Rimi stops thinking about Celeste and looks at the two children ahead. Cassius has just woken up, still a little confused, while Emily stands close beside him.
Rimi does not hesitate. She runs closer, jumps onto Cassius's leg, then climbs straight up to his shoulder.
"Why so suddenly, Rimi?" Cassius startles, turning his head to look at the black cat clinging to his shoulder. "Is something bothering you?"
'The opposite' Rimi thinks, looking straight at him.
She rubs her face against Cassius's cheek. He lets out a soft laugh and raises his hand to stroke her soft black fur.
Rimi does not climb onto his shoulder randomly. She does it to be closer to the mana flowing around Cassius. At this distance, she can feel it more clearly.
Rimi believes this is the dominant ability of Cassius's mana.
Just like its name, a dominant ability is the natural power that a person's mana carries, the ability they can use the most. Every mana user has one such ability. Most of them focus on training only this power, because it suits them the best.
The clearest example is the royal family ruling this continent. Unlike nobles or commoners, their chances of being a mana user are not random. All those who carry royal blood can use mana. Legend says that, in the past, they are blessed, by Janus, the God of Doors and Beginnings, with the mission to unify and develop the continent.
All members of the Century family have teleportation as their dominant ability. The level of its strength differs depending on the person. The strongest is the current king Aurelius, a level 7 mage. He can teleport across the continent. In battle, he can continuously appear in different battlefields, becoming the pillar that protects the continent from monsters mutated by mana and forces from outside.
Even so, a mana user is not limited to only their dominant ability. They can learn other powers, but that requires much greater effort.
The most notable case is Celeste Comet Eclipse, the only level 9 mage.
Her dominant ability has never been officially confirmed. No one has enough authority to demand that the strongest person on the continent explain her power. Even the king does not dare to show authority in front of her.
The most accepted theory is that her ability is related to blood. Her own blood, or that of any living being around her. She can create swords, create arrows with immeasurable sharpness.
Rimi then remembers six years ago. A mountain covered with corpses, their bodies full of holes. For a level 9 mage, wiping out an entire area is a small matter. That power has also eliminated many who once coveted the position of the Eclipse family.
In public, Celeste once shows teleportation. She appears and disappears before anyone can notice. But Rimi knows that cannot be everything. No one has ever seen Celeste use all of her power.
Thinking of that, Rimi lightly tightens her claws into Cassius's shoulder, then relaxes them.
Back to the boy in front of her.
After many observations, Rimi understands that Cassius's dominant ability is healing. Not only healing humans. Anything that has life, he can affect. When she stays near him while mana is spreading, Rimi feels her body lighter, her mind clearer.
With his own awareness, Cassius can also actively use this ability. But he does not fully understand it. He only knows how to use it to make flowers fresher, plants healthier.
'Very fitting for the kid's personality' Rimi thinks.
Thomas and Emily also already know about this ability.
After Emily moves in to live with them, she notices that the flowers Cassius takes care of are always fresher than hers. When she asks how he does it, Cassius demonstrates for her, and it is like when he saves the Golden Rose earlier.
Although Emily is younger than Cassius, she reads more books. She knows about mana, and understands that this is not normal. So she tells Thomas.
Thomas is very surprised. But because he has lived long and heard many stories about mages, he clearly understands the risks that come with it. Thomas explains to Cassius that being able to use mana is not a small matter, and it is not something that should be known by others. He clearly says that if this ability is exposed, people will no longer look at him as a normal child, but will look at the value of the power he carries.
He has heard many stories about children with mana being noticed by families, being invited, even being forced to leave where they live. Some are trained to serve a faction, some become tools without having the right to choose for themselves.
Thomas does not want Cassius to fall into such a situation. In his view, Cassius is still too young, does not yet understand how complicated the outside world is, and is not strong enough to protect himself if someone wants to take advantage of him.
Thomas tells Cassius that this power must be kept hidden from outsiders. He does not want him to become anyone's target. At least until he is old enough and strong enough to protect himself, that ability should not be exposed.
Rimi then looks sideways at Cassius.
'What level is he now?'
She has no way to determine it. Cassius has never shown his full power.
'Probably at least level 2' she estimates.
—
After Cassius fully regains his clarity, the three continue walking toward the town.
When they get close to the flower shop, Rimi jumps down from Cassius's shoulder, pretending she is just running around on the road.
Cassius and Emily open the door and step inside.
Rimi does not follow immediately.
She quietly turns toward a nearby bush. Leaves rustle for a moment, then go silent.