?Seeing the reaction of Governor Fidel, the expressions of the older generations darkened.


    For they knew where Governor Fidel wasing from.


    Although the younger generation - Eli, the Princes, and the rest were clueless about the reason for his reaction, they knew what Governor Fidel was talking about.


    The Asanis were actually dered to have perished more than twenty years ago.


    To the informed ones, especially in higher society, the Asani race is actually a group of very rare people. They were but a small tribe with mysterious origins and striking features - ck hair and obsidian eyes.


    There were legends that they could change their constitution once in their lifetime and so their small tribe sought refuge in the Seirende Borders, to the secluded Portia Valley.


    Since the war of the first victor, the Asanis lived in seclusion and in mystery, only participating in the Empire''s activities on special asions. And these asions were only for them to announce that they still exist and that people should not treat them as outsiders or monsters.


    During thest years of the Late Idelfonso, however, devastating news spread in the entire Prasinos.


    The Asani tribe was actually held captive by the mysterious terrorist group, The Spectre.


    The confrontation with this group was the trigger of the infamous battle in the blood valley which not only caused the rumors of Emperor Idelfonso being killed but also the entire tribe being massacred.


    Men, women, and children, all were mercilessly killed.


    If any, it was only Eli and Little Han who was confirmed to have remained with the Asani bloodline.


    So, how could they receive the news that there was another Asani alive and kicking?


    Moreover, this ''asani'' was now posing as the holy mage, the pdin who helped the Seirende Empire to survive their internal war.


    Hearing the discussion, Eli remained silent.


    But in her heart, she remembered the words of the mysterious leprechaun, the guardian of the Imperial Archives.


    "You must remember… that you are thest descendant of the Asanis. You are the only one."


    That was the word the elder leprechaun left to her before giving her a book which she is bound to open the moment her identity as an Asani was questioned.


    ''Could it be that the leprechaun was pertaining to this moment?'' She asked herself.


    However, as there were people around, she opted not to speak for a moment.


    Besides, she had to wait until she came home with Leon. This was because she promised him that they would solve everything together now that they are betrothed with each other.


    "Clearly, there''s more to this than what we currently know…" Emperor Valentin navigated the assembly and calmed the people down.


    "What we need to do is to ensure that there will be no mishaps happening in the tournament that would cause the schedule to dy significantly."


    "We have no other choice but to silently and ever so stealthily prepare for war!"


    Hearing Emperor Valentin''s voice, the room became even more tense and serious. The reality will not change no matter what the truth about the fake pdin was.


    They will still have to confront the people hidden among the other nations who were actually part of the Spectre.


    There''s nothing they can do but prepare for a sudden war, should the enemies hidden in the dark decide to make a move.


    And so everyone adjusted their state of mind and continued discussing the more pressing matters.


    It was alreadyte in the afternoon when the meeting ended.


    Randel and Eli rushed to go to the finals venue of the pianopetition.


    After studying for so long, it was finally Desmond''s turn to fight for the championship.


    Truthfully, it was quite pressuring for him and Lainie to move with thepetition because their friends have all finished their respectivepetitions with flying colors.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Nevertheless, both of Eli''s proteges were determined to finish strong so that they could secure the honor of their Institute and themselves.


    As soon as they entered the grand auditorium, the duo greeted the rest of the bunch and immediately asked about the current situation.


    "I''ll go backstage…" Eli looked at Randel signaling him to stay with the rest so that she can support Desmond.


    "Alright, Good luck to the both of you…" Randel nodded and stayed with the students.


    Eli found her way backstage and immediately saw Raya and Desmond sitting solemnly in one corner of the waiting room.


    From Eli''s perspective, the two seemed to have been clouded by gloom and anxiousness as they observed the mixed gazes of the people around them.


    "Desmond… Raya." She greeted.


    "Mentor!" The siblings'' eyes lit up the moment they turned their heads in Eli''s direction.


    "How''s everything… have you conditioned yourself well?" Eli smiled at the two and immediately asked Desmond about his state of mind.


    "My hands are sweaty… and a little bit cold…" Desmond lowered his head and told his condition with a quiver in his voice.


    As he was saying this, Raya''s expression also choked.


    In an instant, Eli knew that something wrong must have happened earlier that the two siblings were reluctant to tell.


    And knowing that it was such a crucial time, Eli did not even think twice. She was sure whatever happened had something to do with thepetition.


    Her face turned serious, and her signature intimidating aura emanated with her thin yet eye-catching figure.


    "Tell me, what''s the matter?" Her voice was lowered by several pitches that everyone in the room felt that the temperature immediately dropped.


    "This…" A cold wave of shivers ran down Desmond''s back, however, he still bit his lips and refused to talk.


    Eli also understood Desmond''s intention from his expression and so she immediately took his hands and closed her eyes seemingly trying to diagnose his condition like how doctors do it.


    This was a trick she begged Kayden to teach her after she witnessed Little Han get sick back then. With her interaction with Kayden and her growing open path powers, she was able to perform a simple diagnostic procedure such as this.


    She did not have strong medical skills as Kayden but her abilities were enough to detect what was wrong with someone else''s body.


    "Your right-hand nerves were numbed!" Eli cried out in rm. How could this thing happen to him at such a time like this?


    Desmond and Raya showed defeated faces, they never thought that Eli would find a way to know what was going on. Although they were in awe of witnessing another of Eli''s abilities, they could not afford it at the moment


    "I am afraid, mentor, that I do not have time to exin. For I will be the first one to yter on…" Desmond tried to calm Eli down.


    He shook his hands and wiggled his fingers to prove that he could still control his fingers while saying, "Besides I can still manage to control it like this mentor. I believe I canst until the first movement of the piece I have prepared.


    He smiled at her but to Eli, it was a smile of defeat, as he was already epting his fate that he would no longer be able to y his best.


    "No… I will do something about it!" Eli squinted her eyes with determination, showing that she will not allow Desmond to y in his condition like this, "If you force it, your hands might be crippled!"


    She was no doctor, but only by seeing the condition of his hands that Eli knew that it was not something they can ignore.


    "I''ll buy you sometime… Raya, quickly call Randell and Dean Athena down here and ask them to summon the judge and the organizers." She quickly ordered.


    "Mentor this…" Before Desmond could stop Raya, Eli threw her a warning nce and halted. He had no choice but to see Raya immediately follow Eli''s orders.


    "Mentor, I''m afraid that this will only inconvenience you and everyone." He nervously whispered. If his hands weren''t numbed at the moment, he would have clinched it so hard to contain his emotions.


    "Don''t think too much. I am your mentor, and so even if it means causing a scene in here, I will not allow you to go through this like amb walking in a ughterhouse!"