"That explains it," Lumine said with a small nod. "You've reached D-Rank, but your body is closer to low E-Rank. There's a huge gap."

Aurelia looked down briefly, acknowledging the point.

"Elsa mentioned it," Lumine continued. "She asked me to train you properly. If you keep neglecting this, it could affect your foundation."

Aurelia looked up again. "Mom said that?"

"Yes," Lumine replied calmly. "I may not know much about Totems, but I do know this—if your body can't support the power you're using, it will become a problem sooner or later."

Aurelia sighed softly. "My totem relies more on compatibility and willpower… but you're right. If my body were stronger, I wouldn't have been so helpless just now."

"Not necessarily," Lumine said, folding her arms. "From what I've seen, even if that approach failed, Luis would've had another option ready."

Aurelia paused. "…You think so?"

"I'm certain," Lumine answered with confidence.

Aurelia didn't respond immediately, but her expression shifted slightly, more thoughtful than before.

It seemed her rematch would have to wait a little longer.

Alicia, who had been listening quietly, tilted her head. "Aurelia… are you a Mark Holder chosen by a Totem?"

Aurelia glanced at her, a faint smile returning. "You know about Totems?"

"A little," Alicia said, "Luis told me what he knew. Not much, just some fragments from old records. There was a line he mentioned—something about…"

She paused, recalling it.

"'Instinct survives. Apex dominates. Sovereign commands.'"

Aurelia nodded slowly. "That's right."

She adjusted her posture, sitting a little straighter now.

"Those are the three classifications of Totems," she explained. "Instinct, Apex, and Sovereign."

Her hand moved unconsciously to her chest, as if feeling something beneath the surface.

"I bear the mark of the Griffin," she said calmly. "A Sovereign-tier Totem."

"Can you elaborate?" Alicia asked. Lumine also showed her interest. "I also want to know." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Let me start from the beginning," Aurelia said, leaning back slightly in her seat before straightening again, as if organising her thoughts. "It'll be easier to understand the rest that way."

Alicia nodded, her attention fully on her now.

"Totems are broadly divided into three classes," Aurelia continued. "Instinct, Apex, and Sovereign. Each class represents a different level of power—and a different way that power manifests."

She lifted a finger, indicating the first.

"Instinct Class Totems are the most basic. They represent pure survival traits—the kind you'd see in animals. Their abilities usually focus on strengthening the body, sharpening instincts, or improving endurance. It's less about flashy abilities and more about making the Mark Holder harder to kill."

Alicia tilted her head slightly. "Do you know any specific examples?"

Aurelia nodded. "I came across one in an old record—the Sloth Totem."

"Sloth?" Alicia repeated, a little surprised.

"It sounds unimpressive," Aurelia admitted with a faint smile, "but its ability is quite extreme. From what I know, it grants the user a special physique. The more damage they endure, the stronger their attack power becomes. At the same time, their body grows tougher to withstand that damage."

Alicia thought about it for a second, then said, "So… the worse their situation gets, the stronger they become?"

"Exactly." Aurelia nodded. "It depends heavily on the user's endurance and willpower. Someone who can't withstand pain wouldn't be able to use it properly."

Alicia gave a small, understanding nod. "So it's basically tied to how hard their life is."

Aurelia glanced at her, then smiled faintly. "That's one way to put it."

She lifted her hand again, moving on.

"Next is the Apex Class."

Her tone grew a little more serious.

"Apex Totems represent dominant predators or elite survivors. They're more complex than Instinct Totems. Instead of just enhancing the body, they grant multiple abilities—things like elemental mutation, heightened senses, or specialised combat traits."

Alicia murmured softly, almost to herself, "Then… Sandra's Totem should be Apex Class."

Aurelia's attention sharpened. "Sandra?"

"A student from my academy," Alicia explained. "Luis mentioned that she has a Totem Mark on her face. He thinks she's a Mark Holder."

At the side, Lumine listened quietly, her expression calm. She wasn't particularly surprised. The Oracle Academy gathered all kinds of talented individuals—geniuses, rare bloodlines, unusual abilities. A Totem wielder wasn't out of place there.

Still…

Her gaze lowered slightly as a thought surfaced.

'Now that I think about it…'

Back when she was at the academy, there had been someone like that in her class, too. A quiet, withdrawn boy who rarely spoke to anyone. She could vaguely recall the presence of a mark on his forehead, though she had never paid much attention to it at the time.

'What was his name…?'

She frowned faintly, trying to recall, but it slipped away from her.

'Ronald might remember,' she thought. 'I'll ask him later.'

The thought lingered for a moment before she let it go, her attention returning to the present conversation.

Aurelia leaned forward slightly, her interest clearly piqued. "A mark on her face… do you know what abilities she has?"

Alicia nodded. "She controls Sand Element. She's quite good at it. Beyond that, I don't know much."

"Sand…" Aurelia repeated softly, then gave a small nod, as if confirming something in her mind. "Then I can make a guess."

Both Alicia and Lumine looked at her.

"It's likely the Scorpion Totem," Aurelia said. "That's an Apex Class Totem. One of its primary traits is elemental mutation—it converts the user's original affinity into sand. Along with that, it enhances the body structure, improves defence, and sharpens sensory perception."

Alicia frowned slightly. "Can any element be turned into sand? What if she originally had water?"

Aurelia shook her head. "It doesn't work like that. Totems choose their holders based on compatibility. That girl—Sandra—most likely had an earth affinity before she was chosen."

She paused briefly, then added, "Take me as an example. I originally had wind affinity. After being chosen by the Griffin, it mutated into Storm."

Alicia's eyes narrowed slightly as pieces began to fall into place. "Storm… that explains it."