“Wait—” Si-Woo began, but Mai was already out the door, her light footsteps fading down the hall.
The room fell silent, but not for long. Suddenly, the bronze-colored screen popped up again, hovering just before Si-Woo’s eyes.
NEW MISSION:
COMPLETE DAILY QUESTS.
AWARD: INSIGHT (SKILL).
Si-Woo groaned, swatting at the screen out of reflex, though he knew it wouldn’t budge. “I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to this,” he muttered to himself.
Curiosity got the better of him. Daily Quests, he thought, and another screen materialized, listing his tasks for the day.
- Study for 2 hours.
- Run 2 kilometers.
- Train in martial arts for 2 hours.
At the bottom of the screen, it read: Upon completion of all daily quests, gain 150 EXP.
Si-Woo frowned, tilting his head. “I do all these things already daily,” he muttered.
But something else caught his attention. “What’s the Insight skill?” he asked, directing the question to the system.
SYSTEM: "You’ll have to find that out for yourself, Si-Woo."
Si-Woo sighed, his frown deepening. “What a system you are,” he grumbled under his breath, already beginning to mentally plan his day.
Right then, Ha-Yoon burst into the room, Z perched atop her head like a fluffy crown. Without hesitation, she rushed to Si-Woo and bear-hugged him tightly.
Tears streaming down her face, she cried, “I thought you weren’t going to wake up!”
Si-Woo gently patted her head, his voice soft. “I’m sorry, Ha-Yoon. I won’t ever leave you, I promise.”
As she pulled away, sniffling, Si-Woo noticed snot running down her nose. His expression twisted into one of mild disgust. “Eww, Ha-Yoon, you got snot all over me!”
Ha-Yoon swatted at him. “Shut up!” she shot back, before immediately checking his pulse with a frown of concentration. “You’re fine now, but your pulse a few days ago was dangerously low, Si-Woo.”
Mai leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, a small smile tugging at her lips. “A whole lot of people have been asking for you these past few days,” she said, her deep sea-blue eyes filled with concern. “Including Oapa and Lirin. But Minho made sure only a select few were allowed into the house.”
Si-Woo raised an eyebrow at that. “Really?”
Mai nodded. “He’s even placed military guards all around. They’re no joke, Si-Woo. Some of them look like they’ve seen more battles than anyone should. They’re to be feared.”
Si-Woo glanced toward the window, imagining the guards stationed outside. The weight of the past few days began to sink in as he processed Mai’s words, and Ha-Yoon, despite her usual fiery attitude, stayed close by his side, her bonds huddled protectively near her feet.
Ha-Yoon abruptly asked, “How does it feel to be awakened?”
Si-Woo clenched his fist, his senses heightened in ways he’d never experienced before. Without much effort, he could now see the soft, swirling colors of Ha-Yoon’s serein, faint wisps of light surrounding her figure. Every sound, from the creak of the floorboards to the rustle of leaves outside, was sharp and distinct. His muscles felt lighter, as though he could leap higher and run faster than ever before.
“It definitely feels different,” he said, stepping out of bed.
That’s when he noticed he was in nothing but his underwear, his toned muscles on full display. Mai’s face immediately turned crimson. She quickly spun around, avoiding his gaze. “I’ll go notify Minho!” she stammered, rushing out of the room. Her hurried footsteps echoed as she darted down the stairs.
Ha-Yoon, completely unfazed, deadpanned, “What’s her problem?”
Si-Woo shrugged nonchalantly. “No idea,” he said, stretching. “I’m going to take a shower. See you guys downstairs.”
Z chirped and followed Si-Woo into the bathroom, flapping its wings in excitement.
Under the hot stream of water, Si-Woo tilted his head back, letting the water cascade down his face. The sensations were vivid, every droplet seemingly amplified by his heightened state.
His thoughts wandered, and he asked the system in his mind, Is there a level cap?
The system’s familiar bronze screen appeared before him.
YOU WILL HAVE TO FIND THAT OUT FOR YOURSELF.
Si-Woo sighed in frustration. Of course. Is there anything else I can know?
