At this, Rai looks around in confusion, scratching his head with a puzzled expression. "The hell's that?" he asks in his usual comedic fashion, clearly not grasping the seriousness of the situation.

Gale, who is used to Rai's quirks by now, sighs with exasperation, his tone dry as ever. "The Elemental Assignment is the ceremony where your magic will be appraised using that huge crystal ball," he explains, gesturing toward the large object in the center of the room. "The stronger your magic, the more advanced your class will be. And depending on which element you have the most affinity for, you'll be placed in one of the four Elemental Houses for inter-house competitions."

Rai nodded slowly, but his confused expression never left his face. He scratched his head, his fingers fumbling as if trying to hold onto a slippery concept. His eyes darted around, clearly struggling to grasp the full significance of the event. "What do you mean, the element you have most affinity for?" he asked, his voice filled with innocent curiosity, as if he were asking about a completely unrelated subject.

Gale, sensing Rai's confusion, let out a small sigh. He tried to keep his tone calm but serious. "It means that unless you're from one of the 4 great clans and are a direct descendant, you’ll likely have more than one elemental affinity. The strongest of these elements will be the one you’re most attuned to." Gale’s eyes glinted with a rare sense of purpose as he spoke, but the uncertainty in his voice gave away how much he wasn’t sure himself.

Rai, still struggling to connect the dots, let out a low hum and scratched his chin dramatically, as if trying to solve an unsolvable puzzle. "Huh..." he muttered, his gaze wandering to the floor, still processing. Before he could respond, Gale seemed to pause, his brow furrowing as a thought struck him.

"Although," Gale continued, his tone shifting from casual to genuinely confused, "Wouldn't that mean that sub-clans with multiple elemental affinities could be stronger than the 4 great clans themselves?" His question hung in the air like a heavy mist. Both he and Rai fell into deep, thoughtful poses, eyes narrowed as they both pondered the implications. It was almost as if the entire room had quieted down around them, giving the two of them a moment to wrestle with the weight of their realizations.

Rose, her tone a mix of disappointment and pride, leaned forward, her gaze piercing Rai and Gale. "Well, I guess I have no choice but to educate you two fools. Listen closely now, because I will not repeat myself," she said firmly, the pride in her voice palpable. Rai and Gale both turned their full attention to Rose. Rai, still a bit distracted by the presence of the girl in front of him, stared at her with wide eyes, a little too obvious in his admiration. Rose, maintaining a cool composure, met his gaze without flinching, though a faint sigh escaped her lips.

Rai grinned sheepishly as he realized he'd been caught staring. "Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about how pretty you are," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

Rose rolled her eyes but didn't let it throw her off as she continued. "Those descended from the four great clans are the most powerful because they control the purest form of the elements," she started, her voice filled with authority, though Rai's words left a slight pink flush on her cheeks. "For example, fire users aren’t limited to just creating and manipulating fire. With enough practice, they can also control magma or lava, which is a mixture of both fire and earth." She nodded toward Gale to reinforce her point.

Gale, who had already heard this a thousand times, leaned back and muttered under his breath, "So basically, fire guys get to play with lava and think they’re the best thing since sliced bread." His dry humor almost made Rose crack a smile.

Rose, keeping her composure, continued. "On the other hand, those from the sub-clans, while they may have affinities with multiple elements, can only control the single combination they are born with. For instance, Mammoth’s lightning is a blend of both wind and water elements. However, he can only control lightning, he can’t command wind, water or storm magic, which is another combination of wind and water, or any other combination between wind and water."

Rai, ever the curious one, blinked a few times, his expression growing even more puzzled. "Wait, you’re telling me fire guys can make lava?" he asked, scratching his head. "What next, earth guys can make trees grow cuz they are part of the earth?"

Rose didn’t miss a beat. "Yes, pretty much."

Gale couldn’t help but laugh at Rai’s expression, shaking his head. "You're something else, you know that?"

Rose smirked at Gale’s remark but didn’t let it derail her explanation. "But those who have the pure elements, either water or wind since these two are the elements that make up lightning, can learn to control even Mammoth’s lightning or create storm magic with enough training although that is a very tall order even for the most skilled Magian.

Her tone shifted as she spoke about her father. “it is such a tall task that even My father, apart from his pure fire magic, can only control three other combinations: light, magma, and steam cloud magic." The pride in her voice was undeniable as she spoke, though there was a subtle glimmer of something softer in her eyes as she glanced back at Rai. Was she hoping for more recognition? It was hard to tell.

