The tournament was set to begin in just a few days, and Melody had been training relentlessly every single day to meet the requirements to participate.
She still did not know what the first round of the tournament would be, but Orionn had been focusing far more on improving her magic than her combat abilities. He claimed it was not because he was trying to help her pass the first round, but Melody could tell otherwise.
The tournament had now been opened to public participation instead of being limited to selected representatives from each kingdom, which made the entire event even grander—and far more dangerous.
Melody stretched out her hand and summoned her magical core.
A glowing orb immediately formed above her palm, shining with a faint reddish hue.
"Not bad," Orionn said, amusement flickering briefly in his eyes. "Already at Level Twenty of the Advanced Stage. That's impressive for someone with a full innate core."
Melody still could not fully understand how she possessed an innate full core.
An innate core was the type of power a person was born with. It determined both the amount of magic they possessed and the limits of what they could eventually cultivate.
Most people were born with weak cores.
A person with an innate core level of seven was already considered fortunate, and even then, most magic users only managed to reach the Advanced Stage if they were lucky. Very few people ever progressed beyond it.
That was why anyone who surpassed the Advanced Stage was highly respected throughout the continent.
It was rare.
Extremely rare.
And yet somehow, Melody possessed a full innate core powerful enough to unsettle even Orionn at times.
Each race across the kingdoms possessed their own unique abilities.
The fairies were known for their connection to nature. They could manipulate plants, trees, and even the wind itself, using them for both attack and defense.
The sea people were known for charm magic, along with their control over water and ice.
The werewolves, on the other hand, were connected to the earth. They could manipulate the ground to their advantage, possessed incredible physical strength even without magic, and healed far faster than ordinary beings.
And then there were the vampires.
The lost kingdom.
A race spoken about only in old stories and forbidden history books.
Orionn stared at Melody's glowing core, clear interest lingering in his eyes.
"You're doing pretty well," he admitted.
Melody grinned proudly.
"Thanks to you," she replied honestly.
And it was true.
Ever since the first day Orionn had started teaching her magic, he had been the one guiding her growth. Every improvement she made had come through his training, and no matter how stubborn or frustrating he could be, she knew she would not have reached this stage without him.
She was not going to withhold gratitude where it was deserved.
"Well," Orionn said as he rose to his feet and dusted his hands lightly, "you're ready for the tournament."
Melody immediately brightened.
"Really?"
"For the first stage at least," he corrected dryly.
Her excitement dimmed slightly.
"That still counts."
A faint chuckle escaped him.
Melody blinked.
Orionn had been laughing a lot more lately.
Not loudly. Not openly. But enough for her to notice.
"But," he continued, folding his arms as he looked down at her, "are you ready for tomorrow?"
Melody nodded immediately.
Tomorrow was the arrival day.
Participants from different kingdoms, noble families, and even common territories would begin arriving in Theneros for the tournament.
The entire kingdom had already transformed because of it.
Markets were crowded. Guards had doubled around the castle. Decorations lined the streets, and excitement buzzed through the city despite the fear surrounding the rogue attacks.
It was going to be the biggest gathering the continent had seen in years.
And tomorrow was the arrival day for everyone who wished to participate in the tournament, including the chosen representatives from the various kingdoms, as well as people from different parts of the continent now that the tournament had been opened to the public.
And tomorrow was also the day she would see her sister again.
She already knew Mira would be one of the representatives sent from Lyrius. There was no doubt about that.
Melody wasn't entirely sure how she felt about it.
She and Mira had never truly been close. Most of their relationship had consisted of Mira finding ways to make her feel small, insignificant, lesser.
But the Melody from back then was not the Melody of now.
And she intended to make that very clear.
"Well," Melody said as she stood up, brushing invisible dust from her clothes, "I am very ready and prepared to receive our guests."
Orionn watched her for a moment before speaking.
"Everything is already in place. The arena is ready," he said. "And hopefully, we'll be able to uncover something about this ongoing rogue issue."
Even though his voice remained calm, Melody could tell the situation was weighing heavily on him.
"Well, hopefully," she replied.
The rogues were a problem. A dangerous one.
But at the moment, Melody found herself far more focused on the tournament.
And for the first time in a long while, she was actually excited.