While Aston and his companions wandered the polished roads of Halcyon Reach City, basking in the splendor of Dawn Crest Academy's home city, a familiar hum of motion began to return to the weathered streets of Shale City. The city-, which had quieted after the awakening ceremony's abrupt end stirred once again—its people whispering with renewed interest and curiosity.

And at the center of this new ripple of activity was a figure draped in imperial black and crimson.

Lord Darius Rembrandt had returned.

The imperial envoy's arrival was far less ceremonial than his first, yet somehow carried more weight. The guards at the gate of Shale City gave a wide berth as his sleek, spirit-tech vehicle floated across the cracked cobblestones and halted in front of the old city hall. Its matte black surface gleamed under the afternoon sun, the imperial crest etched along its flanks like a decoration.

Darius stepped out with his signature calm, his hands gloved and expression unreadable.

The city guards at the hall straightened as he approached, one of them bolting inside to alert the city lord.

Within the aging marble halls of Shale's administrative center, City Lord Richard Valmonte stood from his desk the moment Darius was shown in. He wore his formal robe hastily pulled over a half-buttoned tunic, and his silver hair looked more unkempt than usual.

"Lord Darius," he greeted with a slight bow. "I hadn't expected you to return so soon."

"I don't waste time," Darius replied coolly, removing the glove on his left hand. A spatial ring that gleamed under the light was hiding inside the glove. He waved his hand and out came a sealed box from his storage.

"A new imperial-grade awakening crystal. Freshly calibrated. I believe we have unfinished business."

Richard's brow lifted. "You intend to complete the ceremony?"

"Indeed. Those who were not assessed last time deserve their due." Darius paused, his gaze sharp. "However, I was informed by your clerks that several of the remaining children missed the Dawn Crest selection deadline due to the delay of the awakening."

Richard nodded, sighing. "Yes. Without official awakening results, they were ineligible. The academy selection board closed their lists for Shale a week ago.

Darius folded his hands behind his back. "That outcome is regrettable. But it is beyond my control. The fault lies with the crystal. However—" he turned slightly, voice taking a softer side, "---should any among these children awaken with noteworthy potential, I will send personal recommendations to the Imperial Academy itself. There are still avenues open."

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Richard blinked. Imperial Academy? That's a level above Dawn Crest—rarer, harsher, and far more prestigious. Even one child from Shale sent there would elevate the city's status significantly.

"That is… a generous compromise," Richard said, inclining his head.

"Practical," Darius replied. "Waste not talent. If the empire loses even one prodigy to a crystal malfunction, the damage would be ours to bear."

"Then I shall make the arrangements immediately," Richard said. "Some of the unawakened children have returned to their lives, unaware of your return. I will dispatch guards to inform them and gather them at the city hall."

"Good." Darius turned around and told a clerk. "Please prepare the awakening chamber."

The clerk gave a bow and moved to begin the setup.

Meanwhile, the city guards filtered out from the hall with their spirit beasts. They were not armed with spears but with phones and devices with name lists. They fanned out across Shale City, heading towards addresses—some scribbled away by the students, others pulled from the old awakening registry.

Doors were knocked. Children who had given up hope were startled awake in the morning or interrupted during work or play. Some wept in confusion, others smiled in disbelief. A second chance had returned—unexpected, almost too good to be real.

Among those roused was Joshua Clementine.

Still haunted by the memory of the shattered crystal, Joshua had secluded himself at home, wracked with guilt and uncertainty. When the guard arrived at his family's modest house and announced Lord Darius' return, Joshua nearly dropped the glass he was holding.

"You're saying… there's a new crystal?" his voice was tight.

"And you've been summoned to city hall. All remaining unawakened candidates are to gather before noon," the guard confirmed.

Joshua nodded, but his heart beat wildly in his chest.

Back in the city hall, Darius stood by the new crystal as it was carefully unsealed. It shone a muted white, its surface unblemished. It rested atop a reinforced pedestal—one reinforced further by imperial materials.

He folded his arms, eyes half-lidded.

Only he knew the true reason behind the urgency of this return.

Not the city lord. Not even Joshua himself.

The awakening crystal hadn't simply malfunctioned, it had fractured under pressure. And the one whose hand had been on it when it shattered… was Joshua Clementine.

Darius' thoughts lingered on that moment. A clear yellow gleam followed by cracks, then shattering. The timing was precise. The correlation is too neat. Joshua's potential might exceed blue. A possibility of another Violet Potential aside from the crown prince…

He needed to confirm it. If the empire had birthed another prodigy, he would ensure it did not go unnoticed.

Aston Rhyner never even crossed his mind.

Not yet.

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