It was that time of the year again—the birthday of the young princess, and today she would awaken her cultivation.
The awakening hall of the academy, normally filled with attendants, instructors, and curious nobles, stood silent. Only four figures were present beneath its towering arched ceiling: Ray, Alice, Alicia, and Diana. The air hummed faintly with ancient formations, as if the hall itself waited, breath held, for destiny to unfold.
Today… was Alice's awakening.
To understand why the hall was empty, completely cleared of outsiders, one must return several days into the past—back to the moment when Ray spoke privately with the king's third concubine, Alicia.
A Few Days Earlier
Ray stood in Alicia's courtyard, a serene place where cherry blossoms drifted like quiet snowfall. The fragrance of blooming lilies floated gently through the air, though Alicia herself was anything but calm. She stood across from Ray, waiting—her fingers lightly clenched in her sleeves, her heart heavy with both hope and fear.
Ray had something to discuss. Something important. Something about Alice.
Alicia opened her mouth to invite her daughter, but Ray lifted a hand, stopping her. He remained silent for several breaths, as though weighing the consequences of his next words. Only when the wind stilled did he finally speak.
"I bet you investigated my awakening," Ray said, his voice steady but quiet. "If you did, then you should know that I awakened my cultivation in a secret place. In that place, I managed to mutate my core and get an even higher-grade core. That's why I defeated that younger generation—it wasn't talent alone. It was this advantage."
Alicia's eyes trembled with a flicker of hope—bright, fragile, and desperate.
"I… did investigate it, so—"
Ray shook his head slowly.
"That place doesn't exist anymore. It collapsed the moment I awakened. But before it was destroyed, I managed to collect some of the spiritual energy from that place."
The courtyard froze. Alicia inhaled sharply.
Ray continued, "Since I don't have many friends, I thought of sealing some of that energy into a special disk. For Alice."
Alicia's breath caught, tears forming instantly.
"I don't know if it will help her," Ray said honestly, "but if you can make sure the awakening hall is empty—no elders, no watchers—I can give her double the chance of forming a stronger core. My mother will activate the formation for us."
The hope that had dimmed in Alicia's eyes flared to life again.
Her voice wavered with emotion. "There is… a secret treasure in our kingdom as well. Only a chosen one can awaken there. Alice could have been chosen—she has a formation heart. But she was denied, because the elders decided someone like her only needed soul cultivation."
Her expression hardened, fury trembling behind her controlled tone.
"I fought for her. Any mother would. But those elders twisted things. We will speak of them another time."
She wiped her tears, breathing shakily.
"Even if she cannot obtain the very best core… if what you offer helps her grow stronger, that alone is enough for me. Thank you, Ray."
They made their plan beneath the swaying blossoms: the hall would be emptied, the truth hidden even from the king. Only Ray, Alice, Alicia, and Diana would be present.
Present—The Awakening Hall
Now, in the vast hall of runes and ancient stone, little Princess Alice sat cross-legged within a glowing formation. Pale-blue spiritual lines coiled around her like sleeping dragons, waiting for her command.
She glanced at her mother. Alicia smiled gently, encouragingly—though her hands trembled behind her back.
Then Alice looked at Ray.
He returned her gaze, warmth and steadiness in his eyes. "Are you ready?"
Alice nodded, face serious, then closed her eyes. The hall dimmed, focusing its light entirely on her.
Ray smiled softly, then looked to his mother. Diana, who had activated countless formations for the Spencer family, stepped forward. Her hands moved with practiced grace, activating the awakening formation with a ripple of golden radiance.
Ray knelt beside Alice, voice low.
"Alice, don't get distracted. Concentrate entirely on awakening your core and absorb as much energy as you can. Your mother has already told you what to do. I believe you can make a strong core. Believe in yourself."
He raised his hand.
"Start."
But Ray was not activating any special formation.
Instead—silently, unseen by anyone—he began calling the Spirits of Ten.
A faint pressure filled the hall. Alice shivered—but held firm. Sensing she could withstand it, Ray increased the number. Dozens… hundreds… And finally, thousands of spiritual threads descended into the formation.
Alice clenched her teeth.
Her mother had told her:
If you want to stay by Ray's side… you must grow stronger. Otherwise, he will leave you behind.
That fear, that determination, burned fiercely within her.
She pushed herself harder, absorbing spiritual energy until her body trembled and her breaths grew thin. When she felt she could absorb no more, more came. And she endured. Again. And again.
Only when she truly reached her limit did she stop—and in that instant, her core condensed.
A brilliant, pristine core—no weaker than Arisa's—formed in her body. A star of pure will.
Ray urged her to stabilize her foundation, and she obeyed, grounding her new power with remarkable focus. When she finally opened her eyes, she gasped—because spiritual energy gathered in her hand like liquid light, swirling effortlessly.
Alicia's heart nearly burst from her chest. Her daughter—someone they all pitied for her gentle talent—had formed a core strong enough to match the greatest of the kingdom.
A fourth Royal-level core… in the Kingdom of Richard.
Tears streamed down Alicia's face.
She thanked Ray over and over again. She pressed a storage ring filled with treasures into his hand as gratitude. Ray tried to refuse, but Alicia insisted firmly.
Only after speaking softly for a while did they part ways, returning to their homes.
The awakening hall, which had witnessed a miracle, slowly dimmed until only silence remained.