CHAPTER 42: CH 42: TESTED OUT - PART 1

The Defense Office towered over the street, its stone walls darkened with age and authority. As Kana and Lysera stepped through the gates, the air shifted.

It was quieter inside—quieter and colder, as if the building itself demanded silence.

Kana followed closely beside Lysera through a polished corridor, past busy officers and clerks, until they reached a small side hallway on the second floor.

At the end of it was a plain door with Lysera’s name etched into a plaque beside it.

"Here."

Lysera said, opening it.

The office was small and neat, just big enough for a desk, two chairs, and a shelf stacked with folders.

A window overlooked the central courtyard. Kana entered, glancing around while Lysera shut the door behind them.

"Sit down. We’ll do the check-in first. Just your name, confirmation of your participation, and agreement to act under the Defense Office’s terms. You’re not enlisting, but this mission will be recorded as an official operation."

Lysera said gently, pulling out a form from the top drawer of her desk.

Kana nodded, took the pen, and signed without hesitation.

Lysera hesitated.

"You’re sure?"

Kana handed the form back.

"I am."

Lysera gave her a long look, then folded the paper away.

"Alright. That’s it. Let’s go."

They left the office and made their way deeper into the building. The halls grew quieter and more secure the farther they went. Finally, they stopped before a large, reinforced door.

Lysera knocked once. A moment later, a voice from within responded.

"Enter."

Kana followed Lysera into the room.

Sergeant Delran sat behind a heavy desk, her hands folded and her gaze fixed on a report in front of her.

She was older than Kana expected, with lines etched deep into her face and pale eyes that missed nothing. Her uniform was immaculate.

She didn’t look up.

"Close the door."

Lysera did. Kana stood awkwardly, uncertain of where to go until Delran gestured toward the chair in front of her.

"Sit, girl."

Kana obeyed.

Delran finally raised her head.

"So you’re finally here. It’s nice to meet you once more, my dear child. Hmmm, now that I look at you again, you do look rather young."

Her gaze swept over Kana with faint disapproval, though her voice stayed even.

"She’s more than capable. We’re here to brief her on the mission."

Lysera said firmly.

"We’ll get to that. But before we talk about the mission, there’s something else we need to handle first."

Delran replied.

Kana’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Something else?"

"Yes. Your file is... empty."

Delran said, turning over a folder and sliding it toward herself.

Lysera stiffened.

"No record of ability testing. No field performance, no formal documentation of magical control. You’ve never been assessed, not even by local officials. That makes things complicated."

Delran tapped her fingers once on the desk.

Lysera stepped forward.

"She’s not a soldier. There’s no reason for her file to be full. She’s a civilian offering help for a single mission."

Delran ignored her.

"We need to know what she’s capable of before we can trust her to take on the assignment. It’s non-negotiable."

"She’s not an agent. You don’t get to mine her for information just because she agreed to help."

Lysera said, sharper now.

Delran’s eyes snapped up to her.

"Don’t be foolish, Officer. What if she breaks down mid-operation? What if her powers go out of control? The Defense Office will be held accountable for allowing an unknown into an official mission without proper vetting."

"She’s not unknown

to me."

"But she is to us. The tests are mandatory."

Delran pushed the folder aside.

Kana’s fingers twitched in her lap.

"What kind of tests?"

"A full assessment. Magical aptitude, resistance, physical response, and mental clarity. Standard procedure for unregistered talents."

Lysera stepped closer to Kana.

"You don’t have to do this. We can leave now. I’ll find another way to get you into the mission."

Delran’s mouth twisted.

"If she walks out, she forfeits her right to the assignment. No test, no mission."

Lysera glared.

"This isn’t right. You’re not just assessing her—you’re collecting data. You’ll record everything. If that information gets out—"

"She agreed to the mission. That means she agreed to our conditions. If you don’t like it, you can step aside."

Delran interrupted.

Lysera turned to Kana.

"Kana, think. Once they have this, it’s permanent. It goes into the system. It can be used by anyone with clearance. If someone with the wrong intentions gets their hands on your records—"

"It’s fine."

Kana said softly.

Lysera stared at her.

Kana looked at Delran, then back.

"I already agreed to help. If this is the step I need to take... then I’ll do it."

"No. You don’t understand how they’ll use this. People like Delran don’t let things go."

Lysera stepped forward.

"It’s my choice. I want to know too. If I’m really ready."

Kana said, calmer now.

Lysera opened her mouth again—but nothing came out.

Her face froze, expression hardening as her jaw locked shut. Her body twitched once in protest, then stilled completely, her voice sealed away by invisible force.

Kana blinked.

"What—?"

Delran stood, dusting her coat with a single motion.

"She’ll be fine in a few minutes. Don’t worry. Come along."

Kana hesitated. Lysera’s furious eyes met hers, and for a moment, Kana felt a pang of guilt. But she stood anyway.

She followed Delran down the hall.

Behind her, Lysera remained in the office, locked in place and unable to speak. Her muffled fury echoed in Kana’s ears as they walked.

"You’ve nothing to fear. Officer Lysera’s just a bit too protective. You’ll be fine."

Delran said as they turned a corner.

Kana didn’t answer. Her steps continued, one after the other, but her thoughts stayed behind—trapped with Lysera, and the warning she hadn’t been allowed to finish.

She didn’t trust Delran. Not fully.

But she wanted to know the truth about herself.

And for better or worse... this was the path she had chosen.

Sergeant Delran stopped in front of a sterile white door and gestured toward it.

"This is the testing chamber. You’ll enter alone."

Kana looked at the blank, polished surface. The silence beyond the door felt unnaturally heavy. Her fingers curled at her sides as unease gripped her chest.

"...System, is it safe to go in there?"

She whispered under her breath.

A soft chime echoed in her mind.

[Activating [Mental Fortification: Calm Will]]

[Emotional Disruption Neutralized. Proceed without fear.]

The shift was immediate. The tightness in Kana’s chest loosened, and her mind cleared like fog lifting from a valley.

Her nerves receded, replaced by an almost serene sense of focus. She nodded silently and stepped forward, the door sliding shut behind her with a faint hiss.

Sergeant Delran, watching her disappear inside, turned and headed toward the observation center.

Inside, a young officer slouched behind the monitoring desk, chewing the end of a pen. When Delran entered, he jolted upright, nearly knocking over his chair.

"M-Ma’am?"

Delran didn’t pause.

"Step aside. I’ll be testing this human myself."

She ordered.

The officer paled and scrambled to make space, sweat beading on his forehead as Delran loomed behind him, eyes fixed on the screen.