Chapter 2: Return to the Orphanage

Jakob was a newly appointed acolyte under St. Stephan's Cathedral, assigned to work at the relief center.

He was slightly chubby, dressed in a white robe, and looked very kind.

"Oh, look at that full moon. What a perfect night for moon-gazing," Jakob sighed, sitting in the duty room and gazing at the starry sky through the window.

"Hm?" Suddenly, Jakob caught a glimpse of white from the corner of his eye.

He sat up and looked straight ahead. Standing outside the duty room, visible through the glass, was a white-haired girl, about 120cm tall, as delicate as a doll, staring blankly at him.

Jakob thought, must be another careless parent who lost their child.

He opened the duty room door, walked up to the girl, and squatted down.

He asked, "Little one, it's so late. Why are you here all alone? Where are your parents?"

As he spoke, he took a candy from his pocket and handed it over.

Seeing a slightly chubby white man emerge from the duty room, Selene thought—it's time to showcase some real acting skills.

She shook her head in confusion. "Wuu... I-I don't know... wuuu..."

...

As expected, with Selene's superb acting, Jakob began comforting her.

Selene then recited the background story she had made up.

The story was simple:

Her mother died from childbirth complications. She never had a father. She was raised by her grandmother. Due to her unusual pupils, the townspeople shunned her, believing she was a harbinger of misfortune.

Then, about a week ago, her grandmother passed away from illness. After the funeral, the townspeople sent her here and left.

"Poor child. May the Lord's light dispel your sorrow," Jakob said sympathetically.

He led her inside and said,

"Child, what's your name?"

The white-haired girl softly replied, "Selene."

Jakob handed her some bread and water. "Here, have something to eat. You must be hungry."

"Thank you."

Selene hesitated, then thanked him and began eating under his watchful gaze.

Seeing her timid demeanor, Jakob thought of her sad story. Likely born from an unmarried couple, never knowing parental love, living with an elderly grandmother. "Poor child..."

"Selene, wait here for a bit. I'll be right back," Jakob said as he left the room.

Watching Jakob's figure disappear, Selene's expression faded. She thought quietly to herself:

"I'm sorry—I didn't mean to deceive you."

...

"Oh, you've finished eating. You must've been starving."

"Come, child. Let's get you registered." Jakob returned with a smile.

Selene lowered her head and followed him out.

...

One week later. Austria, Vienna, St. Stephan's Relief Center, dormitory building.

Selene put the travel guide she'd just finished reading back on the bookshelf, rubbed her forehead, and muttered with slight fatigue, "Academy City, huh? Seems I've found my next target."

"Esper powers... If my abilities were evaluated in Academy City, I'd probably be classified as a Gemstone, right?"

[Yes. According to Academy City's standards, Selene is undoubtedly a Gemstone-type esper.]

Selene closed her eyes and thought for a moment, then stood up from the chair.

She looked around. It was a brand-new single dormitory room, about 20 square meters. The furniture was spotless and well-maintained. No decorations.

Selene was satisfied with the room. For someone with nothing, a little space like this was more than enough for now.

According to Jakob, this dormitory was only built last year. Selene's ability to live here was all thanks to him.

Now she could confirm the timeline was still before the main plot began. The list of Level 5 espers in Academy City hadn't appeared yet—otherwise, they would've been mentioned in the travel guide.

After all, Level 5 espers were Academy City's crown jewels. She still had plenty of time to prepare.

Suddenly, a voice came from outside the door: "Selene? Sister Savannah is looking for you."

It was Nina.

"Alright, I'm coming."

Nina was also an orphan at the relief center, and recently became a friend of Selene. She had ear-length short hair tied into a ponytail, blue eyes, and a petite figure—shorter than Selene by a full head. Her demeanor was soft and gentle.

Selene opened the door and looked at the small-framed Nina. "Let's go."

...

From the moment she first saw Selene and registered her information, Sister Savannah knew this girl was different.

