I'm Zeil—eighteen years old, with two younger sisters: Serin (13) and Lerin (9). They mean everything to me. Our parents died when I was just twelve. I didn't have time to grieve. I couldn't afford to. I had to step up, take care of them, and keep moving forward.
For six long years, I've waited for this day: the Awakening Ritual.
In our world, everyone goes through it when they turn eighteen. It decides your profession—Guard, Hunter, Mage, Soldier… or, if you're truly exceptional, Royal Commander. You're ranked based on three things: physical strength, mana capacity, and mental stability.
I don't have any of those.
But I'm still here. I'm still walking into that ritual—not for power, but for my sisters.
The ritual began, and one by one, everyone received something. Most were assigned as Soldiers or Guards—nothing surprising there. But then, someone became a Mage.
Zenrey Sone.
He's well-known in our village—basically a local legend. A natural talent. People called him a prodigy even before the ritual. Honestly, it wasn't a shock when he got the Mage rank.
After a few more people, it was finally my turn.
I stepped into the ritual ring slowly, my heart pounding in my chest. For a moment, the magical sphere glowed—an unnatural yellow, like morning sunlight breaking through thick clouds.
But then… it stopped. Just like that, the light vanished.
No rank.
No profession.
Nothing.
Once again… I was a nobody.
Then, a strange chime echoed in my ears.
[Welcome to the Cosmic System]
I didn't know what it meant, but the words were clear—"Cosmic System." Then something else appeared in front of me:
[Age – 18]
[Strength – 7]
[Agility – 8]
[Potential – Unable to Calculate]
I know I'm weak, but am I really this weak?
This is embarrassing. I need to close this see-through window before anyone sees it.
But something was off. Everyone was staring at me… yet no one seemed to notice this glowing screen.
Is this something only I can see?
I stepped out of the ritual ring, and the ceremony continued as if nothing had happened.
By the end, 79 teenagers had participated—and 78 walked away with ranks.
The only one without a rank or profession… was me.
Zenrey Sone was the only one who became a Mage. A few became Hunters. Most were labeled Soldiers or Guards.
I walked home feeling numb. Empty. But the moment I saw my sisters, the weight on my chest lifted. Their ultimate weapon—those "unbeatable cute expressions"—was more powerful than any magic. I'll never let those smiles fade. But to protect them… I need a real job. Something with a steady income.
"Biggie, what profession did you get?" Lerin asked, her voice full of excitement.
"I don't know," I said honestly. "But I got something new."
"New? What is it? Biggie, can you do magic now?"
Her eyes sparkled like stars. Even Serin leaned in, curious.
I opened my system window and asked if they could see it.
They both squinted, looked around… and then laughed.
Apparently, they couldn't see anything. They thought I was just teasing them.
Poor me.