The ceremony room was dark and Ilyin could barely make out a round table in the dim light coming from the hall.
The elders of the three families sat behind them and now stood up when the couple entered and bowed their heads.
“Raise your heads,” Aden said dryly and the room grew darker as the door closed.
Ilyin saw a soft light shining on the round black table, which was placed in the middle of the room and it took her a few seconds to realize that it was a mirror.
“The succession ceremony will begin now,” said one of the elders.
Lidan from Blue North approached the table and seemed to recite a spell as if he were a wizard; Ilyin could not understand the words that were said.
She received a comprehensive language education, but wondered what Lidan was saying.
“Raise your hand after he finishes the incantation.” Ilyin's grip on Mille's item tightened when Aden whispered to her.
She wasn't sure which one to lift.
Aden held her empty hand to support her and said softly:
“You have nothing to worry about.”
Aden comforted her and when Lidan finished his spell, he guided Ilyin's hand to the round table, the surface was surprisingly cold and suddenly a bright light filled the room.
She instinctively covered her eyes with the hand that was holding the Mille flower.
She could only see the shadow of her hand in the bright white light and realized that she was no longer holding the flower.
Furthermore, I no longer felt Aden's hand.
She looked around to see that she was alone in the sunny lands.
Then she looked down and saw that she was wearing a white dress and summer shoes.
The green grass rustled softly in the breeze.
As Ilyin looked into the distance, she saw wide plains and a hill in the distance; she was standing in the middle of a dirt road that continued straight ahead of her, with grass and wildflowers on either side.
It was spring and the sky was a clear blue with soft clouds floating by.
Then, in an instant, everything around him began to grow rapidly.
Ilyin took a step back as she felt the ground move and a tree miraculously grew where she stood.
Jolted by his sudden appearance, she took a few more steps back and watched in awe as he grew several times taller than her.
The healthy tree provided Ilyin with shade from the sunlight, but she could still feel the wind.
Looking at the leaves, the sun seemed to be directly above her and she squinted her eyes, and when she looked down again, she saw the colorful wildflowers, but she also noticed something else.
Ilyin thought she had seen it incorrectly, but when she looked closer, she saw the Biflten estate shining in the sunlight.
The pale vines that covered the mansion were now bright green and full of life.
She seemed to glide towards the mansion and now she was seeing what Biflten would be like in the summer.
Ilyin saw the four seasons pass by her as she walked.
The plains were as if someone was placing different landscapes beside her with every step she took.
Ilyin stopped when it was summer again and she heard huge waves crashing on the beach of the sea that had frozen in Biflten, the white sands turned dark as the waves suddenly came and she felt the waves around her ankles as the tide receded to form another wave.
She took in the wonderful view as she touched the soft, wet sand with her hand.
The sun was warm against her face and the water pleasantly cool at her feet and she reveled in the different sensations.
Looking at his shadow, he revealed to her that he was wearing a straw hat that he had never seen before.
Removing it in disbelief, the sun entered her eyes the moment she did so and she had no choice but to use it again.
As he walked through the cold water, he saw a cliff, adorned with green grass, on the horizon.
Although the scenery was strange, she knew she was in Biflten.
Calmly, he walked around observing the distant landscapes and leafy trees and also explored the cliffs in the distance, but he did not discover what he was looking for.
There was so much to take in.
Although she still saw winter, it was not as harsh as the current winter in Biflten.
The snow was deep enough to play in but not deep enough to bury anyone, and the children ran around happily, wearing light clothing.
The wind was also not enough to freeze people.
It was a winter warm enough to bring a smile to Ilyin's face.