The system continued, THERE WILL BE A LEVEL ASSESSMENT TEST EVERY TEN LEVELS YOU MUST COMPLETE TO PROGRESS.
Curiosity sparked in his eyes. Can you give me more details about the test?
NO. YOU WILL HAVE TO FIND THAT OUT FOR YOURSELF.
Si-Woo stood under the shower with a straight face, letting the system’s cryptic answers roll off him like the water from the showerhead. Z was in a corner of the tub, flapping its wings and playfully snapping at the droplets, clearly enjoying itself.
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“Figures,” Si-Woo muttered under his breath, turning his attention back to the moment. Guess I’ll just have to figure everything out the hard way.
Once dressed and out of the shower, Si-Woo made his way downstairs. The moment he entered the living room, he was greeted with a round of congratulations.
“Congratulations, Si-Woo!” Princess Deane said warmly, her silver-white hair catching the sunlight streaming through the window. Her light blue eyes with flecks of green sparkled with pride as she stepped forward to clasp his hands. “You’ve achieved something truly remarkable.”
Minho stood with his arms crossed, a proud smirk on his face. “Not bad, kid,” he said in his usual gruff tone. “But don’t let it get to your head. Awakening is just the beginning.”
Lirin was leaning casually against the wall, her indigo eyes flickering with her usual mix of curiosity and amusement. “Took you long enough,” she teased, though there was a genuine softness in her voice. Toro, perched on her shoulder, let out a faint squeak.
Oapa, standing nearby with his hood partially drawn back, gave a small nod of approval. His green eyes seemed to glimmer with pride.
“Awakening at your age is no small feat,” he said. “You’ve definitely set a precedent.”
Si-Woo, slightly overwhelmed by the attention, rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Thanks, everyone,” he said, glancing around at the familiar faces. “It still feels... strange. Like I’m not fully used to it yet.”
Princess Deane smiled knowingly. “That’s normal. Awakening changes you, Si-Woo. But don’t worry—you’ll have plenty of time to adjust.”
Minho’s smirk grew as he ruffled Si-Woo’s damp hair. “And I’ll be here to make sure you don’t slack off during that adjustment.”
Si-Woo chuckled softly, though he couldn’t shake the feeling that his journey was only just beginning.
Lirin crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair with a smirk. “You’re going to have every meathead in the upper classes gunning for you now, Si-Woo. With Oapa moving on to the EX Academy, he won’t be around to scare them off anymore.”
Si-Woo shrugged, his expression calm but resolute. “That’s nothing new to me.” His gaze briefly drifted to Lirin, remembering their shared experiences. Then his thoughts turned to her upcoming transition. “You’ll be a Level 5 Greenie soon, right? Guess we’ll be facing them together.”
Lirin raised an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth tugging upward. “Don’t count on me to bail you out. I’m not Oapa, and I have my own plans to deal with.”
Minho, who had been quietly observing, interjected with a confident tone. “That won’t be a problem for Si-Woo. If he’s not already at the top of the academy in Toeju, he will be soon, especially now that he’s awakened.”
Si-Woo felt the weight of Minho’s words but didn’t waver. He clenched his fist slightly, the newfound energy coursing through him serving as a reminder of how far he’d come.
Mai, standing nearby, approached him with a concerned expression. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked softly, her deep sea-blue eyes searching his for any sign of lingering doubt or pain.
Si-Woo hesitated, considering the question for a moment before flashing a sly smile. “I’ll be fine,” he replied, his voice steady, though a part of him was still processing everything.
Mai didn’t seem entirely convinced, but she returned his smile nonetheless. “Alright then,” she said, her tone lightening.
Princess Deane returned from the kitchen carrying a tray of warm pastries, her silver hair catching the light as she passed them out to everyone. “Here, have some,” she said with a gentle smile, setting the tray down on the table. She looked directly at Si-Woo as she added, “Now that you’ve awakened and are officially a Level 5, you’ll need to start thinking about which family to join by the beginning day of the academy.” Her tone softened, regret flashing across her light blue eyes. “I’m sorry, Si-Woo. We thought you’d have more time to decide.”
