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But Azalea quickly silenced him, pressing a finger against his lips. "That's why I said, if. Because I do know you, better than anyone. There's no way you could have kept something like this hidden for so long. Even the Apocethary didn't mention anything unusual. Which means," she leaned in slightly, "this ability of yours… you must have learned it recently."

She stepped back, hands behind her back, and her tone softened. "As for how recent that was, I'll leave that for you to clarify. So, care to explain yourself, little brother?"

Though she sounded calm, Lumien could sense the unspoken threat behind her words. Years of living under her watchful eye had taught him to read between the lines. This wasn't a question; it was a demand.

"This must be the drawback," Lumien thought, observing the aftermath of yet another test. "It's explosive and destructive, sure, but it's not great for burning or starting fires."