I stood in front of the mirror while servants adjusted the final details of my attire.
White ceremonial robes, trimmed in black along the sleeves and hem. A silver insignia—the Ironcreed rearing stallion—rested over my chest, cool against my skin. Formal. Restrictive. Less clothing, more of a statement.
As the servants stepped back, bowed, and exited.
I exhaled.
"…I hate these," I muttered.
A faint pressure returned at the edge of my perception.
Nova reformed back physically, settling into its familiar lens-like state just above my nose.
"You're changing state again," I said quietly. "Why?"
[In my previous state,] Nova replied, [I could only perceive the world through your senses. Remaining externally manifested would be more efficient.]
"So you were stuck with my view."
[Correct.]
"… that's a little unsettling."
[Your concern is noted and dismissed.]
I let it go.
It's about time anyway.
With that, I set out for the Council Room, as the assessment is going to be conducted there.
...
The Council Room felt smaller than I remembered.
Not empty—controlled. The kind of silence is maintained by people used to being obeyed. White stone walls veined with faint silver formations rose overhead, each dormant but precise enough to make my Spirit Intuition itch.
Nothing here was ornamental.
Everything had a purpose.
I stood alone at the center.
Alone.
Behind a curved obsidian desk sat three figures.
Based on Victoria's info.
On the left, Elder Tony—sharp-eyed, rigid posture, no attempt to hide his skepticism. A member of the Patriarch's inner circle.
He was the one who opposed my elite hair rank for my low luck.
On the right, Elder Steve—head of logistics. Relaxed, observant, the type who measured value in outcomes rather than potential.
He was the one who recommended me for the elite hair rank.
At the center—
Lady Mirage Ironcreed.
Head of the Second Branch.
She glanced at me briefly, then looked away, already done evaluating.
Behind them, standing slightly apart, was Victoria.
She smiled.
I ignored her.
"Augustus Ironcreed," Elder Steve said, voice amplified just enough to fill the room. "This session concerns your eligibility for family rank promotion and reward allocation following your first dungeon raid."
I inclined my head. "Understood."
At Mirage's gesture.
I placed my hand again on the white pillar, our family's best appraisal artefact.
A shimmering screen blinked into existence above it, displaying rows of glowing text.
---
NAME: Augustus Ironcreed (August)
LEVEL: 27
CLASS: Iron Warrior, A
SYSTEM STATUS: //
STATS:
Authority: 8
STR: 71
AGI: 72
INT: 81
Charm: 33
Luck: 17
World Credit: 182
CLASS SKILLS:
Iron Guard, A
Blade Mastery, D
SYSTEM SKILLS:
Higher Appraisal, SS
Spirit Intuition, S
ACQUIRED SKILLS:
Martial Arts, C
Pain Tolerance, D
Cold Resistance, D
Shock Resistance, E
Poison Resistance, E
Fire Resistance, F
BLOODLINE:
Iron Stallion, A (Unawakened)
ELEMENTAL AFFINITY: Metal
EQUIPMENT (3/5):
1. Lens of Clarity, S
2. Ironhowl Blade, A {Damaged}
3. Ironcreed Family Heir Token, B
---
The elders reviewed the display.
Soul Obscurity had already covered everything that needed to be hidden, so I wasn't really worried.
"Good results for a first dungeon," Elder Tony said. "Even your luck has risen to an acceptable degree."
Elder Steve smiled faintly. "You've never been good at evaluating people, Tony. That's why you lost the logistics department."
Elder Tony scowled. "Luck matters."
"And yet," Steve replied, "this heir survived an anomaly dungeon, fulfilled his role, and returned alive despite his Luck. As you can see Luck rises when someone stops hiding behind excuses. "
Elder Tony turned red with anger but was able to hold it in.
I stayed quiet.
The rivalry wasn't new. It's the same as my awakening day.
Mirage raised a hand. The room settled immediately.
"Report," she said. "Your contribution."
"I handled appraisal, frontline defense, and disruption," I said. "I blocked, stalled, and created openings. My strike during the boss encounter relied on timing, not raw output."
"Explain again about that final strike, and its cause," Mirage said.
"That final strike was possible because of one of my S-rank skills," I replied. "Spirit Intuition (S). It allowed me to sense pressure fluctuations in the Gale Hound's aura. I reinforced my own at the moment its defensive alignment destabilized."
"That skill was not registered prior," Tony noted.
"It mutated during the dungeon."
Quiet murmurs followed.
"No forbidden techniques?" Mirage asked.
"No."
Victoria's presence remained steady behind me.
After a pause, Mirage nodded.
The interface faded.
"Augustus Ironcreed," the elders said in unison, "your family rank promotion is approved, you can now consider yourself an elite heir."
No ceremony followed.
Just confirmation.
The tension in my chest eased slightly.
"Standard rewards apply," Mirage said calmly.
She raised a hand slightly.
"First. Your access clearance is elevated to High Grade."
"Second. An A-rank Storage Ring will be issued to you."
"Third. You may select one skill from the family collection—up to A-rank."
"Fourth. One request. Within reason."
Elder Steve leaned forward slightly.
"State your request."
I didn't rush it.
"I request a formal recommendation and preparatory training to apply for Sage's Vision Academy."
A shift occurred in the room.
Subtle but Noticeable.
Lady Mirage's gaze locked onto me fully now.
"The Academy," she said. "You understand what that entails, correct?"
"Yes."
Tony spoke next. "That institution produces exceptional individuals."
"But! It also has a history of eliminating those who fall behind."
"I'm aware."
Mirage's eyes didn't leave mine.
"I was under the impression," she said evenly, "that you preferred to avoid power."
There it is.
Not accusation.
Not approval.
Just curiosity sharpened into a blade.
"I do," I replied.
A slight pause.
"But avoiding power and lacking strength are different things."
Silence.
I continued calmly.
"After our last conversation, Lady Mirage, I understood something. I don't want authority over others. I want the freedom to choose my direction."
Her expression didn't change.
"The Academy," I went on, "is the most neutral ground available. It doesn't bind bloodlines. It doesn't enforce factional allegiance. It evaluates performance."
Tony crossed his arms. "It also exposes you directly to the whole world."
"Yes."
"And you are comfortable with that?"
"No," I said honestly. "But controlled exposure is better than inherited dependency."
Mirage studied me for several seconds.
Long enough to measure whether this was ambition, fear, or calculation.
"Training can be arranged," she said at last. "A formal recommendation will be discussed with the elder council, there are high chances for it to be accepted."
So she's claiming partial responsibility.
Tony exhaled through his nose but didn't object.
Steve gave a faint, satisfied nod.
Mirage added one more thing.
"Understand this, Augustus. Once you enter Sage's Vision Academy, you will no longer be simply an Ironcreed heir. You will be one of the public faces of the family."
"I will keep that in mind," I said.
For the first time, the faintest hint of approval touched her expression.
"Very well," she concluded. "Prepare yourself."
The session ended without ceremony.
As I stepped away from the pillar, I understood something clearly.
Promotion wasn't a reward.
It was an upgrade in scrutiny.
And I had just volunteered for more.