Chapter 64: The Soul That Could Not Be Judged
Chapter 64: The Soul That Could Not Be Judged
[Ding!]
[Foreign soul-perception detected.]
[An external force is attempting to observe the Host’s soul.]
[Warning: Would you like the System to block the observation?]
The notification appeared before Andras’s eyes.
The smile on his face widened ever so slightly.
"So..."
"So she’s finally decided to look."
He had already guessed who it was.
There was only one person present capable of observing another person’s soul.
Princess Aurelia Aurelmont.
Without the slightest hesitation, he answered inwardly.
"No."
"Do not restrict it."
"Allow her to see everything she can."
The crimson warning disappeared.
A faint smile remained on Andras’s lips.
"Let’s see what your S-Rank talent makes of me."
Aurelia’s POV:
Today was her eighteenth birthday.
From the moment she entered the grand banquet hall, everything had unfolded exactly as expected.
She greeted her father, Emperor Augustus Aurelmont.
She exchanged a few warm words with her eldest brother’s.
After thanking the assembled nobles for attending her birthday banquet, she began greeting each distinguished family in turn.
Everything proceeded smoothly.
Until...
She arrived before House Darkmoor.
Her eyes naturally fell upon the young man standing beside Duchess Evelyne.
Andras Darkmoor.
The moment their gazes met...
Something felt strange.
His violet eyes were calm.
Too calm.
There was no arrogance.
No nervousness.
No desire to impress her.
Instead...
It felt as though those eyes were quietly observing everything around them.
Almost...
As though they could see through people.
An unfamiliar feeling settled in Aurelia’s heart.
Curiosity.
She smiled politely after receiving his birthday wishes.
"Thank you, Lord Andras."
Outwardly, nothing changed.
Inwardly...
She activated her talent.
Throne of Silent Stars.
The world changed.
The lively banquet hall faded into silence.
Every person before her became surrounded by faint spiritual radiance.
Some glowed with gentle silver.
Others carried dim traces of darkness.
It was a sight only Aurelia could perceive.
Her talent had never failed her.
Not once.
Then...
She looked at Andras.
Her breathing stopped.
At first...
His soul appeared completely gray.
Balanced.
Perfectly balanced.
Then...
Silver light began spreading through it.
A kind soul.
Before the silver could fully settle...
Darkness consumed it.
Not gradually.
Instantly.
An abyss-like black swallowed everything.
Aurelia’s pupils contracted.
Then...
The darkness vanished.
Silver returned.
Gray.
Silver.
Black.
Gray.
White.
Black.
The colors shifted again.
And again.
Faster.
Faster.
Until even her own eyes could no longer follow them.
Her talent struggled desperately to determine his true nature.
It couldn’t.
For the first time since awakening Throne of Silent Stars...
It failed.
The spiritual vision shattered.
The world returned.
Her breathing became uneven.
A faint pain throbbed behind her eyes.
Her talent had forcefully deactivated.
"...Impossible."
She maintained her composed expression, but inwardly her thoughts were in chaos.
Did my talent malfunction?
No...
That has never happened before.
Then...
What exactly did I just see?
She slowly looked at Andras again.
He was still smiling.
Calm.
Composed.
As though nothing had happened.
Yet for some reason...
She felt as though he knew exactly what she had attempted.
Andras’s POV:
She really did use her talent.
Although Aurelia concealed her emotions well, the brief change in her breathing and the faint widening of her eyes were impossible for Andras to miss.
"So that’s your reaction..."
He wondered what she had actually seen.
Without changing his expression, he spoke inwardly.
"System."
"Show me Aurelia Aurelmont’s status."
[Ding!]
Name: Aurelia Aurelmont
Race: Human
Age: 18
Class: Mage
Realm: Mid Fourth Circle Mage
Talent: Throne of Silent Stars (S-Rank)
The information matched perfectly with the original novel.
Nothing had changed.
He dismissed the screen.
Just then, Aurelia was still slightly distracted by what had happened.
Andras spoke gently.
"Princess."
His voice brought her back to reality.
She blinked once before looking at him again.
Without another word, Andras retrieved a carefully wrapped gift.
The wrapping concealed its contents completely, making it impossible for anyone to guess what lay inside.
He extended it toward her.
"A small birthday gift."
"I hope you’ll accept it."
Aurelia accepted the present herself before handing it to one of her personal maids.
"Thank you."
Although dozens of gifts had already been presented to her that day...
For some reason...
This one remained fixed in her mind.
Perhaps because it had come from the one person her talent had failed to understand.
Andras smiled politely.
"I hope Your Highness enjoys the rest of the celebration."
She gave a small nod.
"Thank you, Lord Andras."
With that, she continued greeting the remaining noble families.
Outwardly...
Nothing about her elegant smile had changed.
But inwardly...
Her thoughts refused to leave Andras Darkmoor.
Why...?
Why couldn’t my talent judge him?
For the first time since awakening Throne of Silent Stars...
She had encountered a soul her talent could not judge
And somehow...
That frightened her more than she wished to admit.
Princess Aurelia gradually finished greeting the remaining noble families.
The final gift was accepted.
The last exchange of pleasantries came to an end.
As she returned to the center of the grand hall, the conversations among the nobles slowly resumed, filling the palace with a refined murmur of voices.
Moments later—
An Imperial herald stepped forward.
His voice echoed clearly throughout the magnificent ballroom.
"Your Excellencies, honored guests..."
"The first waltz of Her Highness Princess Aurelia’s birthday banquet will begin shortly."
"We kindly ask everyone to prepare."
Soft excitement spread through the hall.
Couples began gathering together, while musicians took their places upon the elevated stage. Servants made the final adjustments to the grand ballroom as anticipation quietly filled the atmosphere.
Andras watched the preparations with mild interest.
Then his gaze shifted toward Seraphina.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"So..."
His tone carried a trace of amusement.
"Are you ready to dance with me?"
He paused deliberately before adding,
"Or is there someone else you’ve been waiting to share the first dance with?"
Seraphina looked at him for a moment before a gentle smile curved her lips.
"I’m afraid my partner has already been decided."
She folded her hands gracefully before her.
"My fiancé."
Her sapphire eyes met his.
"Andras Darkmoor."
For a brief moment, Andras wore an expression of exaggerated surprise.
"Oh?"
"So it’s me."
He placed a hand over his chest and gave a slight, theatrical bow.
"Then it would be my honor to share a dance with the renowned Lady Seraphina Valebright."
A soft laugh escaped Seraphina’s lips.
"You certainly have a way with words."
"I’ve been told that once or twice."
The lighthearted exchange eased the atmosphere between them, drawing an amused smile from Evelyne, while Hadrian and Elara exchanged approving glances.
Within moments...
The musicians raised their instruments.
The first notes of the waltz began to echo through the Imperial Palace.