In an extensive, beautiful garden bathed in the soft glow of early morning sunlight, the trees and the pavilion at its center shimmered gently.
The air was filled with the rich scent of herbs, spreading tranquility in every direction and calming the hearts of all who entered.
But not everyone was allowed to step into this garden.
This place and the entire mountain range where the lord's manor stood belonged to the Great Lord alone. Only those of the highest status and power could even obtain permission to enter.
At this moment, only two people were present within the garden.
At the center, inside the pavilion, a middle-aged man floated in meditation. A sacred white aura surrounded him, radiating an unfathomable presence that defied mortal understanding.
Outside the pavilion stood a young man of about eighteen.
His hands were clasped behind his back as he gazed calmly at the old man's figure.
He waited patiently, making no move to disturb him.
He knew the old man was already aware of his presence and was simply waiting for the right moment to speak.
"Have you rested well?" the old man finally asked.
"I did," the young man replied softly.
"Take this."
A ray of light flew from the old man's hand and landed gently in the young man's palm.
It was a white envelope, sealed with a red insignia.
"Show this to the deans of the universities. Any one of them will be more than willing to enroll you, regardless of the profession you awaken."
The old man paused briefly, as though organizing his thoughts.
"However, once inside the university, how far you rise will depend solely on your own ability."
He fell silent again before continuing, his tone firm yet distant.
"This is the last thing I will do for you. From now on, you are on your own. Whatever path you choose, I will not interfere in your life."
"I understand, and I'm grateful for everything you've done for me until now," the young man replied, bowing slightly with one hand over his chest.
"Hm…" The old man went quiet for a few seconds, lost in thought.
"You may go now," he finally said. "And take care, boy."
"Thank you for everything."
Ethan gave a small nod and turned away, never once looking back.
There was no anger or sorrow in his expression, only a quiet acceptance of something he had long known would come.
After walking for several minutes, he exited the garden, crossed a stretch of interconnected buildings, and eventually reached the main entrance of the estate.
He carried only a small backpack containing a few basic materials, a couple of spare sets of clothes, and the letter he had received from the old man.
An adult man was already waiting there.
"Heading to Remus Branch's Awakening Hall, right? I'll drop you off," the man said.
"Thank you," Ethan replied as he nodded and climbed into the front passenger seat.
As the vehicle started moving, Ethan glanced at the driver with a calm but observant gaze.
He felt small in the man's presence, though this was not the first time he had felt that way. Compared to the old man's overwhelming aura, this man's presence was far weaker.
Still, there was no doubt he was a high-ranking Awakener.
"Is something on my face?" the man asked, noticing Ethan's stare.
"No, it's nothing… sorry," Ethan replied, turning his gaze toward the passing scenery as the vehicle descended the forest-covered mountain range.
It would take a couple of hours to reach the nearest Awakening Hall.
"You're curious, aren't you?" the driver, Vikor, said with a small smile.
"Well… curiosity and concern kind of go together right now," Ethan admitted. "I can't help thinking what if my profession turns out to be useless?"
Vikor thought for a moment before answering. "There's no such thing as a useless profession. Even if you don't awaken a combat profession, there's still a lot you can accomplish with whatever you get."
"I guess… though it would be great if I awakened something powerful, like a Holy Knight or a War Mage," Ethan sighed.
"One can wish," Vikor replied, glancing at him. "But it's beyond our control. You cannot simply wish for a powerful profession."
"Even families with bloodlines do not have a hundred percent chance of awakening their inherited profession. And even if they do, there is no guarantee it will manifest with the same power."
He paused briefly before continuing. "The Master has allowed you to learn many things since you were young, things that cannot be found anywhere else."
Then he added, "You already understand what determines a person's profession, don't you?"
"Yes," Ethan replied. "Although it isn't proven and there's no concrete evidence, it has been theorized that our soul determines what profession we awaken. The physical body, experience, and knowledge only play minor roles. There are also bloodlines and inheritances, but I don't think I have any of those."
Although he grew up in the lord's clan, he was not an official member.