Si-Woo shook his head, his black eyes steady. “There’s no need to apologize,” he replied. “It’s an honor to have the opportunity to join a family this soon.”
Across the table, Oapa sat with his arms crossed, his untouched pastry cooling on the plate in front of him. “You’ll also have to take the martial degree test to determine your rank,” Oapa said, his tone neutral but firm. “It’s a simple test that everyone who has awakened must take. There’s no need to worry about it—it’s more of a formality at this point.”
As Minho stood near the edge of the room with his arms folded, he added, “You’ll get more details during the assembly, so let’s not dwell on it for now. Focus on the present, Si-Woo. You’ve earned this moment.”
Si-Woo nodded but found his attention drawn elsewhere. He glanced at Lirin, who was intently observing Z. The whiteblood wyvern had made his way to her pastry and was nibbling at its edge, his sharp claws holding it in place. Lirin’s indigo eyes were alight with pure enjoyment, her usually reserved demeanor softened by the scene. Si-Woo looked over to Ha-yoon and observed her bonds trying to steal her pastry.
After the celebration began to wind down, Si-Woo found himself glancing at his daily missions screen one more time. The tasks felt oddly satisfying to him, structured and clear in a way that offered a sense of control amidst the whirlwind of his awakening. He closed the screen with a thought and turned to Minho, who was leaning against the wall near the window, sipping on tea with a contented smile.
“Minho,” Si-Woo began, his tone serious but laced with determination, “can we train after this? I want to test myself—my awakened self.”
Minho raised an eyebrow, chuckling softly as he set down his cup. “I had a feeling you’d say that,” he said, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “You know, Princess Deane told me not to mention training for a few days. She thought you’d need time to rest and adjust.”
Si-Woo gave a small shrug. “I’m not tired,” he said firmly. “And besides, I need to keep up with my daily missions.”
“Daily missions?” Lirin asked curiously, her head tilting as she looked up from stroking Z’s tail.
“Nothing,” Si-Woo said quickly, brushing it off.
Minho laughed again and clapped his hands together. “Well, since you insist, it can’t be helped. I’ll make an exception just this once.” His gaze turned sharp, the playful glint in his eyes replaced by one of eagerness. “To be honest, I’ve been itching to see how your awakened self performs.”
The room seemed to buzz with anticipation, and even Z perked up at Minho’s words, chirping softly as if in approval. Princess Deane, seated nearby, raised an eyebrow but said nothing, her gaze shifting to Si-Woo with quiet curiosity.
“Alright,” Minho said, straightening. “Once the celebration wraps up, meet me outside. Let’s see what you’re made of now, Si-Woo.”
Si-Woo nodded, a determined smile forming on his lips as he prepared himself for the next test of his abilities.
As Minho's words hung in the air, an excited energy seemed to ripple through the room.
“We’re coming too,” Lirin said decisively, leaning forward in her chair. She pointed to Si-Woo with a slight smirk. “I’ve got to see if all this fuss about you being the next top student is actually true.”
Mai, sitting beside her, nodded with an enthusiastic smile. “Same here! No way I’m missing this. Plus, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you train properly.”
Oapa, who had been quietly observing the conversation, let out a deep sigh but gave a small smile. “I guess I’ll come too. Not that I doubt you, Si-Woo, but it’ll be... interesting to see how an awakened human compares to fae.”
Ha-Yoon, who had been nibbling on a leftover pastry, suddenly perked up. “Of course, I’m going too!” she exclaimed. “Someone has to keep you in check.” Z chirped in agreement, clearly as eager as the others.
Minho looked around the room, feigning exasperation. “Well, looks like we’re making it a spectacle, huh? Fine,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “But don’t crowd the training grounds, or you might end up being the ones tested.”
The room erupted into lighthearted laughter, with Si-Woo smiling faintly at the camaraderie surrounding him. Despite the nerves bubbling within him about this new phase of his life, he felt a sense of reassurance knowing his friends and family were behind him.
“Alright,” Si-Woo said, standing from his chair with Z hopping onto his shoulder. “Let’s get this over with.”
Minho chuckled as he motioned for everyone to follow. “Don’t be so grim, Si-Woo. This is just the beginning.”