Olivia approached the large, sunken pool. Her ocean-blue hair glowed faintly as she bowed respectfully to the Overseer.
"Young Lady, please step into the Mana-infused water," the Overseer instructed. His tone was little gentler.
Olivia, though nervous, was determined.
She carefully stepped down the mossy stone steps and into the glowing blue liquid. The water came up to her waist, and the sheer concentration of rich mana made the air vibrate.
She closed her eyes, placing her hands on her chest, focusing all her will inward.
Meanwhile, the Overseer began chant a spell from the Master Grimoire in a booming voice:
"Spiritus Animus, Corde Tenebrae. Aperiam Librum Vestrae Animae!" (Spirit of the Soul, Heart of the Shadows, Open Your Soul Book!)
Following the archaic spell, the mana began to seep into her skin.
And then something responded instantaneously.
A bright flash of light blue energy erupted from her chest, spinning into the air above the pool. It quickly coalesced, taking on the distinct, book-like form of a Soul Book, or Grimoire.
"Wow! She really awakened a Soul Book on her first try. She is really incredible."
"Nah. Its just a water type Soul Book. Nothing special."
"Shut up, yo ignorant fool. Water Sorcerers are also cool."
The crowd erupted into murmurs of approval and fewer disappointment.
Not all are satisfied with the talent it seemed.
Still, a visible Soul Book meant it's a success.
The Overseer raised his hand for silence and observed the ethereal book. It was solid, well-defined, and bore a complex symbol on its cover—the Tide Crest.
"It's a C-rank Soul Book! The affinity is Water Magic!" the Overseer announced.
Clap, clap, clap....
The applause became enthusiastic. A C-Rank was still enough to guarantee a respectable position in the town's security force or a minor scholarship.
Olivia, beaming with pride, stepped out of the Awakening pool, clutching her new Soul Book.
She cast a triumphant, albeit slightly smug, glance in Egon's direction.
Egon ignored her. A C-Rank was average, entirely within his expectations for her lineage. Even the recruiters' expressions were calm, showing only polite interest. Her talent wasn't enough to warrant immediate action.
'A C-Rank won't move the needle for them,' Egon analyzed. 'Only a B-Rank or higher will attract the prestigious academies. I should prepare.'
By preparation; he discreetly adjusted the flow of his blood, maintaining the absolute mental tranquility granted by the Elixir of Souls.
He wasn't just observing the ceremony; he was observing the observers, calculating the precise psychological impact he needed to make when his name was finally called.
The Overseer continued down the list. Most children failed entirely, resulting only in a weak sparkle that dissipated instantly. A few managed a D-Rank, generating weak murmurs of sympathy.
"Next, Fiora Ross—Failed. Gaius Tams—D-Rank. Ilia Montrose—Failed..."
The ceremony moved swiftly through the order. It was only a matter of time for his name to be called out.
--
Meanwhile, at the recruiters' section, a different tension was ongoing.
"Sigh, this year Delios Town has produced no extraordinary seed at all. How can I earn my commission like this?" A man in a professional black suit grumbled.
"No kidding. If I fail to admit a B-Rank or above talent this year, the professors are going to skin me alive," a younger adult said with exaggerated shivering.
"Haha... Why is that, little John? I don't think the great Orion Academy lacks talents, though. Why not just give our Academy a chance instead? We've been going downhill in the rankings for years," said an older man while smoking from a pipe.
The young adult rolled his eyes. "Don't make me laugh, Mr. Gomez. Primus Academy may have fewer students, but that's only because they choose only the best of the best. Even a B-Rank talent barely cuts it."
"Haha, Mr. Gomez can't deny that," another recruiter chimed in. "But with how this year's results Delios Town are turning out, I fear he'll have to return empty-handed."
"Then, the Royal Academy will claim the C-Rank Water Sorcerer... I hope no one minds," said the beautiful woman with a gracious smile, referring to Olivia.
"Ah, but Miss Beatrice, we, the Orion Academy, also want to recruit that girl. Should we talk this out with our superiors?" John said with some nervousness.
"Fufu, it's useless, Little John. You know no one can refuse the Royal Academy."
John and the others exchanged helpless glances. What she said was true, after all.
The presence of the Royal Academy's professor, Beatrice, effectively meant that any promising talent, even a C-Rank like Olivia, was already claimed by the Kingdom.
The recruiters settled back into their seats, their attention drifting, having already categorized the day's crop as utterly ordinary.
They only showed a flicker of interest when the Overseer paused.
"Next, Egon Noiré Delacroix!"
The boy's first name didn't earn their attention. But the family name did: Delacroix.
"I think I heard Delacroix name somewhere before," John muttered in confusion.
"Haha... How can you forget one of your Academy's genius students, John?" Mr. Gomez replied, looking slightly intrigued.
"That boy is probably related to Lucia Noiré Delacroix. The same girl who originated from a humble background and awakened a B-rank Soul Book."
"Oh, I remember now. Thank you, Mr. Gomez. It's just that I didn't want to believe that a top-level prodigy could be related to this commoner boy. It just unconsciously slipped my mind."
"No need to think too much about it. Genius Sorcerers like Lucia are abnormal. They're born from the most ordinary backgrounds," Mr. Gomez replied, looking extremely confident. "But I can already tell this black-haired boy will not awaken anything at all. It's just another hopeless waste of time."
Others, including the Royal Academy's Professor Beatrice, also shared the same judgment. In the whole history of Sorcerers, it was commonly known that Black Hair was a symbol of a Non-Sorcerer.
Black hair meant commoner, meant failure, meant a lack of inherent mana affinity.
In their perspective, Egon's participation was equal to sure failure. Something absolute in this world.
But they didn't know that their common sense would soon be shattered.
It wasn't just Egon. Another boy, with same black hair and calm eyes, was also undergoing his awakening at that very moment.