The Morning of the Grand Test
Finally, the morning of the exam had dawned.>
Arkin made his way to the central hall of the temple, clenching and unclenching his fists again and again. Sweat dampened his palms. _I can do this. I can.>
“Everyone seems awfully tense. In reality, while you sit here, if you just keep your seat nice and still, I’ll let you pass with flying colors on this simple test. If you lose control and show signs of excitement, I’ll note that separately.”>
Seneca said it, but he wasn’t the least bit at ease. It wasn’t about passing. What if the Dream Potion made him lose control and reveal his desire for Nefetia right in front of the other trainees?>
Yet the moment he stepped into the central hall, Arkin’s steps halted at the scene before him—nothing like what he had expected. Had the testing method changed? The layout was completely different from what he had heard. Ten chairs stood in a wide circle, with a small table and a cauldron at the center. The labor crew and apprentice priests bustled around, sweat flying as they set up tents at each chair.>
“A little closer, there! Yes, right there!”>
The familiar voice belonged to High Priest Valdemar, whom Arkin hadn’t seen since the opening ceremony. His sudden intervention had created this chaos, and beside him stood Seneca, arms crossed, face sour as sour milk.>
…Thank goodness.>
Arkin let out a deep breath of relief. The priestly bickering was none of his business, and at least he wouldn’t be humiliated in front of everyone else. His heart finally settled.>
“Huh? What’s this? It looks like something changed.”>
Kaichen’s clanging voice kicked things off, and the other trainees began to trickle in one by one.>
“It’s not one by one anymore?”“Oh, thank the heavens. Honestly, doing this with everyone watching was kind of…>
Whispers erupted from all sides. Arkin wasn’t the only one who’d been anxious. Everyone looked relieved at the new test format.>
“Everyone, gather around, please!”>
High Priest Valdemar gathered the trainees with a bright smile and gave a polite nod.>
“First, my apologies for the late arrival. As you know, the original plan was for one trainee at a time to step forward and drink the Dream Potion. But…”>
His gaze slid toward Serena. The Princess of Lakeium kept her head bowed quietly.>
“Last night, someone came to me and made a very serious suggestion.”>
Valdemar spoke gently.>
“The Dream Potion is a deeply private and intimate experience. It can reveal desires you never knew you had, and sometimes you might see embarrassing or awkward visions. If you had to experience that while others watch, it might become… quite difficult, don’t you think? After hearing that and considering all the angles, I realized there was no need to put anyone through that extra strain, so I accepted the proposal.”>
“What? It was that easy for him to change it?”>
Petra muttered under her breath, loud enough for Arkin to hear.>
Arkin glanced between Serena and Valdemar. There was something off about this. The trainees’ supervising priest should have been Seneca, yet she had gone straight to Valdemar instead of him. And more importantly…>
How had he even found that person who hadn’t been seen since the very first day?>
“Therefore, everyone will drink the Dream Potion together, each entering a small private space. The island’s laborers worked hard for this, but…”>
Valdemar clasped his hands together and smiled kindly.>
“I’ve changed the test method because I understand your concerns. But I hope you won’t fear this test. Just imagine it’s a very enjoyable dream.”>
Arkin’s eyes naturally drifted toward Nefetia. She seemed better than yesterday, yet she still wasn’t smiling as brightly as before—her cheeks didn’t dimple the way they used to. A tight, uncomfortable feeling squeezed his chest, so he looked away.>
“As you’ve already heard from Seneca, the Dream Potion can stir up intense desires you haven’t even realized you have. So some say that once this test ends, you’ll be thinking about things you never expected. _Was this really what I wanted?_”>
Finishing, Valdemar carefully warned that some trainees might react strongly to the Dream Potion.>
“…But you needn’t worry. The apprentice priests will stay with you at all times, and if you need it, they will administer the antidote immediately. From now on, if you suffer nightmares or have strange reactions, tell me right away and I’ll help you properly.”>
“What? That’s scary…”>
