Chapter 11: Awakening Ceremony (Part 1)

Chapter 11: Awakening Ceremony (Part 1) Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, four months had passed. Snow fell softly on Kiran Mountain, painting the place white. The wind was blowing hard, rustling the leafless branches of the trees. The sky was dark, covered with clouds that did not allow the sun’s golden rays to illuminate the mountain. In town, the cobblestone streets were filled with snow, and there was very little activity. Various animals, including large purple dogs, wooden cargo dogs, and others, were clearing the streets. Residents wore thick clothing due to the low temperatures, which ranged from -10° to -20°. However, this kind of harsh weather was quite normal, as they lived in the mountains, where temperatures were extreme. In addition, it was also one of the most dangerous seasons, because many wild animals became much more active during these times, such as iron-fanged wolves, barbed-furred wolves, and more. In the Medici mansion, everything was quite hectic; the servants were moving from one side to the other like headless chickens. There was constant movement in the corridors, besides the fact that the head of the Clan was a very meticulous person about order and cleanliness. There was another reason why all the servants were in constant motion. Today was an extremely important day. It was the Awakening Ceremony. So everything had to be perfect. In one of the rooms of this large and magnificent mansion, Kael was being attended to by several tailors who were making adjustments to his suit. His mother was also present to make sure everything went well. It has been six months since my rebirth, and many things have changed from my past life. Now, at last, I will be able to awaken my mana core and embark once again into the world of magic and the Zu. He thought, looking at himself in the gold-framed full-length mirror. During these four months, nothing important had happened, only that the business his mother and Agnes Blossom had started began to flourish rapidly, thanks to some ideas he had given. The business his mother had started with Agnes was perfumes and makeup for the noblewomen of the kingdom, as that aspect had not been very developed in this world; everything was very basic and rustic. Kael, as someone from Earth, had much more advanced knowledge compared to the residents of this world. So they had a rapid growth and popularity among the nobles. His mother had mentioned to him about expanding the business to the neighboring kingdoms, which were the Lion Kingdom and the Holy Empire. However, Kael told them that it was too early for that. At that moment, the door to the room opened, producing a faint sound. Lydia entered with a calm expression, trying to hide her nervousness. Today, the talents of the young master who she had been serving for more than five years would be made known. "Young master, the patriarch sent for you to the ceremonial shrine," she reported, her voice neutral. Kael nodded. He motioned for the tailors to stand. He left his room accompanied by Lydia and Alessia. As he advanced through the corridors, it could also be seen that his brothers, accompanied by their respective mothers and maids, were heading towards the same place. No one said a word; the atmosphere was tense and heavy. However, from time to time, his brothers looked at him with amusement and anger, as if expecting his failure. However, Kael laughed coldly and with some inward amusement. He knew that the rank of his talent in this life would be very different from before, at a miserable D rank. Not long after, they left the mansion. They came upon a large bamboo forest leading to a shrine. They advanced along the road until they arrived, which was being guarded by many elite knights; all of them had sharp gazes and looked at Kael with a slight curiosity. After a while, they arrived at the Ceremonial Sanctuary, where the Ceremony of Awakening was taking place. The shrine dominated the landscape from its pedestal of ancient stone. Its ceilings, clad in cypress bark, arched toward the sky. At the entrance of the place were the various elders of the clan, such as Zephyr Medici, who was sitting in a large chair, looking at everything calmly. "Patriarch, I have brought the seventh young master, as you ordered," Lydia said with a bow and an extremely respectful tone. Zephyr raised his hand slightly, dismissing Lydia with a dismissive gesture. "Stand down." Lydia bowed her head in a perfect, almost automatic bow before leaving the place with a silent step. A moment later, Zephyr’s eyes fell on his children and consorts. The coldness of his gaze was enough to freeze the atmosphere. "The Awakening Ceremony will now commence." His voice sounded sharp as steel. "Only Kael Medici will go through the Awakening Ceremony, now that he is fifteen years old. Son, follow the old man. He will instruct you. Do not keep him waiting." A calculated pause. Then, in a tone that was more command than suggestion, he added: "The rest of you...take your places. And be quiet." Kael nodded and followed one of the clan elders into the Ceremonial Sanctuary. The clan elder was a man with black hair and an impeccable beard, wearing a gray and black linen suit. The emblem of House Medici was neatly embroidered on his shirt. He led him to the ceremonial shrine. Once inside, they descended a wooden staircase to a cave illuminated by Luxgem stones, whose natural light dispelled much of the darkness. The subway cave was beautiful and spacious: there were ten torii gates, and in the center, a crystal-clear river of light jade green flowed slowly. Numerous white lotus flowers floated on its surface, swaying gently with the vibrations of the water. This is a river of origin. It allows a person to awaken the mana core and access its energy, thus being able to use magic or manifest the aura. In addition, being able to use the Zu. Kael, looking at the river, muttered to himself. The clan elder, once in the cave, began to explain: "Listen carefully. For you to create your mana core, you have to enter the river and walk towards the gates. If the lotus flowers in the water glow, it means that you have successfully created your core. Now, to determine your talent, the method is quite simple." "It all depends on how many lotuses you manage to make glow. D-ranked ones glow between 1 and 19; C-ranked ones, between 20 and 39; B-ranked ones, between 40 and 59; A-ranked ones, between 60 and 79; and S-ranked ones, between 80 and 98." In this world, talent ranks were divided into five levels: D, C, B, A, and S. The better the talent, the faster the growth. The S rank was considered exceptional, reserved only for geniuses capable of reaching the top with ease, while D indicated mediocre talent, which required constant effort to progress. However, Kael was an exception. As is known, his talent is of SSS rank, so his growth will be simply absurd compared to anyone else. "Did it become clear to you?" the clan elder said. Kael nodded, feigning nervousness, and entered the crystalline jade-green river. As he took the first step, a lotus flower lit up, emanating a beautiful, pure white. As he went on, more lotuses continued to light up. The small waves caused by his advance expanded in concentric circles as he began to walk upstream. The illuminated lotuses... he already had more than forty, and they kept increasing: fifty-five... fifty-seven.... Kael stopped when the water reached his knees. The last lotus shone so brightly that his black hair seemed to absorb the light, turning him into a living statue.