I opened the rest of the gifts, which were not really as interesting as Ramira, the coat. Most of them were sword techniques, which I had no interest in learning since they were of a lower rank and completely useless to me. The type of sword I wielded did not have any compatibility with them, making them nothing more than fancy paper in my eyes. Others were different spells that ranged up to the 3rd circle, which I chose to keep for later, until I was actually able to learn them, which would definitely not be anytime soon.
Other than that, many had offered me invitations to visit their states, written in overly polite words, while some went as far as offering marriages with their daughters. I gladly refused all of them. I was not planning to marry anyone anytime soon, and I was not stupid enough to fall for such obvious attempts to put a leash around my neck.
After hours had passed, I was finally able to open all the gifts. Well… all except one.
There was a white envelope left, placed neatly among the empty boxes. On it was the insignia of the royal family, a radiant sun etched with careful detail. I picked it up, my fingers lingering on the symbol, and read the words written on the top of the envelope.
"To my dear brother."
A smile slowly formed on my face. I could already guess who it was from. Earlier, I had been wondering whether he had sent me a gift or not, but knowing him, I knew he would never miss such an important day.
I opened the envelope and read the letter inside silently.
"Erm, I don't really know how to write letters by hand because I normally use spells to do it for me, but since it is for my dear brother, I will do it! Congrats little bro on your awakening! You made me so proud. Who could imagine that you would awaken two affinities? Of course, only I could imagine that, but nevertheless, cosmos affinity??!! That's crazy. I really wish to see how it looks in combat, it will definitely be cool as fuck, even cooler than mine!"
I chuckled as I read the letter. For someone who claimed he couldn't write letters, I could practically feel his energy through every line. His handwriting was rough and uneven, and some ink had spilled across the paper, as if he had written in a hurry. Quite unfit for the heir of the throne.
"I still apologize for not being there. You know I'm busy with the military academy and stuff. I tried to sneak out, but the Headmaster caught me unfortunately. Moreover, I couldn't really leave since I'm really needed at the frontlines, battling the 'Ancient Evil'. They have become more and more annoying, but it is not something we can't deal with."
I frowned at the mention of the Ancient Evil, and for good reason.
The Ancient Evil was a force whose only purpose was to corrupt, destroy, and cause havoc. They had existed for gods know how long, and there had always been conflict between them and the forces of good, including the gods themselves. Wherever they went, death followed. Nobody truly knew who their leader was, but many suspected that evil gods were behind them. There was no other explanation for why they had survived for so long.
"So yeah, that is why I was not able to come… but that aside, your gift! It is a very special one. It will be a personal weapon made by one of the Legendary Blacksmiths, hehe."
"Holy shit… I prayed for times like this," I said aloud, tears forming in my eyes as I read the word Legendary.
Who wouldn't?
It felt just like pulling a C6 character in a single ten-pull… well, that was technically impossible, but you get what I mean.
There were only four Legendary Blacksmiths in the entire world. The weapons crafted by them were ranked Legendary, one of the highest weapon ranks, surpassed only by Divine and Mythical weapons.
It was nearly impossible to convince those people to forge a weapon for you, not even if you were the strongest person in the world. And yet, somehow, my brother had managed to get such an opportunity… and he didn't even use it for himself?
"Why give it to me when you yourself could benefit from it?" I murmured.
I wasn't used to this level of kindness. I never had been. Whether it was genuine or not, I appreciated it deeply. I was happy, yet some part of me wanted to deny it, as if I didn't deserve something like this.
I continued reading, and then a short, loud laugh escaped my mouth.
"I know you will probably try to deny it by saying, 'No, you can use it yourself, wasting such an opportunity on me,' so don't even think about it! It was my own choice. And who said I don't have a legendary weapon myself? Plus, your only purpose is to accept the gift. You don't get to choose."
"He really knows me, huh?" I muttered.
"However, you need to be at least at the fourth rank or fourth star, depending on which path you choose… unless you choose both."
"You're in for a surprise," I chuckled quietly, already imagining his shocked expression when he finds out I'm a mage swordsman now.
"Anyways, I gotta go now. They're calling me for a task, so train hard and study hard so you can attend the military academy exam in two years! Uh… yeah, see you in two years."
"From your brother, Callisto."
I sat back down on the chair and immediately felt excruciating pain surge through my body.
"Fuck. It seems my body forgot about the pain because I was too happy."
Thank you, Callisto.
I leaned back, the letter still held loosely in my left hand, and stared up at the ceiling.
"The issue with my weapon is already half solved. I still need to get it crafted, and on top of that, I have to reach the 4th circle and 4-star…"
My thoughts drifted to the military academy. In order to attend, I would have to pass an entrance exam. I didn't know exactly what it would involve, but I could already guess. It would likely test both intelligence and combat ability, since both were absolutely necessary on the battlefield unless you wanted to die quickly.
There, I would be facing other noble kids, especially those from different empires. If they were anything like that snake Londres, which they definitely would be, they wouldn't be too happy about a former commoner being part of the royal family. I clicked my tongue at the thought.
So cliché. So annoying.
I would just beat their asses.
Putting those thoughts aside, my mind returned to the issue of my cosmos affinity. I still needed to go outside and see if anything would stir it under the night sky, but my body, pushed to its absolute limit, refused to move. It felt heavy, sluggish, and unresponsive.
"What a pain."
"I'll just rest for a bit and then I'll go…" I muttered.
My eyes closed, and almost instantly, I fell asleep.
I did not wake up again. The exhaustion completely overwhelmed my will.
Fortunately for me, Evelyn came to deliver dinner after noticing I hadn't shown up to the dining room even after an hour. Thanks to her, I at least ate something before the night passed.
I only left my room after eating dinner. I was a bit disappointed that there were no potatoes.
Still, I regained a bit of my strength, and with my body constantly absorbing mana from the air around me, my stamina and vitality slowly began to replenish.