Chapter 3: My Talent?
She sat beside me on the bed, gently brushing my hair like I was a doll she had grown far too fond of. Her fingers were careful yet possessive, weaving through my strands with a kind of reverence that made me freeze in place.
"In a few weeks... it'll be my turn," she murmured absently, as if thinking aloud.
I blinked. "Your turn?"
"For the royal talent re-evaluation," she said casually. "Every few years, nobles retake the test to confirm their Star level—see if it's grown. Most don't improve much after adulthood, but..." She trailed off, a glint of confidence in her eye. "I'm pretty sure I've advanced. Last time, I was assessed as a 4-Star. Now... I think I'm a 5-Star."
I nodded slowly, pretending I fully understood what that meant. In truth, I barely knew anything about this world's power structure, only what little I'd overheard from passing conversations.
She paused her hand and leaned in closer, her breath brushing my cheek, her nose nearly touching mine.
"Then... I just wish you luck," I said quietly, awkwardly.
She laughed, amused. Then she flicked my forehead lightly. "Good boy. So considerate of me." Her voice was warm, silky, and dangerously alluring.
Leaning back against the pillows, she began to explain the meaning behind Star rankings, her tone taking on a slightly more serious edge.
"Most commoners remain between 1 and 3 Stars their whole lives. A 1-Star is a basic trainee—barely capable of sensing mana. A 2 or 3-Star could be a village guard, or a lesser noble. Those who reach 4 or 5 Stars? They become city knights, skilled mages, or respected officials. Reaching that level extends your life by over a hundred years.
"Then there's the rare 6-Star class—elite knights and high court mages. They can live up to 300 years. And 7-Star? That's the stuff of legends. Archmages, generals, figures spoken about in awe. Living 500 years, their names are carved into history.