so completely unfazed in the presence of a potential follower with a perfect affinity?
Even she knew how rare and valuable that was. If nurtured properly, their house would have two Mages with perfect affinities: an honor that few noble families on the continent could claim.
It was enough to secure their future, so long as neither of them died early.
And yet, her brother remained as composed as if he were bargaining for a pair of socks in the bazaar. He had rejected Kieran's offer twice already, without hesitation. It was baffling.
Once again, Maya saw a side of him she had never known.
She had once thought the title of Merchant Lord ill-suited for him, but if this was how he conducted negotiations, it was no wonder he had become the youngest ever to join their ranks.
Her gaze shifted as she looked at the towering presence in their midst. She had always been proud of her older brother, having grown up hearing his many accolades: genius Mage, genius inventor, genius fighter, genius strategist. Yet it was only today that she truly understood how extraordinary he was.
What had once been mere words now stood before her as undeniable truth.
For the first time, she saw the monstrous prodigy everyone always spoke of.
It felt as though she were meeting him for the first time.
So, this was him: Ezekiel von Hohenheim.
The man who defied the Empire and built a pyramid of their heads.
The man who had left with nothing, but returned bathed in gold.
The man who bartered with Merchant Lords and walked away with a title in hand.
Her musings were interrupted when Keiran's voice rang out again—hesitant at first, but gaining strength with each familiar word.
"…I offer my service to House von Hohenheim and to you, Lord Ezekiel."
This time, her brother did not refuse. As he had done with Kallen, he pressed his index finger gently to the boy's forehead, just between the eyebrows, leaving a red imprint behind.
"Rise, Keiran von Hohenheim."
Keiran accepted the outstretched hand and got up, his legs clearly stiff after kneeling for so long.
Even after he stood, Ezekiel didn't release his grip, prompting the boy to meet his gaze.
"This is my promise to both of you," he said, his voice brimming with sincerity. "On the day of your twentieth birthday, you will both ascend to the level of Grandmage simultaneously."
He turned his head slightly, giving Kallen his trademark smile—the one Maya was fairly certain he didn't realize could be so devastating to a young girl. "Not fast enough to break my record, but still young enough to earn a place in the rankings. What do you say?"
The twins stood frozen, the shock of his proclamation leaving them momentarily speechless.
It was no wonder.
Even Maya felt lightheaded. The rankings were a competition among the finest young Mages on the continent, a clash of prodigies vying for prestige. And yet, her brother spoke of them so casually, promising a spot to even a recruit with a low affinity without a hint of doubt.
That confirmed one of her long-held suspicions. Her brother definitely had a secret. Something that had allowed him to ascend through the early ranks of Magehood at impossible speed. He had left Tradespire as a newly advanced True Mage and returned as a Grandmage in under two years.
Now she knew it wasn't luck. There was something else behind it.
The realization brought a wave of relief she hadn't expected. Though she felt confident in her own chances, knowing her brother would support her even if her affinity proved weak gave her peace of mind.
After all, she couldn't be of any use to him in the future if she remained weak. And that was simply unacceptable.
With a soft thud, two bodies dropped to their knees in perfect unison.
"Thank you, Lord."
Even their voices blended flawlessly.
Ezekiel smiled and raised his hands, and with that gesture, the two kneeling teenagers were lifted smoothly back to their feet. The casual display of control made several eyes widen, but he paid no attention to their stares, focusing solely on the twins.
"Your words are enough. No kneeling required."
The two exchanged a glance, nodded, and stepped behind him. Kallen returned to her spot at his left, and Kieran took the open place at his right.
Maya clicked her tongue. Now her brother had broken not only the hearts of the boys, but of the girls as well. He could be such a greedy guy.
"Next."
His voice was calm, returning to business without the slightest shift in tone.
One by one, the remaining aspirants stepped forward, and even after nearly two dozen awakenings, the astounding success rate of one hundred percent held.
Not a single child walked away empty-handed, though more than a few ended up with only lesser affinities.
Aurel, poor guy, walked away with three lesser ones.
For a moment, it looked like he might kneel and beg her brother for help, but in the end, he just sighed and stepped aside.
That was probably for the best.
It would have been an unreasonable request. His affinities were even lower than Kallen's, and having three of them would only slow his progress to a crawl. Even Aurel, known for being the most shameless among their group, wasn't bold enough to ask for something that far out of reach.
Maya flinched at the sudden touch. She looked down to find someone gripping her hand like a vice. It was a small hand, soft and clammy—smaller even than hers.
She followed the arm upward and met a pair of dark brown eyes staring back at her.
"We're the last ones, sister Maya," Lue said quietly, though her voice trembled.
Only then did Maya realize it was true. Of everyone, only they had yet to be tested.
Suddenly, her own hand began to shake. Not as violently as Lue's, but a faint tremor all the same.
Slowly, she looked up and saw her brother watching them.
His gaze had softened, resembling the doting brother she remembered.
He gave Maya a small, almost imperceptible nod before turning his attention to the girl standing just behind her.
"It is time, Lue."