I looked up. The old butler was still standing there, composed and waiting for my response.
Every wrinkle on his face seemed trained into a perfect line of patience.
He'd probably served my father since before I was born.
"Cough." I adjusted my tone, trying not to sound too casual.
"Tell my father I'm grateful for his generosity."
The butler gave a shallow bow.
"As you wish, Sir. The carriage is ready to take you to the Church of Radiance. Also, Lord Count has personally assigned Miss Elara to assist you during this outing."
Elara...?
Right on cue, she stepped into the room — that same maid from earlier. Her dark hair was tied neatly behind her head, her glasses reflecting the morning light. She bowed just low enough to meet protocol, her tone cool and professional.
"Sir Kael."
No warmth. No resentment either. Just duty.
Even so, I couldn't shake the feeling that every move she made screamed I'm only doing this because I must.
So her name's Elara, huh? Suits her.
I simply nodded and followed her out.
The carriage waiting outside was grand — black wood trimmed with gold, the Veyne family's golden lion sigil emblazoned across the door. A pair of well-groomed stallions stamped the cobblestone, restless but proud.
Soldiers lined the driveway, armor gleaming under the pale sun. Their formation was perfect, not a single gap in discipline. The family's status truly showed here — an empire built on order and presentation.
As I climbed in, the carriage lurched forward, wheels crunching on gravel. Through the small glass window, the sprawling city unfolded — merchants shouting, banners fluttering, the smell of baked bread and horse manure mixing in the air.
When we neared the Church of Radiance, the noise grew louder. Families crowded the steps — parents holding the hands of children barely twelve years old, faces filled with nervous excitement. Each one here for the same reason as me.
The Awakening Ceremony.
The day every young citizen prayed to awaken their ability — the divine spark that determined one's worth in this world.
My carriage rolled to a stop before the grand marble steps of the church. The crowd murmured. Heads turned. I could feel dozens of eyes fix on the gilded lion insignia on my door.
Whispers spread like wildfire.
"Veyne family…"
"Is that the Count's eldest son?"
I ignored them all.
The door opened.
Elara stepped out first, curtly scanning the surroundings before turning to me.
"This way, Sir."
I followed her lead up the steps, each one gleaming white under the sunlight.
At the entrance stood the man of the hour — the bishop.
A bald, rotund figure draped in a robe embroidered with golden thread. His neck glistened with jewelry, and his grin was so wide it looked like it had been carved into his face.
"Ah! Young Master Kael Veyne," he boomed, spreading his arms as though welcoming a saint.
"What a blessing to see the eldest son of the noble Veyne family grace our humble church!"
Humble, my ass.
His eyes flicked briefly to the pouch at my belt — sharp, calculating.
Even priests have a sense for money.
I smiled faintly, doing my best to mask the disgust crawling under my skin.
"Pleasure is mine, Bishop. You didn't have to come greet me personally. I hope my visit for the awakening ceremony hasn't inconvenienced you."
At the mention of "awakening," his broad grin faltered—just for a heartbeat—before returning, stiffer than before. I didn't miss it. These kinds of men were easy to read; they smiled only when gold gleamed before them.
Without wasting another breath, I slipped a Veena—a silver coin worth five hundred Lumas—into his pudgy palm and gently folded his fingers around it.
"I heard burning a monster core during the ceremony increases Essentia density and improves one's chances of awakening a stronger ability," I said, my tone polite, almost reverent. "If it isn't too much trouble, could I ask for your benevolence?"
His grin widened so fast it almost split his face. "Of course, of course! Even if you hadn't asked, I would have arranged it myself, young Lord Veyne. The light of Goddess Gaya shines on all who seek awakening. Please, come inside."
His words dripped with false piety, but I didn't care. As long as he delivered, he could bathe in filth for all I cared.
We walked through the rows of waiting families—parents clutching the small hands of their children, their faces tense with hope and fear.
Most of them couldn't have been older than twelve. And yet here I was, walking past them like an oddity, a man long past the typical age for awakening. Their stares prickled on my back, but I ignored them.
The bishop led us to the heart of the church, where a grand statue of Goddess Gaya stood in solemn grace, carved from white marble and veined with golden streaks of light.
The air smelled faintly of incense and old prayers. I knelt before the statue, lowering my head and murmuring a few words—not to the Goddess, but to whatever force might be listening.
Luck. Fate. Anything that would help me this time.
When I rose, the bishop was waiting, holding a large, ancient chalice filled with shimmering golden liquid. Awakening potion. And a lot of it.
Enough to awaken eight people, maybe more. My eyes widened slightly. In my past life, I could barely afford a few sips of that potion, and even that had cost me dearly. Seeing this much now… I couldn't help the sigh that escaped my lips.
"I was really an idiot before," I muttered under my breath.
How did I missed such a chance before?
"Please follow me," the bishop said, turning toward a small side door.
We entered a dim, circular chamber. The only light came from a glowing pillar at its center, runes etched into its surface pulsing faintly with Essentia energy. Another priest stepped forward, carrying a monster core—a fist-sized orb that shimmered faintly in shades of blue and violet.
When he placed it atop the pillar, my pupils trembled.
That was no ordinary core. A decent-quality one like that was worth far more than a single Veena.
"Please drink the potion here," the bishop instructed. "We shall wait outside for the results."
I nodded silently and took the chalice from his hands. It was heavy, far heavier than I expected, and the golden liquid sloshed inside with a faint, sweet scent that made my pulse quicken. As the door creaked shut behind me, the room fell into silence—only the hum of the pillar and the faint hiss of the monster core evaporating into smoke filled the air.
This was it. No turning back.
Without hesitation, I lifted the cup with both hands and began to drink. The sound of gulping echoed through the chamber, each swallow burning its way down my throat like molten fire.
The moment the last drop slid down my throat, I gasped for air.
The potion was scalding hot yet oddly sweet, burning and soothing at the same time as it coursed through me. I could feel it traveling down my throat, spreading into my chest, then sinking deep into my gut like liquid fire. Every inch of my insides screamed alive.
A shiver ran through my spine. My heartbeat pounded—slow at first, then faster, louder—until it sounded like drums echoing inside my skull.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Then came the heat.
It started from my stomach, radiating outward, crawling through my veins like molten metal. My skin flushed red as steam seemed to rise from my body. The warmth turned into a burning ache, then pain, sharp and consuming.
"This is it…" I muttered between ragged breaths. "I can feel it…!"