"H-Huh?" Nael looked to the side. "What?"
Mira was staring at him, her cerulean eyes wide with a mixture of anxiety and concern. "Are you ok? You've been spacing out for a while. I called your name more than three times."
Nael blinked, shaking off the lingering thoughts of metaphysical contracts and returns. "Sorry, Mira. I was inspecting my Soul Tome. I must have got lost in it."
Mira nodded, her shoulders relaxing in relief that he was alright. "So, what class did you awaken?"
Nael chuckled wryly. "It's an Investor."
"Investor?" Mira's head tilted, her expression one of pure confusion. "What kind of class is that? I've never heard of it."
"Me neither," Nael admitted. "That's why I was checking my Soul Time, trying to learn what it is. And I think I'm starting to understand it now." He left out the part about his first investment currently being her.
"I see..." Mira nodded slowly, not probing any further. "I hope I can get a good class too..." Her voice was small, the weight of her family's situation and Nael's sacrifice pressing down on her again.
"Mm." Nael offered her a genuine, reassuring smile. "I'm sure you will."
'You will get better than mine at least.' He thought, recalling the specific condition line.
"T-Thank you," She nodded, her eyes lighting up with a renewed flicker of hope and motivation.
At the very least, she could awaken now. That was something.
Nael couldn't resist a gentle tease to lift up the mood. "Just don't forget about me when you become famous after awakening a good class."
"N-No! Of course not!" she denied quickly, her cheeks flushing slightly. Then, seizing on the idea, she added. "Let's party together for the dungeone delve tomorrow then."
"Alright," Nael agreed easily.
'I doubt anyone else would want to party with a Common grade Investor aside from you,' he chuckled inwardly. 'But we won't be completely hopeless at least.'
Thankfully, his meticulous nature had already planned for this. He'd studied all the beginner and useful dungeon tactics for the past month and had even tailored a specific two-person strategy, just in case he ended up alone or only with Mira. It was reckless and dangerous, but not entirely impossible.
Just like that, they fell into a comfortable rhythm, talking in low voices and watching as their fellow graduates awakened. The ceremony continued to yield surprises, another five Epic classes flared across the scry-plate, each met with roaring applause and a swift approach from recruiters. But still, no Legendary class appeared. As for Mythic, it remained exactly that, a mythical occurrence.
As the afternoon sun began to dip lower in the sky, the ceremonial grounds grew emptier. Most of the awakened and their families had already left, discussing futures and celebrations. Even some of the recruiters had packed up, their prime targets already secured.
Finally, when the crowd was sparse and the line had dwindled to just a handful of students, the head instructor called her.
"Go," Nael gave her an encouraging nudge. "And good luck."
"Mm..." She took a deep, steadying breath, nodded once with determined eyes, and walked towards the platform, her silver hair catching the late afternoon light.
Nael watched her go, his own breath catching in his throat. He quickly moved to an empty seat in the front row for a better view.
'I hope she's ok.' As the last two graduates respectively awakened [Water Weaver] and an Epic class [Wyvern Tamer], Nael found himself growing increasingly worried about Mira.
"Mireille Solen! Please approach the Circle!"
The herald's amplified voice called out, clear and final for the day.
The few remaining spectators, mostly tired teachers and a handful of stragglers, offered only polite, distracted applause. Almost all the attention had already been captured by the earlier Epic class holder.
It was a bittersweet relief, less pressure for her, but also a painful reminder of how easily those deemed 'common' were overlooked.
'You can do it!' Nael cheered inwardly as Mira stepped into the circle with cautious but curious steps.
The remaining crowd watched with mild interest, most expecting another Common or Uncommon awakening to close out the day.
She stood before the Awakening Crystal, its surface still humming with residual energy from the day's ceremonies. Taking a deep breath, she placed both hands on its smooth surface and closed her eyes.
For a moment, nothing happened.
The crystal remained still, and so did the panels.
'Huh? What's happening? Did it fa-!'
Nael's thoughts were cut short as a low, resonant hum began to emanate from the Crystal.
"Huh?"
The next moment, brilliant golden light erupted from the crystal. The usual gentle glow transformed into radiant solar fire that pulsed with the rhythm of a beating heart.
'W-Whoa!'
The light surrounded Mira and transformed her completely.
Her silver hair shimmered like liquid sunlight, her skin glowed with warm radiance, and behind her, magnificent wings of pure solar energy unfurled. They were made of dancing golden flames and streaming light rather than feathers.
A majestic yet delicate crown of solidified golden light manifested upon her brow. Her simple academy robes seemed to transform, appearing for a moment like a glorious gown of light and shadow.
The next moment, she rose from the ground, floating gracefully as solar winds swirled around her in spiraling patterns.
The very air grew warm, and flowers in the distant gardens began to bloom out of season, touched by her radiant presence.
For several breathtaking moments, it was as if a second sun had descended into their world.
The golden light bathed the entire city of Aethelgard in warm, nurturing radiance. Citizens stopped in the streets, looking up in wonder as the late afternoon darkness was pushed back by this celestial solar display.
"!"
The scattered conversations had long died with every head turned toward the circle, eyes wide with awe and disbelief.
'!' Nael's breath caught. Mira... She... She looked… so radiant. His heart kept beating faster and faster, making him clutch his chest.
"..."
Then, as gently as dawn breaking over the horizon, the light began to soften.
Mireille descended with the grace of settling sunbeams, her feet touching the ground as the solar wings gradually faded into motes of golden light that retracted into her body.
'Flutter~'
Mireille opened her eyes.
For just a moment, they blazed like twin suns before returning to their natural cerulean blue, though now they held flecks of gold that hadn't been there before.
The silence stretched on, broken only by the soft hum of the scry-plates as they processed what had just occurred.
Then, as one, every person present whipped their heads toward the display panels.
The letters materialized in blazing gold script, as if written by sunfire itself:
✦⋆･ﾟ━━━━ ✧ ━━━━ﾟ･⋆✦
[ Class: Sun Princess ]
[ Grade: LEGENDARY ]
[ Primary Stat: Aether]
✦⋆･ﾟ━━━━ ✧ ━━━━ﾟ･⋆✦