The nobles were furious.

  Not because of Lukas.

  Not because of the Tenth House.

  Because of Silvio.

  A man from the Underground… sitting on the Patriarch of the South’s throne.

  And Kyros had allowed it.

  Worse than that —

  Kyros didn’t think like them.

  He treated other races as people.

  Not merchandise.

  Not entertainment.

  Not exotic toys.

  To the nobles, other races meant profit.

  Slaves. Pleasure. Fetish. Status.

  But in the South?

  They had no power.

  No influence.

  And now the greatest insult of all:

  A man from the depths of the world

  had sat on a throne directly tied to the royal capital of Bragan?a.

  And no one stopped him.

  Valen

  Valen trained alone.

  Again.

  Sweat ran down his face as his fists trembled.

  Why…

  Why didn’t I awaken the Indomina?

  He was Aurelius’s heir.

  From the same tribe.

  From the Autumn lineage.

  From the bloodline of the First Bearer.

  Then why…

  did a human awaken it?

  So humans can carry the Indomina now?

  His teeth clenched.

  His hands trembled.

  Frustration.

  Anger.

  And something worse.

  Jealousy.

  Even she…

  doesn’t see me.

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  If I had the Indomina… maybe she would look at me.

  Footsteps.

  Sarya.

  “Your father is requesting your presence. The Autumn elves are returning to the Autumn forests.”

  She turned to leave.

  “Wait.”

  She stopped, without looking back.

  “I will awaken the Indomina. I will protect our tribe. You’ll see, Sarya.”

  Her voice cut cold:

  “Indomina does not awaken in a heart that carries envy. You know that, Valen.”

  She vanished.

  His fists trembled harder.

  The Ceremony of Paths

  The central courtyard was filled with young elves, humans, demi-humans.

  Those chosen by only one blessing went straight to their station.

  Those with multiple… had to choose.

  Leli stepped forward.

  “Autumn.”

  Lukas blinked.

  “Autumn?”

  Inside his mind:

  Morgana: “Ohoho… interesting…”

  César: “This is different.”

  Flora stepped forward in shock.

  “My little flower… I think you’re confused. Auntie is Spring.”

  Leli shook her head.

  “No, Aunt Flora. I chose Autumn… and the hidden path of the Shimmering Aura.”

  Aurelius felt the pressure of two glares.

  “Don’t look at me like that, Arela. I had nothing to do with this, Flora.”

  Sarya stood nearby, eyes shining softly.

  She didn’t smile.

  But she was happy.

  Lukas looked at her.

  Autumn…

  In the past life… she chose Spring.

  What changed?

  He understood.

  Sarya.

  In the past life, we knew no elves. It was just us.

  In this life… she changed the whole board.

  Morgana giggled:

  “Ohhh, what a beautiful drama, chocolatinho~”

  César snapped:

  “This is temporal instability!”

  Lukas just smiled faintly.

  Then it was his turn again.

  The Lazuli Sphere.

  The crowd whispered.

  “The boy who fought like a warrior…”

  “The Tenth…”

  “The Chocolatinho…”

  “The boy of hidden paths…”

  He placed his hand on the sphere.

  Again… no season shone.

  César shouted: “Choose Light!”

  Morgana purred: “Choose Shadows~”

  Lukas closed his eyes.

  If I must choose…

  Then I choose to walk between worlds.

  Neither light nor darkness.

  I am the balance.

  You two… are the weight.

  The Lazuli reacted.

  Not with a season.

  A symbol appeared.

  A black mist…

  and a gladius shaped like a scale.

  One plate golden.

  The other silver-purple-black.

  The crowd gasped.

  A priest flipped through ancient records.

  “There’s nothing… this has never happened…”

  Kyros narrowed his eyes.

  Silvio crossed his arms.

  Valquíria stared, impressed.

  Luiz laughed.

  Marcos nodded.

  Selene observed quietly.

  The twins watched in silence.

  Leli’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

  Dariam trembled with rage.

  “You damned failure… you should have stayed at the bottom where you belong.”

  Sarya thought quietly:

  You are impossible to read, Lukas.

  Ravia watched from the Gath lines.

  No one noticed him before.

  Now everyone is watching.

  Who will become his support?

  …Do I have a chance?

  The Gath Trial

  Lukas stood in the Gath training field.

  Silvio watched from above.

  “You already know why you’re here.”

  “Choose a Gath to accompany you from now on.”

  “We don’t follow just anyone. Only those who never break.”

  Lukas spoke calmly:

  “If someone can touch me in five minutes… they’ll be my Gath.”

  Silvio smirked.

  “Courage… or arrogance. Either way, you have your father’s blood.”

  “Gath! Five minutes!”

  They rushed.

  Lukas only used his shield.

  Deflections. Redirects. Impact control.

  One Gath girl shouted, “I touched him!”

  Lukas glanced.

  “You touched the guy behind me.”

  Her hand had been redirected.

  The impact knocked another Gath out.

  Five minutes passed.

  No one touched him.

  Ravia didn’t move.

  She felt it clearly.

  If I get close… he’ll break my arm.

  Silvio laughed.

  “Insane kid, Kyros.”

  Then, quietly:

  “If you moved the pieces… be ready for retaliation, Tenth. I won’t let my daughter be your support so easily.”

  Lukas looked up.

  The Gath were frustrated.

  Silvio and he locked eyes.

  No words.

  Farewells

  Lukas walked through the castle.

  He spoke with Catarina.

  “You’re Tenth House now. First mission — manage the Legionnaires while I’m gone.”

  He spoke to Aníbal and Amélia.

  Train well. Choose wisely.

  He spoke to Kyros.

  “I’m leaving for one year of training.”

  Kyros didn’t question it.

  But warned him:

  “The South is not the world. There are things even I and the Emperor cannot control. See it with your own eyes.”

  Then, quietly:

  “My dream built the South. Yours… may unite what I could not.”

  The Last Goodbye

  Lukas walked through cheering plebeians.

  He tripped.

  Laughed.

  Sarya watched from afar.

  He approached.

  “Hi.”

  “Hi, Fernandes.”

  “Thanks for taking care of her. I’m counting on you.”

  “I will. She’s the Patriarch’s daughter.”

  Lukas ruffled Leli’s hair.

  She puffed her chest.

  “Now I’m strong like you!”

  He smiled.

  Sarya didn’t understand why her heart beat faster.

  That warm smile… from someone who lost everything once.

  Departure

  The gates opened.

  Applause.

  The Legendary Failure walked forward smiling.

  Toward one year of training.

  Toward reforging the body that once belonged to the Blood Demon.

  “Let’s go, Legionary,” César said.

  “SO HOT~” Morgana added.

  “Have mercy,” César sighed.

  From above, Besouro and Akemi watched.

  They hated goodbyes.

  They preferred grand entrances.

  Lukas stopped comparing himself to his brothers.

  He accepted who he was.

  And under the cheers…

  He embraced the title.

  Legendary Failure.

  End of chapter 22

  END OF SEASON ONE