Today was an important day in the Ravenor Duchy—perhaps the most important in years. It was the day of Kael Ravenor's Awakening Ceremony, and by special arrangement, Princess Seraphina's as well.
Although Seraphina was one month older, she had waited patiently so their awakenings could take place together. She insisted on it—she would not awaken without her fiancé beside her.
True to his word, Emperor Aldric arrived a day earlier, officially claiming he had come to attend his daughter's ceremony. Everyone knew the truth—he had come for both of them.
Now, as the sun reached its peak at noon, the plaza of Ravenor Castle was filled with knights and soldiers.
Standing at the center were the key figures: Emperor Aldric, Duke Darian Ravenor, Duchess Selara, Kael, and Seraphina.
All eyes were drawn to the emperor, who carried a long rectangular box painted entirely black—lacquered, polished, and sealed with runes. The box hummed faintly with dormant magic.
Kael swallowed. This was the moment he had been waiting for ten years.
And the emperor slowly, deliberately, began to open the black box.
---
Kael's POV
There it was—an A-rank core stone. A perfectly cut but strangely shaped gem, glowing with a deep, fiery orange hue. Few people in the entire empire ever saw one with their own eyes; fewer still were allowed to touch one. It was one in a million in nature.
To awaken their unique skills, a person needed to crush—or at the very least, touch—a core stone. Most citizens only have their natural unique skill, the one tied to their awakening, and nothing more. Additional skills could be obtained by crushing core stones… but those stones were rare, expensive, and could only be touched for awakening.
Yet here I was, standing before an A-rank core stone that was meant to become mine.
If I crush it, I will gain an A-rank skill… possibly even an S-rank one if I am lucky. But I am not the main character, so I think I can't put my hopes on the A-rank core stone.
In the original story, Kael awakened an A-rank skill known as Sword Master, a technique that let him understand swordsmanship instinctively and wield any kind of sword. And Seraphina… she awakened the B-rank defensive skill Aegis of Dawn, a skill that created radiant mana shields strong enough to block B-rank attacks.
I couldn't help it—I was curious.
Would Seraphina awaken the same skill as in the original timeline?
Or would fate shift?
And then there was my own future.
What would be my second A-rank skill after crushing this stone?
As these thoughts swirled in my mind, Emperor Aldric lifted the black ceremonial box and opened it fully. Inside, nestled in a bed of runic cloth, were two stones:
The A-rank core stone glowing orange.
A smaller purple stone—a stone meant for Seraphina, should she choose to touch it.
---
General POV
The emperor looked at his daughter, his voice calm but carrying across the plaza.
Emperor Aldric:
"Seraphina, my daughter… are you ready?"
Seraphina nodded.
"Yes, Father."
"Good," the emperor said. "Come here and take the purple stone. Crush it gently. It will reveal your skill."
Seraphina stepped forward. Her movements were small and careful, as if she didn't want to disturb the silence hanging in the air. When she reached the pedestal, she picked up the purple core stone with both hands.
The moment she touched it, a faint blue light shimmered in her eyes.
People nearby exchanged looks. They knew what that meant: she was seeing her awakening information—her unique skill, her mana amount, and her mana affinity.
---
Seraphina's POV
The moment I heard my father's words, I froze for a second, my heart pounding.
Kael nudged me gently with his elbow, and I realized I had to move. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward and reached for the purple stone.
The instant my fingers touched it, a strange warmth spread through me. Images, numbers, and feelings flashed before my eyes—the things everyone always talked about: personal information, mana capacity, my unique skill… everything about me, revealed at once.
---
Name: Seraphina Valerius
Age: 10
Race: Human
Mana Affinity: Light
Mana Capacity: 12,500
───────────────────────────
SKILL SLOTS
───────────────────────────
Slot 1: AEGIS OF DAWN (B-Rank / Defensive / Light)
Description: Creates radiant mana shields capable of blocking attacks up to B-rank.
Shield shapes can vary. Can defend a single person or a small group. Efficiency drops if user is tired or emotionally unstable. (1%)
Slot 2: Empty
Slot 3: Empty
Slot 4: Empty
Slot 5: Empty
Slot 6: Empty
Slot 7: Empty
Slot 8: Empty
Slot 9: Empty
Slot 10: Empty
---
The moment I saw my B-rank skill, a rush of happiness filled me.
It meant I could protect the people I care about most. With a determined breath, I crushed the B-rank core stone in my hands.
The instant it shattered, a soft purple light burst out, filling my vision. I blinked and focused, looking at my personal information again.
---
Name: Seraphina Valerius
Age: 10
Race: Human
Mana Affinity: Light
Mana Capacity: 12,500
───────────────────────────
SKILL SLOTS
───────────────────────────
Slot 1: AEGIS OF DAWN (B-Rank / Defensive / Light)
Description: Creates radiant mana shields capable of blocking attacks up to B-rank.
Shield shapes can vary. Can defend a single person or a small group. Efficiency drops if user is tired or emotionally unstable.
Slot 2: RADIANT WHIP (B-Rank / Offensive / Light)
Description: A whip of concentrated light that can deal moderate damage to an enemy, temporarily slowing their movement or can heal ally by will of wielder. Effectiveness improves with focus and mana control. Very effective against demons and demonic energy. (1%)
Slot 3: Empty
Slot 4: Empty
Slot 5: Empty
Slot 6: Empty
Slot 7: Empty
Slot 8: Empty
Slot 9: Empty
Slot 10: Empty
---
Seeing my two B-rank skills, a warm sense of relief and happiness filled me. I can protect myself now. I don't need anyone else to watch over me. I'm not a burden anymore.
I straightened and announced my skills aloud, letting everyone hear their names and ranks. "These are my skills and their ranks," I said, my voice exited and proud. Everybody was happy with me and we looked to Kael as he was going to touch core stone.