The next day, the weather was clear, and sunlight streamed through the glass windows of the eastern courtyard of the Lord's Manor, spilling across the stone floor.
Paul had just finished handling a military report in his office when Mariana walked in with two people.
They were two young girls, seemingly fifteen or sixteen years old and nearly identical—long golden hair falling to their waists, each strand like a fine thread woven from sunlight; small, delicate features; fair skin; eyelashes trembling faintly in the light. They wore plain gray-blue cloth dresses and stood shoulder to shoulder like a pair of fledgling birds too frightened to move in the wind.
They kept their heads lowered, fingers tightly intertwined, their expressions timid. They did not even have the courage to look up at anyone.
Whenever Paul's gaze swept over them, one of them would tremble lightly, and the other would immediately hunch her shoulders as well.
"Marquis Greiman, this is Bevani Taylor, and this is Harriet Taylor," Mariana introduced them softly. "They're sisters, twins, and the daughters of a deceased friend of mine from the Secret Art Society."
She paused, then continued calmly, "They were originally registered members of the Secret Art Society as well, but their abilities are... somewhat unusual, and somewhat awkward."
Paul looked at them without speaking right away.
Mariana continued, "Their ability is considered... a form of telepathy. When one of them thinks wholeheartedly of the other, the other can clearly sense those emotions and even receive vague thoughts. But that's all. They can't control the elements or cast spells. After testing them, the Secret Art Society determined that this ability fell within the realm of magic but had no practical use, so they were classified as 'Invalid Talent' users."
The two sisters beside her wore disappointed expressions.