Leo pushed the door open and stepped into his room.
As expected of a mansion like this, the bedroom was spacious to the point of excess. Soft lighting. Polished floors. Shelves lined with books and luxurious-looking items he barely touched. A massive bed sat at the center, draped in clean sheets that probably cost more than most people's monthly rent.
Leo barely noticed any of it. He was already used to this. Instead, his gaze moved to the bed.
And immediately stopped.
Someone was lying there.
A young girl sprawled comfortably across his mattress, belly-down, legs bent lazily in the air. She was wearing one of his shirts, far too big for her small frame, the hem nearly reaching her thighs. The faint glow from a screen reflected on her face, and muffled sounds suggested she was watching something with full concentration.
Leo's eye twitched.
"This annoying girl is getting bolder," he muttered under his breath.
He walked closer.
She didn't react, obviously too focused on whatever she was watching for the rest of the world to register.
Leo slowed his steps, more out of habit than choice. It was pointless anyway. She was so deeply focused that even someone stomping around in iron boots could have passed for a legendary assassin. Silent. Deadly. Completely unnoticed by her.
Reaching the bed, he grabbed her ankle and tugged.
Harder than he meant to. Maybe way harder.
"Wah—!"
The girl yelped as her body slid several inches across the bed in one sudden motion. Leo froze.
What the hell?
He hadn't used that much strength. Or at least, he didn't think he had.
She twisted around quickly, silver hair spilling messily around her face. Blonde eyes wide, cheeks slightly puffed, her expression a mix of shock and outrage. She looked about sixteen, with the stubborn defiance of a rebellious teenager written clearly in her gaze.
"Bro," she snapped. "What was that?"
Leo blinked. "…Sorry, Cas. I didn't mean to pull that hard."
That much was true. His hand suddenly felt strange. No, his entire body did. Stronger.
Then his frown returned. "Why are you here? And why are you wearing my clothes? And lying on my bed?"
She stared at him like he'd asked the dumbest question imaginable.
"What does it matter?" she said casually. "Your clothes fit me better than they fit you anyway."
Leo's mouth twitched. "That makes zero sense."
"And?" she added, rolling onto her back. "Is this how you treat a friend who came to check on her good friend after his awakening ceremony?"
He narrowed his eyes. "Or are you just here to eat, you fucking glutton?"
Cassie stuck her tongue out at him, completely unbothered.
Then she suddenly lunged forward and punched him lightly in the chest. "Okay, okay. Enough grumbling. So?"
She leaned closer, eyes bright. "How did it go?"
"It was alright," Leo replied automatically.
Her brows furrowed. "Alright?"
He sighed.
"What do you mean alright? What did you awaken?"
"How are you even sure I awakened?" he asked.
She smirked. "Woman's intuition. Something you know nothing about."
She winked. "So. What did you get?"
Leo hesitated, then shrugged. "Nothing special. Just some trashy life class."
Her expression changed instantly.
"What do you mean trashy?" she asked sharply.
He shrugged again, avoiding her eyes.
Her face hardened. "Leo."
He looked at her.
He had known Cassie long enough to recognize that tone.
Cassie had always called him bro, used casual nicknames, joked around endlessly. But when she said his name like that, it meant she was serious.
Cassie had been part of his life for years. Her parents had been explorers, people who ventured beyond the safe zones into lands filled with monsters and chaos. Ten years ago, they had never returned. Responsibility for her upbringing eventually fell to Leo's mother, who had known them well.
That was when Cassie started visiting more often than before, back when her parents were still around.
At the time, Leo had been closed off. Cautious. Burned too many times by people who got close to him only to use his name, his father's legacy, or his misery for attention. He trusted no one his age.
But grief had a way of breaking walls.
Two lonely kids, each carrying their own pain, had found comfort in each other. Over time, Cassie became a close friend.
Family, even.
She sat up properly and looked at him seriously, which somehow made Leo uneasy.
"So I'll ask you again," Cassie said quietly. "Who are you living for?"
Leo froze.
She didn't give him time to respond.
"Think about it," she continued. "Are you living your life for strangers? For their expectations? Or are you living for yourself?"
He swallowed.
"I won't pretend I understand everything you've been through," she said. "Our lives are different. But I know this much. You've spent your whole life trying to fill your father's shoes. Trying to be what everyone wants you to be."
Her eyes held his. "Is that really the life you want?"
Leo opened his mouth.
No words came out.
Because she was right.
"It's okay to get a life class," Cassie said softly. "It's okay if it's trashy. Hell, it would've been okay if you didn't awaken at all."
She stepped closer. "What matters is that you don't lose yourself. Stay true to who you are. Only then will you find your purpose."
She smiled faintly. "This is a new chapter of your life. I hope this time, you choose yourself."
Leo lifted his head, blinking rapidly as he pushed back the sting in his eyes.
"…Damn," he muttered. "When did you learn how to talk like that?"
She scratched the back of her head, embarrassed. "My dad used to say stuff like that."
Leo chuckled softly. "Here I thought you got smart."
She stuck her tongue out again. "At least it made you laugh."
She grabbed his hand suddenly and started pulling him toward the door.
"Hey, what are you doing?" he asked.
"Going to eat," she said. "Your mom made something amazing."
"I said it, you little glutton," he replied, but he didn't resist.
His mood felt lighter. Somehow, his appetite had returned.
Downstairs, dinner passed quietly. Cassie talked nonstop, filling the silence with pointless stories. His mother smiled more than she had all day.
Afterward, Cassie eventually went home.
Leo returned to his room and collapsed onto his bed, staring at the ceiling.
Cassie's words echoed in his mind.
"…Let's see what I got," he murmured.
He summoned his status.
The screen appeared before him.
*****
[ Status ]
[ Leonardo Spades ]
[ Race: Human ]
[ Age: 19 ]
[ Title: — ]
[ Class: Arcane Scholar ]
[ Level: 1 (0%) ]
---
[ Stats ]
[ Strength: 1.5 ]
[ Agility: 1.7 ]
[ Constitution: 2.0 ]
[ Intelligence: 5.6 ]
---
⟣ Attribute Points: 0
---
[ Profession Skill: Analyze ]
[ Skills: — ]
[ Talent: Devourer Node ]
[ Blessing: Soul Anchor ]
*****
At first, his expression remained neutral as his eyes swept past the top. Then they dropped to the stats.
"…What the hell?"
An average human capped at 0.5. Exceptional cases reached 1.0 before awakening. Class bonuses varied, usually boosting one or two stats.
But this?
All stats boosted.
And intelligence had jumped by over four points.
No class did that. Certainly not a life class.
Then he saw it.
A talent.
His breath caught.
Talents were absurdly rare. Less than one percent of awakeners ever gained one.
And he had one.
A slow smile crept across his face.
"Who am I living for…?" he murmured.
This time, the answer was clear.
And for the first time in years, Leo felt excited for what came next.