Marked as the Tyrant's Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 39

Listening to the words of the Elementalist Association staff, I stared at the faintly glowing depths inside the cave.

The ‘Breath of the Goddess’ would probably be there.

It is said to be a sacred elemental stone that existed even before the Aslet Imperial Family, containing the power of ancient elementals.

It was also mentioned in Dad’s book that I saw in the study. I think it said something about touching that stone and gaining some inspiration…

According to Adam, Dad visited the cave the night before he left for Galnem.

After hearing that story, I had been thinking that I should visit someday too, and I happened to want to measure my elemental power as well, so I came here today.

Anyway, when someone with an affinity for elementals touches the stone, it glows and vibrates, and the size of the vibration indicates how much potential the Elementalist has, while the color of the light shows which elemental they have an affinity with.

The fire elemental is red, the water elemental is blue, the earth elemental is green, and the wind elemental is yellow.

Most Elementalists have an affinity with one elemental and use the power of that elemental to move nature or help people.

However, sometimes people with affinities for two or even three elementals appear.

And my Dad, Heisen Macerne Mylar, was an Elementalist with affinities for all four elementals and was a Great Elementalist with such strong power that the artificial cave greatly resonated with the vibration when he resonated with the stone.

I had heard from Adam that Dad, who had taken on the role of Elemental Lord and led the Elementalists, was naturally considered a legend in the Elementalist Association, so I deliberately came to the test site alone.

According to Adam, if I, Dad’s daughter, came, it would cause a big ripple in the association.

People from the association would flock to see me, and reporters might come too.

Then, what happened today would probably be immediately reported to Parmes and other ministers.

I didn’t like such a commotion and didn’t particularly want to receive special treatment.

Perhaps because I came in ordinary attire, even though I wrote my name and surname, the bored-looking receptionist gave me the receipt without much thought.

“We’ve instructed today’s applicants to come back in a week to measure the color.”

“Well, even if the color isn’t measured, everyone knows which elemental they have an affinity with. When they draw the elemental power into their hands like this, they feel heat for fire, dampness for water, a breeze for wind, and the ground shaking for earth.”

As the young male staff member, who seemed to be an Elementalist, drew power into his hand, a crackling sound of sparks could be heard from his hand.

It seemed this person was a fire Elementalist.

‘I…’

That power I unknowingly showed to the attackers at the imperial palace masquerade ball last time…

I can’t explain it exactly, but while it was elemental power, it felt different from the usual four elements.

It wasn’t hot like fire, cold like water, heavy like earth, or soft like wind.

It was an exotic yet warm power that evoked a sense of nostalgia.

“Anyway, there’s no problem in measuring potential, so let’s bring in the next applicant.”

“Alright. Let’s see, next is…”

The staff member holding the paper called my number.

“Applicant number 72.”

I stepped forward and stood inside the artificial cave.

The artificial cave was created to prevent the ‘Breath of the Goddess’ from being contaminated, and applicants enter the cave alone to take the test.

“…You’re still a young girl. How old are you?”

“I’m eleven.”

The staff member who had demonstrated the sparks earlier continued to ask.

“Did you come alone without your parents?”

I looked into the staff member’s eyes and nodded.

“Yes.”

“They must be busy. Well, Elementalist is becoming an increasingly obsolete profession, so they might not be interested in such tests.”

There was a bitter emotion in his voice.

Just as desired professions change with the times, in the Albreon Empire, as the power of science developed, alchemy was gaining popularity.

Besides that, economics, law, military studies, and so on. All of these are more promising fields than elemental studies.

It seems that more than half of the current Elementalists are just registered as such, but work in fields that don’t utilize their major.

It’s like the humanities and social sciences of this other world.

“I’ll go in with you. The cave is too dark for a child to enter alone.”

This staff member who is still working in his major field despite such circumstances seems quite remarkable.

“Hold my hand. The floor is slippery.”

Originally, the applicant is supposed to enter the cave alone, touch the Breath of the Goddess, and confirm their elemental affinity through the color that appears. The staff members were supposed to measure the potential through the scale of the subtle vibrations from outside.

But considering that I was a young child, he readily offered to go with me.

“Yes. Thank you.”

I reached out my hand and held the staff member’s hand as I stepped into the cave.

The inside of the cave was damp and dark.

And there was a lot of moisture on the floor, making it seem dangerous for a child like me to move alone.

Suddenly, I heard what sounded like a muttered complaint.

“If he hadn’t passed away, the popularity of elemental studies wouldn’t have declined.”

I looked up at the staff member and asked.

“…Who is ‘he’?”

“Ah, you must have heard of him too. Marquis Heisen Macerne Mylar. He was an exceptional Great Elementalist.”

I inwardly flinched at Dad’s name but didn’t show it.

“For Elementalists with little skill like us, the most we can do is pick fruit from the top of trees, but the Great Elementalist could save villages on the brink of flooding, drive away enemies by creating flames, and even make it rain in a dry sky.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Moreover, he deeply researched elemental studies and occasionally presented new theories. Theories such as the existence of another elemental power as a higher concept than the four main elementals.”

“Another elemental…”

“The light elemental. He claimed it was the primordial and fundamental power of all elementals. And that somewhere, there would be a person with an affinity for the light elemental. That with that power, one could save countries or cure diseases…”

But at the end of those words, there was a laugh that meant ‘as if’. He shrugged and continued speaking.

“Well, of course, it wasn’t an accepted theory in academia, but if he were still alive, he would have accomplished even more amazing things.”

As Adam said, it seems Dad was respected by many Elementalists.

He had thoughts that others couldn’t think of.

“Phew, we’ve arrived.”

After walking for quite a while, we stopped in front of a large stone.

‘Is this the Breath of the Goddess?’

The round-shaped stone, about the size of a car steering wheel, was placed on a pedestal and emitted a bright light.

It wasn’t a dazzling beam of light that hurt the eyes, but a light filled with a mysterious warmth.

“Huh? It’s gotten brighter?”

The staff member looked at the stone with wide eyes.

“It wasn’t this bright when I checked earlier… What’s going on today?”

The stone was emitting a bright and large light like a single light source.

And seeing that light, I was suddenly overcome with a sense of déjà vu.

That light burst from my hands when I knocked down the men with elemental power at the masquerade ball.

And that light that warmly enveloped me when I almost died falling into a pit in Galnem.

If all of those were the same as this light…

“Child, I think it’s better if we just leave and do the measurement next time. We’ll have to send back the next applicants too. First, we need to figure out what this light is…”

“…..”

As if entranced, I placed my hand on the stone.

And then.

“…You!”

The staff member’s eyes widened as he turned to look at me.

“Are you alright, little one?! You just… What’s happening?”

The staff member was looking at me with an astonished expression.

“Gasp! I don’t know either…”

After belatedly coming to my senses at those words, I hurriedly removed my hand from the stone in shock, but the light flowing from the stone was still connected to my hand like a thread.

My fingers, face, and every part of my body started to glow brightly.

My hair flutters in a strange breeze.

‘This warm energy is…’

Some kind of power that made me feel reassured was flowing into my body.