Chapter 2 - 1: The Young Master Has No Mana
The room smelled like polished wood and crushed expectations.
A dozen nobles in long coats stood around a glowing stone slab, murmuring to one another. In the center, a boy—barely six—stood barefoot on the stone, arms at his sides, expression neutral.
A noblewoman sniffled into a silk handkerchief.
"He's so small..."
Another noble whispered, "Still no reaction? Not even a flicker?"
Lord Malrik Veyron, head of the house and father of the boy, folded his arms. His jaw was sharp. His stare was sharper.
"Scan again," he said coldly.
The court mage, who had already tried three times, gave a tight smile. "My lord... there's no mana. At all."
The stone beneath the boy remained dark.
No glow. No hum. Nothing.
Mana testing stones lit up for everyone—even commoners. A child with weak affinity might still make it flicker. But this boy?