A week had passed by since then.
Today, Delios Town seemed to be in a lively mood. Young boys and girls, guided by their parents, were seen gathering in the central square of the town.
A while later, Egon and his parents were also seen joining in. As soon as they came closer, several knights immediately stepped forward to greet them.
"Sir Dell, you're looking pretty neat today. What's the special occasion?" One of them, similar in rank, asked with a smile.
Edmund smiled slyly. "Isn't it pretty obvious, Sir William? I am just making sure I don't get too much embarrassed by my son's failure..."
"Hey now, that's rude. He is your son nonetheless. Anyway, here's my daughter Olivia I talked about."
Olivia, a girl of similar age, though slightly taller, stepped forward and bowed slightly in respect. She had a beautiful face and shimmering ocean-blue hair like her mother.
"It's nice to meet you, Uncle Edmund. Father has talked a lot about your bravery. Your achievement toward Delios Town despite being a non-sorcerer is truly remarkable. I truly admire you..."
Edmund felt a little proud. He glanced at his own son, who seemed to have paid no attention at all.
"See that, rascal? Everyone's proud of your father, but not you."
Egon's ears twitched. He turned to them with an annoyed look.
"First, you should have a little confidence in your own son, Father.
I understand I have black hair like you, and the chance of awakening a Soul Book is very low, but at least you shouldn't demoralize your own son like that," Egon retorted sharply.
Captain William and his wife smiled, impressed by the boy's maturity.
By their side, Olivia's eyes sparkled with interest. She extended her hand, saying,
"Egon, right? I hope you can keep that confident face till the end of the day. Because I heard this year's Overseer is really strict and does not give any second chance to the failures."
There was obvious condescension in her tone.
Still, Egon showed a calm smile.
"We'll see who has the last laugh, Miss Olivia."
"Is it a challenge, Egon?" Olivia asked, looking fierce.
"You may think however you like that," Egon replied, looking nonchalant.
After that, Egon refused to engage in any further useless conversation, which obviously made Olivia frustrated. She inwardly swore that no matter what happened, she must stay ahead of him.
All of the spectators' attention turned to a single direction. In the center of the gathering, a large water pool could be seen, guarded by several men in rich clothes and refined temperament.
At the topmost altar, a man wearing a priest's robe and glasses perched over his nose stood with utmost seriousness. He held a strange book under his elbow.
The crowd hushed as the white-robed man stepped forward.
Egon recognized the setup perfectly. This was the annual Soul Book Awakening Ceremony, the most pivotal day in the life of any aspiring youth.
The pool was filled with mana-infused water, and the strange book was the Master Book—the tool used to facilitate the awakening of a personalized Soul Book within the worthy candidates.
The Overseer first adjusted his glasses, then spoke:
"Silence, citizens of Delios! Today is the day younger generation discover their potential! Today, we determine who among your children will serve the Crown and the Grand Churches!"
His voice was commanding, drawing shivers from the younger boy and girls.
Egon, however, was entirely focused on his internal state. For the past week, he had used the Elixir of Souls to completely optimize his mind and body.
His mental fortitude was now exponentially higher than any ten-year-old's and likely higher than most adults in the square.
'Olivia's ocean-blue hair suggests water or ice affinity, and given her father's rank, she probably has decent lineage,' Egon analyzed, ignoring her smug look. 'But lineage is nothing compared to raw mental strength. Let her have her confidence. I have the cheat code.'
The Overseer began calling names, one by one, leading the children to the pool.
"The rules are simple! Step into the water, and let the mana cleanse your spirit. If you are blessed, your Soul Book will materialize before you. Failure means you are destined for an ordinary life. Now, let us begin!"
The atmosphere was tense among the younger generation. Despite their parents' encouraging cheers, not all of them could keep calm.
"I heard only one out of ten actually awakens a decent Soul Book," a boy muttered, clenching his fists. "What if I end up with something useless?"
"At least you'll awaken something," another replied bitterly. "My brother didn't awaken anything last year. Father hasn't spoken to him since."
A girl beside them took a shaky breath. "I don't care if it's a low-grade soul book. I just want to awaken one. I can't stay ordinary forever."
"You say that now, girl. But once you see others holding shining grimoires while yours barely lights up, you'll regret saying that," someone scoffed from behind.
The group fell silent for a moment, the tension thick enough to feel.
"What if I don't awaken anything at all?" One of them finally whispered. "What if I stay a non-sorcerer for life?"
No one had any definitive answer.
Egon took a deep, steady breath, commanding his entire nervous system to remain calm, ready to channel every ounce of his enhanced mental power the moment he stepped into the Mana-infused water.
He wasn't aiming for a simple C-rank book. He was aiming for a rank that would change the trajectory of the entire Delacroix family and, more importantly, his own role as a background character.
He didn't have to wait long for the competition to be called.
"First up: Olivia De William!"
Among the fifty or so participants, she was the first to be called upon the stage.
Olivia cheered herself up by taking a deep breath. Then she stepped forward under the attention of the hundreds of townsfolk present.
"Hey, I recognize her. She is Olivia, daughter of Captain William. Her brother awakened a C-Rank soul book two years ago. She'll obviously awaken a Grimoire for sure."
"She is really beautiful. I wonder what rank her talent will be? Do I have any chance with her?"
"Haha... Stop daydreaming, peasant. Whatever she awakens, it will be better than yours, at least."
Egon, uncaring about the gossiping young people, focused his attention on the special guests who were watching everything with keen interest from a nearby balcony.
They were the recruiters, working for various Academies, Organizations, the Crown, and the Holy Church.
They, too, could change an aspirant's fate forever.