My Pet Fox Is Actually A Demon Prince-Chapter 41: Dual-purpose

The Convocation ceremony began sooner than anyone expected.

One by one, the initiates were called into the great hall, their footsteps echoing faintly against polished stones as they passed beneath the high arches. The entire process was orderly, almost solemn— yet beneath it lingered a quiet tension.

As the ceremony unfolded, Kyva began to notice a pattern. Not all, but most of those chosen were assigned as attendants within districts that matched their affinity.

Selene had spoken of this.

There were six districts within the Sacred Order, also known as a circle.

The Ember Quarters, where those of the fire-affinity were sent, was said to be the most relentless of all the districts. In that district, fire wielders were taught not only to conjure flame, but to master it, for their power was as dangerous to themselves as it was to others. Yet among all the affinities, theirs was the most explosive.

Those who endured the Ember Quarters often emerged as formidable combatants, their will as tempered as steel in flame.

The Aquiline Quarter was home to the water-affinity disciples, and it stood in contrast to the Ember Quarter. There, movement was everything. Water wielders were trained in adaptability, to yield, to redirect, to flow around obstacles rather than meet them head-on. Their strength did not lie in brute force, but in precision and patience. They could mend as easily as they could destroy, for water carried both life and erosion within it.

Many among them studied healing arts, while others mastered techniques that could bind, suffocate, or crush with silent efficiency. In the Aquiline Quarter, one learned that power need not be loud to be absolute.

The Bastion Quarter was a place of endurance, where earth-affinities learned to anchor themselves against any force. While slower to act than other affinities, their strength is unmatched in defense and stability. Those who trained in that district became the foundation upon which others relied, for they remained unyielding, immovable, and steadfast as the mountains themselves.

The Gale Quarter was one of the rarest among the six. Unlike the others, air has no fixed shape. Its structures were open, elevated and ever-exposed to the sky. Air wielders learned awareness of motion, of intention, of the unseen current that guided both blade and body.

To outsiders, it seemed almost intangible, their powers difficult to grasp or measure. But among the Order, it was one of the most acknowledged affinities, as those of the Gale Quarter often perceived the world a fraction sooner than everyone else.

The Bloom Quarter was unlike any other district, for it felt less like a training ground and more like a living sanctuary. It was a place where those attuned to life and nature cultivated rather than conquered. Though considered a branch of earth affinity, their practices differed greatly from those of the Bastion Quarter. Where Bastion disciples hardened and endured, those of Bloom nurtured and sustained. They learned to accelerate their growth, mend wounds, commune with spirit beasts, and even draw strength from the land itself.

Yet theirs was no gentle art alone.

Life, as they were taught, was as much about preservation as it was about balance. And balance, when broken, could be restored just as fiercely as it was protected.

And finally...

The Astral Quarters.

It was here that those with rarer affinities gathered. It was a place of divergence, where abilities that defied simple classification were studied with caution and care. Many air-affinity users, particularly those whose resonance leaned toward perception rather than force, found themselves placed here.

Kyva shifted her gaze back to the ceremony, her heart quickening for her companions when their names were called in next. She could only hope they would be accepted into the districts they desired.

Cassian, already rare as an air affinity wielder, stepped forward and dropped to his knees, offering a respectful bow to the masters and Elders present.

The Masters of the Gale Quarter murmured amongst themselves, as if measuring not only his ability but his potential before drawing to a conclusion. In silence, a subtle nod passed between them. Cassian had been chosen.

Liora followed next, her path leading her to the Aquiline Quarter. Selene went alongside her. Though simpler than some, her presence was enough to earn the approval of the Master’s overseeing the tide-bound disciples.

Rowan’s turn came last. One of the Masters of the Ember Quarter studied him closely, aware of his unflinching presence. He commented on the fire in Rowan’s gaze, and how he wished to see how far it would grow. Kyva’s chest tightened with a hint of pride.

Even though she had not seen them in combat yet, she knew they were amazing and skilled beyond her expectations.

One by one, all four were formally accepted, their noble status further boosting their connection as senior adepts came over to speak to them. Their fate had been decided, and their paths chosen.

Kyva exhaled slowly, forcing herself to appear composed. Yet when her name was called, she nearly jumped out of her own skin.

’You can do this, Kyva,’ she emboldened herself.

As she stepped inside, all eyes immediately fell on her. Kyva kept her gaze low as she approached the Masters sitting on a high platform. Stopping at a reasonable distance, she dropped to her knees, copying Cassian’s move and kowtowing respectfully.

For a time, no one spoke.

The Masters regarded her in silence as the robed attendant unrolled a narrow scroll and began to read.

"Kyva. Human. Bearer of Four Affinities. Combat proficiency— unremarkable. At present, she resonates with a single orb. Water-aspected."

"That’s a human?" one of the disciples whispered, not nearly soft enough. "She’s quite stunning."

"Look closer," another scoffed. "There’s no strength in her."

"Unremarkable skill," a third muttered, snickering behind. "Might as well say none at all. I can take her in as an attendant if the Masters deem her unworthy."

"Some sheltered noble’s whelp, no doubt," someone else added.

"What’s her standing?" one of the Masters in charge of the Aquiline Quarter demanded, and the robed attendant looked back at the scroll, frowning slightly as though to be certain.

"Standing..." he echoed, then replied after a pause. "None recorded."

Kyva went still upon hearing she had none.

The hall fell into a hushed silence, before murmurs started to drift in from all sides.

"No standing?" the master repeated, frowning slightly as he looked at the girl kneeling before them. "Explain yourself, is it that you’re a peasant?"

Kyva could hear her heart drum in her ears. Then she overheard a senior adept explaining what no standing meant.

"The word no standing signifies she holds no rank, no name, no patron."

"So not a peasant?"

"She’s a slave," a voice replied from the line of newly accepted disciples.

Vera stepped forward and pointed a finger at the frozen Kyva. "She’s a slave. You can ask her yourself if you don’t believe me. She even has a brand on her back. Someone like her is better off used for dual-purpose."