After thinking for a while, Levi finally nodded in agreement.
[Good. Now, here are your stats. Whenever you need them, just call out "System."]
Levi nodded as a bright blue screen appeared before him.
[Host: Levi
Ability: None
Dragons Tamed: None
Celestial Dragon: Untamed
Skills from Past Life: None unlocked
System Points: Five
Missions: None at the moment]
Levi glanced at the screen thoroughly and sighed. As far as this meant he could go back and have a chance to save his people, it was something worth trying.
For the next few months, Draven began taking Levi to the community library to study.
Levi seized the opportunity, reading and learning every single book he came across to gain better knowledge of the world.
This morning was no different — Levi had gotten up early and prepared for their usual journey to the library.
Draven also got up, and soon they were off as usual.
After about an hour of walking, Levi and Draven finally arrived.
Draven greeted the library keeper and said his goodbyes to Levi before heading off to work.
"Good morning, Mr. Gray," Levi greeted as he began scanning the shelves for something to read.
The library was quite small compared to those owned by nobles, but it still had plenty of books and magical items for deep study.
"Good morning, Levi. What would you like to read today?" Mr. Gray — a man in his eighties — asked as he stood up. Though old, it was hard to tell because he was still actively practicing magic.
His hair had turned gray, a physical sign that his magical core was weakening.
"Well, I don't know. I guess I should read a book on awakening and preparation," Levi said thoughtfully as he weighed his choices.
He knew that the awakening ceremony was held once a year for those aged sixteen, but this was an important time for him to prepare.
From the books he read, what one awakened depended on how they built their soul core and how familiar they were with their soul world.
He also learned that the soul core and soul world remained moldable until around the age of sixteen, when they solidified and defined a person's abilities.
Levi finally made his decision. After selecting about five books, he went off to sit in a corner of the library.
Mr. Gray smiled as he looked at Levi. He hadn't seen such a prodigy before — there was something different about this boy.
"He always selects about five books every day and makes sure he finishes them. He's always here from morning till night and hardly ever loses concentration," Mr. Gray thought as he nodded, both impressed and disappointed.
"This boy has potential, but he's nothing but a commoner. Only nobles can dream of joining the Board of Magicians, not mere commoners," he thought sadly, bowing his head.
Levi opened his books and engrossed himself in them, learning more about the world and how abilities were awakened.
But then, all of a sudden, Draven returned to the library to pick him up.
Levi was quite shocked — he usually went home by himself after studying for some time.
"Dad, is there any problem?" Levi asked as he approached him.
Draven was smiling brightly — perhaps even too much, to the point that Levi began to suspect his father was drunk.
"Well, someone came to call me from the market. Your mom is due now — she's already in labor!" Draven said as he rushed out with Levi, excitement in his voice.
They ran home as fast as they could, Draven beaming with excitement — only to be met with a shocking scene.
From the door, they could already hear sounds of crying.
Draven's heart dropped to the floor. Had they lost the baby? Fear consumed him as he rushed into the house with Levi.
But everything seemed fine — the baby was on the bed, the midwives stood aside, but they were all crying, including Mia herself.
Levi was puzzled by the scene. The baby couldn't be dead; it didn't seem possible from his view. The child was wrapped in swaddling clothes and appeared to be fast asleep.
Draven rushed to the baby, gently picking her up and checking if she was breathing.
After examining her, he wore a puzzled look as he turned around — the midwives were still weeping.
"Can someone tell me what's going on?" he said calmly, placing the child back on the bed.
After getting no reply, Draven became more direct, calling Mia's name as he looked calmly into her eyes.
"Mia, what's going on?" he asked.
"Well… I don't know. She's unresponsive. She hasn't moved, cried, or done anything since she was born," Mia managed to say.
Immediately, Draven began touching and gently tapping the baby's skin to get a response, but there was none.
"This is ridiculous! And you're all just crying? Why not get the healer? Why is everyone just standing here crying? We need to do something!" Draven said in frustration and anger.
Just as he was about to head out, the healer and another midwife finally entered the room.
The healer gave the room a brief glance before heading toward the baby.
He stood calmly and lowered his head to begin the procedure.
Levi saw this as an opportunity to witness magic firsthand — this was the first time he had seen someone using it since the palace encounter.
The healer moved his hands over the baby's body, a faint white light appearing beneath his palms.
As he continued, he began chanting an unknown incantation. Soon, a dragon symbol appeared above his head — painted in bright gold and large enough to make the nearest midwives step back.
As his spell grew stronger, the light beneath his hands glowed brighter and brighter.
Draven focused on how the spell intensified as the dragon symbol appeared above the healer's head.
"Wow, he has a dragon," Levi thought as he studied the symbol intently, hoping to discern what type of core it represented and how it influenced the healer's spell.
But unfortunately, Levi couldn't tell — after all, it was only the dragon's symbol, not the actual dragon.
Levi then calmly observed how the healer controlled the mana flowing out of his body.
Just as Levi was beginning to analyze it further… To be continued.