The Color Spectrum

"How did you know our dad?" Rohann asked.

"Well, we studied in the same academy. We sort of had a rivalry in the first years, but everything went well. We became best friends and no one else in the academy could match up to us!" Neidan reminisced fondly.

"What was he like?" Zorenn asked.

"Renfri? He was rather timid at first glance. He always had a knack for staying out of the spotlight if he wanted to. But when you mess with him, he can make you regret it." Neidan chuckled as if he remembered amusing moments he had in the past. "Your dad is someone everyone should look up to. That's all you need to know about him."

Rohann and Zorenn were amazed at how much Neidan valued their father. Their instinct told them that the man in front of them was someone special, yet even he respects their father.

[Our dad really isn't normal, huh?]

[Looks like it. I have to say… I can't wait to drag him back home to mom.]

[Agreed.]

Rohann, Zorenn, and Neidan chatted about other various things. Neidan was happy to see that the twins are very curious about the world outside.

After all, they will eventually need to venture out into the world.

"Looks like you three hit it off pretty well!" Ferrah said to announce her arrival with drinks and snacks.

"Yeah, mom! Uncle Neidan was telling us about magic!" Rohann said to Ferrah.

"Oh? What did he tell you?" Ferrah asked.

"Hehe, not much. He told us that we definitely should try to study in Aedith Academy when we grow up." Zorenn said.

"Aedith Academy, huh? That's where your dad and Neidan studied, you know? Did this guy already tell you he works there?"

"Hey! You spoiled the surprise!"

"Oh please. You would've told them eventually if I gave you five minutes more. You love to brag after all."

"...that's true."

"You really work there, uncle?"

"Yeah! I'm like the second highest authority. But don't expect any special treatment from me, alright?"

"We won't, uncle."

[When did you become so noble, Hann?]

[Heh. We don't need favors anyway.]

[I suddenly lost motivation to teach you magic.]

[Hey! No, I promise I'll stop being arrogant!]

"Good kids. Anyway, it's a good thing we talked about magic. Reminded me of what I need to do." Neidan said as he took out what looked to be a foggy crystal ball.

"What's that?" Rohann asked in curiosity.

"This is just a simple tool to examine magical potential in children. Your dad made me promise to make sure I examine your magical potential when you celebrate your fifth birthday no matter what." Neidan said to Rohann and Zorenn.

Neidan clutched the crystal ball in one hand before taking out what looked like reading glasses from his storage ring and wore it.

"Knowing who your parents are, I'm willing to bet all my fortune to say that the two of you will be extraordinary. So, to make Renfri bow to me in gratitude, let us record this moment for him to see in the future." Neidan said as he tapped the side of his glasses.

The frame of the glasses lit up and the transparent glasses gained a slightly blue tint. Zorenn guessed that it functioned as an image capture.

"What do we need to do?" Zorenn asked, excited to see how this world tests magical potential in children.

"Just hold the ball in your hands. Both hands, alright? For the best accuracy."

[So… should we hide our supposed potential?]

[Don't bother. Mom already knows, but she's not stopping us or anything.]

[...meh. Good point.]

Rohann went first and took the crystal ball from Neidan. He clutched it with both hands as the four people around the table waited.

Neidan glued his eyes on the ball to wait for the result. Zorenn watched the ball closely to examine how such a tool works. Ferrah just smiled in her seat as she took a homemade potato chip and ate it.

A few moments passed and the crystal ball showed no reactions. Neidan was about to give up when something happened.

The crystal ball shattered into dust in Rohann's hands. The table was silent as Neidan tried to comprehend what just happened.

"I have to say… I don't think that ever happened before. Was it broken? No no no, I just took it out of the resource room… Maybe it was old? Probably…" Neidan mused out loud, fascinated by what just happened. "Good thing I brought extra, then."

Neidan took out another crystal ball from his storage ring. Rohann was about to take it as well when Neidan retracted his hand.

"Uh uh! Zorenn's turn. I want to see if this will shatter as well." Neidan gave the crystal ball to Zorenn.

The table was silent once again as the four of them paid attention to the crystal ball in Zorenn's hands. A few moments later, the same thing happened again.

"Okay… So it wasn't broken. The cause lies in you two, then… but what?" Neidan mused out loud once again, not even disturbed by the broken magical tools that were undoubtedly expensive.

As Neidan sat there to think in silence, Ferrah couldn't hold back the chuckle she held under her breath. Curious by her reaction, Neidan stopped thinking about what could be the cause of the crystal ball shattering.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing. Just thinking about how you'll feel two polar opposite emotions in the next minute." Ferrah answered with a chuckle that was slowly turning into laughter.

"What do you mean?" Neidan asked as he somehow felt suspense creeping up on him.

"They don't need to be tested. Boys, show your poor uncle." Ferrah said to Rohann and Zorenn.

Rohann and Zorenn nodded to show they understood. Neidan paid attention to the twins, somehow having an inkling as to what Ferrah meant.

A moment later, Rohann and Zorenn glowed white. The sight of their latent mana undulating from their bodies shook Neidan to his core as he stood up from his seat.

"WHITE? HOW COULD IT BE WHITE ALREADY? FERRAH?!" Neidan barely held back his hysteria.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Don't ask me! I just found out this morning, too!" Ferrah guffawed at the reaction of Neidan.

"Mom, uncle, what's the matter with our mana?" Rohann asked.

Hearing Rohann's question, Neidan coughed and started explaining what made Rohann and Zorenn so unbelievably exceptional.

"You see, the strength of mana and magic can be classified according to what we call the Color Spectrum. Starting from the weakest is red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Of course, it doesn't stop there. Dedicated mages hone their craft until their violet mana and magic turn darker and darker until it becomes black. However, there's a realm beyond that which is so rare that it was nothing more than a fairy tale for most. A color that only a select few have. That color is white. I only know four people who managed to cultivate their magic until it became white, and that includes me, your mother, and your father. I guess, now I know six of us." Neidan explained to Rohann and Zorenn.

Hearing about the power classification of magic in this world, Rohann and Zorenn couldn't help but take a sharp breath intake. They were caught completely off guard!

[I was not expecting that…]

[Really? Even the Supreme Sorciere didn't know that? I thought you were just pretending or something?]

[I wasn't! Tell me, have you ever seen mana be colored differently in our past lives?]

[Uhhhh… now that I think about it, no.]

[Exactly! That's why I didn't expect what Uncle Neidan said! If I knew, I would have urgently found a way to change my mana's color!]

[Well, we can't do anything about it now… is our mana really that powerful, or did we just carry over the qualities of mana in our previous world?]

[I would say both. Mana works the same in both worlds. I guess… the latent potential of people in this world is far lesser than our previous world? Still, our mana is undoubtedly far stronger than what could be said as normal.]

As Rohann and Zorenn spoke to each other telepathically, Neidan continued explaining about the color of their mana.

"You two already possess white mana… Is it because both of your parents are white mana users themselves? In any case, this doesn't mean everything is good," Neidan suddenly turned serious to speak with the twins. "Listen, you two. You should never, EVER, show your white mana in public. There are a lot of mages who would kill to know how to make their mana white. Until you learn how to control your mana and change its color, don't ever think about showing it outside this house. Promise me, please?"

"Don't worry, uncle. We never really intended to show it in the first place. It was our secret with mom." Rohann and Zorenn said with a grin.

Neidan turned his gaze to look at Ferrah, who was smiling at her sons. Neidan could only sigh out in relief and joy.

'Renfri. Your children really are special, huh?'