Over the week they'd gotten to know each other, Selene stood out distinctly among the children—like a crane among chickens.

She was always polite and respectful in her interactions. In an entire week, she had never once quarreled with anyone.

Her learning ability was astonishing. She had photographic memory, sharp thinking, and exceptional logical reasoning skills.

Most notably, her unusually shaped pupils and overly refined appearance—like an angel fallen to earth—combined with her noble temperament, all spoke of an extraordinary origin.

"She might be the most remarkable girl I've met in my lifetime," thought Sister Savannah as she sat in her office.

Knock knock! came a knock at the door.

"Come in."

"Sister Savannah, I'm here. Is something the matter?" Selene asked, slightly bowing.

Looking at the white-haired girl demonstrating textbook-perfect etiquette, Sister Savannah teased, "Today's music elective offers violin, cello, piano, flute, oboe... Which one will little Selene choose?"

Selene thought for a moment. "Piano."

...

And so, Selene spent the day learning piano.

That night, lying on her bed, Selene began to reflect on her abilities.

Her outward trait of "super strength" was easily felt in daily life. As the name implied, she was born strong, and she could clearly feel herself growing stronger each day.

Honkai energy manipulation was harder to manage. She couldn't yet predict the consequences of releasing it directly on objects or people, so best to leave it alone for now.

Spatial manipulation, however, allowed her to open a pitch-black portal. A power that would be pretty handy for stealing or peeking...

Thinking about it, Selene sat up and extended her right hand on the bed. She activated her ability. Her right hand passed through a black circle, reappearing several meters away from another black portal on the desk. It grabbed a cookie and brought it to her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully. This ability required no calculation at all—if it was within range, just think it and it happened.

That was the essence of a Gemstone—an esper born with their Personal Reality already awakened. Natural espers were extremely rare in the Toaru world, with only around 50 individuals globally.

Unlike artificial espers, Gemstones could use their powers instinctively, as naturally as breathing. Most of them, as children or even infants, couldn't control their abilities and were quickly discovered and recruited by Academy City.

"Great Sage, what's the maximum range of my spatial manipulation right now?"

[Approximately 50 meters.]

"How do I increase it?"

[Spatial manipulation is based on the strength of imaginary energy, which in turn depends on Honkai energy levels. The Herrscher core is the key. In the previous world, the Second Herrscher core briefly resided within Selene. Although it was later removed, its essence fused with the Honkai crystal in this body. By absorbing imaginary energy to nourish it, your power can increase.]

"What's my current Honkai energy level?"

[About 80 HW. To become a Herrscher, the minimum required Honkai energy level is over 2000 HW.]

"Looks like I've got a long way to go. No time to waste—let's start training."

Selene's body gradually sank into the black portal.

When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a silent, purplish-red space filled with particulate imaginary energy. This was a dimension beyond known four-dimensional space, a parallel "folded plane" that extended endlessly. Unlike the "classical plane" we live in, imaginary space could only be accessed through vast quantities of Honkai energy.

Selene sat cross-legged and began stimulating her latent potential. The surrounding purple-red particles quivered, then swarmed toward her like moths to a flame.

In what felt like the span of a single breath, Selene's body suddenly trembled violently. Then, a layer of purplish-red light rose from beneath her feet. In the blink of an eye, her entire body was enveloped in purplish-red radiance, glowing brightly.

With each breath, the glow pulsed dimmer and brighter, creating an incredibly strange and mesmerizing sight.

Despite the simplicity of the process, Selene felt an overwhelming sense of comfort. The rush of imaginary particles brought a euphoric surge of power.

...

Morning.

Selene reappeared on the dormitory bed.

Her body felt so comfortable she couldn't help but let out a soft moan.

Sensing the increase in her strength, she felt an uncontrollable sense of empowerment.

Stretching her limbs with a yawn, her mind felt refreshed. Gazing at the gradually rising sun outside the window, her mood was exceptionally pleasant.

"Another day full of hope begins."