Amalfi sighed and shivered all over.>
“You must maintain your composure from start to finish. Shall we begin?”>
Valdemar stirred a small ladle in the cauldron on the round table, then personally poured the Dream Potion into ten glasses. The only sound was the rustle of the priest’s robe, and the entire hall fell deathly silent.>
“That’s it. Because of the Atera, it will taste very bitter. Drink the whole glass.”>
The trainees followed the High Priest’s gesture and each picked up a glass. No one, however, was eager to drink. _Ugh! The smell is gross!_ Complaints erupted everywhere. Kaichen covered his nose, stuck out his tongue, and licked the rim of the glass.>
“Ughhh!”>
The Thunder Prince shuddered after tasting it. Tiny sparks danced at the tips of his spiky platinum hair and popped one after another.>
Arkin stared at the thick red liquid in his glass. It was slightly viscous and gave off a truly foul scent—exactly like a clot of blood. He stared at it once more, then downed the glass in one go. The bitterness seared his throat like fire and slid down with a scalding rush.>
“All of you have finished your glasses?”“Great. The apprentice priests will come collect the emptied glasses and seat you one by one in the chairs arranged in a circle. Arkin leaned back in his wooden seat.>
“Relax your body as much as possible.”>
An apprentice priest gave the order, then lowered the curtain. The world vanished from Arkin’s sight.>
Arkin gripped the armrest of his chair tightly, heart pounding. He was sure Nefetia would appear. Even though he didn’t know what form she would take, he couldn’t let his tension go even for a second.>
Dong, dong, dong._ Accompanied by a small drum, Valdemar’s voice rang out.>
“Your body will gradually relax. Your eyes will close, your ears will open, and you will slip into a world of dreams…”>
The voice kept fading and returning like waves. His sense of balance grew unsteady, as if drowning in rippling water, and his vision blurred.>
“Close your eyes.”>
Following the priest’s instruction, Arkin shut his eyes. In the pitch-black darkness, a small dot appeared. His body began to drift slowly toward it.>
“Breathe in. One… two… three… four…”>
The drumbeat synced with his heartbeat. The hard texture of the armrest pressed against his palms while his soul floated somewhere, swept along by the current. Arkin took a deep breath. Another world tugged at him. Speed increased. A narrow hole pulled him in with overwhelming force, then tugged again and again, until…>
***
“Ahhh, our precious little baby.”>
Suddenly, peace washed over him. A faint scent of sweat and incense drifted to his nose. Soft breath brushed his cheek, and his body swayed gently to a hummed lullaby. Arkin realized he had become a tiny baby—curled safely in the warm, loving arms of someone dear.>
“You’re feeling good, aren’t you? Today is a truly exciting and happy day.”>
A gentle whisper woke him fully. He knew that voice. His nanny? Arkin’s eyes flew open. It was definitely his nanny. The nanny gazing down at him looked far younger and brighter than he remembered.>
“Oh my, look at those pretty eyes! Are you looking forward to today, little prince?”>
The nanny wrapped another thick blanket around Arkin’s body and began humming a lullaby. Yet everything felt odd. He couldn’t speak—his mouth opened but no sound came out. He couldn’t move. This wasn’t a hallucination. It was real. A certain past moment. The Dream Potion didn’t reveal the past, yet…>
“Are you ready?”>
When the nanny’s arms had finished swaddling the baby, Arkin barely managed to turn his eyes. There she was—his mother. Herta, Queen of Solinar. She wore a pure white gown, the one she donned for temple visits. Silver leaves embroidered across the fabric shimmered gently with her touch.>
“Did you sleep well, my little one? Today, something very happy is going to happen.”>
His mother’s gaze looked down at him with tender warmth. Arkin stared up at his young, beautiful mother with a heart full of uncertainty. She, too, looked as young as the nanny.>
“Arkin, my precious baby.”>
A soft hand stroked his cheek. Even though it had never been part of his memory, Arkin suddenly understood what day this was.>
“Today is the day you receive your first oracle.”>
Wrinkles were nowhere to be seen around her bright eyes. Her clear, sharp gaze met his directly—without a trace of sadness, worry, or regret. It was the most beautiful pair of eyes he had ever seen.