He was treated more like a worker, so he was not allowed into the clan's library.
However, he was still permitted to use the commoner library, which did not contain anything too advanced but was enough to give him a solid understanding of nearly every topic related to Awakeners and dungeons, monsters, skills, traits, and countless other related subjects.
As a result, there were very few topics in that field that he was unfamiliar with.
That was precisely why he felt so anxious.
He knew better than most just how unlikely it was for him to awaken a Combat Class profession, let alone a powerful one.
On average, fewer than forty percent of ordinary people managed to awaken a Combat Class profession.
After Combat Class came Magic Class professions, followed by Controller Class, and finally Support Class professions. With each subsequent category, the probability of awakening one increased significantly.
Ethan still hoped for a Combat Class profession, the rarest and most difficult to obtain. Even if he failed, he would be satisfied with a Magic Class profession. He would not be too disappointed with a Controller Class either.
Even a decent Support Class profession would be acceptable.
"Heh. The Lord does not hand out mercy for nothing. Guess he figured you were worth the effort," Vikor said lightly.
"I do not know about that, but I am grateful for everything he has done for me. I will return the favor one day, once I am capable," Ethan replied with a faint smile.
At that moment, memories of the old man surfaced in his mind.
Ethan had been an orphan, abandoned as a baby.
The old man had taken him in, providing a place to eat and sleep.
As Ethan grew older, he even gave him work inside the manor, along with pay.
Now that Ethan had come of age, the old man did not restrict him.
Instead, he let Ethan go, giving him the chance to walk his own path.
Ethan held the old man in the highest regard.
Someone standing at the very peak of the world had no obligation to help, yet he did for a child who had been left by the roadside near his place.
Despite having no reason to, he not only helped but treated the child exceptionally well.
Vikor did not comment on that.
He simply kept his eyes on the road, looking somewhat lost in thought.
"Anyway," he said after a moment, "with the recommendation letter from the lord, you'll be eligible to join any university. Do you have one in mind?"
The world of Lemuria had eight great universities, each famous for its own specialties and teachings.
Any of them would be an excellent starting point.
Although their assets and facilities were fairly similar, their rankings existed for a reason.
Naturally, Ethan aimed for the best.
"Of course. My wish is to join the top ranked Monarch University," Ethan replied, nodding.
"Hm. I would like to tell you that you will get in, but it is not that easy," Vikor said. "They value hard work and performance more than just profession."
"Most of the students there are descendants or members of top awakener families. They have trained since childhood, grown up consuming valuable resources, and many are almost guaranteed to awaken powerful professions through their bloodlines."
Ethan sighed softly. "I know. Compared to them, I am just an ordinary person."
The old man had treated him well and granted him access to the commoner library, but that was all.
He had not provided Ethan with resources or special personal training.
Being given a place to grow up was already more than enough; Ethan couldn't ask for anything more.
"It is not too bad, though. I have done regular physical training and exercise. I will not fall too far behind," Ethan said with a small, optimistic smile as he watched modern buildings and towering skyscrapers pass by outside.
Eventually, the vehicle arrived at a massive, dome-like stadium.
At the entrance, the guards merely glanced at the car's number plate before hurriedly opening the way without conducting any inspection.
Ethan noticed the tension and unease in their expressions, which was only natural given the old man's status.
Vikor parked in a private area reserved for VIPs.
"I will deliver the master's letter to the university recruiters. You go join the other candidates and wait until you are called. You already know the procedure, right?" Vikor asked.
"Yes. Thank you," Ethan replied with a nod.
"Good luck. We have great expectations of you," Vikor said seriously.
"I will do my best," Ethan answered, not thinking too deeply about the words.
He assumed the "we" referred to Vikor and the old man.
With that, he turned and headed toward the other side of the stadium.
Vikor watched him leave in silence.
Only after Ethan disappeared from sight did he finally turn away and walk off in the opposite direction.
...
[A/N: If you enjoyed the chapter, please consider adding it to your library and supporting it with some Power Stones. Arigato!]