Rai, brimming with animated frustration, nearly jumps out of his chair. "You're telling me he can control four types of magic? Geez, man, gimme a break, would you?" he exclaims before slumping back with a dramatic sigh. "How am I gonna beat that, take his place, and marry you?"

Rose's face involuntarily lights up with a proud yet flustered smile. She quickly masks it, responding in a smug tone, "Right? Isn’t he great? You have no chance of being as amazing as him." Her voice is confident, but a hint of teasing lingers.

Rai, now back up on his chair, meets her eyes. "You're right. I’ll never be as great as him." His serious tone catches Rose off guard. A faint sense of disappointment starts to creep into her expression, but before it takes hold, Rai flashes his signature bright smile, one so radiant it feels like it could light up the entire hall. "Because I'm not here to be as great as him. I’m here to be a hundred times better than he ever dreamed of being."

Rose is left momentarily stunned, her confident façade cracking. She tries to compose herself, but her mind lingers on Rai’s words. No one had ever spoken to her like this before. Everyone else tiptoed carefully, measuring their words out of respect—or fear—of her father’s position as the Elemental Magistrate. But Rai? His bold determination completely ignored those societal norms. To him, her father’s title wasn’t a barrier; it was just another goal to surpass.

A flicker of admiration grows within Rose, though she quickly brushes it aside. She couldn’t be falling for someone like Rai... could she? Her stubborn pride wouldn’t allow her to admit it—not yet, anyway. Still, she shifts ever so slightly in her seat, the tiniest movement signalling the first crack in her armour.

As the trio animatedly discussed, Pragaya's speech seemed to drift into the background for Rai. Suddenly, Rai noticed students moving towards the front, and his laughter froze mid-sentence. Blinking, he whispered, “Wait... did I miss something important?”

Pragaya's commanding voice echoed across the hall:
"Alright then, students! Without further ado, let's get to the best part of the day. I would like you all to gather around the Crystal Ball. As Professor Kromus calls your name, step forward to be appraised and sorted into one of the four Elemental Houses, as well as into your class level—ranging from Level 1 to Level 5."

Excitement surged like a tidal wave through the hall. The students eagerly clustered around the towering Crystal Ball, its shimmering surface radiating a magical brilliance. Swirling patterns of vibrant colors danced hypnotically across its surface, pulsing as though alive. Whispers of excitement filled the air as students speculated about their elemental affinities and levels.

Rai's eyes widened in awe, though a faint hint of cluelessness betrayed his inner thoughts. Gale noticed immediately and nudged him forward with a sigh. “Come on, Rai. Don’t just stand there like you’ve never seen magic before.”

Rai tilted his head, scratching the back of it with his usual sheepish grin. “So… uh… what if the Crystal Ball says I don’t belong in any house? Do they have, like, a closet or something for outcasts?”

Gale stifled a laugh while trying to maintain his composure. “Come on Rai, no time to feel sorry now”.

Rose, walking slightly ahead of them, couldn’t resist turning around, her fiery red hair catching the light as she cast an exasperated glare. “Try not to embarrass yourself, Rai. And for heaven’s sake, stop acting like a clueless fool. This moment will determine the path of your future!”

But as her gaze lingered on Rai, her expression softened. Her thoughts betrayed her usual composure: Even if I have no idea how someone like him got here... he might just surprise us all. Flustered by her own musings, she quickly turned away, her face tinged with a hint of pink.

Ahead of the students, Professor Kromus stepped forward. His frost-like eyes swept over the gathered crowd, immediately silencing every whisper and movement. The students collectively shivered under the weight of his commanding presence, a chill permeating the room as though the temperature had dropped.

“Names will be called in order,” Kromus began, his voice cold and precise. “Step forward when summoned.”

The hall held its breath. All eyes were on the Crystal Ball, which pulsed faintly in anticipation. For the students, this was the moment they had been waiting for—the moment they would discover their destinies.

Rai, meanwhile, leaned toward Gale, his curiosity unabated. “You think it’ll say something cool for me? Like… ‘Congratulations! You’ve unlocked the House of Awesomeness!’”

Gale gave a long, resigned sigh. “Sure, Rai. And while we’re dreaming, maybe it’ll say you’re the long-lost prince of a magical kingdom.”

The light-hearted banter added levity to the room, but for everyone else, the ceremony was sacred. For Rose, it was a chance to watch Rai further prove his worth—or lack thereof. For Rai, it was just another step in his whimsical quest to conquer the world.

This was where the tale would truly start to unfold.